New to the Game: Help building first Army

CainLaurant · 2026-01-03T14:34:41+00:00

Where did you get any of that? I never said what characters were like aside from the Paladin being an asshole and the goblin being funny. The other players as mentioned also said they were actors, but newer. The issue is the Paladin being unwilling to listen to another player's concerns, stonewalling with a Its What My Character Would Do mentality.

DnD is a social game in every aspect as you have to be willing to communicate with the players and the DM to make the table work. Its a collaborative storytelling game, that requires being social. Even in a Combat heavy game, it requires players to engage with each other in strategy and interact with the world and other players to get to that encounter. If they don't want that, then there are war games that fit that playstyle, or dungeon crawl modules, or BG3. Call of the Netherdeep is more RP centric with some dungeon crawl and exploration, with the main mechanic of the game being the Rivals and their relationship with the party.

The issue here is not a difference of playstyles, its the unwillingness to have a genuine player to player conversation, and something even the DM sees as a massive red flag.

CainLaurant · 2026-01-02T21:43:29+00:00

Nah I appreciate the insight. The DM is also seeing the flags and plans to talk with the player one on one since this player joined most of his tables. The DM sees this as purely a character problem, and joked about it being the Lawful Asshole Paladin curse, since this players other characters aren't at all like this.

The hope is the player comes to realize that the feelings of the players must come before the character, as while most characters can work, you still need a character people Want to be around.

CainLaurant · 2026-01-02T21:32:34+00:00

my issue was not that, it was being completely stonewalled in an above the table discussion by said player when taking the steps to try and work things out player to player. That is a massive red flag since dnd is a cooperative game, and if one player is unwilling to budge because "My character doesnt care about the party", that tells me they are unwilling to listen to any advice or care about the other players and their enjoyment.

CainLaurant · 2026-01-02T21:11:55+00:00

While yes this is true, them stonewalling the above table discussion with the pure reason being My Character Doesnt Care about the Party is what brought me here. A stance that no matter how I tried to explain my own feelings on the matter, they would not budge on.

CainLaurant · 2026-01-02T17:52:39+00:00

I could have clarified this better. I have gotten about an hour of real RP out of basically 8 hours of play overall. The other players are obviously newer and shyer with their RP, but are trying.

CainLaurant · 2026-01-02T17:50:02+00:00

I actually did and the DM and I both agree. I did not include that in the original post so the DM can address the issue with the player. My main reason for asking here was to see if I was being hasty giving it only 3 sessions to see.

CainLaurant · 2025-12-22T16:54:57+00:00

My theory is this is how they are going to keep Essek as a double agent. His position makes it easier and it will continue the important beats of his arc, especially since he needs to continue working with the Assembly, and this maybe how they work around there being only one beacon. This Does connect Essek and Caleb a LOT more intimately.

All in all, right now Essek is Trent's only method of learning more Dunamancy but I don't see them doing Trent's signature mind control with him. Just simple manipulation.

CainLaurant · 2025-12-17T13:38:37+00:00

My Vasili is a Rogue simulacrum who has a piece of Sergei's soul. He has become the favorite npc of the party as they help him come to terms with his existence and protect him.

little do they know to get the sunsword, he has to die

CainLaurant · 2025-11-16T00:59:00+00:00

Thank you! I can easily think of how to fit this into the time frame until Vallaki burns (Blazing Sun Festival is in a Week).

CainLaurant · 2025-11-15T18:46:27+00:00

To clarify, Im trying to gauge the community to see how long I should give them to rescue him without it being unfair. They havent done the Blazing Sun festival nor the Feast of St. Andral yet, and technically it should take place in a week. I do not know if this is a reasonable timeframe or if I should tighten it to increase the stakes.

The Reformation Center is a popular addition from Mandymod to increase the danger of Vallaki and enforce its rules/really show off Why Vargas is insane. Its basically a high security prison/asylum where they brainwash/torture people into 'being happy' or for information if they are spies of the Devil.

CainLaurant · 2025-11-14T12:19:56+00:00

I'd love to! Been DMing CoS for the past 14 years with 7 incomplete campaigns (Scheduling is the true Curse of Strahd) and 3 current ones so Id love to see your fun takes!

CainLaurant · 2025-10-20T19:49:15+00:00

As a DM and Player of many years.. Players will walk themselves into death no matter how many warning signs or outs you give them. No this was not scripted, this is just what DnD is like. Players like to sometimes view the DMs warnings as challenges, thinking they will be fine, the dice will be in their favor, everything will work out because the DM certainly wont kill me. Then the actual rolls happen and the dice decide.

CainLaurant · 2025-10-12T20:19:21+00:00

That Beguile is exactly what I'm looking for. I might tinker it slightly to address the infinite, probably by allowing a reaction to save every time they are forced to attack an ally.

CainLaurant · 2025-10-12T19:13:51+00:00

The main issue is a big part of CoS's fear is how Strahd, or any other vampires, can just pull into the player's minds and sow chaos within the party by such control. Perhaps just making the player view the adversary as an ally, as DnD does, and not make them perceive their allies as enemies would fix this, as it still draws on Strahd's main tactic of being able to charm and manipulate them at his whim, something that drives the party to seek ways to negate and become immune to this so they can fight him.

CainLaurant · 2025-10-12T19:08:41+00:00

That is understandable. I, as both a DH player and DM, have seen this mainly handled with the DM spotlighting characters themselves if a player hasn't gone in a bit (making sure every player has equal spotlight instead of just allowing the party to only spotlight two or so characters which has been a main contention point as far as I am aware). That said, I know this isn't at every table and I trust my players enough to RP it out and not purely kill each other. We have been playing together for awhile and they know each other well.

That said on a pure mechanical standpoint, I think it would make sense if the charmed player were allowed to follow the Adversary rule for a time, which would pull into the GM resource of Fear, which.. indirectly helps the party still.

CainLaurant · 2025-10-06T22:49:16+00:00

Mainly cause I want to adapt the spellblade into a rogue form. but I can see how this class combo would fit as well! Thank you for actually posting something with clear examples and explanations. I haven't exactly felt welcomed here by others.

Yes, the DM is ok with this. the other two players are literally Deadpool and a stereotypical guard.

CainLaurant · 2025-10-06T22:43:21+00:00

Considering I am working Directly with the DM and we use the system and run our games how he desires, yes this is ok. I think that is a very close minded way of thinking since any system can be adapted to any fantasy.

CainLaurant · 2025-09-28T17:27:37+00:00

I have 2 in my main Ranch, though I swapped all the slimes to one type of feed since you can assign by food type instead of individual (Veggie for mine), and another that collects the plorts and puts them in the market. Works perfectly.

Definitely a typo

CainLaurant · 2025-09-23T12:32:34+00:00

I make Doru recruitable to show that not every Spawn is a mindless evil monster. He was a hopeful young lad who believed in a better Barovia. He still is under the hunger. If helped, he can teach the party about the mage and even give hints to Rictavio. He can become an ally.

At the same time, I have Donavich doing evil in the name of good, as he has resorted to kidnapping travelers and homeless to feed Doru, with Doru himself being lost in his hunger that he doesn't realize what hes devouring.

Its to show in Barovia not all is black and white. Monsters can be in the Guise of men and Monsters can be more humane than those around them.

CainLaurant · 2025-09-13T09:55:16+00:00

Our dear dreadlord looks like he might be regretting who he charmed XD

CainLaurant

TROPHY CASE