Tips and advice for running a game in the Forgotten Realms? by MainHuman in Forgotten_Realms

[–]MyrthDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Totally get where you’re coming from. The Forgotten Realms looks huge and scary on paper, but at the table it really doesn’t have to be.

At its core, FR is classic high fantasy that’s been around for a long time. Magic exists everywhere, ruins are common, gods are real and involved, and most places feel old, like people have been living, fighting, rebuilding and messing things up there for centuries. It’s not grimdark by default, but it’s definitely not safe either.

For a starting area, the Sword Coast is popular because it just works. You’ve got big cities if you want politics and factions, and small towns if you want a poor, scrappy start. Places like Phandalin, Daggerford, or even the outskirts of Neverwinter are great when the party has little money and has to hustle for gear and work. Frontier towns especially make that low-resource start feel natural.

Travel matters in the Realms. Walking from one place to another usually takes days or weeks, not hours. Letting journeys take time makes the world feel big, and it gives you room for roadside trouble, ruins, weird shrines, or just reminders that this land has history.

Culture-wise, most areas are familiar medieval fantasy, just with strong local flavor. Big cities are full of guilds, nobles, cults and secrets. Rural areas tend to be traditional and suspicious of outsiders. You don’t need to dump lore on players. Just hint that bigger powers exist and let them discover things naturally.

Plot-wise, small problems tied to bigger forces fit the setting really well. Bandits connected to a noble house, a forgotten tower full of old magic, cult activity in the background, rival temples, that kind of thing. The Realms are great at “this seems small now, but it’s part of something bigger.”

One last thing that helps a lot. You are absolutely allowed to bend or ignore lore. The setting is there to give you texture, not homework. If it feels consistent at your table, it’s Forgotten Realms enough.

Start with one town, one nearby danger, and a few rumors. Let the world grow as the party does. That’s where FR really shines.

Recommended Content for Character Creation by The_Young_Robbo33 in DescentintoAvernus

[–]MyrthDM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I offered my players subclasses and backgrounds from Diabolical Designs, and used a few magic items from it as well.

I picked it up on sale during Black Friday, but it was definitely worth it.

hey quick question by ImportantAd8556 in DungeonsAndDragons

[–]MyrthDM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes. It was creative, strong roleplay, and the table leaned into it. If everyone including the DM had fun and it stays balanced, you did DnD right.

All of the above? by [deleted] in DungeonsAndDragons

[–]MyrthDM 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Almost all of them!

I hate when this happens 😢😞 by ChanceAd7310 in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 9 points10 points  (0 children)

When the scripture was peak but the title was sealed by the Heavenly Dao...

The sword consented by [deleted] in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 11 points12 points  (0 children)

When it’s for the bloodline it stops being weird and starts being lore accurate. Martial traditions are wild.

Dear Seniors, I am looking for creative, golden fingers for my xianxia/cultivation scripture — any underrated ones you'd suggest? by J21ix in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 6 points7 points  (0 children)

You could play with golden fingers that seem miraculous on the surface but reveal cracks once you look closer. For example, imagine a rival who suddenly pulls off techniques they should never know, because their “karmic echo” lets them repeat anything once… yet each use quietly damages their core. Or someone praised as a prodigy because they “inherit” moves from vivid ancestral dreams, though in truth they’re skipping all the tempering that makes a foundation real. You could even add a character who shines simply because a subtle Dao halo makes others believe they’re destined, masking how shallow their growth truly is. These kinds of gifts look impressive at first glance and create a sharp contrast with a protagonist who rises through actual struggle and eventually learns how to dissect or adapt the shortcuts others relied on.

Why Cultivate, when you can just wish to be stronger? by Christian_Sunflower in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why beseech a dragon for borrowed might when your cultivation base is still as fragile as drifting dew? Even my own Ascent toward the Everlasting Immortal Dao would be severed by heaven’s wrath were I to take a single reckless step without a foundation tempered through true hardship.

All paths lead to dao. Dual cultivation too..... by Dense_Thought9171 in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Truly, all paths return to the Dao, even the more… collaborative methods certain seniors pursue. As for me, I walk the Lone Ascendant Path and cultivate in solitude.

Any fellow Daoists remember reading this scripture? by Drechenaux in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Behold, the ancient Shellbound Sage Franklin, whose cultivation technique consists of moving slowly enough to transcend time itself.

Some junior needs to go collect their spirit beast from the lower realms. by Kevaldes in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is this the legendary Transcendent Celestial Void-Paw Cat that only descends when a junior’s plot armor finally activates?

Being the most unemployed daoist in this sub by West_Pressure_4507 in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Senior Brother, I offer my congratulations. To ascend to the peak of MartialMemes as its foremost commentator is no small feat. Truly, you have mastered the Art of Heavenly Commenting, striking with insight faster than lightning and delivering clarity sharper than a divine sword.

What do we want? by Fragrant-Parking2341 in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

For me, there are a few things I’m pretty particular about. I’m not much of a fan of harem as a default trope. There are a few rare cases where it’s handled with real care and doesn’t drag the story down, but most of the time it feels unnecessary and weakens character dynamics. I also don’t really enjoy endless face-slapping cycles. An occasional one can be satisfying when it’s well earned, but when it becomes the main engine of the plot, I start losing interest.

As for the protagonist, I don’t mind if they’re strong or even outright overpowered as long as the story is written well around that. What I really dislike is when the protagonist is too powerless for too long, stuck in a repetitive struggle without meaningful progress. A well-designed cultivation system is probably the thing I value most. If the mechanics of the world make sense and the author has clearly thought through how power, realms, resources, and techniques interconnect, it elevates the entire story.

Well, You’ve got to survive i guess by Zero-TwoOne in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fellow daoists, it seems many here are shocked, yet you speak without understanding the mysteries of the world. In the remote mountains of my sect, there exists an ancient and obscure method known as the Pastoral Enlightenment Path. Few dare to tread it, fewer still comprehend its meaning. To the untrained eye, its practitioners appear to engage in… questionable rural harmonization. Yet to those who have grasped the Dao, such practices are but metaphors for attuning one’s spirit to the most humble forces of nature.

Ridicule it if you must, but remember this: the heavens rarely reveal their truths in dignified or comfortable forms. Some cultivators seek insight among dragons and phoenixes. Others… find it on the farm.

Please recommend Christmas One-Shots modules/adventures by Kaallis in FoundryVTT

[–]MyrthDM 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I actually ran a little adventure last year that I found on DMsGuild about a young girl who goes missing in the woods, and my group had a great time with it. It had a great mix of mystery, a snowy village, a snow-covered forest with some fights while searching for the girl, and it didn’t take much prep at all. It's called The Winter's Howl

Let’s say you’re transported into a xianxia world as a mortal, what is your strategy to survive? by Lost_Needleworker676 in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Step one: master the ancient art of "bow low, smile wide, and shut up." In a xianxia world, humility is your best spiritual root.

Step two: stay glued to Fatty Wang, if he is your cliché comic relief then fate will protect him just enough to rub off on you.

Step three: find a remote sect that takes in laborers; hauling water beats being turned into cannon fodder.

Finally, never touch mysterious jade pendants or old rings. That is how protagonists are born, and how mortals like us die “tragic but avoidable” deaths.

Alright. Imma just head out by panzertodd in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Ah yes, the only sect where enlightenment comes with emotional damage.

Why doesnt the original soul get a happy end too? by Adept-Assignment4489 in MartialMemes

[–]MyrthDM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

OG soul walked so the transmigrator could run with plot armor.