quietlyglittering
all my life I’ve somehow only ever seen the gifs of this. I never even knew that the pumpkin man was dancing to the Ghostbusters theme. This whole thing is so much better than I ever could have expected from the gifs omg
Start a business selling faulty rpg items. Such as brass knuckles that do 1d6 lightning damage but due to conduction you also take damage.
A flail made from aloe leaves so it healed as it dealt damage.
probablyadrpgideas
A ring of frostbite. Over time your hand slowly gets more and more frostbitten.
An enchanted scythe. Once in battle, it becomes painfully obvious the “enchantment” was Minor Illusion. It’s actually made of cardboard.
probablyadrpgideas
An axe that doesn’t do damage but makes enemies smell nice.
probablybarpgideas
A bow that only shoots where you’re aiming if you’re blackout drunk.
A sword that does untyped area of effect damage. With d12s. Many of them.
probablyadrpgideas
A sword that is actually just a really big butter knife.
I’m saving all of these as ideas for cursed items.
jadedice
a pair of boots that make any surface you walk on feel like slippery ice
a hammer that always looses it’s head and ends up hitting the nearest party member
The last one would be useful if you had a party of two people and one was lost. You go to hammer something and the head flies through miles of dungeons to wang your friend as you chase it.
probablyadrpgideas
Necklace of fire breathing, but it summons a fire elemental that follows you and breathes down your neck.
PART 2 of The Abandoned Dwarven Outpost – or Dwarven Ruins – a massive battlemap I drew, consisting out of six smaller, interconnected, battlemaps one can either use as separate maps or as one massive map. The basic idea is that one could either use the separate maps as gateways to a dungeon beyond, the beginning point of an underground adventure, or as a single map for an adventure into the ruins of this Dwarven Outpost.
The story behind the Dwarven Outpost was that it was built on top of a mine filled with precious metals, located near an active volcanic source. Hence the lava in some parts of the map. Making sure they would be able to protect the mining operation of this precious metal, the Dwarven built a fortress inside the mountain.
Starting in the bottom left corner of the map, you can see the entrance of the complex, a massive stone gateway carved in the shape of a Dwarven head. Once guarded from an overlook they build on top of the gateway. There is also an alternative rout around the mountain, they had closed off with a stone wall. In case of an attack, Dwarven infantry would man the walls and gateway while the cavalry mounted up in the stables build at the end of the hallway leading into the complex (top left corner), ready to ride out and meet their attackers head on. (Alternatively I had also designed an opening in the ceiling of the central courtyard of the stables, where flying mounts could make their exit).
The dwarves had also built a tomb near the first part of the complex, where fallen soldiers could be buried with honor.
All the way in the far right is both the mine itself and a fortress where the Dwarves had made their last stand. Only the first level of the fortress itself is accessible, the stairwell leading to the living quarters below has collapsed. (I might get to making a second level at one point, for all the areas that are missing, but for now I just use it as is).
Now in the lower center of the map is also a system of caves one could access. It was here that the Dwarves had discovered a mysterious portal stone, while working on expanding their complex. The exact spot where they eventually found their doom.
In my adventure the ruins are currently held by a pack of marauding orcs, who have taken control over the outpost long after it was found abandoned. They have no clue of what actually happened here, and the dangers hiding inside the mountain, as they were simply happy to find such a prized encampment.
If you like content like this, I would also like to invite you to check out my Patreon. Here you will find more of my custom monsters, (battle)maps, and (paper) miniatures that I create each month. I keep an online folder of all my work in High Res, a back catalogue that you can instantly access after joining up, gaining access to all my previous work including this. In due time I would love to publish a collection of it in print and pave the road to publishing more content that way.
Hotlinks to all Tables: A complete list of every trinket table for quicker access compared to scrolling through the entire blog or sifting through the archive. This also functions as the easiest link to reblog or save for reference purposes as it’s updated with each new table. Now with 56 full d100 tables.
-Minor Magical Items: Semi useful magical objects (If not always useful to an adventurer) that have little to no drawbacks associated with their use and are perfect for low level characters.
-Unique Weapons: Blades, bludgeons and bows of all shapes, sizes and mysterious backgrounds. Distinctive weapons that can serve as the basis for family heirlooms, legendary artifacts and magical or masterwork weapons.
-Masterwork Weapon Bonuses: A variety of weapon improvements, enhancements and modifications created though superior craftsmanship. These masterpieces are more powerful than ordinary weapons but in most cases would not be considered “magic” or “+1” weapons.
-Sealed Glass Vials: Faulty potions, weak elixirs, alchemical supplies, spell components, ritual elements, enchanting materials, crafting ingredients and magically preserved biological samples.
-Books: An eclectic library of dusty tomes, fictional textbooks, pocketbooks, paperbacks, hardcovers, booklets, leaflets and magical manuals.
-Book Descriptions: A short list of quirks, physical descriptions and eccentricities to add additional personal characteristics to the book trinket list.
-Trinkets, Rings: Enough rings and bands to wear three on every finger and toe while still having dozens to spare. These small circular pieces of gems, metal, wood or bone always add more to the story than the sum of their parts.
Trinkets, Necklaces: Pendants, amulets, lockets, chokers and other “Neck Slot” jewelry that grant an immediate glance into the bearer’s personality, wealth, rank or social class and often serves as an iconic part of that character’s look. While a locked metal torque can instantly mark the bearer a penniless slave and a string of lustrous pearls mark their owner a flauntingly wealthy noble, so can an adventurer’s necklace mark them as a creature to bestow quests upon.
-Trinkets, Valuable: More useful than regular trinkets, these items have either a clear purpose, a reliable ability or are made from a fairly costly material.
-Trinkets: Interesting baubles or semi magical items that have little to no practical in game or mechanical use for an adventurer.
-Trinkets, Worthless: Vaguely interesting garbage, vendor trash and junk loot. Not magical or mysterious like regular trinkets or worth anything more than a copper piece or two even if you could find someone to buy it in the first place.
-All Reference Tables: When a trinket calls for a Random Weapon, Random Color or Random Godly Domain and you can’t think of one offhand, just go here and either roll a die or select one of your own choosing.
Reblog with inside jokes in your D&D campaign.
- Dem rats got hops.
- It’s a Dwarvish thing.
- I’m a medium sized creature just like you.
- the npc aptly named Booty Call
They’re all from different campaigns but…
- “He has a great… personality”
- “You go into the mouth”
- “They’re like sky fish”
- The Pumpkin People
- “Todd.”
- “Monsters with one eye. Monsters with two eyes. Monsters with three eyes…”
- ….Brrrand. …
Don’t
“So there 6 beds and 5 of us…. so we’re going to have to share”
“So there are ___ number of [objects/people]” “I think that means that we’re going to have to share beds” also known as “gay math”
I yeet the owl
Constitution is Not a Dump Stat
Smash or Pass?
Variations of, “I’m so glad you decided to share that vital information with the group” (when information is most certainly not shared)
“Hello, I am Juniper…” “I am very competent”
“Gays not averted”
“I cast banishment on myself”
“Depression naps”
I cast message: “Neerrrrd”
What time is it? *annoyed voice* “Night!” Or “Morning!” or whatever is relevant
Don’t yeet the frisbee
Finger guns
softbutchtaako
oh shit yeah i forgot a bunch
also, “i cast [name of melee weapon]”
“I feel brown...”
R.I.P. Farmer Bob
10,000 Follower Giveaway!
Wow! I can’t believe I’ve got 10,000 followers! ( @kiss-my-asymptote was number 10,000!) To celebrate, we’ll be giving away 5 prizes! (Unfortunately, law says this will only work for US followers.) Here’s what we’re giving away!
Bronze Prize: (2) A set of dice will be sent to you!
Silver Prize: (2) You get one bath bomb from @dnd-apothecary, and a set of dice!
Gold Prize: (1) The big haul! You get 1 D&D book of your choice, a large set of dice, a bath bomb, and a candle from @dnd-apothecary!
1. Only reblogs will count as entries, and only one entry per day.
2. Must be following this blog.
3. You’ll be contacted by PM once the giveaway ends if you won.
4. Entries will be accepted until October 31st, 2018.
Thanks for following the DMC, everyone!
yEET
Reblog if you are open to answering questions and giving advice for Dungeons & Dragons or other table top games.
Feel free to put in the tags how best to contact you and maybe what games or editions you know best.
Edit: since some were a little confused, I wanted to clarify that I am not looking for advice. I’m just trying to make it known to those new to the hobby that myself and many many other people are willing to help.
a-dms-side-quest
I love helping people.
yEET I like being nice
Ideas for non-combat encounters/events
For when you want some variety for your tabletop RPG. These events will also give your players a chance to use character skills they don’t often have opportunities for.
- Natural Disaster - Have the town the PCs are in catch on fire and see what they do! Do they cut their losses and run? Do they heroically try to save trapped townspeople? What do they do about the aftermath? Natural disasters are an interesting challenge because there can be lots of danger and drama without necessarily having a villain. It may also get your PCs to use skills they don’t commonly have a chance to. You could also try floods, earthquakes, raging storms while at sea, etc.
- Powerful Fortress - Put one of your party’s goals in a location where they won’t be able to prevail through combat alone (Example: a fortress where they are vastly outnumbered). Your players will have to rely on either stealth or guile (or both) to accomplish their goal. The pacing of such events can be frustrating to some players, but few sessions are as rewarding as a creatively executed heist or infiltration.
- Dangerous Crossing - Give them a dangerous physical obstacle to overcome. A canyon, or a raging river, or quicksand or an old battleground littered with traps and mines.
- Festival - Have the PCs encounter a festival or tournament! With lots of contests! This could be a good opportunity for them to build their fame and fortune (especially if you allow gambling). Some of my favorite sessions have involved festivals.
- Entertainment - Put the PCs in a situation where they have to entertain someone. What do they come up with?
- Letter - Have one of the PCs receive a letter, either from an NPC they’ve dealt with before or from someone involved with their backstory. This is a good way to make the consequences of their actions seem more real. You can also use it to introduce new plotlines/sidequests.
- Crafting Challenge - Put the PCs in a situation where they need to craft something in order to accomplish their goal. Maybe they need to make something in order to fix a mechanism? Or in order to satisfy some local gift-giving custom? Or they need a forgery? Maybe as part of an exchange for something else they need?
- Lost and Found - Have your PCs discover someone or something that is clearly lost. Maybe they find an infant in the wilderness. Or a key with a strange inscription, or some kind of talisman. Throw in a clue or two to present your players with a tantalizing mystery.
- Inhospitable Wilderness - Have the PCs go somewhere it’s an effort just to survive. A barren desert, a treacherous swamp with poison gasses, a forest so dense the ground never sees the sun, or even the bottom of the ocean. Test their endurance and survival skills!
- Dinner Party - Have the PCs be summoned to a formal event! Test them on the battlegrounds of social grace and etiquette! Even better if it’s in a dangerous environment or an alien culture.
- Thief - Have something important stolen from the PCs. See how they handle it.
- Needle in a Haystack - Give the PCs something very difficult to find. Like a single specific housecat in a sprawling metropolis, or a legendary weapon of which there are many fakes/copies.
Really, if you need any more inspiration, look at your player’s character sheets and see if they’ve invested any points in a skill they haven’t gotten to use much. Then invent a challenge they could feasibly use that skill for. If you can’t think of a situation that could be helped by an Appraise, Craft: Calligraphy or Handle Animal check, you need to practice your own creative problem solving skills!
Random Rainforest Encounters (1d20) #5
[1] Lightning fruit absorbs electricity during thunderstorms but only hold the charge for a few hours. However, collecting them is quite dangerous due to the heavy rain [2] A trio of bumbling cyclops brothers search the area for large prey to feast upon. The party is looking incredibly delicious being a unique meal [3] Hidden within the exposed roots of an ancient tree is a burrow. Is it from a strange beast or perhaps a sentient humanoid? [4] Hummingbird scouts keep an eye on the party being controlled by a Druid. They have been guarding a cursed temple behind a nearby waterfall. The Druid has a startling appearance [5] Choking themselves awake, the party find themselves surrounded by toxic fog [6] Settled next to the river is a comfy looking and aged home with a fence of sticks. The owner is a friendly Cleric who loves visitors and is willing to share their homebrew potions [7] Rain has pooled onto the top of a purple mushrooms and begins to glow in the darkness [8] Your steps echo as you walk onto the forgotten stones of an abandoned kingdom built beside a large cliff. This ancient kingdom is full of dangerous beasts and some interesting artifacts [9] The skeleton of a Minotaur lies silently with a few pieces of rotted gear. However, the most interesting object is a tome bound in scales with a closed eye on the cover [10] Large bugs host a clothing party as they spool threads of silk. Everything here is incredibly fashionable and even gives the wearer resistance to acid damage [11] Two Beholders duke it out as they fight over residence of the recently cleared village. Their beams miss one another fairly frequently presenting a tremendous danger to anyone nearby [12] Drifting down the river, a tired Dragonborn offers the party a free ride to wherever the river leads. They also know a lot about the local danger [13] Flowers hanging downwards occasionally drop pearls of varying sizes [14] Rising from the lake an electric eel the size of a house rises up and whispers an ominous message in a forgotten language. Is this a threat, warning, or something else? [15] Thorns pierce through the bottoms of the party’s shoes due to an undiscovered plant. Avoiding it seems to be impossible as it silently follows them after getting a taste of blood [16] Vengeful ghosts haunt the dreams of those who travel through the rainforest. Listening to their messages reveals a cry for help. Burying their remains will put them at ret [17] Sleeping next to a tropical fruit tree is a young lad with plants growing around his body. It seems he has been resting here for nearly forty years [18] A fishing tournament is under way! Lining the river are various individuals from around the world that are here to capture the largest fish. Little do they know, this year a tremendous beast lurks beneath the water in the deep [19] Draining the moisture from the air is an invasive species of mussels that grow up to the size of a small animal. They are difficult to remove and can drain moisture from living creatures [20] Unidentified markings are burned into the trunks of random trees. What do they mean?
(More Random Encounters on Tuesdays! If you like my work, consider supporting me by leaving a tip at my Ko-Fi Page! Image credit: x)
a-dms-side-quest-deactivated202
Anonymous asked:
I can't make dungeons for the life of me. Do you have any advice on how to make a dungeon for lower level players???
My suggestion is to create a dungeon with 3 must have, low level, monster encounters.
The first would be something simple, more of a nuisance than a challenge, like kobolds or goblins.
The next would be something a bit harder, something under a trance or perhaps working for the big bad, like some orcs!
Finally a nice choker or phantom could be the big bad.
Give them obstacles to overcome as well. Such as, my personal favorite, gelatinous cubes (Try THIS post)
As for loot or rewards, check out THIS section of my tags, it’s all about trinkets! Along with THIS section too, it’s magical items!
For low level players I wouldn’t suggest placing rare items in a dungeon but definitely some uncommon items (unless the rare item moves the story forward)! And maybe give those kobolds or goblins a small horde they were trying to protect (point being, make some of the dungeon loot visible to your players! They’ll be on the lookout for more!) Defeating the big bad would open up other rewards as well, perhaps an entire room of things. Or before they enter the dungeon, the NPC who asked them to explore the dungeon could insinuate that once they return with the dead “body” of the big bad, they will be given rewards.
Hope this helps!!
xx
Chelsea
D4 Skeletons
Human skeletons are everywhere, but there are numerous creatures with a skeletal system. Roll on the table for your unique horror.
Assume that all of the below creatures have the basic skeleton’s damage vulnerabilities, immunities, and 60’ darvision.
1) Giant Skeleton: Use the hill giant as a base regardless of the kind of giant. This towering bag of bones doesn’t quite rattle as much as rumble when it lumbers. A long lost tomb can be creepy. A long lost tomb of titans is mythic.
2) Hydra Skeleton: This is actually 6 separate creatures. 5 constrictor snakes represent the 5 heads, and an elephant without a gore attack for the body. The heads start off attached to the body, but when the body is destroyed the five heads pop off and fight on their own.
3) Gargantuan Dragon Skeleton: As the roc, but with the elemental immunity of the dragon and it flys magically. Determining the dragon type can be difficult without its skin. Also a dracolich may keep a few of these around to bait foolish adventurers.
4) Unicorn Skeleton: As Minotaur skeleton, but without the greataxe attack. Nothing feels quite as wrong as a symbol of innocence turned into an undead abomination. The only color showing on its bleached bones are its glowing red eyes and the fresh blood glistening off its horn.
Want a not-that-important-but-still-super-fun magic item to give your party? Or maybe some stuff to fill a fun gashapon machine? Try this list out.
~Mod Luci
Last month I designed this siege camp for my patrons. The idea was to use a double perspective, a combination of front and top perspective, to help players understand the layout without too much information. A technique that is loosely based upon a Medieval technique used to map cities during a siege. Giving the owners both a artistic and tactical vantage point.
The siege equipment portrayed in this map is also available as separate files that GM’s can use for other maps as well. Equipment like a battering ram, trebuchets, pikes and ballistas.
This is my first attempt at using new brushes for designing maps and I was very happy with the result. Using brushes I borrowed from the magnificent Dave Greco
a-dms-side-quest-deactivated202
Hey! Love the blog but was wondering if you had anything for encounter building? I’m a new dm and I find that I wind up making the encounters too easy for them to be called encounters
I CANNOT believe I don’t have anything under my DM Tips and Tricks section for encounter building! So I’m going to try and give some advice (but I’ve included some links at the bottom to some good posts about encounter building, which I’ll have to reblog soon!)
Encounters can be tricky. You want to have the “perfect” hook to entice your players and you want the encounter to go smoothly - perhaps not as planned but at least smoothly.
However, I think it is highly important to know that how these encounters make your players feel is the key. In the long run your players may not remember the name of the barmaid who gave them that valuable piece of information, or the history of the haunted tavern they’re forced to stay in - they’re gonna remember how you made them feel.
So you want to make your encounters harder? I’m assuming you understand that encounters come in environmental, social, and combat forms!
Environment encounters could be something like a natural disaster such as: the entire village is underwater and someone must rescue the innocent people! Those are already pretty difficult challenges and they’re pretty time consuming.
Social encounters can be peaceful, difficult, or all around terrifying. It all depends on the NPCs your players are encountering - hehe. To make social encounters worth it for your players think deeply about the NPC they are dealing with. Perhaps the suspicious blacksmith was wronged in the past and that explains why he refuses to give out that vital piece of information. Or maybe that priest comes off as pretentious because of his past life as an orphaned street beggar. Giving your NPCs backstories and flavor can really spice up any encounter.
- When it comes to my NPC I like to think of WWH - Why, What, and How. Why have the players encountered (or sought out) this NPC, What do the players need to know from the NPC and what do they want to get from them, and how will they get it.
- For example: The players have ended up in on the merchants ship because they heard through tavern gossip that she was the best person to go to for exotic animals. The players need to buy a purple quail’s egg for a tyrant king’s birthday party and they’ve been sent to find one as quickly as possible. How will they get this from the merchant who, after a quick glance around the ship, has a whole hoard of quail’s eggs - they can choose to buy it for a hefty sum, haggle and bargain with the merchant, or try to steal it (they almost always try to steal it). This merchant, however, is very friendly and trusting of most people so she would have no problem lowering the price for the party, as long as they do her any favor she may need in the future.
Combat encounters are very hard for me to come up with. I’ve typically had the habit of saying something like “You’re walking towards the castle and out of the bushes explodes a hungry hungry hippo. Roll for initiative” buuuuuttttt you can make combat encounters harder simply by giving the player’s opponents more hit points or more powerful attacks - instead of 2d6 fire damage maybe it deals 4d6 fire damage. I have a link below by dndplus that goes into more detail about combat encounters because unfortunately I am not so sure what else to say about combat encounters - I have so much to learn!
I hope I’ve helped even if it was just a little
xx
Chelsea
THIS post elaborates on some environmental encounters such as the natural disasters I mentioned!
THIS is a post of some random wilderness encounters! Very good stuff!
THIS post is SO detailed about combat encounters - much better than what I had to say!
THIS post breaks down encounters in environment, social, and combat encounters just like I did and is worth the read! It doesn’t explain how to make encounters harder but it’s a good base for building encounters!
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Hey Side quest. I have a challenge for you. What does the Noble Gentry look like from race to race?
Oh! I like this challenge. I’m going to write about the races from the 5e Player’s Handbook, since I am most familiar with those! And just a side note: These are my opinions on what nobility looks like throughout each race but I have never given much thought about the nobility of my own campaigns so I have taken the time to really think about how the nobility of each race may be presented.
Dragonborn: Dragonborn nobility walk proudly though a world that views them as frightening, incomprehensible, beasts. Because each Dragonborn hails from a certain draconic line, they are multiple forms of Dragonborn nobility. Blue and bronze Dragonborn nobility light up a room with their dazzling radiance, but if you rub them the wrong way, crack - like lightning they’ll strike you to your very core. Black and copper dragonborn nobility stick to the shadows of the room, they aren’t ones for presentation and audiences. Though they are quiet and tend to stay out of sight, when they do speak it tends to sting. Brass, Gold, and Red Dragonborn nobility spark debate and passion wherever they go. They can be extremely hothead or they can be very open about their promiscuity. These nobles are over the top and love to entertain but their parties tend to get more than a little heated. Silver and white Dragonborn nobility are the most level-headed of them all. Though the most beautiful of the Dragonborn nobility, they often pretend that the rest of the world is too shabby for their social graces. Cold-hearted and calculating, silver and white Dragonborn nobles are not afraid to command attention and respect even from their fellow Dragonborn. Finally, green Dragonborn nobility are not the type you’d want to invite to court. Due to their cunning and poisonous natures, green dragonborn nobles have even lost the trust of their fellow dragonborn nobility.
Dwarf: Dwarven nobility find the whole concept of nobility to be foolish. The dwarves are not known to thrown lavish parties or even hold court. Instead you must look underground to truly see how dwarven nobility works. Underground the dwarven nobility are in charge of making sure their mines operate and function efficiently. The nobility are eager to show off their miners and how seamlessly they run whenever their clan leader comes by. Forget the frilly dresses and endless bowing, underground is where real politics happens.
Elf: Classic and graceful, Elvish nobles have had hundreds of years to perfect their poise. Being at the Elvish court is a spectacle of wonder because every noble is dressed to the nines and there is always some sort of impressive entertainment. Flower crowns and ballroom dances, the court never fails to please all those who are allowed to enter. However, the Elvish court in not just fun and games at times it can be a tense and quiet place. The Elvish nobility are known to be fickle towards new leaders rising to power, one step out of line by these new royals and the nobility will certainly turn their backs on them.
Gnome: The Gnomish nobility are easily impressed but they are not ignorant, they strive to make their kingdoms a better place for everyone not just themselves. Though the Gnomish nobility enjoys fancy parades and masquerades, they are no strangers to encouraging their leaders and rulers to listen to the will of their people. These nobles are supportive of each other and there is rarely any in-fighting. Gnomish nobility is known for being optimistic, outgoing, and just.
Half-Elf: The courts of the Half-Elves are relatively quiet. Half-Elf nobles don’t put on grande masques or expensive balls as their Elvish counterparts do, perhaps this is because of their ignored existence in the eyes of the Elvish nobility. And due to the richer, more prominent, elves ignoring them most other nobles ignore them too - at least when the elves are involved. Half-Elf nobles are not warm towards each other, as they see each other as competition. Each noble is working his or her way to the top, striving to be recognized by the world. While these nobles ignore and fight with each other, they can unite for a common cause - the acknowledgment of their people. Half-Elves want to be recognized for their hard work and good judgement so whenever praise is showered over one of them every Half-Elf rejoices. While Half-Elves do not often show off their limited riches or their fancy jewels, they still hold the majestic beauty of Elves are captivate most audiences.
Halfling: Halfling nobility enjoy throwing parties, participating in masques, and dancing above anything else. Rarely with Halfling nobles be found in court meetings nor are thy involved to heavily in politics. Halfling nobles enjoy each other’s company and only compete with each other in terms of who can throw the best party. In times of great need, such as a famine or a war, the Halfling nobility can be relied upon to look after their people’s best interests and can be great leaders.
Half-Orc: Half-Orc nobility is an odd term as the Half-Orc do not consider themselves nobles but rather clan leaders or lieutenants. The Half-Orcs are not interested in the pomp-and-circumstance of tradition court life, instead they are searching for ways to help their clans survive and thrive while under intense scrutiny. Preferring to stay away from fancy dresses and robes, Half-Orc nobles proudly show their scars of battle.
Human: Life at the Human courts in the d&d world is not the same as the Human courts of our world. These nobles are surrounded by magic and endless knowledge. Human nobility strive to understand the magical world they are in and want to earn their own recognitions as well. Books and learning take up most of the Human nobles time, however they enjoy social events as much as the next court does. While Humans may not seem so amazing in the d&d world, they contribute with their passion for learning the unknown. Some Human nobles come off as pompous and uppity to the rest of the world, while others are seen as wise and benevolent. It’s all in the flip of the coin.
Tiefling: The Tiefling nobility, much like the Dragonborn nobility, hold themselves with pride as they face the other courts of the world. Often viewed in terror and never highly trusted, Tiefling nobility let’s the world know of their cunning and intelligent natures. While there isn’t much in-fighting between Tiefling nobles, the court life expects every noble lord and lady to fight for themselves. The Tiefling nobility appears with calm and royal grace and their courts can actually hold many surprises for those who visit. Tiefling nobles are characterized as knowledgeable, cunning, and quick-witted.
i’m playing a sailor in my new campaign and i love sailor superstitions, so i made a bunch of dnd sailor superstitions/traditions! (some might be weird/bizarre, but a lot of ours are too so i felt it fitting)
- having a water genasi on board is good luck, even better if they’re higher ranked (captain, first mate). however, if they’re a prisoner, it’s extremely bad luck for the crew that has them imprisoned.
- holy people of sea gods closely follow water genasi in good luck/bad luck.
- sailors tend to get tattoos of a land god’s symbol in hopes that if they drown, a land god will get them back safely. however, sea gods find this extremely rude and disrespectful, so sailors have to find ways of hiding the tattoos at all times, whether with magic, clothes, or makeup.
- every port city has a shrine or temple to a sea god. the very last thing sailors do before heading out on the ocean and the very first thing they do when they get back on land is pray at one of these places. bigger port cities have special roads for sailors to take.
- the only time it’s okay to sing sea shanties on land is if you have a vial of seawater on you. if you don’t have any, sea gods think you’re singing for the land gods instead of themselves. and if they think that, things will turn nasty when you get back to sea.
- sailors don’t talk about their families/friends/loved ones while at sea. the sea could get jealous, and try and keep the sailors all to itself–by whatever means necessary.
- there are various tattoos one can get for certain accomplishments (ie. defeating a monster, sailing for a certain amount of time/for a certain distance, which port you hail from, etc)
- every ship brings a small animal that’s special to a sea god on board (ie a crab). that animal has all priority–in food, in defense, in healing. it’s said that if that animal dies, the rest of the crew will soon follow.
bonus sea shanties:
- dwarf and orc shanties have a very steady rhythm and often involve drums–meant to keep rowing easy and sailors focused.
- tiefling and elf shanties are melodious and often eerie to hear from another ship–especially in foggy/stormy weather. they’re meant to simulate the sound of the wind, waves, and those who died at sea.
- dragonborn and genasi shanties often involved overlapping lyrics and melodies, causing them to sound like the storms out at sea. they’re meant to pay tribute to and appease the gods.
- halfling and gnome shanties are cheery and peppy, meant to keep things interesting after monotonous days at sea and to make sure morale is up.
- human shanties are as wide and varied as the race itself. they often tell stories–of the crew, of other ships’ adventures, or of history.
Costs of a Failed Skill Check
Game Master Tip: Failed skill checks must affect and/or advance something. Otherwise, it’s just meaningless, time-wasting, and pace-breaking padding.
Have you ever had a tabletop experience akin to the following exaggerated strawman example?
PC: “I want to look for tracks.” GM: “Roll for Survival/Nature/whatever.” PC: *Fails to meet the DC* GM: “You don’t find anything.” Party: “Alrighty. We go home, then.
QUEST FAILED, everybody goes to sleep in the game world and IRL
My own personal rule of thumb is: a failed skill check doesn’t always outright fail a quest. Instead, these unfortunate events costs the party in-game resources. Resources include, but are not limited to, money, time, hit points, supplies, etc. Essentially, a failure streak results in depleted resources over time, as opposed to abrupt anticlimactic mission failure. If there is no mechanical effect for a mandated skill check other than “for the rollz,” just get on with it and move the players to where/who they need to be/meet.
Please keep in mind that I’m not stating that parties should be allowed to proceed if they keep failing. I’ll leave it up to individual GM preference, but after enough consecutive failures you gotta drop the axe or move on.
Here is an example of each of the three main aforementioned costs, to get the think-tank bubbling. I usually come up with at least two for all applicable skills, perhaps more if the check is likely be invoked multiple times in a game (Perception, Nature, and Survival come to mind the most).
Money
The usually silver-tongued bard failed to charm a guard (Diplomacy) into letting the party into a quarantined part of the city. The watchman instead offers to grant you passage and his silence in exchange for double his current rate.
Time
[To clarify, I am talking about in-game time, not IRL time. You and your players have places to be, after all.]
The ranger follows the wrong set of tracks (Survival) for several hours, and the party is forced to double back in order to find the enemy encampment. When they finally arrive, the orcs had taken the extra time to fortify their defenses and place scouts along the perimeter. The sky has also become noticeably darker, which would give the enemy’s inherent darkvision a keen advantage in the fight to come.
Health
The druid, in an attempt to regain her bearings, focuses too much on the surrounding foliage and fails to notice (Perception) the wandering mother bear escorting her two cubs. True to its matriarchal and overprotective nature, the bear charges forward, teeth and claws bared.
[Optionally, I’d force a hard DC follow-up check for the entire group to avoid taking damage, just to be fair. Details about who gets hurt and how badly, how the conflict is resolved, etc. is entirely up to GM’s discretion and player’s actions. The point of this is to be a quick hazard, not a prolonged encounter. Quickly resolve it and move on with the quest.]
Spellcasting Combat Narration for D&D
image credit: Ben Wootten
So I was gonna include this in my other article on narrating combat, but it proved far too lengthy, so I made this into part 2!
Combat is easy to describe compared to narrating spell attacks. I ran into this problem last session when I was getting into detail telling the barbarian how they tore off an ogre’s head but then the druid just kept using Fire Bolt and I kept defaulting to “you shoot a bolt of fire at his face.” I’m going to try and vary things up with these lists and help everyone else in the process! I am organizing them by energy type.
Mode of Attack
Half of a spell’s attack is how the caster shapes their spell. The same spell can look very different with every casting if you have a creative DM. Feel free to switch it up each time it’s cast, or vary the same spell when cast by different characters of different classes.
Attack Words
Generic shapes and terms that will launch from the caster’s hand.
Helix, Spiral, Beam, Erratic, Mote, Bolt, Stream, Blast, Burst, Blade, Arc, Miasma, Cloud, Eruption, Wave, Cone, Missile, Rune, Glyph
Class-Based Ideas
- Bard
- Energy manifests from thin air a foot in front of their instrument as they play
- Energy is shaped like ribbons of written music that ripples towards enemies
- Several tiny motes of energy appear with each note sung or played. Each point of damage comes from a mote hitting the opponent (rolls a 4 out of a d6, 4 of the 6 note-motes hit)
- Cleric
- Energy falls from the sky or emerges from the ground as the cleric prays
- Beam of energy originates from holy symbol
- Spell attack should highlight that the cleric is granted their powers from a greater power, don’t have the energy come from their hand/finger. Have the energy come TO them, and then be thrown at the enemy.
- Druid
- Energy is shaped like an animal.
- Energy rushes forth from the surrounding wilderness and zooms past the druid and toward the foe.
- Much like Cleric, energy shouldn’t come from the caster. It should come from elsewhere before being thrown at the enemy.
- Fighter (Eldritch Knight)
- Energy blasts from their bound weapon pointed at the enemy.
- Energy fires from their mouth as they yell.
- Energy surrounds their weapon and is used in tandem with it (if close enough)
- Monk (Way of Four Elements)
- Literally just watch Avatar: the Last Airbender and do that.
- Paladin
- Most Paladin spells are smite-based, so they usually happen when an attack hits. Otherwise, let the energy come from a higher power like the Cleric.
- Energy bursts forth from within the creature hit
- Energy surrounds weapon right as the strike lands
- Energy falls from the sky or erupts from the ground
- Ranger
- Honestly, most Ranger spells often seem a lot like man-made traps like Cordon of Arrows (arrow traps), Fog Cloud (smoke grenade), or Grasping Vine (slipknot trap). But otherwise, Play it like the Cleric where the energy comes from a higher power.
- Energy takes the form of the Ranger’s animal companion or an animal they associate with.
- Spells seem to cast automatically whenever the Ranger is in a tight spot, almost as if nature itself is protecting them. The Ranger gives an approving nod whenever this happens in thanks.
- Rogue (Arcane Trickster)
- Energy is always accompanied by a shimmer of glitter
- The Rogue plays with the energy over their fingertips as they whistle before casting the spell.
- Energy enchants one of the Rogue’s daggers and casts the spell by tossing the dagger at the intended location or target.
- Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline)
- Energy takes the shape of a dragon of your bloodline.
- Energy surges forth from your breath
- All energy takes the shape of your bloodline dragon’s energy type, regardless of the actual energy type. For instance, a sorcerer of a blue dragon’s bloodline that casts Burning Hands or Cone of Cold keeps the energy type but shapes the fire and cold damage into the form of a bolt of lightning.
- Sorcerer (Wild Magic)
- Energy takes on many random forms, never under the full command of the Sorcerer.
- Energy erupts from random places in the environment when the Sorcerer calls upon them.
- Energy bubbles and fizzes with all energy types (but mostly the one called upon), as if a piece of Limbo was thrown at the enemy.
- Warlock (Archfey)
- Your energy shimmers with iridescent colors and showers enemies with sparks of glitter.
- Warlock (Great Old One)
- Your magic corrupts and twists the flesh of the target of your spell, regardless of the energy type.
- Warlock (Fiend)
- Energy takes the shape of the unholy symbol of your patron.
- Wizard (Abjuration)
- Energy shoots forth from your magical wards, arcing towards your enemies.
- Wizard (Conjuration)
- You conjure a short-lived elemental of the energy type you need. It soars at the enemy.
- Wizard (Divination)
- You weave the glowing threads of fate in the palms of your hands, tweaking reality to cast your spell.
- Wizard (Enchantment)
- You enchant an object to exude the energy and toss it at the enemy.
- Wizard (Evocation)
- I mean, you just sorta blast them. That’s what this school’s about.
- Wizard (Illusion)
- Your spell usually spawns two or three illusory copies. When the attack misses, the enemy simply managed to dodge the right duplicate.
- Wizard (Necromancy)
- Your energy takes the shape of a skull screaming as it flies toward the enemy
- Wizard (Transmutation)
- You transmute the energy out of the surrounding environment and fire it at the enemy
On-Hit
So if half of a spell’s attack is the shape and travel of the spell, the other half is when the spell hits. I organized this list by energy type, as different energies will do different sorts of things when they hit a creature. This is mostly a collection of interesting effects, colorful language, and examples.
Fire
- Your bolt of fire singes their armor (burning cloth, blackening leather, discoloring metal)
- A tiny bead of fire explodes on contact
- Showers them with red sparks
- Your attack leaves behind a billowing trail of smoke
- A fast-travelling meteor of flame soars from the sky towards the enemy.
- Your flames leave blisters and cracked skin in its wake.
- Your fire blackens the enemy’s flesh
Cold
- You freeze the moisture in the air into icy daggers that fall onto your enemy
- You freeze the water in their blood to damage them
- Their skin turns blue and numb
- You literally hurl a snowball at them.
- Your spell leaves them covered in a layer of frost
- A buildup of ice covers where your spell hit. (it’s easily shattered once they move, though)
- A blast of icy wind and rain leaves them shivering.
Thunder
- A crack of thunder pummels your foe
- A high-pitched, deafening shriek focuses itself on the target
- A thin trail of blood races from the foe’s ears from a sound no one else can hear
- The enemy falls to their knees cupping their hands over their ears, gritting their teeth
- You buffet the target with waves of thunderous sound
- The ground shakes with the force of your spell. Brittle glass objects nearby shatter.
Lightning
- Lightning comes from the sky to smite your foe
- You all smell the faint odor of ozone before a bright bolt of lightning streaks toward the target of your spell
- Before your enemy can blink they are showered in electrical sparks followed by crippling pain
- The enemy’s back stiffens as the powerful current of lightning surges through them
- Your attack leaves a permanent web of lightning shaped burns all over one side of their body
- Your blast of lightning causes their skin to rupture as it travels through their body
Acid
- Your acid sizzles as it burns a new, unnatural color into their skin
- The attack melts their flesh, leaving them permanently disfigured at the site of the spell
- Your spell’s acid causes blue fire to burn where it hit their skin, and bleaches their armor and belongings
- A rancid smell fills the foe’s nostrils as the acid bubbles on their bare skin, burning through the simple cloth of their shirt.
Poison
- You spew a poisonous cloud from your mouth at your opponent
- A spectral viper or insect is flung at the opponent, biting them and filling them with magical venom
- Your index and middle finger each grow a poisonous fang which you sink into your opponent’s arm (melee range spell attacks only)
- The enemy’s mouth fills with a foul tasting liquid which forces its way down their throat
Necrotic
- Your target’s flesh bubbles and boils as a black ichor sputters from the spell’s origin
- The foe’s flesh festers with magical disease as boils and wounds quickly cover the affected area
- A skeletal hand wriggles free from beneath the earth, flying towards the target
- An incorporeal undead shrieks as it flies from your finger toward the enemy to deliver the spell’s effect
- Black energy swirls around your arm before launching towards the enemy as if it had a life of its own
- Your iridescent blue magic enters the target’s body and afflicts their soul, making them momentarily dazed as their eyes glaze over.
Radiant
- A holy light shines from the skies to harm your target, regardless of time of day or obstructions
- A halo of radiant energy surrounds your head and blinds the target as they gaze upon it
- Enemies that aren’t of your alignment hear the whispers of your deity moments before being enveloped in a blinding white light
- The foe’s eyes and mouth emit warm light and they howl in pain
- A blade of radiant energy slashes through the victim, leaving a trail of blinking motes of light in its wake
- The enemy’s skin blisters from the raw positive energy surging through them
So essentially this whole post was a creative writing assignment for myself, but I hope that it gives you guys new creative ideas for new spells or new ways to describe existing spells! They don’t much affect the mechanics of the spell at all, so most DMs I suspect will be fine with most of these descriptions if you want your character to cast spells a certain way.
Dungeon Crafting: D&D Environmental Factors
image credit: Carl Frank
Do your D&D combats seem stale? Do players just rail away endlessly with cantrips and weapon attacks? Well it might be a boring environment that’s the culprit. If players have nothing to interact with, they can’t make creative plays! So here’s a list of interesting hazards and interactive objects for your battlefields.