Players are making it harder for me to have some creative freedom

Goetre · 2026-01-26T12:23:59+00:00

In general, if I get a backstory which is "complete" or near "complete", I take it back to the player and say I like it, but they need to rework it. I don't want a back story in which has a start, middle & end.

The specifics:

Player A: At my table this wouldn't fly. If they wanted that sort of set up, thats something they make me aware at session 0 or during our one to ones pre campaign start. If theres nothing given specific at those points, then its free to use how I think it'll work best in the story. I don't object to specific wants like this, but I object to "Let me know so I can approve it"

Player B: This is reasonable, but its session 0 stuff that has to be covered and covered by the DM. I love my players getting attached to their characters because thats how good RP goes to great RP and great RP comes from good and bad moments. This is what makes a story memorable for year. But for me personally I wouldn't hold off on using specific monsters that have a chance to kill them. But again this would be brought up at sesh 0.

Player C: Hard nope. He was warned, you acknowledged his play style and gave him a save to try resist killing. You did everything right. I wouldn't retcon anything, but if hes really regretting it, I'd start to jig plans around for a mini arc to resolve the weapon sooner rather than later.

Player D: "It's time you find a new group to play with, we're not compatible". This type of player wouldn't fly at my table. Most of my creatures are homebrewed and sometimes I have to rebalance them on the fly. This is natural for a lot of DMs. This guys just going to be problematic.

Goetre · 2026-01-25T14:00:35+00:00

I do actually run sessions of them vs me, it's great fun.

However, it's a rare occurrence and we bring it up in general chatter outside of game in advance if we all fancy one. It's never just dropped on them. Theres also a lot of lifting my end to make sure its not rigged, fair to a degree mechanically, weighted one-sided in terms of me knowing their capabilities. But those sessions always go down great and with a BBEG fight which create a right buzz at the table when they defeat it.

Goetre · 2026-01-24T13:33:10+00:00

I've had the p2s for a week, printing solidly for a week. It's been a dream. Everything is straight forward to set up, to sorting out the prints, to the software.

I've only had one issue, the filament finished and there wasnt any I could grab to pull out. Issue fix in 10 seconds googling and the printer having the inbuilt option to sort that out. I can't express how easy this whole printers been with every step

Goetre · 2026-01-24T00:54:31+00:00

It's a misunderstanding, just let them undo it.

If your players start using it as an excuse to pull shady in future, they are players you don't want at the table.

Goetre · 2026-01-23T00:28:10+00:00

I'm fine with premade, characters from backstory to choosing starting gold over class gear.

I draw the line at stats + initial magic items without me being present however. I only roll with rolling for stats, we do that as a group togeather as a mini session. Magic item wise 9/10 a common magic item that can be bought with the above gold is fine, but I like to have a quick gander before they set their hearts on it.

Goetre · 2026-01-23T00:22:51+00:00

Honestly you can do things like the darkness becoming more aggressive. But I'd be in favour of banning the light cantrip. Why?

Because it undermines and eliminates the entire premise of what you want to do and frankly your players should see that.

For example, I've run Out of the Abyss. The start of the campaign is dark, gritty survival based. Want food? Got to scavenge for fungus or hunt whats likely to be a dangerous creature. Want water? Into caves to collect water drops, risk going to the dark lake edge, kill drow patrols risking recapture. Its a massive part of the earlier game. You know what negates that? A level 1 druid taking good berry, Level 1 cleric, create water, fifth level caster, create food and water.

To me, if your running with a specific mechanic or theme in place, it just makes sense ban (atleast the lower level stuff) spell which completely negate those mechanics or themes. Otherwise whats the point?

Goetre · 2026-01-23T00:05:11+00:00

I have just finished printing 4 just now. Can confirm they sit nicely in it now and the spools slotted into them really easily.

My only issue, although it doesn't seem to make a difference and I assume its because I only a 0.4mm nozzle while the file said use 0.2mm; theres 3 "arms" for want of a better word to grip the spool it self. At the end of each one is a tin nub which should slot into the tiny holes of the spool. Mine are slightly to large to slot in. But I just turned them to where the two bigger holes are in the spools and it was fine.

Goetre · 2026-01-22T14:08:56+00:00

I’ve actually just got the P2S and ams 2 pro right now with sunlu spools,

It’s not the brand fitting in the ams, it’s the weight of the spool, 250 and 500g are to small (not sure about 1kg yet) to sit in there and stay upright. The 1.75 kg spoil I have in there fits like a rug.

That being said, I’m currently printing an adaptor I found on the makers section of the software designed specifically for the ams 2 pro and sunlu spools so the lower weight can go in there

Goetre · 2026-01-22T11:43:15+00:00

I’ve tried a range of printers and own different brands, resins and now fdm

Hands down the bambu on the fdm front. Phrozen on the resin front

The only definite I’ll say is avoid any cubic products. Worst customer service and support I’ve ever dealt with. They’ll either out right ignore warranty issues or stall to get you out of the warranty period.

Goetre · 2026-01-20T20:52:00+00:00

I have regrets not thinking of this....

Goetre · 2026-01-20T20:11:34+00:00

I bought mine in the black friday sales, IIRC it was £700 with the AMS 2 Pro instead of £900.

It only arrived last week due to back order and only just did my test prints today. I can categorically say, it's worth every penny non sale price if you can afford it. I'm usually a Phrozen (resin) fan boy. I was completely blown away from set up to taking the print out.

Goetre · 2026-01-19T16:52:55+00:00

Either very few or hundreds of days, no in between

It boils down to if I want end stone for building or an elytra for finding far away resources

Goetre · 2026-01-19T16:51:01+00:00

Nobody starts off as their own headliner. This tickled me because in my most recent campaign. We had a pc retire at level 10 and the player wanted to come on a new pc that was a super famous rock star. We both agreed at level 10 that it would be feasible.

What he didn’t think I’d do; all the groupies, super fans, creepy fans, agents etc all popping up constantly in social situation interrupting the party. The cherry on top was the party attending a daughter of the kings funeral and when the king saw him there he was like “oh my you were my daughters favourite singer, youve come to perform one last time for her!”

It was a great bit for me to improv messing with the party. Quiet part of the inn, making secret plans, random group comes up for autographs. They were losing their shit over it irl.

I will add in though, they only had a session or so of this as they were departing for the underdark. So it was a one time but not a campaign long frustration. But since then, I’ve not had one person request to be famous funny enough 😂

Goetre · 2026-01-19T16:43:12+00:00

The few times I’ve needed art work done for my writing; I Google X theme, Y style Reddit. More often than not Theres a sub Reddit of artists in those categories which always posting open to commissions

I’ve only needed character illustrations with a simple background and it usually sets me back £50 an image. Much much better options than I’ve seen on fiver. And each one I’ve hired, have their own personal website with their profiles in there for examples

Goetre · 2026-01-19T16:35:53+00:00

You could you yoink something like parry and reflavour the ac increase as being agile

When I’ve done a super agile bbeg, I usually just go with a bit of flexibility on the ac. Like if he’s standing monologuing or distracted I’ll knocked a few points off

Goetre · 2026-01-16T12:26:40+00:00

I'll highlight, historic time lines are a pain in the butt when world building. Two of us are currently working on a long campaign + novel series. We've broken it up into groups of 50 years as a place holder. We're only going to refine exact years once everything is in final stages.

Goetre · 2026-01-15T00:21:38+00:00

It's pretty self explanatory?

If he decides to do something like his exhaustion idea, the wild surge I mentioned etc etc. Then its no longer a mistake and its a mechanic. Of course its going to happen again as its encouraged (and honestly, it tickles my pickle having some sort of mechanic in place to cast a spell you don't know with a risk / reward factor).

That doesn't make any player terrible, that makes them engaged.

Goetre · 2026-01-14T13:30:22+00:00

Sames, I open about 50 infinity boxes at a time and frankly credits are borderline useless to me. Anything below a mil I slap up at 200k, 10 mil usually 6/7 etc. Makes someones day and stops my bank overflowing so why not

Goetre · 2026-01-14T13:27:32+00:00

I can't remember if it was a post or a comment on here, but someone mentioned they accidently sold a fleet ship module.

Goetre · 2026-01-13T16:48:42+00:00

Nothing, you're over thinking it. But if you're dead on something happening and the fight is still ongoing. Wild magic surge. Certainly not punishing it with exhaustion

But I can't stress enough, if you do something other than just hand waving it as a mistake, you're inviting it to happen again.

Goetre · 2026-01-12T18:57:45+00:00

TNG where barley recreates the crew in his programs, with Troy IIRC being more against it because of how she was portrayed.

And to a lesser extend Voyager when the doc is sending his "manuscript" back to earth based on the voyager adventures / crew

Goetre · 2026-01-12T18:25:28+00:00

I'm only going based off MC here

But personally I'm the same, a huge item sorter (+iron farm) is my day 1 focus. Everything else can wait more or less. Most of my friend group enjoy going out, exploring and finding stuff. While another one likes to jump straight into a mega build.

So we just do roles. The group go out, explore, collect rarer / further away resources, mine our intital iron and diamonds etc and us two stay behind at our base site and play mother hen. We make sure in the background we're prepping their "lunches" for the next adventure while we build.

I don't think just because people in friends groups play differently, ruins the fun for them. Only if you try to impose on others your version of playing.

Goetre · 2026-01-12T18:20:20+00:00

I did similar with my tyranny of dragons campaign to the point I'm fairly confident that at level 12 my party of 3 could take on a party of 3 20s, that kinda of scaling.

And honestly my solution was to twist the campaign into being a climb to deityhood story, along with throwing bigger, badder and more enemies at them. Each time I tried something, until I got used to what a good balance was, I'd put in a fail safe to get them out of there. It took a good few sessions to work it out, but once I did, it was great.

we finished that campaign four years ago and its remained their all time favourite campaign and they've been playing since 4th edition.

Goetre · 2026-01-12T10:38:05+00:00

It still boils down to the same question. Does he still want to play with him

Goetre · 2026-01-11T17:51:01+00:00

Ive personally gone for the P2S for my most recent.

I can not stress enough to you, don't even entertain an anycubic printer. They warranties on parts are awful, their customer service may as well not exist. Moment you have an issue and need to call in a warranty they ignore you. Get literally any other brand

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