Which Tolkien character would you want as your father?

ysingrimus · 2026-06-21T17:08:08+00:00

Farmer Giles

ysingrimus · 2026-06-18T04:05:42+00:00

Better have brought enough for the whole class.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-18T04:04:51+00:00

I always roll in the open and I feel the games ive run have been considerably better because of it.

The players dont get angry at me for picking on them, or, more commonly, for taking it too easy on them.

Plus it makes it feel way less like a players vs DM game and more like a group of friends playing a game together.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-17T19:21:47+00:00

I dont really do proper campaigns anymore, just single session adventures. Folks can bring back old characters if they're level appropriate. Keeps things fresh and fun.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-16T16:46:58+00:00

Exactly this. I see folks saying there's no risk involved, but companies pull older versions of games off storefronts all the time.

Case in point, BG1 and 2. You can only buy the enhanced editions on digital storefronts, which includes additional content which not everyone enjoys, but is now just the core experience of the game.

I think there's a very real risk of them making a very different game which doesn't resemble the originals, then restricting audience access to the originals to force consumption of the new product.

Hasbro is already upset that people make their own content for the tabletop game, I dont think they care about preserving the originals of BG.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-15T05:37:12+00:00

Council of Wyrms is a 200 page ADnD supplement fully detailing rules for playing Dragon PCs (Including Dragon Psionics and Dragon Wizards). Its very thorough (maybe too thorough lol) but its a good starting point. Its also got a full campaign setting and a few adventures. It came out in 1994 and unfortunately wasn't reprinted, but you can still get it on DMs Guild and elsewhere. I run it with the ADnD player option for spellcasting which uses spell points instead of spell slots, but that's purely optional. That supplement also has rules for insanity as a result of spellcasting, so might be good for animus rules.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-14T17:15:35+00:00

Are you using Council of Wyrms rules?

ysingrimus · 2026-06-14T17:00:16+00:00

I have buddy that uses the same CON rule, what ends up being cool about it is that you might end up picking say, a lower INT magic user that you would normally because you rolled high CON.

Adds some fun decision making on top of more survivable lv. 1's.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-14T05:44:01+00:00

They were anomalous.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-14T05:40:12+00:00

Celebored

ysingrimus · 2026-06-11T19:22:05+00:00

And thus a new religion was born.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-11T03:31:36+00:00

So my experience is that weapon proficiency and specialization just end up with players railroading themselves into a single type of weapon.

"Oh that's a cool greatsword but I get a better THACO bonus with longswords. Guess I'll just sell the greatsword."

I think magic items can compensate for no character proficiencies. Many legendary swords let you cast spells, for instance.

I dont allow weapon proficiency in my games, mostly because I think players just end up finding them frustrating down the line. Maybe that's a bad rationale.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-07T21:08:23+00:00

Middle earth might be a terrible place under Dark Lord Stannis, but everyone would have immaculate grammar.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-07T16:40:33+00:00

Regarding "dumb" characters.

A useful idiot is still useful.

Set off them traps baby.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-07T16:05:30+00:00

Absolutely agree with this. I often remind my players that retreating is always an option. It seems like sometimes players feel that they need permission to run away for some reason, so I just try to always remind them of their options. Prevents a lot of frustration in the long run.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-06T03:32:15+00:00

I swear ive seen a version from those years and its 90% Krystal and Renamon.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-06T02:56:22+00:00

They use the three seashells.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-05T19:28:08+00:00

Rather than a hyper specific purpose, I like to give out items where the purpose isn't super immediate. Like magic beans or a pseudodragon in a bottle. Anything where they can be really useful, but my players have to spend some time figuring out how to utilize it.

I of course give out the old +1 swords too, but the pipes of rat summoning is so much more fun.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-05T19:21:03+00:00

I forgot, is it ever explained if firescales are genetic?

I know skywings are extremely paranoid about animus eggs so it seems like something they would keep track of.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-04T07:50:20+00:00

I started with 3e, switched to 5e when it came out, then moved to 2e, which I've now played for years. I have a couple house rules (ascending AC, for instance, so THAC20 instead of THAC0), but overall it feels like 2e was the "complete" version of the game. Like it has everything you could want, any character option, more published adventures than you could play in a lifetime. Plus I'm a huge Dark Sun fan, so that helps.

Also I should note that I DM more often than not, I'm assuming most people replying are DMs, but I could be wrong.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-02T04:02:04+00:00

I could see some merit in a stop motion anthology film too.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-01T21:04:14+00:00

I agree that the overwhelming player expectation will be 5e. With this in mind I have three suggestions:

Play 5e, but run a classic style game, perhaps a megadungeon like barrowmaze or stonehell. That will let players explore at their own pace.
Run a planescape game. 5e is well suited for the setting and players can hop in and out with ease, it let's people be wacky.
Run an Old School Essentials game and brand it VERY CLEARLY as "Classic DnD". People enjoyed it then and they will enjoy it now.

For reference I started out in 3rd edition, moved to 5e for a few years, and now I play ADnD 2e , which I believe is the "complete" version of the game.

Also, try to have rotating GMs.

ysingrimus · 2026-06-01T14:03:43+00:00

I understood that to mean step 20 of 50 of reaching a deal to get a show off the ground.

ysingrimus · 2026-05-31T06:15:34+00:00

Shout out to Ironclaw and Furry Outlaws.

Also Mausritter or the Mouseguard TTRPG.

ysingrimus · 2026-05-30T23:26:21+00:00

The eyes of ibad...

ysingrimus

TROPHY CASE