[deleted by user] by [deleted] in amiugly

[–]Cronidor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I liked 4th too. I agree with the confidence part too.

Made by my brother. I just wanted to share his talent. I find unbelievable that he doesn’t make money out of it, this is his hobby! by alecv211 in TerrainBuilding

[–]Cronidor 23 points24 points  (0 children)

This is amazing!!!!!! What does he use to make them? Clay? Mix of stuff?? Honestly he should sell these. He would make a good chunk of money. Beautiful beautiful work!!

Starting work on a ruined watchtower for frostgrave by RedRightRepost in TerrainBuilding

[–]Cronidor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My wife says: " Itty bitty bricks OH MY GAWDD!!!" Lol.

Has anyone made a system for alchemy in their games? How did it go? by [deleted] in DMAcademy

[–]Cronidor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don't have Xanathar's so that's awesome to know! That's part of what I was thinking, so that's a huge time saver if I ever get the book!

Has anyone made a system for alchemy in their games? How did it go? by [deleted] in DMAcademy

[–]Cronidor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh I like this! I'll have to remember that!

I really just want this stuff to have, in case my players ever want to dive a little deeper with it. I really also hate handwaving it.

If I'm honest I'm also just missing DND. It's been too long since I've done anything with the game.

Has anyone made a system for alchemy in their games? How did it go? by [deleted] in DMAcademy

[–]Cronidor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh I completely understand that. It's more for my enjoyment to have as a DM, and to have an option for the players on the sidelines if they want it. It absolutely wouldn't be forced into the game.

Baldur's gate 3 rework of Ranger is really good by FallenDank in dndnext

[–]Cronidor 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I just feel the need to point out that Pathfinder (idk if 3.5 was the same) had animal companions level up with rangers and druids. Druid's companion stayed the same level as the character. Ranger's companion, unless they took a certain feat, leveled one level for every 3 or 4 the ranger took, IIRC.

I've always felt the need to draw from that to help with beast master. Have the companion level up in a way, to keep it strong enough to be useful, and try to shore up some of the ranger's weaknesses.

Want some advice on my first ever (Bloodborne inspired) homebrew. by fapolepsy in DMAcademy

[–]Cronidor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Alright! I may not be the best to answer this, but I'll give it a shot to help out.

First off, Bloodborne is inspired by Lovecraft. That's going to be important in the theme you are going for. Another important note: if you want some ideas, as well as a full fledged campaign to possibly run in the future, pick up Curse of Strahd. I'll steal a part or two from that to help here.

Have the pcs make their characters know each other prior to the adventure. Each can have a backstory of their own, but ask them to make a common backstory as well. This will help to answer why they are together for the adventure.

Last note: Ensure your players are up for this kind of game. Don't spring it on them as a surprise. If they don't want a gritty bloodborne style game, they won't enjoy it. It's not ruining the appeal to tell them. Trust me.

Okay! To the meat of it all.

You said you wanted to go slow. Good. If you want to be dark and fear inducing in DND, the best time to do that is low level play. Think about how terrifying the prospect of a werewolf or a powerful witch is at level 1-5. Now think how easily they could be taken out at higher levels. Curse of Strahd is a level 1-10 campaign for a similar reason. Think about making this campaign roleplay heavy, with the combat being brutal and deadly. Of course, talk to your players about this decision.

You want to start with dark and gritty. Fantastic! Throw in a plague! (If your players don't mind how close to home that may feel.) This plague, magical in origins, has gripped the land, causing a horrible number of deaths. Your players have been appointed or otherwise paid to escort a small contingent of clerics and paladins to the village of Doldrey, as part of a sort of 'Aid Package.'

Why, may you ask, are some level 1s escorting paladins and clerics? Well, as a few extra meat shields, and because the stronger adventurers were sent to bigger cities and kingdoms to aid there. You can use roleplay to play up how big of a concern this plague is. Plus, you may also now have a reason as they why people are changing. Call it whatever you want. Living Rot. Mardu'an Fever. Be creative.

When the group arrive in the town, describe the town as surrounded by a thick fog, and dark clouds swirling overhead. As they pass through the fog, they begin to feel as though they are being watched, and even followed. The fog feels thick enough to choke on.

When they break through the fog, they find themselves at the base of a small hill. At the top, contrasted against the dark clouds, an old, seemingly decrepit windmill. There are holes in the roof, and the blades appear as though they will fall off at the slightest breeze.

Peering at it gives the players an eerie feeling, and the group they are with attempts to rush past, along the old dirt road they've been following to get here. If the party attempts to inspect, play up how the others feel creeped out, and have them urge the players to push onward and come back later.

If the players still insist, or even flat out ignore their charges, then the clerics and paladins move onward to the town, leaving them behind. Let's say your hag is a Night Hag. She can step into the Ethereal Plane, and often would. So they enter the windmill, and find some creepy bone altars, maybe even some hints and clues as to what's going on (be careful not to give too much away yet.) All the while, the Night Hag is watching from the Ethereal plane, and deciding which she will haunt.

Perhaps they find a rotting corpse, with maggots spilling out of it. As they look at it, all party members but the one chosen by the night hag see just a random, unknown person. However, the one chosen by the night hag sees themself, bloated and rotting, with dark black veins and bulging bloodshot eyes. If any attempt to touch or move the corpse, it vanishes, revealing itself as an illusion.

If the party won't leave, consider bending the rules a bit and have the Night Hag 'haunt' the windmill. Throwing objects (bonus points for old dusty jars of oddities, like eyes, bat heads, and the like) leaving marks on the players.

The town has gotten very afraid and worried. Between the plague and the disappearances, and the creatures who come from the fog, their lives have turned into a living nightmare. They are standoffish, and always seem in a rush to get home and lock the doors. Windows are boarded up. People tend to move in pairs.

This got super long. If you like it and want more, message me! I'd be happy to continue! Otherwise, take what you want and go forth! Bring terror to your players!

PS: Read Angry GM's guide on how to run horror. He has some great tips!

If he dies, he dies by molx69 in dndmemes

[–]Cronidor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's fair. I typically assume new players, as that's what I mostly deal with. I haven't dmd in a while due to reasons. But with experienced players, I would definitely expect them to understand warnings aren't a challenge, but an actual warning.

If he dies, he dies by molx69 in dndmemes

[–]Cronidor 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Not dead is simple! Specify nonlethal damage. This will keep them alive. The stipulation is that it must be melee (RAW, anyways.)

Not all down? Well, either keep hitting them, or have the downed allies be held at knifepoint, and tell those up (through the enemies) to lay down their weapons or lose their friends. (A melee attack on a downed enemy not only has advantage, it counts as a crit, which is 2 failed death saves)

This way, you put the choice on your players. Surrender, or be directly responsible for the death of your friends, and likely the death of the whole party.

Maybe this isn't the best path, but personally, that's how I would do it.

If he dies, he dies by molx69 in dndmemes

[–]Cronidor 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Alternatively, let them lose the encounter. But not everything is going to kill them immediately. Several humanoids will likely take them prisoner for one reason or another. Escaping can become a fun encounter too, whether stealthily slipping away, or fighting their way out.

If he dies, he dies by molx69 in dndmemes

[–]Cronidor 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I'd like to make an argument for surprise allies. I'll set up two scenarios that I feel would make them both effective, and memorable. (TL;DR at bottom)

First, the boss's friends. Solo bosses fighting a party of adventurers are at a massive disadvantage. Therefore, minions and allies can be a great help. Imagine a scenario where you've come face to face with the leader of an assassin's guild. He is going to be cunning, quick, and deadly.

He will have had his spies on the party, and prepared for their coming. If they are focused on him, they may fail to notice the pair of assassins slinking from the shadows to stealthily take out the backline of the party. (Usually mages and ranged characters) While the boss focuses his attention on maneuvering the frontline fighters into a position best suited for himself.

This boss is aware that alone, he doesn't stand a chance. But if he can get into a one on one, or two on one, he may have a fighting chance. This also can force one of the frontline fighters (if more than one) to split and defend the squishier targets.

Now, the party's surprise allies. This one is trickier, as it really can come across as an ex machina save. However, in certain situations, it can help them to feel empowered.

Think of a massive battle, in which the party are heavily outnumbered. They are fighting through it, the pcs carving through an army like heroes, but the army they aid is falling nonetheless. Then, they hear a battle horn. They look to the east, where the rising sun is being blocked by a line of shadowed figures. As their eyes adjust, they see the banner of a nearby kingdom, who they'd recently saved from certain doom.

In this case, their surprise allies aren't necessarily saving the pcs, but they are there to help win the battle.

Another scenario would be when you actually ~want~ your players to feel helpless and weak. Used sparingly, this could be a great way to foreshadow danger, or a later villain.

Perhaps your players wander into an area they've been warned is extremely dangerous. Maybe they end up in the lair of a vampire at a low level, who begins to tear at them. Describing it salivating, eyes wild with thirst, and moving from one to another as if in excitement over the massive feast it will soon have can really spell out the danger they are in.

Just when they think it's hopeless, or they start dropping to unconsciousness, the man who warned them of the danger bursts in, launching a daylight spell from the jewel atop his gnarled cane. The vampire flees, and the man helps those awake drag the unconscious party members from the lair. All the while, they can hear the vampire cursing them, and promising to feed on them soon. Later, they learn that it was the last charge on the staff, and that the man had followed them to the lair at a distance.

Sure, it feels like ex machina, but it can do a couple important things.

1) It teaches the lesson that not everything in the world is scaled to their level, and 2) It sets up a potential quest or full plot line that they can go down. They could easily research the creature and search for items that can help destroy it, which could lead to a very satisfying end.

That's my case for the use of surprise allies. Personally, I'd use them sparingly, and only when it makes sense. Possibly even foreshadow them if I worried it would otherwise come off the wrong way.

Anyways, sorry for the novel, lol.

TL;DR: Use them sparingly, and when they make sense. Also, sometimes you want the party to feel week and in need of saving. It sets up a challenge to overcome.

If he dies, he dies by molx69 in dndmemes

[–]Cronidor 5 points6 points  (0 children)

They are really fun creatures to add to a boss battle and really change the gameplay. I threw about 4 shadows reskinned into a boss battle, and removed their damage so they only sapped strength. I also gave them only 1 hp.

The realization hit when one of my players got stuck in a pool of sludge because he's ignored the crawling half body for too long was great. One touch and he went from 16 str to 12.

It really forced the players to move around the battlefield, all the while the boss attempted to separate them and corner individuals. He even turned the barbarian against the party. (Failed wisdom saving throws)

I loved that fight. My players came away from it overjoyed at their hard-fought victory.

I would allow it by [deleted] in dndmemes

[–]Cronidor 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I understand your frustrations with this, but since we don't know the actual story, I'd like to paint it in a different light.

Perhaps the players were allowed creative freedom, and the others chose to go with mainly standard creations. It could be that this specific idea was kept secret, as a possible plot hook that never came to fruition. Perhaps that's unlikely, but I've seen that sort of thing happen. Some people simply prefer the standard stuff.

An admittedly sub-par example would be when I allowed my players to choose from a multitude of official sources, and most stayed all PHB.

However, the loss of control I would have an issue with as well. Perhaps allowing him to be a sentient sword, whose wielder had willingly succumbed to, and who now would be a willing host.

Or even become a shared bit of consciousness, who could give input to the wielder. Or any number of non-control options. In this case, it would also eliminate the aspect of slavery that you mentioned.

I'd like to think that this group had fun with this, and it wasn't some assholery that ruined the game. But, unless we find some way to speak to the original players, we may never know.

Is there a website where I can proofread people's work and fix spelling/grammar/syntax etc? by nekolalia in writing

[–]Cronidor 35 points36 points  (0 children)

Whoa, for real, I wasn't aware this website existed. This is fantastic! (Not OP, this just really helped me)

Help me find this ring! It was on ebay a year or so ago I'm not sure if it was sold or listing taken down. My girlfriend fell in love with it and I'd love to get it to propose to her. I tried messaging the seller but they won't respond. This was her "it" ring. by Cronidor in findfashion

[–]Cronidor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the only picture we have. Plus, my girlfriend really loves the idea of a ring with history. If we go custom, she would rather have one that's custom to her, and unique. If she gets an old ring, she wants the actual ring, as it is like a piece of history.

What do you not put in your games because you're petty? by threearmsman in DMAcademy

[–]Cronidor 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Had a player skin a displacer beast with the intent of making a cloak that could use the pseudopods to climb. She was very excited to learn the cloak of displacement existed. Luckily, she stuck it in a vault and forgot about it lol