Search results

Definitely. People who play lots of different rule sets tend to get mixed up more often. I remember during the playtest, sometimes it was hard to remember which rules I was using and which rules were replaced/changed. Switching between 2e, 4e, 5e, Pathfinder, etc. does make it more difficult...

Yeah, this month's Sage Advice reminded me of the mistake. Here's the text from Sage Advice: Do you get a turn after rolling a 20 on your death saving throw or does your turn end as you stabilize? You make a death save when your turn starts. If you roll a 20, the 1 hp you gain lets you then...

Here's one that I messed up a year or two ago (and it actually led to the death of a PC). At that point, I had assumed that death saves acted like saves from 4e so they happened at the end of your turn rather than the beginning. Two PCs were down with nobody near to help them. One of them was...

It's hard to pick. I've enjoyed almost all the characters I've played so far. Highlights: Human storm cleric raised by Elves (started as variant human with defensive duelist feat, picked up healer feat at 4th level). We rolled attributes straight down and in order, no re-arranging. Since...

Mindset is everything. Sometimes it is a lot of fun to play weaker PCs. The challenges change, and the focus of games changes too. Physically weaker PCs (low con/low hp) have to be played differently than more hearty PCs. As long as everyone knows this (DM included) it works. D&D can...

Still, the type of campaign, and DM strengths/weaknesses or even DM preferences or biases, will be key when determining how "fun" it is to play less optimized PCs. When I run a game (and when I design my own campaigns) I try to balance the three pillars (combat, interaction and exploration) so...

That's for sure. I have basically ruled that creatures will not be able to hold their breath when they have to srtuggle or exert themselves. When in doubt, I give them a con save DC 13. I like the number 13 (superstitious). If they can't hold breath I jump to suffocate rules ( 1 round min...

I like writing session recaps and keep summaries of nearly all games in my campaigns. In the recaps, I do clarify and add detail when it would make sense. I acknowledge that it is difficult to accurately recreate exactly what happens during a game and I rely on my memory mostly to just...

Great thread with a lot of awesome advice. Like others, I like to get the players to focus on narrative instead of counting squares, so when the encounters aren't really complex theater of the mind is best, but even when I use a grid, I try to have players tell me what they want to do and then...

It depends on the type of campaign. If we are playing a mission oriented campaign with players who want to complete tasks and survive, 14 is the lowest magic number. If we are playing a story heavy, roleplaying type of campaign where everyone is playing an interesting character concept, then...

I like this thread too. Of course, how effective spells are often depends on the type of game/campaign and/or the way the DM balances combat, interaction and exploration. Personally, when I play a wizard, I love to take the spells that save our bacon or give me contingencies when things go...

Hi Pukinui - here's something I wrote up a while ago, but I never actually used it yet. Food for thought. **** Narrative encounter (s) or travel “Fast Forward” – An abstract way to skip travel, minor exploration and less important encounters. DM sets up the scene and narrates asking players...

I like the idea of doing the battle more as a narrative. Describe the scenario each round and ask players what they want to do. If a PC gets into melee (or targeted with ranged attacks), just narrate how many of the enemy attack. You could use the mob attacks section in the DMG to help you...

I don't know if there is anything new I can add to this thread, but here goes... I've grown to realize that the one thing I'm not so good at is seeing an overarching arch for a larger more intricate campaign so I use a pre-written campaign/adventure path just for that purpose. I use them to...

Here are all of the sessions eaten by the lost data - Session 18 – Into the Crushing Wave Domain It has been quite a while since we last played, but we were able to play this session for about 4 hours (3 players and 1 extra pc controlled by the group). The party's row boat continued down the...

I try to get the players used to taking turns even out of combat so that they all can add to the story and help decide the direction of the story. This helps the less charismatic or boisterous ones get a chance to add in and it limits the contributions that the more outgoing players get. Here...

Inside beasts that swallow pcs whole.

Like others, most of my campaigns assume "on the job training." That said, there are campaigns that work if formal training is required, but here are some considerations: 1) It is a drag to play a PC who has the potential to level up, but has to wait for time and personnel to train; therefore...

Welcome. I'm running PotA right now. Here's what I think will help in addition to all of what others have said. 1) Understand that the adventure is sprawling and there are many, many possibilities...but don't let it overwhelm you. To that end, before each session make a tiny flow map of...

Like Iserith and Warmaster Horus, the sessions I run almost always give 1 or more players a chance to lean heavily on backgrounds (including flaws, bonds, personality traits, etc ), but it is up to the player to take the ball and run with it. Some of my players will run with it, while others...