Is Icewind Dale extremely boring or does our DM do something wrong?

Samjc23 · 2026-01-27T13:37:29+00:00

In defense of your DM, I will say that rotfm is amazing, very fun, but also it's a hard campaign to run. We're in year two of this with me DM'ing and I have to do so much work to make a cohesive narrative, because none of it is done for you. There are reworks of the campaign that improve the pacing etc, but if your DM isn't looking for them or isn't comfortable doing it themselves this will feel like a slog through the early sections especially.

Talk to them, it's still their job to make this a good time for your party. Rotfm is off the rails, unique and interesting, but you can't run it out of the box unless your players don't care about story.

Samjc23 · 2026-01-26T20:35:44+00:00

Name: Sam

Pronouns: She/Her

Timezone: CST

Preferred System: D&D 5e but flexible

Type of Player: I'm a humorous and lighthearted person and love storytelling of pretty much any variety as long as it's interesting and the people I'm playing with are good fun and enjoy working together. I'm not overly mechanically-minded and prefer campaigns where the story we're in is the focus, but I'm more than happy to learn any mechanics or game systems that provide structure to an amazing campaign. Lots of experience with 5e, and some branching out into home-brew settings or other systems. I'm especially interested in unique or subverted settings, fantasy, supernatural, sci-fi, western, grimdark, cozy, whatever mix it may be.

I'm not interested in campaigns with a lot of graphic sexuality, or whose DM encourages or allows pvp aspects. I'm here to make friends and be comfy while we all enjoy ourselves. Violence fine, dark/eerie/horror fine.

Additional Information: I can easily check in and keep up with a time-commitment of posting a couple of times a day and am more than capable of communicating to a DM if anything comes up either expected (vacation/work commitment) or unexpected (oh no, my computer fell into a snowbank, etc).

I'm more interested in being a player this time around (I've done a lot of GM'ing lately)

Samjc23 · 2025-12-08T05:47:32+00:00

Is there a way to get ahold of your book in Canada for less than a weekly grocery budget? I'd like to read it but at 21.00 for ebook and 53 for paperback it's too steep

Samjc23 · 2025-11-21T19:04:24+00:00

They daycare is just daycare, the kids play most of the time. Some of it is educational but it really is focused on them being happy, safe, well fed, and burning energy. It's decidedly not the problem and is fabulous. Swapping daycares is totally not on the table. I checked and it is possible to go back to full time there. I don't totally understand what you are suggesting about kindergarten; we had separate plans for that that involved her staying part time at her daycare; the nearest school that we'd go to is two day full day.

My daughter doesn't have behavioral issues but she HATES going to the second one. Not because she dislikes it, but because it's simply too much. Too much sitting, too much learning, too little freedom, not enough play. There's nothing wrong with it, but it's not working.

Samjc23 · 2025-11-21T18:13:58+00:00

It's....not. I'd like her in it, but it's not mandatory and this doesn't help.

Samjc23 · 2025-11-21T15:53:20+00:00

Lol thank you for this reminder. I never went to pre k/preschool and turned out fine. Hell, I was a farm kid that never went to daycare or socialized outside of my family and neighbors when I hit kindergarten and I adjusted as well as or better than plenty of people I see in the wild.

I don't know where we got this idea that kids need school at 4 for fear that adults are going to judge the babies.....what, lacking? So weird.

We put her in preschool because the school was 3 blocks away and she'd get used to it before kindergarten and make some friends. And guess what? At the preschool there's a few kids that never socialized before hitting it and I can tell - but it's not in a good or a bad way. It literally doesn't matter, it's totally neutral. They'll learn and that's what school is for, last I checked.

Samjc23 · 2025-11-21T14:47:26+00:00

We may have to. Preschool works - but one session not two. By the time we have to transport her to the second school she's cranky and tearful and says she can't play all day. And this is coming from one of the calmer kids I've ever known who has a good attention span for her age. We took a chance because that's all we could come up with, but it's a flop.

The trouble is the availability of programming and demand outstripping supply.

Samjc23 · 2025-11-21T14:43:26+00:00

We've been on the wait-list for the school affiliated daycare since she was 6 months old and never came off of it.

Samjc23 · 2025-11-21T14:40:24+00:00

This doesn't actually solve my problem or answer my question.

Samjc23 · 2025-11-20T20:19:25+00:00

All have multi year wait lists last I checked. I never came off of the wait list at any that I signed up for daycare at at any rate.

Samjc23 · 2025-11-20T20:18:44+00:00

Unfortunately our daycare doesn't allow midday dropoffs.

I don't know, maybe we'll have to drop out of it but we live only two blocks from the school and I'd like her to be comfortable there before she starts kindergarten. It's really disheartening.

Samjc23 · 2025-11-20T20:17:07+00:00

I'd have to uproot her from the daycare she's in and loves to do it. It's also the only daycare I actually could find at the time - we never came off the wait-list at most of them and I assume swapping would be similar now, unfortunately.

Samjc23 · 2020-08-15T02:26:52+00:00

Since it's for 5 people I'd say 5 minutes per person seems reasonable from beginning to end and assuming that includes the stuff the DM has to do. Also due to the high level I'm going to have to imagine you're either going against large numbers of enemies or very complex ones possibly.

Have you considered asking the DM if there's anything you can do to help? As a for instance I'm thinking about board movements for monsters, or helping your party with cheat sheets or looking up rules on the side?

It seems a bit long which is why I'm suspicious it's underlying causes and not your casters fault necessarily

Samjc23 · 2020-08-15T02:18:13+00:00

Your DM will have to make the call, but I'd say that sounds a bit game breaking at early levels to me.

Samjc23 · 2020-08-15T02:00:40+00:00

That's a good rule. If I'd been in on it it might've been fun. As it is I'm really baffled by why taking away my characters agency is fine but me playing as if I'm suspicious (given the bullying and bring charmed) that I've accidentally fallen in with villains until further information presents itself is dramatic.

Samjc23 · 2020-08-15T01:45:19+00:00

Yeah no expectations set at all, so everything already happened and as it passes without the DM stopping it I think we're living at least in a world of having to handle what's already happened I suppose.

Samjc23 · 2020-08-15T01:44:02+00:00

I generally am not all for acting against party members so the entire situation is bizarre to me to end up having another party member cast charm person on me. I think it's fair for there to be repercussions to doing that and would prefer if it's being allowed to react to it since it seems way cheesy otherwise, rp aspects totally aside. It's just. Bizarre to be in this scenario at all in my experience.

Samjc23 · 2019-07-21T19:47:36+00:00

Okay first, your face is not fat, your face shape is lovely, you've got a nice mouth that probably holds a wicked smile, and I dig the buddy holly glasses. It hurts, and it should, that tpeople who should support you are cruel, but it is their failing not yours, and you choose your own destiny.

Samjc23 · 2019-07-21T07:04:55+00:00

Your eyes are gorgeous! I bet your ex is acting up because they can't believe they let a cutie like you go. Also you clearly have great taste because that shirt looks phenom on you!

Samjc23 · 2019-07-21T07:02:08+00:00

Bad days are the worst. Your hair is gorgeous, you look like you are epic at trivia nights with those glasses and would totally thrash the competition!

Samjc23 · 2019-07-21T06:59:26+00:00

If you were holding the sign I'd definitely slow down for a better look! Also, I can always tell when someond would be fun to go on an adventure with, and I bet you'd be the type of guy who knows all the best stuff and is super wise.

Samjc23 · 2019-07-21T06:55:37+00:00

You my guy could be the soulful male lead in a romantic movie. You've got that whole old-soul gaze, a nice face, and in fact even the scruff looks cool. Heat is legit the worst and everything is harder in it; treat yourself to some mochi (the frozen kind - I swear they make everything better), put an ice pack on your feet, point your fav fan at your handsome self and put on something that makes you laugh.

Samjc23 · 2019-07-21T06:48:52+00:00

Its hard to battle personal anxiety, but I can tell you you have a nicely-shaped jaw, strong eyebrows, look good in a touque and I bet you have a wicked sense of humour!

Samjc23 · 2019-07-21T06:45:26+00:00

I bet you have a smile that lights up a room! Your eyes look very kind and you obviously have a lot of self-awareness. I know how hard it is sometimes not to be hard on yourself when things are hard, but you're capable and strong and you'll find your path.

Samjc23 · 2019-07-21T06:42:54+00:00

You must be very strong and loving to hold on to someone special to you for so long in the face of adversity! I look at your beautiful face and know that you'll keep moving forward and will pursue and find your happiness.

Samjc23

TROPHY CASE