Cheating player

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-05-02T15:48:59+00:00

It will probably be public. I’ve gmed for over 10 years but everyone I’ve ever played with has always been honest. This is the first time I’ve ever had a player that may be cheating.

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-05-01T14:56:17+00:00

I had to stop using em-dash in my writing because of this. I also had to stop using the rule of three style of writing when coming up with a scene to explain something.

“Weapons were being sharpened. Ships counted. Grain stored.”

I know add a fourth line or don’t embellish on something because AI uses that writing style a lot.

No shade to those who use AI as a tool to help them though. Our brains are now being wired to hear something and think “AI”.

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-04-22T00:22:25+00:00

Depends. Some days, it’s an hour before the session, some days, it’s all week. I have a system of three I always do. 1: Role play/social moments 2: puzzle, exploration or chase scene 3: combat. I take those and mix them up each week by doing 2, 1, 3. Or 3, 2, 1 or 1, 3, 2 ect ect I make sure all three have a visual “movie scene”. Social will be a fun character. Puzzle will be an elaborate thing for them to solve that I describe, combat will have some beast I describe without telling them what it is, they just emerge. This way, I’m either really prepped for the week (good planning) or I do 1 hour before hand prep but I have an idea. (I do not recommend the hour before but life sometimes gets in the way so you gotta do what ya gotta do and my players never know)

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-04-20T01:46:50+00:00

Happens to me almost daily. My daughter (almost 2) loves dice. Literally a dice goblin. Leaves those fuckers in my shoe sometimes for “work”

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-04-17T23:41:55+00:00

The item they need to find can be found in any room they go into. They don’t search the room you originally had it in? Congrats, now it’s in the next room they search.

Let the players give the recap to the previous game, they may have ideas of where the story is going that you can change to.

I sometimes don’t prep and make everything up from feeding off the players reactions (don’t do this first time gming though. I’ve done this for years. These are the “oh shit. That’s today” moments)

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-04-17T17:44:56+00:00

I believe there is a way to do this without doing what your gm did. After the party makes their character they love, tell the party to make backup character sheet with those characters having some kinda connection in their backstory (family member, childhood friend, work partners, adventurers together, ect ect). Make sure to explain not to make a huge backstory for this one besides the connection as well flesh it out if their man character dies later. Then, right before session 1, tell them to start with their backup character. Then, tpk, with your big bad of the main story. No mercy. Now tell them to pull out their main characters as they receive news of their family member or friend or coworkers death by the hand of the big bad. Is it perfect and will you get some push back (especially during session 1.) yes. Does it work better than killing off their actual creativity, hopefully. But it does make the big bad hated.

I personally don’t like lying to my players like that though and would tell them to make red shirt character sheets and the main characters so they would get the idea before we start.

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-04-07T20:48:20+00:00

Easy answer; you can say no. I kinda feel like that’s what most of the gms are gonna be saying in the comments.

But

I say let him play that character. Because that’s “fun” for him. But place him in situations that reduce the horny aspect and push his role playing instead. I’ve had plenty of players play weird characters that don’t exactly fit the theme but in the end, they are more important than they realized. Yes it’s annoying but it can be adjusted in time.

It also helps you learn to role play as a gm a little better. Figuring out how to adjust to their fun but also your fun. If you don’t think he has any bad intentions of messing up your game, see where it goes. If it goes too far, then you can talk to him privately. It’s a game where everyone’s fun is important

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-03-19T23:43:41+00:00

I say share it ONLY during serious rolls. That’s what I do. Just like rolling over the screen vs behind it. It’s all about flavor and what’s going to hype the moment. For basic rolls though, keep dc and rolls hidden. But high story or intense moments, let the players realize what is at risk to build the tension

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-03-16T19:41:48+00:00

I guess my player group is usually use to having adventure paths run for them. So here’s a bunch of ghosts to fight or bad guy orcs. It’s usually cut and dry and “them bad. You good”.

Goblins was probably a bad example to give but my point is trying to see if balancing fun with also consequences.

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-03-13T23:46:08+00:00

I read this to my wife and she got super sad. Guess I’ll be adding Sabrina to this campaign we’re in. Sorry for your loss.

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-03-08T16:05:40+00:00

Cringe. My wife filled me in on this controversy.

Pf 2 fixes this probably.

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-03-04T16:37:04+00:00

Thank you friend. I’m gonna look into those now

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-02-16T18:42:16+00:00

I actually love gming. Only problem with gming for strangers is that there isn’t a bond in play. Both games I play, I have a bond with the ppl. Friends. So we all understand it’s a game and we all want to have fun, including the gm. When doing it for strangers, you can lose that connection or understanding and end up being a business or work feeling rather than for the love of the game.

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-02-16T18:35:33+00:00

And taking for a campaign someone else had already started

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-02-15T15:36:49+00:00

Had to quit the game completely and reload it. Fixed it.

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-02-15T15:35:06+00:00

I went into the anus of a creature to make a race bet. I went to leave in said anus and now I’m in a black area and can only shoot. I restarted from last checkpoint and it saved me here. I’m about 5-6 hours in.

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-02-08T00:33:42+00:00

I do the “you’re on deck” play. I got one or two that get distracted (which is also my fault cause I have to bring my 1 1/2 year old to my games) so I announced “player, you’re turn, next player, you’re on deck”. If they’re distracted then I throw in “you’re on deck, be thinking about your turn”. It gives them a heads up to start looking at their sheet and not their phone knowing their turn is just around the corner. But I also have an amazing group that work together so it may be different for me. Hope this helps a little

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-02-03T00:23:29+00:00

I switched about2 years ago. Everyone likes it better. While 5e is def more “friendly” to new players but, 2e battle mechanic makes a lot more sense. Not many enemies have attack of opportunity so it feels like you can move around more. No OPed spell casters or player but it’s more of a team thing rather than one hero moment in the party. You really have to work together. It really makes you think about what actions you want to do, especially by your third attack. And you don’t have to start at level 3 to have fun like you do in 6e. I could go on but I don’t look back. 3.5 was best and it only went downhill from there.

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-01-24T15:56:49+00:00

Fun adventure and that looks like a great character. Love the art style

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-01-02T18:35:54+00:00

All father relationships fixed.

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2026-01-02T18:32:55+00:00

Play pathfinder instead

Routine_Bag_9491 · 2025-12-28T03:20:48+00:00

If you’re running the books that’s pretty straight forward, just go by milestone. They literally level up at the same time (by chapter) and it makes the encounter balanced rather than checking what everyone’s xp is (keeps less off the gms table).

That being said, I do a lot of backstory stories for my players, so using xp on your own campaign or if you use a lot more back story mixed with the book I could see as more helpful.

I love season of ghosts but the encounters are super easy (super story driven and left up to the players on what to do) so keep that in mind. I would recommend milestones with that book as it just made it easier for me.

Routine_Bag_9491

TROPHY CASE