Pokémon one: The bad guys have capped a huge water source which has caused the desert to be worse. Water is controlled through them. Returning control of the water will fundamentally change the town
also re: the scared character that won't go on the adventure or engage in combat - as someone who's currently playing a character like this who doesn't want to be an adventurer, why not have ur strategy in combat reflect this? my scaredy-cat teenage cleric is constantly positioning himself behind walls to hide a bit, casting long range spells, casting banishment or hold person to get rid of enemies because he just wishes they'd stop or go away. he's still contributing to the combat but its clear he's still nervous and is kinda flying by the seat of pants
Usopp from one piece is such a good model for the scared character. He literally NEVER stops being scared but whether through loyalty to his captain, a desire to be better, or literally being the only one there that can do something he overcomes it every time to do what needs to be done. And his fighting style as a sniper further reflects it. There's so many ways to make characters like that work really well
I'm in the "mistrusting the NPCs" section of the video. I gotta say, nothing helped me trust my favorite NPC more than when agreed to never betray each other. It was just like "hey, character to character, please don't ever betray me" we both agreed, and I'm still waiting for that to bite me in the ass XD but there's a chance it will be fine... right?
(i'll get to the discord soon, there are technical limitations atm) Race: Saile ("sail") The Sea sings to us all, though for some it is a faint hint among other, flightier thoughts. We glide along her abundant crests, dance with her sons and daughters under the festival of her surface, and seek the cool shelter of her depths at the end of our days, a resting place to pearl away the heaviness that accumulated in life. The Sky above her is ours, and we fill her with songs and music, honest prayers and lively curses, the far-seeing of us weaving intricate patterns of light to communicate to our brethren ashore and afloat. Our forms are endless, for no mortal coil can contain us at length, no vessel is vast enough to encapsulate the splendor of our ephemeral limbs, the impermanent fluidity of our unwalled citadel just as ever-changing and effervescent as the clouds it combs. We exist freely, boundless, shrouded by a fog of magic and mystery as ancient as Time themselves, while our trustworthy allies bring news from beyond our view. We would know our brethren anywhere, by the visible marks that transcend the flesh, by the copious measure of strength in their wondrous hearts, and by the echo of our prayers spoken in their tongues. We exist, and that is reason enough to thrive. (small/medium size, 8 HP, Unarmored expertise, +1 WIS/DEX/free, -1 STR, spd 30ft, ability choice of escape and squeeze/farsight and fog vision/water sense and waterbreathing)
Another thing you could do for the artifact submission is everytime they test their luck and ask some rando about it, make a roll on whether the person will become hostile as they are apart of the bad guy faction or not. Makes it so they dont just yap about it willy nilly to anyone and also adds some tension to any interaction they have with an npc.
I just love watching this podcast, I started like six weeks ago and am slowly going back and watching all the episodes. I absolutely love the community you have created. You two have been my comfort watch/listen for these last couple of weeks. And you for sure have my vote for the Crit Awards ^^
Do you hear that? That was the sound of my clogs on the ground as I run to listen to this new episode? 😂 Regarding how to get players to trust NPCs: My first DM had so many NPCs be incredibly violent and back stabby to the point that literally no one in the group trusted NPCs. Like if we let our guard down at any time it seemed to screw us over. The DM would get so mad that we were overly cautious and guarded and didn’t include his NPCs in game. So when we (the entire group minus the DM) left that campaign and I was starting up a new mini series I went out of my way to make NPCs who were likable. Just like Jack suggested; tossing in NPCs who your players can’t help but love or see as clearly on their side is a good strategy. Of course I had NPCs who weren’t nice but they weren’t as prominent because I knew we were all so weary due to our past experiences.
But seriously, love the podblast and the advice/ideas that come from it. I can only dream of being as immersed in D&D as y'all are. Cheers from the Great White North
IMO, if the players cannot win the combat encounter, it should've been a cutscene. I don't believe in setting up unwinnable fights just to flaunt the power of the bbeg. If your goal is to show how threatening the bbeg is, show their effect on environments the pcs frequent or care about. Bustling cities turned to ghost towns overnight. Where there was a lush forest, now stands a smoldering crater. Stuff like that. If you must have the pcs in one of these events, allow them to change small things about the event, such as saving specific npcs, parts of the location, or just themselves. On the topic of difficult players, my only criticism is the dms response. I agree though that the player could have had more tact. Nonetheless, a stone fortress means little when built upon weak foundation. If all it takes to uproot your self confidence is one person's criticism, perhaps you should try less ambitious, and less risky methods of story telling.
Absolutely. The player might've been rude, but I 100% understand their frustration. If a DM told me, "Yeah, we're gonna go through the motions of combat, but you have no chance of winning, and also no danger of dying, the outcome is predetermined", I would have a hard time holding my tongue too. "If my actions don't matter, why am I here? Go write a novel, dude."
I'm going to steal that pokemon plot thread for my dnd part that I coincidentally met through the discord (if you haven't joined you should). Also you should make an artificer video *wink wink nudge nudge* (JK).
Pokémon one: The bad guys have capped a huge water source which has caused the desert to be worse. Water is controlled through them. Returning control of the water will fundamentally change the town
also re: the scared character that won't go on the adventure or engage in combat - as someone who's currently playing a character like this who doesn't want to be an adventurer, why not have ur strategy in combat reflect this? my scaredy-cat teenage cleric is constantly positioning himself behind walls to hide a bit, casting long range spells, casting banishment or hold person to get rid of enemies because he just wishes they'd stop or go away. he's still contributing to the combat but its clear he's still nervous and is kinda flying by the seat of pants
Usopp from one piece is such a good model for the scared character. He literally NEVER stops being scared but whether through loyalty to his captain, a desire to be better, or literally being the only one there that can do something he overcomes it every time to do what needs to be done. And his fighting style as a sniper further reflects it. There's so many ways to make characters like that work really well
I'm in the "mistrusting the NPCs" section of the video. I gotta say, nothing helped me trust my favorite NPC more than when agreed to never betray each other. It was just like "hey, character to character, please don't ever betray me" we both agreed, and I'm still waiting for that to bite me in the ass XD but there's a chance it will be fine... right?
(i'll get to the discord soon, there are technical limitations atm)
Race: Saile ("sail") The Sea sings to us all, though for some it is a faint hint among other, flightier thoughts. We glide along her abundant crests, dance with her sons and daughters under the festival of her surface, and seek the cool shelter of her depths at the end of our days, a resting place to pearl away the heaviness that accumulated in life. The Sky above her is ours, and we fill her with songs and music, honest prayers and lively curses, the far-seeing of us weaving intricate patterns of light to communicate to our brethren ashore and afloat. Our forms are endless, for no mortal coil can contain us at length, no vessel is vast enough to encapsulate the splendor of our ephemeral limbs, the impermanent fluidity of our unwalled citadel just as ever-changing and effervescent as the clouds it combs. We exist freely, boundless, shrouded by a fog of magic and mystery as ancient as Time themselves, while our trustworthy allies bring news from beyond our view. We would know our brethren anywhere, by the visible marks that transcend the flesh, by the copious measure of strength in their wondrous hearts, and by the echo of our prayers spoken in their tongues. We exist, and that is reason enough to thrive. (small/medium size, 8 HP, Unarmored expertise, +1 WIS/DEX/free, -1 STR, spd 30ft, ability choice of escape and squeeze/farsight and fog vision/water sense and waterbreathing)
Loved the writing in the homebrew, congrats Hairy Godfather!
Thank you! Its been really fun stretching my creative muscles!
Another thing you could do for the artifact submission is everytime they test their luck and ask some rando about it, make a roll on whether the person will become hostile as they are apart of the bad guy faction or not. Makes it so they dont just yap about it willy nilly to anyone and also adds some tension to any interaction they have with an npc.
I just love watching this podcast, I started like six weeks ago and am slowly going back and watching all the episodes. I absolutely love the community you have created. You two have been my comfort watch/listen for these last couple of weeks. And you for sure have my vote for the Crit Awards ^^
Do you hear that? That was the sound of my clogs on the ground as I run to listen to this new episode? 😂
Regarding how to get players to trust NPCs:
My first DM had so many NPCs be incredibly violent and back stabby to the point that literally no one in the group trusted NPCs. Like if we let our guard down at any time it seemed to screw us over. The DM would get so mad that we were overly cautious and guarded and didn’t include his NPCs in game.
So when we (the entire group minus the DM) left that campaign and I was starting up a new mini series I went out of my way to make NPCs who were likable. Just like Jack suggested; tossing in NPCs who your players can’t help but love or see as clearly on their side is a good strategy. Of course I had NPCs who weren’t nice but they weren’t as prominent because I knew we were all so weary due to our past experiences.
Bahdoilies are my favourite thing to blow on!
Listening to this while playing BG3 and trying to find clogs for my PC
But seriously, love the podblast and the advice/ideas that come from it. I can only dream of being as immersed in D&D as y'all are. Cheers from the Great White North
Not to out myself as American, but the clogs are crocs today. Don't judge me they're comfortable.
IMO, if the players cannot win the combat encounter, it should've been a cutscene. I don't believe in setting up unwinnable fights just to flaunt the power of the bbeg.
If your goal is to show how threatening the bbeg is, show their effect on environments the pcs frequent or care about. Bustling cities turned to ghost towns overnight. Where there was a lush forest, now stands a smoldering crater. Stuff like that. If you must have the pcs in one of these events, allow them to change small things about the event, such as saving specific npcs, parts of the location, or just themselves.
On the topic of difficult players, my only criticism is the dms response. I agree though that the player could have had more tact.
Nonetheless, a stone fortress means little when built upon weak foundation. If all it takes to uproot your self confidence is one person's criticism, perhaps you should try less ambitious, and less risky methods of story telling.
Absolutely. The player might've been rude, but I 100% understand their frustration. If a DM told me, "Yeah, we're gonna go through the motions of combat, but you have no chance of winning, and also no danger of dying, the outcome is predetermined", I would have a hard time holding my tongue too. "If my actions don't matter, why am I here? Go write a novel, dude."
always be cloggin 😎
eating a pumpkin mug cake, feelin alright- im doing your mum
I'm going to steal that pokemon plot thread for my dnd part that I coincidentally met through the discord (if you haven't joined you should). Also you should make an artificer video *wink wink nudge nudge* (JK).
Feeling good because dnd in an hour, eating chicken casserole.
Ba- doily
🌙
:D