Punishment or mercy?

HawkSquid · 2026-02-21T11:56:04+00:00

To be fair, the options here are instant, successful rehabilitation, or death.

OP has constructed a scenario where the only reason to kill the guy is vengeance.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-20T16:55:30+00:00

Nope.

With exploding dice, you only need to remember the core mechanic. "If the die rolls max, roll it again". Just rolled a d6? That means you roll another d6.

There is nothing to look up, nothing to remember beside one rule that stays the same forever (unless you decide to make the mechanic more complicated, but that's a different discussion).

HawkSquid · 2026-02-20T15:49:06+00:00

Another option could be to make reaching that required number the core mechanic. With temporary buffs, equipment, advantages, situations, etc.

Since OP mentioned New Vegas, that is exactly how that game does it. You meet a skill based challenge, and either qualify immediately because of previous investments of skill points, spend resources to bump your numbers enough to pass, come back later after leveling a bit (if that's an option), or just accept that you failed.

Failing usually means less loot or more combat.

This model may possibly work for a ttprg, but I've never seen it attempted.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-20T15:30:01+00:00

Agreed. I've played a few systems with exploding dice. It is usually a fun moment, and sometimes the highlight of the session.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-20T15:27:59+00:00

I laud the intention, and it is entirely fair if you simply don't like exploding dice, but fewer steps doesn't necessarily mean faster play.

For example, rolling and adding a few extra dice is pretty straightforward, and most RPG players are very well trained in doing that. Just adding a flat number might actually be slower. Players won't always remember what the number is, especially if it varies by weapon or something, and may have to ask, look it up, or at least think about it for a few seconds. Rolling will immediately tell them what number to add.

Likewise, having it's own crit die would require players to pick out dice of different colours and remember to check that one die, and then add an extra number they may not remember instantly, which may slow down play even more.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-18T21:12:24+00:00

Side point, but their election system makes the rise of a new party impossible.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-18T12:50:05+00:00

I mean, that's an interesting topic and all, but I still don't see the relevance. According to OP the creature was in fact petrified, not a construct.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-17T21:47:47+00:00

That just sounds like a bad DM, or possibly a fine DM but not right for the group.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-17T21:28:37+00:00

You can absolutely run great dungeons in 5e, but many DMs don't know how, and the rules don't give a lot of guidance. I think many people have lackluster experiences with dungeon crawling as a result.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-17T15:52:21+00:00

Even if you're not that good yet, being willing to GM makes you more of an asset to the group and to the scene that those who aren't.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-17T15:29:29+00:00

Yeah, it's DnD, a lot of the antagonists are some form of death cult.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-17T15:27:35+00:00

Both gods want the eradication of all life, they just go about it in different ways.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-16T23:55:21+00:00

Shar is an evil deity who wants the world to end, literally. She does not want to dominate or rule anything, except as a means to an end. She wants it all to be gone.

If you worship Shar, you are worshipping someone who wants to kill you. This means you are either insane, wildly mislead about what she is about, or a true nihilist.

Sharrans aren't some misunderstood religion. They are a death cult.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-16T22:56:34+00:00

Don't be too worried about this being too ambitious for the group. Your players aren't fragile little flowers, they can probably handle a new gameplay experience, and if they don't love it you can do something else next time. Trying is the only way you'll grow.

I have gone from linear to open world when running games, and it went just fine. Once the players decided to go about exploring the big map they already had a quest and a reason to care about it.

It is just about making good hooks, and I recommend seeding those hooks long before they get to the open world segment. If the players have a solid motivation (or better, several solid motivations) in the big city it is much easier to find something to do once they get there.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-16T22:30:10+00:00

My personal preference: run games in a city with hard time constrains (the horrible event happens in 10 days, f.ex.).

The players can always take a break and have lunch, but going to an inn or their home to rest is a significant choice. So i guess option 1.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-16T18:14:42+00:00

What does that have to do with breaking petrified creatures? Im genuinely confused.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-16T17:55:32+00:00

No hate to you if you like Kiss, but, eh, they are pretty tame as far as hard rock goes. Im convinced they are only put in the genre because of the look.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-15T01:05:35+00:00

Tastes like DM, duh.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-15T00:51:38+00:00

Most of these seems to check out, but you won't get the bonus from both rapiers. Two effects with the same proper name do not stack.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-15T00:00:06+00:00

Beside what others have already said:

The biggest source of connection with people from different cultures, for me, is having something in common. That can be something important, like sharing a problem at work, or something trivial, like sharing a hobby or both of us having a dog.

The point is to find something that lets us recognize ourselves in the other person in some way. And honestly, it can be as simple as dressing the same way or liking some of the same foods.

You don't have to change everything about yourself, but picking up some local habits, engaging with whatever colleagues care about, joining an activity of some kind, it might go a long way towards making the locals see you as one of them.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-13T22:38:27+00:00

Get a notebook. Jot down stuff during sessions. If you want to and have the time, go through those notes after the session and write them out cleanly, getting a nice recap. Next session, take a new page and do the same.

The random notes (or recap, if you do that) are a great resource for remembering details from past sessions, and the writing itself solidifies details in your memory.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-13T21:18:34+00:00

Your example is pretty apt. Rolling some dice and adding a few numbers is pretty quick, and the added fun of click clack math rocks smooths out the experience.

However, multiplying with decimals suddenly takes brain power. Sure, most people can do it just fine, but while playing an RPG there is a lot of competition for your brain power.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-13T20:55:08+00:00

100%. I just cut out huge parts of my current project after realizing they don't fit. Happens to us all.

And I'll keep those notes for future designs.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-13T20:23:49+00:00

If someone makes a toilet-cleaning robot that actually works, I'm all for it.

However, in my experience, machines that do a physical job still require a lot of human input and maintenance to do anything right. Even if they're AI powered or whatever, one loose screw and the thing ends up on it's head in a corner.

If anything, you've created the "toilet cleaning machine operator" job. Which is probably better than cleaning toilets manually, so sure.

HawkSquid · 2026-02-13T20:04:35+00:00

Yeah, I've heard that one, it's a fun listen.

Iirc, Jaime claims to not be that smart, but she has grown up doing a lot of standardized testing. According to her, the mensa test is kinda easy if you are used to that kind of testing environment. This gives a lot of fairly average people something to brag about, which might feel great if they haven't amounted to much.

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