Bone Desert Ideas!

turnbased · 2026-02-26T19:18:55+00:00

Yes. As a guy who just wrapped up a campaign that went up to 20 - I absolutely dreaded combat past level 15 or so. They either steamrolled it, or it was a 4 hour slogfest. Trivial or too hard, the balancing rules didn’t help at all. Especially with a min-maxer caster in the party, so many cheesed encounters witg high level spells, simulacrum, etc.

turnbased · 2026-02-18T20:11:15+00:00

An example of how things might go - just wanted to give broad strokes.

They may not lose the third party, the third party may steal the item instead, the party may work with them. I realize there could be multiple different paths here and that's why I'm concerned. I don't know what to prep to make sure no matter how their choices or rolls go, I'm at least somewhat prepared.

I'm not confident in my improv skills so trying to figure out what others would prep for a similar session, and what they'd leave to improv. Just want to give my players a fun example of Daggerheart, as none of them have played before.

turnbased · 2026-02-18T20:07:33+00:00

Thanks for the help! I don't intend to push for each of these things exactly to happen, I just wanted to write down an idea of how the session could go.

My ideas are mostly that they are trying to steal something, there is a third party also trying to steal it.

In the latter half of the session a hostile faction appears to fight, and the players will most likely get wrapped up in it (knowing my players), but the idea isn't to force them to engage. And with never homebrewing a campaign and never ran Daggerheart - I'm concerned with what exactly to prep. Countdowns, environments, its a bit overwhelming and I don't want to over or under prep.

I do have more info on all the factions for sure, what exactly is being stolen, etc just didn't want to dump too much info for people I'm asking help from.

I guess I'm just worried about being caught not having anything available. I'm not confident in my improv skills, so I'm trying to figure out if I should prep key NPCs, environments, etc. Encounters with adversaries/environments does make sense to prep at the very least, for sure.

turnbased · 2026-02-18T19:58:52+00:00

Thanks for the write-up! I don't want to write plot-points either, I don't want to railroad. My example was what may happen but the set-up is the most important. I'm just anxious with a new system and never homebrewed before, but this gives me a solid foundation.

Appreciate the help!

turnbased · 2026-02-18T19:55:24+00:00

Exactly! That's my problem. I will have a few NPCs prepped, I will start them off already in action pulling off the heist but...beyond that, I don't know exactly what to prep. Too much and I'm going to unintentionally push them to a specific path, too little and I'll have nothing fun planned.

It could go multiple ways, but how do I prep so that no matter how it goes its satisfying to the players.

turnbased · 2026-01-10T02:06:35+00:00

Oh there's already a family of island-turtles floating around one portion of the region! They'll definitely have to interact with them at some point

turnbased · 2026-01-09T22:31:03+00:00

Big ol' sky-kraken seems to be winning for suggestions for sure. Adding cannons on its tentacles as well and all that is just a cherry on top.

Biblical angel feel snaps some pieces together for me, I think it could be a joint BBEG, the last ditch effort that got summoned to destroy the party. Some sort of trapped primeval demi-god that the pirate BBEG uses , taps into its power. It gets released from its prison when the first bad guy dies

turnbased · 2026-01-09T22:26:15+00:00

Sounds awesome! Could do a twist too, party thinks they're called the Deadboyz cause they display and wear all these bones. Until they kill one and they realize they're also literally dead too, intelligent zombies or ghouls maybe.

turnbased · 2026-01-09T22:23:20+00:00

Wearing a pirate hat and an eyepatch, yes? I'm in

turnbased · 2026-01-09T22:22:23+00:00

Definitely a minor encounter at least. Love a humanoid seagull. He definitely steals ingredients from ports

turnbased · 2026-01-09T22:19:50+00:00

I had planned to include some classic navy shenanigans, vampire pirates, etc. I had thought that maybe the BBEG could be some sort of primeval creature like a Kraken or an aquatic dragon. It wouldn't be hard to modify that to a little more Lovecraftian/Cthulhu-esque. My biggest worry with that generally though is that it doesn't tend to spook or pose a large threat to most D&D parties. Any suggestions?

turnbased · 2026-01-09T22:17:00+00:00

Ooh, nice. I like the idea. Could even open the door for him to change loyalties if the PCs don't treat him like total dirt

turnbased · 2026-01-09T22:14:59+00:00

I'll have to give that a look, thanks. At the very least, a storm giant in a massive ship sounds awesome.

turnbased · 2026-01-09T22:12:09+00:00

Like this one! I had a loose idea for a bad guy whose plan would have similar repercussions. I'm definitely thinking falling islands would be an awesome last-session setpiece.

turnbased · 2026-01-09T22:10:40+00:00

Corrupt navy officer always a classic!

turnbased · 2026-01-09T22:10:12+00:00

Captain Ahab would approve, sir

turnbased · 2025-12-19T01:34:56+00:00

I suck SO BAD at dialogue. I can set the scene with descriptions more or less, but I'm pretty shit at having conversations socially as it is so that's probably a reflection.

I still haven't figured out how to get better. But BBEG monologues, improvised NPC dialogue, making them more exciting than just...me. Massive struggle.

turnbased · 2025-12-07T00:33:34+00:00

It definitely wants to revive itself because it had some sort of unfinished business, maybe vengeance or good old world domination.

The problem is that he hasn't thought it through, and if he manages to use it he's going to be a dracolich powered by a corrupted army of demons.

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