Why the Matt Mercer Effect is a Good Thing for DMs and Players

About

Listen, all of the other D&D YouTubers will tell you that you don't need to try to be like any of the actual play/livestream DMs, your game is your game, and that you can just focus on the parts of the game you enjoy. They're all correct, of course. ... but what if you DO want your games to be more like the ones you watch or listen to on popular streams or podcasts? What if you want to teach yourself some of the specific skills that your favorite actual-play DMs use? Well, I'm here to tell you that you can learn all of their little tricks, and it's actually not that hard. Together, we're going to work on little things you can do to enhance your D&D games. We'll look at famous streaming shows/podcasts, official materials, third party products, and even movies and TV shows, and when we're done you'll be able to craft a distinct tone and identity for your games. Let's play! And yes, if you're curious, I am "leftist slime."