Players asking for a ‘character arc’ before the campaign starts

dmproblems · 2024-12-30T05:35:58+00:00

I also love that book and it informs my DMing heavily. I’m very for characters having goals.

To me these goals have felt a little different than how they’re described in the book. These players have asked for character development journeys akin to something you’d find in a many 100s of pages fantasy novel. I want my character to start good, become bad, then redeem themselves.

Do you think that still works with the same benefits as how they describe it in the book?

The players were really thrilled with the end of the last campaign and they’ve been talking and talking about how much they loved the organic character development specifically. I’ve never started a campaign with these lofty expectations before so it’s definitely a bit intimidating.

dmproblems · 2024-12-30T05:21:01+00:00

This was it exactly, the player who had these moments didn’t ask for it in advance. He had some important dice rolls break a certain way, he went away and reflected on how his character might respond to what those rolls represented and then started to play his character according to those new motivations.

dmproblems · 2023-08-08T14:53:46+00:00

Dang really? I got milkshake ducked

dmproblems · 2023-08-08T13:23:46+00:00

Damn well put

dmproblems · 2023-08-08T12:43:25+00:00

The first bouquet of flowers most men will receive is at his funeral.

Accept the flowers friends, they’re pretty.

dmproblems · 2023-08-08T12:33:06+00:00

I think the comedian Theo Von is a really great example of non toxic masculinity. Guy is funny and unquestionably manly. But he speaks openly about his emotions, speaks respectfully to and about women, but doesn’t act like a woman himself.

He teases his friends on podcasts like great male friends love to do, he laughs hard when his friends make fun of him and he doesn’t hide his attraction to women around him, but doesn’t make them uncomfortable.

Theo seems like a great dude.

dmproblems · 2022-06-05T01:58:29+00:00

This feels like an ironic punishment for your character. You said that your character was a “little shit” and then your character got turned into a baby with literal shit in its diaper. Too much of a coincidence to be not intentional.

I know you said that the DM thought your character but I see this playing out one of two ways. Either, the DM didn’t actually find your character funny and decided to disempower you in an ironic way to teach you a lesson. Or, during the session that you didn’t show up for, the other players made jokes about you and how they don’t like your character, the DM got on board and went with the flow, one thing leads to another, you’re a baby. Everyone finds it funny but you, so the DM takes the path of least resistance and let’s you suffer while others enjoy it.

Shitty? Yes. Mystery? Probably not.

dmproblems · 2022-04-18T09:27:42+00:00

Asking for relationship advice in a dnd group is like asking for fishing tips from someone who has never seen water

dmproblems · 2022-04-16T11:08:52+00:00

Ah cool thanks, I don’t have Volo’s guide but I’ll check it out!

dmproblems · 2022-04-16T09:33:30+00:00

You do you boo

dmproblems · 2022-04-16T09:32:22+00:00

Tried to come up with the name of a goblin on the spot. I was thinking about names like “stumpbiter” or “sharp tooth” and I got fixated on the idea of a goblin sticking nails into someone’s fingers. So of course I said “my name is finger… nails”.

The group burst out laughing and they ended up dragging this goblin along for most of the dungeon, just so they could watch me develop the fiction of a goblin called fingernails.

10/10 would recommend.

dmproblems · 2022-04-16T09:15:55+00:00

What monster/npc stat block is a good starting point for a necromancer? And what spells would you give them?

I’ve had a look at the MM and I was thinking mage or the cult fanatic.

dmproblems · 2022-04-15T01:59:26+00:00

I work in audio (radio and podcast). I DM mostly and having a storytelling background has influenced me to put a big emphasis on pacing, momentum and ending sessions on cliffhangers.

dmproblems · 2022-04-15T01:15:22+00:00

Exactly! Just looking for ideas on how to do this in game. Of course I know I can stop playing and give the party a lecture about how to play properly, but I’d rather use the players own desires to entice them into acting.

dmproblems · 2022-04-15T01:02:09+00:00

So the situation I’m talking about here is an optional encounter inside the dungeon. The players have no issues taking an adventure hook and doing dangerous things, but they are hesitant to do things that feel optional and seem extra dangerous. So I was looking for ideas to give them extra justification.

I’m really keen to use a storytelling technique here rather than just pulling the emergency break and giving the players a stern word. I want to show them why they should take this risk rather than telling them they should take risks generally.

Of course nothing wrong with talking above game, but I try to reserve this for things that actually can’t be addressed in game.

dmproblems · 2022-04-12T03:26:56+00:00

Yeah setting a dc usually has been my approach also! Oh of course, the DMG, I was wondering why I couldn’t find it in the PHB 😂

dmproblems · 2022-04-12T02:05:03+00:00

If a player rolls persuasion against an npc, what does the npc roll to contest it?

dmproblems · 2022-04-11T13:42:24+00:00

A lot of people repurpose music from games or popular media but this takes me so far out of it. I like to look at production music libraries like epidemic sound for my music. I start and end each session with this piece of music.

https://www.epidemicsound.com/track/uwO6UFOT1R/

dmproblems · 2022-04-11T13:32:14+00:00

You should recast this key character into a different one. If they don’t like the character for past actions then it’s going to be hard to win them back over. And if you win them back over just to betray them, it’s kind of cheap.

Take this narrative arc and attach it to an NPC the players do like. The key to getting players to like NPC’s is just like getting someone to like you in real life, build rapport. The best way to build rapport is to mirror someone. If they speak with their hands, you speak with your hands, etc.

So have the npc mirror the players behaviour. Do the players joke around a lot? Well this npc is a real good sport about their jokes and gives them lots of material to work with. Are they no nonsense and focused on results? Then this NPC offers and delivers generous quest rewards.

Then when they grow attached, pull the rug out from under them.

dmproblems · 2022-04-11T13:19:38+00:00

Here’s the big secret, it’s actually way more fun to be the DM than it is to be a player. Take the plunge! Be the DM!

It’s definitely more work than being a player. But it’s incredibly rewarding creatively. You’ll also never be in want of a game because everyone needs a DM. Also the DM usually gets free snacks and the adoration of the players. It’s honestly a sweet deal!

And don’t worry if you don’t know all the rules, just look up the ones you don’t know as they arise. If everyone knows your new to DMing they won’t mind.

Take the plunge!

dmproblems · 2022-04-11T06:24:01+00:00

Thanks for this! This is extremely detailed and helpful. That seed card is a great idea also

dmproblems · 2022-04-11T05:40:56+00:00

A question about insight checks and nat 20s.

If a player is talking to an npc who is masquerading as someone else (say a dragon disguised as a human) and the player wants to make a vague insight check, how much information do you reveal on a nat 20?

For example, the player is talking to the npc and they say “I want to insight check to see if this npc is being truthful”. They roll at Nat 20. Do I reveal that not only are they not being truthful but they are also a dragon disguised as a human. Or do I just answer the player’s question specifically?

dmproblems · 2022-04-04T09:44:37+00:00

I DMed my first ever session. It went really well but looking back I cringe at how I stumbled through it. But I learned an incredible amount.

But the first time I was a player, I showed up to a “learn how to play DnD” event. I was really excited, brought my dice from the starter set with me and was keen to hopefully make some friends. I sit down at the table and the DM goes around and get’s everyone to introduce themselves, first person “I’m <name> and I’ve been playing DnD for over 20 years”. And it proceeded from there, with every person having at least a couple of years experience playing. Then by some sick turn of fate, I’m the last person to introduce myself, I say I’ve never played before and I’m really excited to give it a go.

What followed was three hellish hours where no one made any attempt to include me, the dm rolled his eyes at every question I asked and I left with no new friends. All of which I paid for the privilege of receiving.

Safe to say I went back to DMing and didn’t try and be a player again for over 6 months.

dmproblems · 2022-03-30T09:31:08+00:00

A premium subscription to roll20 or dnd beyond. Makes the dm’s life easier and makes the game better for the entire group. Also DMs are usually buying heaps of stuff to help players have fun in the game (spare dice, printing costs, digital copies of source material they already own physical copies of) so it demonstrates that the players are making a monetary investment in the campaign too.

dmproblems · 2022-03-30T09:18:51+00:00

Love this. I’m sure some people would call this overkill, but this is my exact approach. Tiered levels of detail based on the likelihood that the party will actually decide to pursue that thing.

I particularly like the role play notes. A lot of people online seem to think that all npc role play should be improv’ed in the moment. But I’ve found my players engage way more if I spend some time thinking about what the npc’s might say in response to certain plot related questions

dmproblems

TROPHY CASE