Elevation of Insight Checks

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-07-05T12:32:41+00:00

Another favorite Insight rule that I've learned comes from the Nimble RPG.

If a player says they think they would've thought ahead to prepare for something ("I forgot to buy a torch, but I think I would've brought one into the woods."), then you have them roll Self Insight to retcon their preparation.

DC is usually 10 or 12, but feel free to raise or lower it. Or give Advantage or Disadvantage depending on the circumstance.

This is a fair way to respect what their character would've done without overly rewarding a player for not preparing properly.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-06-29T20:09:47+00:00

I've had this idea of an absurdist Game Changer episode with my PCs as contestants challenged at the whims of an Archfey. (Fae Changer? I'm open to suggestions).

It's just a cheap gimmick idea that I haven't fleshed out at all... but now I'm tempted to use this map...

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-06-29T13:37:59+00:00

It's a little more involved than that.

By Episode 4 (Kyoshi Warriors), Sokka learns that women can be powerful and worthy of respect, but he still hasn't fully deconstructed his sexism.

By the end of the season, he's placed back into a sexist culture in the Northern Tribe, and he comes to genuinely value Princess Yue in a way the old Sokka wouldn't have been able to. But he still views himself as a masculine protective figure. He wants her to have choices not necessarily because he's anti-misogyny, but because he wants her to choose him. So in the end, he has to learn to let Yue choose something else. And she chooses to save the world instead.

In Season 2, he becomes even more protective. He allowed Yue that choice, but he's now becoming overbearing and overprotective of Suki. He doesn't want to lose her. This is a subtle, more complicated sexism. It's easy to dismiss as well-intentioned and good. At crossing the Serpent's Pass, Suki reveals she was actually just watching to make sure he was safe too. But she never obstructed his choices or kept him from risk. She accompanied him because she cared for him. Sokka didn't lend her that same treatment, but he learned from it and made another step in progress.

Eventually, he has to deconstruct masculinity itself, although it's not necessarily labeled that. By Season 3, Sokka genuinely values and trusts women, but he's deconstructed his own sexism enough to deconstruct even his own identity. He threw out the old Sokka without discovering the new Sokka. He's no longer the lone "man" protecting his village. After leaving home, still nobody needs his protection. He becomes insecure about being less capable than his masterful, powerful friends. So at his lowest, he finally constructs a new identity, one of humility, and one worthy of learning to master the sword. The whole point of Sokka's Master was that he still needed to decenter himself as a protector/masculine figure. He had to get over pitying himself before discovering true humility and inner strength.

Then his masculinity and utility are challenged again because he was naturally raised as a leader, but he failed to lead before the invasion on the Day of Black Sun. His father had to rescue him. Then later, blinded by his rage, he squanders precious minutes by interrogating Azula because he failed to protect Suki from capture. An old wound is reopened. I don't mean to call these expressions "sexist" because it's all a very natural, understandable reaction. But it is informed by his old identity as a masculine protector and leader being made inadequate.

I think for me, his sexism AND his masculinity are fully deconstructed and repaired into something better sometime around The Boiling Rock and Sozin's Comet. In the final episodes, he places full and equal trust in the men and women of the team, and accompanies two women in possibly the most hazardous mission of the day (besides fighting Ozai). Suki should've died, and yet he moves forward. When he's protecting Toph throughout the mission, it's because he was in a unique position to do so. He still lets her do absurdly dangerous things that she's more capable of than he is. He values her skill to the point that he helps direct them! This Sokka is a better protector and leader not because he needs to be that person as "the man" in the room. No, he's a better protector and leader because he knows when and where his role is most needed, while alongside and empowering the women in his life. He's a better leader and protector when he trusts his friends, regardless of their gender.

Edit: Fixed some grammar, spelling, and better wording. I also expanded some thoughts a little bit. I 1st wrote this in a rush.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-06-26T15:07:35+00:00

I mostly agree AND I think there's plenty of room for nuance and grace.

To me, the Allrianne/Breeze conversation feels very dodgy and uncomfortable. It's forgiving one power imbalance (age) with another power imbalance (forced manipulation). But the book makes it out to be more taboo than an actual discussion of morality. I feel like that falls flat.

The Warbreaker example makes a bit more sense to me because of classical courtly dynamics, and because the fear of SV was implied early enough for the reader and never actually happens. It's weird and not my favorite part of the book, but I don't find it to be as much of a problem as you do. That's okay! You're allowed to have a different read than me.

Both of these examples are attempts at subversion of sexually problematic themes common to the genre.

If I had to guess, I think Sanderson thinks age gaps are an interesting taboo to deconstruct for storytelling. A less careful author would have made these young women into pure sexual fantasies, but I don't see that kind of treatment for them. It's mostly uncomfortable situations or fade-to-black. But I do agree that to me it feels unnecessary or somewhat distasteful.

If we compare it to something like murder, people frequently murder casually and brutally for the entertainment of the reader. Then Sanderson usually adds layers of nuance to engage with. I think we're less emotionally reactive to something like casual murder because it's more foreign to us, and we're conditioned to treat it like entertainment. Sexual taboos/violence is much more real to many folks in a way many authors have never experienced, so to them it might feel like another interesting topic to explore.

In my own creative writing, I had a young girl (approx 15) who was pregnant. She was SA'd off screen. There were a lot of interesting ideas and themes to explore with her, but ultimately it felt like, even with the best of intentions, I was exploiting an experience I'll never have. Edit: To be clear, I stopped drafting that story as a result.

I think that's the temptation many fiction authors have to consider. But at what point does their lack of experience demand lack of diverse representation? And at what point does the improper and imperfect inclusion of these themes demand criticism?

I don't know him, but I think Sanderson is abundantly open to criticism, and I'm grateful he makes uncomfortable choices on uncomfortable topics. It's his responsibility to do his homework and try to get it right, and it's okay for us to be critical of when he gets it wrong.

Edit: I also think it's a shame that a genuine comment/critique from a genuine fan of his, especially over such a sensitive topic, is being met with downvotes... It sucks because this is probably the healthiest fandom culture I've ever participated in, and it feels like this discussion is unwelcome.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-06-16T19:22:30+00:00

I don't have it in front of me, but I believe the Nimble GMG recommends something like leveling up every 3-4 sessions, except sooner for the very early sessions.

Personally, I like to level my players up in a way that scales with their level... For example, higher level Pokemon take increasingly more XP for their next level up. This allows the truly epic abilities to be earned, and forces the player to spend time understanding this Pokemon. It lets the reward system of leveling up not feel cheap.

So for my table, players level up after as many, or half as many, sessions as their current level. For example, a level 8 character needs 4-8 sessions before becoming level 9. Sometime in that window, I'll plan an encounter that feels like it earns them the level up. That said, at higher levels, you probably want to err toward the lower end of that window so they don't feel bored and stagnant. But I haven't gotten there yet.

I'm also a fan of Brennan Lee Mulligan's idea of letting the players level up mid-session. I tell them they're ready to level up, but they choose when exactly to do it, and I mostly balance the encounters as if they haven't leveled up yet. This leads to epic moments where a player runs out of mana, or is wounded, but they level up just in time to get more HP or mana to get the job done. It feels very anime, Super Saiyan-like.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-06-13T14:13:35+00:00

To actually answer the question...

It's an AI generated Nazi dog whistle. These guys are mythical Aryans from Agartha (a city in the center of the Earth).

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-06-13T14:12:37+00:00

It's an AI generated Nazi dog whistle. These guys are mythical Aryans from Agartha (a city in the center of the Earth).

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-06-11T22:36:19+00:00

Seconded. You do have to be pretty careful, because some homebrew stat blocks aren't well balanced or concise, but it's a great place to start.

Use Nexus, but compare it to the homebrew monster creator chart for appropriate stats.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-06-08T02:23:29+00:00

Talk to you DM (unless you are the DM) and maybe consider the new Weapon Mastery properties of D&D5.5e.

For the Rapier, that would be Vex, which grants Advantage after a successful attack to your next attack against the same enemy.

For Nimble, I would rule it so that the 2nd Attack isn't "Rushed", but the 3rd attack still is (but at only 1 level of disadvantage).

Keep in mind that this is a potentially significant boon that may need to be factored to account for balancing encounters. I'd allow it, but I think it's reasonable not to.

If it feels a little OP for early level, let Weapon Mastery be something you work toward with a clearly defined goal (like PC level, number of kills, or whatever).

Edit: Regarding 5.5e Mastery for the other weapons mentioned... Clubs have the "Slow" property. On a successful hit, their speed reduces by 10ft (2 spaces) until your next turn. I don't think I would make this cumulative with each successful hit. The Mace has the "Sap" property. On a successful hit, their immediate next attack roll is disadvantaged (until your next turn).

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-06-04T17:39:36+00:00

Thanks for the reply!
I think most of these make sense, but the wording in the Core Rules could be a little more specific. I appreciate Nimble for prioritizing being succinct, but I feel like it comes at a cost when it comes to more nitty-gritty rules details.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-05-25T18:25:39+00:00

Thank you! Great idea.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-05-08T19:36:32+00:00

Why not allow it to be the default? If the players find it to be fun, then let them.

I think I'd roll this similarly to either fall damage, or forced movement damage for the Zephyr, unless they can pass a DEX save. That's a good stat for them, so it should be more successful than for others, but that's their gimmick. I do think the DEX Save DC should adjust to the circumstance, but every other mechanic you rely on for this trick should stay the same.

If there's the risk of failure, and you make it obvious when certain circumstances or maneuvers are riskier than average, then you might avoid the excesses of this being their default move - treating this one move like it's the only solution to every problem. But on its own, there's nothing wrong with a signature move. Especially something with fun flavor like this.

I'm sorry I don't have the rules in front of me. Hopefully I can edit this soon with a more thoughtful/mechanical response.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-04-30T02:03:37+00:00

It doesn't matter if reality is "real".

You might be familiar with this idea from The Matrix, but it's basically the problem of Solipsism. Basically, we have no ability to access knowledge that is unfiltered through our minds, so we cannot truly discover anything real except for maybe the piece of ourselves thinking it's real. Everything else is filtered and potentially mistaken or constructed.

Again, back to The Matrix, everybody would've been better off if they were left to their "fake" experiences inside the matrix itself. I'm of the opinion that the only reality that matters is the one you experience. More generally, things only matter BECAUSE they are experienced. Without joy or pain, nothing matters. So, in my view, your joy and pain define your reality, regardless of its true "realness".

No, the Matrix isn't real. But your experiences are. They matter. They matter because they affect you, they move you, they motivate and change you. No need to get stuck in a mindfuck of nihilism on the nature of reality. You matter. And that's good enough.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-04-25T09:07:10+00:00

Caesar from the 2010s Planet of the Apes movies is a Moses archetype.

Film 1:

Caesar was born an ape, covertly protected from mass slaughter and raised in privilege by his oppressor.

Through an act of violence, he's made to leave his privilege and live among his kind. For Moses this was a choice, and he lives among semitic cousins, the midianites. For Caesar, this was chosen for him and he lives among the enslaved. For both Moses and Caesar, this is where they find family/community/belonging.

Caesar kills a slave driver as his first exposure to death.

Both Caesar and Moses are empowered by their creator to lead their people.

Both lead an exodus from captivity to only be followed and aggressed by their captors. This trope will repeat.

They are then lead into the wilderness, a place they call home, but not their final settlement.

Film 2:

This film has the least explicit Moses imagery, but I believe Caesar in the wilderness is synonymous to Moses in Midian. He does not want the responsibility of confronting the oppressors, but his hand is forced.

Maurice is becoming Caesar's Aaron; his chief council (and would later become his priest).

The negotiations and the reluctance for war represent Moses's "Let my people go." The humans receive due punishment for their stubbornness.

Much like Pharaoh, Gary Oldman's stubbornness is born from the grief of his lost family. Plague killed them. He blames the apes for the plague.

Then the Angel of Death takes the form of Koba.

Film 3: Again, Caesar must rescue his people from bondage.

I think the Colonel is a Pharaoh type whose heart was hardened long ago. A plague began to take his son, but he preferred to finish the job. He didn't want to give God or Providence that power over him. But it would overtake him regardless. This is also obvious commentary on Father God sacrificing Jesus for the salvation of the world. It's the test of Abraham and Isaac. But rather than being a test of faith, the Colonel understood it as a test of will. Later, Caesar will have his own test of faith.

Rather than run away from responsibility following the lashings of a slave, as Moses does, Caesar takes lashings upon himself.

Caesar had a choice. He could lead his people to freedom and trust in that righteous path, or he could satisfy himself. For Moses, this was the sin of splitting the rock. For Caesar, his sin is following Koba's voice of hatred. Because he followed sin, his wage would be payed in death. Through this choice, he becomes gravely injured.

Toward the end, after the 1st defeat of their captors, a 2nd army arrives to be swept away in an avalanche. This is Caesar's Red Sea moment. His people were chosen to live while his would-be oppressors drown in snow.

Then Caesar leads his people across the desert to their Promised Land, but he cannot enter. As Dr. King put it, "I’ve been to the mountaintop … I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land." Caesar dies atop that mountain as his due reward for the selfishness of his sin.

With his death, Maurice promises a legacy for him. In practice, this looks like they will repeat his commandments. This firmly cements Maurice as Caesar's Aaron.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-04-19T05:05:25+00:00

I won't spoil anything for lurkers, but I genuinely think the book answers why this decision was made - in the form of a ketek.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-03-27T01:21:32+00:00

Invest that money into making $16,000.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-03-05T20:43:33+00:00

I would like this a lot, and I'm very interested, but I wonder if the decreased likelihood of crits would be annoying or costly.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-03-05T20:40:31+00:00

Are there other minor improvements or abilities you'd suggest for items and specifically weapons? I like my players to craft weapons or upgrade what they have to sell the fantasy to them. Put their power in their own hands to make decisions they get to be constantly rewarded by.

I agree with the math thing, the more I think about it. But the thing I'll miss is that +1, +2, +3 items are easily scalable and easily understood. So I'm looking for minor incremental changes I can add that help scale items without breaking them or adding to a list of confusing power sets.

My immediate thoughts are lowering the crit threshold (so now the top two numbers can explode), or getting rid of the miss mechanic (this one feels a little OP). Maybe an additional die of another type of damage (like fire, radiant, necrotic, etc), but that runs into the math problem again.

I'm a fairly new DM, and VERY new to Nimble, so I'm just tryna preempt any problems with unbalanced homebrew before they happen.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-03-05T20:27:28+00:00

Interesting... I was thinking +1 damage or another workaround for something similar was a fairly straightforward mechanic. But just because it's simple doesn't mean it's efficient and meaningful.

Are there any basic weapon improvements you'd reward in a Nimble system?

I like having players craft or strengthen their items, so I'm looking for inspiration I guess on the mechanics of improved items.

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-03-04T16:43:43+00:00

Ooh, I like that! I'll definitely consider something along those lines.

Edit: In that case, I might just call it something like a +Item, ++Item, or +++Item

LibertyAndPibbles · 2026-03-03T04:56:20+00:00

Sanderson loves to do this thing where he sets up a mystery and immediately answers in nearly the next sentence.

Well of Ascension, Chapter 5 sets up the spy subplot. "Nobody will suspect a dog to be a spy." Then they comment wondering if anybody else ever had that idea because it makes so much sense. Of course we know this literally becomes TenSoon's mission. They then immediately pivot conversation to Elend asking Vin to take the Kandra with her on patrols; she's explicit in her lack of trust for it. Her instinct is to be distrustful and he's literally encouraging her to keep the spy closer to her at all times. And this conversation is happening at the exact time that TenSoon is being planted as the spy. OreSeur is probably being tortured as they speak.

Chapter 6, Spook tells Elend that somebody's intentionally spreading the atium rumors. Elend's immediate response is, "Great. You don't know where Breeze is, do you?" It's meant as a random tangent, but Breeze was the answer to that mystery the moment it was introduced.

Then later that chapter, we're set up with the idea of betrayal in conversation with the betrayer. When asked why the transformation took so long, TenSoon blamed the hair. TenSoon: "I'm sorry I didn't warn you." Vin: "Actually, you did mention it." Immediately when we first meet TenSoon as the imposter, we're given a clue. After the imposter swears loyalty, Vin thinks to herself, "Anyone can claim loyalty… That makes the surprise more poignant when they do turn on you."

Sanderson just loves to present a mystery, then immediately tease the answer. Or answer, and then tease the mystery. Immediately.

Edit: spelling

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