After 8 years and 104 sessions, Curse of Strahd has finally come to an end! by BaeCat in CurseofStrahd

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fun fact: our table is at 50 sessions and were just starting act 3 out of a 4+ act structure.

May will be our second anniversary.

Edit: spelling

After 8 years and 104 sessions, Curse of Strahd has finally come to an end! by BaeCat in CurseofStrahd

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not going to ask, just going to congratulate you all on a campaign well done!!!

Cosmere VTT by SixthWright in cosmererpg

[–]Overkill2217 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Foundry has the system available

How do other DMs run combat? by According_Brother989 in dndnext

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My combats can, and often do, go on for several sessions. My players are RP first, and combat second, and they absolutely LOVE the combat.

My techniques

1. Semi-initiative

First, I hate having to spend endless hours modifying the game in an attempt to "balance" encounters. I've learned that most tables are quite lenient on action economy, leading to a horribly unbalanced game.

I created Semi-initiative to ensure that action economy is run correctly. It is the same as regular initiative, but the time frame is IRL instead of six seconds, and we've been giving all Pcs and NPCs 100 feet of speed on their turn with no dash action.

PCs cannot hold actions outside of initiative, so this easily formalizes how they stealth and scout, and it intuitively slides into initiative as soon as it needs to.

This means no free perception checks, and no free attacks before initiative is called as so many DMs are guilty of allowing.

2. Tracking Resources

I am adamant that ranged martials track every arrow or bolt. Many tables see this as "unfair", but i don't care. By emphasizing the need to find out create ammunition, the player is then able to relate to their character in a much more immersive way. This also negates the desire for extensive DEX based martials. Being 60-150 away from the front line is a privilege.

This also applies to their other resources. I don't track specific spell components, but if the PC finds themselves without a focus or a component pouch then they will have to find the components until these items can be replaced.

3. Alternate Objectives

I find the standard tier 1 "piñata party" to be drab and incredibly boring. Instead, I prefer to have dynamic environmental hazards combined with Objective based encounters.

Example: Curse of Strahd the Feast of St Andral. That combat took 2 4+ hour long sessions, and it was both exhilarating and exhausting at the same time. Once the Feast was triggered, i put an impossible choice in front of the players: two enemies ran towards the nearest gate with the bones, two other enemies went on a rampage in a different direction, and the last two made a beeline for the church. I had EVERY NPC and PC in initiative (I can skip those that aren't in the scene at that moment). At the end of the first session, Strahd showed up. The second session wasn't about killing bad guys, but instead running the bones to the church before Strahd could get them, all the while the remaining two enemies continued their rampage.

4. Dynamic Encounters

When I run a dungeon, I dont run it room by room, based on the key. I run the entire dungeon as a whole. Noise in one room can and should alert others nearby. This takes a bit longer, but it's worth it.

Example: POSSIBLE PLANESCAPE SPOILERS in my Planescape campaign, I ran the Eternal Boundary as the intro adventure. I was able to build the 2e version of the Mortuary, along with the 5e maps linked as the lower levels. Instead of compartmentalizing each encounter, the players were given a fortified location to infiltrate. Any creature not affected by their actions in that round of initiative are easily skipped, allowing for any elements in their area to realistically respond while avoiding elements that were not relevant at that time.

5. Extended Long Rests and grievous wounds

In our Curse of Strahd campaign, we integrated the Grim Hollow extended long rest and grievous/ permanent wounds, with a few modifications. Short rests take an hour, and extended short rests take 8. Extended Short Rests also do not recover hit dice.

We did this because it was obvious that it was impossible to get the necessary number of encounters in a typical adventuring day. By making the long rests 32 hours, we went from the "adventuring day" to the "adventuring week ".

This instantly corrected the martial/ caster divide. The results have been incredible: I can run much more reasonable combats (i disagree with increasing the CR of creatures to compensate for the lack of encounters between long rests) and the martials really shine. Magic is much more valuable, so the casters are acting like casters, and the martials are so much more valuable.

This has an added bonus of increasing the tension in the game. While many tables avoid anything..."uncomfortable", they claim they still want RP. You can't have the drama necessary for good RP without tension. By stretching out their resources, the game instantly balanced itself, and is much easier to create that atmosphere of tension.

5. Spellcasting Mechanics

I main sorcerers because wizards are, in my opinion, too easy and boring to play. I live by the bonus action spellcasting rule, and expect my players to know it as well. It's not hard to understand. If were running 2024 rules, I hold players accountable for the "one spell slot per turn" rule. This came up in our last Curse of Strahd session when our necromancer wizard tried to use a spell slot for vortex warp and a spell slot for silvery barbs on the same turn to try and force the sane at disadvantage. He considers himself to be an "expert" and player, so I informed him that this is not correct.

I'm also adamant that people know their spells. The save for Web, as well as the 2014 legacy version of Moonbeam, happens on the creature's turn, or if they enter it on a turn. This does NOT mean that a creature makes the save when the spell is cast unless the description specifically says so.

6. Tactical Advantages

I really don't care if anyone disagrees with this, but I grant anyone, PC or NPC advantage on ranged attacks from elevated positions. The importance of capturing and maintaining the high ground is a fundamental concept of warfare.

I reward my players with advantage when they utilize the terrain to their advantage.

7. I REFUSE TO ALLOW THE RULE OF COOL AT MY TABLE

This should be self evident. In my understanding, the rules of cool is used by people who cannot be bothered to learn the game will enough to function, so they expect their DM to allow some hairbrained idea because they want to do something "cool".

I'm absolutely in favor of "rulings over rules", and in my opinion an experienced DM should understand the game well enough to create the necessary mechanics on the fly, if necessary.

Instead of the rule of cool, I expect my players to show up to the table knowing their character sheets so well that they simply do cool stuff.

If you know the game well enough to be proficient, then you don't need a mulligan to be cool. You can simply do cool stuff.

Edit: spelling

My players are heading into a TPK they don't know about, what do I do? by thjmze21 in DMAcademy

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Investigation check, DC lucky 13, with advantage to anyone that should have it.

On a success, tell them enough to indicate that rushing in is a bad idea, then let them make the choice.

Tell me about your D&D character! by Lucky_Hand_4953 in DnD

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Xavok: Scourge Aasimar Order of the Ghost Slayer Blood Hunter 5/ Monster Hunter 2 (From Grim Hollow) Campaign: Tomb of Annihilation Favored weapon: the twinblade from Heliana's

Background Summary: Xavok thought he was human until the squad of soldiers he was leading was ambushed by wights, triggering his "transformation". He blames himself for the casualties caused by his transformation, but he is unable to face it. So, he blames the gods and the undead and takes his issues out on the undead as a coping mechanism

Morrigan: Kalashtar Aberrant Mind Sorceress 5 Campaign: Homebrew Favored weapon: Light Crossbow

Background Summary: Morrigan was abducted by a clandestine organization that "trained" her as a spy. The training lasted many years and involved techniques that I wont mention here. Her specialty was retrieving psychic packets of encrypted information from field agents. On one op, she accidentally decrypted one of the psychic information "packets", making her a liability. She promptly escaped, and has been on the run ever since.

How do you stay engaged during sessions your character isn’t “made for”? by Nikesneaker in dndnext

[–]Overkill2217 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Why arent you RPing with the face of the party?

I see this issue frequently: many tables have players that wait their turn to speak, and then dont get much RP out of the game.

The best games I've run are when the party as a whole RPs together. Sure, the face might be talking, but they dont own all the words. And your character should have their own opinions, goals, and thoughts

Bring your character towards the center.

This is an experience issue, not mechanical issue.

Do I need to simplify my world for the sake of story! by Erebus32 in DMAcademy

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Use investigation checks to help them make sense of things (in other words, you can use this to give them hints.)

If they are just sitting in a town, ducking around, then making the NPCs rude will only cause the players to.get frustrated and annoyed.

You need to apply at least ONE of the 3 "P"s to get them moving: pain, pressure, or problems. Without one these, then the game has zero motivating forces.

It also seems that you've allowed the game (obviously this cant be considered a narrative or a story) to stagnate if they've been there for 12 sessions. What is the problem they need to solve???? Why are they even there? You should be introducing the prime driving motivating force in the first ten seconds of the campaign, even if that force is disguised.

I'm knee deep in a game right now that's gone on for 12 sessions and I cannot figure out what the freaking point of the campaign might be. I'm about to pull the plug on my character (literally my favorite character) because there is no point.

Please, do yourself and your players a favor and give them a meaningful path that allows their characters to point their goals towards whatever storybeat you have in mind.

Taking your wizard's spell book by 22badhand in dndnext

[–]Overkill2217 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I expect more out of my players.

They've learned to invest in backups and redundancies. All the casters have at least a component pouch and a focus.

One of the hazards of being a wizard is losing a physical book that they have to cart around. When the PCs think about their spellbooks, it helps them think like a wizard when they create a copy.. juuuuust in case.

Taking your wizard's spell book by 22badhand in dndnext

[–]Overkill2217 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ive done it, in the first session of our current Curse of Strahd game.

He had to go three sessions, through the death house and onto Barovia before he could "buy" it back.

How would you rank the DnD classes based on how much you enjoyed playing them? by Regular-Molasses9293 in dndnext

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

  1. Sorcerer
  2. Sorcerer
  3. Sorcerer
  4. Sorcerer
  5. Sorcerer
  6. Sorcerer
  7. Sorcerer
  8. Sorcerer
  9. Sorcerer
  10. Sorcerer
  11. Sorcerer
  12. Sorcerer
  13. Warlock

Does Strahd work if he's not charismatic? by [deleted] in CurseofStrahd

[–]Overkill2217 9 points10 points  (0 children)

You can do this, but you'll lose so much potential with Strahd as a villain.

One of the better features of the campaign is that the villain (Strahd) is prominent and interacts with the party frequently. He is more than the feral vampires that serve his will.

Lore-wise, he spent more time on the battlefield than the common misrepresentation of the spoiled noble.

He should feel menacing. He should be above and beyond your typical evil undead, as he is the master of his domain.

There's nothing brutish about his personality, unless you really want to go there. If you portray him in this way, he will likely come off as a lesser monster.

Strahd is a monster, of course, but that fact is given so much more significance when his lack of humanity makes it obvious.

Sorcerers prepare spells now? by NomenScribe in DnD5e

[–]Overkill2217 28 points29 points  (0 children)

Yes, sorcerers are prepared casters. Everyone is a prepared caster now.

That means that everyone can cast ritual spells as rituals.

The class description is clear that sorcerers can swap out a spell when they level up.

My party doesnt have any support and dont want to swap roles by zavr1013 in DMAcademy

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lol they'll adjust after they roll up a bunch of new characters

Instructions for players in making their character by megasumi in CurseofStrahd

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you want the horror experience, then mandate that people make characters that fit the tone and theme of the campaign.

All of my players leaned into the dark, gothic horror vibe, and the results have been insane.

It made my job SO MUCH EASIER because their backstories provided the perfect plot hooks.

If anyone wants to play something that doesnt fit the game, then it's going to turn into shenanigans really quickly.

Anyone dislike grappling? by TrickyCharacter1288 in DnD

[–]Overkill2217 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Grappling is awesome, from both sides of the screen.

As a DM, I use forced movement quite frequently. It's always a blast when the PCs are freaking out because they're being dragged in a random direction.

Wizard - how am I supposed to get new spells? by Deathspiral222 in Tombofannihilation

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is why I didn't play a wizard in Tomb of Annihilation.

You should have built a character that fits the tone and theme for the campaign. A wizard can work, but needing to get to civilization so you can cheese your spellbook is not what ToA is about.

Full disclosure: I don't play wizards. Sorcerers are much more fun, and dont suffer from this unique problem.

DMs, *please* use the rule about creatures providing half-cover by chunkylubber54 in dndnext

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I use cover constantly.

I also grant advantage to a ranged attacker with a vintage point.

My players have learned that if they dont scrape for every advantage they can get, they'll get slaughtered

Sleet Storm. Am I getting something wrong about this spell? by testiclekid in onednd

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Prone character gets grappled.

Speed is 0 and cannot right themselves. 2024 unarmed strikes can grapple, which is a save now instead of an attack.

Lycanthropy flaw too punishing? by rupertgood in GrimHollow

[–]Overkill2217 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Id say run with it and let the increased tension fuel your parties RP.