Or, how to plan a one-shot campaign
The first question to ask yourself is what the point of the one-shot is why you're doing it.
Is it to introduce new players to the game? Is it to introduce experienced players to your group to see if they fit in? Is it because a couple usual players couldn't come? Is it because you want to try out a crazy concept or setting?
Based on this question, there are several things you should decide. Character level is a really crucial one, as may be classes and races that you offer. If you're running it for people who've never played DnD before, you'll want a lower level. If you're running it for usual players of yours, some players might want to keep their character sheets but play different character concepts. For people you're trying to bring into your game, level them to or near the current party level.
For class and race, this is less by-the-book. I've heard DMs say that classes should have at least as much restriction as a long-term campaign, since you don't have time to balance out game mechanics. I'm of a different mindset: if it's just a one-shot, an imbalance doesn't matter that much, and you don't have to find a way to work it out with your player over time. In addition, offering classes or races you usually don't could be a part of your campaign concept, such as an evil or flight-races or psyionic one-shot.
Once you have an idea about that, give yourself an estimate of how. This will directly define how many encounters you can have in your game. I suggest making one-shots largely combat focused with little "color" or roleplaying specific encounters. This is because those tend to take longer to go through with a lot of variation in both time and how events play out. For combat, you can get about one encounter per hour in. For more epic encounters, such as fighting a dragon, you might think about making that the only encounter. Furthermore, think about how much background is needed for any given encounter. After all, since when does a dragon need a reason to land and start ransacking a village?
All that said, it doesn't mean you have to just have a "they went dungeon delving" plot. The last one-shot I ran was a mystery where the party, who happened to be the next-most-powerful folks in town, went to find out what had happened to the town guard. They fought off the wolves and cheetahs in her front garden, and then killed the red dragon that had hatched and murdered her, meanwhile finding out what had happened to her.
And that's about it! Once you've got everything, you have a plan for your one-shot campaign- one that actually can be finished in one session.
So, to sum up:
a) why are you running it?
b) what level will the characters be? Should depend on a).
c) what classes/races will you allow? Decide based on campaign, players, and your preference.
d) see how long the campaign will last. Remember: ~1 encounter/1 hour
Sep 2, 2014
Aug 7, 2014
Game Night Snack Idea #7
Without further ado, game night snack idea #7: bowl of fruit.
Specifically, berries, strawberries with the tops cut off, grapes, and apple slices make for great choices. They can be put in a bowl, passed around, and scooped up easily like chips. Other types of fruit, like citrus or melons, are more difficult to eat and prepare, often sticky or unwieldy.
With that, we wrap up our game night snack idea series, at least for now. Hope you all enjoy these ideas at your gaming table!
Specifically, berries, strawberries with the tops cut off, grapes, and apple slices make for great choices. They can be put in a bowl, passed around, and scooped up easily like chips. Other types of fruit, like citrus or melons, are more difficult to eat and prepare, often sticky or unwieldy.
With that, we wrap up our game night snack idea series, at least for now. Hope you all enjoy these ideas at your gaming table!
Jul 27, 2014
Game Night Snack Idea #6
This one's a little random, but was an all-time favorite for my gaming group.
For Game Night Snack Idea #6: peanut butter, almond butter, and nutella.
With a planned idea, you might actually want crackers, with or without the stuff already put on it. The day I brought some to my gaming group, I brought them in those little sandwich packets. Can be found at most grocery stores.
For Game Night Snack Idea #6: peanut butter, almond butter, and nutella.
With a planned idea, you might actually want crackers, with or without the stuff already put on it. The day I brought some to my gaming group, I brought them in those little sandwich packets. Can be found at most grocery stores.
Jul 26, 2014
Game Night Snack Idea #5
For those of you who play around the dinner hour, pizza might be the staple DnD meal of choice.
For game night snack idea #5: taquitos.
Taquitos are easy to eat (even in comparison to pizza) and just as tasty. Unfortunately, I'm fairly certain that they take a deep-frier to make, so this idea is basically buy-only.
For game night snack idea #5: taquitos.
Taquitos are easy to eat (even in comparison to pizza) and just as tasty. Unfortunately, I'm fairly certain that they take a deep-frier to make, so this idea is basically buy-only.
Jul 25, 2014
The Problems with Sexualized Fantasy Pictures of Women
Sexualization is not, inherently, the problem. The problem comes in several aspects. The first is that women in are often placed in clearly ineffective armor in order to be sexualized. This is a problem because armor is intended to protect and, by making the armor ineffective, insinuates women as unable to protect themselves.
A related problem is the exaggeration bodies in order to sexualize. Women's bodies are often twisted into unrealistic or even impossible shapes in order to show, for the largest example, both boobs and butt. An equally prevalent problem is oversizing boobs and undersizing waists.
Furthermore, men and women are neither sexualized in the same way nor in the same amount. Women in are sexualized way more often than men, sometimes in the same pictures. Evil women are also almost always sexualized.
When women are sexualized in fantasy artwork, they are typically reduced to eye candy for men, stripped of capability and personality. Even when they are portrayed as capable, the sexualization typically undermines this.
#sexism #feminism #artwork #dnd #tabletopgaming #rpgs
Game Night Snack Idea #4
Candy is always great. If you can make it look really cool, that's even better.
For game night snack idea #4: m&ms with brownies or cookies on top.
It's a really simple way to have a really awesome looking tray of sweets. A few weeks ago, I had leftover brownies and a packet of m&ms, and it turned out so popular with my gaming group that I plan on making it again frequently.
Jul 24, 2014
Game Night Snack Idea #3
Every so often, a gaming group might want an alternative to potato chips. For game night snack idea #3, I'll tell you my personal favorite, as well as an alternative.
For the third game night snack idea: kale chips.
Kale chips can be made in the pan with a little oil or in the oven for about ten minutes. Don't forget to put salt on top.
That said, not everyone likes kale chips, because they have a slightly bitter flavor to them. Other times, you might not have the time or desire to cook. Here's the alternative: roasted and salted seaweed slices. You can buy them at a lot of places, including a Trader Joe's and Whole Foods. They're not bitter like kale chips, but be careful: there are both regular and wasabi (very spicy) varieties.
Jul 23, 2014
Where to Have Your DnD Game
Not every group can or wants to simply play at the DM's home (or another player's home). Sometimes a home isn't suited for D&D meetings (such as being a small apartment or dorm). Sometimes, group members live on opposite sides of town, and you need a common meeting place. It can also be difficult to clean up after a party with four to eight people every week.
When picking an alternative place to hold a tabletop game, the first thing to think of is how many people are going to come. With larger groups, this limits the options. The second thing to think of is player preferences/needs. Not everyone is good at focusing, so busier places might not work.
Here are a few options, with their benefits/detractions:
1. A public park
Benefits: Since parks are public, they can't turn your group away. They typically have tables of the right size or grassy places to sit, and minimal noise and distraction.
Detractions: Parks aren't an option in the winter (in most places). It's impossible to play late, and if leaving after dark, safety can be an issue. Make it every player's responsibility to make sure everyone gets to their cars safely. Weather can be problematic, canceling or ending a game early.
2. The local library
Benefits: Many libraries have a grassy area to sit in the summertime, and conference rooms you can reserve. If you choose to sit outside, there's an alternative in case of bad weather, and there's usually internet.
Detractions: Libraries are quiet places. If you're outside, this is fine, but if you're inside, the group may have to curb its usual noise level by a lot. No food is allowed inside as well.
3. A restaurant/cafe
Benefits: If you want food, you won't have to make your own or clean up afterwards. It spreads the cost burden of food. Depending on where you choose, it could bring your gaming group into more of a community aspect.
Detractions: The food can be more expensive than providing it at home. It can also make it hard on members of the gaming group with less money. Restaurants and cafes can tell you to leave, during peak hours they'll be noisy, and the type of food served isn't going to be as game-conducive as the usual snacks.
4. The local gaming store
Benefits: Like a restaurant, this can bring you closer to the community- but specifically, the gaming community, which brings its own benefits. Unlike a restaurant, gaming stores want this (for the most part), and often have areas for you to meet. It could even connect your group to new players.
Detractions: These places can be noisy or distracting, too. Depending on the venue, food may or may not be allowed. It can be difficult to uninvite disruptive players from the group, and certain props might not be feasible.
5. For students only: University Campus
Benefits: I would recommend this option for all student games. There's a vast variety of locations, so you'll be able to find one that suits your group. Almost everyone is likely to live on or near the campus, so it makes for a great middle ground (and is convenient).
Detractions: You will of course have to learn the rules for any place you pick on campus, and it might not be possible to select a place that has everything that you want.
#dnd #tabletopgaming
Game Night Snack Idea #2
The drinks found around a DnD table can get repetitive over time, so this game night snack idea specifically caters to alternative drinks.
Hot chocolate, apple cider, and gatorade.
Hot chocolate and apple cider are especially nice in the fall and winter, if your game happens to be late. Hot chocolate was always popular for my group (that I did not DM but hosted at my home) from a few years ago, when everyone waned a pick-me-up that wouldn't keep them from sleeping when they did go home.
Gatorade might seem like it's more "out there," but in the summertime, especially if your group likes to meet outdoors (which mine has every year), it's actually a great way to keep from being thirsty. The first time I brought gatorades (it just happened to be what I had in the fridge), they were already gone by the first hour of gaming.
#snack #dnd #tabletopgaming
Jul 22, 2014
DnD Gender Myths Debunked
-More Men Than Women Are Interested in D&D/RPGs
(Also: More Men Are Than Women Are Nerds)
Since I've started as a DM, I've never had less than two women players. This month I've been at a language immersion college experience, and ran a couple D&D meetings. Fifty people came to the program to study. Out of them, there were six people interested in playing D&D. Every one was a woman.
(Also: For more information, look here. Just for one example, something along the lines of 49% of all videogame players are female. I personally know approximately equal numbers of male and female nerds, who are nerds for one or more of the following: D&D/tabletop RPGs, Star Trek, Star Wars, fantasy like The Lord of the Rings, and Doctor Who, taking from a pool of a couple hundred nerds.)
-Yeah, but Men Are Better/More Dedicated Players Than Women
My one long campaign was a backstory campaign. The two people who brought me the most backstory information were a man and a woman (the guy brought me detailed maps and NPC descriptions and drawings. The woman rped out her character's relationships with her family members with me.) That woman was the only one who leveled up her character before the next meeting when I said it was time (though, granted, some people did not know how). There were two other players, one man and one woman, who showed up for every single meeting (when they didn't have a conflict scheduled before the meeting was scheduled).
-Female Armor Should Have Boob Plates
By this point, most of you probably know that female armor can (and, functionally, should) look pretty much like male armor. For those who haven't read the armor maker's article, boob plates are not only unnecessary (they squish) but actually dangerous. Boob plates actually turn blades towards the sternum, possibly causing blows to even kill the warrior outright.
-But That's Just the Way Fantasy Is
Two questions: Since when? and So what?
In the Lord of the Rings, there is a significant lack of female characters, especially female fighters. However, there were incredibly iconic women; most specifically, Arwen, Galadriel, and Eowyn. None are given any less respect (or credible clothing/armor, as appropriate, in the films) for being women. Boob plates (although not, in some manifestations, sexualization of women) are very new. If we want them to stop existing, at least in our campaigns, all we have to do is stop including them.
#DnD #tabletopgaming #RPGs #feminism
(Also: More Men Are Than Women Are Nerds)
Since I've started as a DM, I've never had less than two women players. This month I've been at a language immersion college experience, and ran a couple D&D meetings. Fifty people came to the program to study. Out of them, there were six people interested in playing D&D. Every one was a woman.
(Also: For more information, look here. Just for one example, something along the lines of 49% of all videogame players are female. I personally know approximately equal numbers of male and female nerds, who are nerds for one or more of the following: D&D/tabletop RPGs, Star Trek, Star Wars, fantasy like The Lord of the Rings, and Doctor Who, taking from a pool of a couple hundred nerds.)
-Yeah, but Men Are Better/More Dedicated Players Than Women
My one long campaign was a backstory campaign. The two people who brought me the most backstory information were a man and a woman (the guy brought me detailed maps and NPC descriptions and drawings. The woman rped out her character's relationships with her family members with me.) That woman was the only one who leveled up her character before the next meeting when I said it was time (though, granted, some people did not know how). There were two other players, one man and one woman, who showed up for every single meeting (when they didn't have a conflict scheduled before the meeting was scheduled).
-Female Armor Should Have Boob Plates
By this point, most of you probably know that female armor can (and, functionally, should) look pretty much like male armor. For those who haven't read the armor maker's article, boob plates are not only unnecessary (they squish) but actually dangerous. Boob plates actually turn blades towards the sternum, possibly causing blows to even kill the warrior outright.
-But That's Just the Way Fantasy Is
Two questions: Since when? and So what?
In the Lord of the Rings, there is a significant lack of female characters, especially female fighters. However, there were incredibly iconic women; most specifically, Arwen, Galadriel, and Eowyn. None are given any less respect (or credible clothing/armor, as appropriate, in the films) for being women. Boob plates (although not, in some manifestations, sexualization of women) are very new. If we want them to stop existing, at least in our campaigns, all we have to do is stop including them.
#DnD #tabletopgaming #RPGs #feminism
Game Night Snack Idea #1
I don't have anything against pizza, soda and chips, but if that's what you're eating and drinking every week, it can get a little boring. Therefore, for the next week, I'm going to post a new game night snack idea every day. They'll all follow three requirements: easy to make or prepare, easy to clean up, and easy to eat a bit at a time, passed around the game table.
For game night snack idea #1: candied almonds
There are two good options here: buy them or make them. I'm not sure of all the places you can pick them up, but Trader Joe's is an option I do know of. They're also really easy to make, taking at most twenty minutes. Here's the recipe, from allrecipes,com:
Ingredients: 1/2 cups water, 1 cup white sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and 2 cups whole almonds
For game night snack idea #1: candied almonds
There are two good options here: buy them or make them. I'm not sure of all the places you can pick them up, but Trader Joe's is an option I do know of. They're also really easy to make, taking at most twenty minutes. Here's the recipe, from allrecipes,com:
Ingredients: 1/2 cups water, 1 cup white sugar, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and 2 cups whole almonds
- Combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil; add the almonds. Cook and stir the mixture until the liquid evaporates and leaves a syrup-like coating on the almonds. Pour the almonds onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Separate almonds using forks. Allow to cool about 15 minutes.
#snack #game night #D&D #RPGs
Jul 21, 2014
How To Design A Campaign Skeleton
First off, keep in mind that a campaign should be in broad strokes. Adventures should be the more developed pieces of campaigns. These instructions will give you the basics of your setting, adventure flavor, and how influential players and PC actions are to the campaign.
I go through several choices, in this order:
defining features, party/plot motivator, adventures' flavor, and Player influence
1. What kind of campaign do you want? Defining features.
For Cloudy with a Chance of Death, my original decision was to bring in the weather, since it's a topic that I thought could be fun but many DMs avoid. Here are a few topics to choose from, which in no way represent all of the defining campaign features you can choose from: God campaigns, dungeon crawls, magic gone awry, plane-hopping, dragons, someone is trying to take over the world, survival, horror, dreams.
2. What drives the plot or party? Plot/Party Motivator.
This might be what your party will typically be fighting against, such as "monsters" for a dungeon crawl or "undead" for a crazed mage campaign. It could also be something they have to protect, destroy, or simply something that motivates others in the campaign to an extent that the party is drawn in. In Cloudy with a Chance of Death, it was a half-broken weather machine designed to keep the crazy, magical weather in the main setting from making it unlivable. There were missing pieces, which lots of groups were searching for at any given time, including patrons of the party.
3. What kind of adventures do you want? Flavor of adventures.
Not every adventure need fall under the category you designate, but I find that having a category shapes the feel of the campaign. Then I know where I'm going with my adventures later on. The choices are more or less endless. For Cloudy with a Chance of Death, I chose two flavors: political intrigue and backstory (both of the PCs and the setting). You can choose anything from the ever-classic "creative monster deployment" (brush up on the Monster Manuals) to creepiness/thriller (check out Heroes of Horror).
4. How will your players interact with the world? Player influence.
Now you decide how much influence the players have on the plot and setting. Want to designate world-building? Have them develop their country of origin. Want them to self-design adventure hooks? Make it a backstory campaign. On the flipside, if you don't want the campaign to change much from your plans, don't ask the players for a backstory.
Keep in mind that player/character influence can range from absolute (in a sandbox) to meaningless (in a pre-set or railroad campaign). Most players prefer something between the two, and it's up to you as DM to figure out what will work best for them and you. Don't mistake monster-bashing campaigns for inherently choiceless campaigns, however. To inject more choices, let your party choose which dungeon- or, for that matter, forest, cave, or mountaintop- which door to go through, which foes, and give them a rich selection of weapons and tools to buy when the come into down.
Now your campaign skeleton is designed! It may feel like you haven't filled in a lot, and to some extent, you haven't. There's still world-building and adventure creation, which aren't campaigns but are, of course, crucial to them. Now you have the skeleton inside which they will fit. Good luck!
#D&D #RPGs
I go through several choices, in this order:
defining features, party/plot motivator, adventures' flavor, and Player influence
1. What kind of campaign do you want? Defining features.
For Cloudy with a Chance of Death, my original decision was to bring in the weather, since it's a topic that I thought could be fun but many DMs avoid. Here are a few topics to choose from, which in no way represent all of the defining campaign features you can choose from: God campaigns, dungeon crawls, magic gone awry, plane-hopping, dragons, someone is trying to take over the world, survival, horror, dreams.
2. What drives the plot or party? Plot/Party Motivator.
This might be what your party will typically be fighting against, such as "monsters" for a dungeon crawl or "undead" for a crazed mage campaign. It could also be something they have to protect, destroy, or simply something that motivates others in the campaign to an extent that the party is drawn in. In Cloudy with a Chance of Death, it was a half-broken weather machine designed to keep the crazy, magical weather in the main setting from making it unlivable. There were missing pieces, which lots of groups were searching for at any given time, including patrons of the party.
3. What kind of adventures do you want? Flavor of adventures.
Not every adventure need fall under the category you designate, but I find that having a category shapes the feel of the campaign. Then I know where I'm going with my adventures later on. The choices are more or less endless. For Cloudy with a Chance of Death, I chose two flavors: political intrigue and backstory (both of the PCs and the setting). You can choose anything from the ever-classic "creative monster deployment" (brush up on the Monster Manuals) to creepiness/thriller (check out Heroes of Horror).
4. How will your players interact with the world? Player influence.
Now you decide how much influence the players have on the plot and setting. Want to designate world-building? Have them develop their country of origin. Want them to self-design adventure hooks? Make it a backstory campaign. On the flipside, if you don't want the campaign to change much from your plans, don't ask the players for a backstory.
Keep in mind that player/character influence can range from absolute (in a sandbox) to meaningless (in a pre-set or railroad campaign). Most players prefer something between the two, and it's up to you as DM to figure out what will work best for them and you. Don't mistake monster-bashing campaigns for inherently choiceless campaigns, however. To inject more choices, let your party choose which dungeon- or, for that matter, forest, cave, or mountaintop- which door to go through, which foes, and give them a rich selection of weapons and tools to buy when the come into down.
Now your campaign skeleton is designed! It may feel like you haven't filled in a lot, and to some extent, you haven't. There's still world-building and adventure creation, which aren't campaigns but are, of course, crucial to them. Now you have the skeleton inside which they will fit. Good luck!
#D&D #RPGs
Tips to Get More Female Players
-Focus More on Recruiting the Ladies
For male DMs, it seems to be a self-perpetuating cycle. Guys tend to recruit more guys. This is probably because most of their friends are guys, so it's just easier to invite more guys. That said, even I have to focus more on recruiting women. Popular conception of a D&D nerd is male, and men in our society are taught to be more outgoing, that it's more acceptable to go get what they want, than are women.
Here's some of the things I do: When working out the meeting times, I keep the women's schedules on slightly higher priorities than the men's (unless I think they won't come). I make sure they understand the game mechanics, the setting, and get help with character sheets. When I mentioned my tactic of recruiting more ladies to the DM who succeeded me for my last group, he was surprised and said he hadn't noticed any difference in the recruitments. I pointed out how I'd made a page describing all the lands in the setting specifically for our new female player, while I hadn't done so to recruit a male player.
For those of you who are still dubious, let me put it this way: if female players are harder to bring into your game than male players, doesn't it follow to put a little more effort into doing so? It's like building your own dungeon rather than generating one. For a campaign that's really great, you want a little of both.
-Be Willing to Teach New Players
A lot of the women I've brought into my D&D groups have never played before and don't know the first thing about it. This is also true for a lot of the men; however, in my experience as a DM, the players that have come to me already knowing the game (or knowing a bit, at least) were exclusively men. (That's not to say that I don't know women who know all about D&D, because I know a woman who's been playing for fifteen years, to name one example.) I would venture to guess that that's because the culture of the tabletop RPGs tend to slant against women.
As a DM, you should always be willing to teach new players. For women, who are often assumed to not be interested or have other reasons for not joining, this is in my mind especially important.
-Let a Lady DM
This isn't always feasible. I know a lot of women (a lot of players, for that matter) who either aren't suited or have no desire to be DM. That said, I see a lot of gaming groups switch DMs. A few years ago, my DM let a couple guys run their own game, while I was passed by for no legitimate reason I could discern. If DMing is available to the men, make sure you also ask the women.
But what if a guy asks and a gal doesn't?
Go ahead and ask them. I, for one, was contented with my current DM and the current game. Having another DM at all hadn't crossed my mind until the discussion was brought up and I realized I wanted to. On the other hand, not everyone may know how or have the opportunity to broach the subject. Your buddy who you play videogames with most nights
Having a woman as DM makes it easier for them to bring in more women. It's easier to invite people to a game you DM, and if men know more men and invite more men, then the same might (but doesn't necessarily) apply to women. Even if they only know men or don't know anyone interested in playing, however, a female DM is a strong way to show that women are not only a part of your group but fully immersed, not just left on the sidelines.
-Make Sure the Environment is Comfortable
I have a friend who stopped going to her D&D group. Why? They brought in a new player who creeped her out. It is absolutely the DM's responsibility to keep the gaming group feeling safe and comfortable. This is especially crucial for women players, and it can occur entirely within the context of the game and still cause discomfort. Keep an eye out for cringing, half-hearted laughing, disengagement, frowning, or other signs of discomfort. Note what provokes them and steer away.
-Focus on Keeping Your Ladies Around
The corollary of focusing on recruiting your ladies.
If one of your ladies leaves the gaming group, make it a point to ask them why they left, and if there's anything you can do about it. It could be as simple as a lack of free time, or they could be experiencing discomfort at the gaming table or have a player motivation that your campaign doesn't provide.
For the latter two, they may not be forthcoming or know how to express their reason. If you suspect one of these issues, bring it up. Say, "Was it X topic?" "Was something making you uncomfortable?" or "Is there anything I could bring into the game to make it more fun?" Try to make the player feel like you're on their side while keeping a certain amount of detachment. (DMs should always, in my mind, keep a certain level of detachment. If you aren't taking something personally, it's easier to handle a lot of issues, including when someone is taking something personally.)
-Make Sure Your Female Players' Characters Get the Spotlight Sometimes
Some DMs have a problem with this in general. In the case of bringing new players into your D&D group, it's probably due to
Another option:
Build a game up from scratch rather than bringing new women in to a male-dominated group. This is the easiest way to get even numbers of men and women, and will keep your game from being over-crowded.
What not to do:
Tell your prospective players anything along the lines of, "I want you for my game because you're a woman." New players can easily feel they're being brought in to fill a quota, whether that's a fourth character, a healer, or, in this case, player gender. It's a really quick way to make people feel unimportant personally or over-pressured.
Keep a player just because she's a woman. Having men and women in your D&D group is important in my mind. However, just like any other player, don't sacrifice the game for her.
For male DMs:
Some male players may turn out to be sexist and/or gender-role biased. When you bring a woman into a previously all-male group, they will alter their behavior negatively or leave them game entirely. If they leave, while that's disappointing, it's also a problem solved. If they don't, that's when the issues truly crop up.
They may ask you questions like, "Why'd you bring This-Girl/These-Girls to our group?" You can, of course, always say something along the lines of, "I thought she'd be a good addition/fun player/etc." I actually wouldn't recommend mentioning the gender ratios in your group. They won't see any reason the group needs women, even if you do.
More problematic is if they become belligerent to the female player, in or out of the game. You can always ask them to stop the behaviors. If they don't, however, it's crucial that you ask them to leave.
For male DMs, it seems to be a self-perpetuating cycle. Guys tend to recruit more guys. This is probably because most of their friends are guys, so it's just easier to invite more guys. That said, even I have to focus more on recruiting women. Popular conception of a D&D nerd is male, and men in our society are taught to be more outgoing, that it's more acceptable to go get what they want, than are women.
Here's some of the things I do: When working out the meeting times, I keep the women's schedules on slightly higher priorities than the men's (unless I think they won't come). I make sure they understand the game mechanics, the setting, and get help with character sheets. When I mentioned my tactic of recruiting more ladies to the DM who succeeded me for my last group, he was surprised and said he hadn't noticed any difference in the recruitments. I pointed out how I'd made a page describing all the lands in the setting specifically for our new female player, while I hadn't done so to recruit a male player.
For those of you who are still dubious, let me put it this way: if female players are harder to bring into your game than male players, doesn't it follow to put a little more effort into doing so? It's like building your own dungeon rather than generating one. For a campaign that's really great, you want a little of both.
-Be Willing to Teach New Players
A lot of the women I've brought into my D&D groups have never played before and don't know the first thing about it. This is also true for a lot of the men; however, in my experience as a DM, the players that have come to me already knowing the game (or knowing a bit, at least) were exclusively men. (That's not to say that I don't know women who know all about D&D, because I know a woman who's been playing for fifteen years, to name one example.) I would venture to guess that that's because the culture of the tabletop RPGs tend to slant against women.
As a DM, you should always be willing to teach new players. For women, who are often assumed to not be interested or have other reasons for not joining, this is in my mind especially important.
-Let a Lady DM
This isn't always feasible. I know a lot of women (a lot of players, for that matter) who either aren't suited or have no desire to be DM. That said, I see a lot of gaming groups switch DMs. A few years ago, my DM let a couple guys run their own game, while I was passed by for no legitimate reason I could discern. If DMing is available to the men, make sure you also ask the women.
But what if a guy asks and a gal doesn't?
Go ahead and ask them. I, for one, was contented with my current DM and the current game. Having another DM at all hadn't crossed my mind until the discussion was brought up and I realized I wanted to. On the other hand, not everyone may know how or have the opportunity to broach the subject. Your buddy who you play videogames with most nights
Having a woman as DM makes it easier for them to bring in more women. It's easier to invite people to a game you DM, and if men know more men and invite more men, then the same might (but doesn't necessarily) apply to women. Even if they only know men or don't know anyone interested in playing, however, a female DM is a strong way to show that women are not only a part of your group but fully immersed, not just left on the sidelines.
-Make Sure the Environment is Comfortable
I have a friend who stopped going to her D&D group. Why? They brought in a new player who creeped her out. It is absolutely the DM's responsibility to keep the gaming group feeling safe and comfortable. This is especially crucial for women players, and it can occur entirely within the context of the game and still cause discomfort. Keep an eye out for cringing, half-hearted laughing, disengagement, frowning, or other signs of discomfort. Note what provokes them and steer away.
-Focus on Keeping Your Ladies Around
The corollary of focusing on recruiting your ladies.
If one of your ladies leaves the gaming group, make it a point to ask them why they left, and if there's anything you can do about it. It could be as simple as a lack of free time, or they could be experiencing discomfort at the gaming table or have a player motivation that your campaign doesn't provide.
For the latter two, they may not be forthcoming or know how to express their reason. If you suspect one of these issues, bring it up. Say, "Was it X topic?" "Was something making you uncomfortable?" or "Is there anything I could bring into the game to make it more fun?" Try to make the player feel like you're on their side while keeping a certain amount of detachment. (DMs should always, in my mind, keep a certain level of detachment. If you aren't taking something personally, it's easier to handle a lot of issues, including when someone is taking something personally.)
-Make Sure Your Female Players' Characters Get the Spotlight Sometimes
Some DMs have a problem with this in general. In the case of bringing new players into your D&D group, it's probably due to
Another option:
Build a game up from scratch rather than bringing new women in to a male-dominated group. This is the easiest way to get even numbers of men and women, and will keep your game from being over-crowded.
What not to do:
Tell your prospective players anything along the lines of, "I want you for my game because you're a woman." New players can easily feel they're being brought in to fill a quota, whether that's a fourth character, a healer, or, in this case, player gender. It's a really quick way to make people feel unimportant personally or over-pressured.
Keep a player just because she's a woman. Having men and women in your D&D group is important in my mind. However, just like any other player, don't sacrifice the game for her.
For male DMs:
Some male players may turn out to be sexist and/or gender-role biased. When you bring a woman into a previously all-male group, they will alter their behavior negatively or leave them game entirely. If they leave, while that's disappointing, it's also a problem solved. If they don't, that's when the issues truly crop up.
They may ask you questions like, "Why'd you bring This-Girl/These-Girls to our group?" You can, of course, always say something along the lines of, "I thought she'd be a good addition/fun player/etc." I actually wouldn't recommend mentioning the gender ratios in your group. They won't see any reason the group needs women, even if you do.
More problematic is if they become belligerent to the female player, in or out of the game. You can always ask them to stop the behaviors. If they don't, however, it's crucial that you ask them to leave.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)