Page 1657 - Dungeons & Ponies, Part 32  
26th Feb 2022, 6:00 AM in Intermission 15  
 
Author: GreatDinn  
 
Guest Author’s Note: “I find that asking ‘What’s the plan’ in a game is always an incredibly helpful tool. Not because a plan is then formed or expounded upon, no, that would be far too impractical. No plan survives contact with the enemy, and in TTRPGs, players are their own worst enemy, after all. What it actually does, at least with my playgroups, is make everyone keenly aware of what information they processed and what information they did not. You can always tell where someone’s focus was when you ask “What’s the plan” because you end up with as many answers as there are players about what the plan should contain and confusion from others who didn’t realize that was something to even consider. Of course, there are always things that can be missed in that process as well. We did a bang up job planning that heist until we encountered our first obstacle: A single, regular night watch guard in a facility that we were certain had only mechanical/digital security.”  

Uni: There’s the castle!  
Applejack: That ladder ain’t still down, is it?  
DM: Luckily for all of you, yes.  
Fluttershy: We’ll be back for you later, Uni. Stay safe!  
Uni: I’ll be fine! Have fun storming the castle!  
DM: The castle is full of holes, all made by the dragons crashing through the walls.  
Rarity: How dreadful! At least Tiamat had the courtesy to knock.  
DM: Fortunately, the holes are the only remnants of the dragons left in the castle.  
DM: Which means you all find Presto with little danger. For now.  
Twilight Sparkle: So what happened, Presto?  
Rainbow Dash: Merlin’s that Venger guy, and he tricked me into casting the spell that’s wrecking things! And he stole my hat!  
Fluttershy: Oh my.  
Rarity: gasp Not your hat!  
Applejack: Really?  
Pinkie Pie: It’s a good hat, AJ!  
Twilight Sparkle: Putting that aside, what’s the plan, Dash?  
Rainbow Dash: The plan for what?  
Twilight Sparkle: Countering the spell. What can we do to help you?  
Rainbow Dash: Wait, I need to do it? Don’t you have magic too?  
Twilight Sparkle: It’s not my element. I mean, it is, but not in the game.