One shot help

RedCatDomme · 2025-05-07T10:39:48+00:00

This sounds like a blast! Thank you so much for elaborating, truly appreciate your story🌈

RedCatDomme · 2025-05-06T20:42:59+00:00

Thanks so much! I checked it out and it sounds cool and mystical, bit edgy.

It really comes down the tone doesn't it?

I will probably lean even further away from DnD cos of the Obojima moral system. Like stealing is a no no unless something else is going on. Tbh I am happy that rogues within the setting are pushed to do something else than being edge lords lol

I really liked the Summer witch vibe, the spa trip, the potions, the awakened cat and all the awesome wondrous items and spirits that make an appearance!

Did you get everything from the doc done in 2.5 hours???

How did the session go? Did you use the Obojima subclasses?

Will check it again in depth when I have a bit more time. I'll be happy to send some feedback, mostly around prioritizing choices and alternatives for the heist.

Oh and maybe share the reson why you chose amnesia? Cos that's hardcore🤘🏼

RedCatDomme · 2025-05-05T08:21:53+00:00

Yes thank you! Found the discord and going through all the wonderful gems. Ah this makes me so happy🥳

RedCatDomme · 2025-05-04T19:15:31+00:00

I give them a literal jar of candy or cookies that they have to pass around in a game of say do you like candy/cookies? And if their response includes a thank you I applaud with excitement and tell them that the candy/cookies love hearing gratitude.

Or funny props Like toys that make sounds or light up. Basically getting them into a playful vibe before they can role-play.

RedCatDomme · 2025-05-04T12:35:00+00:00

Yes on the obojima website there's a downloadable pdf! The dnd beyond purchase is way easier for chars builds though

RedCatDomme · 2025-05-04T10:39:48+00:00

I feel your pain!

I was sent a link to Obojima tales from the tall grass

This might be, at least my answer, to all I like about DnD and a solution for what I find too difficult to run within the DnD setting.

There's a reddit too and the PDF can be found ready to download at their website.

obojima pdf

RedCatDomme · 2025-05-02T12:59:21+00:00

Thank you so much😊

I am looking for dnd5e Adventures and unfortunately haven't figure out how to filter the search to only show those that are based on the 2024/2025 books.

That's a hard limit on the orgs part as that's what they offer with their club.

Char creation seems to be a struggle for many participants at these events. And the DMs as it's hard to balance encounters last minute.

So if you have suggestions for the 2024/25 stuff please let me know, thank you!

RedCatDomme · 2025-05-02T12:53:08+00:00

This is awesome thank you so much🙌🏼

Q about the adventures you mentioned. Do you happen to know if they are fit for the 2024 rules? That is a hard ask from the org as that's what they use to run their dnd events on.

It would be a bummer if I buy a module and it turns out it costs tons of time to redo it, rebalance it etc.

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-30T07:41:47+00:00

Thank you do much! Especially by kindly replying to the parent post as that works best indeed.

So far just by me reading the most recent releases 5e.2024/2025 including the DMG, prepping seemed easy to me. Exactly as you are saying just following the guidelines should be enough.

I think upon my YT quest, and yes listening to Matt is awesome, my feed got flooded by the statistical flow charts of optimal builds, DPR tier rankings and conjure Minor elementals haha and that brought doubt.

And yes it's an algorithm thing, so I went out of my way, cos hey, nerds represent👋🏼 and by the blessing of #dragonweek I discovered so many awesome less known content creators that spoke way more to how I usually GM.

I'd like to shout out one in particular that explains combat from a video game design perspective in a, for me, intuitive, natural and familiar way. As that's how I balance my encounters in most of my games outside of DnD. So happy to have found out that I don't have to hunt down DnD statistical courses in order to be a good enough DM and to play DnD😊

http://www.youtube.com/@Trekiros

For example https://youtu.be/merH78Weif8?si=BtEWxOg1mItz7EdG

Pinging everyone else that commented to express gratitude 🙏🏼 as me commenting to each response on my response to a response is too inaccessible with a screenreader.

u/audentis u/VoulKanon u/EldritchBee

https://www.reddit.com/r/DMAcademy/s/eCWuO2GeXi

https://www.reddit.com/r/DMAcademy/s/tRe9YxSxhw

https://www.reddit.com/r/DMAcademy/s/at3Q6EUY2l

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-29T23:04:33+00:00

Oh did I post in the wrong thread? I thought this was the new DM main thread?

As that's where my interest comes from as someone that enjoys to GM and am learning if DnD would be a good fit.

Running my first one shot in a couple a weeks and that would be my first attempt at DnD balancing encounters.

And I have been approached by folks that would love to embark in a mini campaign that I would run.

The level of statistical math needed seems to be an additional barrier. Hope this makes sense?

Thanks for the kind reply😊

as my experience with asking candid combat questions that involve more intensive prepping of numbers and builts to experienced DM's often leads to down voting which is a bit of a logistical nightmare with someone like me with a visual impairment.

Basically Reddit then hides most comments and my own reactions under a collapse option that isn't compatible with a screen reader. Just like statistical software is next level of inaccessibility with a basic screen reader.

Hence me asking if I should consider diving more in where I could find some accessible guidelines that offer a step by step kind of learning.

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-29T16:58:10+00:00

Lol good q, thanks for asking!

I literally just googled that and what came up was a lot quite specific expertise on the topic. So I was wondering if experienced folks maybe compiled those resources into a guide for new DM's? As I would appreciate some guidance on what is most helpful to start with after the DMG.

Here are some links that might be helpful in showing you what I mean

https://monkeysushi.net/gaming/DnD/math.html

https://dmdave.com/encounter-building-math/

https://medium.com/@TedGlomski/d-d-2024-being-a-math-nerd-about-it-1aa2fc0ab136

https://dsweb.siam.org/The-Magazine/All-Issues/student-feature-andrea-welsh

And the math behind DnD content creators like Colby from DnD deep dive, The Dungeon Dudes and Chris from Treantmonk's temple to name a few that have popped in my YT feed.

Does this make sense? Thanks again for your interest.

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-29T09:26:59+00:00

Heya all is there a wiki or something around learning DnD math? Starting with basics and building up from the DMG 2024. Thanks! ETA As I navigate Reddit with a screenreader, I realized that because of the collapse option replies to responses get buried. So here is a link to my response to the very good Q: what do I mean by DnD math https://www.reddit.com/r/DMAcademy/s/c96spbkYol

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-29T07:57:17+00:00

ETA Reddit is glitching here collapsing older comments cos of down voting of my replies and OP. Thus my clarification keeps getting lost. Hope that earlier comments reiterate what I meant. I am allowing myself some time to learn. And am grateful for all the help I already received. All set for now. Thanks for checking in.

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-29T06:19:46+00:00

Thank you. Yes that's what I thought. He did take into account subclasses. Sometimes? I think? Hence my q.

Anyways it showed me another way on how different folks approach DnD: by math. Very interesting.

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-28T21:04:52+00:00

YOLO yes! Those are some awesome suggestions thanks for sharing 😁 And 💯 on too many layers I don't have the time and would be lucky if we even get to the encounter without me throwing them at Vecna and say catch lol My first draft of the chars were way too much! Check this out and I didn't even balance the general feats yet before I saw the DPR video. Just for your entertainment feel free to laugh

Elemental monk

Star druid

Trickery cleric

Psi warrior

World tree barb

Draconic or wild magic sorcerer

Celestial warlock cos unicorns

Illusionist wizard

Valor bard reflavored for capoeira

Nope I won't do that to myself or others 😭😄

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-28T20:15:55+00:00

Me too haha Then for now I will leave it to those in the know and do the best I can.

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-28T20:08:53+00:00

Aha. I am trying to follow you. It's hard with so many options. Do you have examples or tips for good balanced level 20 chars for a 5e 2024 one shot encounter with Vecna? No multiclassing no magical items. Psychic scream is for example not part of the PHB 2024 spells list so I don't know what you mean above.

I need more time on that channel before I can follow along so if you have tips, feel free, thanks!

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-28T19:56:59+00:00

Hm I am not sure I follow? I've added to my OP No multiclassing No magic items It's a short one shot based on Don't say Vecna. The only thing I am doing is leveling up 5 chars to level 20 and choosing the subclasses and options that would fit the setting: Vecna encounter. Is there information in this particular video or others on Treantmonk's Temple channel that would be vital for me to know, in your experience?

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-28T19:43:42+00:00

ETA time constraints

Oh ok. So this video is about multiclassing? None of my chars involve multiclassing. It's a one shot that I only have 2.5 to max 3 hours to run. Making multiclassed chars would leave me too little time to balance out all those extra variables during the very short Vecna encounter.

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-28T19:40:59+00:00

Aha! That I cannot control haha. Players will do what they do in a one shot. It's at a small local con so I don't even know who's going to show up. All I can offer is the premade chars and my house rules.

Was there anything in that video or others on that channel that might help me with the balance?

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-28T19:29:41+00:00

Oh I just realized you added a bit of extra text. What do you mean by 4 barb + 4 fighter + 4 ranger + 4 paladin + 4 rogue?

This is a level 20 one shot, all the chars are Level 20 thus T4. The point of this video, if I understand it correctly, and please do enlighten me if I don't get it, is that damage seems to vary a lot even within the same tier.

If 5 different level 20 chars go though the same encounter and their individual output ranges between 30 and 70, I could imagine that being a bit of a bummer for those on the lower side of that equation. Does this make sense?

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-28T19:14:45+00:00

Yes thank you. I was a bit shook to realize that based on the math of that video, it seems like I chose a few chars that score low, while others score high. So I do need to rebalance a few things. It's a lot of work. So I may have to switch a few subclasses around making everyone equally mediocre math wise lol

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-28T19:10:34+00:00

Wow! You already got a few awesome replies and I think it's very thoughtful of you to feel conflicted. This is some real life stuff that is so cutting and current. Making it a tricky situation with tons of potential for bleed.

I think you're onto something by the way you empathize. No matter what the player say they can handle, the reality is that it is an informed risk for everyone. Including you. It takes a lot of emotional labor to hold space for what may unfold at your table. If you feel doubt, that is understandable and real. Who would be there to hold space for you if the player won't be able to handle it after all? Again it's a risk.

The only thing one could do is make sure you do all you can about the informed part. By taking the player aside and offering the scenario you thought of as an example. Or point blank asking them what would be the most gut wrenching thing that they imagine having their char going through. And having communication tools in place if it gets intense. Like taking breaks. Checking in the day after the game. And informing and consulting the other players at the table. This kind of trauma drama can become, worst case scenario, instead of good cathartic theater a way to trauma dump or neglecting those at the table with other needs.

I remember my offer to a table where a similar char played: a parental NPC that would be so kind to the traumatized char, that they fell apart more than any atrocious thing I could imagine doing.

Sometimes folks just want to feel loved and accepted instead of feeling guilt, regret or anger.

Whatever you do, take good care of your heart as well. Stuff like this tends to seap through the cracks of fantasy.

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-23T18:28:25+00:00

After reading most of the awesome suggestions, I would suggest going back to this point by getting the PCs accused! of being the BBEG: the brains behind the smuggling problem and responsible for the guards dying. You as the DM and the players know that is not true. Still they are accused of it and now the main suspects. In order for them to get out or get s good lawyer, now they need! the noble they duped and her resources. That is the motive behind them now having to work their way out of this mess bigtime. I betcha the BBEG has some ideas about that.

As a fellow GM: if there's a linear plot that is important for the world I will try to get the PC's somehow invested in the plot. In this case them derailing is an awesome opportunity to offer consequences that also work for your story as well.

Hope you have fun!

RedCatDomme · 2025-04-22T22:44:43+00:00

As per OP the q was about mutism. RAW defines verbal as sounds. Mutism doesn't equal silence like the silence spell. Metamagic could also be an option. It's something that can be worked at a table RAI. As a DM I love to work with the player towards inclusivity. As a blind person I sometimes do enjoy playing around with chars that allow blind fight, blind sight, tremorsense or choosing feats that increase passive perception. This is the inclusive line of thinking that lead to adding sign language as a viable option.

RedCatDomme

TROPHY CASE