What Does Running An E.P.I.C D&D Game Mean?
Who defines epic? We do!
There are many people, including myself, who offer gaming advice but at the end of the day, you, and your players, are the ones that must decide if your game or campaign is epic or not.
By definition, epic means,
a long poem, typically one derived from ancient oral tradition, narrating the deeds and adventures of heroic or legendary figures or the history of a nation.
So, are you creating an epic story, with your players? Yes.
A more informal definition is
particularly impressive or remarkable.
This is kind of epic game I want you to have, all the the time.
In thinking more about the kind of EPIC game I want to run, and with a little help from Google Bard AI, I came up with this acronym for E.P.I.C.
Evolving Characters
Opportunities for players to grow and develop their characters both in power and personality, forging new bonds and overcoming personal challenges.
I want players, to a degree, to fall in love with their characters. IN that I want them to fall in love with playing their characters because we all know that a Nat 1 can take our heroes to an early grave. I want them to want to play their characters over and over again, leveling them up, and creating a SIM kind of life.
My first developed character was Kevin Landwaster (from Stephen R Donaldson’s The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever). I played him until he reached over level 20 (might even be 30) and I want players to have fond memories of their characters, as I have.
Passionate Storytelling
A DM who infuses the game with enthusiasm, conveying excitement and tension through both narration and gameplay.
Story telling is not telling your players (for hours at a time) a story you wrote with tons of lore. Good story telling is giving your players a thread to pull on so they can create a story within the context of the adventure you are running.
I want DM’s to be passionate about the adventure they are running whether it is a pre-packaged adventure or a home brewed jaunt in a home brewed setting because passion is contagious. If you’re stoked about the game, the adventure or setting, so will your players.
On X I occasionally see someone post “Write an adventure in 6 words or less”. I love these challenges. Here’s one of my answers, “You coming into the portal or not?”
That is the kind of threads I try to create, in game, so that the I in E.P.I.C can happen.
Inspiring Creativity
Encouraging players to think outside the box, solve problems in unexpected ways, and contribute their own ideas to the story.
Running RPG’s are not about me. I mean, I’m kind of necessary because I’m running the game but I’m not running the game for me. I run games because I want to inspire creativity in how the players play their characters.
I love to be outsmarted by some clever trick a player comes up with. It’s not a competition it’s a collaboration. I’m working with my players not against them so they can fall in love with playing the game over and over wondering what comes next.
This, in my opinion is how an rpg community is built. People come together to do cool shit not be lore bombed into a coma. If I challenge my players to take risks, I believe an epic game is not far behind.
Creating Celebratory Moments
Epic battles, heartfelt interactions, and unexpected twists that create lasting memories for players.
The guys I play with on line are the guys I have been playing with for over 40 years. We’ve forgotten more epic rpg moments than most people have experienced them and we are still creating them today. Check out my Esper Genesis game recap video to see what we’re playing.
Nat 1’s and 20’s certainly create epic moments for celebration and chagrin but at the end of each game we each take away a moment where laughed hysterically, dove deeper into character or killed the big bad in fantastic glory.
These are the moments I live for. These are the moments I want other players, like you, to have when you sit at my table and these are the moment I want new DM’s to experience as they teach their friends how to play the best hobby in all the world.
I want you to become an E.P.I.C DM but you don’t have to use my template, make your own. Take these letters to describe the kind of game you not only want to play but want to run.
If you want more DM/GM advice check out my Youtube channel and until next time, here’s to E.P.I.C gaming.