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I want my players to get a hold of a plot-device artifact, but I don't want them to know and I don't want them to throw it away so i'm thinking of giving it a bonus to rituals (which is why the big bad wants to get their hands on it) What's the best way to give it a bonus? Duration? Power? Are there any magic items I can crib already that affect rituals?
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Jan 21, 2012 15:25
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DivineCoffeeBinge posted:Why gently caress with that? Sorry, it's less of an "I think this is a bad idea" thing than it is, "I can't respond to ten sets of questions, responses, reiterated responses for those who were discussing a plan, contacts, and oh God I've been ignoring the mage because he's just been sitting there quietly while other people talk and now he looks like he wants to leave and four people are arguing over some point of a plan that doesn't sound like anything they even asked about and someone else wants a page reference for equipment for their own different plan and oh God I think I need three more of me to do this right." Thing. More of a personnel management dealie.
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Jan 21, 2012 16:06
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I'm planning to make the epic tier of my long-running campaign largely about retrieving legendary equipment from wherever it's ended up in the past 1500 years. These are going to be the best quality magic items the party will ever find, and they should be in suitably outlandish or difficult locations. People here never seem to have any shortage of ideas, and I'd be obliged if you could throw some at me.
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Jan 21, 2012 16:13
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Some artefact with powers of necromancy or death magic. The item was so dangerous that wars were fought for its ownership and use. During one such war the artefact was taken and transported back towards the kingdom of the victors, only to be lost in a tremendous storm which devastated the entire fleet. The artefact sinks to the bottom of the sea, only to be swallowed by a biiiiiig whale (or leviathan or kraken). Lodged within its stomach, it warps the creature's body to unheard of proportions, poisons its mind, and keeps it in a permanent state of un-death lasting hundreds of years. The party have to find the giant zombie whale, get into its water-logged corpsey body, fight off legions of monsters that the artefact has warped from its body, take the crown and escape without drowning as the whale crumbles apart. There is a brooch or crown of other ornamental object, currently owned by the king of a prosperous land. The party learn that this seemingly innocent trinket is actually the same one mentioned in legend that does [apocalypse], and have to claim it. Slowly add complications to the political situation surrounding things, so the king is on the verge of war with other nations and if he discovers the trinket's power, the party feel he may be tempted to use it. The harder the party fight to get it, the closer the king comes to discovering its true identity. Depending on how they handle things, the final encounter is with The King's elite guard, some demonic presence contained within the trinket, or have The King learn its identity at the last moment and trigger it. It summons something to end the world, but the party are able to take it on in its infant or half-phased-in form. There is a legendary cloak that allows people to pass through the gaps in space, teleporting them huge distances in matters of seconds. The cloak was so dangerous (allowing infiltration, teleportation and a place to hide from the entire world) that it was sealed within its own magic - locked within a gap not quite part of the material plane. The only place it actually exists is within a dream-like alcove bleeding between the world and The Feywild. To get the cloak, the party have to sleep within a certain grove of the forest, full of dangerous animals and slightly disturbed monsters. Once safe, the party sleep, and find themselves within a surrealist nightmare. To simulate this, change the rules when they are not expecting it. Make them control one another's character's for rounds at a time, change the miniatures representing their foes at random. Refuse to acknowledge change in how you narrate things, as if the universe is fixing the hiccups behind itself. Once they find the cloak and return to the real world, something follows them home and they have to fight it as the boss of the plot-thread.
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Jan 21, 2012 16:42
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ItalicSquirrels posted:Sorry, it's less of an "I think this is a bad idea" thing than it is, "I can't respond to ten sets of questions, responses, reiterated responses for those who were discussing a plan, contacts, and oh God I've been ignoring the mage because he's just been sitting there quietly while other people talk and now he looks like he wants to leave and four people are arguing over some point of a plan that doesn't sound like anything they even asked about and someone else wants a page reference for equipment for their own different plan and oh God I think I need three more of me to do this right." Thing. Options:
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Jan 21, 2012 19:56
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Doc Hawkins posted:Options: Aye, seriously. I was in a game with seven players including myself, and that was too many really. Some people had little chance to do much some sessions, despite the highly decent DM throwing things at different people to keep everyone involved. I'm currently playing in a game over IRC with some buddies, problem is that if everyone turns up (this is rare, I'll admit) then we've got six people. Our first big fight involved us getting through about four turns of combat in three and a half hours. I had to post on our discussion thread with some tips to keep turn time down since waiting an hour between turns was just awful.
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Jan 21, 2012 20:12
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Well, my L5R game hasn't started yet. However, all three characters are created. I do have one concern. One player has put a lot more thought into her character's fluff than the other two. I'm concerned that she might wind up dominating the RP side of the game by the simple fact that as a GM I have more to work with regarding her character. Any advice?
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Jan 21, 2012 22:19
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SirPhoebos posted:Well, my L5R game hasn't started yet. However, all three characters are created. I'd just be mindful of it since you haven't started yet. I mean I've had players that need to know where their wizard's spells came from, why they worship the God of Order, and when their third cousin up and became an evil witch. I've had guys that roll their characters up literally five minutes before the first session. Both can make decent players and ultimately it's just the way they approach the character. Just try to keep all your players involved, if one of them isn't getting as into it take them aside/call them later and ask if they feel your girl with the ton of background is dominating the roleplay scenes or if he just wants to roll some dice and beat up monsters.
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Jan 22, 2012 10:06
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Non-lethal combat such as a bar fight, how would I go about that?
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Jan 22, 2012 12:34
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Just declare in advance that it's nonlethal and ask people to reflavour attacks and actions accordingly. No need to make it more complicated than that.
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Jan 22, 2012 12:48
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My Lovely Horse posted:Just declare in advance that it's nonlethal and ask people to reflavour attacks and actions accordingly. No need to make it more complicated than that. It'd be hard to reflavour a fireball into nonleathal, or do you mean that I should only allow basic attacks without weapons? Should I do something about improvised weapon, I mean i'd love it if my players tried to use a table as a area effect weapon.
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Jan 22, 2012 13:24
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Just frame it as a cultural thing that happens wherever they happen to be. Bar fights that are fists-only aren't something people go to jail for unless it really gets out of hand. If someone starts flinging fireballs around, the city watch is going to come knocking real fast.
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Jan 22, 2012 13:29
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BlackIronHeart posted:Just frame it as a cultural thing that happens wherever they happen to be. Bar fights that are fists-only aren't something people go to jail for unless it really gets out of hand. If someone starts flinging fireballs around, the city watch is going to come knocking real fast. It's not a done deal that they'll get into the fight, but they are going to be in a soldiers bar on Argonth and they're investigating a very well liked sergeant and if they go to hard on him the patrons will react.
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Jan 22, 2012 13:42
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Well, it still stands that the party should realize the consequences of killing soldiers instead of just beating them up, right?
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Jan 22, 2012 13:48
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BlackIronHeart posted:Well, it still stands that the party should realize the consequences of killing soldiers instead of just beating them up, right? I really hope so!
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Jan 22, 2012 13:51
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Usual fireball: the wizard summons elemental fire into an explosion. Bar brawl fireball: the wizard chucks a bottle of hard alcohol, shatters it on the floor, and sends just enough of a spark into the spill to let it flare up. Do note that depending on system and characters a limit on lethal powers might effectively shut some of them down entirely and affect some of them more than others. A wizard with only fire spells who is allowed to reflavour them into less lethal versions can participate as usual, the same wizard who plain can't use them is suddenly left with no options. Meanwhile the fighter has no problems at all keeping his sword in the sheath, using a broken bottle as a weapon and doing all the stuff he usually does.
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Jan 22, 2012 14:00
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Luckily our only wizard uses strength instead of intelligence 
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Jan 22, 2012 14:11
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Well, if everyone could do reasonably well in a physical fight, it should work out just fine to say "bar brawls are a regular thing here but only as long as no one draws any weapons or does any magic, so watch it," set up a few environmental options (overturn a table to create cover, place a few one-time use objects like bottles that deal additional damage when used as a weapon) to give the characters a few options, especially those who would lose some, balance the opponents around unarmed/improvised weapon use, and watch the party go to town and figure out new tactics on the fly. Other ideas for one-use items: a picture that deals normal damage, but you can hit someone over the head so the frame restrains them; the darts from a dartboard or pool cues; the landlord's old musket over the fireplace that no one knows if he keeps it loaded or if it even fires anymore, but when some crazy bastard actually takes it from the wall, everyone tries their best to get away...
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Jan 22, 2012 14:24
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All good ideas! (also I just read that sorceror (not wizard) char sheet, "Cosmic Sorceror" feels really stupid and .. overpowered?
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Jan 22, 2012 14:27
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Affi posted:It'd be hard to reflavour a fireball into nonleathal 
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Jan 22, 2012 19:05
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Affi posted:Non-lethal combat such as a bar fight, how would I go about that? The best way to run a bar fight, in my experience, is to just toss all the non-lethal rules (because they pretty much always suck) and run combat as normal. When someone runs out of hp they're knocked out. Make bottles and mugs = clubs, stools = greatclubs, tables = area attacks requiring reflex saves, etc. It tends to be really freeform and lets your players go pretty crazy with their actions, which is sort of the point of a bar brawl in the first place. The idea breaks down if the party mage starts slinging fireballs, I'll admit.
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Jan 22, 2012 19:30
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We didn't get a barfight though! Pretty close when the party dwarf insulted a half-orc but it all culminated in a pretty cool arm-wrestling contest that the party's warforged won.
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Jan 22, 2012 22:46
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Lord Yod posted:The idea breaks down if the party mage starts slinging fireballs, I'll admit. What, fighters have a monopoly on pulling their blows? A harmless bar brawl is a comedic scene anyway, so just make the spells comical. Blacken skin, fritz hair, light pants on fire, go nuts!
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Jan 22, 2012 22:49
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Okay, I'm starting my first ever 4E D&D campaign tomorrow and I was wondering if I was prepared enough. Any advice would be appreciated as well. I've got the major areas set up, the plot important NPCs sketched out, the initial encounter and two other just-in-case combat encounters set up. Setting (pardon the words but it's my opening information): Nearly five hundred years ago, the greatest nations of a dying planet united in a last-ditch effort to save themselves and their descendants from destruction. To that end, the leaders of each nation bound themselves together in a magical pact, led by the arch-mage of what would become known as the University. Their efforts were a success and the nature of their reality changed. The four nations – a frozen archipelago, a bustling metropolis, an overgrown jungle, and windswept plains – were removed from their parent plane and released into the Planar Sea. With the great city of Mendos acting as a lynchpin, the nations became floating islands, bound together by titanic chains and constantly renewed by the primal energies of the Planar Sea. Only one condition existed for the pact – that the descendants must renew their ancestors’ vows once every five hundred years. Over time, the nations would remember the historic day and celebrate a magnificent festival – while at the same time forgetting its true significance. You arrive at the city of Mendos with your companions on such a day, celebrating the four hundred and ninety ninth annual Festival of New Beginnings. What would usually be a grand and festive day feels subdued and anxious – no doubt due to the reports of increased violence, ostensibly perpetrated by ‘demons most foul.’ Nevertheless, the festival continues as planned, as there is money to be won, fortunes to be lost, and tales to be told. I'm freaking out over here because I don't want to gently caress it up for my players. Any advice or such for a green DM would be very much appreciated.
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Jan 22, 2012 23:18
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My question is whether you are prepared to have the campaign world end in an apocalypse after a year in-game when the characters fail to figure out what they need to do, ha. I think beyond that, you should make sure that you have at least a basic idea of what is in every sector of the city, in case the players go completely off the rails immediately. "Hmm, how are we going to figure out what is going on here? I know, we'll go to the mages' guild and the thieves' part of town to check on research and rumors." "I have no idea where the thieves' guild is. I hate you all." (Obviously you said you had the major areas figured out, but I guess what I am saying is make sure you have a basic idea of what the minor areas might be, even if you do not write them up unless they come up)
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Jan 22, 2012 23:58
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Your description of your setting is a decent one. But it's a lot of big overarching stuff that I imagine plays out behind the scenes. What is it that your players are expected to do during this festival? Are they pit fighters and stage magicians making a bit of coin in big showy arena battles? Are they a garrison of the city guard that hears about a batshit insane cult that's going to murder one of the descendents before he can renew the vow? Are they a bunch of scrub fighters and hedge wizards that hear about all the tributes people have brought to the palace and are going to go rob the treasury? While I hate railroading and very strict plots I do feel it's very important that your PCs have at least a loose idea of what it is they're going to be doing in a campaign. Even if it's to do one or two adventures then use the loot to open a petting zoo in honor of the god of Wondrous Beasts and  .quote:What, fighters have a monopoly on pulling their blows? A harmless bar brawl is a comedic scene anyway, so just make the spells comical. Blacken skin, fritz hair, light pants on fire, go nuts! This 100%. Whenever the monk and fighter were "pulling their punches" the Wizard starts futzing his spells so that his fireball creates a lot of sparks and sound, but not a lasting flame, his lightning bolt gets tuned down to just make one's hair stand on end and knock you on your rear end, and his cloud of foul air is a botched bottle rocket that makes it smell like sulphur, but isn't completely toxic.
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Jan 23, 2012 00:02
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I'm actually going to follow the DM Guide's advice and just let minor areas in the city exist as needed, within reason. Like there being guilds, temples, docks, what-have-you as the situation demands. My players are for the most part new to actually playing their characters, so I'm thinking that they'll be brought together by the crescendo event in the festival that kicks off the whole campaign. Honestly, I'm more worried about combat being engaging and being prepared for improv combat. Do you think the MM3 Basic Monster Template and the Monster Vault will be able to create on-the-fly encounters?
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Jan 23, 2012 02:15
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A Dapper Walrus posted:My players are for the most part new to actually playing their characters, so I'm thinking that they'll be brought together by the crescendo event in the festival that kicks off the whole campaign. Sit down with your players beforehand (individually or as a group) and make sure you have a way for them to cooperate. Like they all have a reason to rush into the burning temple to save the MacGuffin that's the focus of the ritual and not be evil with it. Or all be evil with it if that's what they want. Just make sure you don't have characters where two rush in, one uses the opportunity to loot nearby stalls, and another decides to leave and wander back to the food carts.
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Jan 23, 2012 14:51
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A few questions to more experienced GMs! The artificer wants to stock up on rituals! Should I be restrictive? The campaign is in Eberron and magic is everywhere but should I let him gobble up 8 rituals just because he found some spending money? The warforged barbarian charges all the time! Which is fine! (even when he kills my squishy mages) But I want ways to occasionally stop him! Artificer also has a power that makes any enemy that attacks an ally take like 3 damage. I feel stupid having minions oneshotting themselves. Do they really take unavoidable damage? I mean I play my guys realistically, if the knight sparks with electricity and anyone who touches him dies then they will eventually stop and try to get away from him.
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Jan 23, 2012 21:45
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Affi posted:The warforged barbarian charges all the time! Which is fine! (even when he kills my squishy mages) But I want ways to occasionally stop him!  quote:I feel stupid having minions oneshotting themselves. Do they really take unavoidable damage?
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Jan 23, 2012 21:56
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Are there minions that have resistances? Depending on how high a level the party is, you may be able to find monsters with Resist 3 or 5 lightning. Terrain that slows or obstacles that block charging, immediate interrupts that immobilize or allow the monster to teleport, powers that create hindering terrain or zones, and fly/climb/burrow speeds are all more-conventional options.
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Jan 23, 2012 22:03
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Affi posted:The artificer wants to stock up on rituals! Should I be restrictive? The campaign is in Eberron and magic is everywhere but should I let him gobble up 8 rituals just because he found some spending money? I say let him have all he wants. Rituals are typically non-combat and don't really make anything overpowered, just way more interesting IMO.
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Jan 23, 2012 22:11
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Affi posted:The warforged barbarian charges all the time! Which is fine! (even when he kills my squishy mages) But I want ways to occasionally stop him! I don't know how much this changed in 4e, but in 3.5 there's any number of things that stop him, since he has to be able to run at least 10' in a straight line: Rubble (can't run) Corners (can't turn) Columns/5' tables/etc. (can't charge through) Enemy using proper formations (he'd be giving a couple people attacks of opportunity on him if he tried to charge past, if he hits someone in front they'll have him surrounded, even if he kills one he can't charge away from them without giving all of them an AO against him).
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Jan 23, 2012 22:30
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Thanks for all the good pointers, i'll probably be back soon because the artificer just got his hands on Master Enchanter and is dying to create loads of magic weapons for the party and is a real bitch about me wanting to OK magic items before letting him create them. (am I being unreasonable? Maybe?)
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Jan 23, 2012 22:46
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I would suggest being careful not to tailor every encounter to counteract the charging barbarian. Just like making every enemy immune to magic, this makes playing that guy really boring, and also smacks of metagaming on the DM's part. They're really interesting and fun when used in moderation though.
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Jan 23, 2012 23:36
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SirPhoebos posted:Well, my L5R game hasn't started yet. However, all three characters are created. Talk to your other players, maybe roll on the heritage table to give them a background, and run with any adversarial (nemesis, enemy, dark secret, blackmail, etc) flaws that they didn't give you a solid story on. Discuss their age as well (how far are they from their Gempukku, how did they get learn enough to reach their current insight rank, what are their hobbies) and try to include those. My group has two guys that love back stories and then about 1 that does light back stories and fills out his character as he plays, and two more that build power sets and flavor their character around the events as they unfold. It usually works out, just remember to use their advantages and flaws as story elements and your first game should give them all something to do.
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Jan 23, 2012 23:56
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Affi posted:The artificer wants to stock up on rituals! Should I be restrictive? The campaign is in Eberron and magic is everywhere but should I let him gobble up 8 rituals just because he found some spending money? plester1 posted:I say let him have all he wants. Rituals are typically non-combat and don't really make anything overpowered, just way more interesting IMO. On this subject, I am about to start a 4e game where I've just reskinned or slightly reworked a bunch of low-level rituals and martial practices to basically act as noncombat powers. They mostly cost 1 healing surge or a tiny amount of residuum. Each character gets 3-4 depending on how much other non-combat utility the class has. Since I'm premaking characters, I've also made sort of an alternate character sheet layout to try to cut out a bunch of the unnecessary or extraneous stuff. (Level 1 character builder sheets are like 5 pages now, and have so drat much empty space!) I've also reworded powers and flavor to be much simpler, and am considering just removing the names of powers entirely, to cut down on the "I use <power name>!" sort of play that can crop up. Here are the sheets and the stuff I changed: Artificer - Ditched weird one-infusion-per-encounter limit on healing. Added a cantrip because why should wizards have more cool poo poo? Mage (Enchanter) - Removed the spellbook to cut down on complexity and keep the enchanter flavor strong. Knight - Integrated guardian theme. Averaged warforged damage bonus in, and added hammer expertise slide bonus to powers. Hunter - Simplified or removed out-of-combat aspect bonuses. Removed crossbow expertise cover bonus to make Aimed Shot relevant. Executioner Assassin - Assumed ki focus would always be applicable and added expertise into powers. Thief Rogue - Converted light blade expertise bonuses into an at-will no action power. Anyone ever tried anything like this? Am I making a horrible mistake?
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Jan 24, 2012 07:06
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Affi posted:am I being unreasonable? Maybe?
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Jan 24, 2012 08:27
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I'm curious how you guys do cities, my party is investigating some evil Shardminds, but I'm unsure how to represent it for them so they know where they can go without drawing it up on the Chessex Mat, but then having to redo it after they get in a battle sounds like hell. Unfortunately the mat is too big to just flip and use the hex side.
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Jan 24, 2012 12:22
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If it's a full-on city that's bigger than what could reasonably be represented to scale on a battlemat, just draw the general outline as necessary on a separate piece of paper and give it to the players to put in the campaign notes. Stuff likecode:Then when you actually need to do a battle or something else requiring a battlemat you can just draw it out to scale for wherever you happen to be.
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Jan 24, 2012 19:15
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