Help! My Players Are Chaos Gremlins! | FanX 2025 Panel

<p><strong>Episode Description</strong></p><p>Live from FanX Salt Lake 2025, this is one of six panels we recorded at the convention — and it might be the most relatable one we've done. If you've ever had a player blow up your carefully crafted plot, chase a side quest for three sessions, or demand a demonic arm mid-campaign, this panel is for you.</p><p>Justin and Tanner are joined by Ian Hawkes and Cameron Cardoza from Worldsmith for a live audience conversation about one of the most common — and most misunderstood — challenges at the table: the chaos gremlin.</p><p><strong>What We Cover</strong></p><p><strong>Framing the Problem</strong>Not all chaos is created equal. We dig into what actually makes someone a &quot;chaos gremlin,&quot; why chaos at the table isn't always a problem (and can actually be a gift), and how to tell the difference between harmless unpredictability and genuine disruption. One key question every DM should ask: is this chaos — or is it control? Is it excitement — or is it boredom?</p><p><strong>Setting Expectations &amp; Knowing Your Table</strong>We talk about the importance of Session Zero, how to have honest conversations with your players about the kind of game everyone wants to play, and how to tell when chaotic behavior crosses the line from organic fun into a respect issue. There's a meaningful difference between occasional disruption and consistent derailing — and one of them needs a real conversation.</p><p><strong>Managing Chaos in the Moment</strong>This is where it gets practical. What do you actually <em>do</em> when your players go completely off-script? We cover managing your own reaction, using improv skills to embrace the chaos, and how to encourage beautiful storytelling even within unpredictable choices. Sometimes the session that goes sideways becomes the one everyone remembers.</p><p><strong>Prepping for a Chaotic Group</strong>If your table is classically chaotic, your prep should reflect that. We discuss how to build flexible, modular sessions — random tables, adaptable NPCs, storylines that can bend without breaking — so that no matter what your players do, you're ready to make it feel intentional.</p><p><strong>Folding the Chaos Into the Story</strong>One of the best long-term solutions: make the story big enough that there's no such thing as &quot;off-script.&quot; Pull player backstories in. Let their chaotic choices reshape the BBEG. Change your expectations about what the story is <em>supposed</em> to be. The most memorable campaigns are usually the ones that went somewhere no one planned.</p><p><strong>Featured Panelists</strong></p><p><strong>Justin Lewis</strong> — Co-host, H2BBDM<strong>Tanner Weyland</strong> — Co-host, H2BBDM<strong>Ian Hawkes</strong> — Worldsmith<strong>Cameron Cardoza</strong> — Worldsmith</p><p></p><p>Thanks for listening to today’s show. If you like our stuff and want to support us, here are some sponsor links and links to our other stuff:</p><ul><li><p>Worldsmith: <a href="http://session0studios.com/worldsmith"><u>http://session0studios.com/worldsmith</u></a></p></li><li><p>Hire a Professional Dungeon Master: <a href="https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/"><u>https://session0studios.com/dungeon-master-for-hire/</u></a></p></li><li><p>Discord: http://session0studios.com/discord</p></li><li><p>Patreon:https://session0studios.com/patreon</p></li><li><p>Dungeon Master Level Up Guide: https://session0studios.com/newsletter</p></li></ul><p></p>