Help me build a Deus Ex Machine

[Kafkonia]

I'd be wary of being too specific about the details of the demiplane, because then somebody might get the bright idea of going there, and how do you run an adventure in the place where people go when they can't make it to the adventure?

I recall some discussion of similar situations in the World's Largest Dungeon thread (one DM had a wandering box-thing that would periodically show up and eat/disgorge a PC.) If you want something that will make sense in-character for them to keep around, you could always have it occasionally (very occasionally) invest the PC with some of the "potential energy" he didn't use while he was missing -- ie, an extra spell slot, an extra rage, extra turning, temporary hit points, etc.

 

[Nightfall]

Kaf,

well if they find out there's nothing there...and they can't leave (the plane) other than to go back to the Material world, I doubt there's much they rather do than adventure there. (In the material)

Unless something happens to the plane itself some how...

 

[AFGNCAAP]

Slight WLD rules SPOILERS

Well, in the WLD game I'm playing in, there's "The Box"

I think it's a feature for the module, but it more or less does the same thing (randomly steals away PCs whose players aren't there during that session).

However, the thing about "The Box" is that PCs aren't rested and refreshed coming back from it--they're worn out & need rest to restore their strength. Can't heal up, memorize spells, make stuff, or do any sort of ready-prep while in "The Box." Your PC's just out of the game until you can join the next session. And (I think this is a feature, though it could be a DM addition), PCs in the box get 200 XP per session in "The Box", instead of getting no XP for the night. Not bad for a low-level PC in there, but not so hot when you reach higher levels.

Instead of having the Hero Stone, how about wearable objects, like a set of matching rings (which can be enchanted to NOT take up a ring slot, so it won't adversely affect the PCs options). The rings (or similar items) could be bonded/unremovable from the PC (even materializing on another finger [or toe, even] if the finger/limb wearing it is lost). However, if a dead PC is replaced by a new one (rather than raising, reincarnating, or resurrecting the PC), the dead PC's ring will "jump" from the dead PC to the new PC. The ring would be the object that causes the "random" PC to vanish & reappear.

The ring (or other magic object, like an amulet, torc, tattoo, belt, earring, tooth filling, etc.) could serve as a focus for scrying spells (by other PCs, as well as by the PCs benefactors &/or major recurring foes).

And, as a reward/upgrade, the enchantments on the rings could be boosted/augmented as a reward (adding a protection enchantment, sustenance enchantment, etc.), so wearing the rings remains somewhat desirable.

 

[Nightfall]

Not bad AF. That has some very useful applications, both here and else where. Good job.

 

[Herobizkit]

Great in theory. In practice adventures don't fit conveniently into the package of time available on a given evening.

This is all dependent on DM/Player time management.

Anything that requires a character alteration, such as a level increase, should be done outside of game time and the character should be ready when the game starts. Spells used most frequently should be written out on your sheet somewhere, like on index cards, or a master spell list, so characters don't waste time looking up spells or asking "What does this do?". If you're a special manoeuvre kind of character, have those rules handy if your DM doesn't.

Now, as for telling the story... the DM should recognize that, on average, if you only have 4 hours to game, you should run your campaigns like TV serials (there was a really great article in an older Dragon mag, but I don't recall which). In a given hour's worth of action shows, you have:

The plot... something is happening somewhere. PCs get involved somehow.
The villain... the person or persons affecting the plot
The quest... players go from a to b to c to get what they need or do what they need to do
The Climax... players reach a certain goal, find the villain...
The resolution... players dance on the stupid graves of the villains, peasants rejoice

Break the show up into scenes.

- The first scene generally has the explanation to the plot. Maybe a fight.
- The next scene involves the PCs getting to where they need to be. Maybe a fight.
- The third scene has the players struggling to complete their mission.
- The final scene has the players returning victorious (or not).

In a larger adventure, you have more scenes, but you have to break them up evenly (for a two or even three parter). Knowing when to place your breaks is very important... a cliffhanger is best.

 

[RangerWickett]

One idea I have wanted to try out was to actually have a metagame. The premise of the campaign is that the characters are actually PCs being played in a virtual reality MMORPG. When players can't make it to your game, then that's just because they aren't able to make it in the MMO. This allows players who lose characters to have a justification for bringing in new characters to the party.

Yes, it's cheesy.

 

[Kafkonia]

One idea I have wanted to try out was to actually have a metagame. The premise of the campaign is that the characters are actually PCs being played in a virtual reality MMORPG. When players can't make it to your game, then that's just because they aren't able to make it in the MMO. This allows players who lose characters to have a justification for bringing in new characters to the party.

Yes, it's cheesy.

Been watching .hack, have you?

This is an approach that you have to be wary of, because if you're playing someone who's playing someone in the game, it will cause one more level of remove between the actual player and the character having the adventure. It seems sort of unnecessary to me, but it could be interesting if you gave the metagame a story as well (as they did in .hack/Sign, with the players trying to free Tsukasa from his problems.) Just be certain to have a more coherent resolution than they did.

 

[Nightfall]

Kaf,

I was thinking more ole D&D cartoon from the 80s but that's pretty good one to use as well (as an example.)