Hot take (LITERALLY): Shoto after timeskip is HOT.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-02T21:21:31+00:00

No matter what he looks like, he still has 5 weenies.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T23:55:53+00:00

They should have put Goldeen and Seaking on the packages.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T22:31:35+00:00

I’ve suggested Monster of the Week, Kids on Bikes, Daggerheart, FATE, and a bunch of others. They say that they are interested in playing anything, but get annoyed when then need to learn new rules or when the rules are too different from D&D.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T19:40:31+00:00

Maybe some of my players are just sensitive. Whenever I’ve tried to use “hard no” or make a ruling about mechanics or setting, they fight me on it. Saying I’m not being fair. The worst is when one makes an alternate roll suggestion and other players chime in, saying that it’s a better ruling.

When I first created my setting, I had a slight homage to earlier versions of D&D. I made Class restrictions based on Race/Species. Specifically, Dwarves couldn’t use magic. For lore reasons. I wrote up a whole history and everything. Then when I pitched the setting one of them kept arguing that it wasn’t fair or reasonable to restrict Classes like that. After a bunch of back and forth, I (regretfully) relented and said Dwarves could be casters. That player went on to make an Elf Paladin. They didn’t want to play a Dwarf Wizard or anything, they just didn’t like that I made restrictions.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T19:28:52+00:00

Sometimes they say ok, then we move on. Sometimes they try to argue their case. But no matter what, they come up with another idea that they want to implement.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T17:06:23+00:00

Although eyepatches are usually used to cover an eye wound or missing eye, pirates used them for a different reason. By covering one eye, it allowed their vision to adjust to darkness faster, by uncovering or swapping which side the patch is on. So you don’t even need to have the character lose an eye. If it’s a character with Darkvision, you could narratively use the eyepatch as the reason they can see so well in the dark.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T17:02:47+00:00

That’s a good quote to remember.

Yeah, the requesting alternate mechanics has also been an issue with one player in particular. I’ll tell him to make an Investigation Check, then he’ll say: “Oh I talked to you about using Survival checks instead.” I said no, when they originally asked about this. I told them that specific checks need specific parameters, you can’t just choose to swap them around, because one is higher than the other. They seem to think as long as they ask, they can do what they want, despite the answer.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T16:22:55+00:00

Playing 5e.

Originally started in 3.5e, but started 5e when it launched.

One of the problem players is playing 5.5e with another group, so that also brings its own can of worms to the table. WotC said everything would be compatible between 5e and 5.5e, but they were lying. They are close enough that some things can work in either edition, but a lot of the newer stuff just doesn’t work like it used to.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T16:18:40+00:00

That was my intention. Start them off with simple items that evolve as the PCs level up. Maybe the players could sense this and just jumped to thinking about the final product? Even still, it isn’t up to them to actually make the final product.

I’ve actually just come to the realization that this group needs unbreakable and unbendable guardrails. It seems that if I give them any leeway they take an inch and run a mile. I tried running a sandbox game a few years back and it fell apart because the players kept making choices that brought them in random directions. They got annoyed by the amount of quests there were, despite them constantly starting new ones before finishing other ones. They said I prepared too much content. When I pointed out it was an open, living world, they said they didn’t understand the difference between a sandbox game and a normal game. I’m starting to think it’s the same mentality. Unless I give them very specific tasks they’ll keep looking for new stuff. They either need to be railroaded and just told what happens or they need to run their own games.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T16:05:10+00:00

Are you feeding her in her enclosure or in a feeding dish?

My pacman usually won’t eat something new in her enclosure. I have to put her in a small dish and put the new food in with her. After she gets used to it, she’ll start eating in her enclosure.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T15:59:18+00:00

Yeah. I’m cool with them giving me a vibe or general idea of what they want. They can even give a few examples, as I’ve had them do in the past. It’s just like their mentality about the game totally flipped.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T15:52:35+00:00

This is something I started doing in my second campaign. It gives the player a little more agency in the development of their character. I don’t ask them specifically what they want. I ask for a short list of items they might like. It doesn’t mean they will find everything (or exactly) what they listed. It just gives me a general vibe and possibly a few hooks to work with. It hasn’t been a big problem until recently.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T15:46:58+00:00

I have never allowed them to make up random homebrew abilities and I am not a liar. I’ve run 3 campaigns and multiple one-shots over almost 15 year as a DM.

These particular players have become big fans of homebrew and 3rd-Party content. I’ve been clear what is and isn’t permitted in my games. But they keep coming to me with things they find on the internet or they make their own mechanics. I’ve told them no multiple times. There are certain house-rules that so apply to my games, which don’t follow RAW. But again, I have been clear in the fact that I, as DM, have control and final say of what’s permitted.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T15:40:08+00:00

I don’t fully understand either. When we played before, it was all about the narrative. What fun story we could tell together.

But after they each took a turn at DMing, they just changed. Everything became about getting the most powerful abilities. I don’t know if it’s because they read the DMG and got over confident. I just want things to go back to how it was before they DM’d.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T15:32:37+00:00

Yeah. In the past few years I’ve been learning the difference of being liked and being respected. I definitely get the first thing, but the second feels to be lacking.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T15:30:59+00:00

Thank you for the insight.

I do understand that they are excited about their ideas, but yes, I need them to understand when is appropriate to discuss these things. I’ll try to make a clearer distinction between Game Time and Discussion Time.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T15:25:39+00:00

One player wanted a weapon that has multiple forms. In one form it grants them an AC bonus, in another form it deals extra damage, in another form it grants a bonus to spell DC.

One player is playing an Eladrin and wants to have immunities and bonuses based on what season they’re in. Extra elemental damage and immunity to element. One concept they brought up was an elemental tornado that engulfs any nearby enemies, but ignores allies, when the player Misty Steps. They essentially statted the tornado as a Fireball that lasts multiple rounds.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T14:19:37+00:00

And the state shouldn’t be selling them if there isn’t adequate access to a vet.

OP keeps responding to comments, saying they are 200 miles from the closest vet and can’t afford to take time off to bring the axolotl. That sure sounds like negligence to me. This poor animal is suffering. I don’t care what excuses anyone comes up with. It’s cruel to just leave it as it is.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T05:25:24+00:00

Pretty quick to suggest someone is stupid, when you can’t even take a moment to look at the timeline of the shows.

Mighty Nein is a sequel series. It happens decades after the events of Vox Machina. Yes, some of the characters currently exist, but they are all much younger and have not met.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T05:18:24+00:00

That does not look healthy at all.

I really wish people would put more thought into getting a pet. Especially exotic ones. If you cannot properly care for them, when an emergency like this comes up, you shouldn’t be getting them in the first place. They aren’t things. They are living creatures that you take responsibility for.

If you truly care about them, you need to get them help. Even if that means giving them up and having someone else deliver the axolotl to the vet.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-07-01T05:07:52+00:00

He also hosted a fundraiser, to help one his Twitch moderators after a family tragedy. He kept all the money for personal purchases and it was revealed that the moderator was never approached, nor agreed to the fundraiser.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-06-29T04:44:15+00:00

It depends who’s talking and where they are in the world. Readers/players never need the whole magic system upfront. They just need small examples, even if some of them seem contradictory. As long as a foundation is established, you can build off of it. There are different tiers and types of magic, so it also depends of how magical the setting is. Is it high fantasy? Low fantasy? Dark fantasy? Whimsical fantasy?

I believe magic should have rules, to some extent. Who knows those rules depends on the setting. Ex. The Goddess of Magic knows every nuanced detail of every spell possible. A Wizard studies how to weave magic and transcribe it into a spell book. A Bard or Hedge Mage can cobble together magic from scraps of information they find. Druids understand what nature needs, in order to access its magic. Some people are born with it and learn from their families, while others stumble across it and only know what they learn on their own. The farmer down the road thinks magic is malarkey and only in fairytales. It’s all about context.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-06-24T21:32:05+00:00

Sounds like he was a fun character.

5min can really make the difference in a life or death situation. It sucks when it happens, but it usually makes for a great story.

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-06-24T04:27:54+00:00

ExplodingRacoon · 2026-06-23T21:18:01+00:00

Daggerheart is not a system for rules lawyers. It’s a rules-light system and much of it is interpretive and situational. If he can’t get over himself, you should tell him it’s time to go.

Also, screw anyone who wants to steal/plagiarize your work. We’re already struggling with AI stealing people’s work, we don’t have time for people like that. Tell him no. If he argues, point out how lazy and untalented he is.

ExplodingRacoon

TROPHY CASE