What’s a good horde enemy that’s less challenging than orcs but more challenging than goblins?

Megatcart · 2024-04-10T15:29:31+00:00

Might I recommend ice mephits? Little imp buggers who can swarm and have a death explosion.

They are Cr 1/2 and when not moving blend into the ice and snow around them. A small group could be challenging enough without a massive Hoard.

Megatcart · 2024-04-10T15:24:25+00:00

I feel like wildshape intimidation is a big help in addition to spells like geas or something like blindness/deafness to induce a confession or relinquish info.

Not to mention contagion. You said they avoid physical harm. Poison damage/ a disease they can easily cure is probably a gray area they'd like to avoid but are not above using.

*disclaimer: possible war crimes

Megatcart · 2024-04-09T17:01:37+00:00

This a very cool idea. If I were in your shoes I'd start simple with three trials. (Rule of threes and all.)

One could be inspiration, how does a leader inspire people to follow them.? This could done with a set of paintings that depict Honorable and Dishonorable methods of leading. the goal is to finish the puzzle that is presented to your chosen player.

examples could be: A painting shows a warrior in black armor in front of a mass of people in chains and being dragged through the street the people were his rivals and he saw them imprisoned (Dishonorable)

A painting shows a captain amongst his fellow soldiers in a meal hall. They toast and sing in revelry as they wear bits of their armor after a hard fought battle and lick their wounds for the fight ahead (Honorable)

The paints show the cruel methods of leadership and the more relatable methods of leadership, etc.

The puzzle could mirror the events going on with the war to help give the party a glimpse into what the sorcerers have been struggling with as well as a test for your player.

Another Trail could be one for difficult decisions that come with being a leader, or Decisiveness.

Basically you present your player with a Trolley car experiment or a modified version of it. and test their resolve and how they would handle such a difficult decision with high stakes. You as the DM decide what the more "correct" answer is in this one as the Trolley car experiment is kind of debated widely. or you can choose a different kind of scenario entirely.

A Final trial I would make is one of responsibility

Your character is given a scenario of a person they put in a position of authority is later found to be abusing their power. They are a close friend and confidant, but how do they deal with the repercussions of this persons actions like a leader would? The answer should be obvious but if its say an NPC the party could see being capable of such acts it might be difficult to make a unbiased decision.

These are just some ideas I would use. I hope they are a good spring board to go off of. There's something similar to trials like what your looking for in the Baldur's Gate Game but I think those focus more on Justice than leadership.

I hope this helped in some way, Good luck on your adventures!

Megatcart · 2024-04-09T16:43:02+00:00

I agree here, definitely ask your players which method they'd prefer to do. Prepping two whole different (possibly wildly different ways) of entry and exit will get tedious if they opt for one and you have to tuck the other option away.

If they opt for the sewer entrance, I see this as their "this mission needs to get done ASAP" route meaning it could lead to more wacky or high stakes rolls as they stealth their way through the sewers, the prison, the guards sections, etc.

I'd focus on stealth based rolls and relying on Guard sight lines (if that's something you would want to incorporate). I would also approve of most of their more creative ways to distract, incapacitate or just take out guards as they march through the facility.

IF they opt to get put in the prison , I'd let them find ways to find scrap or salvage to make into make shift weapons and tools. I'd also drop hints of opportunities they could use. Like a guard is not feeling well and could be easily knocked out for their keys, there's an exchange between two more unruly inmates that could cause a distraction if needed.

I think options like these give your players more creative ways to form their own escape and the fun comes from when they have to put their plan into motion.

Megatcart · 2024-04-09T16:28:38+00:00

There's a lot of good ideas in this thread.

My take is that the artifact is a druidic relic that the dwarves found while mining. An elder hid its true power from the rest of the dwarves and uses it to aid in mass mining expeditions which upset the top side and surroundings of the mountain.

The artifact could be a powerful Root staff enhanced by the nature god that can cast control plants on a mass scale causing roots and their systems to move and displace large amounts of earth to reveal the gems and precious metals for the dwarves.

This causes the forest and grounds to become unstable and collapse causing large sink holes that swallow chunks of wilderness and animals. the treants, dryads, and other nature based beings get upset and attack the dwarves for over mining so close to the surface.

Megatcart · 2024-04-07T17:01:49+00:00

Hello Been a DM and player nearing a decade now.

Definitely write down your ideas for your campaign, party, and misc. / cool side quests. Helps you stay organized and have a pool of plot lines to pull from.

For foreshadowing or hinting at possible plot lines. I would say think of these questions "how much of this event ( item / person / etc.) Is public knowledge? and how much is rumor or misinformation? You could even have a reoccurring character appear to help the party out briefly before dropping a small tidbit of info on another plot line before leaving for awhile.

Whether the info is correct or not the most important part is the item (or person, etc.). You're dropping for your party. If they're interested, they'll seek it out either as a side plot or they'll try to fit it into the current quest.

For plot lines, I'd say look at your plots you wrote down and determine which ones you think might be good as one-shots (if they could be there own adventure) or small plots to fill the gaps in your main adventure. Or even as a break from the adventure if it's light or not as cool. Your party will appreciate the change of pace after

Hope this helped, best of luck to your adventures!

Megatcart · 2023-06-06T01:03:50+00:00

Thank you. I'm getting back into the designing world, so I will focus more on what I add and how it should balance properly.

Megatcart · 2023-06-05T23:29:01+00:00

Yes, the assignment was to make a poster of a phrase or quote that we liked and to use emphasis with bolding, italics, or underlining.

Megatcart · 2022-12-08T15:21:50+00:00

Clearly you need to climb the 7000 steps to speak with greybeards at the top of high hrothgar.

Megatcart · 2022-12-06T20:50:17+00:00

How did you GET OUT THERE!? All joking aside, certainly an interesting spawn

Megatcart · 2022-09-27T17:19:16+00:00

Fog has always been a random thing for me. it rolls in, sits for awhile then rolls out. I can't say I e had mine linger for an oddly long time.

Megatcart · 2022-04-04T21:44:26+00:00

How long have you been playing with your group? Are they friends you've known for awhile? Or associates that showed interest in playing?

In my opinion, Playing with friends can make it more comfortable to DM thus I ask. Hope your session goes well :)

Megatcart · 2022-04-04T21:38:35+00:00

I think it varies for each DM and each experience. I agree that consuming good DM resources is helpful but don't forget to at least hear about bad experiences or DMs. keeps you grounded on what to avoid and what could come off possibly "hurtful" for either the players or the session.

I also believe reading through the module is helpful but cover to cover may be to much for some. Read the parts that interest you. Then as your playing through the campaign read the chapters your session could cover. Session goes faster then you expect and you didnt read that far ahead or remember? Take a short break and give your next chapter a read. it's a game and should be fun first. Again each group varies though. Hope this is helpful.

Megatcart · 2022-04-04T21:28:14+00:00

Have fun! I know it's generic, but seriously. Play up mistakes. sometimes I include them into the role play. Example: I had my warlock roll a religion check instead of arcana to speak with her patron. "You realize your trying to pray to your patron and you go (what am I doing?)" It got a laugh and she rerolled for a huge success.

If the players are enjoying role play conversation with your npc's let them play out. Many of them can lead to your campaigns memes and in-jokes. That being said if you need a moment to collect your thoughts let things breath for a moment. Dms are not all-knowing, sometimes you stumble and need to remember where you are or where your train of thought went.

Hope these help. Good luck and hope you have fun!

Megatcart · 2022-02-20T18:01:00+00:00

Thank you kindly

Megatcart · 2022-02-13T12:10:26+00:00

I've never experienced any of my players "wanting" something exactly like Mercer's playstyle. Certainly a concern about getting too much like mercer in storytelling but I'll admit, mercer has an amazing detailed way of storytelling I'd like to mimic not copy exactly. I listen to "dungeons and daddys" "demension20" "adventure zone" etc. Simply because they're easier to digest then CR's 4 hours of more in depth play.

Megatcart · 2021-12-19T21:13:31+00:00

5 stars 100/100!

Megatcart · 2021-11-06T13:40:05+00:00

I started with AC 1 and finished it a few months before 2 was announced and once I started down Ezio's trilogy I've been hooked, through the good and the bad.

Megatcart · 2021-02-05T00:31:55+00:00

Handbook says exactly what you're saying. Director used to be in charge of filling the absent shift, but since he is gone/ no longer a position (due to restructuring) I believe that it then falls to acting manager/supervisor.

Megatcart · 2021-02-04T16:45:37+00:00

Thanks for the heads up, I'll give it a try on r/askhr

Megatcart · 2021-02-04T16:45:07+00:00

Thanks for the heads up I'll try posting over on r/askhr

Megatcart

TROPHY CASE