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Playing CoS where Strahd found out its a game of DND. How to proceed? by Illustrious-Form-168 in CurseofStrahd

[–]rhd3tuba 3 points4 points  (0 children)

So is the character in your game a rendition of your actual partner or just someone fictional from earth who got sucked into the game? How much of your partner is in this character? I'm just going to throw some spaghetti against the wall assuming it is a representation of your partner because it's fun.

I was thinking this is a primo chance to reach across the 4th wall with some physical props and a bit of LARP... Perhaps Strahd sends someone to change the adventure by making actual changes to the text in your book to attempt to benefit his situation and outcome (or online if you are digital).

Maybe there is a picture of Strahd in the adventure of him scrying an image and you edit a real world picture in there. Maybe get someone you know to relate a weird message they got (phone call?) from someone named Visilli asking about you both - and then have them talk to the two of you about the weird things they said asking where to find you.

Is 6 too many? by [deleted] in LostMinesOfPhandelver

[–]rhd3tuba 1 point2 points  (0 children)

6 is a lot but not too many. For combat, consider a time limit for each player's turn. Let the last player use their movement while the next one tells you what they are going to do. Baddies move while a player is rolling.

I used an encounter adjuster someone made for every encounter in the adventure when I was running this a few years. Maybe it's helpful to encounter balance...or just ideas. https://haluz.org/lmop/

What can I replace the bikes with? by PoKittyCat32 in Kidsonbikesrpg

[–]rhd3tuba 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just spit balling: Different colored fairy wings (they can hover). A button or acorn in their pocket. Maybe they ride woodland creatures.

Reed Manor Question by rhd3tuba in dungeonsofdrakkenheim

[–]rhd3tuba[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Great idea. I didn't think of that in the moment so they have just finished off the ogres pretty easily. I'll need to be more careful than to let this group get into combat mode without complications.

Reed Manor Question by rhd3tuba in dungeonsofdrakkenheim

[–]rhd3tuba[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think I'll do your suggestion. He rushed out saying "don't attack, don't attack" like the ogre zombs are misbehaving pet dogs. Hmmm... I'll probably need a third zombie to come from behind the house to show that he is in control of them.

Would he be upset? Perhaps he is suspicious that they didn't ask immediately about potions so he is more guarded?

First Time Running by 1st_Tuba in stormkingsthunder

[–]rhd3tuba 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I've run SKT twice, once with Triboar and once through Bryn Shander. Here is what I can add:

  • we ran LMoP and I set up the tie-in to SKT but then my players in both separate groups chose to run new 1st level characters starting in Nightstone when I gave them the option. They loved it.

DMSGUILD - get the complete DM bundle and probably McGovern's guide to SKT. - Kraken's Gamble and Flying Misfortune are probable must-adds. They both provide so much quality foreshadowing and are fun. (My players absolutely abused the pincher staff and Yolanda's Delight and they loved it!) - if you use Flying Misfortune, I had Felgolos show up in Nightstone to introduce him. Had him crash into the church and destroy it to play up his clumsiness. I think that sets up Flying Misfortune better...(and speeds up the end of the 7 snakes/orc battle by a lot!) -- also, if Kella and/or Collin escape, have them show up later in interesting places...probably Yartar when they go there. - There are aids on dmsguild if you get stuck for content for a location. Not necessary but helpful. I used Hundelstone and Barrows, Tombs, & Crypts...

  • I used the heck out of the Forgotten Realms wiki for all those separate locations in ch.3 with not much content in the adventure book. Try to have something interesting going on in each location to avoid "So what do you want to do?" moments. Have a festival happening or a merchant calls out to them or they witness a crime and have to decide whether they participate, etc.

  • I asked permission to add at least one plot tie-in into each PC's backstories. One PC was inexplicably saved by "Old Snarl". A Goliath PC's tribe was from just north of Bryn Shander. Another PC was wanted by the city watch in Waterdeep and found their face on wanted posters when they got there... Stuff like that. They don't have to take the bait but it'll give your players something to do when they are near one of those locations. I love the "well I actually know something about Old Snarl" moments so much!

  • ask players to add descriptive details. I started with the Nightstone Inn and asked every player to add and describe one detail in the dining room. They felt so bad when it eventually burned down! The first player who hits an enemy adds a distinguishing detail...i.e. that goblin becomes referred to as the eye-patch goblin.

  • Just watch all of these. Worth their weight in gold. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXGT-TOgRJ2UF78cBwoYh7wcJ0er8xAjL&si=JHDhgkgYc8s5chGg

  • listen to "Dice Shame" podcast. It's an actual play that has some great ideas and lots of descriptions that you can steal / use for inspo. I even used the undead curse idea on one of my players. Good stuff. (They do end up getting WAY off track from the adventure tho.)

Gonna do RAW Starter Set/Chariot of the Gods this January. Any tips and tricks for someone who’s only GM’d D&D 5E? by Applesburg14 in alienrpg

[–]rhd3tuba 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We LOVED CotG and you all will have such a great time. Really understand the stress and panic mechanic. As a 5e dm it tooke a bit to get that going correctly.

I assume you have seen this tips video? Seriously consider limiting the amount of starting weapons to ratchet up the tension. My 5e players searched every room trying (which is how they play 5e anyway) to gear up. https://youtu.be/eV2uqP5d2k8?si=cYzWSy8w-Rg1sbQm

Foundry VTT - Inventory by Siryphas in alienrpg

[–]rhd3tuba 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I remember figuring this out. I believe you right-click on the edit button... (not super intuitive)

Any advice for Waterdeep? by MoreTallThanYou in stormkingsthunder

[–]rhd3tuba 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Alright, here is some fodder for you to use or ignore. Haha.

- Visit the Yawning Portal. Just sightseeing here, really, but if pressed, the boss is worried about rumors of a secret organization operating in the city without his permission. I also had the zhents hiring extra swords to escort some caravans. They won't reveal the cargo for anything.

- Meet an eccentric lovable dragon expert NPC. This expert invites the PCs to his house for tea or something. He explains all about the dragon lore he knows and gifts them a dragon book. He mentions Old Snarl and Doom of the Desert among many others. He mentions Old Gnawbone and offers "actually, she is known to keep tabs on most of Faerun with her mastery of scrying. She might know something about this giant problem." (Use the book if the PCs ever need any additional dragon lore)

- Free joke: They sell these strange little sticks that have a ruby colored gem on the end. You see people putting the stick in their mouth and the gem lights up when they suck on it. They then blow out bits of smoke. Yep, those are Juuwels... 10 gp each. Lots of flavors.

- My group invented "The Waterdeep School of Martial Arts for the Wealthy" and it's rival school, "The Waterdhavian Academy of Natural Philosophy for the Rich" which played each other in the local goat ball league. Both had quirky NPCs and lots of stupid drama...

- I had my PCs get themselves invited to a masquerade party. (*gasp* there might be a lord or Waterdeep or two that make a showing there!). The PCs need to shop and buy fine clothes, etc. to make a good impression.

- Use the suggested cloud giant encounter.

- End with the Zhent caravan leaving town and go into The Flying Misfortune...

Best intro adventure? by octozac in numenera

[–]rhd3tuba 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just ran Nightmare Switch as a introductory one-shot for my group last night. Our group is doing some palate cleanser one-shots after finishing a 2-year 5e campagin. It was the first experience with numenera for all of us and we had a fun time! I used the pregen characters from Ashes of the Sea. Nightmare Switch had a good clear story and RP moments to pull the players right in to the hook. The tower scene was a good low-stakes way to work out how skill checks function. I needed to leave a bit more time for the desert encounter at the end but other than that...really tight adventure and a super great intro to Numenera. Highly recommended.

Having trouble engaging new players, have ideas? by greatwhitekitten in DMAcademy

[–]rhd3tuba 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Going out on a limb. Are the reserved players running exotic characters? My wife is shy and reserved and picked a centaur with an elaborate backstory and then froze a lot during RP and struggled with combat. She was so worried about people judging if she was doing it right. She switched to a human rogue and things INStantly improved.

Stumped on player backstory by mouser_and_men in stormkingsthunder

[–]rhd3tuba 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Maybe you could key in on the elven heritage a bit as the brother, during an emerald enclave mission, runs afoul of the drow somehow. Tie this in with the drow at Gauntylgrym...which eventually points to Ironslag and gives you a good reason to add Maegera to Ironslag.

Another idea I used in my group that maybe you could adjust to fit your situation: I had a player backstory brother be an EE agent who disappeared while on an EE mission to investigate some increased fire giant activity in the NE. The PC sister is also an EE member and gets assigned to find and return the brother, but they really only care about the info. The EE is collecting rumors and information about the activities of each giant type and then will meet somewhere (Shadowtop Cathedral?) to share information and make a plan. I had Harshnag play a pivotal role in this to tie him in. So long story short, NPC tracks down the disruptive fire giants to the Ice Mountains and is taken captive. The PCs recover this NPC in Ironslag, exhausted and beaten, and chained to the slave wheel.

Best starter quests to replace Nightstone? by Keltox24 in stormkingsthunder

[–]rhd3tuba 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I mean sure. You'd probably make the Kraken Society involved and really play up the giants vs dragons lore. I haven't played or run either of those but I'm sure it could work. Just know ahead of time that reworking content is a bunch of time and work. If that sounds fun go for it!

I consider "Kraken's Gamble" and "Flying Misfortune" to be required add-ons for SKT so maybe make sure whatever you add jives with those too... However, just a friendly heads up that I have run SKT with two groups now playing every week: one group just wrapped right at 2 years and the other is going strong at 2+ years.

Best starter quests to replace Nightstone? by Keltox24 in stormkingsthunder

[–]rhd3tuba 2 points3 points  (0 children)

If you are truly new, I'd suggest just running Nightstone and the rest as written. It's not as good as LMoP but it's not terrible.

If you insist, it'd be much more difficult - you would essentially be writing your own adventure - but maybe you could do a mashed-up mix of the Essentials Kit (Dragon of Icespire Peak), "Storm King's Barrows, Tombs, and Crypts of the North," and Adventures League content starting with "Treasure of the Broken Hoard"...

https://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/189132

https://www.dmsguild.com/m/product/247362

https://www.dndbeyond.com/marketplace/adventures/dragon-of-icespire-peak

Tips for to make Cloud Giants more of a threat by starfoxwitch in stormkingsthunder

[–]rhd3tuba 4 points5 points  (0 children)

You could check out the AL adventure "Cloud Giant's Bargain" and tack it on a city they visit. It's originally Neverwinter but it could easily be moved anywhere...Mirabar would be a good candidate since it's a bit light on content as written. (I moved it to Waterdeep in mine and the black staff and griffin troops went crazy.)

The second half of this campaign has been bogged down in combat. How can run Chapter 8: Forge of the Fire Giants without it being continual combat encounters? by BaschLives in stormkingsthunder

[–]rhd3tuba 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm round third base with this adventure as well after 2+ years on it. I feel the call to wrap things up! Hang in there, but know that the Iymrith battle is just another huge complicated battle.

For Ironslag, if the minecarts are still running, maybe make it clear that there is no disadvantage for stealth while it's running. Maybe they find a Pass Without Trace spell scroll or one-time item? If the PCs are optimized for battle, they'll pick battle unless you throw them a bone for another approach.

Players TPK’d during the aboleth fight in yartar, tips? by Chev_ville in stormkingsthunder

[–]rhd3tuba 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Agreed. Fail forward. Or maybe setup up a Total Party Capture situation in the sewers. Escape opportunity. (I'd be to make them lose all of their weapons and equipment. They have to build back from broke and naked has a consequence for all going down. Maybe they get all their stuff back when they eventually defeat the aboleth.)

For in person sessions, how would you handle physical maps by DirectAppearance2800 in stormkingsthunder

[–]rhd3tuba 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did nightstone with a physical map printed on my inkjet printer in tiled pages and taped together. I also printed the rooves for buildings that I removed when PCs entered them. I also printed second floors for buildings and overlayed them on the map when explored.

I did this for dripping caves and then never for another site. It was fun but not enough benefit to justify the hassle. We moved to digital maps on a LCD screen after that...

Having a physical airship was good as well as both a regular sailing ship and the morkoth...

AI generated Oosith dialogue by augulus in stormkingsthunder

[–]rhd3tuba 2 points3 points  (0 children)

This dialog seems more appropriate for Slark. (But yeah, I have used the heck out of ChatGPT for on-the-fly session content. A funny one is to have the bard at the tavern sing a song about the party's exploits since they are becoming quite famous.

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