More options for DMs

[brainstorm]

I run a 4E game and I like the system very much. I don't believe it is perfect, but I do consider it an improvement over previous editions. Having said that, I have a complaint that I would like to share here, mostly to get it off my chest, but also to solicit ideas on how others address it. My issue is the lack of options for DMs. With Divine Power coming out, there are now two PHBs and three support books providing players all kinds of options to beef-up their players. As a DM, I'm struggling to keep up with this. I only have 2 MM, Open Grave, MotP & the DMG to draw from, and these don't really provide new options to compete with what the players are getting. I suppose I could beef up my monsters with powers from the player's books, but I'm hesitant to do so because the player's books SHOULD be for them. What I want is a supplement that provides me, the DM, ways to modify, customize and beef-up my monsters. I want powers that I can use to create my own monsters or change-up existing ones. Maybe this Monster Builder I'm hearing about will do the trick, or maybe the DMG 2. Anyway, thanks for listening.

 

[Rechan]

I honestly feel that DDi is the DM option.

 

[malraux]

Not to just THIS!, but I've found DDi to be an amazing tool for getting me exactly what I want. I'll admit that I've found some holes in it (ok, i want 5 different vampires all at level 12) but in general every time I search, I find something new and awesome.

edit: for example, the traps tab going live suddenly gave me a ton of traps to place in Strahd's Catacombs.

 

[Henry]

I suppose I could beef up my monsters with powers from the player's books, but I'm hesitant to do so because the player's books SHOULD be for them.

To the Abyss with this heresy! When the game was first released, I used the Class powers quite liberally to give certain "boss monsters" an extra punch - the DMG1 actually quite encourages it. Don't feel as if you're stealing your players' limelight by doing so:

First, your players can't possibly play all the classes from the PH1, PH2, FR player guide, and Eberron Player Guide simulataneously - there will always be a pool of classes you can draw from that they aren't using.

Second, the templates from the DMG1 suggests only grabbing up to three powers for this -- an at-will, an encounter, and a daily. That's enough so that you don't get bogged down with too many options, and enough to give the monsters a memorable kick. Maybe even take an encounter, and give it a 1 in 6 or 2 in 6 chance to recharge as per many of the monster abilities - comparing to existing monster powers will give you an idea as to power level.

Third, I guarantee your players won't be able to figure out every little power your monsters use, as long as you vary it up, and don't hit them over the head every round with some PH power that a monster is "spamming." Once or twice per encounter is enough to make players stop and say "whoa."

In short, don't be afraid - both the game designers and some of the best DMs on ENWorld do this all the time. Heck, some even build whole monsters with almost as many powers as an equivalent level PCs in order to give the monsters variety, and just up the hit points and subtract one or two powers so as to give the NPC more staying power and a little more diversity in power tricks.

 

[tmatk]

I agree whole heatedly, the scale is heavily tipped in favor of the player. There needs to be more DM books, campaign guides don't count!

Forget killing players, it sometimes feels hard to challenge them!

 

[Bumbles]

Need more Spontaneous Combustion Tables!

 

[Dykstrav]

On the one hand, my game prep time is pretty fast these days simply because I don't have as many 4E resources to draw from. Selecting monsters goes pretty quickly, although I'd really like more traps and hazards. I'd like to see something more detailed about doing dungeons (like 1E's Dungeoneer's Survival Guide, 2E's Dungeon Builder's Guidebook, or 3.5's Dungeonscape). A sourcebook about building a homebrew setting (or at least detailing an adventure region, like a kingdom or at least cities and settlements) would be nice too.

I'm of two minds about DM resources. I really want more traps and hazards and a revised skill challenge system and things like that. But Manual of the Planes wasn't very interesting or useful to me and the Forgotten Realms Campaign Guide was downright disappointing. These products will make me take a look at further DM supplements before I buy them.

 

[cmrscorpio]

I admit I was feeling the same way as the OP up until about a month ago when I finally bought a subscription to DDI.

Holy crap, DDI is useful to DMs. Access to everything WotC publishes for 4e in a searchable format has become an indespensible tool for me. Creating an adventure has become so incredibly easy. I no longer need to spend time pouring over books in order to create combat encounters. I can whip up an encounter in a fraction of the time, and the remainder of the time can be spent planning the actual adventure.

My advice to you is to figure out approximately how much you expect to spend on WotC books in a year. If that cost is equal to or higher than the cost of the DDI subscription, then purchase the subscription instead.

 

[Pbartender]

To the Abyss with this heresy! When the game was first released, I used the Class powers quite liberally to give certain "boss monsters" an extra punch - the DMG1 actually quite encourages it. Don't feel as if you're stealing your players' limelight by doing so:

First, your players can't possibly play all the classes from the PH1, PH2, FR player guide, and Eberron Player Guide simulataneously - there will always be a pool of classes you can draw from that they aren't using.

Second, the templates from the DMG1 suggests only grabbing up to three powers for this -- an at-will, an encounter, and a daily. That's enough so that you don't get bogged down with too many options, and enough to give the monsters a memorable kick. Maybe even take an encounter, and give it a 1 in 6 or 2 in 6 chance to recharge as per many of the monster abilities - comparing to existing monster powers will give you an idea as to power level.

Third, I guarantee your players won't be able to figure out every little power your monsters use, as long as you vary it up, and don't hit them over the head every round with some PH power that a monster is "spamming." Once or twice per encounter is enough to make players stop and say "whoa."

In short, don't be afraid - both the game designers and some of the best DMs on ENWorld do this all the time. Heck, some even build whole monsters with almost as many powers as an equivalent level PCs in order to give the monsters variety, and just up the hit points and subtract one or two powers so as to give the NPC more staying power and a little more diversity in power tricks.

All excellent advice.

Also... Sometimes minor changes to a monster's stat block, along with a quick fluffy reskinning can do wonders. I wanted Phanatons for a conversion of Isle of Dread, so simply took kobolds, gave them a climb speed, and described them as anthropomorphic monkey-raccoons with spears and blowguns. Having them moving and sniping through the tree-tops threw the PCs for a loop.

Another time, I needed some lava-based blob creatures for an adventure taking place inside a volcano... Ochre Jellies with all instances of "acid" reworded to "fire" did the trick, quick and easy.

 

[ExploderWizard]

I agree whole heatedly, the scale is heavily tipped in favor of the player. There needs to be more DM books, campaign guides don't count!

Forget killing players, it sometimes feels hard to challenge them!

I don't understand the reasoning behind this perceived problem. The players have what is in the player books + stunts and tricks available to them. The DM has anything he/she wants or can imagine. The DM has effectively unlimited resources. A DM can and should go beyond published material to add to the game. I have done so with every edition of the game that I ran. Think of cool abilities and powers that you might have read about in a novel or seen in a movie. Give it some stats appropriate to your game system and let it rip.