dnd

tabletop, homebrew, design, gm advice

[100-manslayer]

The average 5e playe sees themselves as a temporarily embarrassed Critical Role

[imsobadatnicknames2]

To put it as concisely as possible, the defining flaw of LANCER is that the authors failed to realize that "setting where a post-scarcity utopia has been achieved" and "setting where the main form of conflict resolution is the player characters using giant mechs to shoot bad guys" are mutually exclusive concepts, and going "it's like almost an utopia but *not quite there* yet" is not enough to reconcile the two.

[imsobadatnicknames2]

Their answer to "why would a post-scarcity utopia have giant mech conflicts?" ended up being "what if ☝️ there was scarcity. but we refused to call it that."

[imsobadatnicknames2]

Your ability to play out a nuanced and compassionate narrative about overcoming problems through mutual aid and solidarity is limited by a system where the fun part is to have giant mech battles that let you show off how good you are at using your deadly mech superweapons to blow guys up and the gameplay loop revolves around the GM constantly putting a new batch of acceptable targets in front of the players for them to blow up with their mech superweapons.

[thydungeongal]

Okay new rule from now on whenever I say something positive about D&D feel free to append a "besides 5e" onto the end of that sentence because I'm starting to realize that whenever I make a sweeping statement about D&D as a game someone will either read it as being exclusively about 5e or object to it on the basis of "well I've only played 5e and I think that thing you think is good is bad actually"

[thydungeongal]

Like, yes, if your only frame of reference for D&D is D&D 5e then I can't really fault you for thinking that dungeons are nothing but combat and also that the game sucks, but do try to keep up, I'm talking about all the other editions of D&D that are not necessarily bad,

[cavegirlpoems]

The thing about 5e is that its an incredibly unfocussed, safe design. All of the things which made a previous edition sing - the complex tactical combat of 4e, the modular character customisation of 3e, the exploration of AD&D or the streamlined improvisation of OD&D - are cut back and neutered in 5e. It's a game which lacks the courage to commit to anything, instead being a shallow, incoherent reflection of what came before. You could joke that it feels like it was designed by comittee based on audience feedback metrics, except that's literally what happened.

So, no wonder the 5e crowd think design doesn't matter: the only game they know basically thinks the same thing.

[tadfools]

Op disabled rbs but they’re right and more people need to read this a few times over

[aureliagaming]

idk what dm needs to hear this but you arent getting that done in a single session

[alittledicey]

[cupofsorrows]

[aureliagaming]

idk what dm needs to hear this but you arent getting that done in a single session

[quillwritten]

[charlesoberonn]

Which path should he choose?

The path of the warrior, the path of the scholar, or the path of the artist?

[moonimbued]

he should wander away and have a picnic while he thinks about what path to choose

[charlesoberonn]

Great idea! But where should he have the picnic?

Under the tree, or under the old fort?

[acatdisguisedasahuman]

By the sea, so he can enjoy the sound of the waves

[charlesoberonn]

A lovely choice!

Should he build a sandcastle to pass the time? Or perhaps go fishing?

[cynicallyaestetic]

Perhaps he could collect shells he finds interesting

[charlesoberonn]

Sounds fun!

Which shell should he pick up?

[anjing-jam]

This one

[charlesoberonn]

That's not a shell, it's a tiny earpiece.

Should he listen to music? Or to the mysterious pre-recorded message?

[sar-kalu]

He should give it back to the crab in the largest shell, they thought they had lost their wave-pod and are grateful he found it!

[charlesoberonn]

The crab wants to give a gift in return.

Should he accept the gift of power, or the gift of knowledge?

[sunw00d]

the gift of friendship :)

[charlesoberonn]

Friendship acquired!

Should they celebrate with pizza or ice cream?

[valentineish]

The crab friend cannot eat either of those! Let's split a nice seaweed salad instead. :)

[charlesoberonn]

So many options!

Should they get tossed salad, wiggly salad, or spiky salad?

[frescopino]

Seasar salad

[charlesoberonn]

Nothing beats getting it straight from the source

Should they use scissors or claws to cut the seaweed?

[somethingmissingthiswaycomes]

What about that sword in the first panel?

[charlesoberonn]

The circle is complete.

Through choices, friendship, and salad, he found his way to the path of the warrior. But he won't walk it alone.

Their path is just beginning, but this story is over.

Thank you to everyone who participated!

[lawfulgoodness]

This is all the worst and best parts of being a GM. Thanks OP. You did a great job.

[starlinedsword-deactivated20240]

a reminder to be nice to your dms. it can get quite lonely on the other side of the table and talking to your dm about their game is a really good way of reminding them you care.

it's one thing to know that you're having fun and talk with other players about having fun and your theories and ideas for the future but it's another to make sure your dm knows as well.

[starlinedsword-deactivated20240]

#yes!!!#it can be really hard to gauge reactions / engagement from players sometimes esp over discord and the like#so talking to your dms about their plots/npcs/concepts/setting etc helps a lot!#we aren’t brick walls we’re players too and we all wanna have fun yknow. etc etc#dnd via @cierics

yeah exactly this

[maykitz]

[wearemage]

My players when an NPC is slightly rude to them.

[fantastictalesofadventure]

Gotta keep mum!

[chaumas-deactivated20240115]

creating a cast of different annoying accents with corresponding names and personas with which to terrorize your friends

[natalieironside]

DMing

[thehomebakery]

[thatonenewdungeonmaster]

[pauljpeg]

[someemochick]