Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks Is Talking About AI in D&D Again

Incenjucar said:

Even as a random table you'd be better off asking it to generate a random table, checking to make sure the variety is sufficient, and rolling manually. They are inherently biased to produce similar material over and over again because they literally function on what is most probable.

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Oofta said:

A random table is going to have a far, far more limited list than an AI can draw on. That's the point. It's not that you're ever going to have an AI do everything (at least not with the tech we have now), it's that it can generate suggestions that act as a springboard. AI is very good at some things that humans could theoretically do but in practice it's not realistic. There is no way a random table is going to give you better ideas - it just has a more limited list of similar options.

If you don't want to use technology fine. I could still vacuum my house, do dishes by hand, throw out my kindle, write physical letters and drop them in the mailbox. I also acknowledge that technology changes and sometimes it can be helpful.

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Cergorach said:

Let's say some random new DM comes here and asks for advice, we'll have a dozen different people answering with 13 different pieces of advice. When 12 people advice you watch 13 different YouTube channels, each with a 100 hours of video, do you watch them all or choose one, which one do you choose? Is it good advice? The same with books, someone will advice something, someone else will advice something else. And not every book/YT gives good advice. The new DM doesn't know what to differentiate, everyone has their own favorites and their own financial priorities (thus the link with books of DM advise that just happen to be all in print on the Amazon site, linked with an affiliate link)...

It's like looking for books on technical subjects, a hundred people answer, with 101 different pieces of advice. Some just seem (or actually are) horrible, others don't jive with your style of learning. It's a crap shoot! Especially horrible for young folks that don't recognize when something is horrible advise or something doesn't jive with your way of learning. LLM doesn't solve that of course, but it is a LOT less of an investment of time.

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Incenjucar said:

Like I said, have the LLM build the table. It will otherwise give you a narrow cluster of the same ideas over and over. Ask GenAI to "try again" and it eventually goes in a loop. Even the random table is going to have duplicates if it's long enough, but at least you can identify those ahead of time and filter them out.

It's technically possible to build more creative GenAI, but the closest you get right now us RAGs and extra loops to try and expand and refine, respectively.

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Clint_L said:

For someone getting started I would definitely recommend asking a LLM for tips.

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Wincenworks said:

Again, I'm struggingly to see how this is a benefit compared to just...

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1. The Basics: How the Game Works​

• D&D is a tabletop roleplaying game where players create characters and go on adventures guided by a Dungeon Master (DM).
• The DM describes the world and controls non-player characters (NPCs), monsters, and story events.
• Players describe their characters’ actions, and dice rolls determine success or failure.

2. Character Creation​

• Race & Class: Defines what your character is (e.g., elf wizard, dwarf fighter).
• Ability Scores: Strength (STR), Dexterity (DEX), Constitution (CON), Intelligence (INT), Wisdom (WIS), and Charisma (CHA) determine strengths and weaknesses.
• Skills & Proficiencies: Your character is better at some tasks based on their background and training.
• Equipment & Spells: What your character carries and any magic they can use.
• Backstory & Personality: A short description of your character’s past, goals, and quirks.

3. Core Gameplay: Rolling Dice & Making Checks​

• The most important dice roll is the d20 roll:
  • Roll a 20-sided die (d20).
  • Add any relevant modifiers (ability bonus, skill proficiency, etc.).
  • Compare the total to a Difficulty Class (DC) set by the DM.
  • If the total meets or exceeds the DC, you succeed; if not, you fail.

• Ability Checks – Used for general tasks (e.g., climbing, persuading, recalling lore).
• Skill Checks – Specific trained abilities (e.g., Stealth, Acrobatics, Perception).
• Saving Throws – Resisting dangers like spells, poisons, or traps.
• Attack Rolls – Rolling to hit in combat.

• Natural 20 (Critical Success on Attacks): If you roll a 20 on an attack roll, you automatically hit and roll extra damage (double the dice).
• Natural 1 on an Attack Roll: Always misses, regardless of modifiers.
• Ability Checks & Saving Throws: A 20 or 1 is not automatically a success or failure—the result still depends on modifiers and the DC.

4. Combat Rules​

1. Determine Initiative – Roll a d20 + Dexterity to decide turn order.
2. Take Your Turn:On your turn, you get:
   • Movement (move up to your speed).
   • Action (attack, cast a spell, use an ability, etc.).
   • Bonus Action (if available, like dual-wielding or a special ability).
   • Reaction (a special response to an enemy’s action, like an opportunity attack).
3. Resolve Effects: Apply damage, conditions, or spell effects as needed.
4. Next Turn: Play continues in initiative order until combat ends.

5. Roleplaying & Exploration​

• Outside of combat, players interact with the world.
• You can:
  • Talk to NPCs to get information, make deals, or deceive.
  • Explore environments for clues, treasure, or secret paths.
  • Solve puzzles or investigate mysteries.
• Your character’s personality and choices shape the story!

6. Story Progression & Adventure​

• The DM presents challenges, quests, and encounters.
• Players can solve problems creatively (not always by fighting).
• Choices affect the world and determine how the story unfolds.

7. Winning & Losing?​

• D&D has no single "win" condition—the goal is to enjoy the adventure.
• Characters may grow stronger (level up), achieve personal goals, or change the world.
• If a character dies, the group can try to revive them or create a new one.

8. The Most Important Rule: Have Fun!​

• D&D is about teamwork, creativity, and storytelling.
• If a rule is confusing, the DM can make a fair ruling and keep the game moving.
• There’s no "wrong" way to play as long as everyone is enjoying the adventure!

SlyFlourish said:

Or you could, I don't know, get them from someone who spent 20 years diving into the best tips GMs have offered?

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Clint_L said:

Is that person going to meet with them one on one, or are we asking the brand new player to parse through hours and hours of videos before they even understand the basics? If they have the opportunity to have a person with 20 years experience give them a person to person tutorial, then I agree that that is clearly the best possible option. Directing someone to a YouTube channel is not the same thing.

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Top Tips for RPG Game Masters

For fifteen years I've run games, talked to other GMs, written articles, shot videos, wrote books, designed adventures, and collected as much advice about GMing as I could have from the far reaches of...

slyflourish.com

SlyFlourish said:

Maybe read a single 2 minute article?

Top Tips for RPG Game Masters

For fifteen years I've run games, talked to other GMs, written articles, shot videos, wrote books, designed adventures, and collected as much advice about GMing as I could have from the far reaches of...

slyflourish.com

Click to expand...

ChatGPT said:​

1. Attack Rolls: Natural 1 Always Misses​

• If you roll a 1 on an attack roll, it automatically misses, no matter how high your modifiers are.
• This is the only roll where a natural 1 always means failure in the official rules.

2. Ability Checks & Saving Throws: Not an Automatic Failure​

• If you roll a 1 on an ability check or saving throw, it does not automatically fail.
• You still add your modifiers, and if the total meets or exceeds the Difficulty Class (DC), you succeed.

• A rogue rolls a natural 1 on a Stealth check, but with their +9 bonus, they get a total of 10.
• If the enemy’s Perception DC is 9, they still succeed!

3. House Rules: Critical Failures​

• Some DMs use a "critical failure" house rule where a natural 1 on a check or save causes something bad to happen (e.g., dropping a weapon, falling prone).
• This is not an official rule, but it can add drama and unpredictability to the game.

Final Rule: Only Attack Rolls Have Automatic Failures​

• Attack rolls: Natural 1 always fails.
• Ability checks & saving throws: No automatic failure—modifiers still apply.