Blackjack
First Post
I was gonna say! Dr. Caldwell also has a +7. Like Aravis said, not as high as it could be, but perfectly reasonable.
D&D 4E Running player commentary on PCat's 4E Campaign - Heroic tier (finished)
I was gonna say! Dr. Caldwell also has a +7. Like Aravis said, not as high as it could be, but perfectly reasonable.
A pretty great illustration of rules not trumping fun. How would play have been enhanced had Pcat been challenged on a number of the things brought up here? Probably not at all!
This is a big difference between a mediocre DM (me), and a great DM (my current DM). It sounded like a tense fight, which is always fun. Jealous.
Jay
This is a big difference between a mediocre DM (me), and a great DM (my current DM). It sounded like a tense fight, which is always fun. Jealous.
Jay
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
I'm gonna say it: the best way to significantly improve as a DM is to practice and ask for feedback. This is why I stopped running RPGA games when the old "rate your DM" practice stopped; I probably ran 300+ RPGA games, and getting 1500+ sheets of paper saying what you can improve makes you recognize what your weaknesses are. I still have a lot of weaknesses - the only difference is that I'm deeply aware of them.
It's not a bad idea to spend five minutes after every game asking yourself "What might I have done differently that would have made the game more fun?" Then do that next time and see how it works.
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
Green Kryptonite, for instance. Don't bring Green Kryptonite to one of his games!
You kidding? Not bring any? How do you think we survive at all?
A tiny bit in his pizza and we are guaranteed not to have a TPK.
- Aravis
Trevalon Moonleirion
Explorer
I'm gonna say it: the best way to significantly improve as a DM is to practice and ask for feedback. This is why I stopped running RPGA games when the old "rate your DM" practice stopped; I probably ran 300+ RPGA games, and getting 1500+ sheets of paper saying what you can improve makes you recognize what your weaknesses are. I still have a lot of weaknesses - the only difference is that I'm deeply aware of them.
It's not a bad idea to spend five minutes after every game asking yourself "What might I have done differently that would have made the game more fun?" Then do that next time and see how it works.
I can say from recent experience that the more you run, the better you get. I'm really getting a kick out of being in the DM's chair again.
Also, not to derail the thread, but seriously? You can't give DM feedback anymore? That's super lame!!!
Okay. Thread derail over.
What I love about this last battle is that it utilizes fantastic difficult terrain without it feeling like what some 4e fights seem to turn into for me: a gimmick fight to highlight all the awesome terrain that you could have. You've got an undead, blood-sucking, floating orb that hangs its victims by hooks, and leaves them there--you can't NOT picture that vividly in your mind (for better or for worse
)
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
Looks like Aravis's new hero will be a Candle Elf chaos sorcerer. (I'm happy to let people use the stats for drow, but not the racial background; too much baggage.) Here's the new racial writeup we'll be using. Whoo hoo - four strikers, no waiting! It'll be fascinating to see how the group does without a defender, as Toiva was a significant source of healing. My guess is that it's sort of a self-correcting problem...
Odassian Elves
(also known as Candle Elves or the Dimmarisc; use the stats for Drow)
This race of dark-skinned elves are famous for their service to the Empire. They have a reputation for being strict, decadent, cruel, conniving, and sensual.
“No one trusts an Odassian, but everyone wants to know one.”
~ Emperor Calixtus VI, considering his pleasure houses
“The first armies to enter the jungle province of Odoas called them Candle Elves, so named for their ability to thrive in the dark. Most Caprian elves are well known for living in harmony with nature. The debauched Odassian elves are famous for twisting their jungle cities into a reflection of their own ego and self-involvement. The result is both beautiful and horrifying to behold.
In the cities of the Odassians it is considered a taboo to laugh, love or celebrate during the hours of daylight. Any Odassian elf of breeding or prestige sleeps or stays indoors while the sun is in the sky. This is the time that the slave apes scour the cities and perform their allotment of tasks. Only during the night do the soaring cities of Odoas come to life.”
~ Thorian Millea, explorer and scout
“They worship Morgaire, the God of Authority, and Zhenti, God of Secrets. This alone should tell you everything you need to know about them.”
~ Inquisitor Theen, Chosen of Bress, upon signing the Writ of Conquest
All joy occurs in darkness.
Only the weak do their own work.
Serving the powerful is the highest blessing.
There is no place for chance in an ordered house.
The best surprises are those that are planned.
~ Common Odassian proverbs
Odassian Elves
(also known as Candle Elves or the Dimmarisc; use the stats for Drow)
This race of dark-skinned elves are famous for their service to the Empire. They have a reputation for being strict, decadent, cruel, conniving, and sensual.
“No one trusts an Odassian, but everyone wants to know one.”
~ Emperor Calixtus VI, considering his pleasure houses
“The first armies to enter the jungle province of Odoas called them Candle Elves, so named for their ability to thrive in the dark. Most Caprian elves are well known for living in harmony with nature. The debauched Odassian elves are famous for twisting their jungle cities into a reflection of their own ego and self-involvement. The result is both beautiful and horrifying to behold.
In the cities of the Odassians it is considered a taboo to laugh, love or celebrate during the hours of daylight. Any Odassian elf of breeding or prestige sleeps or stays indoors while the sun is in the sky. This is the time that the slave apes scour the cities and perform their allotment of tasks. Only during the night do the soaring cities of Odoas come to life.”
~ Thorian Millea, explorer and scout
“They worship Morgaire, the God of Authority, and Zhenti, God of Secrets. This alone should tell you everything you need to know about them.”
~ Inquisitor Theen, Chosen of Bress, upon signing the Writ of Conquest
All joy occurs in darkness.
Only the weak do their own work.
Serving the powerful is the highest blessing.
There is no place for chance in an ordered house.
The best surprises are those that are planned.
~ Common Odassian proverbs
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Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
Heh. They're LE drow elves in a jungle. I just stripped off the spider fluff and made them a more interesting part of the empire. Otherwise, lord help me if I needed to explain why a drow joined the Grey Guard.
This goes back to the whole "everything in D&D fits in Eberron" thing, where some folks think settings are probably stronger if they aren't so inclusive. I'm trying to make Capria as open as possible, but I really want races and monsters to feel like they belong here. Sometimes that means keeping the mechanical bits and rewriting the flavor text.
This goes back to the whole "everything in D&D fits in Eberron" thing, where some folks think settings are probably stronger if they aren't so inclusive. I'm trying to make Capria as open as possible, but I really want races and monsters to feel like they belong here. Sometimes that means keeping the mechanical bits and rewriting the flavor text.
KidSnide
Adventurer
Well, there's a big difference between "this world is big enough to find a place for anything" and the Cantina effect in which the world is just a hodge-podge of dozens of races. In a big world, you can maintain the level of thematic consistency you desire while accommodating player desires by writing in whatever corner of the world is necessary to develop PC backgrounds.
But that said, don't you think "no divine power" is a major (and positive) aspect of Dark Sun?
-KS
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