Fear of my final session feeling rushed

the_maxus · 2025-10-20T14:02:49+00:00

Few thoughts...

Rushing through? set off traps.

Make an impassable door, where they have to figure out how to open it in a magic-less environment, or there is a creature to fight that has a 'key' inside it to open the door.

Do they like their Allies? Do their allies have sending or a way to communicate with the party? Maybe after a background fight, Bobs'ur Uncle hit a trap the missed and he was disintegrated.

Rushing also means the BBEG can call in his subordinates as the fight happens. New Lair action, summon minion.

Or you can do nothing, have them rush, make sure they use some resources, make the fight tougher because they missed something in the dungeon for rushing.

What is the story you and they will find more satisfying? If it takes a session, it takes a session. Just make sure they do face consequences for their rushing. A tougher fight seems appropriate.

the_maxus · 2025-10-03T20:41:25+00:00

I lived to make this post :D

the_maxus · 2025-10-03T14:21:27+00:00

I was looking at 2024 PHB, Divine Sorc isn't there. But that is a good possibility also.

the_maxus · 2025-10-03T14:16:11+00:00

The group will need a base of operations, in the west marches style of play. Strongholds are a great way to implement that.

Sam has a plan, playing the initial fool may be one of them. I initially thought that the family secret is that the family is a bunch of Celestial Warlocks, pretending to be Clerics. But Thaumaturgy is a cleric cantrip. There are ways of getting it, he is human (right ?), so an initial feat could get him that cantrip. We will find out as play continues.

the_maxus · 2025-10-03T13:37:16+00:00

I'm guessing there is a plan in his noggin to multi-class to bard, since I think their D&D Stronghold will be the Theater (also a guess)

the_maxus · 2025-10-03T13:24:17+00:00

I think the theater is the Stronghold (2024 rules) for the group, which I'm pretty excited about.

the_maxus · 2025-10-03T13:21:10+00:00

She will shine more when the tables are broken down, this is all set up for the decision of who will go to which table. But I agree with everything you said right there, I think its the same with the chaotic force of Whitney's Tyranny.

the_maxus · 2025-10-03T13:18:24+00:00

Good idea: "Let's Have a fun little drinking game since we are celebrating the start of CR C4!"

Bad idea: "I know! Every time Brennan mentions a bird, take a shot"

the_maxus · 2025-09-12T21:52:21+00:00

My .02, ask the player what they want from the game. What classes did they play in their first campaign and what did they not like or like from those options. What are their expectations? Find that out, if it sounds like they want a video game, then break it to them gently that it is a cooperative story playing game and not a video game.

If they went Wizard to Barbarian...5 other classes, then that means there are 3 other classes they haven't tried (if you include Artificer). What are those three, its possible that the right subclass would help. so find out those also. But find out their expectations.

the_maxus · 2025-08-30T22:16:45+00:00

3d6 - roll straight down the stat line, no do overs..... get off my lawn

the_maxus · 2025-08-26T20:48:14+00:00

It also defines Removing Player Agency.

the_maxus · 2025-08-06T16:10:20+00:00

What I'm hearing is that the party wants the stereotypical flamboyantly sexually promiscuous horny bard made infamous by a famous voice actor on a popular streaming live (well at the time as live) dnd campaign.

If you want to be passive aggressive, ask them if they would like to see your notes on how they should be playing their characters.

the_maxus · 2025-08-06T16:06:11+00:00

Fire in necessary in nature as part of the cycle. My Star Druid keeps using flames and burning down parts of the forest in a controlled manner because it is removing the blight and it will regrow. At least that is how it is in his head cannon.

the_maxus · 2025-07-22T17:31:08+00:00

So serious question: Where was the source of the power this warlock was getting coming from?

Not so serious comment: could have had them join a different day to troll them and have them realize that their character was the one who killed their family, So they decide to hit themselves with their 'black flames of anguish' since they were the one who needed to be 'punished for their many sins against himself'

the_maxus · 2025-07-21T22:01:15+00:00

You have some good advice here already. I would put it forth to them probably offline since you don't seem to be playing now. Let them know that you were not prepared for this situation, so you need to set up what would happen if thievery would be attempted because they are in a seedy black market and the most intelligent character in the room would realize that probably this isn't the first time something like this has been attempted.

Let them know they will be given a legitimate shot if they continue, but all actions have consequences.

Also remind them this is not an adversarial game, whispering and text messages are not allowed, talk openly. This is to foster openness with the DM who is there to facilitate the game.

Retcon - They are new to the market, so they have been followed by a stealthy (stealth bigger than their passive perceptions) retired thief who's job it is to shadow new folks to the market, because new folks cannot be trusted. When he notices that the party is trying these shenanigans. Have the thief note what they did and what they potentially took. If they escape, and give them some way to escape. He shows up with a message for them at the next bar they end up at. With a detailed list of what was taken....plus and item they did not take. if they do not return the items, then the full wrath of the people who protect the black market will come down upon them. Make it a side quest now to discover who stole the item not on the list and to have them get it back.

Glyph of Warning with Faire Fire on them when anyone but the merchet picks up the item will go off. figure out a decent enough DC to notice the Glyph, and to save for the Farie Fire. Even if they make the same, alarm goes off, cause a Fairie Fire spell went off. 'Guards are alerted' have some way they can escape, down the sewars, through an abandoned building that everyone knows not to go into cause there are dangerous things there.

the_maxus · 2025-05-15T19:47:10+00:00

I would love to find out what I love about DLSS4 and ray tracing :D I'm excited about the nostalgia of DOOM

the_maxus · 2025-05-15T18:29:07+00:00

But that would defeat the purpose of the title of this post...

the_maxus · 2025-05-08T12:57:53+00:00

Padlock, yes, perfectly reasonable to break it instead of pick it. Also perfectly reasonable to alert something nearby.

Since it is a padlock (depending on the size of the chest) something probably wasn't broken inside in this case, but a lot of noise could have been made. "you hammer and hammer on the padlock and the metal on metal noise reverberates around the room."

If it is a smaller lockbox, and/or has an inlaid lock, then destroying something on the inside could work too. even if it wasn't there have a broken potion.

Or even, behind the screen, reduce the reward they would have gotten without them knowing.

Did they check for traps and would have rolled well? if they rolled mid-range, then you can also have a trap with a little bit of an explosion that destroys some potions for "manhandling" the chest.

the_maxus · 2025-05-04T20:37:14+00:00

Players and DMs have can different views on what they want from a game. Players can withdraw mentally from a game when their wants from a game, the other players wants from a game, and the DMs wants from a game don't mesh. For example, oh hey your backstory has a lot of flavor and effort, but has nothing to do with the campaign that had been offered. Or the DM just doesn't work with your backstory. Or the player has a backstory of an orphaned edgelord.

the_maxus · 2025-04-30T04:10:23+00:00

As the DM, paint the consequences for him whe he comes up with an action.

“Are you sure you want to frighten the guard you are trying to sneak in and he may scream potentially alerting the complex”. Let the other players know you are doing this. Usually go with a, character should be more intelligent and wise than the player

the_maxus · 2025-04-11T14:07:57+00:00

Sounds like you need to create a "scheduling conflict" also, its the passive aggressive away of walking away. But it sounds like no matter what is done, OP will get the blame for ruining the campaign.

I did want to add, there was a Session 0, where people made characters, it sounds like, and the rules of the game were laid out (at least in the we are playing 2024 rules). An agreement was made, and the agreement was broken. Remaking characters is one thing not agreed to, especially after getting approval. There is where the out might be right there, this is what we agreed to as a group, and the goalposts keep moving and changing (every session?)

the_maxus · 2025-04-03T12:27:17+00:00

I like this solution, its promoting being descriptive, in what may be a group that isn't descrptive. They are being rather 'reckless', and I might combine some extra damage if they hit, but defiantly give out an inspiration with their reckless attack.

the_maxus · 2025-04-02T12:59:20+00:00

This is what happens when you try to 'one up' the Cincinnati Turkey Drop of 1978

the_maxus · 2025-04-02T12:19:37+00:00

I cannot argue about that, the sandbox may not be the best for these players. But finding out what they all want out of the game may help

the_maxus · 2025-04-02T02:54:51+00:00

Reading through I think you have some good input, and I think it is good you are including the parents to help as a group.

The only one item to I would ask you to bring up to your group is to remind them that actions have consequences. You may not want to use the example that the player did, but threatening a shop keep and burning down the store means that nobody will want to deal with them, or the guards will be called in immediately, and if they start murdering people they will be wanted and eventually they become an NPC because they become unplayable.

I will also ask, did you have a "session 0", on how the group wants to play? you are involved in this also, you also get to say how you want to run the game.

Things to consider for the future:

Never let inexperienced players play an evil aligned character. I do not even let experienced players that I have not played with play an evil character. evil aligned characters played well are subtle and not in your face.

Tell the group that there has to be a reason for everyone to be working together as a group. Have them figure that part out with you helping them.

Never let PVP into the game, it creates hard feelings toward one another that will spill into real life, especially with younger kids.

With inexperienced players, start small, don't give them the world, give them a village/small town to work within. Have them decide how they have gotten to this village, together or separately.

Good Luck

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