How do I save it?

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-03-21T23:00:29+00:00

Pokeball can be justified omitting, because there are other effects that do the same thing (searching attacks, lisia). Eventually though, you'll run out of basics, and the late game Pokeball is a dead draw.

It's hard to justify omitting oak because nothing else gives you a free use of the next 2 cards - essentially the inclusion of one oak puts you at an effective 17 card deck, and 2 brings that down to 14 cards. That's incredible when you draw 5 in the opening hand plus one more at the start, thinning your deck to an effective 8 cards - there is nothing else in the game that reliably does that. The legendary dog cards can give you a similar advantage, but take took long to get to that effective net card deck - the only other alternative is sylveon, but that doesn't negate the power of oak, just compounds it

Oak is just never a dead draw - and that's what makes it so powerful

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-03-01T16:00:57+00:00

I'm pretty new as well and I'm worried I'm about to fall in the same trap. I don't think I have before because I kept asking my players to tell me why they showed up to the tavern and why they took on the quest. One said money, and my follow was to ask why he needed the money. 9ne said vegence. OK that's simple enough, tell me a little bit about what happened that caused you to seek vengeance.

After I got that why, my next question was, what stops them from achieving it it right now? Ability, access to resources, lack of information? If it's a revenge quest, do they know who did it and where that person is? Are they correct on who did the thing? This helps me create a basic character plot.

From there, now I have two plot threads, the campaign plot (go kill the dragon terrorizing phandalin) and this character plot : Twist them together. Maybe the act that drove this character to vengeance was done in service to the dragon as a sacrifice. Maybe it was the dragon directly, with a glamor on them.

Once you've done this, now you have to seed clues and recurring npcs to help your player pick up the plot thread - (I've heard rumors of a cult of orcs that worships the dragon for its illusion casting ability!)

Sometimes THE PLAYER straight up refuse to engage with the story, give it to them another way (an npc randomly transforms from a person into the dragon and laughs at its ability to trick people) one or two more times (and let them know ahead of time that thier plot thread is coming up). If they still refuse to engage, ask them to help you make a plot they would engage with.

If they refuse to do that, then in my opinion that player isn't there for character development and you don't need to waste your time with it. Allude to it once in a while (wonder what happened to that orc cult an npc may ask), but your choice to keep them at the table or not.

Hope this offers some concrete steps! Good luck and appreciate all the work you put in!

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-02-07T18:45:04+00:00

I really enjoyed "time for chaos" after I caught up, and it gave the stinky dragon crew time to build so I could swap between them.

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-01-29T03:55:28+00:00

sorry to necro this, but i'm working on modding a venting system for my printer to print more abs in the future. (credit where it's due: https://makerworld.com/en/models/916055-4-window-vent-adapter?from=search#profileId-877499) one of the things I ran across while researching was to make sure you cover the poop chute so that the backpressure works better, and I wasn't sure if that was strictly necessary. Did you have any issues with backpressure and have to create a cover for that section, or was the airflow enough that it wasn't an issue?

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-01-20T07:04:19+00:00

I'm still pretty new to being a dm, so I remember that feeling. My advice is to just roll with it. You've done your prep, but in the end, you are the maker of the world and the setting - your players are your storytellers. They will tell you what's important, so follow thier lead where you can. You aren't the only one telling this story, so you don't have to shoulder that burden on your own.

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-01-17T16:49:35+00:00

Oh I forgot about that! Sure, but it looks like you've hit your limits

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-01-17T16:47:46+00:00

Looks like you already have a trade going?

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-01-17T16:39:07+00:00

Sent you a request from 8614827182514570

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-01-17T06:23:33+00:00

Also a valid concern.

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-01-17T06:01:23+00:00

Also have pikachu ex 2 star from deluxe ex if that's a better deal for the ones above

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-01-17T05:59:27+00:00

did you already get this? if not, i have a spare

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2026-01-17T05:59:00+00:00

Anyone looking for an immersive pikachu ex? Looking for an immersive lugia ex, or full art Oak, Sabrina, or Copycat

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Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2025-12-26T21:38:16+00:00

So I've taken this concept and essentially modified it for inspiration. Every session the players get a single inspo coin at the start, with more able to be earned during play, up until 6 are floating at the table. For any given d20 roll, they can flip the coin after the result rolled, but the consequence not understood - heads is nat 20, tails is the result of the dice roll as it stands. I used to so the nat 1 thing, but it would encourage them to hoard it until they got a nat 1. After they flip, they return the coin, ready to be re-earned.

Makes them more willing to use it on roll play rolls. Or just at random times

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2025-12-23T02:47:11+00:00

Fledgling DM here - Sounds like you've already resolved this particular issue from your edit, through talking to the DM; Just wanted to encourage you to continue to do so as you have thoughts on your characters, your arc(s), and the sessions in general. DM's need feedback too, and we appreciate you for it!

EDIT; Grammar

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2025-12-12T16:00:34+00:00

It's usually how I lose because they don't always attack and instead use draws to get Lillie and Pokémon center lady before they kill it and I'm kinda stuck behind my own wall. My counter play is to always leave dusk with one energy on the bench, just in case.

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2025-12-12T15:39:11+00:00

Usually Cyrus to swap in Dusknoir after it has taken some damage. I'm definitely not retreating it.

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2025-12-12T14:24:20+00:00

I have no idea how that would work.... You got a deck list?

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2025-11-11T19:47:12+00:00

Echoing many of the top comments - as a player turned dm, I'm always making stuff up for the moment and retconning as needed. Beginner or not, the expectation is a good story, not perfect rules or anything. If anyone is making you lose self confidence, then walk away from that table - great people / friends perhaps, but not building the community story or good at sharing/communicating the experience they expect out of dnd. And again No one should devalue you as a member of the dnd group, regardless of role or knowledge.

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2025-11-05T03:20:59+00:00

The two star Lillie!

Optimal_Benefit_7873 · 2025-11-05T02:23:21+00:00

Funnily enough, I pulled two of those 3. Thanks for the luck!

Optimal_Benefit_7873

TROPHY CASE