The first time I read from my one-page-long recap, I was worried it was too long, too detailed, and felt forced. I recently talked it over with a couple of players one-on-one and it turns out, not so.
So, I’m hoping this formula that I’ve used helps you recap your sessions in a fun way.
- Include every player at least once every other week. I like to keep balance to my campaigns. This includes how much players are highlighted. So I try and keep track of one badass or fun thing each player has contribute. That way in the recap, they have a bit of ownership in how things are playing out.
- Highlight more than what drives the story. It can be fun to use some misdirection, but it can also be fun to see what players create. Sometimes a detail I include is not about moving the story forward, but the players sometimes add a dimension to it that I didn’t see.
- Remember it the way a hero would. On occasion, a few players have joked, “Oh, so that’s how we are spinning it.” But the truth is, we all are here to be heroes, so yeah. I do spin things a bit to highlight that.
- Include role play elements. If a player has a good role playing part or some fun side element makes a big impression or laugh, include it in the recap. It carries over that fun and sets a good tone for the start of this session.
- Get your thesaurus out. Again, this is an epic tale. Instead of saying the party beat up the Darklings, why not use, “The main party group continued to tear into the Darklings, fighting valiantly.” Good storytelling is as much word choice as actual story.
Now you may be nervous the first few times you deliver a recap, but what I’ve noticed is that the more I do them, the more bold I get in how I deliver them. Dungeons and Dragons (and all TTRPGs really) are great tools to develop presentation skills. Embrace it and I hope you’ll grow to love it as much as I do.