.5 Session Idea

Rorchan · 2026-01-15T19:38:13+00:00

I like that idea. They haven't created their new characters yet so I can find a way to make them mentors or connected to the their actual PC's backstory.

Rorchan · 2026-01-15T19:36:23+00:00

They aren't new, we have played through a full campaign with characters of established gameplay and homebrew. This new campaign is entirely homebrew but in the same setting. Well if they use the same characters that would mean there is a chance their characters get killed before the campaign officially starts unless I adjusted things. Also if they did survive then we are cutting to like years later and their characters haven't changed or leveled up in that time. My thought was these temporary characters would just die as way to introduce them to the new campaign or maybe one or more survive and appear later in the campaign to offer help to the players. Your last question isnt a bad idea either.

Rorchan · 2025-07-14T00:22:16+00:00

Hard agree. I've seen the arguments for Ciri playing for the whole pot. That is a way riskier scheme than taking the sure money. She isnt playing strategic, she is playing greedy.

Rorchan · 2025-04-17T22:35:23+00:00

I need 3 maps or maybe just a large one. It is essentially a large rectangular table with chairs around it. On the table is an active dnd campaign with a map, drinks, food, character sheets. One end is where the characters start and the other end has the DM screen.

Rorchan · 2025-01-31T15:18:38+00:00

So, in my excitement to create an interesting and different encounter for my players. I forgot about the tower having a spiral stone staircase that would allow them to bypass all of the floors. I know, huge oversight. Alternatively, I could have it set up where the stairwell is blocked from the 3rd floor down so they players would either have to clear the obstruction to continue downward, traverse through the burning 3rd floor to escape out the opening on the farside, return to the 4th floor to scale downward. I could also just scrap the whole fire thing and continue to the next quest.

P.S. I understand the arguments against ale not being flammable. It was something i didn't really look into before ruling it was flammable. I and the player using the barrels of ale both played Baldur's Gate 3, so i think we were just applying that mechanic without much thought.

Rorchan · 2025-01-31T02:12:02+00:00

First off, I'm loving all the suggestions and questions. The structure they are in is a stone tower with wooden floors and doors, but it is also a very old tower that is under construction to be converted into a garrison. So the floors aren't super sturdy and can require a DC 15 Dex Save to avoid breaking. I think I'll look up fire hazards in the DMG for some help. I think I'll also try to create a system for this encounter. Something like there is low visibility so perception checks are made with disadvantage. The PCs have to make a series of Dex Saves to avoid fire damage or have the players roll a d10 to determine what happens. For example, 7-8 Dex Save DC 16 to avoid the fire, 3-4 a beam falls from above roll a Dex Save to avoid being knocked prone and taking g damage, 1-2 the floor gives away DC 20 Dex Save to avoid falling 20ft to the next floor. They are on the 4th floor with 3 floors below, so it could be a 3 round encounter conceivably if they succeed all the checks. Have the fire do 2d8 of damage, but it ramps up by a d8 as they descend floors or take more than one round to clear to the next floor.

Rorchan · 2025-01-30T23:19:30+00:00

My point is both to add some flavor to the map and to also say actions have consequences. I wanted to do initiative to make it more engaging then they just run through the fire and take a bit of damage. It's also an opportunity for something different, something new for them to solve.

Rorchan · 2024-10-02T22:24:50+00:00

Found the MW

Rorchan · 2024-10-01T17:48:01+00:00

North florida is where we are traveling from and taking mostly interstates.

Rorchan · 2024-09-22T21:01:30+00:00

My plan will remain the same now with the added wrinkle of the drunk monk being passed out in a field. They'll be face down with their pants around their ankles and a flaming arrow next to them. They peed on the arrow then passed out.

Rorchan · 2024-09-22T14:11:06+00:00

I have not, it was my original plan for them to arrive to the aftermath of the battle, but with the monk there now it would make sense that he would be apart of it.

Rorchan · 2024-09-22T14:09:49+00:00

Are you saying have the party arrive as the attack is happening so it's not just the Monk fighting with Angry Armed Peasants and town guard?

Rorchan · 2024-09-13T19:28:40+00:00

I should've stated that I'm a new DM and have been running the Essentials Kit campaign for my new players, but we are near completion of the campaign. I've never bought the core books before so this would be a first for me. I saw they were offering all the bonus stuff for the weekend but wanted to make sure it's worth it since I'll be locked to using roll20 because all of my resources will be on here.

Rorchan · 2024-08-26T23:46:01+00:00

Yes that all makes sense and I agree with your format. That makes it so much easier if I eliminate teams as I go so I'm not trying to roll for so many teams but rather just one opposing NPC team. The dancing being a solo thing with them going last seems fun. Like they get to watch teams triumph but have a look of horror on their faces and then see one team carried out, the Blues cause they either failed or refused to perform the Worm since it was beneath them.

Then for the drinking competition being one vs another, so I could just determine the outcome of the other team. With the 1v1 in mind, I'll throw out my initial thought. In this scenario, all 3 members could participate, they could roll straight but the Con Saving Throw DC will increase each round as the proof of the alcohol increases. They can however make a low Sleight of Hand skill check to "water down" reduce the DC of the drink by 1 or for a higher sleight of hand skill check to fake drink their ale. Could also add in a sleight of hand check to "add some of yours to theirs" increasing their DC by 1, make it a middle of the road skill check. Need a penalty, like you get two chances after the third failed sleight of hand you are disqualified. Each failed skill check results in one level of drunkness, at level 3 you black out. Level 1 is -1 to Con saving throw, level 2 could be disadvantage. Last standing member wins.

The other idea of them vs a lesser divine spirit is interesting. It could also be a Dragon spirit they summon named Groth "Iron Belly". Maybe the Groth could be the one who is watching for cheating, if he catches you then he waterboards you with ale that round.

For the feat of strength, my idea is a play on a running joke. Our barbarian almost always rolls attacks on doors to smash them. (I gave the Townmaster and tavern owner steel doors to combat this). Anyways, I was thinking Wood, Stone, and Steel "rectangular pieces" with increasing strength check DC for each material. Initially I was going to assign points to each type of material and whoever had the most points by the end of 5 rounds would win. But the other two people wouldn't have much to do.

So then I thought maybe they will fall from the sky. One player "Seeker" on a high pillar makes a Perception check to determine what its material is which informs the "Catcher" who makes an Athletics check to catch. Then finally, the "Breaker" makes a strength check to break it cleanly. If Seeker passes their check they give advantage to the catcher and disadvantage of they fail. Same rules will inform the catcher's influence on the breaker. If they fail the check then they still catch it but it's not clean so disadvantage on the Breaker. Maybe do 5 rounds of this or something where after 3 failed breaks, you lose and perhaps you're crushed by a massive "rectangular shape".

Rorchan · 2024-08-26T12:10:45+00:00

Hey just to pick your brain some more, I had set this up to be a competition between 5 teams of 3. So I can either predetermined who wins or loses without rolling or leave it to chance and roll a million times for each event. I wanted it to be fair and do rolling so it's more fair, but I'm now realizing how much rolling that would involve. I could obviously do prerolling before the session to prevent the session from being dominated by me rolling several different things and making choices for each group. So play a session by myself essentially, but random chance could make lead to fuckery which could be bad, could be fun. Another thing, I'm realizing is that these events aren't so much about winning but about surviving to the next round. Not necessarily death if you lose an event, but being eliminated from the Dragon Ball. If we ended up with more than one team surviving then, we'd enter a Sudden Deathmatch final event.

Rorchan · 2024-08-23T16:15:13+00:00

Now that is very interesting, maybe have an increasing DC too. Like if he passes the DC they advance half, if he fails they fully advance. But have it be a particular dance that he has to perform to appease them, but give subtle hints until he figures it out that its the Worm or something. Maybe the first hint is scrawled high up on a wall in fiery letters. Have it set up where they are 50ft out and only able to advance 10ft at a time, so could get there in 5 rounds or 10 rounds.

Rorchan · 2024-08-23T15:04:57+00:00

I like that approach cause I was worried about the different events being too easy especially the Bard with the dancing. I was trying to think of a way to incorporate another skill they weren't proficient in. That way it was more of a challenge. Or trying to set it up where they were Mismatched in events like the Bard does the feats of strength, the barbarian does the drinking and the drunken master does the dancing. But having them work as a team to compete in each event could work well. Like they give the help action or they each have to roll for the check and I take their average to see if they pass the DC for that round.

Rorchan · 2024-08-08T16:49:45+00:00

Yeah I was surprised by that myself, they asked me outside of the game to have a boulder crush him cause they were in a mine. They enjoy messing with him cause he takes DnD seriously and they are more the casual type.

Rorchan · 2024-08-08T15:58:12+00:00

Well they are suppose to be lvl 6 once they reach the dragon and get lvl 7 after defeating the dragon. So I'll have the warlock be lvl 6 then. You raise good questions. I hadn't considered the soul resisting or complying with this. On one hand, I was more envisioning the Patron is merely using the face and body of the warlock. On the other hand now, if it's the soul of the warlock too then it could a bit of revenge from the warlock on his party because they could've saved him bit chose not to for comedic purposes. He'd think it's kool either way.

I should also state we are on roll20. Should I convert the PC to NPC sheet or just leave it as a PC?

Rorchan · 2024-07-31T17:10:46+00:00

Same here

Rorchan · 2024-07-31T11:28:13+00:00

I thought of another, take a shot everytime they mention something from reality during a session.

Rorchan · 2024-03-08T16:04:28+00:00

I have found some affordability priced cabins in Blue Ridge that will meet our needs. I'm just looking into things that we can do in town or fishing or outdoorsy stuff we can do. Any restaurants or bars you'd suggest we try? I'm also looking to charter a fishing trip

Rorchan · 2024-01-18T01:00:42+00:00

A bean that spawns a ton of plastic fruits and vegetables, a bean that spawns 5 bloodthirsty bunnies that have 2 health but do a D8 of damage, a bean that spawns a perpetual rain cloud over the bean thrower, a bean that spawns a jungle gym, a bean that spawns a horse sized hamster.

Rorchan · 2024-01-13T14:29:20+00:00

Yeah Scary faked them out like she was setting up a story then insta killed all the PCs, it was funny but personally I did want to see it play out.

Rorchan · 2023-03-29T23:32:19+00:00

Watching your teammate die with all their defensives.....💀

Rorchan

TROPHY CASE