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What Part Of Game Preparation Do You Have The Most Trouble With?

Slacker

First Post
I never have a lack of ideas. I just find it difficult to follow through with those ideas. Either I get bored or I can't keep focused on the original concept. Other times, I'll take a second look at my finished work and declare it a piece of crap. Then I start all over again. By the time game day hits, the scene usually plays out as follows:

"Hey Slacker! You got anything for your campaign?"

"Afraid not. Haven't had time."
 

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Slacker said:
I never have a lack of ideas. I just find it difficult to follow through with those ideas. Either I get bored or I can't keep focused on the original concept. Other times, I'll take a second look at my finished work and declare it a piece of crap. Then I start all over again. By the time game day hits, the scene usually plays out as follows:

"Hey Slacker! You got anything for your campaign?"

"Afraid not. Haven't had time."

That too, and lately making up stat blocks. The game is at level 16-19, so few monsters can be used "straight out of the box", but they have to be either advanced or beefed up with levels.

Or I have to make NPCs, which is even more work.
 

The hardest part for me? Convoluted plots, prophecies, etc. - The things that require lots of devious foresight and planning. NPC's, monsters, and organizations are not a problem for me.
 

I follow the old K.I.S.S principle:

Keep
It
Simple
Stupid



The bigger and broader the world becomes the more it can overwhelm a DM. I just keep the PC's in one part of the world and let them build in and around it. The more you tie a PC to an area the less likelier they are to roam about the world and cause the DM to build new cities, lands, and realms at the drop of a hat. The one thing I fear but am prepared for is "I don't like this country, let's go west till we find something" syndrome. Thank the almighty for random generators and the SAVE function.

Keep the cities easy to maintain and simple the ones that are not tied to the main plot, keep the ones that are with notes. Write stuff down and use the tools at hand to make your job easier. Ask the PC's when they are high enough level to build out their own fortresses and staff them. this frees you to concentrate on everything else and have the executive veto to approve or deny the people and construction.


Overall, I don't guide my PC's by the nose or hold their hand. I give them enough to do and enough things to keep them guessing and enough reason to stay in one place. The key is to keep everything controlable and simple for the DM.
 

Making NPC's. I like detailed NPC's with the powers included, and such... that way I don't have to reference other books while DM'ng and can keep the game going smoothly. I'll include two examples... it makes DM'ng alot easier and I hope E-Tools will do this... but probably not.

Tharion

Moon Elf CE Rogue 5/Assn 5/Cleric 1/Fighter 1, hp 100
Init +10, 40 speed, AC 29 (touch: 18), 15/+1 DR
Attacks +16/+11 melee 1-6+7, -4 levels
SV Fort +3, Ref +17, Will +9

Str 24, Dex 26, Con 9, Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 16.

Skills: Balance +13, Bluff +24, Climb +11, Concentration +10, Disable Device +17, Escape artist +10, Forgery +9, Hide +31, Intimidate +8, Intuit direction +5, Jump +12, Listen +24, Move silently +31, Open Lock +15, Search +16, Sense Motive +16, Spot +24, Tumble +12, Use magic device +8, Use rope +9, Swim +8. Languages: Common, Draconic, Elven, Undercommon, Thieves Cant.

Feats: Alertness, Blind Fighting, Chink in the Armor, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Expert Tactician, Improved Initiative, Improved Critical (wished for), Lightning Reflexes, Mobility, Evasion, Uncanny Dodge (Dex bonus to AC, can't be flanked), Quicker then the Eye

Spells:
Cleric Spells Memorized: Detect Magic, Inflict Minor Wounds, Read Magic, Obscuring Mist, Shield of Faith, Protection from Law, Cause Fear
Assassin Spells Memorized: Devlin?s Barb (BoEM), Obscuring Mist, Darkness, Assassin's Senses (R&R).

Special:
Sneak Attack: +6d6
Death Attack: study victim for 3 rounds. DC 18 fort save, will use Chink in the Armor feat to ignore half the AC from actual armor, including natural armor.
Domination (su): 30' range single target gaze attack. Will save (DC 19) or same effects as Dominate Person, duration 12 days. Control the actions (unless self destructive) of any medium sized or smaller humanoid via a telepathic link. You know what the subject is experiencing but do not have direct sensory input. If commanded to take actions against their nature, make a new save with a +1-+4 circumstantial bonus.
Improved Energy Drain (su): suffer 4 negative levels.
Children of the Night (su): Summon 3d6 Wolves, which arrive in 2d6 rounds, 1 hour duration.
Gaseous Form (su): Fly speed is 20 with perfect maneuverability and AC 20 in gaseous form. Can't attack or cast spells with verbal, somatic, material or focus components or use supernatural abilities.
Alternate Form (su): shape of a bat, dire bat, wolf, dire wolf, same as poly self cast by 12th lvl sorcerer. Can remain in form until next form or sunrise.
Spider Climb (ex)
Fast Heal (ex): 5hp/round as long as it has 1 hp, at 0 hp it assumes gaseous form and must reach it's coffin within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once at rest in coffin, it heals 1hp/hour until at 1 hp, then resumes 5hp/round.
Blood Drain (ex): Suck blood on successful grapple check, 1d4 permanent Con drain per round pin is maintained.
Create Spawn (su): Those killed by energy drain rise as vampire spawn in 1d4 days. If the vampire drains con, he can create a spawn or vampire.
Darkvision (ex): 60' range.
Immune: Poison, critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, mind influencing effects (charm, compulsions, phantasms, patterns and morale effcts) and fort save spells.
Resistances: Cold: 20, Electricity: 20
Weaknesses:
Recoils from garlic odor, mirrors and strongly presented holy symbols.
Unable to cross running water or enter private buildings unless invited by someone with authority.
Can only take partial actions in direct sunlight
Can be killed by 2 rounds of direct sunlight immersion in running water reduces hp by 1/3 each round or a wooden stake through the heart, but returns to life when removed.

Items:
Assassin's Crossbow (R&R): +18/+13 ranged, 1-8, 17-20/x2 +1 Crossbow. Reloading is a free action. Point blank range is 60?, Sneak Attack range is 60'.
Wormtongue (R&R): Attacks +19/+14, 1-6+10, 16-20/x2. +3 Scimitar. When a critical is struck, the blade begins to borrow, searching the victim's heart. The victim will die (fort save DC 18, if successful, still take 1d10+4 dmg) in 1d4 rounds. While the blade borrows, the victim suffers 1d6 damage per round. A resisting victim can free himself of the blade, it can be pulled out with a successful strength test (DC 22). This Wormtongue has been enchanted so that the user need not keep a continious grip on the hilt.
Zulkir's Nightblade: 1-4+9, -4 levels. These +2 daggers are made for the Zulkir's or their favored servants. When used against an opponents of good or neutral alignment, the enhancement bonus increases to +4, and a neutral or good target hit must make a Will save (DC 20) or take 2 points of temporary damage to a random ability score. The dagger has the added ability of being able to channel magics or powers that require touch attacks via it's blade.
2 Blast Globes (MoF): A blast globe looks like a dozen transparent glass spheres clustered into a mass. Speaking the command word makes them glow, then separate and orbit each other. One full round later after they are activated, they can be directed by the wperson who spoke the command word as a free action to strike (as a group) any target or location within 400 feet. Any target struck by the blast globe must make a Fortitude save (DC 19) or be disintigrated. The globes then explode in a blast of sound and fire in a 20' radius spread. Any creature in the area takes 10d6 fire damage and 2d6 sonic damage, is deafened for 2d6 rounds, and is knocked 1d6x5 feet directly away from the center of the blast. A successful reflex save (DC 15) halves the fire damage (but not sonic) and negates the knockback, while a successful fort save (DC 15) negates the deafening.
Mithrall Bells: 11 bells. Each bell can be thrown 40', when it reaches it's target it explodes in a 10' radius burst. Creatures in the area take 1d8 sonic damage and must make a will save (DC 17) to avoid being stunned for 1 round. A stunned creature can't act and looses any dex bonus to AC. Attackers gain a +2 bonus. Those that save are deafened for 1 round. As long as there are three bells left, it adds a +2 circumstance check to perform.
6 Dusts of Dispersions (MoF): A single handful of this powder flung into the air creates a clout 10' high, 10' long, and 10' wide. Ray attacks entering/passing through it have a 50% miss chance. For each full round the dust has been in the air, the miss chance reduces by 10%.
6 Silent Portal Disks (MoF).
Eyes of the Dark Aura (Song&Silence): Reaveals health of all creatures visible to the wearer within 25'. Indicates if 3 hp or less, 4 hp or more, undead, or neither alive nor dead.
Boots of Maluk: Continual Pass Without Trace, in addition leaves no scent. These boots increase the wearer's base speed by 10'. 1/day the wearer my double his speed (not counting the boots effects) for 5 minutes.
Sending Stone (MoF): 1/day, each stone in a pair can send a message (as the sending spell) to the bearer of the other stone (Maluk).
+3 Shadowork Armor (R&R): AC+5, +5 Hide, +5 Move Silently.
Ring of Blinking: All of users physical attacks suffer a 20% miss chance. All your attacks are as if invisible, +2 to hit and denying victim Dex bonus. 1/2 damage from area attacks, falling. Step through solid objects at half speed,. For each 5' you walk there's a 50% chance you?ll be expelled and take 1d6 per 5' travelled. Force Effects and Abjurations affect user normally. Physical attacks have a 50% miss chance. If attacker is capable of striking ethereal or incorperal, or see invisible it's 20%. If attacker can do both, there is no miss chance.
2 Potions of Heroism: +2 to all attacks, saves, and skill checks for 1 hour.
3 Potions of Vision: +10 to search checks for 1 hour.
3 Potions of Alter Self
8 Potions of Invisibility
4 Potions of Cause Serious Wounds
10 Potions of Haste
Clerical Scroll of Soul Bind and Antimagic Field


Maluk

male half-elf CE Sorc 5/Alienist 7, hp 110
Init +7 (+4 II,+3 Dex), AC 19 (+3 Dex, +6 race), 15/+1 DR
Attack +10/+5 melee 1-6+3, -2 levels, or +10/+5 ranged
SV Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +11

Str 16, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 24.

Skills: Alchemy +15, Bluff +18, Concentration +17, Diplomacy +13, Hide +11, Knowledge (arcana) +13, Knowledge (planes) +13, Listen +13, Move silently +11, Profession +10 (bookbinding), Search +11, Sense Motive +11, Spellcraft +18, Spot +12 Languages Spoken: Common, Undercommon, Ignan, Terran.

Feats: Scribe Scroll, Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Augment Summoning, Eschew Materials, Extend Spell, Craft Wondrous Item, Brew Potion

Sorcerer Spells Known:
0: Dancing Lights, Ghost Sound, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Read Magic, Minor Ward (BoEM), Mental Alarm, Distort Shadow, Detect Magic
1: Shield, Anvar's Anticipated Attack (BoEM2), Uhand (BoEM2), Summon Undead I (MoF), Ray of Enfeeblement
2: Legacy (BoEM2), Alibi (R&R), Cold Snap (R&R), Summon Undead II (MoF), See Invisibility
3: Bolt of Conjuring (BoEM), Shadow Strike (R&R), Summon Undead III (MoF), Haste
4: Spelltrap (BoEM), Polymorph Self, Summon Undead IV (MoF), Dimensional Anchor
5: Symbul's Spell Matrix, Summon Undead V (MoF), Magic Jar
6: Gestalt (BoEM2), Shadow Canopy (LoD), Summon Monster VI
7: Summon Monster VII

Special:
Mad Certainty (ex): Phobia of wolves. -2 on saves, attack rolls and charisma skills vs wolves. Wolf gains +2 AC and saves vs Maluk.
Extra Summoning (ex): 1 extra spell slot at highest spell level for Summon Monster Spell.
Passwall: pass through walls simply as if they were not there. Similar to passwall spell. Lasts 2d4 rounds, can be used twice a day.
Domination (su): 30' range single target gaze attack. Will save (DC 20) or same effects as Dominate Person, duration 12 days. Control the actions (unless self destructive) of any medium sized or smaller humanoid via a telepathic link. You know what the subject is experiencing but do not have direct sensory input. If commanded to take actions against their nature, make a new save with a +1-+4 circumstantial bonus.
Improved Energy Drain (su): suffer 4 negative levels.
Children of the Night (su): Summon 3d6 Wolves, which arrive in 2d6 rounds, 1 hour duration.
Gaseous Form (su): Fly speed is 20 with perfect maneuverability and AC 20 in gaseous form. Can't attack or cast spells with verbal, somatic, material or focus components or use supernatural abilities.
Alternate Form (su): shape of a bat, dire bat, wolf, dire wolf, same as poly self cast by 12th lvl sorcerer. Can remain in form until next form or sunrise.
Spider Climb (ex)
Fast Heal (ex): 5hp/round as long as it has 1 hp, at 0 hp it assumes gaseous form and must reach it's coffin within 2 hours or be destroyed. Once at rest in coffin, it heals 1hp/hour until at 1 hp, then resumes 5hp/round.
Blood Drain (ex): Suck blood on successful grapple check, 1d4 permanent Con drain per round pin is maintained.
Create Spawn (su): Those killed by energy drain rise as vampire spawn in 1d4 days. If the vampire drains con, he can create a spawn or vampire.
Darkvision (ex): 60' range.
Immune: Poison, critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, mind influencing effects (charm, compulsions, phantasms, patterns and morale effcts) and fort save spells.
Resistnaces: Cold: 20, Electricity: 20
Weaknesses:
Recoils from garlic odor, mirrors and strongly presented holy symbols.
Unable to cross running water or enter private buildings unless invited by someone with authority.
Can only take partial actions in direct sunlight
Can be killed by 2 rounds of direct sunlight immersion in running water reduces hp by 1/3 each round or a wooden stake through the heart, but returns to life when removed.

Items:
2 Blast Globes (MoF): A blast globe looks like a dozen transparent glass spheres clustered into a mass. Speaking the command word makes them glow, then separate and orbit each other. One full round later after they are activated, they can be directed by the wperson who spoke the command word as a free action to strike (as a group) any target or location within 400 feet. Any target struck by the blast globe must make a Fortitude save (DC 19) or be disintigrated. The globes then explode in a blast of sound and fire in a 20? radius spread. Any creature in the area takes 10d6 fire damage and 2d6 sonic damage, is deafened for 2d6 rounds, and is knocked 1d6x5 feet directly away from the center of the blast. A successful reflex save (DC 15) halves the fire damage (but not sonic) and negates the knockback, while a successful fort save (DC 15) negates the deafening.
Spellblade Scimitar +1: Greater Dispelling and Disintigrate.
Dragon's Draught (MoF): Silver, 50' cone of cold, 12d8 damage, DC 26, must be drunk by a dragon.
Staff of Transportation (MoF): 45 charges. Blink 1 charge, Dimension Door 1 charge, Teleport 2 charges.
Ring of Elemental Resistance, Major: Fire, 30 per round.
Arcanists Elven Chain Mail: AC +5, Max Dex +4, -2 penalty.
Boots of Maluk: Continual Pass Without Trace, in addition leaves no scent. These boots increase the wearer's base speed by 10'. 1/day the wearer my double his speed (not counting the boots effects) for 5 minutes.
Blood Bands of the Awakening (R&R). Bulette
Greater Piwafi of Displacement (LoD): +10 circumstantial bonus to hide. Fire Resistance 5. Displacement: 50% miss chance, as per full concealment.
4 Potions of Glibness: (+30 bluff, lies cannot be detected)
3 Potions of Cause Serious Wounds
5 Oils of Animate Dead (MoF)
10 Potions of Haste
Scroll of Foresight, Soul Bind, Shapechange, Time Stop, 2 Shadow Canopies (LoD), 6 Greater Dispelling
 
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My biggest obstacle is finding the time to sit down and write. If I can find the time, I'm golden.

Probably second most difficult for me is making maps. I'm hoping that Fractal Mapper from nbos software (www.nbos.com) will help cure me of this ailment. I plan to buy it in the very near future. Sometimes I cheese out on the maps. I'll grab one from the map archive at WotC, or if I don't even have time to do that, I'll grab the map book from my old HeroQuest game and borrow one of those.
 

Puzzling

Riddles and puzzles do me in. I can never seem to strike the right balance. Which is to say, the ones I make up are either too easy or too hard.
 

Henry:
The hardest part for me? Convoluted plots, prophecies, etc. - The things that require lots of devious foresight and planning. NPC's, monsters, and organizations are not a problem for me.

Interesting. I have tons of that convolution, but I tend to give it away too fast! :( I don't have a serious problem with monsters/NPCs, but they do take a lot of time for me to prepare.
 

A few things. Statting out blocks on notecards, painting up figs for the monsters on time. I am running RttToEE and right now the players could go any of 3-4 ways, so prepping ALL that is a pain.

The biggest is giving all the NPC's a distinct personality. I have had great sucess with this though by using the chart in the DMG, page 150.

Now my biggest problem is keeping track of all the NPC's they run across.
 

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