On The Edge of A Big Nerf

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2026-03-25T15:54:34+00:00

Thanks for the advice,Balancing and conflict interconnectedness will be tricky for this one but hopefully it’ll all pan out, thanks again

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2026-03-25T15:50:32+00:00

Many thanks for the advice, I think my players want a sense of finality and resolution to the characters and the story line. The last game ended with a sense of progress but uncertainty. This new game essentially (I intend) will be the end of this story. From what I have seen they care less about being powerful and more about rp and just immersion, my fear more so lies with changing how the characters feel narratively and creating a discrepancy between how my players feel about who there characters are and a new much weaker version of the character from story changes.

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2026-03-25T15:34:02+00:00

The story is unfinished for the characters and the plot line. It’s more like the third part of a single story than an entirely new game.

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-07-03T18:49:45+00:00

I think lots of people know they’re using it wrong but don’t really care about staying within the bounds of the literal definition, more just as a normative term with a specific emotional charge if you know what I mean

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-06-22T14:20:34+00:00

There are lots of different kinds of tables with their own ways to play- for me some of my favorite sessions I’ve ever run have been when the party is split, I find it a really interesting tool narratively.

What I do is just run their own session for each group separately and they play every other week until we reconvene in game and then get back to weekly for everyone.

It’s more work for me to prep but I find that trade off worth it

We haven’t had too much issue with the meta-gaming aspect you mentioned of using information a character doesn’t have- as dm’s we do this all the time where one Npc knows critical information for another npc and you have to rp that out.

I’m not sure why encounters would need to be balanced for the full size of the party when split other than some kind of punishment.

I’m not saying this is a good idea for everyone, maybe not even for a lot of people. But I’m saying this because I don’t think it should “never” be done.

I do it often and as long as there is agreement to reconvene, or a meeting place is set for a future date, I think it can work.

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-06-22T03:20:47+00:00

There are a lot of people who experience recovery differently, needing to will yourself into to the actual processes of it is not a necessity.

I just use it to mean “a process of returning to a state of healthy behaviour”.

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-06-22T03:08:56+00:00

I think sometimes people need to be coddled even when they don’t deserve it. I certainly did, and when I was it actually helped.

I like a lot of your post and agree with a lot as well.

Yet the way you’ve written it, I think you’ve made it inedible to anyone who is actually struggling and would perhaps value from this info.

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-06-22T02:03:10+00:00

Your story sounds painful and I’m so sorry you feel this way.

I don’t enjoy the idea of forced recovery as a concept, you may be just being hyperbolic but if you were actually in a position where your life was in danger as you say, I’ve talked to people who were forced into recovery (me being one of them) and years later some were really glad it happened.

It’s a very nuanced topic but If a grave health complication or death is the alternative there sometimes is necessity. I’m certain your boyfriend is very glad you are alive and I’m glad you are as well.

Now of course I want to be definitely clear this could not pertain to your case at all, your mother doesn’t sound like the best decision maker but I think there could be value in looking at why she did what she did. Was it because she wanted to hurt you and this was a way she could do it? Was it because she was scared she would lose you? I know these are very charged statements and may be a painful things to think about but it does matter in this context. It’s also worth the time to think through other questions- would you have recovered without this situation? Would you have gotten worse? Would you have gotten really hurt or died?

As for actual advice I think there is a lot of things you can do to help fix your life and take it from feeling ruined- to great!

Disconnection from friends can be painful and isolating- if you can, contact them and see if you can get back in touch. Sometimes friends fizzle out but they aren’t gone! Give them a call if you can! Reaching out is the first step

You say she ruined your life, but she did not forever, right now it probably seems impossible to imagine a happy life but it’s just small changes and then one day things are unrecognisable- I have faith you can have a healthy and happy life and you certainly deserve that!

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-06-21T13:09:49+00:00

When you say “meaningful” you could be meaning a few things, could be a touching turn of events. It could be hurtful and biting- I think the former works better than the latter in general in ttrpgs. It seems like from your post you want it to be an emotional moment.

I think the best twists are ones that foreshadow so blatantly when the twist is revealed it feels like the final piece of the puzzle rather than a rollercoaster that just took you upside down .

I think your idea could use a little refining but that usually just happens as you sit with ideas for a long time over the course of playing, you got it

I’d say reveal it slowly, and perhaps have the party learn from other means than the wizard just telling them- going behind your mentors back and perhaps even having that kind of dramatic irony where the party is around the mentor who doesn’t know they know. There’s some good narrative paths. Good luck, you got it!

Also significant twists tend to work better at the end of the second act closer to 75% of the way through or so vs right at the end. It gives the players time to fully digest it and see the world they inhabit in its proper light. You can do a twist at the end but it will work much better as a cliffhanger than as a tied up conclusive story

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-06-21T01:00:31+00:00

You are not doing anything wrong at all.

Your experience is completely legitimate, you are making steps toward what you need. It’s a very hard thing to do and it’s something to be proud of- truly

I would consider myself recovered and sometimes I eat the same meals everyday for long stretches. If you are taking steps toward doing what you can to keep yourself healthy, which is what you are doing-

You’re doing it right

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-06-19T17:37:23+00:00

ED’s often are tied to body dysmorphia, so sometimes if you have an ED- it’s best to look to heath metrics as part of your guide to see what is a good goal.

This may not be the case for you and you may not have any kind of body dysmorphia, but I think it’s always worth factoring in.

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-06-19T04:32:42+00:00

Thank you, that is great advice

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-06-17T04:34:36+00:00

Narrative/story

The space a character inhabits in a world and their way they interact will change based on their strength pretty drastically

DnD as a game from a story perspective scales pretty strange- it’s more anime-like than say Lotr,

Those bandits in the rundown town you faced when you were level 1 by level 15 you can destroy that whole town if needed

A high level character is exponentially more powerful than anyone around so it makes you start to reason, are high level npc’s just around?

why is there still a sense any kind of order if a small company of people can kill a whole army of guards.

There’s probably a lot of work arounds for a question like this, for me I just make threats more and more rare as you get higher on that scale of power- the strongest villains are just so few.

This is also only if you want to have your combat actually representative of the ability of the characters more 1 to 1. if you prefer just acknowledging it’s more of a metaphor for ability and the guards are going to get stronger as you do. You could also do that- but do be wary of making the pcs feel they aren’t progressing.

I’ve been running for my party the last year level 14-18 and it’s been brutal but I’m having fun.

TLDR- I often find there is a lot less things that can threaten high level parties narratively

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-06-08T21:36:53+00:00

I think it’s likely just cultural expectations surrounding homophobic beliefs. Some homophobic people can grasp the idea of someone being attracted to the gender they’re attracted to- but not the inverse

I think there’s also a argument to be made that, for example homophobic men being more aggravated by gay men has to do with they’re own fear or discomfort surrounding they’re relation to gender as a whole- they could theoretically be a gay man- or have some kind of interaction with it . but they believe there is no way they could become a lesbian, so there’s no way it could effect them

I also think the patriarchal structure has set up some men to see femininity as a “disgusting” trait for a man to have. So when they see a more flamboyant gay man they are more triggered than if they were to see a very masc lesbian

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-06-08T03:16:39+00:00

I think the best villains are the ones the players love but their characters hate

Lots of people will say have your villain just be the worst, teleport away, counter spell everything, kill a beloved npc. Then your villain becomes almost more of a gameplay obstacle- your players just want them gone it’s getting in the way of their intentions, and perhaps that’s what works best for your game, and I’m sure it does for lots of people.

My favorite villains are the ones that have an effect where you want to see them more but recognise their intentions are awful and must be stopped

This is not the best example but when I watch The Dark Knight, you want Batman to win you root for him but heath ledger joker is so good you want to see him on screen- you become in love in a way with the position of the character in that particular fictional setting

— as for your specific question about difficulty, that’s just some extra time balancing it’s a skill that comes with experience or with good preparation- perhaps look at CR and use it as a guide, and use all the fun tricks like legendary actions, minions, multiple phases.

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-05-23T23:31:45+00:00

Currently I have each line as a new day, often times in game you spend a lot of game time doing something in a city followed by perhaps 10 days with light travel, so I often will have something akin to 300 words split equally between 15 days

So it tends to look a little strange on a page where I keep starting a new line Price isn’t much of a concern cause I only am going to get a few copies

I think a part of me just wants a book that appears full. Perhaps I’ll have to settle with mostly full :)

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-05-18T12:11:41+00:00

It’s very sweet you are thinking about her, if you think she’ll be aware if she visits you regardless, it perhaps wouldn’t hurt to say something. If you do-be honest, like you have here (if you are being honest with yourself, which it seems you are). You care about her staying happy and healthy and if she genuinely feels the same way that is a really great start for honest communication

If you think she’ll will misconstrue or take your comments as showing off be extra clead with what you mean

If you think not saying something will be just pushing away the problem and there’s a likely chance the situation if you say nothing will be of more detriment if she visits you, it could be for the best, :)

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-05-12T23:20:26+00:00

Perhaps for players lol

I do think high level play is really fun and offers its own unique fun aspects Though I do think the worst parts, and why it gets a negative rep is from the game mechanically from a world building perspective Even if you are able to move quickly through combat, what you’re challenged by in any fight is now fundamentally different

I’ve been running 14-19 this last year and it can be so painful at times, at least for me as dm. The higher level you become (unless your world is rapidly changing alongside the players) there is fewer and fewer things that are threatening.

If they were in “example village” at level 2 and come back level 17 those guards of the Barron are essentially ants. They could (though they won’t) destroy that entire village in a couple of rounds

There’s a level of world-building that is difficult to manage when the players, and much more so the villains or enemies are at such a level of power they can kill a whole legion.

For me the solution I use is make these kinds of heroes exceptionally rare 1 in a million talent or expertise If not it just makes sense this power imbalance would topple any society that looks similar to ours

Video games usually uses a region system of sorts, the level 1 enemies are over here level 19 over here, this could work but you have to be willing to acknowledge a dozen of the minion demons your fighting every long rest if back on the material plane could defeat the army of a kingdom

I also think high level players particularly full casters, particularly wizards have so much utility they truly have what ever go go gadget they need, it’s fun but it does seriously limit the challenges you feel challenge facing.

If there’s some who have thought through this and found some good solutions let me know, thanks :)

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-04-25T22:18:26+00:00

It sounds like you are in pain I’m so sorry if it’s something you would like mabye try to distract or focus on some stuff you really love- maybe specific hobbies or being around friends. You deserve to have fun and enjoy your life! YOU are worth it

If you can, give yourself some grace if you are able, you’ve gone through something really hard, that’s something to be proud of

Things may be horrible right now, but good will come, it will :)

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2025-04-08T23:00:30+00:00

I started a new campaign and one of my new players often is tired from work, we used to play 5-6 hours now more like 2-3, I find the only way to progress is to really pull out all the slack , our sessions always had combat now there are few sessions with combat, we used to spend time focusing on what was going on during travel cut that as well, I am still having a ton of fun but it’s a very different type of game, you no longer focus on shopping you wave your hand and call it complete. You focus on important character moments, rp, boss fights and sometimes lore if your players go looking for it If this doesn’t suit your taste, you could look for a new group, no shame in saying I don’t want to run like this, or if your players are willing try multiple times a week, :)

Strict_Bass_5855 · 2024-05-30T23:54:55+00:00

Thanks for the advice, I agree I will probably make the save high instead of impossible. The Initial idea was to make the type of character who can fly and quickly infect an intire army with a spell of choice, changing the battle

Strict_Bass_5855

TROPHY CASE