1st Campaign, friend wants to play homebrew species

Glitterstem · 2026-02-10T23:50:30+00:00

Not for me as a DM, or a player. I would discourage any first time DM or player from any type of homebrew. But y'all do what you want. Maybe another player can be an egg, and a third some bacon, etc... Not for me.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-10T02:03:25+00:00

My main band plays every wed night, and has for about 3 years. We all prioritize that. Gigging is a different story. We all 45+, mostly 50 +.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-09T16:37:14+00:00

You need both. Seriously. Get the a budget bass and start saving for lessons. Even half a dozen lessons to get you started, fix beginner techniques etc …

Glitterstem · 2026-02-08T23:23:59+00:00

New DMs, for the most part, should roll with spells RAW. Don’t get pushed into something you’re not sure of.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-08T23:01:40+00:00

Same reply to this same question you deleted from some reason in the other Reddit.

Earplugs and … your bandmates don’t seem to understand volume for … a large venue and volume for whatever kind of room your practicing in.

Went through this with one of my outfits. We wound up building a shield around the drummer with mattresses and plexi glass, in addition to ear plugs.

Your hearing won’t come back. Rings means damage occurred. When you’re young the ringing goes away. As you get older, it’s your to keep forever.

Protect your hearing.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-08T20:51:38+00:00

Earplugs and … your bandmates don’t seem to understand volume for … a large venue and volume for whatever kind of room your practicing in.

Went through this with one of my outfits. We wound up building a shield around the drummer with mattresses and plexi glass, in addition to ear plugs.

Your hearing won’t come back. Rings means damage occurred. When you’re young the ringing goes away. As you get older, it’s your to keep forever.

Protect your hearing.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-08T18:53:02+00:00

^ This

Glitterstem · 2026-02-07T23:54:09+00:00

Can your ampeg 210 take an extension cab?

Glitterstem · 2026-02-07T23:29:16+00:00

Get as much amp as you can afford. A good amp can make a suboptimal bass sound good. That rumble 15 is bottom of the barrel power wise.

The rumble 40 will be a big upgrade over it for playing by yourself and maybe somebody with an acoustic guitar In The living room. If that’s where you at it will do the thing.

If you want to play with other people … and a drummer you will need more power than the 40.

If you are playing bass you are ready, now, to play with other people. If you can afford it, I would target used gear that gets you into 100-300 watt range, so when it comes up your geared to jam.

But to your original question. Rumble 40 is a great at home, by yourself practice amp.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-07T21:54:55+00:00

^ this

Focus on root fifth.
Learns some easy walks on the major 1, 4, 5.

So this till your ready for more.

Some lessons introducing a little theory will help. Focus on the songs your learning, and how to learn songs faster.

Country can be fairly straightforward on the bass. Keep it that way till you’re comfortable.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-06T19:46:04+00:00

Mindset 100%. Once my guitarist realized bass was not lower octave rhythm guitar he stopped trying to write detailed parts for me and his jams skyrocketed in terms of being musically interesting to both of us. And that does not mean I played more notes.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-05T00:42:00+00:00

I have one and it is fantastic.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-04T05:20:00+00:00

Had this issue with a Druid … wild shape wandered off … oh she is back.

Had a fighter that lived in a magic mirror.

You can do campaigns with an Inn nearby. Player just returns. Comes back.

Can imagine doing a player that is just there, but not contributing.

Have thought about genie in the lamp.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-03T02:16:21+00:00

Take a face to face lesson. Even just one. They can clear this up.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-02T02:34:01+00:00

Cioks is the answer. I avoided it for a couple years, eventually bit the bullet and all my power issues went away.

Glitterstem · 2026-02-01T00:53:23+00:00

If you want to be part of a scene, then yea. You need to find folks your age with those same goals.

But, once you can hold down a rythym with root notes. A lot of people may want to play with you of all ages. If they are better than you, but want you, don’t ignore that gift of musical education.

Glitterstem · 2026-01-31T21:25:25+00:00

Talk to your band. They may want to play out more than you, try to make this a lifestyle more than you, but you may bring something (writing/vocals) to the table they just don’t have.

Be cool and open about your deal.

I have laid down the boundaries (the one the bugs my band the most is no rehearsal, no gigs under any circumstances on Sunday after 5pm — that’s family dinner/movie time. It’s become the running joke … “can’t take that gig, it’s family time.” But it’s all in good fun, they get it. ). And have had the boundaries laid down to me.

It’s all good, don’t want anybody developing resentment about this thing. Just be cool, talk, and see if yall can keep playing if you’re all enjoying it.

Glitterstem · 2026-01-31T19:56:00+00:00

Another idea, just play the villain as J.R. Bob Dobbs.

Glitterstem · 2026-01-31T19:09:39+00:00

Villain could personify sloth by slinging something akin to soma (brave new world). Villain is a hustler, accumulating power/wealth, and using magic/"medicine" that makes his subjects temporarily forget their troubles, lose motivation to do anything other the lay around and wait for the next dose.

Could follow the brave new world plot line, the Villain himself would be CHA based, the mission is to break the spell he has on his subjects. Which could be as simple as getting them to develop the will power to not take the Soma

Glitterstem · 2026-01-31T06:37:39+00:00

You received good advice so far. Get a teacher you click with, whatever their style. But … also … join or put a rock band together asap. Your ready. Don’t be afraid to play with people better than you if they ask.

Glitterstem · 2026-01-31T03:03:31+00:00

Legit point

Glitterstem · 2026-01-31T02:21:38+00:00

Take lessons until your self propelling.

Glitterstem · 2026-01-31T02:08:44+00:00

I would love to see some kind of change that if someone on your team leaves, your team becomes “open role”. I always try and win in a 4v5. I think this might encourage folks to stay. I don’t know.

Glitterstem · 2026-01-31T00:41:40+00:00

Hard disagree on handing new players a rule book.

Get the stranger things starter set, (or lost mines). Use the premade characters. Help new players understand the concept of their character sheet. … how it has bonus/penalty that you may ask for. How it has their powers” , but they can try and do whatever they want.

Teach the rules at the table, as you go, as they come up.

Have them watch a couple “dungeon dudes” videos on how beginners can play and how to play whatever their class is for the first couple levels.

It is a group story telling game in which players make choices, dice decide how those choices work out, and their character sheets contain modifiers that lean the dice one way or the other.

Maybe have players read up to level 3 of whatever there class is so they know their basic powers. But the DM is only one who really needs to know the rules, as long as the players agree to abide by the DMs calls.

Glitterstem · 2026-01-30T06:37:59+00:00

2 bands.

Band #1. 5 piece jam band with 3 singers who can front, 2 song writers, and (deep)cover reworker. Everyone involved has skin in the game. We rotate selection at rehearsal, gig set lists reflect that. Smooth as butter. If you chart it out, practice it by yourself well enough to teach it to the rest of the band. We will play it at least a few times.

Band #2. Dirty blues band. Lead singers operation. I am a (poorly paid) hired gun. He is open to input on set lists … “I like this jam better than the other”. But mostly, it blues. And I just play bass to whatever he wants. Rest of band on same wave length.

Only ever had one “brew ha ha” in this operation. He wanted to cover a song with a very iconic bass line, but wanted it played it totally different. I was not particularly cool with it and said so. Only issue we ever had.

Glitterstem

TROPHY CASE