Discussion:How do you keep players' attention while DMing?

[edit] How do you keep players' attention while DMing?

[edit] 98.220.73.27 01:05, 19 January 2010 (UTC)

I am the DM of a Group of players who are easily distracted. While I know that it is natural to get distracted every once and a while, this is becoming an increasingly frequent problem. How do you suggest that I keep them attentive when I need to tell them information?

[edit] Green Dragon 03:24, 19 January 2010 (UTC)

It could be any number of problems.

The most likely is that they do not find what their character is doing is as interesting as whatever they want to say to each other. To stop this their are any numbers of options.

1. Add some "Horror" (HoH) into the campaign - sometimes this make the players wonder about the rules of D&D once again, eliciting interest and many times outrage; but at least not distraction.
2. Move (boat, teleport, etc) the players into a more interesting part of the world - maybe where they currently are is just to simple for them. Do not break the rules of course - if you do the players will have even less interest (fake).
3. Do a dungeon with A LOT of thinking needed - such as a trap filled dungeon. They have to take actions and not just rolling however it is still combat oriented.
4. Do something epic for them - like having them have to destroy a small town for some reason. I find that characters like epic things and it keeps them on their toes.

Most of all I would say do not take any actions for them. Make them have to think. For example do not let them just know who to speak to - make them have to say "I go to the shrine to talk to the priest" and then when there, of course, make them speak. NPCs live in D&D - they don't metagame.

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