Like Dragon Like Son - Episodes Tagged with “Social Interaction”

How To Make Players More Invested

Jay and Jack Oatway — Fri, 17 Mar 2023 18:00:00 +0800

Ever get the feeling that, as a DM, the weight of the world rests upon your shoulders alone? That your players just show up expecting to be entertained? That there is a lot of pressure on you to look after everyone's feelings? But then who is looking after you? Join us as we look into how to deepen player involvement in the game, the story, and the mutual enjoyment at your table.

We discuss a solution hidden in the back pages of the DMG (who knew?): Plot Points. Join us as we talk about how to increase the responsibilities of the players, and in the process, make the game more enjoyable for all.

Welcome to Like Dragon Like Son, a podcast hosted by Jay and Jack Oatway where they discuss everything D&D, from character builds to personal experiences. Stay tuned for new episodes on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Great Teachers: 4 Types of NPCs that Can Help a Party Improve

Jay and Jack Oatway — Sun, 20 Mar 2022 13:00:00 +0800

Good DMs tell their players how to improve, but GREAT DMs use NPCs to show their PCs how to live up to their true heroic potential. But there are many NPC pitfalls to avoid. This week we look at a few different types of NPCs that can change the dynamic, and maybe help the PCs in a less obvious way. Join us as we delve into Sidekicks, Rivals, Survivors and Adversaries.

How to Make Character Death Meaningful

Jay and Jack Oatway — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0800

Death can be a real bummer -- especially if you didn't see it coming. While it has always been a part of the D&D experience, how you handle that experience as a DM or a player can be the difference between tears or cheers. Join us as we explore how to make death meaningful to players and the campaign.

New Feats, Background Feats, Epic Feats and More Feats

Jay and Jack Oatway — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 09:00:00 +0800

There are so many interesting feats that you will never get to play. Well you could, if you didn't value an ability score bump more. So here's our hot take: with more and more feats being introduced into the game, why not let everyone take one or even two more just to round out their character?

Join us as we look at the new Strixhaven feats, and talk a bit about Jay's new Triton character build (and why he wishes he could take a couple of under-used feats). And we talk about Epic boons as feats for low level characters in heroic settings, and much more!

Try to Talk Your Way Out

Jay and Jack Oatway — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 09:00:00 +0800

Sometimes an encounter with a monster doesn't have to become a fight. As a DM, to create opportunities for players to talk to the bad guys, you need to know what the monster wants (or at least have a handy table on stand-by that you can roll on to find out what they want). We look at how the "guidelines" for parley work, and how you as a player might be able to talk your way out of a tight spot.

Tune in to hear Jay and Jack spontaneously live roleplay and enounter with some Annis Hags, and see how well Jack's character does at talking his way across their bridge.

How to Stop Over-prepping and Trust Your Improv Skills

Jay and Jack Oatway — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 09:00:00 +0800

Right now, DMs are out there planning for something for their next session. They making maps, building encounters, and weaving intricate plots. There are also DMs who are stressed out because they don't have enough time to put together all that great stuff. If you ever feel like the latter, we are here to offer some comfort: have a few handy random tables in your pocket, and trust in your improv skills.

We look at our own habits in terms of what we prep, and over-prep. And the we crack open our new copy of Table Fables II and roll some dice. We'll show you how in just minutes you can whip up a setting, scene or encounter. We also talk about the advantages of going with 'Theatre of the Mind' instead of battlemaps.

Calling For More Roleplay Not More Skill Checks

Jay and Jack Oatway — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 09:00:00 +0800

In a time when more and more of us are increasingly playing online, we've noticed a deminishing amout of roleplay -- both in our own online games, and the ones we watch online. The advent of virtual table tops has brought combat to forefront of many games. And while that is fun, it's only one of D&D's three pilars. So we ask ourselves, how do we bring back more of the roleplay element that we felt at the physical table.

And as we looked at this problem, we noticed one crutch that we all seem to be leaning on, both veteran players and noobs alike: too many Ability Checks. Ability Checks for everything. Ability Checks that slow, and often derail, the flow of the story.

This week we take a look at how as a DM (and players) we can choose to make fewer calls for skill tests, and instead use those moments of the game to do more roleplay. We look at reducing how often the dice decide (and derail) the story, and how to use Ability Checks best when conflict demands it.