Tumgik
#dnd tips
the-gnomish-bastard · 23 days
Text
Fun things to do as a DM to add a bit of spice to the game:
Sometimes giving beasts (like bears) barbarian rage
Starting the campaign by having your players wake up in a tavern
Said tavern is suspiciously empty of people
The town the tavern is in is also devoid of any other living creature
The shadows in the windows move
Making a red dragon a cowardly businessman
A colony of gnomes that only speak Gnomish
Putting in a puzzle you found online for children
Putting in the Monty hall problem as a puzzle
The real BBEG is actually just the accountant for the supposed BBEG (the party finds this out after killing the supposed BBEG, who was working part time at a tavern as a janitor)
I am Alpharius
Character that only speaks in rhymes and riddles except for every 7th sentence
Mega swarm of rats
Making the orcs your players were sent to fight different than they imagine (they expected barbaric melee and savagery, the orcs are all actually high class and good mannered wizards with high intelligence)
Doing the opposite with high elves is even funnier
Take inspiration from games
Make Skeletor an NPC. Not the BBEG, though he’s desperately trying to be evil.
Put a NPC wizard in named John Moses who has a staff of snakes, and the only spells he knows are insect plague, control water, contagion, and create food and water, all of which is always cast at max level, see how your players react
Golem trebuchet
Let longswords count as finesse weapons
The BBEG has a berret .50 caliber
Give important enemies death saving throws
And the lord said, plant a claymore at every entrance so they can’t escape
108 notes · View notes
sometiktoksarevalid · 4 months
Text
151 notes · View notes
grizzlyplays · 7 months
Note
hello grizz! have you and the crew discussed any secondary characters on the off chance of any deaths? do you think that you'd be more inclined to go for characters already close to other characters (like a family member or friend, like if chip died, bizly would play Ollie or something), or something completely new?
None of us have talked about secondary characters. I think if it happened, with no way back, we'd figure it out after the episode, once proper care and attention was given to both the player and the character. The players are most responsible for their character's well being, and they trust me with dungeon master decisions based on what they do.
I'm not planning for any player characters to die, and I do genuinely try my best to keep them alive, while keeping the stakes high. It's a fine balance getting them feel the weight of death and it's possibility, without them losing their characters outright.
Death can be impactful for a narrative, and in D&D it's very common. Combat is deadly and it won't always be descriptions of cool action. Sometimes it is desperate and ugly. That being said, when it comes to consequence, there are fates far worse and possibly more compelling than dying. I've written a lot for these characters, and to lose them would mean losing so much potential. That is the tragedy of death. Regardless, after the black sea arc, I think I will pull less punches, or at least have gotten much better at the balance I've described.
Currently, The Riptide Pirates have put themselves in a very dangerous situation, with very little leverage. Episodes 108 & 109 have already been recorded, and I hope all I've described are evident in how I run these upcoming episodes. PLEASE ENJOY!
311 notes · View notes
jillybeanjoy · 2 years
Text
Guys! I cracked the code! I wish I had any followers to share this magic revelation I had!
In D&D I love being a DM. I really do. With one exception.
Money.
Knowing how much a character should buy or sell something for is just way out of my grasp. For a rare item the price can be anywhere between five hundred and five THOUSAND. That’s a big difference! How am I supposed to know in between those two numbers what it should be?
I googled. And googled. And googled. Thinking *there must be a better way* and couldn’t find a single thing that made sense. Well me and two other DM friends got together and we figured it out. The magic system of pricing.
So first you take the pricing by magic item rarity in the DMG
Tumblr media
Then you go to Xanathars and look at the Magic Item Tables to determine if the item is major or minor
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Divide the prices in the rarity into major and minor. Major the higher half and minor the lower.
So that makes
Rare Minor - 500 - 2,500
Rare Major - 2,501 - 5,000
Very Rare Minor - 5,001 - 30,000
Very Rare Major - 30,001 - 50,000
Legendary Minor - 50,000 - 300,000
Legendary Major - 300,000 - 500,000
Then
THEN
It’s all up to a persuasion roll. Because let’s face it, what’s a fantasy shopping adventure of magic items without bartering and haggling?
So you divide the amounts into roll milestones. So a persuasion roll of 0-10 you pay the highest and 20+ you pay the lowest.
Like so:
Common Items: 1d6 x 10
Uncommon Items 1d6 x 100
Rare Minor:
0-9: 2,500
10-11: 2,100
12-14: 1,700
15-17: 1,300
18-19: 900
20+ : 500
Rare Major
0-9: 5,000
10-11: 4,600
12-14: 4,200
15-17: 3,800
18-19: 3,200
20+: 2,500
Very Rare Minor
0-9: 30,000
10-11: 25,000
12-14: 20,000
15-17: 15,000
18-19: 10,000
20+ : 5,000
Very Rare Major
0-9: 50,000
10-11: 45,000
12-14: 40,000
15-17: 35,000
18-19: 30,000
20+ : 25,000
Legendary
0-9: 250,000
10-11: 200,000
12-14: 150,000
15-17: 100,000
18+ : 50,000
Legendary Major
0-9: 500,000
10-11: 450,000
12-14: 400,000
15-17: 350,000
18-19: 300,000
20+ : 250,000
Seriously someone who is followed by a lot of D&D people find this shit and spread it! It’s so much easier and makes a million times more sense then anything I ever heard of before and i wish someone else would have thought of it sooner (or if someone else did that I had found it sooner)
1K notes · View notes
blumineck · 2 years
Text
Thank you for coming to my TED talk...
2K notes · View notes
Text
DND 5e tip for new players.
Buy Baulders Gate 3 just for character creation.
Take screenshots of your character. Use them as icons for your roll 20 Game.
65 notes · View notes
dingodoodles · 1 year
Video
youtube
I forgot to upload this here! Another Felix tips video :3
167 notes · View notes
mystical-cinnamoon · 5 months
Text
I'm gonna be dming my first dnd campaign soon! Does anyone have any tips or recommendations? btw it's a premade strixahven campaign
30 notes · View notes
thatsgeeky · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media
Bringing Your NPCs to Life: Tips for Creating A Believable Character Backstory in D&D
As a dungeon master, one of the most important parts of your job is creating believable and interesting NPCs (non-player characters) for your players to interact with. These NPCs can range from shopkeepers and guards to quest givers and powerful villains, and they play a crucial role in bringing your campaign world to life.
However, creating NPCs that feel real and relatable can be a challenging task. In this blog post, we'll be discussing some tips and tricks for creating believable NPCs in D&D. From giving NPCs a backstory to making them react realistically to the players, we'll show you how to make your NPCs feel like real, living people. So whether you're a seasoned dungeon master or just starting out, read on to learn how to create NPCs that will keep your players engaged and invested in your game.
Family and Relationships
Family and relationships are an essential element of an NPCs backstory and can give insight into their personality and motivations. For example, an NPC who has lost a loved one might be more likely to be driven by grief and a desire for revenge.
Family and relationships can also provide hooks for the players to interact with the NPCs, creating interesting and dynamic interactions. It can also create conflicts for the NPCs and the players, and the NPCs can have different types of relationship with the player characters like friends, enemies, mentors, allies, and more.
Additionally, NPCs can have complex relationships, for example, an NPC who has a love-hate relationship with one of the player characters. Knowing the NPCs family and relationships can also help the DM to create a believable dialogue, as NPCs can have different roles in the family or society and it can affect their actions and motivations.
Childhood Experiences
Another crucial component of an NPCs biography is their early life, which has the power to influence their personality, worldview, and moral principles. An NPC who was raised in poverty, for instance, might be more motivated by a desire for money and status. Childhood memories can also serve as springboards for the players to engage with the non-player characters (NPCs), resulting in engaging and dynamic interactions. The early experiences of the NPCs might influence their beliefs, values, and worldview, and it can also lead to disputes between them and the players.
In addition, NPCs early life experiences can affect their talents and aptitudes; for instance, an NPC who grew up in a conflict zone may be better at surviving and engaging in warfare. Additionally, it can affect how they feel and think. For instance, an NPC who experienced abuse as a youngster may struggle with trust or develop PTSD. As NPCs can have diverse perspectives on life and the world based on their experiences, knowing the NPCs early experiences can also aid the DM in crafting believable dialogue.
Education or Training
An NPCs education and training can give meaning to their talents and abilities and are a significant part of their narrative. Knowing what an NPC has studied or received training in might help determine their level of skill and knowledge. A skilled wizard NPC, for instance, may be more motivated by a quest for power and knowledge.
The players' interactions with the NPCs may be made more fascinating and dynamic by means of education and training. As the education and training of the NPCs may impact their views, values, and worldview, it can also lead to disputes between the NPCs and the players.
Additionally, NPCs education and training can shape their career and occupation, for example, an NPC who is a trained engineer might be more likely to be a successful inventor or architect. It can also shape their social status, for example, an NPC who has received a noble education might be more likely to be a member of the upper class. Knowing the NPCs education and training can also help the DM to create a believable dialogue, as NPCs can have different perspectives on life and the world based on their education and training.
Career or Occupation
An NPCs career or occupation can also play a role in shaping their backstory and provide context for their skills and abilities. Knowing what an NPC does for a living can give insight into their skills, abilities, and motivations. For example, an NPC who is a shopkeeper might be more likely to be driven by a desire for wealth and success. A career or occupation can also provide hooks for the players to interact with the NPCs, creating interesting and dynamic interactions. It can also create conflicts for the NPCs and the players, as the NPCs career or occupation can shape their beliefs, values, and how they perceive the world.
The NPCs career or occupation can shape their social status, for example, an NPC who is a noble might be more likely to be a member of the upper class. It can also shape their reputation, for example, an NPC who is a notorious thief might be feared or respected by other NPCs. Knowing the NPCs career or occupation can also help the DM to create a believable dialogue, as NPCs can have different perspectives on life and the world based on their career or occupation.
Life Events
Life events that shape an NPCs personality are also an important element of an NPCs backstory and can give insight into their personality, beliefs, and values. For example, an NPC who has experienced a traumatic event, like a war, might be more likely to be driven by a desire for peace and safety. Life events can also provide hooks for the players to interact with the NPCs, creating interesting and dynamic interactions. It can also create conflicts for the NPCs and the players, as the NPCs life events can shape their beliefs, values and how they perceive the world.
Additionally, NPCs life events can shape their skills and abilities, for example, an NPC who has been through a shipwreck might be more skilled in survival and navigation. It can also shape their emotional and mental state, for example, an NPC who has suffered a great loss might have trust issues or PTSD. Knowing the NPCs life events can also help the DM to create a believable dialogue, as NPCs can have different perspectives on life and the world based on their experiences.
In Summary
Giving your NPCs a backstory is an essential step in making them feel like real and relatable characters
A backstory provides context for an NPC's actions and motivations, making them more believable and interesting to the players
Family and relationships are an essential element of an NPC's backstory and can give insight into their personality and motivations
Childhood experiences are another important element of an NPC's backstory and can shape their personality, beliefs, and values
Education and training are an important element of an NPC's backstory and can provide context for their skills and abilities
An NPC's career or occupation can also play a role in shaping their backstory and provide context for their skills and abilities
Life events that shape an NPC's personality are also an important element of an NPC's backstory and can give insight into their personality, beliefs, and values
By including these elements in an NPC's backstory, you can create characters that feel real and relatable to your players
Additionally, it will help you to understand the motivations and actions of NPCs, making the game more interesting and dynamic
106 notes · View notes
auntphibian · 1 month
Text
Tumblr media
A valentines Day special! I wrote out these tips a while back, but here they are a little more neatly laid out.
Dnd romance is super fun to me, and I love having it in games, although it does always need to be handled delicately. So here's my way of handling it.
17 notes · View notes
craigofinspiration · 1 month
Text
Tumblr media
what do you think?
this tip brought to you by Mike Shea at slyflourish.com
find my dnd blog at pointsofinspiration.com
9 notes · View notes
phoenix358 · 10 months
Text
Tumblr media
Just made this for my new dnd group. Thought it might be nice to share
46 notes · View notes
lunaeclipse1057-ao3 · 5 months
Text
Any tips for a new DND player?
Heyo! I'm joining my first campaign in two days and I want to know if there is anything I should know beforehand. I already have a set of dice on the way and I've made my character in DND Beyond. Is there anything I should know before my first session?
13 notes · View notes
grizzlyplays · 7 months
Note
Hey grizzly i have a question. As a dm, how do u prevent the npcs taking up too much screentime? Sometimes i feel like my npcs take up too much screentime, more than my pcs, is there any tips to achieving a good balance? Its my first time dming anything long term. Thanks!
To put it most simply, I personally run my campaign for the players, and therefore everything I create is to serve the story and adventure of their characters. Most of the time the balance is achieved by simply not speaking as an NPC unless spoken to. Sometimes I'll throw in a short quip, or an NPCs insight, but it's supplemental. I certainly love writing and designing complex characters, AND I love playing goofy simple characters. I don't try to prove to my players how cool or how interesting an NPC is. When writing them in, I try to think of how the NPC can add to the story. For example: how can their ideals challenge or effect the PCs? How can they guide the PCs? What lore or context can they provide? How can the PCs help them? How do they tie into the themes of the story, and are they similar or different to how the PCs do? Stuff like that helps me play NPCs without taking the focus on the PCs or agency of the players. None of this applies to improvised NPCs and I definitely do not always do this perfectly or for every NPC that comes up LOL. Keep practicing until you find what works for you and your crew.
227 notes · View notes
Note
Hi there!
I hope you're doing well. 🙂
My random question is (because I think you've mentioned DND) : For someone wanting to start playing dnd, what advice would you give?
Thank you for asking! Always exciting to see somebody else getting into D&D. I haven’t played as much as others, but hopefully this will help get the ball rolling.
First rule everyone should know: No D&D is better than bad D&D
We’re all here to have fun, so if you're not having fun then you should stop
It doesn’t even have to be because you’re having a problem with a person at the table, it could just be the story everyone is telling is just not one you want to participate it
We have a limited time on this earth, don’t force yourself to do something you don’t really want to do
Next, don't do a paid campaign for your first game
There are a lot of paid campaigns online and while I'm not opposed to the idea, you're still learning and so shouldn't have to pay for a DM
If you don't have somebody to play with in person, check out your local gaming store to see if anybody is running a game, failing that, roll20 and D&D Beyond forums are a good place to start
Once you find a group, make sure to communicate any boundaries or triggers you have early
This is a role playing game and depending on the game, things can get intense, so make sure you're at a table that will respect those boundaries
After that, talk to the DM as much as possible
DMs want you to ask about the story they're trying to make, you're not bothering them with questions, I promise you
If you're having trouble figuring out a backstory, they're the best person to ask; and if they're being cagey about helping you, that's red flag
Also, try to get to know the other people at the table before game time
If you're playing with strangers, you should have a session zero allowing everybody to chat and get a feel for each other
These are the people you're going to be telling this story with, take the time to listen to them and ask about their characters
This is collaborative story telling, so communication and listening to each other is essential
I'd also recommend starting with a low level campaign (levels 1-3) to get a grasp of the rules
Staring with a martial character (barbarian, fighter, rogue, or monk), might also be best too as you don't have to keep track of spells
Of course, if a martial class isn't fun for you, disregard, I'm sure you can figure it out
I'd also say that at the minimum you should buy The Player's Handbook. The rest can come with time and necessity
D&D Beyond is also a really good resource when it comes to character sheets and creation
Also, remember that the game you're going to play isn't going to be like a live play or Baldur's Gate
You're a bunch of nerds playing make believe with more math; chances are a lot of it is going to be derivative, and that's okay
So long as you and everyone else at the table is having fun, that's all that matters
16 notes · View notes
thehomelybrewster · 2 months
Text
How to Play a Force User in 5e?
One aspect of character building for 5e I enjoy is trying to replicate character archetypes that aren't obviously represented by a single (sub-)class into 5e. And Tulok the Barbrarian hasn't helped matters (check out his channel, it's fun).
Anyway, one of my favorite things is Star Wars and naturally I love Force users, and 5e offers a handful of combinations that work really well for it.
So here are some! Note that with most of them the Telekinetic feat is recommended, and the Telepathic feat also often works well.
Intelligence: Psi Warrior Fighter + Wizard
This one is basically ready-made. You get psionic abilities and you unlock really fun stuff as you level. However, since the Psi Warrior uses Intelligence for their features, that means you'll have an easy time multiclassing into wizard!
Both War Magic and Bladesinging are excellent additions. The former is more generic and synergizes well even with medium or heavy armor, while the latter is generally more powerful, but is often restricted lore-wise and pigeonholes you into wearing light armor only. It also works "best" with Psi Warrior if you take less than six levels in wizard, because at that point Bladesinging gives you Extra Attack and that obviously doesn't work with a fighter's Extra Attack (though you'd still gain the ability to use cantrips within your Attack action).
In general this build is bulky and uses magic for versatility, making an excellent frontline warrior. Also if your GM ain't no fan of the psionic subclasses, then Eldritch Knight is also fine.
Intelligence: Bladesinging Wizard + Samurai Fighter
Yes, another fighter + wizard combo, but one with a different flair. This would really lean into Bladesinging and use Samurai Fighter for its excellent Fighting Spirit feature at 3rd level (and Action Surge at 2nd). With Fighting Spirit you can give yourself advantage on attack rolls and gain temporary hit points, very appropriate in the "letting the Force guide you" sense. After that this build would focus itself entirely on wizard levels. Still, the 7th level Samurai feature Elegant Courtier is excellent, and if you only want to take four or five levels in wizard, or don't a redudant Extra Attack, snatch that up, too.
The levels in Samurai enhace the face archetype that a Jedi as intergalatic peacekeepers embody excellently.
This build is likely squishier than the prior one, but still not that squishy. It really depends on the level mix. Also note that Elegant Courtier works based on Wisdom, so that segues into...
Wisdom: Fey Wanderer Ranger + Samurai Fighter
The Fey Wanderer is the best ranger subclass to get the feel of a Force user for sure. Since it heavily focuses on charming foes and resisting charms yourself, it sells the stalwart moral stance of a Jedi and the classic Jedi mind trick quite well. Otherworldly Glamour makes you an excellent party face, and Wisdom feels the most intuitive among the three mental ability scores for a Jedi to prioritize.
For Samurai, just see the section I wrote for the prior entry, it's just really, really good, and those first three fighter levels are just a wonderful addition to any build that can afford them.
This build is also the best way to emulate a Jedi who is very connected to nature, like Kanan Jarrus or Ezra Bridger, since druid has too specific a fantasy to work with that.
Wisdom: Peace/War Cleric + Fey Wanderer Ranger/Samurai Fighter
The cleric also provides an excellent foundation for a Jedi character, and the War Domain and the Peace Domain especially. Both really fit the ideals of Jedi, the former obviously more of a Clone Wars-era Jedi general (or a Sith), while the latter fits the High Republic-era or the old Expanded Universe restored Order really well. Special shoutouts to War's Channel Divinity: Guided Strike and Peace's Implement of Peace features, those really feel appropriate.
Cleric spells work really nicely as Force abilities, and thus work as a great foundation. Now you can easily add either the Fey Wanderer or the Samurai on top of that to either go deeper into the role of a skilled negotiator or a mighty warrior, all while having a fairly easy time with multiclassing.
Charisma: Aberrant Mind/Divine Soul Socerer + Paladin
The sorcerer represents nicely the inherent nature of Force-sensitivity and both the Aberrant Mind and the Divine Soul fulfill the aspects of mental prowess and a special destiny respectively.
The paladin levels meanwhile enhance your melee capabilities, as well as your spellcasting and healing. Virtually any oath works here. Ancients provides a bit of Kanan Jarrus/Ezra Bridger/Bendu vibes, Conquest and Oathbreaker are very Sith, and the others all work for Jedi in general.
Ingnite your lightsaber with your smites, and you'll have a good time. Plus, as a Charisma-based build, you'll make an excellent face, of course.
Charisma: Great Old One Warlock + Paladin (or maybe Bard?)
We've reached the final one! The obligatory warlock-paladin multiclass. A wonderful combination. Now I'm deliberately excluding the Hexblade due to flavor, but the Great Old One is a wonderful patron for a wannabe Jedi to have. For you that patron are, basically, Medichlorians. You are more attune to them than other people (or so you think?), and thus you gain special psychic powers associated with them.
For the paladin aspect, s. the prior build. All of that also applies here.
Addendum: Even bard might be a nice option to add to the Great Old One. Bardic Inspiration can easily be interpreted as using the Force to subtly move or stabilize your allies during an Athletics or Acrobatics check, or as a minor Jedi mind trick in social situations. College of Valor and College of Swords are very good choices for this multiclass build to enhance your melee capabilities.
Addendum: On Monks
I did consider whether monk would work, maybe with the Fey Wanderer Ranger it'd be okay, and then I'd probably go with Way of Mercy but monk is too weird of a class to work well... But the 2024 rules revision monk might be just the trick for that! We'll see what that looks like. In terms of how short rest-reliant monks are, a warlock-monk build would make sense, but since the Playtest 5 warlock was thoroughly rejected, Wisdom-based warlocks will never happen in this game (until we get a proper 6th edition?)...
5 notes · View notes