Extra Life 12 Hour Marathon Survival Guide
Here we are, folks! Just days away from our first 12 Hour Marathon benefiting the Extra Life Charity! We have our players. We have our brand-new Twitch channel all set up. And fortunately, this is not my first rodeo; I used to run 12 hour marathons at the Malted Meeple also to benefit the Extra Life Charity. Therefore, I have decided to share some of my wisdom and answer the question: what can you do to prepare for a 12 hour marathon of gaming?
Prep, prep, and more prep!
If you are running a module, be sure to have read the whole thing through twice to make sure you understand how it all fits together. As someone who reads a lot of modules, I know that this part can be tedious. The first read through is where I recommend that you skim and try to pick out the big plot points and other important parts. The second read through is when you want to be sure to have your notepad ready and to jot down some notes on the smaller details. I usually divide my notes into sections that cover around four hours (which is my usual session prep note length). If you are using a PDF or a VTT, I recommend adding your notes directly into the module so you can keep everything in as few places as possible. Highlight what is important so that you can find it quickly and easily. Next, read up on your monsters and familiarize yourself with any special rules that might pertain to them, including immunities and special attacks. If you are not running a module, make sure you have taken plenty of good notes for your session. Make sure you have all of your miniatures, dice, maps, and any other accessories you might need for the event ready to go.
Are you ready, player one?
While you are preparing for your marathon of gaming, it is time to herd some cats. Make sure your players are ready with their characters. I always recommend having a backup character or two waiting in the wings just in case their character bites it mid-combat. Nothing is worse than having to pause the game while a player rolls up a new character. If you are running a difficult module, say Tomb of Annihilation for example, I recommend several extra characters. [When I ran Tomb of Annihilation as a 12 hour marathon in the past, I think I asked my players to create 6 characters each and, if memory serves, around 20 characters met their end in that marathon! But, hey, it’s for the kids!] Check in with the players and make sure they have their characters and all of their accessories ready. Also make sure that your players know your start time and end time.
Be kind to your voice and hydrate!
Especially as the Game Master, you will be talking a lot so it is important to make sure you are drinking plenty of water and have a few lozenges to help when your throat gets dry. Before the event, try some vocal exercises to stretch your vocal chords and avoid fatigue. Avoid drinking a bunch of soda or energy drinks as they will dehydrate you quicker.
Breaktime!
If you are taking plenty of time to hydrate, you will also need to take breaks to . . . unhydrate? You know what I mean. Let's leave it at that. It is also important to take frequent breaks to stretch, walk around, and get a quick snack. Sitting for upwards of 12 hours at a gaming table can take a toll on you; trust me, I have done it several times. I also recommend using breaks if you need to set up the table for the next combat, resolve some things after a character dies, or if you are at a loss as to how to proceed and need to check your notes. I usually will also set a meal time at about the halfway point so that everyone can plan around it and we will usually only take an hour for lunch. [But Karington, it's not a 12 hour marathon if you are taking breaks and an hour for lunch. Well, I won’t tell if you won’t. 😉]
I hope this small survival guide has you pumped and feeling good about joining or running in a gaming marathon! Be sure to follow us on Twitch and tune in on Saturday, August 21st from 10:00 am EST to 10:00 pm EST to see my players and I marathon Against the Giants! If you do tune in, be sure to drop us a line in the chat (where you will also find links to donate to Extra Life, check out our new merchandise store, and more!). Hope to see you there!
Take Heart!
Karington Hess
Game Master and Founder of Open Heart Games
