Why Improv is at the Heart of Great Tabletop Gaming
When I read about how others play D&D, I often feel like many try to stick to more of a strict structure in the format. There are written modules and when players do things and it doesn't match with what the module has in mind, it just doesn't work.
A lot of the online discussions focus on the "crunch" - the optimal builds, the mathematical efficiency of spells, and the "correct" way to navigate a skill challenge. While those gameplay elements are fun, they are actually well-explored in video games. If I want deep skill trees and tactical combat, I’ll play an RPG; if I want to solve missions with unique tools, I’ll play Deus Ex or the wonderful Prey.
The thing that tabletop games do that can't easily be replicated is collaborative, real-time world-building. To me, D&D isn't a combat simulator - it’s an exercise in improvisation. DM's and players alike should be "yes, and"-ing all the time at the table.
Save the Princess, Build the World
Recently, my group was charged with a straightforward quest: give a group of Kobolds 50 GP worth of items to get them to leave a mine shaft alone. Our DM likely expected us to hunt for treasure or find a merchant or just ask the Kobolds if there was something nearby that they wanted us to get. I had a different idea.
I pulled a generic, title-less book from my starting equipment. Technically, per the Player's Handbook, it’s worth 10 GP. But I decided this was a "valuable tome" called 101 Easy Cooking Recipes. I made a swing at Kobolds not knowing the market value of cookbooks. Another player immediately "Yes, and-ed" me, crying out, "No! Not that one! You said you’d never give that book up!"
We rolled with advantage, cleared the check, and bypassed the quest's expected path. But the real magic happened next: our DM leaned into it. Instead of the Kobolds just disappearing, they used the book to start their own kitchen in the city. One that we hope to revisit in the future.
That’s the "Improv Pillar" of D&D. When players make things up, DMs should lean in, because those moments are always the most memorable.
Collaboratively Playing
Our group has experimented with a few ways to keep this improvisational energy alive. For a long time, we ran a modified "West Marches" style campaign. We shared the DM responsibility and had a collaborative approach to building out the world.
We had one person serve as the "overseer" in charge of overarching plot points, while everyone else ran short arcs that actively shaped the world. New locations would be created, important NPCs made up, factions were usually brought in from character background stories.
The reason I enjoyed this format so much was that it put collaborative world-building front-and-center and we often depended on it to make the world work well. One set of sessions had our team participating in a series of professional wrestling matches as a show for the town, but with its own set of stakes and prizes.
How to DM for Chaos
When I’m in the DM chair, I don't over-prepare. If you write a 10-page script, your players will inevitably walk the other way. Instead, I use "Parachute Encounters" to drop important moments in wherever players might end up at.
I outline key story-revealing details or NPCs and "parachute" them into wherever the players happen to be. If the story needs a specific hook, it doesn't matter if they go to the tavern or the temple - that NPC will be there.
I’ve found that players gravitate toward descriptive gravity. If I mention a temple in passing, they’ll want to enter. The specifics of getting there aren't important; I’m much more interested in voicing a funny NPC on the fly than writing a 20-page backstory they might never see. Often enough that new NPC ends up being a favorite return character.
Advice for Players: Build the World for Your DM
Players shouldn't just be passive consumers of the DM’s world. You should be making up proper nouns, locations, and factions.
If I describe a faction I joined as a young adventurer - let’s call them the Fist of Fancies - and name my old commander Captain Finney, I’m giving the DM a gift. Two sessions later, Captain Finney will probably show up with a quest.
The best way to start this habit? The Pre-Session Question. At our table, we start every session with a character-revealing question:
- "What is your character’s biggest fear?"
- "Who is someone from your past you want to reconnect with?"
- "What is your 2nd favorite food to eat?"
As a DM, I love weaving these answers into the session. If someone says they fear spiders, the next cave is definitely going to have some webs. If they mention a lost love, that person might just be the NPC they meet at the next tavern. If they say their 2nd favorite food is chowder then guess what's going to be served at the next tavern?
Lean Into the Zany
Improving in D&D isn't about learning the rules better; it's about learning to trust the "Yes, and." When you lean into the improv, you stop playing a game and start building a world. It’s messy, it’s zany, and it’s a lot more fun than crunching through a module in my opinion.