D&D General 6-8 encounters (combat?)

[Mort]

This cuts both ways though. If the party is in the “Valley of Aberrations”, they will likely be surprised when the DM brings in the CR 6 refluffed druid to dispel LTH.

Well sure, if the encounter makes no sense and is REALLY there just to mess with the party (as in to specifically counter one of their tactics just because the DM wants too)? That's bad. And any spell that "requires" the DM to consistently have to find silly ways around it? Needs a good look, or at the very least needs to be addressed.

And to be clear, Tiny Hut is annoying BUT then either:

1. Ban or house rule it; or

2. Roll with it and respond in "realistic" and hopefully fun ways. Tiny hut doesn't protect animals (pack, companions, whatever) and the like, for example. Tiny hut also doesn't change the length of time required to rest and that can have serious (and not the least bit unanticipated) consequences.

 

[iserith]

This cuts both ways though. If the party is in the “Valley of Aberrations”, they will likely be surprised when the DM brings in the CR 6 refluffed druid to dispel LTH.

Anything is easy to make sense in context in a game based on make-believe. Sprinkle in a little telegraphing ahead of time and you're golden.

 

[Cadence]

I am now imagining a Jack Vance dying earth story about a land where everyone has 8-hour expansible eggs... and how all of the later age predators have adapted to hunting people from them. And so the people have countered this by living all the time in their eggs, and every 8 hours having them open and then running from one egg to the next to trade or whatnot, with only an unlucky few falling to predators (like very short term broods of cicada).

 

[Mort]

Question:

Does anyone have any actual play accounts of when Tiny Hut screwed up the adventure or in any way actually messed with the DMs plans?

I can think of exactly one time since 2014 when Tiny Hut made an actual difference in game. And it wasn't huge, basically delayed an encounter with something that was plaguing the terrain we were exploring.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Yeah, while nobody should include them if the players or DM doesn't like them full stop, the DMG provides a whole list of reasons for using random encounters. They are far from "pointless."

It's padding.

Something a lot of writer have a problem with because they can' bring themselves to cut the fat they enjoyed writing so much.

And a lot of DMs havea problem where they think they're writing a story instead of leading a collaborative entertainment experience.

Using the rest and logistics obviation spells and abilities is making a statement that the players don't want to engage in the things they obviate. And a lot of DMs are bound and determined to FORCE the players to engage in them, ignoring what they want.

 

[iserith]

Question:

Does anyone have any actual play accounts of when Tiny Hut screwed up the adventure or in any way actually messed with the DMs plans?

I can think of exactly one time since 2014 when Tiny Hut made an actual difference in game. And it wasn't huge, basically delayed an encounter with something that was plaguing the terrain we were exploring.

None for me. If I'm running a classic town-to-dungeon campaign, I ban the spell. For any other kind of adventures I've run, I leave it in, but the players have never used it in a way that really does anything notable. It helps that I don't have any plans to ruin, I guess, but I've never seen a player use it as a bunker in combat, for example.

I asked in a Discord earlier with another group of people I play with and nobody saw it used in combat before except for one person who saw it twice. And these folks are both players and DMs, play a lot of games, and are keen on optimization. I thought maybe they'd tell me they'd seen it plenty and was surprised when they said they didn't.

 

[iserith]

It's padding.

Something a lot of writer have a problem with because they can' bring themselves to cut the fat they enjoyed writing so much.

And a lot of DMs havea problem where they think they're writing a story instead of leading a collaborative entertainment experience.

Using the rest and logistics obviation spells and abilities is making a statement that the players don't want to engage in the things they obviate. And a lot of DMs are bound and determined to FORCE the players to engage in them, ignoring what they want.

I invite you to read the DMG for all the things that random encounters do. You don't have to like them, but you can at least acknowledge they serve many different purposes.

As well, players aren't necessarily making any kind of statement when they use these spells.

Many of your posts seem very cynical when it comes to DMs. I've had my fair share of bad DMs, but I try not to let that color my perception too much.

 

[tetrasodium]

Question:

Does anyone have any actual play accounts of when Tiny Hut screwed up the adventure or in any way actually messed with the DMs plans?

I can think of exactly one time since 2014 when Tiny Hut made an actual difference in game. And it wasn't huge, basically delayed an encounter with something that was plaguing the terrain we were exploring.

I was a wizard player in a frostmaiden campaign. Early on I pretty much got forced into scribing LTH after refusing to take it when a different player bought a second LTH scroll & gave e gold to scribe it because I cast it from the first scroll when the group first needkessly pushed for it

At some point the (newer) GM realized it was a disaster for the man vrs nature aspects & had arviatrix(ancient white dragon) stomp down next to us expecting the level 5 party to run. Part of the group is behaving logically & trying to negotiate with the minor deity we obviously worship now but that fails & the group starts talking about running.

Literally every player but me was for us to just camp out in the dome using create food & ritual recasts of tiny hut until she goes away to find food or something rather than running.

 

[iserith]

I was a wizard player in a frostmaiden campaign. Early on I pretty much got forced into scribing LTH after refusing to take it when a different player bought a second LTH scroll & gave e gold to scribe it because I cast it from the first scroll when the group first needkessly pushed for it

At some point the (newer) GM realized it was a disaster for the man vrs nature aspects & had arviatrix(ancient white dragon) stomp down next to us expecting the level 5 party to run. Part of the group is behaving logically & trying to negotiate with the minor deity we obviously worship now but that fails & the group starts talking about running.

Literally every player but me was for us to just camp out in the dome using create food & ritual recasts of tiny hut until she goes away to find food or something rather than running.

Have the burrowing ancient white dragon carve out a vast ice tunnel or cave underneath the hut while they rest, then weaken the ground beneath it so that the tiny hut falls in. Cover them up with snow and ice.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I invite you to read the DMG for all the things that random encounters do. You don't have to like them, but you can at least acknowledge they serve many different purposes.

Worthless padding also 'serves' different purposes. Just not a valid one for the purpose of creating a good story.

Many of your posts seem very cynical when it comes to DMs. I've had my fair share of bad DMs, but I try not to let that color my perception too much.

I get my perception of such DMs from how people around here proudly talk about treating their players.

The spite for people avoiding random encounters and night ambushes alone...