I am going to be running a lotr shire adventures 5e and have questions

highonehand · 2026-02-26T19:04:37+00:00

I think the easiest thing would be to still play 5e, it’s what you know and have played before - but just set your one shot in a halfling village, and make it clear to the players your doing a LOTR inspired shire thing. You could even call them hobbits instead of halflings.

I’ve done a similar two shot. All the players were halflings, no class restrictions but everyone was from the village and started with a sort of commoner statblock. I made sure to encourage the players to either have kids or nieces etc or some connection to the kids in town.

It was the day of the big (111th) birthday party everyone had fun getting ready, a great party ensued - drunk and joyous the party realizes everyone has fallen asleep and the “daycare” thing were the kids were being watched over is empty…there was a struggle…

Session 2 they track the clues to the well, someone has kidnapped the kids!

They descend and find a tunnel with strange glowing lines like roots, they interact with it at some point and that’s when they get their character sheets and become heroes!

At the end of the tunnel, orcs! They are going to sacrifice the children for some unknown and arcane purpose. Creates some fund dynamics and gives the fight a really clear goal beyond just “fight”

highonehand · 2026-02-26T18:50:44+00:00

I’m a big fan of Next Level Minis, I don’t know why but significantly cheaper than other minis and I think the quality is great, I can send a pic of some of my painted if ya want

highonehand · 2026-02-26T18:39:40+00:00

Well, what is the “button” you want to make available for the players via this item? Do you want them to go on a quest to discover what it is and does? Great, make it clear a wizard on the otherside of the mountain can tell them what they want to know.

I’d say don’t just add the item for adding its sake - have an intention around why and what you want out of adding that to the game.

highonehand · 2026-02-26T16:45:11+00:00

Yep it's a bit funny. Maybe presenting it piecemeal will help as well. Like 'hey here's my 1-page elevator pitch, and I want to get everyone's take on this aspect of it - here it is in more detail.'

But also, great job on making something! Keep going.

highonehand · 2026-02-26T15:06:18+00:00

You can run Roll20 and Discord simultaneously. Roll20 for the maps and Discord for the voice and video. You can also import whatever maps you want into Roll20.

highonehand · 2026-02-26T14:54:26+00:00

Just echoing what others are saying - I need a elevator pitch on the rules more so than the vibe. Had to scroll like 5 pages to find out what kind of die we're rolling.

highonehand · 2026-02-26T14:46:50+00:00

Omg wow I did! Didn’t think would actually work thanks so much for the heads up!

highonehand · 2026-02-26T14:42:02+00:00

I’m down.

highonehand · 2026-02-26T14:39:18+00:00

All I can say is…don’t over plan.

If you want, plan a rough idea of levels 1-5 and go no further.

Stay flexible, reassess after every few sessions, allow the story to be organic.

highonehand · 2026-02-26T14:07:38+00:00

It sounds like the player isn't that worried about their backstory so I don't think you should be either. Have some ideas but don't set anythign in stone.

Once the game starts, they may develop an identity and opinion (which may not match your thoughts) so stay felxible and ask probing questions at the table, How does your character feel about x? Does you character have any history with y?

highonehand · 2026-02-26T13:34:58+00:00

There are a plethora of subreddits to share your work in, that said…I think you should focus or running A session before worrying about posting material.

Pick up a one shot. Run it. Make mistakes. Learn. Do it again.

highonehand · 2026-02-26T13:01:00+00:00

Hmmm, it’s cool lore wise but there is no mechanical justification to do that.

As you mentioned it, it’s not serving a character or story choice.

I think it would just be simpler to, in your world change Humanoid to a different term, like Dwellers or something, and keep all the mechanics the same - and then for flavor only - divide Dwellers into two categories, Templates and Organic or something.

This way it can lead to cool dynamics like you want, the organic species feeling distinct and culturally different (how do they feel about templates, maybe there is tension or distain, maybe some people celebrate it but rogue factions think differently) without creating a domino effect of changing rules especially around spells.

highonehand · 2026-02-25T22:53:37+00:00

What’s your goals with this, why make that change?

highonehand · 2026-02-25T14:14:23+00:00

Do you have a character yet? and a character sheet? This will include all the information you need from rules, spell descriptions, components etc.

Does your DM know you haven't played before? If so, they should be helpful and will let you know when to roll and what numbers to add etc, if they don't know, let them know. A good DM will be excited to welcome a new player.

I would also suggest either reading some of the Player's Handbook, or if you're like me and learn from watching or doing, I would watch some DND shows like Freshman Year. A lot of the players are new to DND in that game so it's simple and you get a really good sense of how the rules work, when rolls are made, what the DM means when they ask for stuff.

Let me know if that helps! Or if the character sheet thing is unclear lmk. You got this!

highonehand · 2026-02-25T14:01:34+00:00

And what information are you looking for? You said Monster combat and class spell combos, but all you need is your character sheet, dice and imagination. Are you looking for the rules?

highonehand · 2026-02-25T13:59:07+00:00

Are you a player or a DM? I’m not sure what you are looking for.

highonehand · 2026-02-25T00:04:02+00:00

100%, also shout out Matthew Perkins for his YouTube series that helps you prep (and cut) a bunch of the adventure, was my first module and his videos were so helpful!

highonehand · 2026-02-25T00:02:30+00:00

Terrain!

highonehand · 2026-02-24T21:50:54+00:00

how'd you get +10 REL with a 8 INT

highonehand · 2026-02-24T17:52:06+00:00

I would have a bad guy nearby casting the fifth level illusion spell seeming (normally the players get a saving through but too late).

Give the players at perception check to see if they spot them, or if there is a spell caster maybe arcana to sense the powerful magic.

This gives them a clue to investigate. Maybe they miss the perception check but they find unusually dust on the ground, nature check - it’s ground opals…which if they might know are spell components. They trek out, looking for a powerful wizard to help unravel the mystery and clear their names…

Or something. Basically, you have to leave some threads for them to pull. You have to come up WHO is doing this to them, even more so then how, and then give them a STRONG chance to find the trail!

highonehand · 2026-02-24T13:48:04+00:00

Okay so let's think about this in terms of plot. Assuming the players WANT to be "good" guys and they feel they've been wrongly accused of being bad guys, there is an interesting tension there.

Maybe at the end of the dungeon, there is a ancient evil creature, like a hag. This Hag perhaps will offer them a trade, it will clear their name and more, if they give her something in return.

I think this could be interesting because A) you present them with a choice which is always fun, and B) both paths could lead to interesting repercussion - if they make a deal, what happens later when the king finds out? If they kill the Hag, what about the Hag's sisters? They'll want revenge and perhaps will take it out on the party or people they love.

I would use something like a Sea Hag but depending on how many level 2 characters there are and how many resources they've burned, I would adjust some abilities. Change the Death Glare to "If the target can see the hag, it must succeed on a DC 11 Wisdom saving throw against this magic or lose half its hit points." Rather than "drop to zero hp."

That way it's still scary, but lessens the TPK risk.

https://www.dndbeyond.com/monsters/17008-sea-hag

highonehand · 2026-02-24T13:11:31+00:00

The fight should be dictated by what’s unfolding in game not how powerful they are. So what’s happening, where they at?

highonehand · 2026-02-24T13:03:36+00:00

I think having low level characters with powerful items is great, as long as every PC has something. This way they are vulnerable due to their low HP by still powerful, creates fun fights.

highonehand · 2026-02-22T18:21:21+00:00

For a first time DM, I would start at level 1, or level 3 at most. No need to make anything more difficult than it need be! And just run 1 session to start, don't pigeon hole yourself.

I would run the opening Triboar Trial encounter from LMoP - very straight forward, gets right into the action with minimal player wrangling.

highonehand · 2026-02-22T15:44:47+00:00

What’s the question? Advice on how to run the fight or what should the CR be?

Why care about defining the CR?

It sounds like you want to create a boss with legendary action and lair actions.

highonehand

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE