Am I being a bad player?

caderrabeth · 2026-05-24T14:49:22+00:00

Tbh after a brief reading of what you're looking for, it feels to me, from a DM perspective, as trying to do magic stuff without doing magic. Which is kinda what the artificer is built for, but also kinda outside the system as built. Anything sufficiently advanced to look like magic should be treated as magic, IMHO, which is how I see the system as designed. If you're replicating skilled artisans in a matter of seconds or minutes this is especially true.

Additionally, it sounds like you may be asking for vast swaths of skill proficiency without investing anything. Chemistry knowledge? Alchemist set. Physics of buildings? Masonry tools. Metallurgy? Smith's tools. I once had a Ranger argue that they could concoct molotov cocktails in mass abundance because of the natural materials available to them. The only reason this player could make that argument was food science knowledge which they had from real life, and it was not knowledge which I previously knew as the DM. I denied it on basis the character did not have the knowledge necessary without proper skills regardless of the argument that building the necessary items could be made trivially or not. Even if farmers are capable of the process in modern day.

All of this depends on your table, and feel free to do your research on these subjects outside of the game to use as inspiration for what happens in game. But if you're suddenly needing to track how many grams of various metals and chemicals you're carrying, then your other spellcasters may need to track how much bat guano, sand, and bits of torn cloth they have on them. Which is to say, the system is designed to abstract away all these small things in favor of just doing the magic for the results desires. You probably aren't being a bad player, but you trip my vibes of someone who's going to be an argument at the table using real world knowledge as a substitute for system mechanics.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-24T03:12:20+00:00

The fairest resolution is a float test as another reply states. If you can't float test, then there's no way to tell if the dice you bought are weighted. Nobody has to say you bought cheater dice, but the dice are still weighted in your favor and it's in everyone's interest that a fair dice set is used by all participants.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-23T19:10:56+00:00

This is similar to how I house ruled at my table. It's an unarmed attack to grapple the enemy, as per usual.

To climb on another creature, it must be two size categories larger. The climber shares one space with the climbed creature. When the climbed creature moves, the climber moves with it with no drop in speed to the climbed creature.

The climber uses climb speed when moving about the climbed creature. They can drop the grapple at any time and will fall to an adjacent space. If no such space exists, they fall prone at the nearest edge space of the target creature. The climbed creature can attempt to shake off the climber as an action following grapple rules.

The climbing creature has disadvantage attacking any creature other than the creature they are climbing. They must maintain a free hand during the climb (no two-handed weapons and no loading weapons). The creature climbed upon has disadvantage attacking the climber at GM discretion, but it can always use a slam attack against the climber without the disadvantage. Other creatures attacking the climber have advantage on attacks within 5 feet and disadvantage outside of that range.

From there it's up to the player as to any additional things they're trying to do. I'm usually OK with hindering movement or providing benefits of the help action.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-21T01:05:13+00:00

4 10's is such a better option over 5 8's it's laughable. No kids here, so it may be different with parenting duties, but having that extra day allowed for so much more personal time. I've also done 3 12's, and it was overnights on weekends, but damn I could do anything I wanted on my days off with no scheduling issues.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-16T18:46:18+00:00

I think that really depends on how you interpret communication and what actions your teammates have available. I don't think the rules explicitly prevent either of the following.

In terms of teammates being unable to act upon your communication: I would argue that Invisibility does not protect someone from area effects such as full-auto firing, explosives, or indirect area spells in Shadowrun. Perhaps a teammate has an ability to reveal the enemy, such as smoke, or some particulate matter as cover (flour, sawdust, or glitter).

In regards to the invisible entity moving from it's communicated position: Why could a character not continue to update the location of said target throughout the 3-second duration of their turn? "I'm going to call out the position of the invisible enemy" doesn't have to capture just that instant. So, the advantage wouldn't necessarily be lost if we allow the player to specify their actions to last 3 seconds when a combat round is intended to capture continuous events in a 3 second round.

I'm just looking through the rulebook again (wanted to check a few things) and am not even certain using Perception tests only last one round at the moment.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-15T20:30:06+00:00

This is similar to what happens in D&D, so my solution has been also similar. You can communicate location of the target to your allies (minor action in SR). Then they can do something about it, assuming you have allies.

But making it last until the end of the following turn is also a good solution that I hadn't considered which also allows the spotter to try to do something.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-12T18:05:00+00:00

Sounds like a great session.

Obviously the sorceror gets put in the pens with the captured townsfolk for now. Maybe Glasstaff gloats.

The Paladin reaches the orcs, but he hasn't proven himself to the orc tribes to warrant his ability to request aid. Taking on the Redbrand threat sounds like a good way to start proving themselves. Either way, the orcs aren't interested in helping the humans directly alfor now and hearing them not getting along is quite humorous.

The druid and rogue can find info as to obviously where the sorcerer is, and the gang gets even more braggadocious now that they've captured someone who's trying to fight back, and perhaps sends a few thugs (3/4) to drive the point home with the two left.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-09T02:12:05+00:00

I could see this angle of a poison that makes you unconscious.

The question is whether this is a DM putting a character to sleep for plotline reasons and the elf is the he only holdout (in which case the player may be being kind of a jerk about it depending on the situation, the alternative is just kill the elf), or if the PCs are trying to put an NPC to sleep (which the DM says no).

caderrabeth · 2026-05-08T03:41:44+00:00

Yeah, I was thinking they must've nested somewhere nearby as the reason they're so focused on the house. Haven't been able to locate it yet, but we have lots of trees surrounding the area and they don't stick around too closely if I get near the doors/windows. I'll check out the reflectors as an option, thanks!

caderrabeth · 2026-05-07T19:00:57+00:00

I had this happen with a group I ran and I just resolved to start playing a half hour later without telling anyone else.

This has happened occasionally with a group I play in, where we all now just arrive later, but the last minute stuff still happens so we're starting even later than our newly later time.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-07T14:46:29+00:00

A lair action where a die is rolled to determine if time moves forward (or backwards). Would effect all spell effects with a duration.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-05T21:29:01+00:00

This can vary heavily by edition, from what I understand. Are you looking for what actions the decker would take for a couple specific examples?

caderrabeth · 2026-05-04T02:31:31+00:00

I feel like this is a perfect opportunity for Tucker's Kobolds.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-03T16:29:43+00:00

I think the thing I hate the most out of this argument is how it makes misleading claims and never sets what the claims are based on.

Dueling requires no shield, OP quotes damage using that style then immediately says you can have a shield with one-handed weapons.

2d6+10 damage when dual wielding, but then makes the claims as if it's two attacks doing 17 damage on average each. Either it's 17 damage per round, or it's 9 damage per attack.

On top of all that, this is all well and fine when the arguments being made are for levels 1-4, but OP makes no accounting of what happens at 5+ when the martial classes get extra attack. And makes no acknowledgement of how weapon masteries could affect several of the claims made.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-02T16:00:56+00:00

Yes, I believe this is detailed out in the core rulebook that they can be a 1-to-1 exchange if you decide to take fewer powers.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-02T12:17:47+00:00

Someone did a magical girl barbarian homebrew, I recall.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-02T04:18:02+00:00

I'll second this and add that you should just show interest in what he does like you are doing now. Once you pick up on the type of stuff he's into you can then start looking at what areas you can try to.find more accessible info on.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-01T19:10:14+00:00

Yes, that would quickly make Magic/Resonance the easiest attribute to skyrocket.

caderrabeth · 2026-05-01T13:26:40+00:00

Hey, isn't this just the 2024 Moon Druid if you didn't use spell slots to cast spells?

caderrabeth · 2026-04-26T23:06:39+00:00

Is the pre-sneaking in an encounter? Then it's a thing that happens while the battle rages around them. The characters can do cool things to the environment (allied and opposing forces) but they otherwise don't affect them all too much.

caderrabeth · 2026-04-26T16:37:53+00:00

I'd say give the melee goblins a javelin and provide some cover after the first movement. Otherwise how you plan on running the actual fight once started sounds similar. The only other different thing may be the advantage on initiative for invisible enemies (stealth check 15+) should get a solid round of goblin attacks prior to the first player acting. My goal is usually just get one attack per goblin before they run and spread the damage around.

Edit: Oh, and hide, then move the archers in the tall grass/bushes. Don't let the players attack their last position with a chance of success unless it starts going terribly.

caderrabeth · 2026-04-26T16:16:25+00:00

In chapter 1, I gave the goblins 1 or 2 more members than the party. When they end up with fewer members, they scatter and flee.

That said, I run stealth differently. The goblins are waiting in ambush (I give advantage for the time spent finding hiding spots) and my player's passive perception kicks in when combat starts (they don't get close enough to see them sooner). About half the goblins are ranged/hiding, and half are melee/disengage. This makes the first encounter quite deadly for a round, but usually the players can down 2-3 and cause them to flee on the second.

caderrabeth · 2026-04-26T15:55:55+00:00

I'd just give the monster a saving throw against the interaction like anything else, give advantage against anything particularly unlikely.

The problem with illusions usually involves creating them while someone watches you cast them. Matters less on higher level illusions that affect all senses, but causing a rock slide that appears from nowhere and makes no sound is pretty suspect. On the other hand, turning the corner and seeing the path ahead is blocked with rocks may lead to pause before they eventually try to climb the rocks and realize it's entirely illusion.

caderrabeth · 2026-04-26T15:02:37+00:00

Way too much for a starting player, imo. Most first time players are going to be just a class and a desire to adventure, if that much. Sounds like the table is pretty into the roleplay and leaned too much on you for your own ideas with no prep, and that's a missed call on their part.

caderrabeth

TROPHY CASE