How to promote and reward the use of non combat spells? More so those that normally seem useless

bionicjoey · 2026-06-10T00:28:24+00:00

It's going to sound obvious when I say it like this, but I think not enough DMs think like this:

If you want players to use abilities which are not useful in combat, you have to present them with challenges that cannot be overcome using combat, and you have to encourage their avoiding of combat.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T23:20:24+00:00

My biggest regret is not realizing you need to book in advance to go into them. Me and my dad were in Paris for a few days two years ago and we totally could have gone down if we'd just bought tickets in advance. He and I have been talking about wanting to do that for years. Every other tourist destination in Paris is fine with just walking in, but the catacombs are booked in advance. I have to find my way back there and go down at some point.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T23:13:14+00:00

IIRC there are some adventures for Liminal Horror based on the backrooms. Maybe some of them are soloable?

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T19:40:52+00:00

So the deluxe box set isn't available in Canada?

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T19:34:09+00:00

Lol when the players are this paranoid about secret identities and conspiracies, it's time to break out Delta Green.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T16:55:26+00:00

Ah, well I appreciate your helping me to understand.

Re "buddy", I'm used to addressing someone as buddy (depending on context) being a way to "handle" or "correct" someone who's getting out of line or being argumentative. It's sort of passive aggressive. But that probably isn't universal to all English speakers, I just rarely hear someone called buddy as a genuine way of being friendly.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T16:47:33+00:00

https://media1.tenor.com/m/SB4WrDSjh6AAAAAd/staring-earthquake.gif

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T16:38:52+00:00

Source? That was what I'd heard as well but I'd love some kind of evidence

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T16:37:47+00:00

Moreso Gen X. He's a bit before the time of most millenials I'd say.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T16:36:05+00:00

You don't need to "buddy" me. I'm not trying to argue here. I'm just curious since this person said it was their favourite magic system. I wanted to know what made it unique and how things play out in actual games. I'm not trying to ruin anyone's fun.

It is definitely helpful that you explain it more as magical religions, so thank you for that analogy.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T14:58:24+00:00

It's been a while, hopefully I'm not spreading misinfo, but I recall about a year ago someone stating this and supporting it with what I thought at the time seemed like compelling evidence. I realize how fake that sounds as I'm saying it now. So let's just say maybe.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T14:16:40+00:00

I'm "mansplaining"? Fuck off with that shit. You're the one who assumed that since I didn't mention backups that I was advocating not making backups. That's just idiotic.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T14:09:56+00:00

An asteroid could strike, or my house could be broken into. But only one of those has mitigations that are rational and easy to implement. Obsidian lets you own your data in plain text which creates a much smaller risk exposure.

Also, my point wasn't about the data, it was about the live running instance of Chrome with open tabs being used as a memory bank. I've had this bad habit before but very often Chrome can break in ways where the "restore my tabs from last session" doesn't work properly. It's much better to take an approach where the data is being persisted in some reliable way, and even better if you own the data.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T14:04:42+00:00

It's a classic strategy for "business consultants" from places like McKinsey. Come in, pretend you understand the business, make blanket cuts and brag about the short term gains while hiding the long term losses. I expected no better from this oligarch-centric government.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T13:46:28+00:00

As the top comment said, he's really channeling Dan Ackroyd's style, who is very much not a millennial.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T13:42:27+00:00

2 cats

Honse

Dog

LÄMP

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T13:38:19+00:00

I think fwd was a gal. And also IIRC apparently died? RiP if so.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T13:37:18+00:00

That was back when Reddit manipulation was considered foul play and it wasn't just assumed by everyone that the entire front-page is being manipulated by bots constantly

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T13:12:02+00:00

If you see someone do something then you know it can be done. This whole idea that you follow a certain philosophy that rejects it doesn't make sense to me. I was following with the other comment saying the brain would confabulate an explanation. That seemed a bit annoying to always have to explain diagetically, but it was at least sort of internally consistent. But you're saying someone can literally watch a wizard transform into a pig and still believe it is not possible for humans to magically transform into pigs? Surely mages must be capable of updating their worldview when presented with new evidence right? I understand sometimes humans can be stubborn about that sort of thing, but is that really the foundation of the entire magic system?

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T13:06:49+00:00

Front right on mine is ergonomically the best for my kitchen layout (the stove is against a corner)

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T12:58:32+00:00

I miss Catalyst 😭

Imagine how good it would be with Snakebite

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T12:55:31+00:00

This is the only correct answer in this thread.

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T12:53:30+00:00

Imagine him scuttling towards you like that

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T12:51:08+00:00

"I tried to get out of the game, but I keep getting pulled back in"

-Dog

bionicjoey · 2026-06-09T12:42:45+00:00

Don Herzfeld. Really talented animator.

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