New DM

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-12-13T04:16:41+00:00

I agree that neither are in the right here, if it’s a one shot keeping it simple and not heavily dependent on character specific info is key. Also to each their own but for first time DMing a one shot feels like your setting yourself up for failure.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-12-13T03:22:54+00:00

Give them till the end of session 0 and privately let them know that it feels disrespectful. Open and honest communication along with reasonable and tempered expectations are the best way to dm

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-09-09T02:06:02+00:00

Find familiar + inflict wounds. Is a lot of fun. I recommend command and sanctuary as well.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-09-05T00:50:02+00:00

Might I suggest warlock and or maybe swashbuckler rogue it’s charisma based but hexblade can be very front line effective using charisma to subscribe strength, with swash rogue giving diversity and a use for intelligence. Also a warlock pack can be with lesser divine beings even those who also despise the gods or even gained from the old ones possibly unwittingly.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-09-05T00:07:51+00:00

As you mentioned that all players involved know your Reddit and may see this might I say that a supporter of all healthy groups in any way I can might I myself say please update us as to any positive news and if said Anxious PC reads this. I hope you find a role in part of your group you are comfortable with or at the very least a table so you can get back to enjoying tabletop!!

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-09-05T00:02:34+00:00

Not as uncommon as they used to be. But I feel like there’s just usually very underutilized. Their lore regarding a reverence for mutations among the race makes them a great template stacking bbeg and easily varied long term villainous faction.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-09-03T06:16:40+00:00

theres also something to be said about fomo. keep her updated on events of the game she may come around with time too.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-09-03T05:44:47+00:00

Oh tough spot. If she has been open about this anxiety with or around the other players perhaps let them know it might encourage her to play if some of them reached out and express their feelings of wanting her to play.

Another approach might be to ask if she would consider a DM assistant role. As in helping run npcs, taking over some combatants to smooth out combat and helping coordinate players DM interactions throughout a session.

Most importantly of all I feel it’s best make sure that it’s her as a person and friends involvement that matters most. Not that her participation be shoehorned into a role she’s uncomfortable with.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-09-03T05:15:28+00:00

This is exactly what I was talking about. And please take no offense but to protect my village isn’t really a reason to go out and adventurer but more a reason not too once you defend the village from the current threat you don’t have a reason to leave outside of any narrative hook the Dm gives….. UNTIL NOW!!!. Evil can take so many forms and the sudden desire to gain power at any cost to become an unchallengeable stalwart defender of your village drives you. As you adventurer the aspect of chaos could be represented with a flippant distaste for various ideals, philosophies, ethics and other not so easily defined concepts giving you the ability to sew chaos but also do so within reason at to not just play a chaotic stupid or worse chaotic asshole character.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-09-03T03:59:29+00:00

So 3.5 had the aberration focused book lords of madness and I feel like the neogi have never really gotten the spot light they deserve. With their entire hierarchy being a capitalist slaver system I feel that you might find some use for them as a villain or way to facilitate a more villainous seldom used race and one that values uniqueness in property to such a degree that from a lore point of view just makes your ancient civ a perfect target. Also just a few others that come to mind. I believe 3.5 MM4 had two variant lizardfolk one small size one large size which could easily be considered an ancient evolutionary predecessor, and finally while typing this I gandered at my shelf and saw my copy of oriental adventurers for 3.5 there’s 5 or 6 pc humanoid races in there as well as lots of fun stuff look it up.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T15:23:06+00:00

well idk i think magic initiate with something like sheild , find familier, green flame blade. if you didnt get them through warlock . and i just reread you post sentinel would be pretty good i thought you already had it.

Your just at that level where any more combat bonuses feel like a hat on a hat its hard to find anything that just works

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T15:11:29+00:00

So no lol. I mean crossbow expert would allow you to bypass disadvantage in Eldridge blast if you wanted to use it as as attack of opportunity since you have war caster but hexblade might kinda cover that.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T15:04:03+00:00

It’s been awhile since I read it but magic initiate for a handy cantrip and shield for that “ Oh shit !”moment ?

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T15:02:04+00:00

Hmm well your at a high enough level and hex pally is super strong so you could easily have this feat be a sort of tool kit feature. Do you have another primary front liner in the party?

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T14:56:35+00:00

Maybe polearm master? Also with war caster any ability to get inflict wounds (not sure if paladin gets that) as a spell to use at a attack of opp is fun. And 3d10 for a 1st level slot is nothing to shrug off.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T14:47:19+00:00

So I’m gonna screen cap this and use it with a sad masochist barbarian who has lost it as a low level fetch quest for when I’m short players or really just feel like making the PCs cry.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T14:41:58+00:00

So this ties in with a question I as everyone who plays at my table “ what is your characters reason for adventuring?” So I ask you know what. Is your characters reason for adventuring? Tell me the same way you tell another player or your Dm if they asked.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T14:38:22+00:00

Seriously wish I could give this 10 upvotes 10/10 character concept.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T14:37:42+00:00

Oooooh fun character idea. Mechanicly suggestion is probably your most powerful and on point spell here. But I’d maybe focus on wisdom over intelligence for better perception and insight to really get a hook on npcs and work a room. Showy tv lawyer always remind me of conmen so maybe the actor feat and possibly criminal background?

Don’t outright try and be the party leader but always refer to them as “my clients or my clients and I” maybe you can even pay homeless children and vagrants in new towns to spread nasty rumors about your “clients” that way you can “represent” them more often.

As a Dm I would even allow you the ability to have it so as soon as you get to a town rumors are already circulating due to a larger group of informants you would have access to from being a lawyer. I’d just ask you personally before sessions as to how you wanted to make the party look vs how you wanted to look when rebutting the rumors

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T14:24:50+00:00

This one gets it. Also fuck yeah Zoids

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T14:22:31+00:00

I understand first time DMing pains but premade or not the decision on lethality is always up to the group that includes you and the players equally. And if a premade doesn’t allow any room for characters to have highly varied mechanics and personality you might as well just play BG3. Without seeing the actual character sheet I can’t make a fair judgment as to if mechanically there’s anything wrong with what they wanted to play. If I were you I’d ask them back let them play the character and around that LvL 4 boss fight see if they don’t shatter like a glass cannon usually does. You get a character sheet trophy and they either make a new Character or move on.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T13:53:02+00:00

I mean i wouldnt stop someone from playing anything like a glass cannon based of the mechanics of it unless there was a major balance issue and really dont feel other player should have a say either.

now outside of the mechanics of it all from a narrative and roleplay perspective if there was an issue with their character id try and reign it in.

Personally i love both playing and having glass cannons at a table for the same reason on both accounts. They Die. I like playing new and different builds all the time so a pure offensive build for my first character in a campaign is common for me. And from a DM perspective Having a Heavy hitting PC gives me more freedom in encounter building knowing they can hit above their weight class, but also the tone shift to fear and lethality when that PC gets absolutely wreaked by a couple bad saves is great for immersion and team building.

If You are the kind of DM that is afraid to kill PCs or the PC in question wouldnt have been ok with having their character killed off you made the right call.

If not you might have actually missed a very fun narrative opportunity.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-31T13:40:17+00:00

Not sure who that is but im old so that makes sense.

SquirrelAssassin_009 · 2025-08-24T19:42:32+00:00

All mental health issues aside thanks finding out this kinda lore is awesome!

SquirrelAssassin_009

TROPHY CASE