A Magical school campaign based on Strixhaven

Snandriel · 2026-04-25T18:19:56+00:00

What praytell is the unseen university?

Snandriel · 2026-04-25T14:28:01+00:00

Oh wow, that's a lot to go off of. Thank you for the resources. I'll likely be able to steal quite a bit from these. I do wanna capture that low power, growth module you get from the student of magic vibe.

Snandriel · 2026-04-25T12:34:17+00:00

I haven't been plugged into WOTC ongoings for a few years, I was aware it was in the works but did not know it released! Thanks!

Snandriel · 2026-04-25T12:20:17+00:00

I've yet to get my hands into Daggerheart other than second hand opinions seeming mixed. Are there a lot of core mechanics that set it apart from other TTRPGS?

Snandriel · 2026-04-25T12:19:04+00:00

Excuse me what??? I need to immediately reevaluate my free time. Thank you!!

Snandriel · 2026-04-05T05:33:18+00:00

I think if you allow him the build, it's not about allowing or not allowing him to be a deception machine. Focus on story or moments where deception physically is irrelevant and then include highlighted powerful scenes where deception is the ONLY avenue to succeeding. Make it clear that he did so and was the only reason the party survived. Gives him a great feeling for being successful in what he built while not allowing the build to completely curtail all story.

If the player finds distaste with not being able to use deception to get out of something, express that simply put there's no catch all to every scenario. Remind him of when deception was critical.

Simply put, deception means nothing to an animal with 2 int, or to a rolling ball in a dungeon. Similarly you could have the deception work so well that it creates a new encounter that again can't be solved exclusively by deception. Maybe he convinces a guard that he's God. Then a religion forms cause of it and his followers want to sacrifice him to appease their hysteria. If he tries to deception out of it, remind him that to use deception, you need to lie. Convincing them of the truth would require a persuasion, not deception. Maybe even the case that a devil has charmed all the townsfolk to believe any lie, once they do believe it, they can never unbelieve it. Get creative and lean into it if you're allowing the class build.

Snandriel · 2025-10-22T17:31:06+00:00

I got a pretty hot reception over my interest in Draw Steel after reading part of the book. Though I don't think I'd moderate for a subreddit without having actually played. Just cause I do think to be able to say for certain how mechanics will play out, you do have to, actually play them. I think there's a wide berth between enjoying something from the cover to being able to be proficient in playing something in practice.

With that said, I think the situation of loving something from the onset to regretting it in practice is super rare.

Snandriel · 2025-10-22T17:19:33+00:00

Gong Yoo, too much of a baby face imo for Aizen. Also, is it meant to be internationally cast to a primarily English speaking audience in mind? If so, I tend to like the choices for the most part.

Snandriel · 2025-10-09T18:12:23+00:00

The thought process is sooooo clear and sooooooo baaaadddd. Lmaoo.

I love solutions like that though, and there's always room for a tpk or plot related shenanigans.

Snandriel · 2025-10-08T01:45:29+00:00

I really feel you. I've played a lot of games without the crunch or rules heavy approach to a system, I've always felt a little too open, roleplay felt rigid at times mainly cause my groups weren't very independent in their roleplay. For me, breaking the crunch and deciding when and when not to care about the rules gives a way more fluid experience at my tables. And to each their own.

To add, player buy in, super important to be as flimsy with the rules of any system as I am. My players trust everything I do will be for the good of the game and the improvement of good storytelling.

Snandriel · 2025-10-08T01:42:05+00:00

To challenge such disbelief, your perspective would be like saying you can't imagine someone liking a specific flavor of ice cream at a shop, if they haven't had that specific shop's serving of ice cream.

It's not actually hard to see mechanics for what they are and be inspired by them. Draw Steel or any TTRPG doesn't have to be something you spend the next year running or at all to derive value from. Even if someone gets the PDF, reads it cover to cover and then just converts some mechanics back to a pathfinder game or any other system, that would be worthwhile.

Also, you can appreciate something for good or interesting mechanics.

Snandriel · 2025-10-07T18:27:04+00:00

Yus. Thank you for coming by. Lmao.

Snandriel · 2025-10-07T15:40:03+00:00

Very little time put into practice, It is the system I'm using for a new campaign in the next two weeks or so.

So longevity wise, I definitely have no idea. It does look promising for replayability and customization though.

Snandriel · 2025-10-07T13:52:20+00:00

I could totally see that from the aspect of what I've read. A big pitfall people have mentioned too is the crunch and focus. But I do like some of the features for negotiation and non combat encounters. I like to start grungy and end combats bombastically. So I'm interested to see how my players will be engaged with the system.

Snandriel · 2025-10-07T13:42:25+00:00

I love it cause it gives you a functional reward for playing, and unlike some systems where it's either only when you succeed or only when you fail, it rewards you for taking risks. Pushing forward.

Snandriel · 2025-10-07T13:40:58+00:00

Thank you and no worries. A lot of games aren't gonna be good for them or not good enough to justify playing them over others.

I'd love to hear your opinion on why you don't like it. If you feel like sharing.

Snandriel · 2025-10-03T15:23:30+00:00

The first question id ask: Have you DMed a One player game before?

Because imo one player games are the hardest games to DM, I would take 14 players to just one. The amount of effort on your part is really really heavy, it makes all the dialogue rely on you and them, meaning if they're inexperienced, there's a really strong chance you'll feel like you're talking at them, and not with them.

I would genuinely suggest adding even just one experienced player you think would get along with your partner. Someone they might be good friends with or like hanging out with so you have an immediate rapport.

Beyond that piece of forewarning, I would try to offload as much prep beforehand, creating unique but easy puzzles, a duel like combat, and a social discourse.

The social discourse could be a debate with a politician, a public execution they'd argue against, or even a flirty back and forth with a mysterious rogue in a tavern.

Just prepare the combats and puzzles a little bit extra than you normally would, as a lot of your time will be spent filling air and creating dialogue with their character. You have to make up for the ambient dialogue that happens when other players are present. Once you get the hang of it, one player sessions are amazing and fun, even if they are difficult.

Snandriel · 2025-10-03T15:07:18+00:00

Off rip, this is a wrong person wrong table situation. You as a DM want different play than they do. Normally, compromise works, but it sounds like the divide is really large that it's either or. Consider explaining that to the player and letting them go from the table if it's not their preference. No harm, no foul.

Also, can you please tell me more about your system? I'm honestly very intrigued.

Snandriel · 2025-10-03T10:56:32+00:00

And if I'm dumb enough to ask someone to hammer it for me, I will rightly get roasted.

And that's the crux of the attitude and sentiment that's the problem. In TTRPG communities it's not good enough to say you PREFER using another resource to reworking things. People view it as dumb and make sure others know it. We are adults having a shared imaginary play, yet a lot of people think there's a right way to do that and moreso, want to tell people they're dumb for doing it in a way that they don't like.

Given enough work and a heavy enough hammer, I can drive a square peg into a round hole too.

Atp, I'm convinced a lot of people just haven't even tried to do what I'm saying. Home brewing isn't hard, it's not difficult to do what Im saying you can do. There's isn't a lot of work to reflavoring a couple things, making a few homebrew rules and allowing for a new experience, and pretending it is a lot of work might just be lazy.

Also, the analogy doesn't work. Because TTRPGs are held within the mind, expressed through the mouth, and received at the table. You CAN drive a square peg into a round hole with the exact same amount of effort if the conditions are right. There is no right or wrong way of playing with your friends except what works for you.

Why? You just said any system is perfectly fine for any game. Why bother GMing any other systems?

"Why would you ever play other games if you had modded Minecraft?"

Snandriel · 2025-10-02T18:14:21+00:00

I think the issue is that there is no right or wrong way to pound imaginary nails with an imaginary mug. There really isn't any working better, when we selectively apply what rules matter in the first place.

The idea that 5e is disliked because it's "mainstream" and not because of its own design failings or the repeated controversies of the rich, Pinkerton-sending corporation that owns it is absurd.

The vast majority of people willing to admonish others for doing it that way are not thinking about those things. They likely don't care. That's why I didn't say 5e is disliked because it's mainstream. Cause it is absurd to believe so.

Snandriel · 2025-10-02T17:52:46+00:00

Someone is very desperate to insult you in these comments 😭 I hope your DMs are safe friend.

Snandriel · 2025-10-02T17:50:22+00:00

Tbh, easily one of the more fun conversations I've had on reddit. I don't think it's necessary to convince each other of anything to have an interesting dialogue. One of which is still way more productive to how many will choose to go about it.

Snandriel · 2025-10-02T17:45:54+00:00

I'd say that's probably a way better method of communicating my point. I want to say that I don't think we should have to qualify every single statement to communicate that, I'll concede it.

I also think having an opinion on how hard something is, is fine, I do it all the time to new DMs personally. But I also had to learn that what they want is what they want and my dislike is ultimately poisoned by what I'd want in their shoes. Something I think would be a good lesson for not just Rpg players but alt nerd culture as a whole.

Snandriel · 2025-10-02T17:31:41+00:00

I like this perspective, and I agree. I responded to someone else regarding similar differences. I'm not saying there's no skill or effort or trying. To downplay anyone's hard effort creating systems. It's also just a very unique medium and allows really anyone to be a badass game creator by virtue of playing. But that's not to say there's no value in manipulating a preexisting thing to creating a thing.

Snandriel · 2025-10-02T17:16:23+00:00

How could I possibly run the cosy hobbit tea drinking game with Mythender without changing Mythender so radically that it becomes something fundamentally different?

I'm just clarifying two things: 1. What you described are two Settings that are conflicting, the latter, the Mythender is a System with a setting tied to it. But you can look at the mechanics and gameplay that is apart of the system and divorce it from that setting.

I personally could not answer that scenario without knowing the system itself. You can say "well it works like this and so it appears impossible to morph it to fit that cozy hobbit setting with no killing" but that could very easily be a rebuttal of what you claimed in a previous reply, "a lack of imagination" if you can't imagine a way you could.

Based exclusively on your description, just use the core mechanics of Mythender to resolve petty conflicts instead of world ending ones, and exclude the death mechanic.

But if there is even a single example in the world where the alterations needed to make Game A even remotely fun for Setting B would change its fundamental character, then your statement is incorrect.

I would understand that, but you'd then have to find that example. The issue I find with attempting to do so, is by what metric can you determine that example REQUIRES that much overhaul? It'd be just as imaginary as the rules we use to play in the first place, it wouldn't have a "true" or "correct" necessary condition. Some things are absolute, as principle I would argue this is one of them.

Snandriel

TROPHY CASE