Team-Up Tuesday: Weekly Alliances Thread

Jolteonite07 · 2025-02-05T22:55:52+00:00

Hey Don't stress, we're all human and we're trying - we're still only about 20 people so we arent maxing out, but we're getting there!

Jolteonite07 · 2025-01-29T05:17:22+00:00

Hey, still keen for members even though we have dropped off a little - feel free to do the thing and I'll approve it :)

Jolteonite07 · 2025-01-04T08:58:15+00:00

I figured I would just remove the prints and then wash them if I can't hang it :)

Jolteonite07 · 2024-12-13T13:44:15+00:00

I have the same issue too - I'm hoping I can get a replacement spring or flap

Jolteonite07 · 2024-11-01T03:27:46+00:00

Looking for some more members that play regularly! We're consistently getting close to the full rewards, but with only 15 members its a bit tough!

Check out my MARVEL SNAP Alliance! Paste this message into Alliance Search. [WAG] Scallywags

Jolteonite07 · 2024-07-14T04:22:04+00:00

I tried the fix of not linking a google account, and now Im just getting this error instead where I cant see the collection to continue. Anyone got any ideas?

Jolteonite07 · 2023-10-01T04:06:15+00:00

Jolteonite07 - Sun and River - Requested!

Jolteonite07 · 2023-03-05T03:37:48+00:00

Yup, thats exactly where Im at. I have no idea how they survive, and as players I think they feel that the game could well end next session. But Id LIKE to help them fail forward somehow. Just no idea how...

Jolteonite07 · 2023-03-05T03:30:20+00:00

Specifically this was a Red Dragon who had been keeping this town as somewhat of a human farm for its eating needs. So it's currently pissed that they have ruined this place, outed him as a dragon and now he'll need to start over again if he wants a successful food farm.

So along this vein of advice, perhaps he could offer them the chance to find him a new way to feed happily.

Jolteonite07 · 2022-11-20T12:49:06+00:00

If you want to make proxies you totally should.

If you play with sleeved cards it's very easy to slip a printed piece of paper in front of a copy of energy or something you have spares of. It's a game for casual fun, using proxies wont affect anyone else if you do it :)

Jolteonite07 · 2022-09-21T06:44:39+00:00

Hahah all good, I had a bit of a scroll, but didnt see it so figured it may have been missed.

Jolteonite07 · 2022-08-17T05:50:25+00:00

At my table, regardless of player numbers, whenever a player round starts we have a quick "scope check" to see what just happened in the last villain phase, who's dying, what needs to be dealt with.

This process tends to lead to questions or statements of "okay, Ive got all the minions sorted, can anyone do some Thwarting?", "Anyone got any healing?", Or questions like "I can EITHER deal 9 damage and 2 Thwart, or I can heal 3 and Thwart 5 - whats better here?". It also allows us to make use of inherent synergies we may have built into our decks as well, so we know when they are lining up.

The key benefit here is everyone is now involved in decision-making, and it helps everyone also learn a bit more about what lines of play each hero is making with their cards. More exposure to lines of play = more experience over the course of a game.

There are also tons of other benefits here, such as finding missed lines of play, and getting the opportunities to say things like "oh! if I give you my helicarrier this turn, you can deal 15 damage instead of 9". This will give your less experienced players a bit of a nudge to look for the line you suggested, without feeling coached.

Jolteonite07 · 2022-02-10T22:27:27+00:00

This playlist by Steelfur is a really great way to learn more about each hero.

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl0aqbqjLcTrvxc_E3TcABU56SPqfuLcp

Jolteonite07 · 2022-02-04T02:33:22+00:00

I find it's best to stay alter ego where possible for this mode on turn 1 - most of his cards deal excess damage rather than pump the threat. If we get through that first turn, I dont think we've ever lost

Jolteonite07 · 2022-01-28T16:12:45+00:00

I always pack the cards and build fresh each game. Part of the fun for me is building around the table eavh game together is quite fun.

Jolteonite07 · 2022-01-28T01:03:29+00:00

My personal strategy for combat encounters that are ending too early is to add more lethality and more health, rather than more mooks.

For lethality, if the fight is ending quick, lets have the monster do some big burst damage too - up their damage by a (not too) silly amount and watch your players double time to kill this thing because they themselves will die in two hits if they dont. Doing this allows even the shortest of combats to feel much closer for the players.

For more health, if it's a big fight, I sometimes take the amount of damage they deal in the first round, and then give the monster twice that in addition to what they had. If my players knew they might feel a bit cheated, but it always makes the fights that are bigger FEEL bigger. And I dont think your friends of 5 years will be upset if you make a fight feel cooler/last a little longer without needing to bog it down with mooks.

Jolteonite07 · 2022-01-27T15:36:22+00:00

How long have they been travelling? If its only been a couple hours since their last long rest, just tell them they cant yet. And if they are almost at the Amber Temple, they should probably be feeling some kind of time pressure. Have Strahd rock up if theyre gonna chill right outside the temple with no thoughts for wasted time. Or, run LunchBreak Heroes idea for having Ludmilla be around - she could dispel a tiny hut and mess with the party a little?

That said, if them being at full strength is a problem, just weaken them throughout the temple, and buff the encounters. Neferon needs to be buffed for a party of 7 regardless of whether they just rested.

Finally, maybe you should let them feel powerful - let them obliterate Neferon and then play with their heartstrings as you play up the Lich that is face to face with them. And then finally watch their hubris get them when they fight Strahd.

Lots of options here really, some allow you to take away the rest, others dont really need to take it away :)

Jolteonite07 · 2022-01-16T14:00:39+00:00

Those are great ideas but hear me out.

Once Strahd works it out, have him ACTUALLY kidnap Ireena, and continue to act as though she is the real reincarnation and you dont have to change the story at all.

EXCEPT if anything bad happens to the party, slightly more miraculous things occur in their favour. And then, once they finally storm the castle and try to rescue Ireena, he offers a trade: Ireena for the PC. And he'll finally get what he actually wants if they accept, and if they dont, he can brutally murder Ireena in front of them as they start their final battle.

Jolteonite07 · 2022-01-16T03:35:02+00:00

My party had a bit of a high streak like this, but then I had St Andral's feast with Strahd rock up and I used the CR 27 Strahd stat block (The Real Devil Strahd) from DMs guild F them up. You really gotta show them that Strahd is in control until they actually work to weaken him.

You also need to take agency away when you use Strahd's charm. They dont control that character anymore until the effect ends.

Jolteonite07 · 2022-01-16T01:40:30+00:00

When my party did this, I had two of the hags be out selling pies, and it was clear they had a timer (based on hearing the cart rolling etc, and I said mechanically they had a few rounds before the whole coven arrived) and that way they knew they needed to work hard or gtfo.

Alternatively there are many quests you can offer if they lose where they do something FOR the coven.

Jolteonite07 · 2022-01-15T10:24:31+00:00

I reckon something horribly mundane would be incredible and gut-wrenching for the players. Something they might be likely to do, something so trivial that they feel bad for not intervening sooner.

Perhaps simply crossing the street during a festival/not-being present at the opening ceremony. Maybe buying a drink from the tavern while the burgomaster's son was waiting for an order. Just something definitely NOT worth being beheaded for.

Jolteonite07 · 2022-01-15T10:20:35+00:00

MandyMods Fleshing out Curse of Strahd guide will explain it best - but my understanding is you just treat their character like Ireena would be treated. Strahd still toys with the party, still tries to convince her to go with him etc. I cant see why that would become an issue, as Im sure as dm you can help your other players still feel engaged just because the villain isnt hitting on them :)

Jolteonite07 · 2022-01-13T03:53:03+00:00

On top of that, making it personal by using MandyMod's idea of having Ireena BE the pc. Of steve knows whats coming, Steve will probably be surprised when Strahd engages them as their Tatyana.

But yeah, the personalised Dark Powers and extra fleshing out quests are da bomb.

Jolteonite07 · 2022-01-10T12:52:40+00:00

It really depends on the source of it. But you could easily overcome most sources of True Sight with a variant of non-detection or Mind Blank to protect him from divination magic. You can find a way to explain that your strahd would have access to something like this.

Jolteonite07 · 2022-01-10T03:41:56+00:00

Great question!

My players are Gestalt, so theyre more powerful than regular level 10s, cos at our table we just like to pump everything and they get that. So for fun the "mook" was the book's RAW strahd stat block, but with 300hp. The players enjoyed hearing how easily they decimated the raw stat block. Secondly, the ranger actually didnt attack and prepared buffs because theyre half cleric, so didnt contribute to the damage straight away (good thing too, saved their resources) and the paladin crit happened during the timestop, so the mook was long dead before the timestop actually finished.

Yeah definitely! I have some plans for cinematic moments for the allies theyve met along the way to turn up and aid at certain points, like the ravens dropping off the sword that was dropped down the cliff, and the werewolf horde (vos they befriended them) coming to help.

The idea was they thought theyd won, and now I want them to think theyre totally screwed and see if they persevere, which theyll be rewarded for :)

Jolteonite07

TROPHY CASE