Offer Three Options in D&D

This is a great principle for all aspects of design! Especially for those non-combat non-social encounters.

Stems from your fantastic location concept!

Describe three ‘aspects’ they might choose to engage with to pass the encounter - get past some guards and patrols on a barricade, say.

Some of those three aspects (choices), when they interact might have up to another three choices.

You can build a lazy, yet comprehensive, click and point type encounter.

‘A vast, grand stone wall barricade blocks your path, stretching the length of the city [setting] There is a square opening with a metal gate to pass through currently guarded by two orcs [Option 1] Up top looks like two lookout posts where a sole orc patrols from one to the other along the wall [option 2]. There are some tall buildings either side of the wall within proximity [Option 3]

Then, on the lookout posts there could be control panels to open the fence and other interactions.

The buildings could offer three to pass - balconies to jump from, planks of wood to make a bridge, locals they could cause a distraction with.

But we all know, 11 times out of 10, they’re just going to fireball the orcs.

I like 4 options + any reasonable/doable ideas the players have/come u[ with in the game outside of combat.

Great idea to give 3 choices to get the wheels turning

Your books are awesome_
I enjoy the maps/locations
and the descriptions of the rooms most of all.
And have gotten great use out of them, creating stories that fit there settings. 🤘😘🖖

I do this ✺◟( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)◞✺ with some options limited on time, the players knowing what options are likely to expire

So little time on this, however, so awesome.

So amazing and concise and immediately applicable relevant and retainable! It avoids the awkward newbie question, “so what do you guys wanna do?” Perfect number of options opens up the world and gives a sense of playing out a story especially for new DMs and new players!

The illusion of choice, and why you should never draw hallways or world maps:

DM: "you're in room #1. there are three doors leading north, east, and west"

Party: "Let's go east."

DM: "Room #2 it is."

I ran a retail/wholesale business for close to thirty years and we taught all of our salespeople the same method: Three options for adults and two for the younger crowd.

Have you heard of Tilt Five and their AR system coming out soon? I just watched your video from a couple months ago where you talked about Vorpal Board so thought I'd post this on your recent video instead. This could be a real game changer in TT gaming and would love to hear your take on this brand new technology.

Very good advice. I often do "two plus infinite", though it depends on the group and how much preparation I need to make. "Three plus infinite" is pretty good for something like a town or adventure locations.

🎶Three is a magic number! 🎶

I've heard those 3 options could be based in alignment, like a chaotic choice, neutral choice, or lawful choice.

Ty Mike! I’m using this in a big way in the next adventure. Three entrances; three factions on first level; three routes on second level to the hidden temple and , most likely, the villain

Sly Flourish makes a video about offering three options, and then offers four options of how to help him 😂😂😂👍

wonderful advice as always mike

This actually is what people who work in behavioral help are trained to do. Helps keep people moving and not paralyzed by analysis.

Also "he's one of them rangers..."

I see what you did there at the end.

As someone looking to dm, this advice, alongside the video on taking a break every 90 minutes, are incredibly helpful. They are actual tangible methods that make the prospect of DMing less overwhelming.
Anyone know if SF has any advice for describing to players?

I recently ran the carnival of The Wild Beyond the Witchlight and I said to the players that they can go to any of the attractions on the map. Which is like ~15 options, cue nobody knowing what to go to first and lots of time discussing options.
Would have been better to suggest the 3 closest attractions to the entrance. 👍

It’s interesting because one of the things my group struggles the most with is to make decisions. Even with only three options, they end up in decision paralysis

Good points
I may use this idea in the future

New camera? Looking real shiny

The other advantage of three options is that they give each other context. Having only two options feels simultaneously limiting and arbitrary, but three implies some sort of network between them without, as you say, overwhelming the players.

All your advice is the best DM advice I ever heard 👌