Attention!! We’re back with our main campaign this Thursday the 23rd of December. Get excited!

“Here’s a bunch of cool things my party could have done… unfortunately they forget most of their skills that don’t involve bashing things and mostly just focus oddly on random NPC backstories that never matter.”

I wish more DMs gave us this insight to games we've seen run. As a DM this is the most USEFUL advise... Having seen it in actual action. Great work Rob.

Behind the Screen is really intressting tbh it gives you a little idea what actually should have happend during that scene. I would love to see this more often besides the actual DND episodes once a while maybe once every 10EP? And btw Love to Robert for keeping the good work and making a amazing story!

Pretty sure no one want this: Behind the screen of DIrk's poor, sad past taunted by Bodger

I love these. So cool to see what’s happening from different perspectives.

Oh almighty DM behind the screen if you would grant us a wish and regale to us the sad tale of Dirk and his traumatic past

Interesting to see how much work Rob puts into these things and then the "dickheads" just obliterate or ignore so much of the story and setup he makes lol.

I know you already filmed a new table session (yay!) but please keep this and Sir Vey's series permanent! As a non-D&D player, I learned a lot from Rob's BTS streams but Twitch VOD only last for a couple of months (and the time difference sucks).

To paraphrase von Moltke, "No campaign plan survives contact with your party."

I love how much hidden detail you put into DMing.

Love how Baradun and the Dickheads is now apparently the official title of the group. 😂 you should rename the series!

Rob: "It was meant to be a G" Baradun: "It's telling us to recycle!"

I hope this becomes a regular series. It's always nice as a DM to see the thought process behind a session setup. It also highlights just how much work goes into planning only to never get fully fleshed out due to "circumstances"... And we've all seen poor Rob's... Patience of a saint, he has 🤣

Love the behind the screens! But honestly Grins dream was veeeery cryptic, I'm not surprised he didn't figure that out

I love this side series, it gives the story a lot more depth. Also it would be a waste if no one gets to see all the extra work that Robert puts in, that doesn't get used.

I don't know if you planed behind the screen in advance, or did it pop up because of lockdown, but it's absolutely amazing as we can learn about alternative scenarios and mostly what beautiful plans Robert had in mind that unfortunately never came true. It's fantastic the main campaign is back soon but I hope you will keep on doing this as well

"Because I'm an asshole" 🤣🤣🤣

I love this series so much. If there's one thing that I ask a million times during this campaign it's "well what would have happened if....?" It's so awesome to really see that this campaign truly isn't a railroad and our vldl boys really are just surviving by the skin of their teeth.

Something [REDACTED] happens. Doesn’t sound ominous at all. No siree, nothing to see here…

I know the hiatus is coming to an end but please carry on with these Rob, they are good fun and such an insight :-].

as a newbie GM myself, thank you very much for these "behind the scenes" stuff... it helps immensely my understanding on how to create the right atmosphere for the sessions... I love specially the "why the monsters are there" explanation!

behind the screen is really important for rookie DM to write out their own story. and yes, i learn alot.

So filming hasn't restarted yet... Thank you for still posting a video to keep us masses entertained!

I love the "why". This is ignored in so many videogames (and sometimes also books and movies). Why was the character there? Why does it behave like this? That's the main point, which makes the whole story believable. Rob you never cease to amaze me and I look forward to the Baradun and the dickheads' next adventures :)

Having been a DM before I totally empathise with you in that after hours of work the party just misses everything and moves on :) so kind to let us in your hard work

I'm so glad we get those loose ends tied up!!! THANKS

Another excellent behind the screen. Rob! You had so many brilliant details in there! It's good to actually get the chance to hear them.

He puts so much effort knowing the guys will just shit on it with their chaos lol thats dedication

The DMs acting skills got way better than it was in the start, im really glad to see it.

As a fellow DM, I completely understand how it feels to give your party a multitude of ways to deal with a situation but instead they forget about the abilities that would allow them to do so and instead charge headfirst into danger.

You are a fantastic GM! Does it ever get frustrating all the *goodies* you prepare that go undiscovered, or just unappreciated? I’ll say as a player, I’ve learned so much from watching you with VLDL.

It's crazily impressive, inspiring, and intimidating how much Rob comes up with for each area! ...and also a hilarious waste, with how chaotic and imperceptive his group is~ Glad he got to make this series to show some of the stuff that never saw even a hint of light, haha

Holy moley, what a welcome treat! I discovered VLDL D&D recently, and have been working my way through from the beginning. I've noticed, in the comments, quite a few references to "Behind the Screens". But I couldn't find the video versions anywhere. Nowt on Rob's YT channel, and nowt on his Twitch, either. And I can't watch the live stream till I've caught up, which is a long way off, yet. Behold! I've just spotted that this video is next on the list! YES!!! YES!!! 🤩 Thanks, Rob. Keep herding those chaos cats, and inspiring new players, and new DM/GMs. And please, please keep posting these extra videos here! Great stuff! 🐱🎲❤️👍

so typical tho, gm's giving an obvious clue and party making COMPLETELY and UTTERLY different conclusion

I know y’all probably ain’t gonna see this but I love this as well. Just as much if not more than the actual DND. Love the behind the scenes and Sir Vey’s stuff. Ryan and y’all are amazin. Please don’t stop❤️🤠

I knew it! It's a "G" as in ice giant. Also about that dream, at first I thought it's about Grin's past, maybe he's kicked out from his home after injuring that kid.

I love this behind the screen videos! Even though I've never played DnD, I know GMs do a lot of work to prepare for game sessions. Lots of that never sees the light of day because the adventurers decide on an entirely different course of action than the GM expected, so for example they may skip an entire town that the GM had prepared with descriptions of the houses and other buildings, shopkeepers and other inhabitants, and probably even encounters and quests. I know that some of that can probably be repurposed in a later ocassion, but still, that specific piece of content is somewhat lost potentially forever. So this videos gives a little insight on what happens in the world (or in the GM's head) when the characters are not even looking. I specifically remember after they visited a casino in one of the dead frost towns, where the odds were ridiculously in favor of the player because Rob had to improvise the rules, he decided "I'm gonna make this right the next time" so when they reached the bigger city, "Skotlund" or however it's spelled, he specifically mentioned that there was a casino in town with actual rules and even gave them a week to do whatever they wanted. I understand that after losing all his money in the previous experience, Rowan was reluctant to send Bodger there, but still there was some content there that we didn't get to see. Later on in the campaign, they entered the carnival where we got to see one of these game mechanics but I'm pretty sure there was much more content prepared for Skotlund's casino.

I feel like Rob's popularity is significantly increasing with this role as a DM. It is very enjoyable to listen to his content. Excellent work Rob!

holy crap! Rob had so much thought into every little detail and possibility 🤯 so many missed opportunities for the guys 😂 but it's honestly amazing to see how much Rob works on his campaign and I seriously hope these videos will be a normal thing bc it's honestly really cool after having watched the campaign already played out and then going back and rewatching after getting insight to what couldve happened. Rob you're awesome!

_Baradun and The Dickheads_ Sounds like a fun indie band.

These are great! For those who haven't seen them, Rob has done weekly BTS streams on Twitch for full D&D eps.

This is really fascinating and educational. It's nice to get to see just how much work Rob puts into the mechanics and story, and the details of how it all works.

rewatching these rn - we need more behind the screen, these are so cool, c'mon Rob! 🙏

How i love behind the screen series! Pure gold

OMG, I want more of these! Rob's insight to how much work he puts into this is amazing! Props to you Rob!!! Ps: The campaign could do with some original music! We'd love to create said music for you, with themes and huge orchestrations! Please hit us up! Our composer studied a degree in orchestral composition.

"Baradun and the dickheads" cracks me up every time you say it. So fitting.

I love these behind-the-screen videos! You're such a pro DM, Rob, and I love your work with Viva La Dirt League D&D!!! A few suggestions for other DMs to make single monster fights more difficult: 1. A barrier surrounding the monster, like a force field or other physical cover (half cover and three-quarters cover are great bonuses) 2. Traps laid down by the monster or natural hazards like poison darts or quicksand 3. Other challenges like difficult terrain, elevation difference, steep drop-offs, high winds, and low visibility 4. If you're feeling really spicy, you could include major challenges like a dead magic zone where casters can't cast spells or wild magic zones where a random effect goes off if any magic is used beyond cantrips Good luck, DMs! Balancing 5e combat is hard, lol

really fun to hear these plans and how they dont work out but the story still stays fun

Absolutely love the behind the scenes content, and the little played out scenes in between. Please more!!

I knew when Yaris asked if he could speak with dead it was going to come up later! I’m late watching these, but it’s so fun.

I couldn't do it. All that planning just to be overlooked. But this guy is good enough to roll with the punches and evolve his plans as they change whimsically.

I'm just starting out as a DM for my family and another group of friends. This kind of insight into how a really good and respected DM thinks through his campaign is VERY useful. Thanks!

These episodes are amazing, you learn something new from them, but also its super interesting, its like watching director speaking about his movie. Please continue with these videos, they are amazing. :) PS: Hyped for next DnD episodes as well.

This was awesome, i would love to see more of these. What was meant to be and how much the guys diverted or didn't pick up on your plans haha.

As a loner, I don't really get to play D&D. I just moved to a new state and only know my husband and the friend we are staying with. Neither of them play. I have been interested in doing solo campaigns for a while, but the whole process of DMing is extremely daunting. I love watching this to see how the DM king Rob does it. He does a fantastic job. Thanks for these episodes, Rob. You're amazing.

The fact that grin could have spoken to the dead and just straight up asked what happened but didnt because he didnt know, just made that while mission way funnier 🤣😂🤣😂

The behind the screen thing is really cool, I hope it carries on. I thought it was going to show how you filmed those parts, but I am pleasantly surprised.

This is actually very insightful and a nice addition to the campaign! I'm slowly catching up and I LOVE this channel as a whole! Keep it up!

Interesting, can’t wait for the next one. I’m wondering if there might be one about if they didn’t fight the hill giant (because you gave them a plot hook toward the thieves guild and the hill giant).

Love these insights on Rob's decision making and creativity so much. Thank you.

I love this so much. I watched this a bit when you guys started out but...life. Am currently binging all of your D&D-content and we don't deserve Rob. The guys don't deserve Rob. What a GM omg xD As someone who is currently GM:ing her first real campaign Rob is a true inspiration. I want to be Rob one day. I feel you as well Rob. In two sessions my team has knocked on a door to an enemy hideout they so clearly were supposed to sneak into, tried to fight a demon with a lit candle and got kicked out of a brothel when they tried to sneak into it after having paid for an hour in there... I honestly can't wait for our third session xD

I'm so glad you're doing these! As I rewatch, it bothers me that certain things are discovered/explained because I want to know!! I love how incredibly creative you are with these stories!

i find videos like this super insightful. It's truly amazing how much goes into DM'ing. Much respect

Would love more of these! It's really good insight into what it takes to be a good DM

Please make more of these. Soo interesting to get some backstory and see it from a different point of view

I love that you simplified it so they could rush off to the date lol. But overall your world building and boss battles are awesome!

Awesome content. Thanks for all the hard work you guys put into these gems !

I love this Rob, seeing how the DM works and thinks of things going on in the campaign, trying to get players to make certain rolls that need to be done is difficult but it's all in good fun....till bodger jumps off a ship

you also prepared with a beautifully painted mini.

These are really cool, hope more are on the way.

Love these insights behind the screen!❤️

Thank you for this one! That symbol really intrigued me and I was starting to think that we'd never get to find out what it was ^^

You should definitely keep doing these videos, it's really interesting to see what you had planned and what finally happened. Also, I enjoy the little bits of knowledge you sprinkle here and there, like the graupel for example.

As a new DM I really love this!!

I just love these! So much fascinating insight into all the things that drive the adventure. Although, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a campaign where the players so spectacularly derail pretty much every scenario they encounter! Which is one of the things I find the most entertaining! 😆😅 And, I’ll have to blame my little imp of the perverse, but I kind of get the biggest kick out of watching Rob react to those contrary shenanigans, and have to redirect and revise on the fly! It’s hella impressive!! 😍🤩 I definitely hope this series continues on as a companion piece to the actual episodes! (And the Sir Vey series)!

I could listen to Robert for hours. What a beautiful, creative mind! This whole group is just so well put together, you guys are a joy to watch. Smart, funny, relatable and all artists in your own way, I'm just really glad I found you. Much love from Germany!

I actually rewatched a bunch of episodes when youtube thought I hadn't watched one and started the playlist from the wrong episode. It was intresting to rewatch since there were a few things here and there that gave clues to things I already knew would happen. You are a good DM and I'm taking so much inspiration on my first campaign that I'm making. So many smart details, I love it!

This is both interesting and helpful! Thank you for sharing, and I hope you make more of this type of content even when you’re out of Lockdown again.

I'm so happy to hear how you plan and how much your party just misses EVERYTHING you set up. I have similar issues with my group and I often feel like I'm to blame for not being clear or framing encounters and scenes poorly. It gives me hope - seeing how similarly you plan and frame and despite your players being (de facto, by nature of the definition) professionals, they still miss most of your clues - that maybe it's not just me. :)

thanks for sharing it was cool to see your process.

Absolutely love these behind the screen episodes. It's by far yalls best side-content imho!

I LOVE THESE!!! MORE OF THIS PLEASE!!!! ❤

I like this take on behind the scenes. Please make more. Love to see what you planned, how they all blindly ignores everything. And how eventually you'll put less effort into upcoming scenarios.

I love how these behind the screen's explain some of the mystery of the game.

Love to see the workings behind what happend. Keep up the great work.

Love this series keep up this great work🤩

Love this content with Rob! really really cool

This helps a lot is giving me ideas for encounters as well

I appreciate you taking the time to you give us your thought processes around the choices you make. You're an amazing DM and seeing you DM plus giving us stuff like this gives me great insight into being a better game master for my friends. Keep up the great work. This series is one of the main things I look forward to.

I just love it. I think you could do once in a month one of these things instead of episodes (or in addition, I don't mind) because they are so funny (like the interview parts) and insightful. Thanks for your work guys

Love hearing from Rob about these encounters!

I absolutely love these behind the screen episodes. Exceptionally helpful for DMs. Like others here I do wish more TTRPG streams provided this sorta insight. I think VLDL are way ahead of the curve with these videos. Fantastic stuff 😁👍

Love this series, and going back and watching the scene again to see how it all went wrong lol

MORE OF THESE!

I really like these explanations. Gives me such a better understanding of the game as well as this particular story.

Thanks, Rob. This is genuinely informative and I'll use it when writing my own campaign.

This is awesome. I really enjoy these videos you’ve published. They give some insight on to how much work it takes to put things together and how to tie everything together. I’m trying my hand at DMing for the first time and it’s a lot more work than I really thought. These are fun to watch and I look forward to more.

"Next, on 'Behind the DM', we talk about the props we have behind the DM!"

This is PERFECT insight and inspirational material for DMs/GMs, please give us more of these Rob. 🙏 Love the series, you guys are great! It actually got me into DM-ing myself.