Improv 1: The Overall Process

This article is the first of a series - something new for me.

I’ve been told I’m good at improvising encounters. It’s not easy for players to throw me - whatever they do, I can (usually) respond in quick, interesting and lore-friendly ways.

My prep time is very low, since I know I can improvise an encounter as easily as designing it ahead of time.

This is one of those things where I thought everyone did this. Then, reading a few D&D forums, I realised they don’t. I’m not the only one who can think on my feet, but apparently I’m part of a minority.

So I sat down and analysed my style. What exactly was it that I did, when the PCs jumped off the rails?

This series is the answer to that. It’s my deep, detailed process for coming up with encounters on the fly.

I can do this in the back of my mind, often in a few seconds while the players are talking.

It makes for a fun, seamless experience for all of us.

Here’s how I do it. I don’t claim that this is the only way or the best way - just that it works for me.

A dragon’s view of my Improv Process

This is the beginning, middle and end of my encounter improve process.

But it’s not everything.

This is the high-level view, as seen from a dragon in flight. Most of the series will be about exploring each of these like the treasure-laden dungeons they are.

If this seems simple, just remember that there’s a lot to each of these.

Then again, if the thought of improvising encounters makes you clench or freeze, then this overview might be enough for you.

I value creative expression. To me, being able to unleash my creativity is a big part of why I run campaigns. So when there’s the need to improvise an encounter, I:

1. Consider the context and environment,

2. Get a feel for what the encounter will feel like,

3. Choose enemies and hazards, and then

4. Add personality and depth.

After that, the encounter is (mostly) ready to run.

Does that sound simple? That’s because simplicity is a feature. You’re doing this on the fly with half your attention elsewhere - trust me, this is as complicated as you want it.

In that case, does it sound too complex?

You can remember four things. Even better, you don’t have to - write them on a notecard and stick it to the inside of your GM screen.

We’ll talk more about these steps in future articles. To make sure you don’t miss them, subscribe here:

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