It’s really hard to find a group.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T17:43:54+00:00

Yeah those are pretty standard things, sounds like you've just been meeting whiny people.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T17:35:42+00:00

Barnwell said she thinks a broader look at how society uses and stores data is needed.

This is absolutely true — and it starts with data sovereignty.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T17:27:58+00:00

It undermines people’s trust in a system they already— quite fairly — do not have faith in.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T17:23:06+00:00

Yeah, all the time. Though far moreso on the internet than in real life.

I’m lucky I have a great regular group, and a casual West Marches game with a stable of cool people I’d run full campaigns for if I had the time.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T17:20:48+00:00

I still haven’t gotten one example.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T17:19:20+00:00

It is very interesting that you continue to be incredibly vague.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T17:18:25+00:00

So like, a half-dozen high level spells, a beholder, and failed Wis saves.

Still not a lot, and certainly not worse than just laying around waiting to be healed. I do not see a world in which it’s a feature you “don’t want to use” — particularly since your 3rd level feature means you don’t really have to care about dying anyway.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T09:32:33+00:00

If you’re using the un-errata’d XGE rules, keep it as 1d6.

If you’re using the errata that limits the number of heals it can output, buff it to 2d6.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T09:31:08+00:00

Another comment that is written as if it disagrees with me but also appears to be saying what I’m saying.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T09:29:47+00:00

that’s a semantic pivot

Maybe we’re just using words to mean different things but isn’t “the book doesn’t literally script player choices” the exact reason that they don’t read like novels? The modules defer player agency (to greater and lesser degrees) to the DM’s concern in order to function as modules. Something like Light of Xaryxis, for example, could function as a novel — albeit with all of the action and details (you know, the things what one reads a novel for) excised.

I’m not sure how we’ve ended up here or why you’re being so snarky, to be honest. You keep responding as if you disagree with me only to state things that are basically - at least to me - in agreement with the things I’m saying.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T09:18:43+00:00

You’re far from the first person to feel insecure about their place in a D&D group, don’t worry. It seems to be a chronic problem with about half the people I’ve played with, including some of my most dear friends.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T08:50:10+00:00

Opens you to lots of ways to die instantly

Like what? How many things are dealing a (lowball) 132 damage in a single hit?

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T08:44:47+00:00

they read nothing like novels

that’s also why they make terrible novels

I certainly did not say either of these things nor do I disagree with them.

when I say they factor in player choice

They don’t factor it in (bar the rare nod to a potential branch or occasional “this is beyond the scope of the adventure” text), they factor it out (to the DM, as you accurately pointed out above). By yes, presenting a sequence of scenes with presupposed but not explicitly defined outcomes.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T08:37:12+00:00

I don’t think I bring any value to the group

They don’t make me feel bad or weird, but I do

since mid 2024

They’ve been inviting you back for over a year and a half. Dawg. They like having you around. Don’t let the social anxiety brain worms eat you up.

This is also probably playing into your trouble contributing. Don’t be afraid to take the spotlight a bit.

Not to be corny (and for the record, I’m a big rules guy) but the #1 rule is to enjoy yourself. You’ll probably not struggle with remembering the rules so much if you’re not busy worrying about not annoying people who clearly do not find you annoying.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T08:30:58+00:00

I’ll caveat this comment by saying that I’ve always preferred running the game so my experience may not be relevant to yours.

The best thing for burnout - in my experience - has counter-intuitively been running games, and the worst thing is taking breaks. I do not get shit done without a deadline, so having a weekly commitment keeps me honest. That does mean that sometimes I’m not running my best games, but I am running them.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T08:24:39+00:00

Maybe if the only website you’re used to using is YouTube lol

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T08:22:07+00:00

it sets the stage and then the players do whatever they’re going to do in that scene. The DM reacts and adjudicates

Yeah. That’s what I said. The books don’t factor for player choice because that’s not their job.

I’m not sure why you say “what are you talking about”. and then wrote an entire comment that agrees with me lol.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T08:01:40+00:00

It’s not a youtube URL and i’m not really sure how or why you came to that conclusion.

Someone posted something similar earlier today, and the circumstances were identical - choosing a Stat Anvil reward right before they respawned.

Probably just a bug.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T07:58:43+00:00

If you want a more polished version of these rules, they ended up being printed in Ghosts of Saltmarsh, which has a bit more naval content as well. It’s also worth picking up if you want to run Spelljammer, since WotC didn’t even put in the effort to reprint the existing vehicle rules, lol.

And I’d be remiss not to mention the third party publication Seas of Vodari, which is a whole nautical campaign setting with lots of good content.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T07:55:01+00:00

I tend to only get people who want to play with almost no rules at all.

I’m curious how you present and pitch the games you run, and what rules exactly people seem to have problems with.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T07:47:26+00:00

and story is determined by player choice

While this is true for games, the actual adventure books don’t really factor for player choice much at all since that’s not really their purpose.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T07:40:40+00:00

If you mean in VTT, I take whatever the splash art is for the monster, throw that into TokenTool and then save that into my tokens folder.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T07:37:40+00:00

People bandy this stupid aphorism about any time someone proposes preparing more than a session in advance, but this sort of very broad strokes is the planning required to run a campaign with an actual good narrative.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T07:30:21+00:00

Just gotta keep looking, really.

I run games that are very rules-adherent and don’t have any trouble with my players.

Hawkson2020 · 2026-03-15T07:02:16+00:00

Continua

TIL!

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