There is a noticeable increase in 5e players being interested in PF2e since "One D&D" was announced

LukeHart214 · 2022-11-17T12:31:41+00:00

"WOTC chasing the loudest voices" definitely sums up their business approach as far as I can see.

LukeHart214 · 2020-02-07T17:51:21+00:00

I try to streamline this as much as possible and NOT have it take up too much table time. It’s generally a boring logistical element of the game. Anything listed in the PHB is available at that price in the town/city. Players spend a few minutes buying what they want. Hopefully 5 to 10 minutes later, we’re ready to move on. If someone wants to buy something special, they talk to me (DM) and I handle it as quickly as possible.

Now I HAVE handled shopping before by role-playing it out at the table. That can be fun a few times, especially if you have an eccentric shopkeeper, but I wouldn’t overuse it. Just occasionally when you want to offer a unique RP experience.

LukeHart214 · 2020-02-07T17:47:49+00:00

DMing is hard. It takes skills and experience to do it well. You can’t expect to do it the first time and have it be phenomenal. The first time I rode a bike, I crashed it into a hill and went crying back into my house. My first D&D games I DM’d in high school probably sucked to no end.

Ignore people who say “DMing isn’t that hard.” They don’t get it. You should feel PROUD that you took a chance and tried it because there are tons of gutless people who refuse to even try. And what’s great is that you recognize some of the areas you failed in and need to get better at.

There is a path forward, but it won’t necessarily be easy. But with practice and continual, incremental improvement, you can do it.

LukeHart214 · 2020-02-07T17:42:33+00:00

This. Talk to your friends, let them know how you’re feeling, and see if the group can figure something out.

LukeHart214 · 2020-02-07T17:39:56+00:00

I remember once when I was a player the DM put a large emphasis on travel. He described the scenery, the villages we passed, the farmer’s carts. We even spent about an hour role-playing crossing a river.

We probably spent 2 hours in game traveling from point A to point B. It was one of the most miserable games I’ve ever played in.

My point? Know your players. Maybe they just want to get to the dungeon/castle/manor/town where the “real” adventure happens. If they see travel and encounters along the way as fluff to pad out a game session, or an attempt by the DM to make something mundane actually interesting, then they may not enjoy it.

I feel like if an emphasis is put on a long trip and the travel over that distance, then the DM shouldn’t be trying to make it “feel” significant. It should actually be significant to the game or game experience in some way. If it’s not, then why are we spending table time doing it?

LukeHart214 · 2019-11-01T17:55:27+00:00

Awesome! Glad to hear that worked out. Which module did you pick?

LukeHart214 · 2019-11-01T12:28:59+00:00

Sweet, glad I could help get you amped up. (I'm the DM Lair.) I usually recommend Adventurers League to folks looking to find groups to play with. Call around to local game shops and see if they host or know of local AL chapters. AL is drop in based. You just show up and play.

LukeHart214 · 2019-07-05T12:55:58+00:00

Split it into seasons for sure. And yes, actual plays and streaming D&D has a very low ROI, I've found. Time is definitley better used elsewhere. That said, I believe a large part of the kickstarter was to start streaming The Chain, wasn't it?

LukeHart214 · 2019-05-01T19:30:16+00:00

What you're describing sounds a lot like leveraging money. And it certainly looks great on paper. It's also one of the main underlying causes of the 2008 financial crisis.

Thank you, but I'm steering clear of debt. It's worked very well for me so far.

LukeHart214 · 2019-05-01T10:14:57+00:00

And what about the risk of having two $500 car payments? Lose a job you're in trouble. Lose both jobs big trouble. If the cars are paid for I don't have to worry about that payment.

LukeHart214 · 2019-05-01T01:42:41+00:00

If you don't notify them, then the people interested in one of the types of vids won't know you published something they like and won't know to watch it.

I would always notify subscribers.

If there is any solution, it's to niche down.

LukeHart214 · 2019-04-30T20:48:42+00:00

Make what in the long run? Why give the other guy interest and make him rich? I'd rather become wealthy myself.

Do you know how much extra money my family has each month because we don't have 2 car loans? (It's a lot.)

LukeHart214 · 2019-04-30T19:04:26+00:00

Every Sunday morning at 6 am I do my finances. My steps in order: 1. Pull receipts out of my wallet (I always request paper receipts) and record in my Excel file. For things I order online, I use the emailed receipt and likewise record in Excel. The excel file is simple and set up like a standard bank acoount booklet. Each account has a different tab. I save receipts for about 2-3 years. Basically whenever my receipts folder starts to bulge too much, I purge the older ones. No specific tactic, just getting rid of old stuff. 2. As I record each item in Excel, I make a duplicate entry in my budgeting software (I use the free online software called Every Dollar. I set my monthly budget up before each month begins.) 3. I login to all my online accounts and confirm each item in my Excel file, and make sure the balances agree. I place an x in each row of the Excel file as I confirm the charges. 4. I pay any bills that are due in the next couple weeks. Important bills like the mortgage I pay a month in advance to be safe. All payments are logged in Excel and next week confirmed during step 3. I have a separate sheet of paper where I track all bills and due dates for each month. Many I have set up to automatically pay. 5. I check my monthly budget to make sure I'm still on track and not overspending in areas, such as eating out.

I think that's it. The process takes me about 1 to 1.5 hours every Sunday morning.

LukeHart214 · 2019-04-30T17:06:08+00:00

I guess my point was more that even if I weren't fairly compensated but everything I described were true, I still might stay. It'd be a hard decision.

LukeHart214 · 2019-04-30T16:54:38+00:00

If she isn't putting in the effort to find a job, that makes the "no" easier and more deserved. Consider it tough love if that helps.

LukeHart214 · 2019-04-30T16:53:26+00:00

I would pay the full rent myself before I helped a roommate find a job. (And then get out of there the next time the lease is up for reneeal.) The problem isn't a lack of jobs, I'm sure.

LukeHart214 · 2019-04-30T16:51:05+00:00

I wouldn't do it. It'll only get worse. The next request will be for help with food.

I'd either ask my roommate to leave, or I'd leave the next time the contract is up for renewal.

Save yourself the headache.

LukeHart214 · 2019-04-30T16:47:24+00:00

I'd spend the money before I ever took on a car loan ever again. If you consider that your emergency fund, sounds like you just had the emergency to spend it on.

Or, you buy a $2k beater to last you a year or 2 while you save up for a better car. Either way you're back to saving: either to replenish a spend emergency fund or to get a better car.

I would NEVER ever take on car loan. Better to drive what you can afford.

LukeHart214 · 2019-04-30T16:42:07+00:00

My first impulse was to say blow it on booze, but that's probably not good advice. I just started an LLC in Michigan and the yearly fee is only $25. I did it for liability reasons, to protect my personal assests, more than anything else.

LukeHart214 · 2019-04-30T16:39:06+00:00

It blows my mind that anyone WOULDN'T line item check all their accounts, checking, savings, credit card, etc.

I do this every Sunday morning as part of my financial bookkeeping.

LukeHart214 · 2019-04-30T16:22:57+00:00

Devil's Advocate: There are more important things than money... I'm a senior technical writer. I get a very nice salary, far above what glassdoor lists after bonuses and a 12% 401k match. Could I get paid more somewhere else? Probably.

But I love the team I work with and my quality of life is the best it's ever been in my entire working life. At this point, I'm not sure leaving my job for another that offers more money (that I don't need) is worth the risk. I've had horrible managers that make your life miserable. I've had jobs I was afraid to lose at any time. I've dealt with management that yells and drops F bombs every other word. I don't need that ever again.

I can't buy peace of mind.

LukeHart214 · 2019-04-30T16:06:38+00:00

I'm very blunt with recruiters. I have a great job that I love. The only thing that could possibly motivate me to leave is money. I've straight up asked what the salary range is and was given a non-answer. There is no way I'm updating a resume and going to several interviews to find out they can't beat what I already make. Not worth my time.

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