Recent content by Slapzilla

Break it down a bit, doghead. What is the threat? The town getting the disease? If, so what is the problem? The ritual itself? If so, the flow is a bit muddied. A race against time, for sure but what is the dynamic player actions that happen to progress things? Waiting for the DM to...

Cliche works well when you need a shortcut. Avoiding cliche requires creativity (and the time to create, of course). Re-inventing can be fun. Dwarves in a modern setting as a biker gang, for instance keeps a cliche, but 'imports' it into your current context. The Nazis in Raiders of the Lost...

Cut WAAAY down on the cash rewards and loot for a few levels. Make them spend time and thought on recharging their current gear. When they gripe, well, tell them straight up, 'you guys are too strong.' When they begin to struggle and actually begin using @20% of their resources getting...

Avoid doing hp or ability damage. Harder to recover from on a solo. Incapacitation = death. Always allow the player to avoid combat in some way, but still get done what needs to get done. Work hard to give him/her situational advantages, like if the PC has lowlight or darkvision, pit him/her...

Rokugan had a method for this (between Samurai, of course) and it was based on Sense Motive. Doing it this way allows for the ambushers to Bluff their appearance tougher (for capturing) or weaker (for killing) and gets you right back to square one. I'd hesitate to add BAB to the roll as a 10th...

We were traveling by ship across the inner sea and got jumped by orc pirates. We did what we could but the defenders were overwhelmed. The Orc Captain gloated about how we were all to be ransomed for 10,000 gp. My Paladin said "Ha! I'm worth that much myself." (I remembered a story I heard...

I agree with JustKim and the 'finding the strength to succeed'. From what I remember, many of the shows from that era (MLP, Care Bears, etc.) had teamwork as the solution for threats. While the Smurfs had to worry about being eaten and had to be more resourceful than most, individual bravery...

In my games, there have been two major, memorable racial types. 1) Dwarves have been portrayed as either 19th century Irish immigrant dockworkers that nobody in Boston would hire so they have to prove themselves by being the toughest, most stoic and stubborn s.o.b.s you've ever seen, or...

COOOOOL! Check out Golems and Shield Guardian to see how they locomotivate. How does the Apparatus of Kwalish move about? HeavenShallBurn's creative ideas are dang good too. Don't be afraid of Animated Object either. The spells needed for it would be extraordinary to be sure but thats what...

From there you can develop what the players are drawn towards. If you're like many DMs I spoken with, you've already got the details worked out in your head for most things and understand where to go for the rest. If possible, try to give them a small space for introduction purposes and then...

Seemed to be mostly a streamlining. Nothing too crazy. Abraxis and jdrakeh covered the changes. I found our group's transition to be painless.

Didn't mean to offend, but your DMing style in this situation, sounded more like a book than a game and I just thought that the bit of writer's block you seemed to want a hand with could be broken by having some flexibility thrown in. I guess not. I did not and would not criticize the path...

1 point each in as many skills as your Int, Wis or Cha bonus (whichever one best reflects your background is a cool idea). Off the original topic, but still a good one.

Capture is hard. But be honest about the scene. SPoD is dead on about it, for real. The capturers can prepare the ambush site, (scry and divine to prepare for likely reactions) and should be ready to make a quick getaway with one or two of the party, but certainly be ready for all. In any...

Prophecy and Madness are states that can come on whenever they want, too. Prophesy is (to me) a crystal clear vision of the ramifications of one's actions. Foresight, understanding... Wisdom. If Waking Trance allows the 'boon' of a Divination school spell via ritual but fatigues you until...