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inthesto posted:Hey thread, I'm going to run a solo adventure (possibly campaign) for a friend soon. I've done plenty of DMing, but always for fairly normal-sized groups. What would you say are things to watch out for or zoom in on if it's a one on one experience? Play a game that's specifically designed for one-player-one-DM scenarios, because trying to pull it off in 5e is going to require a lot of rejiggering from a game that already requires a lot of rejiggering as it is.
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Apr 19, 2018 05:35
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rumble in the bunghole posted:Solo stuff doesn’t work for DnD unless you have that one player control 4 characters. On that note, this can work reasonably well if both you and the player are interested in that sort of thing. I run a game for three friends, and a few weeks ago two of them were unable to make it, so the remaining one and I ran a short game detailing some of the stuff his character got up to before meeting his current party. He had control of his character and 4 NPCs, and it ended up being great fun for both of us. He became particularly attached to one of the NPCs, so I'm intending to have her reappear in the near future looking for him.
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Apr 19, 2018 05:37
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Firstborn posted:Can someone help me with map scale? Like for instance take this map, right? Here is how Roll 20 set it up if you want an example.  From my experience it works well enough as a battle map. Feel free to make it bigger if you want however. Also I am a fog of war guy. Most maps in the official modules are larger and less cramped form what I have seen. I can't really think of any maps in other 5e modules off the top of my head as small as Cragmaw caverns. All the other dungeons in the Adventure are larger as well. (Thunder Tree and Wave Echo particularly as they use the 10 ft scale.) MonsterEnvy fucked around with this message at 05:52 on Apr 19, 2018 |
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Apr 19, 2018 05:46
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Danger Diabolik posted:Does anyone have any tips/resources for running 5e in a pulpy sci-fi space setting? You could maybe try Ultramodern 5.
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Apr 19, 2018 08:27
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Danger Diabolik posted:Does anyone have any tips/resources for running 5e in a pulpy sci-fi space setting? Exactly as written, but melee weapons are different kinds of laser swords and ranged weapons are different kinds of blaster guns. Anything that's not directly about laser swords and blaster guns is alien DNA, psi powers, or using the force. Wanna Oh and like the horses are either hoverbikes or they're green and have 6 legs and antennas. Or both. e: 99% of the monsters get reskinned as "like humans, but..." and then you describe their forehead and ears. Elector_Nerdlingen fucked around with this message at 11:24 on Apr 19, 2018 |
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Apr 19, 2018 11:20
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Regards solo d&d, the method of reading damage dice from Scarlet Heroes and Godbound works regardless of edition. SH also has a sort of generic get past otherwise insurmountable obstacles/avoid death type save built in.
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Apr 19, 2018 11:43
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MonsterEnvy posted:Here is how Roll 20 set it up if you want an example. Thank you for this. This is super helpful.
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Apr 19, 2018 13:04
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LMoP mentions the characters having the chance to be inducted into various orgs. Is there any mention of this in subsequent campaigns orndo I just have to come up with something as DM?
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Apr 19, 2018 17:56
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How do people handle full wipes? I’m DMing the starter set and about to get to the larger scaly guy in Thundertree. If the entire party dies what do I do? Have them reroll chars at an elevated level? Say that someone came across them shortly and resurrected the ones they were able to? Just drop the adventure and start something new? One or two chars dying I can deal with, I just have no idea what to do if everyone dies.
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Apr 19, 2018 18:23
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I've never even seen a single character die so I dunno man.
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Apr 19, 2018 18:39
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Novum posted:I've never even seen a single character die so I dunno man. I've died three times in the campaign I'm currently playing. 1 was to a fire trap at level 1 and rolling 3 2's in a row. Second was thematic to set up an antagonist. The most recent one was to 2 claws and a bite from an Umber Hulk.
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Apr 19, 2018 18:48
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Nash posted:How do people handle full wipes? I’m DMing the starter set and about to get to the larger scaly guy in Thundertree. If they refuse to run and all die, then its up to the lot of you. You could have them start a new group at the same level who just heard of the terrible fate of the poor losers before them and set out to "make things right" or whatever.
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Apr 19, 2018 18:49
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Nash posted:How do people handle full wipes? I’m DMing the starter set and about to get to the larger scaly guy in Thundertree. Make out of HP into out of the fight instead of dead. The characters get captured and have to escape. Or the characters have run away and forsake their goals. Or the characters have to be rescued and regret their weakness. Or the characters get robbed of their material possessions and have to scheme to steal them back. There’s real stories in people overcoming failure. There isn’t in people dying but it doesn’t matter because someone cast a magic spell.
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Apr 19, 2018 19:06
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kidkissinger posted:LMoP mentions the characters having the chance to be inducted into various orgs. Is there any mention of this in subsequent campaigns orndo I just have to come up with something as DM? Someone mentioned one of the alternative starts to Storm Kings Thunder includes using the Zhentarim faction. I don't know if anything that goes any further.
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Apr 19, 2018 19:11
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Nash posted:How do people handle full wipes? I’m DMing the starter set and about to get to the larger scaly guy in Thundertree. I'd make it clear to them in-game through nature checks or other clues that fighting a young dragon at level 3 would be potentially lethal. If they still go for the murderhobo route, let the chips fall where they may and let players run away if they can. I'd encourage you to use Venomfang as an intelligent agent in the scenario and not just another mob for them to fight. When I ran it, Venomfang gave the party an ultimatum to give him the location to WEC within a week or he'd raze Phandalin. They then got to fight him at level 5 with Sildar and some friends (kind of a Lake-town fight from the Hobbit) instead of wiping at Thundertree.
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Apr 19, 2018 19:32
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kidkissinger posted:LMoP mentions the characters having the chance to be inducted into various orgs. Is there any mention of this in subsequent campaigns orndo I just have to come up with something as DM? I think it's mostly an Adventurer's League thing, but I can see them working as a way to easily give quests and rewards to a party
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Apr 19, 2018 19:33
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They're around in storm king's thunder, some more than others. Harpers are framed as like, stock good guys though, they work in the shadows to combat the misuse of power in all forms. I wrote them as opportunistic marxists trying to waylay the unrest caused by giants into the overthrow of despotic regimes which my players seem to dig. The zhentarim are lurking around, not sure I've really used them effectively but they've both helped and fought various giants at different points. The Lord's Alliance I have as like, a stuffy old guard alliance that wants things done their way alone and demands obedience. I doubt this was the intent of these groups but it's what I did with them.
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Apr 19, 2018 19:42
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Looking at sci-fi support for 5e I found out about Esper Genesis (which coincidentally came out with the pre-release pdf the day before I asked). Looking through it seems pretty cool, it's basically just 5e with a sci-fi skin but I like a lot of the adjustments like the fighter and barbarian being rolled into one and the beastmaster being useful. I'm definitely going to be using it for my next campaign.
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Apr 19, 2018 20:43
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Can anyone think of any cool handouts for LMoP?
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Apr 19, 2018 22:55
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Jeffrey of YOSPOS posted:They're around in storm king's thunder, some more than others. Harpers are framed as like, stock good guys though, they work in the shadows to combat the misuse of power in all forms. I wrote them as opportunistic marxists trying to waylay the unrest caused by giants into the overthrow of despotic regimes which my players seem to dig. The zhentarim are lurking around, not sure I've really used them effectively but they've both helped and fought various giants at different points. The Lord's Alliance I have as like, a stuffy old guard alliance that wants things done their way alone and demands obedience. I doubt this was the intent of these groups but it's what I did with them. The D&D site has blurbs on each of the faction. http://dnd.wizards.com/dungeons-and-dragons/story/factions
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Apr 19, 2018 23:25
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Oh yeah the new digital Dragon Magazine thing apparently has some previews of Mordenkainens Tome of Foes Monsters. (Also a thing on Drizzt as he is getting a new book after a Hiatus.) Have not checked it out myself yet. http://www.dragonmag.com/5.0/#!/article/116396/103624349?loadFresh=true&title=19_01_Issue%2019%20Cover Edit: Edit found one. Archdevil Moloch. https://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/dragon/19/DRA19_Moloch.pdf MonsterEnvy fucked around with this message at 23:45 on Apr 19, 2018 |
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Apr 19, 2018 23:27
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Firstborn posted:Can anyone think of any cool handouts for LMoP? I printed off 11x17 copies of the world and town maps, without spoilery locations (wave echo cave, etc). My players enjoyed taking notes, marking things up, etc. If they're newbies you could do lists of what's available at the shops too.
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Apr 19, 2018 23:44
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Firstborn posted:Can anyone think of any cool handouts for LMoP? What sort are you thinking of.
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Apr 19, 2018 23:45
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Well, there's a cool note signed with a picture of a spider that I'd like to physically give them, but that's way later in the game. I'd like to give them a town map, I suppose. Maybe an area map to consider distance when considering side-quests. I was just wondering if anyone has had any success with other letters or weird physical handouts to give associated with this campaign. I know it's Ravenloft, but there's a bunch of cool handouts for CoS, so I was just wondering.
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Apr 19, 2018 23:50
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Firstborn posted:Well, there's a cool note signed with a picture of a spider that I'd like to physically give them, but that's way later in the game. I'd like to give them a town map, I suppose. Maybe an area map to consider distance when considering side-quests. I was just wondering if anyone has had any success with other letters or weird physical handouts to give associated with this campaign. Well there are not really any spoilers on the Phandalin townmap. So here is a copy.  Also here the Spiders Letter you can just print it out. 
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Apr 20, 2018 00:05
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Thanks for the help. Will do!
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Apr 20, 2018 00:11
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Somehow missed your comment about an area map. Here is a Player version of it. (It does not have any locations on it people would not know about. Like the Castle and Cave.)
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Apr 20, 2018 00:18
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Oh and Here is Moloch for those who don't feel like checking out the Link. 
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Apr 20, 2018 00:23
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MonsterEnvy posted:Somehow missed your comment about an area map. Here is a Player version of it. (It does not have any locations on it people would not know about. Like the Castle and Cave.) This is perfect, thank you!!
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Apr 20, 2018 00:27
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2/2 monsters involve other planes and this one mentions sigil by name...here's hoping for that planescape book or campaign or something
Jeffrey of YOSPOS fucked around with this message at 00:51 on Apr 20, 2018 |
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Apr 20, 2018 00:49
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Jeffrey of YOSPOS posted:2/2 monsters involve other planes...here's hoping for that planescape book or campaign or something Also it's actually 3 Monsters. Vlaakith the Githyanki Lich queen also got updated from 3.5 in that Dragon+ (Though I don't think she is actually in the new book.) http://media.wizards.com/2018/dnd/dragon/19/DRA19_LichQueen2.pdf MonsterEnvy fucked around with this message at 00:58 on Apr 20, 2018 |
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Apr 20, 2018 00:51
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Kaysette posted:I'd make it clear to them in-game through nature checks or other clues that fighting a young dragon at level 3 would be potentially lethal. If they still go for the murderhobo route, let the chips fall where they may and let players run away if they can. Or you can be my party, which killed Venomfang outright in a smidge over two rounds, thanks to a failed save against Phantasmal Force and the overwhelming power of the action economy.
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Apr 20, 2018 01:05
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tzirean posted:Or you can be my party, which killed Venomfang outright in a smidge over two rounds, thanks to a failed save against Phantasmal Force and the overwhelming power of the action economy. Pretty surprised you managed that. Were your guys level 3. Cause while I was in a level 3 party that managed to Drive Venomfang off. (Though a great deal of luck and some smart thinking.) I can't think of many parties that actually beat that Dragon at an early level.
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Apr 20, 2018 01:19
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MonsterEnvy posted:Pretty surprised you managed that. Were your guys level 3. Cause while I was in a level 3 party that managed to Drive Venomfang off. (Though a great deal of luck and some smart thinking.) I can't think of many parties that actually beat that Dragon at an early level. My group (that I was a PC in, I don't DM) killed him at level 3. We took over for the cultists and got some nice rolls allowing us access to the tower and his trust. We ambushed him in his sleep, and after 2 or 3 rounds he tried to fly off at low health and we blasted that motherfucker out of the sky. We're on to a new campaign now (and took a few months off from D&D to just go back to playing board games) and that fight still gets brought up pretty constantly.
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Apr 20, 2018 01:46
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Naelyan posted:My group (that I was a PC in, I don't DM) killed him at level 3. We took over for the cultists and got some nice rolls allowing us access to the tower and his trust. We ambushed him in his sleep, and after 2 or 3 rounds he tried to fly off at low health and we blasted that motherfucker out of the sky. We're on to a new campaign now (and took a few months off from D&D to just go back to playing board games) and that fight still gets brought up pretty constantly. Good on you. It tends to be pretty hard to ambush a dragon in sleep, so I have nothing but praise for groups that manage to defeat Venomfang.
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Apr 20, 2018 01:49
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MonsterEnvy posted:Oh and Here is Moloch for those who don't feel like checking out the Link. That's cool that they used the picture from the original PHB. MonsterEnvy posted:Oh yeah the new digital Dragon Magazine thing apparently has some previews of Mordenkainens Tome of Foes Monsters. (Also a thing on Drizzt as he is getting a new book after a Hiatus.) I know that a lot of people hate Drizzt, but the Crystal Shard is a loving great book.
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Apr 20, 2018 03:04
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MonsterEnvy posted:Pretty surprised you managed that. Were your guys level 3. Cause while I was in a level 3 party that managed to Drive Venomfang off. (Though a great deal of luck and some smart thinking.) I can't think of many parties that actually beat that Dragon at an early level. They were all level 3, yes. The breath attack was blown on the Phantasmal Force illusion of an ogre sneaking up behind Venomfang, and Venomfang was later knocked prone, making it impossible to fully escape in round 2.
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Apr 20, 2018 04:21
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tzirean posted:They were all level 3, yes. The breath attack was blown on the Phantasmal Force illusion of an ogre sneaking up behind Venomfang, and Venomfang was later knocked prone, making it impossible to fully escape in round 2. Good on them. Beelerzebub posted:I know that a lot of people hate Drizzt, but the Crystal Shard is a loving great book. I like Drizzt the problem people seem to largely have with him was his copy cats rather then the character himself. And misdirect that dislike towards him. I am also fond of the fact that the guy was created on a whim as a sidekick and broke out on his own. From the interview in the magazine. Salvatore seems to consider the Legend of Drizzt over with Hero, and that this is the start of a new series that features Drizzt, so he wants people to be able to enjoy it without having read the old stuff. Beelerzebub posted:That's cool that they used the picture from the original PHB. Appearntly the artist given nickname that statue had since 1e was Molly after Moloch. When Moloch was given art in the MM 2 his art was based on the statue. MonsterEnvy fucked around with this message at 05:05 on Apr 20, 2018 |
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Apr 20, 2018 04:49
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+15 to hit... Hahaha.
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Apr 20, 2018 05:14
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I've never had to do it, but my backup scenario for if the party wipes to an intelligent enemy is that they get captured, and the party gets coerced into working for the enemy. "I spared your life, now get ready to work off your debt" sort of thing. It would mostly likely change the course of the campaign, but it poses an interesting problem for the players of trying to escape their new overlord without said overlord noticing.
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Apr 20, 2018 05:54
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