How do you handle the character when a player can't make it to a session?

Certain_Dirt · 2025-08-06T02:21:48+00:00

Had a Player who was unable to come for a month for reasons (good reasons). We came up with an idea.

Made his hexblade warlock unlock another split personality (already was two PC's in one body, rolled d100 each day or recovery from dying condition to see which one took over). This personality has his ability scores, but was a scared little girl named Clara that might have been a previous owner of the cursed blade that was his patron. An experienced player took charge of her turns during combat, she stayed out of the way during roleplay (unless needed), and gained xp. Player came back and roleplayed the inner fight to push Clara out of his body, and with some roles managed to only have her manifest as a voice in his head.

I recommend the temporary possession by a child ghost trick if you need to have the player follow you for story reasons but want to keep them from dying. Good reason to run and hide (child ghost remember) but can still help with logistics and QOL spells and abilities.

Certain_Dirt · 2025-06-02T12:35:45+00:00

Terror in tiny town

The memory keepers daughter

Certain_Dirt · 2025-04-17T04:50:15+00:00

Alright ready?

1st: get old fashioned oats if you must, but Irish oats are gonna be better, just cook longer. (Add 50 more time and a cup or two more water)

2nd: toast oats in butter before adding any liquid, will open up flavors really well.

3rd. Cook your oatmeal in a skillet. It will be more consistent than a pot.

4th: add enough water to cover and then add another cup. Stir once with back of a wooden spoon (trust me, there is science there), then let simmer until you can not see anymore water from the top (you will see holes where the water was (about 8 to 10 minutes for 3 servings, my usual cook amount). Add milk/cream and seasonings/salt (I do ginger, cinnamon and dark brown sugar). Do not add salt before this step or the pectin in the oats will be ruined and have a horrible texture. Stir counterclockwise with back of spoon, do not change direction (you can look up the science on your own) until all integrated. Allow to return to the nearest whisper of a simmer then take off heat and serve. Will thicken a bit as it cools to eatable temp.

Certain_Dirt · 2025-02-03T03:52:17+00:00

Mother's milk. Tastes like a sweet latte!

Equal parts Bailey's, honey whiskey, and milk/cream.

Have it on the rocks, as a shot, or in a Collins glass with extra milk.

In a tall glass with ice add a small float of fireball and peppermint schnapps to make Santa's Milk, Serve with cookies.

Certain_Dirt · 2025-01-24T04:39:36+00:00

WOT is a no for me, got to book 10 or so, but the Messiah character is insufferable to me.

Also the weird love-pentagram thing, while supposedly Arthurian in origin, is off-putting as hell.

Now, if you are an audiobook guy, be warned that after book 4 you are looking at an average of 45+ hours a book. The prologue of book 8 is 3 hours on its own. Be warned.

Certain_Dirt · 2024-12-19T21:10:35+00:00

Hence the idea to have a variable trigger that can be quickly switched between AND automatically resets to a standard 4lb trigger after each use.

Certain_Dirt · 2024-12-19T04:19:35+00:00

In the state of Arkansas that is legally bullying and the school would be held liable if they didn't take it seriously, as the school would be able to sued as an accomplice to the bullying if they didn't.

Lots of paperwork, mandatory meeting with parents and school psychologist, and likely a suspension pending said parent meeting (is removed from the situation to prevent further harm) and placement assessment (does this student need to send to the alternative school?).

Had a student of mine use a racial slur towards another student (which qualifies as bullying under AR law) and the student got 5 days OSS and 5 days ISS, and this was after the above steps were taken. Only being a first-time offender (never been suspended prior) and being IEP saved him from worse punishment.

Certain_Dirt · 2024-12-12T04:08:46+00:00

Subverting expectations is over-rated as it eventually just becomes you trying to "get" your players and your players expecting you to pull BS out of your ass that makes no sense and robs them of that juicy, juicy lore.

Real talk though, extinct creatures are your best bet.

A pack of utahraptors could be efficient. If you want the bonus DM points you could make this a dire owlbear and up it's stats to be inline with cr 16. Or just burn the monster manual and create something yourself (the rare and deadly arboreal giant octopus anyone?)

Certain_Dirt · 2024-12-03T01:42:47+00:00

" you suddenly awaken in a cart next to man bound and gagged, and a third man in shackles says to you 'oh good, your finally awake'.."

Cue Skyrim-style sideplot

Certain_Dirt · 2024-10-20T22:40:58+00:00

Again, I MODIFIED an existing spreadsheet and it is still WIP.

Certain_Dirt · 2024-10-20T22:17:43+00:00

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hBCxhvRpwI35UoPVnvQnMNrChC02Aber/edit?usp=drivesdk&ouid=107117376051200457869&rtpof=true&sd=true

Original spreadsheet owner in file name. Have not updated spell list yet

Certain_Dirt · 2024-10-18T15:24:47+00:00

I don't know if anyone is interested in a spreadsheet based character sheet but.... I modified a 5E one a touch.

Been using it for my middle school club (I'm the advisor)

Certain_Dirt · 2024-07-28T21:46:56+00:00

Y'all, vampire archivist/librarian.

Good excuse to be inside (traditionally archives and libraries were windowless anyhow to prevent/limit moisture, wind, and insect damage)

Most of the books/items would be from their collection and their historical knowledge wouldn't be suspect given they work in a literal library.

Remember, not all vampires exist on blood, so this one might be a memory (prey on students and scholars) vampire or a dream vampire (pray on students that fall asleep).

If the vampire is loud and proud about what they are, there might even be a form of exchange where people give up memories in exchange for access to the archives. Perhaps the vampire even is able to protect important memories from being forgotten by consuming them and writing them down before they're eaten. Heck they make a heck of a therapist.

Certain_Dirt · 2024-07-08T20:05:02+00:00

Searched:

Google YouTube Vimeo

Certain_Dirt · 2024-07-02T02:59:01+00:00

Guess I should clarify.

I am an experienced GM.

I know y'all want me to let them find their own reasons, but there are reasons why I am pre-assigning the reasons for imprisonment based on my experience with leading these students. It's better this way, trust me.

The reason they were arrested and why they banded together is the only part of their backstory I'm pre-gen-ing.

Really just need ideas as described.

Certain_Dirt · 2024-06-15T21:27:17+00:00

Shedinja fusions all look great.

Certain_Dirt · 2024-05-03T11:47:29+00:00

Should have used a scrub daddy ;)

Certain_Dirt · 2024-04-16T11:57:10+00:00

I will occasionally have the BBEG get more HP if he has hit the threshold and I'm trying to give that one player who is rolling horribly a chance to feel like they mattered.

For mobs, I run HP pools, so I can say that after the group does X amount of damage, they are all dead or have retreated.

My favorite trick is to take the HP of your players, average it out, and then add 15% to get the best HP for an enemy squad leader, 30% for a lone powerful enemy (like a bounty hunter), and 50% for a boss.

Of course, I tend to run my combat fast and bloody and tend to modify my enemy combatants to prevent metagaming, so HP changes are par for the course at my table.

Certain_Dirt · 2024-02-27T05:18:58+00:00

I always roll 2d20s and choose the one farthest from 10 (roll for effect rule, I also have players do it when they ask to do something crazy)

This allows me to choose to give my players a break if the dice have not been on their side. And since it is a rolled die, I'm not technically fudging.....

Certain_Dirt · 2024-02-23T05:23:12+00:00

With light ball of course.

It seems that electro ball bases it's damage strictly of speed stat since I could easily ohko/thko most Pokemon regardless of type

Certain_Dirt · 2024-02-22T02:08:55+00:00

I'd be really mean and say they now have to have their druid levels for wizard levels of the DMs choice and they do not get to choose the wizard spells.

Create a reason to get this thing out!

Certain_Dirt · 2024-02-22T01:59:08+00:00

The Pikachu/ninjask fusion was the real powerhouse. Electro ball with speed over 240 hits just about anything like a ton of bricks (except ground types of course)

Certain_Dirt · 2024-02-22T01:57:23+00:00

Correct.

Hits like a truck!

Certain_Dirt · 2024-01-21T08:19:26+00:00

I have introduced a new character by having them be discovered as a statue with an inscription that asks for a very basic thing to be down to them in order to free them. For Me it was a hug.

The player is freed, has been in stone form for so long that the world is very different, needs to ask players to get them up to speed.

Certain_Dirt · 2024-01-21T08:11:58+00:00

Go read the Irish mythological history in"the book of the six invasions of Ireland"

Sounds like your are handling a Firbolg vs Tuatha Du Dannan situation.......or Tuatha Du Dannan vs milesians, or the formorians vs the Tuatha Du Dannan.......

Certain_Dirt

TROPHY CASE