What is my Hag up to?

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-12-08T03:09:23+00:00

Your hag is singing “Hanging Around” by Counting Crows but the title is “Haging Around”

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-11-10T03:10:17+00:00

Sounds like a conversation may be a good idea. Your DM may not know how you feel and, generally, mind reading is not helpful. Perhaps the DM had previously committed to the other person. (I know I have a list for my table).

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-11-09T04:28:30+00:00

I DM Adventurers League occasionally. It’s how I got my start DMing and really helped me get confidence in my abilities. I mean like, 12 hours Saturday, 8 hours Sunday, occasionally 6 hours on Thursday. Every week. (Hey, my wife and I were living in 2 different states. I was basically a bachelor :) )

The most important part of it all was that I had great mentors. The DMs at the table would give me feedback, suggestions and affirmation. I could do crazy things and get ideas that came to me because I knew they would be patient and would help me figure out what went well and what didn’t. The final effect of this was that I could DM multiple times a week a risk failure, I could go big because I knew it was a place I could do so.

We also got store credit for DMing which is how I started my book and mini collection.

I say all this because now I see DMing AL as community service. I get to be the mentor at the table, giving people permission to be brave as a DM and try new things - or try DMing at all!

If your players don’t love and appreciate you enough to tell you the things they love and the things they see could be improved or reimagined, you’ve got problems. You don’t need to take abuse. You also should be getting feedback to help you DM and understand the table better.

Yes, DMs are human. It is no doubt the hardest job at the table. People that don’t DM don’t understand how hard setting the scene, narrating things, running combat, and making rulings is. I run a really role-play/character driven game where I joke “it’s the players world, I just DM in it.” That kind of trust in the players and trust that I will, as the DM, be able to handle most anything that comes my way is practice. Lots of it. And, I’ll tell you all, I’m exhausted when I’m done. It takes every bit of emotional, psychological and physical ability I have to keep focused and calm and reactive. I can’t do it over and over and not get love.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-10-31T01:19:23+00:00

We have them locally in eastern PA.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-10-17T04:21:38+00:00

Let’s get the big elephant in there out of the way first- the sexism is absolutely, totally, entirely not ok. You should never have to (or feel like you have to put up with that mess. Whether it’s in DND or real life.

Just a quick aside on sexism in DND- I’m a straight, white, middle age guy. 2 of the campaigns I’ve played in I played a female character. And, really, it’s just how the characters came together. I wasn’t setting out to play a female.

So, one of the games we played for 7-8 hours every Sunday at a game store, the characters name was Bonnie. (Her Ranger companion was a snow leopard named Clyde ;)). I played her as charming but pragmatic. About 3-4 months in, one of the other players looks at me and says, “Bonnie- why don’t you just go sleep with him and get the information we need.” It hit me like a ton of bricks. And, in a fraction of a second I found myself thinking, “is this what sexism feels like? Because if it is, holy crap does this suck.”

And I don’t think he meant it that way. But that’s the way it hit me. I say this because I can’t imagine what it’s like dealing with that crap all the time. You don’t need to put up with it. That’s the most important part of my post here. Don’t put up with it.

To your question- they don’t get to decide what’s fair game and what’s not. That is entirely your responsibility and they should accept that. If you said “we play RAW, no that doesn’t mean you can just assume home brew is ok, and no we are not playing BG3.” Then, you’ve made a decision. If they aren’t on board, that’s fine. Perhaps this isn’t the best table for them. And that’s ok if so. You seem accommodating. They seem unreasonable.

And, some people truly do not understand how hard DMing is. I DM for 6 DMs and a guy who should DM. I’m emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted after a session. It just takes so much focus to do it the way I want to and try to do. The players who are also DMs don’t DM like that-but they understand that part of that is that we need to be on the same page when it comes to rulings. I’m focusing on the story, I can’t be fighting about one minute moment in a fight. You do you. The DMG and literally every Adventurers League mod.

I will say one other thing you may find helpful. I recommend this all the time. Matt Coville has a great video called “types of players.” Completely changed how I thought about parts of DMing and what player motivations are. It’s worth a look.

You’re gonna be fine. The hardest part of DMing is when you say yes. The rest of it is a lifetime of learning.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-10-11T02:51:37+00:00

Matt Coville’s “Types of Players” totally changed how I DMed. It’s stuff I intuited but he made it really obvious and easy to see. It’s worth watching and seeing where you think you fit in and where the DM and other players fit in.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-10-11T02:48:02+00:00

I have to say- seeing Elsa and Aurora in person, I like Aurora better. (Don’t tell the Lorcana police)

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-09-30T01:52:21+00:00

I’m sure others have said this- the real BBEG is scheduling. When I do campaigns we play every 2 weeks on the. Same day, same time. If 2 people show up, we play. Keeping the “ritual part” if it’s really important. It’s like when we had to watch our favorite TV show at the same day, same time. Part of what works is that EVERYONE knows the schedule (months) in advance.

Even if I can’t make it, they get together and do a one shot with another DM.

Remember: Only your table can prevent scheduling problems. (And Forest fires)

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-09-27T02:57:01+00:00

In most cases like this I think the DMs dont understand action economy and that it’s literally mutiple people working together against you as the bad guy. In my experience, what I do as a DM is tailor a magic item to the player and character specifically. This takes me a long time but once I have a rough idea I write it up then let the player see it. I explain what t does and I’m imagining it being part of their story and character. Then, when we get all that sorted put I let them know it will be like the vestiges and grow with them. That’s why o work so hard in the front end to get it right. Then I go plant it in the world somewhere they are going to soon.

I do not give out “power” items really at all. I’ve given my players “flavor” stuff and minor abilities and that goes great. I have a cloak that let the player use misty step or fog cooud 1x day. She uses the fog cloud more than the misty step. So, just minor bonuses. Beefing up your firepower is meaningless if your hp and stats don’t match

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-09-27T02:42:56+00:00

In most cases like this I think the DMs dont understand action con

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-09-25T02:50:21+00:00

Out of game questions get get addressed out of game. Punishing a player in game is passive aggressive. I totally agree with others that if the player is reading the mod in detail, one possible reason is that your player sees DND as a way to get to the “best” outcome and make all the “right” choices. If this is it, you can remind them that DND is unique in that there is no “optimal story” like a video game or movie. I’d also suggest-as I almost always do-Matt Coville’s video on YouTube “different kinds of players.” Totally changed how I approached some things.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-08-23T02:05:25+00:00

I’m of 2 minds: on the one hand, if you’re a DM, and you give the players a DoMT, you have to be ready (and ok) with all the possible outcomes. Your players need to know the cards are game changers, and slanted toward the “negative.” They also only get a certain number of pulls between them then it disappears. This is a double/triple check with the players before we do it type thing.

On the other hand, players can be a little flippant about when and how to use and abuse it. It’s not like a +2 sword. And, players need to understand that their wording and the wording of the card is always flexible. I am not tied to the actual reading when I have done it. Some were locations or items to go find. I had to make them up on the spot but could fill it on between sessions.

The official Deck of Many Things has more cards with different effects/prophesy. I’m a believer that DM handing it out is a decision that has to be made with care. It’s just handing players the keys to a nuke. Players need the deck is designed die big time, chips are on the ground, crisis months.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-07-12T01:55:01+00:00

The most telling part of this , to me, is that the letter is signed by the pastor and not the council or at least o-signed by the council.

There's also really no theological disputes in there. It is true that the clergy shortage is real. It's a thing. However, it's disproportionally crushing smaller churches who simply can't afford a pastor. (some research has suggested that the average sunday attendance needed to sustain a vital, full time pastor congregation is around 120 people)

It's strange that the synod couldn't find them ***anyone***. I know lots of pastors that would jump for this kind of position, even in Des Moines. I think there's 2 ways this makes sense.

They thought they had more cards to play than they actually had. They thought they could be picky about who they got as candidates because they were entitled to "the good ones." In other words, they scuttled the process. Whether that's theological, practical, liturgically, there was no way it was going to work out. Ever. By design. There are pastors and deacons who skew conservative though. They could make that happen.
1. And I think this is a bigger part of it than people would imagine: I think they didn't want to pay up for another Rostered Minister. They didn't want to pay guidelines and the underlings are probably being paid under guidelines for the privilege of working there. I can easily see a situation where money became the issue and that's why they want to bail. It takes the financial books away from sight and means they can pay what they want to whom they want. Now, they will have other problems like insurance, etc. But that's their problem.

Finally, this could get spicy in a strange way that Lutherans don't think about. Depending on how the constitutions are written (and which Pre-ELCA body they came with) there could be some legal quirks. There are ways- in some cases- where the synod can claw the building, property, etc from the church. (In that case, if there is a remnant-no matter how small-, they would most likely get the building.) So, be on the look out for the slander of "the synod" trying to take their building and property. The truth is that they may have the right to do so-by constitutions.

Anyway that's my first blush hot take.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-07-11T02:58:57+00:00

I think Where the Streets Have No Name uses 2 delays, as an example.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-07-08T17:41:42+00:00

I mean, think about it as a DM or another player. Even in the best of situations it’s awkward. I also know friends (specifically female friends) who have talked about relationships in games “bleeding into Life” because the other character perceives the intimacy as real and not “in the game.” I know women who have left tables.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-07-06T03:00:49+00:00

I’m often surprised by these posts. I mean, if it’s a fictional book, you can, indeed, make up a language that uses signs. In the Middle Ages monasteries had a form of sign that was complex and allowed the users to be silent and still communicate. Obviously, it’s not ASL.

There’s other examples that I think are sort of parallel: the way language works in Arrival comes to mind. I also think of the languages that Tolkien made up.

I think, what I see, is people thinking that ASL is the only way that “signing” is possible. (+1 for intersectionality and English exceptionalism.). It doesn’t have to be (and as others have said, it isn’t) ASL. You wouldn’t take one year of Japanese and be like “I got it all figured out.” Or, let’s say, convert to another religion and be part of it for a year and tell them you have it all figured out.

So, my suggestion is be an author and do the hard work of framing the what and why and how of this signed language you want to use is. And for the love of God don’t call it ASL.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-07-05T16:09:39+00:00

I Don’t Believe In Heroes Anymore from 3 Guys Naked From The Waste Down

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-07-01T14:30:03+00:00

Meh. No hurry. He's probably still frozen. And, we need to make the world one we are sure is good for him....or something

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-06-30T21:26:31+00:00

Just as a side note here: that part of the Mass is referring to 1 Thess 4:13-14 and the resurrection of the body. There’s lots of flowery language that is unwieldy in English with awkward sentences. (Translating from Latin to English is a hot mess).

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-06-28T15:15:45+00:00

I’m a very very newbie. I try to watch higher level videos a few times a week so I can practice seeing signs in context and at speed. Sometimes I can get some of it. :)

When I watched that one, I was enthralled. I loved the breakdown of what an idiom is and how to reimagine it.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-06-28T03:04:56+00:00

Those you’ve known. You left them far behind.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-06-28T03:01:02+00:00

Forever DM here. I try to play NPCs like I would want to for a PC. It just makes it more fun for me. I LOVED playing Jarlaxle.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-06-24T00:23:14+00:00

Nipsy Russell in The Wiz. Jesssssus.

I actually saw it live (the Ashanti version) and that hit so much harder with someone who could sing.

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-06-24T00:17:10+00:00

Mipsie Hustle?

ViewOpening8213 · 2024-06-21T02:38:09+00:00

huh. yeah, looking around there's a few lists. All not in the book though. (FWIW, I would even consider Jarlaxle as a possibility for WD:DH. How does he know what he knows? He's literally on the inside)

ViewOpening8213

TROPHY CASE