December Q&A! 

The first half of this is good content, including channel recommendations. But for folx who just want the Q&A: 18:41 - The Monthly Q&A 19:00 - Do you have any goals for 2019? 20:00 - How would you help a PC become a neutral/good aligned lich? 20:57 - What criticism about S&F has impacted your approach to future products? 22:18 - Will you ever play 4e on the stream? 23:24 - How many books long will Ratcatchers be? 24:29 - Will you incorporate elements of 4e into the stream? 24:28 - Do you think there was value in 2e restrictions on race/class combos? 26:22 - How do you feel about Wheel of Time? 26:55 - What was your favourite weird Christmas gift? 28:30 - What would be the best part of having an extra arm and hand? 28:46 - Should I start reading Dune? 31:06 - What do you do to get past writer's block? 32:30 - Are you still planning on making more history videos? 33:24 - Do you ever think you'll mass produce S&F minis?

Be suspicious of a dude who refers to women as "females" but in my defense I was trying to conjugate "feminine" and "femininity" to make sure the line scanned.

"...just because I'm old..." That's no way to talk for an immortal. You've got a long way to go before you're old, young man.

"...I may just start doing world building streams, especially over the next week while I am on break..." Keyword: Break. Go to the beach Matt. You deserve it. :)

Sorry to bring up an outside topic Lord Coleville, however way too excited not to say this. I finally started reading Strongholds & Followers rather than just being meserized by the artwork...... anyway I realized I was reading it in your voice, and it fit perfectly. I burst out laughing, and frightened the dog. 🤣

Oh my god, my lord Matthew is a follower of our lady Natalie *swoon*

While painting a lot of minis today, I’ve been listening to various Colville vids, then whamo! new content, how cool! I’m thinking that, though the content is always solid and the production values are great, what really sets Matt apart is he really has our backs, and always acts as a friend to us, even though he doesn’t know us individually. He really is a river to his people!

Yay, more campaign diaries! I’ve learned a ton from your running the campaign series but I also have learned a lot from your diaries. And they’re so entertaining!! Great stories! Just started getting into the world building vids (thanks for spending the time to edit them down). I’ve been building a new world for several weeks and think these will help me cover some things I haven’t covered. Thank you for being a river!

The reason you're having trouble floating the magnet is you're treating it like a small moon. Obviously that's no moon. It's a space station.

Been watching your old Running the Game episodes and am loving it. I have run D&D since the mid 80's and you touch on a lot of things I have talked to new players and DMs about over the years. Subscribed and will be directing some friends who are dipping their toes into running games to your videos.

Started watching that Rick Beato video... totally diving deep into that rabbit hole! Thanks!

So excited to hear that you’re doing more videos! These are some of my favorites on all of RU-vid!

Oh my lord. Matt, I watch your videos for many reasons. You introduced me to my now favorite hobby. You helped me DM for my family and friends. You gave me two amazing novels, with a level of anticipation for the sequels that I haven't felt since I picked up Game of Thrones, or before that, Harry Potter. You reintroduced me to modular synthesis, my love for writing and reading, and my deep love of music. You showed me what Nethack was ,and that sticks out as a major accomplishment on your part. No one of my age would have ever heard of it if it weren't for you. From the Playing the Game videos to your analysis of 2001 I have enjoyed every second of your content. There are several reason I watch your videos, but this. This one right here. It is nearly everything I want from you. The Main Squeeze is phenomenal. Thank you for sharing everything you do, and I can't wait for what's next.

Lovely Q&A and you know I love it when you share stuff with us that isn't strictly D&D related. It is funny how half those channel I knew about already though (seriously, The Main Squeeze is fucking dope) but I'm definitely checking out the others RIGHT NOW. Keep up the great work Matt and Co.

Your channel is freaking awesome. It enriches RU-vid and it's the kind of content people should strive to create. Thanks so much! I play your videos while I'm working on work projects in the wee hours of the morning. Helps me get my bearings straight.

Oh, shout out to Shut Up and Sit Down. I started watching them way back, I think 2012? Got me into some very interesting board games. Made me enviously want to participate in a GD Mega-Game. I've slacked off on watching them recently, maybe because I can't responsibly afford any more board games lately and I've gotten back into regularly playing D&D so I do that when I might otherwise play a board game. But still fantastic videos and reviews.

Thank you Matt for S&F! I knew it was for 5th edition, but I've decided to buy it anyway. You have amazing advice to share with us so I wanted to support you. By reading the book, I was surprised how easy I could modify the content to fit the edition we are still playing. It really means something for me and my friends, who really love 4th edition, to hear you saying it was great, despite all the negativity it got.

Now people gonna start eating their Cats in nethack for nothing. Poor Cats

Happy Christmas Matt, looking forward to next year, still looking through your back catalogue, I love your style, content and advice , cannot wait to see your games streams .

I'm running my first 5e D&D game the second week of Jan. with some of my co-workers. Your World building streams are ridiculously useful.

Thanks for answering my question about writers block, Matt! I've been struggling with fleshing out my home brew campaign in a few different areas and haven't really known where to go or what to do. Though, it just so happens I've been influenced by some games I've been playing lately and have some more road to go on. Your advice of consuming content is absolutely sound, and this helped me realize!

You often give me plenty of food for thought in your videos but this time I really have to thank you particularly for the pointer to Contrapoints. Discovering her channel is like falling into a whirlpool of intellectual honey. I have never come across anything quite like this before. It's quite addictive!

I'm so excited for campaign diaries! I was sad when you stopped those a couple years back. Thanks for what you do!

Two points; one - I instantly respect anybody a little more when they say they love Contrapoints. two - hot DAMN that link to The Main Squeeze is an experience and a half!! Thanks for sharing that, I'll be checking out more of their stuff for sure, it's incredible.

Great stuff, Matt! Looking forward to that One-on-one video. I ran a 1o1 game for a while with a friend when all other party-RSVP's ended up not playing with us. We still wanted a combat centric game though, so he was, in the Pathfinder RPG, mythic tristalt, my bullshit triple gestalt alternate-alternate rule. That game was funky for the 5 or so sessions it lasted! He played a Paladin//Oracle//Warlord [Path of War, DSP], and with all the XP for himself, he reached 3rd level quite quickly!

The recommendations for other channels is hilarious to me because I was already following half of them! :D Rick Beato and Shut up and sit down specifically I enjoy

Yay campaign diaries! I watch nearly all your content, and enjoy nearly all of it. When you said you'd be continuing a campaign diary I nearly yelled in my break room. I don't have time to sit and watch streams even though I enjoy them.

Whoo, that is a lot of stuff in 2019. Good luck Matt. I hope it all goes really well and I look forward to the stream.

what a cool crossover on your channel to have dungeons & dragons and content about music. I'm a musician too and as soon as you started talking about it, I couldn't wait to tell you about one of my very favorite channels: Rick Beato. but of course you already knew about him because he is totally awesome! However you didn't mention one of my other favorite music channels which is Polyphonic. I hope you try it out and enjoy it.

Man. It's so refreshing to watch someone talk about something he loves.

I love the D&D stuff, but I like that you have a bit of variety. I like getting someone else's take on things that I enjoy. I love the streams you do on twitch, keep doing what you're doing.

About 2 years ago, we got back into MERP. I am using so much of the material in your RU-vid videos as catalyst material for the campaign I am writing! Thank you!

I would be so happy to see a Dr. Jackson Crawford interview! I found his channel from yours and now have watched dozens of his videos!!! It's so cool and not to mention I've used his videos as a resource for modelling some of my own worldbuilding, which I also use for D&D! It all comes full circle.

It's funny you mention the Main Squeeze. I found them recently too and love that same cover! They really nail the feeling of the song while doing their own thing.

You have increased my respect for you tenfold Mr. Colville. From your twitter I've learned how much you despise the Wheel of Time series, but the acknowledgement you made in this video that that sort of negativity isn't what you want to have or what we need to have here on your RU-vid channel was very respectful and separates you from many other content creators on this platform. Thank you very much for your poise and candor. P.S, running the Sildarian Ruins was my first ever actual playing of D&D and I now have over a dozen games both run and played under my belt. Thank you very much for giving me the confidence to be able to do that.

Here we come 2019! Cant wait to see how the next year goes! I am more excited to watch the live stream here than I was for campaign 2 of Critical Role!

You are actually right. The Capital creation streams are great for general ideas. Event though I run a much lower fantasy setting than you do, I still steal some of your good ideas from there.

I REALLY enjoy the world building streams. Please don't get discouraged by the views and quit doing them. They're incredibly helpful and inspiring. I didn't realize what you meant by central tension until I watched the world building videos. They always give me ideas and help me with the world i'm building for my DnD campaign. I've put conflict between the noble houses and the rising guilds in a city in my world as well and the idea of the dead lady has inspired an antagonist for later on in my game. My game wouldn't be as good without you. Thanks a million

natalie is a genius

Sound is top notch in this video - you nail it!

10:50 "They played this game!" *Points to empty corner of screen* Me: Is a link gonna pop up? Or .... Brain: *DING!* Me: Ooooohhhhh he's pointing to the background!

Just got done with a massive SU&SD binge. I've never nodded along so much, they're the Top Gear of board games.

The video drought is over and we are showered with a bountiful harvest sowed by the seeds of the Kickstarter!

Shut Up and Sit Down is great, if you watch their videos you can see how their style and videos evolves over time. Also they just seem like lovely men. Looking forward to the Dune dive! Will it just be the original six or will you look at the new stuff as well?

Holy shit, Modular Synths? Fucking awesome!! :D I actually can't wait to see that video, and I **REALLY** wanna hear your music!

Holy smokes, 'Have a Cigar' is my favorite PF song and their version was amazing. You were not kidding about that guitar solo either. I watched the entire thing a few times in a row, hehe.

Holy hell Matt, a Q&A in December, IN DECEMBER! Good work!

YES! Shut Up & Sit Down is great! I just recently found them out and I happily encourage people to subscribe too! I also had heard before about ContraPoints, but not in so much detail. Gonna go give their videos a try.

Man, I just Bought Strongholds and Followers, and I really enjoy it, though there is a bit of annoyance with it..... I cannot stop reading it in your voice in my head :D It's soooo weird! Anyways, great work with the books and videos, love am and will keep getting them!!! I write it as a fellow middle class white dude who regularly runs D&D games since 1994 ;) Take Care !

Something Matt can't figure out?! This may be a New Years video but,really, its a Christmas gift! ;o) Happy New Year, Matt!

I tried reading Dune a couple times and just couldn't understand the hype. Finally, with nothing else to listen too, I picked it up on Audible and listened to it while I did other things and was finally able to see the light. I love it now!

Wheel of Time > Dune. Change my mind. :) Congratulations on 250k followers! Keep up the stellar work! Love the channel.

Thanks for the answer/non-answer anyway Matt! And I completely understand the whole bit about "Mean spirited" and I appreciate it.

I stopped before I got to the Q&A to check out a couple of the suggested channels and have to say OH MY GODDDDDDD The Main Squeeze guitarist melted face!!!!!!!!

Hi Matt, I found really interesting what you said about approaching a book, a piece of art. I'm actually trying to develop a way of looking at art as a relation between an artistic object and every singular spectator of it. Every piece of art has to be confronted with our way of looking at it in order for us to actually consider it art. Art only exist in our eye, but our eye is always changing. I'm now considering art something that I didn't 1 year ago. Dune, that I didn't read, might be a good exemple about this. You might try to read Dune and don't like it because it doesn't speak to your “self”. It is not that your way of reading is wrong, but there's simply nothing interesting that sparks in the relation between you and the book. Accepting the necessity to “Come to its own terms” doesn't actually change the situation. What is different is your “self” once you incorporate this notion. We can't really come to its own terms, cause we'll always be ourselves, what we can do is modulate our way of reading it in order to concentrate on different parameters instead of those to whom we were used to. Like every other relationship, we can't be exactly what the other wants us to be, but we can meet in the middle. The book itself has to do the same, and accept that we'll build our relationship with him on details that we are the ones to choose. For someone it will be the dialogues, someone else the rhythm, someone else the descriptions, someone else the language used. I know that my way of thinking and explaining is still a little caothic (and that my english is not good enough for this kind of endavour. I'm actually an italian thinking in french and trying to write in english..), but is there something interesting, in your opinion, about this idea of art as relationship?

I'm not that much of a grognard, but I remember dark days. Seeing one of the biggest names in D&D give a glowing recommendation of Contrapoints is extremely heartening.

I have to say, in my opinion, if you were to release minis (which i think is cool btw) if you kept UK & EU in mind distribution-wise you would have great success. All we have over here is Reaper Bones, which is ok, but all the GF9 & Wizkids line of minis (many of which *seem* very good) are all like hens' teeth over here - or sold for scalping prices on ebay. Just some trivia i thought i should share. Keep up the good work and can't wait for more content! Game on!

The question of "where does power come from" is such an interesting one and is the biggest strength of Tyranny. It's why I love that game.

I've loved SU&SD for about a month now, and I'm similarly digging through their back catalog and have a shopping list a mile long because of them!

Have a Cigar is an AMAZING Floyd song! Thanks for sharing!

I also have been getting into modular synthesis and it seems like we have similar musical interests in Nick Drake. Awesome video.

Diggin' these monthly Q&A's.

Just finished Priest, feel like I need some time to process that ending but damn good book man, Damn good.

Firstly Id love to see a 4e game. Its may fav edition. Secondly Iv just been thinking about running a fresh 4e game, but thought 'Man, Iv just got S&F, maybe I should run a 5e game so I can use it...' so Matt saying its basically a 4e book gives me warm fuzzy feelings.

Omg, did Matt just reference Lindsay Ellis? This is too wonderful :3

I really appreciate that you don't bash things you don't like on here. Not often people stick to the message of their project like you are.

You're old, but a child at heart Matt, that's the important bit. Your rant on SU&SD was a perfect example of your excitement getting the better of you. :)

I don't watch the Worldbuilding streams because i don't want any spoilers for the campaign. I'm so excited!!!

Great, beloved Colville! I was surprised by the love you show 4e in this video. I recently watched the "5e roundtable" video from RollPlay (just over a year old, with Mercer, Mearls, Koebel and you). In that video you say (lightly paraphrased) "you abandoned 4th edition because it didn't support the kind of game you wanted to run". And here you are saying you'd love to go back to 4e, that you loved to run it, etc. Are you more interested in the "4e kind of game" now, than you were back in the day when you ran it; or is there some other interesting explanation behind this?

Keep up the good work, sir. We appreciate it.

MATT! I love your content, happy New Year. I'm running a one on one campaign soon and I need all the help I can get! I would love to see that video as soon as possible! Thanks, Jai.

Contra Points shoutout!!! Yay!

Firstly, thank you for your content and insights, sir. Secondly, I wanted to ask you about flying PC's in your game. There seem to be very few resources for handling flying PC's in a positive way, but a preponderance of dm's on forums asking how to stop flyers ruining their games. I was hoping you might be able to reframe the situation so that flying is seen as a boon rather than a game breaker.

Hell yeah! Rick Beato and Matt Colville all in one! Dreams do come true. Now all you gotta do is get Rick and Dr. Cowboy Viking to join you for a livestream.

Oh shit, really looking forward to that Dune video! I will always be grateful to the guy who got me to read it in high school.

YES! Congrats on 250K Matt. You and the whole gang deserve it.

I think it's great that you mentioned why you don't want to review board games while making them (same with reviewing modern day products) but I think one of the main things that the general public always brings up is "well if you're constantly reviewing them why don't you try making one!". I think it's great that you have the reverse going on, but I truthfully would not mind your opinion on some modern products. This is just one guy's opinion of course, but if your criticism over something like Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica or Wayfarer's Guide to Eberron, which are definitely products a little different than our usual (crossbrand/digital WIP). Or even 3rd party products like the various settings and monster books. I think you have such a good, persistent tone that even if you're biased, as long as your consistent, people will appreciate what you have to say and take it in earnest.

This might be one of the best thumbnails I have seen of Matt yet.

I think Matt had a not so small part in the continuing resurgance of dnd

Fire upon the deep is sooooo good, I'm really glad you enjoyed it. Though why I'm happy that a man I've never met before has enjoyed a book I didn't write i'm not sure, but i'm glad none the less. :)

Matt Colville and contrapoints collaboration please please please!!!!!! I love this so much Matt thank you so much for making the end of my year!!!

So glad to see all the Contrapoints love here :D

Rick Beato's channel is great. Incredibly knowledgeable man on the subject of music.

Main Squeeze is great. They are a amazing performance, seen them ever since the came out of Bloomington Indiana.

Hi Matt, I just wanted to say that I’ve started running a D&D campaign for my friends, all of us new, and your videos have been super helpful. I’ve got a question about combat. I’m doing a lot of work to debuff more interesting monsters like hellhounds for my tier one party of eight so that they can fight cool stuff. Even when I make the number of actions equal for both sides, I don’t really feel like I’m pushing the party. At the same time, they all freak out when they are reduced to half hp or when a monster survives more than just one or two rounds. I want to try and introduce the more tactical, gritty necessity that you portray in your videos by saying that your players need to go and figure out a strategy to win otherwise impossible combats, but I would also like to try and avoid a tpk. What do you think I should do?

Shut up and Sit down are great people! Thanks for the shout out!

Rick Beato is a genius. Thanks for introducing me to him.

The December Q&A is in December Matt you're on a roll

Whaaaaaaat! Wheel of Time is fantastic. Well...I only really came to that conclusion when I realized how much I actually gave a shit about the characters. Their habits and way they were written often annoyed me or I was like "oh come on". But i never directed that at the book only the characters. So to make me actually feel that way about the characters, like I feel about real people and their habits, is super impressive and I came to really love the books.

I found SU&SD just about two days before this video funnily enough.

glad to hear about the upcoming Dune video!

Yay! I asked the question that he's going to make a video on! Ahhh! That's so awesome! I was legit sad that he didn't answer me and now all I have to do is wait!

Plot twist, Matt wakes up with a cold tomorrow

Hey Matt, thanks for everything. Happy Holidays.

Can't wait for animation for your campaigns when they happen

Are you going to do more history of D&D videos? I soaked up every moment of those...

Shots fired at vibrato! I agree.

Love the shirt Matt!

As a big fan of the Wheel of Time, I can still understand why other people really, really don't like it. I like the really descriptive text, for example, and the fact that it talks about people's physical mannerisms helps them feel more real (and, as a side note, give you an insight into how they're feeling - Robert Jordan was a very skilled poker player, and built tells into pretty much all of his characters). I like the fact I can reread the series for the fifth (or tenth) time, and discover yet more things I didn't spot on earlier trips through the series. I also understand that most of the things I like about the series are also things that other people really dislike about it.

Clearly Matt can shake hands with everyone at a con and not get sick because he's taken his 3rd level in Paladin and has become immune to disease (including Mummy Rot). Have a good new year, Matt; this train just keeps picking up steam. Also as a side note I think the way to make humans more played is to make humans better and not put restrictions or limitations on elves and dwarves and whatnot; maybe make it so they can just take a 1st level class feature from a class they don't have with no downsides; play a barbarian with the paladin's smite for example.