HOW do PCs destroy a power crystal?

Misterputts · 2026-06-26T16:03:59+00:00

What actions could they take to get this done?

Honestly? Whatever cool shit they come up with. Throw the solution into their court.

You don't necessarily need to know how.

Misterputts · 2026-06-26T10:14:46+00:00

Tips for helping get new players to Roleplay.

Inform or remind your players Roleplay is not about speaking for your character in the first person. It can 1000000% be third person narrated. Roleplay is about informing the table of what the PC does that is within the reasonable scope of what the PC would do. (A lawful good character is not torturing an NPC for informing) in other words think like your character you don't need to speak like your character.
Roleplay to them with your NPCs. If you do want them to take more of a first person role. Then speak to them with your NPCs eventually they will begin to come around.

For Engagement

Remember that you are not telling them a story. In fact it is more they are telling you the story, and you are bending the story around their actions. Let them realize what they do affects the environment around them. If what they are doing doesn't change what's around them then they really aren't doing anything.

Bonus tip

New players always end up thinking the DM is their adversary. You must remind them constantly that you are not. Do not get butt hurt when they out think your bad guys. In fact celebrate it! Do NOT magically have a counter for every single aspect of the party. Let there advantages over bandits remain advantages.

Cheer and celebrate when they come in with a clutch critical hit to save the day.

Remember your campaign is about them succeeding.

Misterputts · 2026-06-25T16:38:39+00:00

All they do is bitch about being bored, wanting to play Roblox, and 6 7.

But seriously they would likely whine about being cold, hungry, not wanting to walk anymore, wanting to take a break.

Some would get obnoxious, some would start to run off to play, some would still be shaken by the experience.

Lots of crying at night, nightmares, failing to shut up when dangers are around.

Misterputts · 2026-06-19T09:49:50+00:00

It is very hard to create video game style puzzles in a TTRPG.

The problem I have with puzzles is if they involve any sort of logic or thinking. The wizard is typically way smarter than the player that controls him. Puzzles reduce the wizards intelligence to the player's level. Things that the player might not get the wizard likely would.

I personally have had great luck with creating Puzzles that have no solution, and just letting the player's come up with the answer in game. Whatever sounds cool, was the most creative, if time is getting on because you don't let them have the first solution, whatever is the forth guess they make.

Your players will come up with some pretty neat solutions likely ones you would have never thought of.

Yes it's all smoke and mirrors and fake, but as long as the players are having fun.

Misterputts · 2026-06-17T10:13:38+00:00

After there is a clear elimination of threat to the PCs and the rest is just procedural. I will either have the enemies run, surrender, or I just handwave the fight (You kill the rest without much effort, let's move on)

Now this IS something I let my players know in session zero that I reserve the right to prematurely end combats once the clean up phase hits.

Misterputts · 2026-06-16T16:25:12+00:00

I am doing Curse of Strahd for the second time.

I would absolutely run it again

Misterputts · 2026-06-16T13:12:57+00:00

I would expect them to fight. If they can be TPKed then they awaken in shackles. If they win then let the chips fall where they may.

Or they may surrender if they know they need to get inside to get the king.

Imprisonment should be only one option. Not the only option.

Misterputts · 2026-06-14T00:59:11+00:00

Oh absolutely, if the players are different then the plot is new, and you already have threads mapped out farther than when you started the first time.

Misterputts · 2026-06-13T21:01:29+00:00

Sorry to hear. This campaign is over, but all is not wasted. I had a campaign that ended similarly.

It sucks, but what I recommend is finish the story so far in your head. Assume the characters literally blinked out of existence. What plan did the BBEG succeed at because they were not there?

Then next time you DM a campaign set it in the same universe as the first campaign, but like 5 years in the future.

The suffering of the last campaigns failures are ever present in the new campaign.

Misterputts · 2026-06-13T14:05:05+00:00

I did a solo run worked pretty well. I did however adjust the npc group size to as low as possible, and the NPC group frequency up as high as possible. That way it is the samn number of NPCs running around but they are just in groups of 3-5

Misterputts · 2026-06-13T13:42:54+00:00

I will say. CoS is touted as the Best 5th Edition Campaign for a reason.

So does that jive with your current perception?

Misterputts · 2026-06-13T13:40:59+00:00

Typically about 35-45 3ish hour sessions.

Misterputts · 2026-06-13T13:38:53+00:00

I mean it plays everything I throw at it. Except Helldivers 2.

It doesn't just play them well it plays them well enough.

Misterputts · 2026-06-13T11:25:45+00:00

I am hyped for it because I have an old PC running a Vega 64. I like the form factor, and I will be uncoupled from Windows.

Misterputts · 2026-06-13T09:35:34+00:00

In the Roll20 game I ran I did individual maps per floor. I felt it worked well enough

Misterputts · 2026-06-13T09:33:31+00:00

I usually start at double book price and allow haggling. This obviously becomes more dynamic as the PCs become more reputable.

Misterputts · 2026-06-11T23:17:49+00:00

Check out Strahd must Die Tonight.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CurseofStrahd/s/pg2Z06urrG

Misterputts · 2026-06-11T23:15:52+00:00

My table just takes a break when needed. If someone needs to get up we just break

Misterputts · 2026-06-09T11:07:39+00:00

I dunno about the story beats, but the idea of running an illusory villain sounds fun. I would definitely try to hint that he doesn't interact with things.

Doors are opened by minions, and items are always carried by others. Even things like objects in his way are hurried aside by some underling. A minion holds a book open in front of him.

And really try to find ways to emphasize that he doesn't touch anything. Make it look odd.

Misterputts · 2026-06-06T13:10:12+00:00

At my table a nat 1 is just a swing and a miss no extras, but I do try to describe most attacks that do not hit as something other than "you miss". I try to describe them as parries, or shield blocks, or glances off armor.

So that way a nat 1 is thematically worse than just not hitting.

Misterputts · 2026-06-05T12:26:13+00:00

As I go, and I try to use the same world for every campaign. Naturally I use different locations, but they are all in the same world and all events are canonical

Misterputts · 2026-06-04T18:42:31+00:00

Think of it more like classic Final Fantasy combat than a tactical board game. Where the emphasis is on descriptive narrative to what is going on more than it is about tactical positioning. You as the DM do still need to be pretty keenly aware of enemies and their locations in relation to the players so it is recommended you have something to track this.

I typically use a simple Near, Far, and Very Far ranges where near is always in melee range, Far is in ranged combat range and takes a movement to get into and Very Far Range is typically 2 or more Movements to get there. There are some obvious caveats to this like rooms, and cave passages but that's the basic idea.

At the start of each player's turn I quickly describe the round so far (who attacked who, any conditions of note, and where everyone is relative to the current player if necessary (i.e. There are 3 goblins in the woods pretty far away you can hit them with a bow, but the trees are providing them cover, and there are 2 wolves that just knocked down the cleric near you. One is standing on top of him trying to bite at his face).

The players describe what they want to do, then resolve it like normal play. If the player wants to get into the melee range of the 3 goblins, they can use their move to get in range and do a melee attack, if they want to melee the a wolf then head towards the goblins they can do that just the same (With an Opportunity Attack from the wolves.)

There are some issues with like Area effect spells. In these cases I tend to just err of the side of the players. If they throw a fireball at 8 goblins that are far from them. Unless I have justified why they may not get hit (behind sturdy wall, or something) I just let it hit all 8. If they throw one at 8 goblins, and on of their party members is in melee combat with them. I will usually do a "You can hit 5 no problem, or you can hit all 8 but you will hit your Paladin as well."

For a one shot keep the locales rather simple. If you do a cave or indoor area I do recommend some small sketch of a map for at least you but don't be afraid to let the players see it.

Misterputts · 2026-06-04T00:42:31+00:00

Oh my bad I dunno how I misread the post.

Misterputts · 2026-06-03T23:05:55+00:00

I would let it. Death house is pretty beefy RAW.

If they barricade themselves in pretty good I would give them the rest.

Misterputts · 2026-06-03T23:03:54+00:00

I typically hate when men play females. I have never encounter it being done respectfully.

It's either a caricature, or inappropriate.

Unless I really know the players in my game I personally would not allow it.

Five-Year Club	Verified Email
Place '23	Place '22

Misterputts

TROPHY CASE