RPG Review: Hickman's XDM: Extreme Dungeon Mastery (Ep. 194)

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Professor Dungeonmaster reviews Tracy & Curtis Hickman's XDM: Extreme Dungeon Mastery. Ten years after publication, it is still mind-blowing. DungeonCraft Patreon: / dungeoncraftyoutube
Get XDM here:
www.amazon.com/X-Treme-Dungeo...
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"Fury of the Dragon's Breath" by Peter Crowley
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Опубликовано:

1 июн 2021

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Комментарии : 374

@TracyHickmanc57d 2 года назад

Tracy Hickman here ... coauthor of XDM: Xtreme Dungeon Mastery. Do to this fabulous podcast and overwhelming demand, we have decided to create a new, 2nd Edition version of XDM. We'll be announcing it formally next month.

@FelipeBudinich 2 года назад

Awesome!

@kaynadinstilleverge3843 2 года назад

The Kickstarter for the second edition is live for those that want a copy.

@rontalkstabletop 2 года назад

I bought the first one on Kindle this morning and my mind is blown! And I backed the KS. Thank you!

@RecklessFables Год назад

I bought the original XDM from you at Gen Con some years ago. At this point. I have to admit that as a DM I was not ready to be an XDM. I was too enamored with spreadsheets and math and battle tactics. And to be fair that is something my players also enjoyed. But now with some maturing and experience I've been rereading XDM and I think I finally get it now.

@matthewmcguigan4293 Год назад

Just bought the pdf of version 2. Thanks for making such an easy to understand and helpful resource!

@flexorlamonticus 3 года назад

This just changed my life!!! I skimmed through the Kindle version rules, busted out a 20 sided die, and had a successful dungeon session with my 7 year old boy. We've tried to get into d&d together multiple times, but with all the rules, and him being 7, it never clicked. Tonight, everything went really well for the first time!!! He was excited, and talked to the zombie and goblin I threw in his path, and wound up making friends with them and getting a few cool magic items in the bargain! This is a giant life changer for both of us! He is already excited about exploring the dungeon more, and running his own game soon, too!!! You should have seen the excitement in his eyes!! I am making up a few rules on the spot to add tension, like upping the difficulty for simple divination spells each time he tries it on the same object (I felt this was a fair combination of giving the freedom to try as many times as he wants, but also giving him the thrill of a rising challenge). I made everything in this session up on the spot, but now that I am confident that I can run a session with basically only one die and some paper and pencil, I'm re-motivated to go draw up some dungeon maps and stock them with monsters .... and stories!! This is also ironically motivating me to read more rule books, but just for fun ideas (spell ideas, monster ideas, etc.) Now that I know I can mine rule books for ideas instead of "laws", rule books have become fun for me again, too! (A perhaps ironic but awesome side effect of throwing away the obligation to follow each and every rule) And my son is already talking nonstop about his plans for his map and story. And I do mean nonstop!! He is excited and full of fun ideas for "missions". I'm going to be his first player, some time soon!! Thank you very much for changing both of our lives!!!!!!!

@lindybeige 3 года назад

No way to get a print edition? Are there no print-on-demand versions available? I don't like using electric gadgets.

@blaizerhodes 3 года назад

They're available from Amazon.. ~$600!!!!!!!!!

@Jimalcoatl 3 года назад

@Lindybeige print it yourself and coil bind it?

@tycokaine 3 года назад

@Lindybeige - I've got a hardcopy you can have if you like?

@jessefinnegan1719 3 года назад

@@Jimalcoatl Do you know of a good service? My local service refuses to print anything copywrite, even though I can show them I bought what ever it is I want to print.

@Crusoe40 3 года назад

The point @Lindybeige is rather that you don't need a copy isn't it? 😁😉

@BobWorldBuilder 3 года назад

Breaking down the game ("the game" because I also believe that every d20 system is basically D&D) into its most simple form is a necessary exercise! Must be nice to have a codified version of those ideas on your shelf, but as others have pointed out, it seems to be out of print. Amazon Hardcover said ~$900. You're holding a valuable relic, Professor!!

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

Yet I can't part with it!

@jordanmoore7340 Год назад

Managed to snag myself a copy at GenCon this year, signed even. Didn't realize it was out of print!

@brandonkelbe Год назад

@@jordanmoore7340 How much? I also recently obtained a copy. Very rare.

@B00Radl33 3 года назад

I watch a ton of D&D channels lately. Yours always gets my hackles up, and makes me want to argue. You remind me of one of my GMs from over 15 years ago. He was the best GM I ever had, and a really good friend. I don't always agree with what you say on this channel, but your channel always seems to remind me of root beer, mountain dew, cheap pizza, a tiny dorm room, close friends, and some of the best nights of my life. Oh and I've had the book for years. It's absolutely brilliant. One of my all time favorites.

@blg020 3 года назад

The reason I still play AD&D is because I started playing it with my older sister and her friends. We still have lots of fun with it. We have no reason to buy the same game with slightly altered rules over and over.

@cooperb4449 3 года назад

Same I prefer it as well. Class of 84!

@n3kkidninj4 3 года назад

The rules are free. You're just being an elitist with that last sentence. You're allowed to have fun the way you want just like other people.

@craigtucker1290 3 года назад

@@n3kkidninj4 It's not elitism so much as not wanting to play an edition of the game that little resembles the style you like. If one wants to play a more cartoonish, less serious, and dumbed down version of D&D than one of the WotC editions is the one for you. If one wants to play a version of D&D where one is very mortal and most things can kill you, than one of the TSR variants is for you. If one likes to have tons of official options and settings than 2nd or 3rd edition is for you. It just depends on what you want out of the game as not all editions are equal or can even offer equivalent experiences. It is why I stick to 2nd edition, more options and settings than all other editions, while seeming more believable and realistic to create the verisimilitude I find immersive, something I find lacking in the comic book/video game style versions of later editions.

@Eisenwulf666 3 года назад

@@craigtucker1290 more options than 3ed and 3.5 ed ? I found it hard to believe, unless you mean "freedom to play whatever" as an option, because you can do that with all editions, you don't even need a book for that :) I played Ad&d a lot with my friends, then we tried 3rd edition and loved it, after years of denial I jumped on the 5th edition train, never looked back. I agree the feel is very different, but ultimately what matters is having fun with your friends and constructing a great story together. I use 5ed because we mainly play online and there is a lot of support for that. I also find that preparation time is shorter. I don't remember how long it took to write and run an adventure in ad&d but I do remember writing notes upon notes in my teens. I don't do that anymore. Yes, 5ed makes the game more.. Online rpg like I guess it's the term, but it doesn't have to be that way. You can still describe scenes and powers as you used too. Anyway, just my thoughts, try it before you judge it

@craigtucker1290 3 года назад

@@Eisenwulf666 Yes, more options than even 3/3.5. There were more official products printed during 2nd edition than for any other edition with the count being over several hundred. Not only that, but all 1st edition and OD&D was made compatible and both were folded into 2nd edition. The only thing 3rd edition had more of was races you could be, but that was horribly broken. I have played the d20 system and actually do keep up with the rules and material of each edition (except 4th, which just ruined the setting lore) to the point I know the rules better than most DMs so that I can tell when the DM is coddling their players or giving them an undeserved win. Characters used to be just regular people being heroes, not the comic book cartoons they are now. The reason I have never changed editions is because there hasn't been one that I have enjoyed more than 2nd edition. 3rd edition started everything I hate about WotC interpretation of D&D in that each edition plays more and more like a comic book and lacks any semblance of verisimilitude I want. 3rd edition was mostly copy and paste from late 2nd edition rules, but dumbed down and catering to the whiny players by removing restrictions that power gamers found to limiting. In every way, 3rd edition lost all the nuance and richness that had existed in AD&D and replaced it with a more obtuse power gaming system that that was seldom balanced. The current edition plays like a cartoon/video game, so I have little interest coupled with the fact that it is so dumbed down and death has been nerfed hard. As for prep times, I have never found it to take all much effort as I always ran an open sandbox where the players decide what they want to do rather than any railroading, even just ending their current adventure. I do use plot hooks, but if the players aren't interested, I don't persist and let them do what they want to do. I use a specific campaign setting that makes the work load lighter with detailed places, people, and encounter tables. Also, I like the idea that encounters were random rather than ridiculous notion of balanced encounters. I like having 10th and 11th level magic being an option. I like that there is elven high magic, dwarven rune magic, giant rune magic, true dweomers, totemic magic, wild magic, spellfire, innate talents, and psionics. All the options for weapons, fighting styles, specialization+, and well over 230 other proficiencies. Dozens of classes that can be combined with hundreds of kits and many races and subraces. I am certainly not going to find most of that in any other editions but one. The only new thing with the WotC editions is how much each edition further coddles the PCs and dumbs down the game successively.

@EdensukoV 3 года назад

The comic style of writing makes it a bit hard for me to give it a go, but the overall system seems to be great.

@mccallosone4903 3 года назад

Yeah, the "humor" was awful. I loved the dragonlance and those deathgate books, but i found this book unreadable

@ElectronicSupersonic 3 года назад

Agreed, too much fluff

@flexorlamonticus 3 года назад

@@mccallosone4903 Kind of makes me wonder if Hickman is the one responsible for all the groan-worthy "humorous" Kender scenes in the Dragonlance novels.

@glacier68 3 года назад

Yep, writing style was too off-putting. I purchased and read on this channel's recommendation, among others'. I've tried to read it a couple of times, and picked up a little info or inspiration, but it's a lot of chaff among the grain.

@skillganon606 3 года назад

@@ElectronicSupersonic well you can condense most of the rules for D&D to a single page but they still print 300 page books.

@matthewmcguigan4293 Год назад

This video needs more views. XDM is a great resource. Thank you professor for pointing me in this direction. My Rabble Rousing has greatly improved as a result.

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 Год назад

Glad it was helpful!

@fleetcenturion 3 года назад

I acquired this book the first time I heard you mention it. Excellent read!

@user-gj7lp5iz6k 3 года назад

Same, honestly. This must have been 2 years or so ago...

@stever.8029 3 года назад

I am a long-time D&D player, but had been out of the game for a long time until I started getting back into 5e. The first time you reviewed this book, I made a comment about not liking the humour, and being disappointed with the content. Now that I am more experienced, I truly am "starting to see the matrix for the first time". It has made D&D much easier to prep and more fun to play! This book is great, along with most of the others you review! Thanks, PDM! Keep up the amazing vids!

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

Thanks for the comment! Glad it grew on you.

@devalt1 3 года назад

8:39 scared the **** out of me man. The power of the XDM is overwhelming.

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

Sorry. It's a great book, though!

@devalt1 3 года назад

@@DUNGEONCRAFT1 Haha it's alright mate. Thank you for great content.

@tikazombie37 3 года назад

While I really like what I read so far in XDM, I feel like using all its advices strips away the "game" from roleplaying game. Treating it only as a performance and dramatic exercise is detracting from what some people enjoy on the hobby.

@edathompson2 3 года назад

This book should be called "how to take away player agency" Although, some chapters ARE INCREDIBLE

@paulofrota3958 3 года назад

I got XDM after hearing about it on one of the first videos of this channel. BEST. BOOK. EVER. "Seeing the Matrix" is the perfect definition for what this book did to me.

@_sphere_9654 3 года назад

Thundarr... Those were the days... Thanks PDM!

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

If I were a DJ, I would SO call myself "Ooklah Dah Mok"

@kgoblin5084 3 года назад

On the feeling like you swallowed the red-pill thing: I got the exact same feeling when I found ICRPG & Runehammer.... and pretty much for the same exact concepts. On XDM's concentration of putting all the math on the GM: The computer scientist in me has to point out that it's a tradeoff... players doing math isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially if your players are better at math than you :D. From a computational standpoint, it's creating a strongly centralized system, which is really efficient in terms of answers only coming from 1 node (in this case, a person), but inefficient in terms of that single node having to do ALL the work & thus subject to bottlenecks. In some groups, having the players do at least part of the math could speed up play. Plus.... and this gets sort of sweeped under the rug all the time, but is no less true... SOME of us RPG players really like the crunch. We like doing the math, we like dealing with all the mechanical details. Systems & conventions like XDM assume everyone thinks the crunch is a chore, to be excised without mercy. This I might observe is really a pernicious form of gatekeeping by 1 segment of the RPG community to another, & the source of the vitriol for 'story games'. It's also regressing back to the Gygaxian wrong think of only the GM having any clue on how the game actually worked, an idea which fell out of favor for a very, very good reason. Or, TL;DR: Know yourself & your players - and go for a balance of crunch/streamlining that is fun & fast for both sides of the table.

@ironconrad4981 3 года назад

Empire of the Petal Throne had a mission generator in 1974. It was all there if your eyes could just see.

@brynnp3038 3 года назад

I have been following your tips for over a year. Thanks for the eye opening content, over and over again :)

@cadenceclearwater4340 3 года назад

I think your XDM level has just increased 😎

@ronwisegamgee 3 года назад

To me, this kind of gaming philosophy is what makes TTRPG sessions memorable. My first AD&D session, back in 1996, was one of my most fun sessions, because neither the DM nor I really knew the AD&D rules. When our characters encountered six kobolds, we wanted to see if we can just decapitate them all simultaneously samurai-style. We didn't know about initiative, how to apply THAC0, or how to calculate damage, so the GM made a ruling and had me roll a d20 to see if I rolled under my Strength score. I did, and I killed all of those kobolds instantly, and it was thrilling and evocative! I suppose that's why games like HeroQuest exist, because that's basically the premise of that game.

@knghtbrd 3 года назад

Good news! HeroQuest is being reprinted! Bad news! The people working on it seem steeped in modern D&D. Two words: Orc Bard Decently good news! HeroQuest's rules are so simple they literally fit on a single piece of paper if you know some board game jargon. Fans of the game have found reason to pretty heavily homebrew the game. If nothing else, it's a pretty decent collection of greenskin and undead enemies along with some dungeon scatter for a reasonable price. It's still, as ever, a somewhat gentle introduction to dungeon crawling to begin addicting your friends.

@KenSexe67 3 года назад

I actually bought this book based on PDM's recommendations a while back and never regretted it. The main thing I liked about it (besides the recommendations) is how it amplified the simplicity of their recommendations in their game. It reminded me that games are best if it is simple and flexible, and when you allow the characters to work with you to create the story you are weaving. Could not recommend it enough (although if you are the kind of person who wants everything explicitly explained to you this book may be a little frustrating towards the end).

@fla6444 3 года назад

Prof, I appreciate and respect so much your job. My games have simply become better after have discovered your channel, and i m sure it’s the same for a lot of people. Great charisma, quite revolutionary ideas, excellent communicator. You are like the Messiah of rpg lol.

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

Thank you.

@BrianBP23 3 года назад

I am coming out of a long retirement from the game (last time I played it was regular DND and AD&D 2nd edition only!) and have to agree that your channel has been a ton of fun and helpful for me - Thank you! Question: in the spirit of keeping the game dangerous, fast paced, and alive, you’ve said that you are not supportive of complex monster trackers (XDM also supports stripped down stats) with lots of monster info: I can see the the value of this for sure, but how do you remember more complex monster special abilities to keep their actions creative vs just standard hack and slash encounters? Even something as simple as “nimble escape” with a goblin is easy to forget in the heat of battle for old guys like us!!!! Thanks again!

@Undeadmgmt 3 года назад

Hear, hear!! I second that emotion!!

@atomickrispies 3 года назад

I remember that you recommended this book like 2+ years ago, I bought it and my DM'ing has massively improved. I have you to thank for that, keep up the great content!

@z122147 3 года назад

Apocalypse World by Vincent Baker is a great DMG. It is a system that does a lot of what XDM does. The DM (Master of Ceremonies or MC) rolls no dice and is just setting up scenes for player to work through. The two sections that helped me the most are how you see the player and how you move the world around them. You are told to "Make the world feel real, Make the PC lives not boring and Play to find out what happens." This is a given right...well it gives you some tips to help with that. The prep work in AW is about setting up threats and when players roll bad or are actively dealing with a threat you move them forward. It really brought in the idea of how the world is moving around the players. You do a side quest in town...the bandit leaders moves forward. Most games that try and do open world, it just feels like each new area is just waiting for the characters to start moving before it moves forward. This encourages you to move the world around them creating too much for them to deal with which feels more realistic and...Dramatic. AW does get some "hate" for sex moves. They system has a relationship mechanic which is just how well do you know another PC and when you have a scene together there is a chance you could you know...it can be ran however you want but it is really just a mechanic to show you made a connection with that PC. That would only be something you deal with if you play the system. The MC chapter is worth a read IMO. Also it has spawned the system "powered by the apocalypse" which is all about hacking your favorite themes or stories into a playable RPG.

@trouqe 3 года назад

Always appreciate the reviews, it has made my game more insightful and fulfilling. Bought the book back last year and need to apply it. I believe its time. Thanks PDM.

@Billchu13 3 года назад

Ran from this book last Gen Con. Used Cambellian mono myth structure to tell a coming-of-age story in our 1shot. One of my players asked, "that book is $600 online why don't you sell it?" "Well we just had a kick ass game, didn't we? The magic is still working. I think I'll keep it!"

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

I won't sell mine either!

@josephskiles 3 года назад

I always love to see the first products that old schoolers like myself started with! You can learn so much about how it shaped both their play styles and the way they approach telling stories.

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

Yep! Thanks for commenting!

@josephskiles 3 года назад

@@DUNGEONCRAFT1 thank you for your informative and entertaining videos! They are great to listen to while I build and paint my models!

@danepatterson8107 3 года назад

This is definitely a great discussion of what makes roleplaying and what makes fun. Very informative. Well done, as usual.

@StepBackHistory 3 года назад

I'm curious. You mention the monomyth here and story structure, but your latest video you basically called out DMs who think that way. Is there a use for having story structure in your head while running?

@wolfetom10 3 года назад

Wow, thanks for this review! I've never heard of this rule set, but it sounds right up my alley. I cut my teeth on the original brown box 1st edition D&D in 1974. Groundbreaking, yes, but seriously lacking in many ways. Later supplements helped, AD&D and 2nd Edition didn't help at all, just made things over-complicated and swampy. I really miss the early days, when as a DM I had to improvise and expand upon the skeleton of rules. But for me improvising didn't mean overlaying ever more complex systems with more and more tables and die rolls. It pretty much came down to a player saying "I want to do X" -- and I would make up a D20 number, taking into consideration character level, class, and relevant stats, and I'd say "roll 14 or better." Much better than having to spend 10 minutes searching the books for the relevant rule and or table and then trying to cross-check it with a complex character sheet filled with innumerable stats and skills. My method allowed for fast resolution, where players might be able to begin and finish a complete story line in one session, about the time it might take a more rules-based group to finish a single encounter. I'm now inspired to look up this book and maybe dip my toe back into the icy black waters of Lake RPG.

@arnoldeuss2653 3 года назад

8:40 made me jump up my chair. Fantastic review of the book I didn't know existed but are looking forward to read and play it with my group.

@jeffbenefiel2676 3 года назад

To each their own, I'll stick with my "mostly blue Nissan Stanza" of a game 5e ;)

@wcgcapone 3 года назад

Does your buddy also drive your mostly blue Nissan Stanza?

@jeffbenefiel2676 3 года назад

@@wcgcapone Lol, good.

@kevdog37 3 года назад

Very informative review. I do appreciate the fact that this channel approaches the game from a kind of minimalist point of view. The ideas presented here help me to tone down some of the excess in 5E and other games to something more manageable but still satisfying. I like the look of that generator too. Chapter 8 looks like it has some good advice on adding some cinematic flash to your games.

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

Thanks for watching and taking time out of your day to comment!

@lorenzohot5234 11 дней назад

Great review. Just got it with your link 👍🏽 looking forward to reading this one!

@darthremy1802 3 года назад

I loved how you pointed out we don't have to wait for certain systems to run that game, I reflavor every campaign away from mideval times, often to more Wild West with tentacles or Victorian Gothic Horror with Tentacles and I've run into players who argue that I DM wrong and that if I run wild west I have to use this one system with cards that came out in the 80's that 5e is for 5e only and to stop assaulting their brains with tentacles...some ppl

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

I'm glad you liked it. The video was on the release schedule for weeks, ready to go, when I watched it again and decided to go back and add that line.

@OddTitan 3 года назад

I’ve flipped through my copy of XDM and read the parts I’ve needed to. Time to go back and take a deeper look!

@OddTitan 3 года назад

Whoops, got stuck on the card tricks.

@Billchu13 3 года назад

Feedback from a player in last night's MacDeath game- I was skeptical at first looking at the character sheets, but quickly figured out we were focused on the story. "If it's not on my sheet, I can't do it" goes both ways- with a mostly black sheet, the sky's the limit!

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

Yep.

@deathbare5306 2 года назад

Not lying, the DM and players both have to open to sky’s the limit or it’s doomed to fail

@bruced648 3 года назад

your description of getting thru a combat without initiative roll, is how I've run combat for decades! keep it simple, tell the GM what you want to do, GM comes up with either an activity DC or an attack target number, player rolls the dice and the story continues. very quick and not disruptive!

@bradwatson7324 4 месяца назад

Rules-lite is definitely the way to go. I love Moldvay Basic, but after discovering XDM, I see even Moldvay as being too rules heavy. 🙂 Xtreme Dungeon Mastery is truly an eye-opening book! I especially like the last two chapters that describe the XDM system. Read this book along with Matt Finch’s “Primer on Old-School Gaming” and you really are in a good place gamewise.

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 4 месяца назад

Thanks for watching. I am currently writing the full version of Deathbringer, and it is the midpoint between Moldy and XDM. I have XDM on my desk right now.

@adamnilsson2843 3 года назад

Well it looks like it is time to buy the last D&D book I will ever need. Thank you once again my favorite dungeon professor!

@Undeadmgmt 3 года назад

Hey, not trying to piss in anyone's cheerios, but you can download the XDM pdf pretty much everywhere. It's primarily b/w...just wait until your boss is away at lunch or your parents are out of town and press CTRL+P. Voila! No more kindle, no more $600 purchase at Bezos Mart. Just sayin.

@thomasdahlgren1985 3 года назад

Between this and Enemy in Shadows Companion from the other day you are doing a bang up job of recommending unobtanium.

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

The cryptocurrency?

@pd7263 3 года назад

@@DUNGEONCRAFT1 Difficult to obtain substance in Avatar

@zachcarpenter3903 3 года назад

Gonna have to pick this one up.

@MySqueezingArm 3 года назад

Can't wait to give this a look. I admit my games are a bit dry, and I think this will help me spice it up.

@beancounter2185 3 года назад

Oh No! ..MATH. Oh, the humanity. Oh the horror. Run for the hills!

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

I know!

@DavidBettsack 2 года назад

I don't know how this slipped past my radar, but XDM is currently Kickstarting a 2nd edition, which ends in 5 days (Friday, Sept 10th).

@kensei10 3 года назад

Its literally a crime against humanity that this book is long out of print.

@tomkerruish2982 3 года назад

I was lucky to find a copy of it and the associated module Quest for the Tavern for about $20 from Abe Books a few years back. Good luck!

@fleetcenturion 3 года назад

The PDF is free, if you look hard enough.

@ceranko 3 года назад

Yeah why not print on demand makes no sense.

@KenSexe67 3 года назад

I was able to purchase it on Kindle though. I bought it to pay the book creators for their work but for those who are not able to I have no doubt that an electronic copy exists somewhere.

@irishthump73 3 года назад

@@fleetcenturion yes, recently found one after some searching.

@99zxk 3 года назад

I bought this for cheap at a used bookstore after one of your earlier videos. It's no longer in print and sends to go for good money used. It's a good book.

@RottenRogerDM 3 года назад

Bought it when first came out. Great Artwork. The humor varies from great to SNL bad. Since it not in print, see if you can get the kindle version for under $6.

@RodBatten 3 года назад

I picked up a hardcover copy of this after your episode about game books you found useful. I think it's out of print, but you can get the electronic editions.

@JBurdoo 3 года назад

I love the basic game itself - it made it possible for me to run a game without remembering or planning ANYTHING. It's utterly simple, and absolutely perfect for the beginners I run with.

@Crusoe40 3 года назад

A beautiful and concise celebration of Free Kriegspiel. This is the direction I've been moving in for a while - courtesy of Whitehack atm. Thanks, Professor DM!

@Goshin65 3 года назад

This is why I love DMing for new players.... they don't know anything, they just want to have fun. They're not sure how to read a d4. EVERY monster is scary, because they don't know what they do. If I decide to improvise and pick a number, they don't rules-lawyer because they don't KNOW the rules! It's all fresh, like the first time I cracked open that same B/X rulebook. OSR 4Life.

@darthremy1802 3 года назад

I told my players today that when my current campaign is finished I'm gonna do an overhaul of combat so it'll be faster and far deadly on both sides and wiegh heavier on the RP side and less on hours of math, it feels like a wieght has been lifted off my shoulders after a session of mass combat using 5e rules and I can't wait to finish my current campaign, only one of my players responded to me saying they thought it sounded good, guess next campaign I'll be finding 3 or 4 new players but hopefully it'll be more cinematic, love the content keep it commin

@noahdoyle6780 2 года назад

Late to the party here, but one of the most useful tools I have as a DM/player/collector of 'indie' games is a duplex laser printer. Worth every penny. Color is neat, but not necessary.

@ttprophet 3 года назад

this style would drive me crazy, but i also see a lot of the spirit of XDM that celebrates creativity and improvisation. I want rules, but i don't want to see them when i play, or get hung up on them.

@ThorneMD 3 года назад

I was lucky to be in a play by post game (yep back then) with Mr Howard Taylor the illustrator. I have a signed copy by all three thanks to him. The system is different, but I have used the stuff from the book with great success 😎

@sirguy6678 3 года назад

Great video! A fun review of a DU Required reading text book for PDM’s game mastering 101 class-

@RyuuKageDesu 3 года назад

I've been slowly moving in this direction as a DM, but I don't think I'll quite go this far. Still, this really is at the core of every method I have ever looked at.

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

Yep.

@noffpoppin 3 года назад

They need to reprint the book! Demand is about to go up. I've been keeping an eye out for it.

@michaelgunn9883 3 года назад

I agree. Demand is already up though. The hardcover is $500!

@marcmeilleur5621 3 года назад

XDM blew my mind and had an influence on all of my games since I bought it years ago.

@sesimie 3 года назад

this was a revelation...i think i need to use this for my new family game...

@BDCSam 3 года назад

XDM is a great book. I totally agree! Another great video PDM!! thanks for all you do!

@georgelaiacona111 Год назад

Good article you filmed here. I'm going to check this book out. My original two are 1st Edition Dungeon Masters Guide and "Role Playing Mastery" by Gygax. (Yeah, I'm that old.) I like Keith Amman's stuff and Scott Rehm currently, and I'll point new people to Dungeon Craft (no lie there.)

@mickeyj71hp 3 года назад

I bought this on my Kindle the very first night that I had it.

@RIVERSRPGChannel 3 года назад

Sounds interesting glad you shared

@darthremy1802 3 года назад

I will say I buy every 5e book, I didn't freak out I just have a problem and want every book, one day zombies will happen or society will fall and I'll have the keys and the dice to escape the Apocalypse, or at least in our heads...

@TheodoreMinick 3 года назад

At 8:40, I'd tabbed away, and that book closing nearly gave me a heart attack.

@irishthump73 3 года назад

Finally managed to track down a copy of XDM. It’s worth it for the DM’ing advice alone.

@spider00x 3 года назад

Hey Proffessor, I loves your cut down review of Van Richtens, I'm curious how grim hallow stacks up I can't find a decent review of it online. The ads and marketing for it are all over my feed, clearly it's a ravenloft analog. I'm curious if it passes your smell test. Cheers bro!

@sneakyfred 3 года назад

Dear Professor DM, you say you nowadays apply a mixed version of Moldvay Basic and 5e. How do you decide which components to include from both of those? For example, do you use 5e classes and races, or keep it simpler with Moldvay's original 7? What are your thoughts on feats and ability score increases from 5e? I'd love it if you made a video on this topic!

@bonbondurjdr6553 3 года назад

Couldn't read the book. It's a bit too... elaborate? But I appreciate it for what it tried to do.

@Astartes36 3 года назад

This indeed was a big influence!

@emarsk77 3 года назад

The XDM system looks almost FKR-ish. I'm not a huge fan of the separate second die roll for degree of success, though. Since we're already leaning towards minimal, generic mechanics and GM adjudication, a single roll is enough, and faster. "Roll over 14 to create an ice bridge." "17" - "You do it." "9" - "You lose focus and fail to cast the spell." "2" - "You lose control of the spell and freeze the paladin to the ground." "13" - "You create a bridge, but it looks fragile. If you walk on it, it will have a 7/20 chance to break. Wanna take the risk?"

@tonyblake8926 3 года назад

This video got me really excited for the book :-D Then I discovered it's not available anywhere :-(. Other than a kindle edition. Anyone know where I can get a copy at a sensible price?

@tomwatkin 3 года назад

I really enjoyed this book. Time to revisit it again I think.

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

You should!

@ExpeditionTech 3 года назад

I am going to give this a try in a Dark Tower themed campaign. What would you recommend for weapon damage? Thanks for this great insight on the game.

@kevynhansyn2902 3 года назад

Off topic question, Professor, if you were to have your own tower, what color pattern, or colors would you want it to be?

@ironwarmonger 3 года назад

WOW, I actually own that book, I got is, Autographed at Gen con 2009 the last year I attended.

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

It's worth money, apparently.

@ironwarmonger 3 года назад

@@DUNGEONCRAFT1 Cool, don't think I will sell it, but still Cool. One of a few books in the collection that are suppose to be work some money. I use to do a Podcast called "Games you may never have heard of". I use to college the games in the bargain bin in the back of gaming stories, and turned that into two Ennie Awards LOL

@viceverse11 3 года назад

I have had the hardcover since the "Rules I Use" episode and need to read it. Fail on my part.

@thomasmainix6885 2 года назад

Hi guys, does someone tried the cutsceen thing ? i have to admit i have trouble to clearly understand exactly what the process and what it brings to the table. The DM (or XDM as they love to call themselves) write a mini theater piece and give the script to the players who play the sceen ? Is it (if i understood it well) that effective ? Any tips to when use this in what context ?

@davidr519 3 года назад

I have to comment just to say how strongly I feel about this book. Its great. Its so great I told my wife my true birthday was now the day I first read this book. Before reading this I was nothing, and after reading it I became truly alive.

@Meeeeeeeestery 3 года назад

\m/ definitely yes! The book that every player should be given to right at the start of her GM career.

@swordbreaker0641 3 года назад

My friends and I are currently playing a stripped down version of DnD for more freedom of expression for everyone. I honestly havent felt this great about a game in a long time. Harkening back how we first enjoyed playing games.

@markgnepper5636 3 года назад

Great stuff friend 👏 👍

@mccallosone4903 3 года назад

Im a silly guy, hell, i teach 2nd graders, but the "humor" in this book was lame. Just unfunny and try hard, all the way. I loved the dragonlance and those deathgate books, but i found this book unreadable, and returned it

@tinaprice4948 3 года назад

ya it is very hard to get past all the cheesy humor to find the good in the book for me as well

@Minodrec 3 года назад

Didn't know such a book exist. It's a really good idea since it's sometimes pretty hard to explain how utterly silmple an RPG session can be.

@Ash.King.Y 3 года назад

Almost 25 years of RPG and that's the first time I heard about this. Instant buy.

@maxpower3050 3 года назад

I will pick the game up soon.

@mikegould6590 3 года назад

DMing is part poker playing, part performance and part Librarian. Any tool that helps new DMs is a good thing.

@jakeeper1 3 года назад

Thanks!

@linolourenco5447 2 года назад

Very inspiring , do you plan to produce your own system : bring together all your thoughts in one book with character sheets etc , I’d love to play , even try to run something along what you present in your great videos

@JonathanQiao 3 года назад

I think a lot of DMs like me start out trying to use all of the rules then dropping rules as they go simply because it is simpler and after a while getting the feeling for making a rule on the fly for new situations because it feels right. As a DM I am finding level 5 of D&D 5e to be the perfect level since the characters get all of the special abilities that defines their class but are not too squishy that they die all the time. My group of fifth level players killed a young white dragon which was a surprise for me because I was just going to have the dragon toy with them a little then fly off to her lair.

@CarlosRodriguez-dd4sb 3 года назад

Great video - you might want to reference 'two thumbs up' for those who are pre-At The Movies :)

@DUNGEONCRAFT1 3 года назад

Good point!

@mmgull 3 года назад

No game is perfect except your own :) I like old school essentials (BX D&D) with bits from various editions thrown in. Advantage/disadvantage, flexible spell casting, roll 1d20 to cast a spell, thief skills using 1d6, combat actions... Low power but with a modern twist.

@chadfitch3293 3 года назад

PDM, I think your video review covers all the relevant material. DMs would be well served by spending their time to create their own lists of descriptions, learn how to speak/act to an audience, use props and learn story structure with exceptional pacing.

@andrewtyrell4795 2 года назад

Wait, someone is talking about XDM in 2021?! Very surprising.

@jktechwriter 3 года назад

I'm on the opposite end -- I just could never get into this book. I didn't care for the writing style or the constant humor. There were some really good sections in the book that, if the humor were taken out, would have made it a solid recommendation. Update: I guess I should add that I'm sold on the ICRPG Hard Core book AND I'm seriously considering switching over to the Old School Essentials ruleset with my own mods from ICRPG.

@JBASH2011 3 года назад

The sad thing is that the RPG Hobby changed so much after the 1970s that a book like this ever became a necessity to write. This is how we played OD&D at the start. Nice review. I've never seen the book outside your mentions.

@brandonkelbe Год назад

without proper records of some kind all fades to history or becomes twisted by those who seek power

@michaelpuglia2407 3 года назад

I am no longer able to have any paper in my life. I really appreciate you going over all this D&D stuff. i had a boundless collection of resources that i had to give up. I am also getting back into role playing and the community. sorry i can't contribute more