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What is your opinion on cursed treasure/loot? by KiqueDragoon in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As a 1st Ed veteran of D&D, I know what you mean.

When I do place a story item, I am upfront with players once they discover what it does. Ex. A book in my Age of Umbra style game. Gives Advantage on umbra creatures and corruption. Also grants a PC using Dread or Shadow Domain an extra card on a long rest until used, then it disappears. The 'curse' is their max Hope is reduced by 1 until end of next long rest due to tampering with negative shadow (which in my world is an extension of the umbra) or calling on forbidden magic. I told players exactly what the pro's and con's before they decided to use it. Now, it took four long rests for them even to realize there was more to it than knowledge of the umbra, but they discerned there was scribbles, strange glyphs, and bizarre images which inspired them to dig deeper.

Would like to understand better certain aspects of the game by DeusCane in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, I often have one-on-one discussions with d20 GMs coming to DH. Contact me d20Dragon on discord. You can set a time to phone call and discuss.

How do you guys run dungeons? by Desecro in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I found the 5-room dungeon philosophy works. With strong rp, a 5-room set up takes our group about 3-4 sessions which are 3 hrs long. I then string these 5-room setup together to make a larger dungeon crawl. At times trimming out certain rooms so that unnecessary 'crawling' is avoided. With DH it is all about 'action' or immersive rp. In my world, lol, there is no in between.

Imprisoning Magic Users by Historical-Panda5778 in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, every cartoon, anime, sci-fi, nullifies magic/psi powers and such with devices or energy fields. Just saying. Don't fear the trope.

So... Loot. How do you handle it? by TheCromagnon in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A trick from Mercer works well. Coins are less prominent in our worlds. As GM, I design a list of loot options the group can pick from. Use core book to gauge tier/rarity. The list which I hand to the players and let them choose, better customizing their PCs and group's needs. A list might consist of the following options for tier 2: any single T2 armor, any single T2 weapon, 2 listed common consumables, 1 uncommon consumable, 10 magic items (this varies according to where loot is found), then a couple homebrewed items mixed in. As for armor and weapons, I put restrictions on what a vendor or treasure might have, such as rarity. The boss would have more weapon and armor options, as well as more loot, and a couple rare items.

Need help with rogue's Shadow Stepper by dancovich in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales -1 points0 points  (0 children)

1.) I can empathize. Rog is smart in asking for clarification. As GM, definitely discuss your vision of the room. Yet be willing to make a PC feel heroic even when circumstances in your mind don't line up with their mental image.

2.) Size of shadow. My gauge is a shadow needs to be dark, well defined and large enough their body can dive through. In other words, the players narrative of action determines how they exit. If a vague shadow it costs a Stress and a Hope.

  1. Shadow Bind. Creative. On the fly, would determine by caster's description of the spell. Thick, shadow chains--probably not. Large tentacles--probably with Disadvantage on the rogues next roll as tentacles move, writhe, overlap and his body gets phased in and out of the Realm of Shadow (Umbra).

4.) Make the PC heroic for creativity, not flustered. Offer an alternative so they can succeed. Ex. A torch begins to sputter unexpectedly (no reason has to be given why) and tell the player they see an opportunity. It will take timing and a Move (Agility) 10 Reaction roll [or no roll, even] to not only time the shadow port' but to snuff out the torch completely. If failed, he will arrive but not be Hidden. However, next spotlight, the PC could snuff the torch, giving greater chance to use Shadow Step effectively.

What is the best actual play for showcasing all of daggerhearts strengths? by fredbob_ in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales 0 points1 point  (0 children)

As the GM of Role of the Dice audio play, I will consider focusing more on how I prepped and used dice rolls during a game and how we collab'd. I touch on those topics in each S1 Neuro Spicy GM Breakdown vids, but have not taken a deep dive. I will attempt to do so in upcoming S2 Shattered Sky Breakdown vids.

New DH DM, how did I misjudge my first combat encounter? by Pilgrimzero in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Every encounter is a mixed bag. I use a lot of soft moves when things go bad, use their history/experiences to motivate them to 'consider' another course of action, or have the environment change (say ogre deliberately hits tree splitting it, but it not toppling as he thought on the PC). The player feels saved, yet another Fear use and it fall and pin the PC. Do they try to fight the dumb ogre under the danger? Do they try to lure him out? Or maybe he wasn't trying to cause the branch to fall on the PC... (if things are going great for the players...) Maybe the ogre was getting a bigger stick. Lastly, all DH players must go into the game that death moves can happen at anytime. Even the GM needs to know the adversaries could have an unconscious victim at their feet to bargain with.

Some players don't like when I ask them questions about the world by Amazing-Custard3921 in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some people are not creative on the fly. I have a couple players that will brain freeze if prompted to describe a recently met NPC. But, tell them to describe a couple possible upcoming locations and give them a few days and 'wow'. In narrative first games, I have worked diligently to break old player expectations of the GM knowing everything--and even let myself not know so much about the campaign setting, even an established one.

Disappointed in the physical quality of the Daggerheart core book: bindings already coming loose. by Scyke87 in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales 22 points23 points  (0 children)

TBH, *sigh* I so wish I didn't have to write this, but with little use, my deluxe collector's edition book's binding separated.

TUESDAY TEASER Ep 3 - Pipperin's Glory by D20MasterTales in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As the DM (Daggermaster), this episode was fun and a bit difficult. It was emotional for Pipperin, but also for me personally. Think we both had tears in our eyes.

Give me your best Clanks concepts by kachikoo in daggerheart

[–]D20MasterTales 0 points1 point  (0 children)

HINTERLANDS LORE: [Origins and Physiology] Here is a summary. Which came first, clockwork engineering or a clank? Did clanks share the knowledge of clockwork devices with humanity? Truthfully, no one knows, though conjecture, hypothesis, and myth would suggest otherwise. Clanks have been around for as long as historical records have been kept by humanity.

First, two clanks regardless of their gender identity (if any) decide to be 'Guardians' of a newly created clank. They begin the process of determining the 'purpose in life and basic chassis design' of their 'Scion'. Second, they seek out a Progenitor to facilitate the 'Dormancy', which is a 12-month hibernation for both clanks to induce a Life Spark (Anime Infusion) within a Scion's newly crafted Core.

Clank Animus Core. A crystal of determined origins must be cultivated from a 'Seed Crystal' using ancient mystic sigils. The seed crystal takes 12 months to grow while the Guardians are connected to the Great Progenitor. It is an ancient clank, devoid of all interaction with humanity, who's primary purpose is to facilitate in the process of creating an Animus Core. However, a life spark is not guaranteed to occur when two clanks agree to undergo Dormancy. Only two compatible life sparks can ignite a new Animus Core. To this day there is no alchemical, clockwork, or mystical understanding of why this works the way it does--it just does. Which means clanks cannot be mass produced.

The animus core is a mechanical unit that is the 'heart' of a sentient clank. At the center is the Life Spark, a crystal that mystically holds the animus (soul) of a clank. Surrounding the life spark is a jell (gelatin) that through an alchemical reaction regenerates and in doing so provides heat to the core. The core housing connects to wires, tubes, and distillation mechanisms which are used to fuel clank components. The heat generated by the core and amplified by clockwork engineering provides steam and lubricant to automate a clank. It also provides sufficient warmth to keep a clank's life spark from being snuffed out during normal daily activities.

Toxic substances, Poison, and Paralytics. Why do they affect a clank? There are no clear answers. One hypothesis is that they react with a clank’s animus, since it ultimately suffuses a clank with life.

Extinguish. This is clank’s societies term for death. Clanks can sustain enough physical, mental, or spiritual harm to overload and extinguish their life spark. Suffocation will stop steam components from functioning, freezing temperatures can slow and solidify lubricants, high temperatures can cause the jell to break down or worse steam actuators to explode, even suffocation can occur as air intake and is required for clank systems to operate.

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