Player appreciation post
My current group is just me dming two sisters.
Ive (30) been playing for many years and A (32) and S (21) have started their dnd journey with me. At first we did some dungeon crawls and a couple light adventures, and now at about a year of us playing they are level 6 about to have dinner with strahd.
I asked what they wanted in the game when we started and it boiled down to two things: lotr, and dragons. (Easy) Well if you've ever read or watched any lotr or the Hobbit you'll know they like to sing songs. well so do A and S a few enemies corpses have been danced around while they sing "Dead Dead Very Very dead!...... Marry the mole!!". From thumbalina Im so used to "i loot the body i steal his loin cloth" which dont get me wrong i still find it hilarious and they will do that. But ive had to remind them to loot before. Thats just one example they love to sing.
Combat is never the first thing they want, so i tend to lean on other ways to play (although they still must fight sometimes) they will normally use any other tactics first. they love bribes and stealth. In fact the last "combat" we had was A hiding in a shipping crate for intel and S was doing a benny hill/home alone chase scene with some goons as a hummingbird (i gave her flight early sue me)
They want the weird loot instead, they give a much bigger reaction when i roll from the trinkets table rather than the loot table and often the new trinkets are checkovs gun. Its like some how someway, They are going to use that little bag of teeth. Theres a big gem on the floor, A embeds it into her forehead. S collects bells she has 2 small church bells. As well as many other bells
A is a paladin oath of conquest and S is a druid circle of the moon, alot of the kicking of butt is done by the freinds we make along the way. As in they like to make allies come with them or aid them on their journey, and send them into combat first. Some of the favorites are: Bones the owl bear, who speaks in sign language like an orangutan. Phil, the timid grimlock they keep on a leash and taught to use an axe, Currently welding giant slayer.
But what i think i enjoy the most is that they care just about being there and playing the game, rather than playing the game a certain way. And really isn't that what dnd is about?