Occasionally I’ll hear a DM say something along the lines of “we had an amazing session the other day … it was all roleplay. We didn’t roll the dice once!”
And my response to that is usually polite interest.
Cause I don’t understand it. I mean … I understand the idea, I just disagree.
People like rolling dice. It’s a thing.
And part of what makes D&D interesting is the chance that sometimes … sometimes the dice say no. Or yes. And the unexpected happens.
Obviously, there are times when you don’t need to roll the dice. There’s either no real way something could possibly work, or there’s no way the character could fail. In those cases, don’t roll dice.
But people like rolling dice. So let them! Don’t be afraid to call for skill checks and saving throws, because those things are part of what makes D&D a game and make it fun.
RDD Podcast: Setting Agnostic vs. Setting Specific – Red Dice Diaries
Hashtag Adventure Goals – The Angry GM
Designing with Style: Unlocking the Style Guide Using Thieves’ Tools – Kobold Press
If you can avoid empty/boring rooms, avoid them – Sage Advice
Return to Dyson’s Delve – Levels 5 & 6 – Dyson’s Dodecahedron
Play One-on-One (or Party Style!) with the D&D Essentials Kit – DnDBeyond
How many encounters do you put into a one-shot? – Sage Advice
Four Interesting Reward Types in D&D – RJD20
D&D 5e Beginner Youth Character Sheet – DMsGuild – PWYW
Ghosts of Saltmarsh: Salvage Operation Map Pack – DMsGuild – $1.50
A Night At The Tavern – DMsGuild – $5.00
Cormyr: Land of the Purple Dragon – DMsGuild – $24.99
Now get out there and tell a story!
Peace,
Maximilian Hart