Cliffhangers, or how to annoy your wife

One of the things I do as a DM truly annoys my lovely wife.

She’s a player in both groups ’cause she loves the game too (I’m lucky, I know!), and I do my level best each session to end on a “cliffhanger.” She hates it. 😀

Now it doesn’t necessarily have to be something huge. Not every week can or will end on an actual cliffhanger. Just ending on a dramatic question (in the literary sense, not actually asking the table a question dramatically) is often enough.

Maybe in that moment when you’d normally say “Roll initiative!” you instead say “aaaand we’ll pick up with initiative next week!”

Maybe the characters are headed to a manor house to sneak in and steal something. You leave off with them on the way.

The point is twofold.

First, your players will be like “awww okay” and be excited for next session.

Secondly, it makes your prep easier, since you know exactly what the starting scene will be and can prepare for a great opening scene the following session.

Give it a shot at your next session!

Note: I was out of commission Friday and Saturday, so there are a lot of things to catch up on … here goes!

Links:

A Trifecta of BS – The Angry GM

Ghosts of Saltmarsh Wallpaper – Wizards of the Coast

Variant: Dynamic Spellcasting – Dungeon Master’s Workshop

The Far Side of the Table: Death at the Table—How Do We Prepare for It? – Kobold Press

Everything You Need to Know About Acquisitions Incorporated: The Book – DnDBeyond

Spell Components – Handbooker Helper – Critical Role

Jeremy Crawford on the Artificer – Dragon+ – Dragon+

Catacombs of the Flayed Minotaurs – Dyson’s Dodecahedron

Roleplaying Tips Weekly E-Zine Issue #488 – GMing Gods, Demons And Immortals – Roleplaying Tips