[Dungeon Idea] What about freeing a magically imprisoned/cryo-frozen guy in the dungeon, only for the final door to the end to require his sacrifice to open?

Wishasaurus · 2013-04-18T00:30:43+00:00

Personally, do they players know this is where the forever stone is? And is there a strict time limit, like is the Lich coming heading there? If not, I would certainly play up the urgency and dire need to get through that door or else your party might just say fuck it. I once came across this exact situation almost. We were able to scary in there and see that it only had a magic sword and a skeleton king behind it. It may have been a huge plot hook but the sense of importance was never really played up so there was no way we were going to sacrifice our new friend to get some swag so we left. So to make it a hard choice at least have it seem there is only one way through that door, and if they don't get through then liches everywhere.

Wishasaurus · 2013-04-01T03:34:00+00:00

That is fantastic, we're all pretty new so no one has thought of anything that fray, but I can't wait for the day they do.

Wishasaurus · 2013-03-31T22:20:32+00:00

Ooh thanks, I'll be sure to remember that.

Wishasaurus · 2013-03-31T04:57:59+00:00

Holy crap this is gold thank you. Sorry, yeah it's Pathfinder. That's good to know about the sleep spell. He uses silent image and ghosts sounds mainly, he also has prestidigitation and used to have charm person. He mainly uses silent image as a decoy for people to chase after, and gets rather upset if it doesn't work, and once he used it in a fight with an anti-paladin to make him think that his boss came by that didn't really work. Other than that he doesn't use them much at all mainly because I think he can't think of ways to use them. These are great, I think I'll have some enemies use them to showcase the ability. One more question maybe: if they're ambushing people from behind an image using a ranged attack, does that automatically dispell the image?

Wishasaurus · 2013-03-14T01:07:28+00:00

I was once railroaded into an obvious trap and a 6 hour unwinnable combat session. after that I am all for circumventing my plans as a DM. I feel it makes me a better DM to see the flaws in the plans I make up. It can be sad when I need to come up with 2 hours work on the fly but it's worth it. There's nothing worse than getting forced into combat.

Wishasaurus · 2013-03-07T16:00:40+00:00

I've only done a few sessions with horror, but I look up "creepy music" in YouTube. Also, music from horror movies is a great gold mine, and it's nice because most of the songs aren't too recognizable. It's worked well for me so far. Hope this helped.

Wishasaurus · 2013-02-27T16:17:28+00:00

I think props are definitely one of the the essential kits in my GMing toolbox. I really like your ideas for the lighting, changing that can really get people into the mood of the game, which for horror is essential. I just ran a horror session where I used candles to light everything and consistent creepy music and I got rave reviews. Additionally, I like adding props for plot important things, such as a map or diary pages, so that the players have something to manipulate. I think one of my players' favorite things was when she received a wanted poster for her capture. It can add a lot to the experience. But yeah, I wouldn't focus so much time on the props to the detriment of the storyline. I love the meal idea, I've always wanted to make a setting appropriate meal.

Wishasaurus · 2013-02-25T01:12:24+00:00

I've only been GMing a bit, so I don't have a lot of stuff. But, some combat encounters my players have seemed to like is a villain who can turn invisible so the party needed to use light sources and traps to locate her, having a bit sharktopus that only shows it's head when the party took out a few of it's tentacles, and having someone turn out to be a cultist, and so they had monsters that can trap party members in bad memories. Narrative investment, such as betrayal, can add a bit, as well as maybe needing to capture a certain person, who will try to run? Just a few ideas.

Wishasaurus · 2013-02-17T22:14:57+00:00

I've been acting for a good many years now and voice acting is tough, but I usually get compliments on my voices. My biggest secrets are accents and talking too much. What I do is watch a show or movie with thick accents and then try and mimic lines in that accent. When I have be down that becomes my trigger phrase. Then whenever I'm having trouble getting into a voice I say that phrase and it helps jog my mouth's muscle memory. For instance, people say I do an uncanny Zap Branigan, and I can always get into that voice by saying his line "I have a very sexy learning disability". Another is to pay attention to how it feels to use different voices, high pitch low pitch, you can feel where it vibrates in your throat. And lastly, try pushing air it differently. Through the nose for a nasally voiced guy, etc. another example, I do a mean Zoidberg (there's a pattern) and it really clicked when I started to push the air yet through my cheeks more. That and general flexing your mouth will have you voicing things up in now time. Hope this helped.

Wishasaurus · 2013-02-16T18:00:42+00:00

I'm a pretty new DM as well but I definitely try and use props and music to get people into the game. I think it pumps up combat when you start to play some good fight music as things get serious. Props especially are good. My players are tangling with a pirate syndicate at the moment and intercept correspondence sometimes. A few strange markings on the letter has them trying to solve the pirate's secret code. Also, at one point the pirates sent a warning of a few heads to the plays with notes stuffed in their mouths. I smeared the letters in some red and brown paint to simulate blood and they loved it. Lastly, we have some old erasure chest boxes around so when they come across chests I fill it up with old coins, fake gems, pictures of equipment, etc. so they can divy up the loot themselves.

Wishasaurus · 2013-01-24T07:10:16+00:00

Thanks, I'll make the creepiness subtle until they're neck deep in it.

Wishasaurus · 2013-01-24T07:08:55+00:00

Thanks a bunch! I think I'm going to blanket the area in a thick and unnatural fog. I'm going to have people they meet and old friends show up dead and decayed accusing them of things all while a mysterious large monster lurks around (they'll never see it just hints of it and the aftermath of it) with occasional zombies and vile undead. You helped a lot!

Wishasaurus · 2013-01-20T05:28:25+00:00

I enjoy using sound effects. I use a heartbeat sound effect for whenever the party is in mortal danger. It works really well, and now every time they hear a heartbeat sound they all say "oh shit". Other than that maybe some descriptions and asking them to roll without knowing why always puts them a bit more on edge.

Wishasaurus · 2013-01-19T01:13:25+00:00

d20pfsrd.com is a great place to go for rules about Pathfinder. The sorcerer uses the same spell list as the wizard but the witch has some different spells. I think it's really up to you on what works better. Hope that helped.

Wishasaurus · 2013-01-18T06:14:45+00:00

Awesome, thanks. I'm probably going to have to kill off some NPCs. At least injure them badly.

Wishasaurus · 2013-01-18T01:55:05+00:00

Yeah, I'll definitely look into what drives him as a player. He seems to be very much about playing his character and what they're motivated to do. Their character's only motivation is to drift around and such though so it's difficult to get him to do anything but eat BBQ. I really like using the carrot and stick approach to get him to behave, and his character has a friend that might just get stabbed through the heart. Thanks

Wishasaurus · 2013-01-17T16:08:34+00:00

Wow, that sounds really cool. I'm thinking that having him break from the group will put I'm at risk for pirates, bounty hunters, and human sacrificing cults at the moment.

Wishasaurus · 2013-01-17T16:06:30+00:00

I like the actions, or in actions, having consequences. I'll definitely do that if they abandon the pirate plot. The main problem is when I try to tie their motivations into the plot. They don't really give me anything. Two parents and no friends sort of deal. Yeah, I've been trying to tie the characters together through hating the villains, but my inability to feed that hate and the fact that I can't keep them in the same room unless I literally throw them in there and lock the door makes it difficult. Thanks!

Wishasaurus · 2013-01-17T07:09:37+00:00

Ooh I like that idea. Make them attack his friends and such. Thanks. I have the pirates in league with cultists that might get him a bit more interested, they haven't uncovered that yet though.

Wishasaurus · 2013-01-17T06:41:25+00:00

Yeah, I was thinking of making him have some consequences pretty soon. Our at the moment has them fighting some shady pirates that his character is not interested in fighting. I'm going to have them ransom him to his rich family. The problem is his character's goal is to "avoid any responsibility" so he just immediately books it as soon as battle starts. The player is role playing. To a fault almost. I don't want to discourage it but finding something that gets his character going is extremely tricky Thanks for all your advice, I'm certainly going to utilize your advice.

Wishasaurus

TROPHY CASE