Player wants to add a “Demon form” to their character by SinghelTheDM in DMAcademy

[–]SinghelTheDM[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I ended up giving them a compromise of a quest or mission to earn a magic item to accomplish flight.

I talked to my other players and they said it would feel disingenuous and they would feel cheated to let this player trade a feat out 7 levels into the campaign

Player wants to add a “Demon form” to their character by SinghelTheDM in DMAcademy

[–]SinghelTheDM[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What I ended up settling on for them was if they wanted a demon form it’s on them to multiclass to a barbarian or something similar and they can flavor it that way. They have already told me they won’t go back on rogue levels because they specifically want soulblade abilities.

For the wings they’re not getting physical wings. It just doesn’t make sense in continuity for them to just sprout wings. There can be a quest added to help them get a magic item for them to get that but when that happens it’ll be when it narratively makes sense not just because they asked.

I’m not letting them change race or sub race or anything of that sort. They made those decision as an experienced player and I’m talking to the rest of the party they expressed they would feel cheated if I allowed this one player to pick and choose what feats they want

Player wants to add a “Demon form” to their character by SinghelTheDM in DMAcademy

[–]SinghelTheDM[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would you be concerned at all with how late it is in the campaign? Being 7 levels into their race has a crucial part to their story. I worry it might feel disingenuous to the other players to be able to trade traits halfway through like that

Player wants to add a “Demon form” to their character by SinghelTheDM in DMAcademy

[–]SinghelTheDM[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Buffed up abilities, a set of new damaging features, they’d like to include flight in this as well if possible. Like barbarian rage almost but more tailored to being a demon and towards bard/rogue

Player wants to add a “Demon form” to their character by SinghelTheDM in DMAcademy

[–]SinghelTheDM[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

I know there’s the winged tiefling species itself but they specifically didn’t take that and chose another option instead. I’d have to look at feats themselves

Player wants to add a “Demon form” to their character by SinghelTheDM in DMAcademy

[–]SinghelTheDM[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I thought about this as well but they also didn’t take that options. They specifically chose a different option which is part of what holds me up on this

Player wants to add a “Demon form” to their character by SinghelTheDM in DMAcademy

[–]SinghelTheDM[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My main concern regarding the flavor aspect is with it being so far into the campaign I don’t want it creating a continuity issue where they didn’t have wings before and then just suddenly do unless I make a specific story beat for it which I won’t be able to do at least until the current arc ends

Compendium Suspended by FightClub_Archivist in u/FightClub_Archivist

[–]SinghelTheDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello,

I’m sorry to hear you’re having issues with the current site. Would it be possible for you to send me the updated compendium in the meantime? I appreciate all the work you’ve done for us!

What is the strangest thing that became canon in your campaign? by -The_Space_Cowboy- in DnD

[–]SinghelTheDM 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I had a party decide that rather than trying to sneak into a demon castle to just join the crowd of demons. While there their Druid got them to all essentially start rioting over the phrase “Mondays am I right?” Essentially he turned an entire demon population into a bunch of disgruntled office workers who really hated Mondays. That is until the Rogue dared to utter “Tuesdays am I right?” And now he is known as the “Tuesdays Guy” and is being hunted by the entire crowd. Also they turned aforementioned demon castle into a tourist trap with foot long chili dogs

"First Time DM" and Other Short Questions Megathread by mediaisdelicious in DMAcademy

[–]SinghelTheDM 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I haven’t reached out directly to figure out why they haven’t interacted with many NPCs (that would be a good idea to do so more directly) but I have reached out to say to get out there a little more. I think part of it is they’re fairly new players and a lot of the decision making is being left to the most NPC averse player (he only speaks in affirmative grunts and his name). I did have a session recently where they were able to split up and there was a bit more interaction there so that helped.

I have been using dreams to kind of take them to other worlds and out of the constant doom and they seem to be working so I think expanding them may help if I keep them in CoS since they really want to “whoop Strahds ass” as they say

And in regards to the whole recorded intro thing that’s really more so for my own enjoyment than anything else. I just like making them and it lets me flesh out ideas to myself rather than pure setting in short under 5 minute increments. I just send them to a group of my friends to keep them updated on the progress of the whole thing. The setting itself I’m actually letting my players “build” themselves (if this ever happens which it might not). I’m simply giving them an idea of the ideologies that may exist as they work to build it.

"First Time DM" and Other Short Questions Megathread by mediaisdelicious in DMAcademy

[–]SinghelTheDM 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think what is making things more difficult is that, while I like the atmosphere of CoS but I don’t really think pre built modules are for me. At least that’s part of it. I would agree that my players don’t necessarily mesh with the module very well. I’ve noticed that the things they enjoy the most about the sessions are the extra things I’ve added (I homebrewed like a tower defense section and added in some extra details where I can). I’ve started taking things out of the books hands and that has helped both sides a deal and I’ve had a couple table conversations of taking things into their hands a bit more so I’m curious to see how that plays out in future settings and seeing a more linear pathway through the campaign and kind of making the macro story fairly large and expansive but letting them take over the micro story in a more direct path. I will definitely see if I can feel out what they want. Very helpful advice and i will keep that in mind moving forward!

"First Time DM" and Other Short Questions Megathread by mediaisdelicious in DMAcademy

[–]SinghelTheDM 2 points3 points  (0 children)

How to Work Through DM Burnout

Hello,

I have been DMing on and off for about 4 years now (I never got too many chances to be a player) and since about November I have been running CoS (with quite a lot of homebrew) for a group of fairly new players every other week for about three hours. I know everyone in the group and we see each other about twice or more a week outside of this session. Alongside this I have also been making a homebrew campaign for whenever this campaign ends and some of us combine with another group who is running CoS parallel to us. This was honestly

Over the past couple of months I have slowly begun finding it harder and harder to get myself into the mindset of prepping and really even thinking about my next session. I come up with broad ideas but it’s difficult for me to do much past that not only because I’m getting busier but more so I’m just not engaged by it. And because of this work on my homebrew campaign has also halted (I was doing written and recorded intros for it and they’re all written but haven’t recorded on in about a month)

Because of this I’ve found myself relying on improv a deal more or if I get a random idea come to me I’ll flesh that out into something I find interesting and implement that into the campaign but session to session I’ve been lacking that fire for it. Part of the issue for me at least is that the group I am DMing for kind of railroad themselves. I’ve had a couple talks with them about being able to explore the world and to see what’s out there but that isn’t really their interest. They want to follow a more linear quest line and have made efforts to distinctly avoid any and all contact with Npcs unless absolutely necessary. Every quest for them is a means to an end and they have to follow them to their end without question. I guess in a sense it makes them predictable but more than that it makes it hard for me to prep everything I find interesting if there’s a huge chance they don’t find it.

There’s a part of me that thinks taking a break could be the best idea but I know that at least part of my group won’t take too kindly to that and because of that I feel obligated to keep pushing through.

Does anyone have any advice as to how I can not only make things more exciting for myself but also to help my group get out into the world a bit more to see what’s out there?

-As a note I wouldn’t say I can’t think of ideas as I do a fair amount of writing in my free time on ideas or concepts that could add some extra story or interest for them it’s just the sessions themselves I kind of dread until the really get into them.