Showing posts with label Dungeon Master Advice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dungeon Master Advice. Show all posts

How to Start a Successful TTRPG Campaign

By RJ on 22 January 2023. 


The day is finally here. You're beginning a new tabletop roleplaying game campaign. It might be your first Dungeons & Dragons session. It might be Pathfinder. Thirteenth Age? Call of Cthulu? Perhaps something incredibly niche and in development...? Nonetheless, you and your friends have agreed to play and are about to make your characters, altogether. You might be the World Master; you might be one of the players. 

There are a few things you can do to ensure you hit the ground running in the first session of your new favorite RPG campaign.

  • Set a consistent schedule that every player agrees to.
  • Craft compelling characters and know them well.
  • Hop quickly into the story and world, with everyone contributing.

I'm here and ready to ensure your D&D or general TTRPG campaign's first session and everything thereafter is an uncontested success. Let's explore each of the pillars supporting that fundamental assertion, shall we?

Join RJD20's Patreon Community

Before we delve into today's article, I would like to highlight RJD20's Patreon. As I work on my upcoming tabletop roleplaying game, Orrery, I'm showcasing all progress to my patrons.

If you would like exclusive access to playtest material for Orrery, in-depth updates on the project, and insight into all else RJD20, please consider becoming and patron and joining our great community. You can support this site, all upcoming supplements, and Orrery for $1 a month. Come on, you want to be a Rat, don't you? 

Already, I've received excellent feedback from my patrons and the collaboration shall continue. Come pitch in!

Scheduling Your TTRPG Sessions

Before anyone gets too comfortable in their chair at the table or computer desk, you need to bring up the schedule for the campaign. As always, there are many options. Everyone needs to be aware of them and agree to a set time and date.

Here are the best ways to set a schedule:

  • Weekly on a recurring day.
  • Every other week on a certain day.
  • Monthly on a recurring day.
  • Every other month on a certain day.
  • The second Tuesday of the month.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, here are a few ways to not set up a successful RPG campaign:

  • Whenever everyone's available.
  • When it feels right.
  • One a year during the summer solstice.
  • Whenever.
  • Every day.

Each one of those options can easily lead to a campaign dying before it really hits its stride or prevent anyone from really enjoying it at all.

Character Creation & Study is Vital

Alright, the schedule is set and it's time to create the characters. What's the best way to ensure the success of the campaign, you might ask... 

Crafting compelling characters, hands down, is one of the best.

As opposed to each player staying isolated and building their character in the silence and safety of their own home, I'd recommend the entire party meeting to make their characters. This way, everyone can collaborate on the party composition if they'd like, or simply talk together as they make their character secretly.

Every player should spend a good chunk of time on their character, if not on their background, then on current motivations and future goals.

Outlined below is a short list of good tabletop roleplaying game character traits:

  • The character stands out among commoners.
  • The character is connected to the world in some manner.
  • The character has flaws, needs, and desires.
  • The character relates to one of the other characters in the party, indirectly or directly.
  • The character has a reason to adventure or be present in the story. 
  • They have goals long-term and short-term.

Almost as important as the character being ready is the player being ready. There are few things worse than a player not understanding their character's abilities. Before the first session, if you're a player, make sure you read through your character's various actions, special abilities, and racial traits. Know and understand them. Your character is what you're initially bringing to the table, and you will be portraying them. Be an expert on them. 

Don't disrespect the time of others by not understanding how many attacks your fifth-level fighter gets, what your magic user's spell save might be, or whether or not your druid can transform into a grizzly bear. Read and comprehend it before session one, please. Everyone will appreciate it. Everyone. Including me, and I'm not likely there!

Quick Hooks into the Story are Essential

The campaign is scheduled out, the characters are living and breathing, and now it's time for the campaign to truly begin: adventure awaits! What now?

It's all up to the World Master to ensure success, right? After all, they're running the world, pulling the characters together, writing out plot hooks, and trying to grip every player as best they can.

Wrong!

The entire party needs to work together at the start of the campaign to get the ball rolling. It's not just the job of the World Master to weave together a compelling story. It's the duty of every player at the table. Sure, the World Master shall open the game and present the world to the group, but once everyone is in, their characters interacting, each player needs to make an effort to form bonds and mutual drive.

Potential players, please take note of the following concepts:

  • Avoid being edgy and in the shadows. Get out of the corner and speak with the other characters, don't brood or hide from them.
  • Refrain from acting hostile unless other players are good with beginning the game this way. Hostility to start the story usually doesn't work and can quickly derail the campaign.
  • Once the initial meet and greet is over and an obvious plot hook is flung your way, bite into it if it's interesting! The World Master isn't merely throwing out nasty food, they're placing what they believe to be cool events your way.

Not every game begins with a simple meet and greet, but these three concepts embodied by the players can easily be adjusted for any start.

Dungeon Masters, Game Masters, Lore Keepers, World Masters...here's how to begin your TTRPG or D&D campaign's opening session. Once everyone is at the table, characters prepared, players wide-eyed and ready-to-go, start talking.

You could begin the group apart, each member somewhere in a rustic tavern. You might thrust them into an unbridled action sequence, yelping kobolds chasing after the party as they speed down mine carts in a dark mineshaft. Heavens above, you could just drop them in front of the abandoned watchtower, pirate goblins partying inside, and give them the prompt: "Vile goblins inhabit this once great watchtower, innocents trapped in its dungeons. It's your job to save them." 

However you begin the campaign, ooze confidence, and know the difficult set-up is complete. Everyone is there and ready to play as a group. What comes after is pure fun, as long as you've lain a solid foundation.

Whether the RPG campaign begins mid-battle with a horde of goblins on a mountainside, on a stormy sea, or in the bowels of the putrid Abyss, keep these concepts in mind and remember everyone is at the table or desk to play a game, have fun, and maybe tell a kickass and compelling story. Rarely do great campaigns begin with two characters sulking in the shadows of a dark room, another three duking it out over a dice game, and a final one speaking with the planned patron and watching the madness unfold.

Try your best to start the story quickly and in the best way possible. Altogether, it's hard to fail.

In Summary

Whether you are a Player or World Master, you can help ensure your RPG campaign starts in the absolute best manner possible. Remember:

  • Sync everyone's schedules and set a consistent time to play the campaign.
  • Spend enough time on the characters to guarantee they're interesting and fun to play. Understand how their mechanics operate in the game, at least.
  • Rapidly bring everyone into the world and story with awesome but simple plot hooks. It's not only the World Master's job to ensure this happens; every player should aim to assist.

If you enjoyed this week's article, check out last week's post about the tabletop roleplaying game I'm creating: Orrery. It's based on my favorite RPGs and video games, especially D&D and Path of Exile.

Related Articles

Want More RPG Tips & Tales from RJD20?

As always, thanks for reading. Please send all inquiries to rjd20writes@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

How to Destroy a D&D Party

By RJ on 2 January 2023. 


Dungeons & Dragons parties are surprisingly fragile. Despite thousands of groups across the world gathering for countless weeks, months, and years to slay monsters, dazzle unsuspecting NPCs, and explore mysterious realms, many tables fall apart rather easily. How? Well, there are plenty of reasons why D&D groups fail and split. 

To avoid this happening to your table, we're going to explore each major cause for destruction in this article. Altogether, they are:

  • Poor Scheduling
  • Lack of Unity
  • No Clear Direction
  • Problem Players

Please do note, many of the catalysts for dissolving groups emerge in successful ones. As a matter of fact, my own groups are susceptible to a few of these at times, but we're still going strong. As you'll read in a moment, many of these D&D group pitfalls can be avoided or resolved with direct communication. Unfortunately, it's a skill many people lack or are frightened to wield.

Not us. Today, we're going to learn or improve on this vital skill.

Poor Scheduling and Dedication

Regardless of how good your D&D group is, it has encountered scheduling difficulties at some point in its life. We all know and understand.

Usually, the group works together to set an initial date with the DM at the helm. Let's say everyone picks a Tuesday to play a few weeks out. The DM prepares for the session: they build a few encounters, practice a wild voice, and ensure there's a good set of areas to explore. Some, if not all, of the players are excited to play and all looks good.

Alas: something arises for one of the players. Jason pipes up in the group chat and says something popped up, and he can no longer make it. Everyone else chimes in and lets him know it's alright and the DM lets everyone know they'll still play.

The group ends up meeting and playing. They have a blast. A vile hag steals away one of the party's loved ones (a fat hamster) and prepares to use the tiny beastie in a ritual. It's gripping. It's interesting. It's silly.

However, at the end of the session, no date is set. Regardless, the group bubbles in their chat.

"We're gonna save Patchie!" Yelena exclaims.

"Only if the hag plays her cards wrong. We're basically, like, done for. Maybe if Jason comes, we can do it, but I don't know..." Ronald says.

"Yeah, I should be able to! When are we playing next?" Jason responds.

"I can do next Thursday." Yelena responds.

"I can't." quickly replies both Jason and Ronald.

"How about Friday night?" says Isla.

"Nope!" Ziq finally enters the conversation.

"Well, when then?" responds Yelena.

The conversation goes silent. Quietly, Jason is upset that he missed the session and doesn't even want to play now. Everyone else cannot seem to pin down a date, as other things come up. Ronald plays board games with his friends a lot. Yelena and Ziq hit the club a few times a month. Isla really wants to play but doesn't want to force the issue.

No one makes the game a priority. No one tries to truly schedule the next session. Despite a fun first session of D&D, the group dies, destroyed by itself.

You might be cringing right now. You also might remember this happening to one of your old groups. Maybe it's happening presently.

How can you avoid your group dying due to a lack of scheduling and priority?

The answer is twofold and simple: you set up a consistent D&D schedule and make the game a priority. Simple yes, but this is revolutionary for some.

The best way to play D&D is with a consistent schedule. It doesn't matter if you're playing once a week, once a month, or every three months, you need to lock down a regular time to play. Do this at the beginning of the adventure or campaign, working with every player to come up with the best time and cadence to play D&D.

While you set up a schedule, you also communicate a key aspect of D&D and the social contract: the game is a priority, and the players should make they make it one. Everyone is gathering to play, yes, a fantasy game, but it shouldn't be trumped by other areas of life. Sure, someone might get sick or have an important event come up, but people shouldn't cancel because they want to go get drinks, go to the park, or just chill at their house that night. They committed to a time and place to play D&D: they should stick to it. If it's not a priority for them, they should not play. 

Canceling, especially the day of is reserved for situations wherein it's simply not possible to play. That's it. Those happen. That's okay.

Stress this at the beginning of the game and it shouldn't be a problem for the rest of the run. Let everyone know that this is important if not vital for the life of the D&D group.

Without a consistent schedule and the promise that D&D is a priority for everyone, the players are much more likely to destroy the game. With a set time to play and a mutual understanding that it's important, the game is more likely to flourish and finish in a strong manner.

Lack of Unity

In the real world, people drift apart if their interests differ, and they don't make an effort to communicate and come together. The same happens in a D&D group. Of course, many times this is an unintentional pursuit. However, it can quickly become sinister and a catalyst for a D&D table's destruction.

Everyone in the party should want to adventure together, both in-game and out-of-game. They should be united in this desire: happy to play and happy to adventure. If there's nothing uniting them, the wound can fester.

This can be tackled from both a real-world and fictional point of view.

In the real world, ensure you make an effort to be a friend to each other. D&D time might be when you see each other and play D&D, but on other days, check in with each other. 

  • Send a simple text, and start a conversation.
  • Offer to hop into voice chat and discuss life, the game, and all else.
  • Play a video game together, cooperative or competitive. 
  • Venture outdoors to a restaurant or park. 

Working on your out-of-game relationship with each of your party members will ensure the group remains strong interpersonally.

In the game world, make sure every character is on the same team. Interparty conflict is always fine and encouraged if everyone is on board, but at the end of the day, each member of the party should be in pursuit of the same endgame: defeating the ancient red dragon who dominates the nearby kingdom; delving into the Abyss to save a stolen holy relic; making a quick coin off slaying bandits.

At all times, there should be a clear goal that unites the party.

While people may point at the DM as the only one who can ensure this, that's far from true. I've seen multiple groups struggle to unite in-game despite the DM throwing out plot hook after plot hook that would unite them. One character wants to delve into the dragon's lair. Another wants to go east to find a lost monastery. Someone else needs this artifact from the den of a mastermind thief. Up until this point, though, the campaign was based on taking out the red dragon.

In this case: who was in the wrong? I'm a huge proponent of players doing whatever they'd like, going wherever they'd like to go. However, if character motivations suddenly swing outside the norm and clash with the other characters in the group, that's a problem. It can lead to the game stalling out and if not addressed, the party becoming segmented and even jaded.

In-game solutions are what you should go for first. If you're a player and you notice another player's goals have shifted dramatically and suddenly, question it in-game. Make a moment out of it. Perhaps it'll lead to some interesting dialogue and reasoning from the other characters. The same goes if you're a Dungeon Master in this situation: throw a challenge the suddenly dissenting player's way immediately. Don't allow their desire to "leave" the group mount. See what's up in the world.

If in-game solutions don't lead to interesting discussions or resolve the issue, take it out-of-game and address it quickly. Talk to the player one-on-one and see what's up. Ask them why they've suddenly changed what they want to do in the game. Hear them out. If their opinion makes sense or is compelling and not "I just want to" or "it's what my character would do" then perhaps take it to the group. Maybe it warrants a change in direction for the adventure or campaign.

Together and even apart, disunity in the real world and in the game world can destroy a group. Watch out for it and address it when it happens. Don't let it fester and turn the group's motives against each other.

No Clear Style, Genre, or Theme

Some people enjoy playing in a sandbox-style D&D campaign. However, to a lot of folks, this leads to confusion, slog, and a general distaste for the game. There is a reason modules and adventures are popular products and DMs enjoy running them: it's because their players enjoy playing them.

The same is true for a variety of people who enjoy certain genres and not others. Some people adore horror games filled with terrifying monsters, blood-soaked chambers, and unholy artifacts. Other folks love comedic games rife with stupid names, impossible plots, and gag funhouse dungeons.

Themes are important to a campaign as well, though they're usually less evident than certain styles of play or game genres. Ideas like justice, chaos, order, friendship, and destruction. They aren't front and center, but they can permeate almost every piece of a campaign.

All of these relate to player expectations. If any of these things shift constantly, are areas players are not interested in or seem to dominate the campaign, it can lead to the party's destruction. For the most part, the DM is responsible for this beyond the beginning of the campaign. Before it begins, however, it's vital that everyone sits down and sets expectations.

Essentially, you want to run a consistent campaign and create something everyone is interested in. This can be done

  • Run a session zero to set expectations.
  • Adopt a clear style of play.
  • Focus on one or two genres at a time, switching up rarely.
  • Pick six or so themes and insert them into everything across the campaign; look for what your players and you enjoy.

First up: call it a session zero. Call it a conversation about D&D. Whatever its name, it should happen. It's too important not to do this to ensure the survival of the group. I've already written an article on session zeros, though it is from a while ago, I agree with nearly all I wrote then. Essentially, in this session zero, you want to establish expectations.

Set up which style of play the campaign will be. Is it a sandbox, or is it more on the rails? Are you playing a West Marches game or a game with a set group of players? Is it episodic or a continual story that builds week on week or month on month? Is the game going to be serious or silly?

Discuss which genres people enjoy and which they don't, so there's a set group of areas to explore when the game begins and ages. Is silliness okay? How about horror? Westerns? Classic fantasy? Heroic fantasy? Epics? Steampunk? Talk about it all and maybe implement some of the strategies discussed in my article on session zeros.

Next, skip the themes and keep those private. Pay attention to your players and what they enjoy, then insert those various themes into your game.

However, to end the session zero, establish a clear schedule, the importance of the game, and discuss what is completely off-limits. How violent can combat be? Is slavery a bad aspect to include in the world? Is romance good-to-go, or to be avoided?

With that, session zero is all set and we can move to the game itself. How can you stay in the proper style, with the right genres, and pick and play on the best themes?

It all comes down to practice and experience.

In your preparation, think about each of them as you plan. For my Bannerless campaign, it's a pure sandbox focused on building up a faction in the wilderness. The genre is low fantasy with flairs of pulp adventure. The themes? Exploration, politics, and demons (both real are imaginary). As I prepare for the campaign, I think about each.

Everything is centered around both player choice and the faction-building aspect.

The world stays low fantasy, with sparing magic and powerful monsters. The scenes are epic, though, and every encounter is memorable. Most monsters are unexpected, too, as the world is unique. For example, cyclopes are magic-hungry giants who were experimented on during ancient times. Now, they need the very few magical items and people in the world to eat and survive.

The themes sit with me, too. The characters explore different, mysterious portions of the land, from deep, tainted temples to twilight woodland realms of evil fey. They run a budding faction, so the other power players in the region are competing with or trying to work with them. It's an exciting balance. The "primary" villain is a demon alongside demons within each of the characters. That's the focus of every session, in and out. New themes may come and go, but those three are core to the Bannerless.

During the game, too, don't be afraid to reinforce these ideas with the players. They're a part of the campaign creation as well!

Problem Players

Nothing can destroy a D&D party faster than a problem player...or multiple problem players. Of course, it's usually the most difficult issue to solve for many groups and people and we've all run into it.

I've had trouble with this in the past and handled it poorly. However, as I've grown, I'm much more confident and comfortable handling problem players. It all comes down to communication and addressing the problem as soon as possible. As with everything else, don't let it fester.

Here are some examples of problem player behavior:

  • Interrupting other players during their turn.
  • Speaking for other players in the game or acting as the unelected party leader.
  • Forcing other players to follow what they want to do.
  • Taking magic items without question or throwing a fit if they don't get what they want.
  • Multitasking during the game (on their phone doing non-D&D things, leaving the table constantly, zoning out, etc).
  • Making every encounter about themself.
  • Showing up late to the session constantly.

This, though, is something to deal with out of the game. Don't try to handle it inside the game world. If you do, you essentially become a problem player yourself.

Instead, speak with the problem player about their behavior. If it happens during the session, nicely correct their behavior. If it continues, speak with them one-on-one after the session. If you're straight with them and they'd like to continue playing at the table, they should want to work on the issues erupting at the table. Truly, the hardest part is understanding you can address these problems at hand. 

You're all there to play D&D, have a great time, and build a compelling game and world. You cannot do that if someone is actively inhibiting the fun. You have the power to address it. Go for it, be the bigger person.

In Summary

Your D&D party can dissolve quickly if any of the topics discussed above are allowed to fester. Remember:

  • Play on a consistent basis and ensure D&D is a priority for all the players. Don't wait until you're deep into the campaign to set this up, make sure it's known from the beginning. Consistent D&D is the best kind of D&D.
  • Work with your fellow party members, not against them. Intraparty conflict is totally fine, but if it clearly hinders the state of the game, knock it off. Especially in cases when players debate for an extended period of time someone, usually the DM, needs to step in and move the game forward.
  • Clearly state the type of game you'd like to play or run. Discuss your likes and dislikes, as well as what is completely off-limits. You don't want Billy the Barbarian arriving to session one of your high fantasy-style campaigns.
  • Address problem players immediately. Don't allow them to fester and ruin the game for everyone.

Thanks for reading. If you enjoyed this article, check out last week's post in which I discussed, satirically, how multitasking during D&D is easy and improves the experience.

Related Article

Want More RPG Tips & Tales from RJD20?

As always, thanks for reading. Please send all inquiries to rjd20writes@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

D&D is the Best Time to Multitask

By RJ on 26 December 2022. 

Warning: this article is mostly satirical.

One of the best times of the week to complete important and menial tasks is during your Dungeons & Dragons session. In the 87% of D&D groups who meet weekly, many players agree their minds are unfocused enough during the session to multitask. After a busy week wandering around the house, looking wistfully out the window, rewatching the Office again, and bringing a few cans of Lacroix to the recycling container, D&D brings about a certain inspiration to the mind.

  • Forgot to answer your mother's text from last Thursday? As someone recaps the previous session, it's a great time to respond.
  • Need to make a grocery order? Shop on your store app while your patron gives the party information about the gnoll lair, the vital knowledge about Yeenoghu can easily be recounted later.
  • Are you hosting and you hear the laundry finish? Zoom to the laundry machine during another person's turn in combat, you should be able to catch up when you return. It's okay.

In fact, pursuing other tasks during other people's turn in combat is the best way to artificially speed up the path to your next turn. Based on the answers of a few veteran D&D players, combat is the most boring part of the game (except when it's your turn). Just ask Gerald Arleson and David Gygioff, two D&D players I spoke with recently.

"My party has two wizards in it, so once I finish my turn, I'm able to read at least a dozen Reddit threads before the next round begins. If I'm lucky, I might be able to get in a dungeon run in Diablo Immortal, too." boasted Gerald.

Gerald plays a Champion dwarf fighter. His turn goes by quickly, and he usually doesn't have a ton of actions he can try in-game. He's fine with that, though, as it allows for more time arguing on Reddit or farming crests in Diablo Immortal.

"In the next campaign, I plan on playing a ranger of some sort. They might not be as powerful as my current Champion, but they have such a limited range of options. I think I might be able to get more time in on Reddit, except during exploration sequences when I can use my favored enemy ability to get advantage on a couple checks."

Another player at the same table, David Gygioff, added to Gerald's observations. He plays a bumbling half-orc rogue who he claims is "forgetful" and "constantly checking in on the party because he is the dad of the group."

"Outside Ricard's downstairs window, there's, like, a tiny tree. When we play, a red squirrel always climbs it and grabs onto the branches. Sometimes, a chickadee like joins it. I love watching the two interact. Sometimes they play around for a while and I miss parts of the game, but it's okay: it's how my character would like act. He has a very short-term memory, so it works 100%." 

David quickly turned back to talking about the red squirrel and chickadee, but I steered the conversation back to the game.

"Yeah, the game's fun enough. Our DM, Ricard, does his best to, like, cater to our needs. Especially my character's. He really gets him, you know? Every time I forget something, he readily recaps, fully colored context, too! Usually, it gives enough time for Gerald to do a power walk around the block or Sarah a chance to prep for her Tuesday game. Again, like, the game is pretty fun."

When asked for comment, Ricard refused to answer.

However, I did ask Gerald to record their latest session to give all of us a glimpse at their table. Of course he complied.

"It was easy enough. I didn't ask permission or anything, but I didn't want anyone to act differently, so I pretended to zoom through a longer set of dungeon runs in Diablo Immortal. I usually hold my phone pretty far up, so it was easy to get a shot of the entire table at once."

I stressed I was simply searching for audio of the session. That's okay though, Gerald was able to secure it and much more.

A Glimpse into the Session

The audio begins a bit muffled as Gerald moves around his phone.

"Time to hit up another dungeon run, people." Gerald says a bit too dramatically.

"...and as your greatsword decapitates the bandit lord's head, his halfling lover lets out a great cry: 'Vengeance! Vengeance I swear upon each of you!' He drops to the cold stone floor. His knees hit the ground at the same time as his lover's head. Gormund, blood stains your leather, the halfling's cries greaten in the cavern. Before the rest of the party reacts, what are you thinking? What thoughts are racing through your mind as this fallen bandit and his lover lay before you?" Ricard wraps up his narration.

Gerald plays the dwarf Champion fighter, Gormund, who seemingly just executed the bandit lord.

"Wait, he's uh, dead already? What did you guys do to him!" Gerald looks toward the two wizard players, Sarah and Cai.

Sarah quickly pipes up: "We went nova." Cai nods and nearly adds something.

"Wait, so we didn't try to non-lethal him? To interrogate him? I don't think this halfling knows much..." Gerald replies.

"Hey Ricard! Doesn't he, like, know something? Didn't we find that dude who said the lover was like the real villain all along? Right?" David interjects. Ricard nods and both Sarah and Cai sigh.

"Correct!" Ricard responds. "Except it wasn't a dude. You found a letter in the bowels of Sleeping Dust Warehouse, tucked away in a secret chest beneath the floorboards. The chest was trapped with a bursting flame, a set of poison darts, and that tiny cockatrice. Inside, you found the letter detailing the relationship between the bandit lord, Gionni, and his halfling lover and companion in crime, Roberthon..."

Sarah pulls out her notebook titled "Escape from Hell" and Gerald readies to leave the room, likely to go on a power walk around the block. As Ricard continues explaining the background to David and we get a final glimpse of the session before Gerald leaves for his stroll, David's eyes wander to the window.

Gerald follows David's gaze with his phone's camera.

Clearly, sitting on the branch of a tiny tree is a red squirrel and a chickadee, happy as can be. Gerald quickly turns the camera back to David, who has zoned out Ricard's rambling exposition.

Closing Thoughts on Multitasking During D&D

The conclusion is clear: multitasking takes little away from the game experience of Dungeons & Dragons. It's quite the opposite; games appear to improve because of it. The example above showcases that in every facet, mostly thanks to David, the best player at the table.

David's constant phasing out helps him accurately roleplay his forgetful half-orc. This feeds into the next point: the endless retelling of the story so far.

Ricard's need to constantly recap the game allows other players to important things during the session: Sarah can prep for the game she DM's, Gerald can get some exercise in or run a few Diablo Immortal dungeons if he doesn't want to read Reddit, and Cai, well, we didn't hear much about her.

Everyone is able to do other things at the table and the game is all the better for it. In addition, the story is always front of mind!

Clearly, D&D is the best time to multitask.

In Summary

This is where the satire ends, folks.

  • During your Dungeons & Dragons session, the game should hold your focus. If you find your mind wandering, check yourself. If the game doesn't interest you, talk to your fellow players and Dungeon Master.
  • Pursuing other tasks during D&D leads to forgetfulness. It's also rude. If other players constantly need to recap what is going on, it turns the game into a slog and showcases you're not invested in the game, and you don't respect everyone else's time.
  • Plan breaks or only leave the table at an opportune moment. Don't leave mid-conversation with an NPC or during a vital moment in combat. If another character is the focus, you should be set to leave for a minute or two. In addition, always let people know what you're doing and that you'll be back momentarily, don't leave them hanging.

I hope you enjoyed this different style of article. If you did, please leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you.

In last week's post, I provided some inspiration for building better monsters using the wizard class and a Wizard Foe Generator. If you enjoyed this article, you might want to check last week's out, too.

Here's to greatening your game and world: cheers!

Related Articles

Want More RPG Tips & Tales from RJD20?

As always, thanks for reading. Please send all inquiries to rjd20writes@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

No comments:
Labels: , , ,

Wrathful Wizard Monsters

By RJ on 19 December 2022. 


The wrath of a vengeful wizard is rarely matched. However, when mated with the ferocity of a monster and the skill of a thoughtful Dungeon Master, a monster imbued with the abilities of the wizard class may not only challenge a player character wizard, but an entire party.

Already on RJD20, we've explored mixing monsters with classes like the bard and barbarian, druid and paladin, and now: we move onward to D&D's most esteemed class: the wizard.

Today, we're looking at three wildly wacky wizard monsters for your next D&D session:

  • A pixie arcanist with a wit as quick as her spellcasting!
  • An ettin incredible armed with a barrage of magical abilities and an eerily threatening intellect!
  • An efreeti pyromancer who wields the devastating elemental forces of his blistering home realm!

Each promises a unique experience for your game and your world. How can you pit a pixie arcanist against your party of three murderhobos? Where does an ettin incredible fit in your grand world of sword and sorcery? Does an efreeti pyromancer wield much power in your setting's version of the City of Brass, or is she a jester compared to the warrior-class of the legendary planar settlement?

Before we leap into these monstrous wizards, let this list of eight wizard-based foes inspire you:

  1. An awakened wild boar with a wizard's spellbook stitched to him. Somehow, he's learned how to cast a few cantrips and basic spells.
  2. A deep gnome School of Illusion wizard destined to branch out into the World Above.
  3. A bugbear School of Evocation wizard, also known as an evocationist, who ripped a spellbook from a fallen foe's warm, dead hands and became a master of explosions. She specializes in fireballs.
  4. A wise hill giant School of War wizard specially trained by a resident fire giant sage in the ways of arcane and greater warfare. He has led his tribe to many battles over far superior foes.
  5. An orthon commander specialized in the School of Conjuration, capable of summoning great armies from planes other than his scarred home realm.
  6. An iron giant trained in the School of Enhancement by his archmage creator.
  7. A balor keen in the dark magic of the School of Necromancy, heading a horde of demons and abhorrent undead.
  8. An ancient green dragon wise in the School of Lore, knowledgeable in every single aspect of the world known to mortals...and even some information kept only by those of immortal bend.

Wizard Foe Generator

For this particular strand of foes crossed with one of D&D's most iconic classes, I've crafted the Wizard Foe Generator. Try it out! It provides you with a base monster, where they can be found, and an ability/action inspired by the wizard class from D&D 5E and other editions in the game's history.

Now, let's create three wizardly foes.

Pixie Arcanist

Inherently tricky, tiny creatures, twisting a pixie with the abilities of a wizard makes quite the intimidating enemy...or powerful ally. A pixie arcanist wraps her opponents in sparkling strands of magic, rendering them helpless so her swarms of mystical friends can eliminate them in a swift and safe manner.

They're tricky foes to face

What is a Pixie Arcanist?

The wondrous woodlands of the Feywild glitter with the magic of a thousand peculiar peoples. Hags cackle away in their cursed huts and bone-filled caves. Satyr dance along forest trails singing songs of enchantment. Centaurs roam groves illuminated by the bright Feywild twilight, their hooves stomping along to primal beats that ooze magic. Even the forests themselves bubble with arcane potential: trees talk, leaves whisper, and the animals linger with even the sentience of a normal mortal man.

The stars of the Feywild, though, hold a special kind of magic. And when they fall: only a select few are capable of drawing forth that latent energy.

Feywild stars and their crash sites are dotted with powerful glyphs and words of arcane power, mysteriously written in the most elegant form of the Sylvan language. Pixies, fast-moving and inquisitive, are often the first to arrive to these craters. They scribble down the words and phrases on leaf booklets and scratch them out of the rock and ground. Afterward, they spend months and sometimes years practicing these sky-given groupings of words. Only those who remain dedicated to this practice become pixie arcanists.

The otherworldly spells available to pixie arcanists are from distant stars and often involve glittering, awe-inspiring sights of stardust and bewilderment. 

Some spells channel the energy of a burning star. 

Others freeze foes with the infinite chill of space. 

All are coveted by wizards of the Material Plane...

In Eldar, pixie arcanists quickly find their way from the Feywild into other planes of existence. Some believe the stars of other realms like the Hells or even some layers of the Abyss hide even darker "star carvings." In the Material Plane's largest settlement, Galen the City of Magic, a pixie arcanist teaches a special course on this small but unique sphere of arcana.

In Golgifell, fey crossings to Brisantha are some of the most common "magical" occurrences found and witnessed by normal mortals. Fey usually don't wander into the mortal world if they can help it, but some pixies have been known to guard these fey crossings, ordered to by their commanding Fey Court. Pixie arcanists in particular deeply enjoy gazing at the idyllic starscape of Golgifell, and wonder if "star carvings" exist in this world as they do in their own.

Sample Pixie Arcanist

Here's an example pixie arcanist using the Wizard Foe Generator to attach a new ability and action to the base pixie monster.

Base Monster: Pixie, Monster Manual page 253

Added Ability: False Self. The pixie arcanist can cast disguise self at will, but it can also shift between Tiny, Small, Medium, and Large creatures. Huge creatures can only shift to Large size.

Added Action: Student of Cantrip Excellence. The pixie arcanist can cast up to three cantrips with a single action. Each cantrip can be different or the same.

Plot Hook: Pickpocketing becomes the norm of a bustling port city when a pixie arcanist uses her starry arcana to enhance the skills of a local guild of thieves. Their weird magic perplexes the law enforcement, so they bring in those more versed in the arcane arts.

Flavor both outlined abilities as starry-themed: the creatures the pixie arcanist pretends to become have star tattoos on their body. The cantrips manifest in a burst of stardust.

Ettin Incredible

Ready to surprise your players and subvert their characters' expectations? This is the foe for you. An ettin incredible might turn a predictable, blow-for-blow blow-up with a typical ettin into a fight for survival against a creature that should never be able to handle magical abilities in a regular D&D setting. 

No one expects an ettin wizard.

What is an Ettin Incredible?

Only rarely do giantish gods allow one of their misshapen children the mental prowess to pursue a life of magic. Normal ettins are already weird folk among giant kind, pushed to the edges of society. Most times, they aren't even accepted among giants. They are forced to commandeer goblin tribes, serve the whims of orcs and hobgoblins, or become vicious rivals in troll territory. However, in the rarest of circumstances, an ettin is born with an incredible intellect. These ettins are rapidly sought after by giants at the top of the chain (called the Ordning in many worlds) and trained in the ways of arcane magic.

These very rare ettins are known as ettin incredibles.

Unlike almost any other creature, they are able to cast not one, but two spells concurrently. From one mouth and mind, an ettin incredible might spew forth words of power to conjur a fireball while the other crackles out a lightning bolt. Even more impressive, they can concentrate on two different spells at once: one mind might keep a blur around itself, while the other ensures an attacking barbarian stays affected by hold person as the ettin's fire giant allies eviscerate her.

Some ettin incredibles manage to escape servitude once they learn how to wield magic. These ettin incredibles, even solo, are formidable foes.

In Eldar, ettin incredibles originated in Nargond during Giantfall. Not products of giantish gods, these ettin incredibles manifested the wild magic latent in the air of the world during this tumultuous time. As the empire of giants fell and sent tsunamis roaring across the planet, ettin incredibles further ensured giant kind's doom. They leapt into the world and tore scattered factions apart, obliterating them with intense arcane surges and forgotten spells. As quickly as they appeared, they fragmented and wandered across the broken landmasses. Some bloodlines still exist, ettins capable of immense thought and insight, but the most common way of finding them is pure chance. If they are born into the world, they often become leaders of hill giant tribes or respected sages of frost giant jarls and fire giant citadels.

In Golgifell, ettin incredibles are the norm: regular ettins do not exist. Even though ettin incredibles take on the regular "ettin" role, they are still extremely rare alongside all other giants except hill giants. Encountering an ettin in Golgifell is an event best left unattended. The lack of magic in the rest of the world almost seems to redouble itself in ettins, overwhelming any who interact with them. In the most remote wilderlands like Res Mana, ettins boast huge armies and followers who worship them as gods-on-earth.

Sample Ettin Incredible

Below is one example of an ettin incredible created with the Wizard Foe Generator. Beware: it's powerful.

Base Monster: Ettin, Monster Manual page 132

Added Ability: Perfect Mind. The ettin incredible is able to concentrate on two spells simultaneously.

Added Action: Impossible Arcana. The ettin incredible is able to cast two spells in a single turn with a single action.

Plot Hook: Doom befalls a frontier town when a duo of ettin incredibles dominate both a tribe of orcs and a pack of gnolls. At the helm with extreme intelligence and a horde of formidable minions, the ettin incredibles intend on conquering the town and moving closer to "true" civilization.

Efreeti Pyromancer

No enemy fought by your party before has wielded fire magic quite like an efreeti pyromancer. Area domination, explosive damage, and a temper enraged by the might a thousand fires are all staples of this wizard-like wonder from the Elemental Plane of Fire. 

Did I mention she rides in a sleigh pulled by hippos made of magma?

What is an Efreeti Pyromancer?

The typical tyrannical lives of an efreeti noble bore the wisest among their kind. Those who seek unrivaled power delve into the depths of the Plane of Fire, learning the secrets of primeval pyromancy. They become masters of the most scorching element, wielders of the sacred fire, one of the vital elements of creation.

Once they master the secrets of the sacred fire, they become creators as well. A power thought only known to the gods in the hands of a mere creature. Efreeti pyromancers can breathe fiery essence into normal beasts. They can turn snakes into blazing serpents; giant eagles into phoenix-like birds; massive hippos into beasts of molten magma.

From remote studies, they perfect this craft and plot domination of the Plane of Fire and realms beyond. However, an efreeti pyromancer in a world not its own, such as the Material Plane, can easily wreak havoc. 

Entities of pure flame are not meant to exist in worlds of balance.

In Eldar, efreeti pyromancers began as solitary scholars but eventually formed the Cabal of Eternal Flame. As a unit, they've built a dominion across most the Plane of Fire that rivals the strength of the City of Brass. Some suspect they were behind the Devastation in the Material Plane, wherein a huge swath of Aelonis was elementally destroyed. All know they pay homage to Imix, the Prince of Elemental Fire, though some believe he is not their master: some think they control the archomental.

In Golgifell, there's but one tale of an efreeti who took over the Gulonde. In his reign, he turned the sands black and the rivers to lava. The rivers faded, but the black sand remained and cursed the endless desert forevermore. At times, his bellowing laughter can be heard on the wind during great storms of sand. These storms spawn beasts of pure flame, echoes of the pyromancer's initial scarring of the desert.

Example Efreeti Pyromancer

Here is an example of an efreeti pyromancer built with the Wizard Foe Generator.

Base Monster: Efreeti, Monster Manual page 145

Added Ability: Sculpt Magic. Spells that would otherwise damage the efreeti pyromancer's allies no longer do so.

Added Action: Plane Bringer. Once per day, the efreeti pyromancer can summon a creature from another plane of existence that is CR 2 or less. The summoned creature returns to its home plane when a new creature is summoned.

Plot Hook: An efreeti pyromancer enters a jungle realm, transforming it into a woodland of fiery beasts and molten magma rivers. Her spree of terror must end, else it'll spread into the nearby countryside.

In Summary

If you're stuck preparing your latest D&D NPC or encounter and really need some magical inspiration, the wizard class serves as an excellent source. Always remember:

  • The Wizard Foe Generator is a rapid-fire way to form a compelling foe for your characters to face.
  • Schools of wizardry work wonderfully as background information, foe motivations, and even plot devices in your world.
  • Enemies based on wizards don't need to use spells, just re-flavor them as innate abilities and actions.

In last week's article, I explored why the spotlight should be shared amongst all at the table, and how it's not only the job of the Dungeon Master to ensure this. If you enjoyed this post, check out last week's post as well!

Here's to greatening your game and world: cheers!

Related Articles

Want More RPG Tips & Tales from RJD20?

As always, thanks for reading. Please send all inquiries to rjd20writes@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Careful, the Spotlight Can Burn

By RJ on 12 December 2022. 

The spotlight should never linger too long on any one character in a multiplayer game, be it Dungeons and Dragons or any other tabletop hobby. When it does, it doesn't only burn the highlighted player, it also burns everyone else at the table and potentially turns them sour. 

However, it's not only the Dungeon Masters job to ensure one player and character isn't focused on consistently over the others. The players themselves, particularly the highlighted player/character, can help avert this common problem, too.

As always, if you notice this trend of focusing on a single player character over the others occurring at your table, ask yourself a few questions before thinking up a way to address:

  • How intense is the focus?
  • Are other players outwardly bothered by it?
  • What is the reason for it?
  • Should it be addressed? How?

Let's tackle each pointed question one by one.

Intensity of the Spotlight

We've likely all encountered Dungeon Masters homing in on certain character's stories before. As we'll discuss later, sometimes there's a good reason for this. Other times, it might be a clear sign of favoritism, sheer unawareness, or, in the worst cases, spite.

Perhaps the DM greatly favors the backstory of a certain character. Unlike the other PCs, it relates to their world or connects very well to the Big Bad Evil Person. While that may be great, unless it was specifically outlined in the session zero that this should be the case for all characters, this shouldn't dismiss the importance of the other PCs at the table.

Backgrounds should enhance the experience at the table, not hinder it. 

If the DM is only focusing on the character that relates to the overall world because of their backstory, that's not a good tactic and it should be addressed. Jessie's character might be truly tied to the world, with a backstory relating to the vicious high elves of Jhaeros and their vile manipulating of mortal minds and psychic powers. However, that doesn't mean her character should receive more focus than Guy's character, who might only vaguely be tied to the setting at-hand.

The DM might just be unaware of how much they're focusing on a specific character, too. 

Perhaps this player talks a lot and takes the crown of the party. Naturally, the DM will focus on their story and question them about the game more than others. If other players are okay with taking a backseat to piloting the game's direction, that's fine, but if clearly this is a scenario of a domineering personality driving all questions from the DM and NPCs to them without other player input, it should be addressed. This has happened quite a few times at my table, and at times it has been alright. Sometimes, players are fine with someone taking on the mantle of "party leader". If that's the case for your table, that's all swell!

In the worst case, some DMs focus on characters of players they like and intentionally leave out characters of players they dislike. This is a simple problem to address: directly speak with the other players and/or DM and figure out why this is ongoing. If no one will resolve or address it, leave the game and find another group. No D&D is better than bad D&D.

Does the Focus Bother Anyone?

After the spotlight highlights a certain character too much, it should become evident other players are bothered by it. 

Watch those not explored. Are they clearly bothered by it? Do they stop paying attention to the game and go on their phones? Do they start side conversations unrelated to the game very quickly? Are they taken completely out of the game?

Watch for heavy sighs. 

Be aware of dice-stacking. 

Scout out pencil-flipping. 

Hunt for light rules-reading. 

Look out for sleeping too, that's the worst.

It might not even be outright shown, at times. If you notice someone is getting a lot of the spotlight, other people will too, but as we'll discuss below: don't go and talk to people behind their back about it. If you'd like to address it, don't gossip: go directly to the source.

Succinctly: be attentive. If you notice someone at the table not having a good time, try to address it. We all play D&D to have fun.

Reason for the Spotlight

Sometimes, the spotlight shifts to a specific character and player for good reason. You should be able to detect if the reason is sound or complete rubbish.

Some campaigns have arcs, and the focus might shift from one character to another. Is this the case for the shift? If so, there's likely little to worry about, other characters will likely soon share the spotlight. It's natural. Ian's character might just be the perfect fit for this run of the story, wherein the party battles aberrations in the Realm of Madness for a bit. Next up, when the group returns to the mortal world and a split faction of psionic elves are on the tail of the party's allies? Well, now it's time for Jessie's character to trounce under the light!

Did the DM and a set of players have a fight, in-game or out? If the DM suddenly stops focusing on certain characters because of out-of-game reasons, it should be addressed immediately. That's no fun for anyone at the table.

Are people just not piping up or showing interest in the game? 

That might also be a reason for their characters not receiving major roles in the show. While some players take on this persona, more of an observer than an active mover and shaker, some might just be going through a rough time or not be invested in the current story. If you think it's the former, make sure to check in with them and see how they're doing. If it's the latter, try to rope their character into the latest escapades of the party.

Addressing the Focus

If the points explored before this part decidedly conclude the focus should be addressed, you should consider the best way to handle it.

The best way, always, is to address the problem at its source. Talk to the DM and other players openly about the focus of the game. Explain how you feel about your character not being a part of the game, how you feel you might not get the chance to speak as often as you'd like. At worst, they blow up and act as though none of that is true, which means it's time to find a new table. At best, they'll come up with a solution to include you and your character more and ensure the spotlight doesn't burn too brightly on any one character.

If you don't want to confront someone about the focus or don't think it's too big of a problem at the time, there's a more subtle way even a player can help diminish this: always include and play-off other players.

Even if you're the focus of the game for a session or an encounter, always search for a way to include others in the moment. Bounce off their characters. Ask them advice. Call out their character in some way. Just because one character is the focus doesn't mean others can be included.

For example, if your character is speaking with a dwarven priest about a demon deep within an abandoned mine, they could ask their fighter friend their opinion on delving below might be. Have they fought a demon before? If so, what's the best way to approach it? If not, are they frightened? Then, the DM can bounce off their response as the dwarven priest and pull the fighter player deeper into the conversation.

If you're on a brief solo-mission, investigating the trapped warehouse of a rival in a grubby dock, don't just interact with the DM: bring in the other players! As your character, mutter/ask yourself: what would Ian's character think of this? Even ask the other players what they think you should do. It might be a meta-gaming, but in scenarios where your character is alone and the other players are literally spectators, it's fair to do this to include them in the game.

It's not just the DMs job to ensure the spotlight is shared amongst everyone, the players can easily help this happen, too!

Being a Dungeon Master, though, you are usually in the best position to remedy any focus issues. Watch the table as you play, look for any signs of bother. If you see it, if you notice some is not engaged, quickly find a way to draw that character into the fray! Address a question from the NPC toward them. Engage them in combat. Spring a trap or mystery in their face! Don't let them sit idle and become more disinterested in the game. 

If it recurs, talk to them about it. Are they no longer interested in D&D, or is something else the matter? 

Ask what you can to help them.

In Summary

In games like Dungeons & Dragons, no single player should be the whole focus of the game. It's a collaborative experience, built by the myriad players at the table, not just one or two. Always remember:

  • Share the spotlight at the table. Encourage others to speak up and participate in even moments dedicated to your character.
  • It's not just the job of the Dungeon Master to ensure multiple people share the spotlight. All the players can take part.
  • If sharing the spotlight becomes an issue, never gossip about someone's handling of this task. Go direct to the source and discuss it with the players/DM to resolve the issue.

In last week's post, I explored how to create monsters based on the paladin class. If you enjoyed this article, check it out!

Here's to greatening your game and world: cheers!

Related Articles

Want More RPG Tips & Tales from RJD20?

As always, thanks for reading. Please send all inquiries to rjd20writes@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Pernicious Paladin Monsters for Your Next Session

by RJ on 5 December 2022. 


Historically in our beloved tabletop roleplaying game hobby, paladins are the good folk. They protect the innocent. They divide loot fairly. They save the day for the righteous faction. Sometimes they even go too far, especially if their player is inexperienced, and play their "usual" alignment of lawful good as lawful stupid. 

We can love it, hate it, be cynical about it, or we as Dungeon Masters can retool paladins for our own sinister plots and schemes.

The class that many believe to be the do-no-wrong and just? It's time to use it to churn out some monsters for your next D&D session. Fellow DMs all around, I introduce to you: pernicious paladin monsters for your next session:

  • A gnoll avenger
  • An obsidian earth elemental
  • A fire giant templar

We've done this before with other D&D 5E Player's Handbook classes like the bard, druid, and even fighter. Now, you'll be able to pepper paladin-based foes throughout your D&D adventures and campaigns. Before we dive into some fleshed out monsters, new abilities, lore and all else, let this list of six monstrous paladins ready your mind:

  1. A goblin who took the Oath of Redemption after stealing, eating one too many sheep.
  2. A kobold under the sway of the Oath of Vengeance thanks to the annihilation of her clan at the hands of a witty white dragon.
  3. An ogre magi/oni sworn to the Oath of the Ancients on the path to becoming a conduit for a primordial force.
  4. A fire giant in service to the Oath of Conquest on a crusade through the Upper Underdark, forcing drow, duergar, and darker beings under his banner.
  5. A rakshasa who follows an Oath of Devotion after being smitten by an angel of the Lower Heavens.
  6. An ancient gold dragon Oathbreaker who broke his powerful Oath of the Ancients to the Platinum Dragon to save a very dear loved one and continued a descent into absolute darkness.

Paladin Foe Generator

For this sampling of foes crossed with one of the classic D&D classes, I've crafted the Paladin Foe Generator. Try it out! It provides you with a base monster, where they can be found, and an ability/action inspired by the paladin class from D&D 5E and other editions gone by.

Now, let's look at some paladin-inspired foes.

Gnoll Avenger

Let's begin with a low-level monster boosted up with my second favorite paladin subclass: the Oath of Vengeance. I present to you, a gnoll avenger.

The story comes first, the "stats" arrive after.

What is a Gnoll Avenger?

Most gnolls serve in the name of Yeenoghu. They pillage, slaughter, and destroy without discrimination. In their eyes, everything is food for gnollkind and their demonic daddy, Yeenoghu. However, what if some gnolls rose above that basic level of intelligence? What if their bestial desires took the form of something concrete, something that could bind a gnoll to a set of principles they could use to enact power over other members of their society?

These calculating leaders of gnoll society are known as gnoll avengers. First established by elders in a time long passed, gnoll avengers lead roaming gnoll packs while abiding by an Oath of Vengeance brutally cut for their demonic species. Its tenets are as follows:

  • Fight the Greater Foe. More formidable folk once destroyed my species' chance on this world. They'll pay for what they've done, as will all who attempt to snuff our raging torch.
  • No Mercy for the Weak. No enemy, strong or weak, faltering or rampaging, is spared by my weapon.
  • Single-Minded Pack. I will not fail in my ultimate duty, no matter the cost to me or my pack.

In Eldar, these gnolls appeared in direct opposition to the Hungerless, a sect of pacifistic gnolls unburdened with Yeenoghu's constant growls. Gnoll avengers blame the Hungerless for their species' complete drop from the world stage, believing they'd rule multiple realms, if not the entire continent of Aelonis if the Hungerless had stayed by Yeenogu's side. Of course this is preposterous, but many packs led by gnoll avengers think it's true.

In Golgifell, gnoll avengers are extremely rare. They are rarely found outside the Gulonde, though one has made a spree all the way into the Odgrir Northlands, at war with the minotaur warlock clans there. In the Gulonde, they uphold a slightly revised version of the tenets above inspired by the unmatched hunger of their patron deity, The Devourer.

Sample Gnoll Avenger

Using the generator provided at the beginning of this article, I rolled up this gnoll avenger's abilities/actions:

  • Base Monster: Gnoll
  • Added Ability: Aura of Arcane Defense. The foe naturally emanates an aura in a 10’ radius that grants resistance to all allies against spell damage.
  • Added Action: Touch of Divinity. The foe may use an action to touch one creature (including itself) and end all negative and/or positive effects on it.
  • Plot Hook: Roads into the vast desert are no longer safe. Bandits harry any patrols or guards who try to extinguish them. Every trade caravan trying to pass through is raided and almost nothing is left behind, save a few lives. Recent bandit viciousness comes from a gnoll avenger who has become a bandit lord of sorts. She wields the gnoll-specific Oath of Vengeance against the traders, justifying bandit cruelty against the rich, food and supply rich caravans. Will trade ever return to the region?

Go ahead and drop her into your next session. Let me know if she survives or if she falls in battle as she likely should!

Obsidian Earth Elemental

Next up is a rock-based enemy full of flair: an obsidian earth elemental. This creature is inspired more by the paladin's defensive abilities. Utilizing them, the usually stale earth elemental becomes something dark, exciting, and powerful when paired with a bruiser.

Let's roll right into the lore.

What is an Obsidian Earth Elemental?

The Elemental Planes bury many secrets. Oftentimes, only those who reach these fantastical realms of impossibility discover them, usually by chance. Invasions from these realms, however, sometimes force the hidden pieces into the eyes of the mortal world. One such invasion occurred in the distant past of many different worlds at the hands of the hardy folk known as goliaths.

They were not of the mortal world, instead they hailed from the Elemental Plane of Earth. They were masters of that place, but darker powers forced them to find a new home. The mortal world, or the Material Plane, would suffice, they thought. 

At the head of their invasion were their greatest creations: elemental begins molded not from normal earth or stone, but of crystals and wondrous ores. One of the rarest, earth elementals built entirely from obsidian, were piloted by goliath warlords. These large elementals were not only hardier than normal earth elementals, but also imbued with a touch of shadow. In the blink of an eye, they could vanish from sight, only to appear many feet away, prepared to crush their target. They could also rapidly come to the aid of goliaths, using tough shields and quick movement to absorb hits that would be taken by their creators.

Unfortunately, few survived this successful goliath invasion. The select survivors buried themselves beneath the earth, found a home in shadowy realms, or became treasures of the greediest wyrms of the world.

In Eldar, obsidian earth elementals roam the charred country of Imixia. These elementals are prized possessions of spellcasters there if they can be captured, as they are able to delve into the deep lava pools scattered across the terrain. In almost silent sects in Ogremocha, Imixia's neighboring realm, some goliaths rediscovered the art of forming these obsidian elementals. Their creations do not rival those of ancient earth molders, though.

In Golgifell, a single obsidian earth elemental from the World Below demolished the most bustling town in the Odgrir Northlands about 30 years ago. It still roams the ruins and spews forth steaming lava from its roaring mouth, keeping back any would-be heroes from recovering what remains in the ruins of Tarinbur.

Sample Obsidian Earth Elemental

Using the generator I linked at the start of this article, I rolled up this obsidian earth elemental's abilities/actions:

  • Base Monster: Earth Elemental
  • Added Ability: Aura of Protection. The foe emboldens the defenses of all allies within 15’ of it, increasing their armor class by 1.
  • Added Action: No Escape. When the foe makes an opportunity attack against a creature, it has advantage. If it hits, the foe can make a second attack.
  • Plot Hook: Arising from the bowels of the Material Plane is an ancient obsidian earth elemental, bent on destruction as it was in the earliest days of the world. Like a tarrasque, it moves from target to target without discrimination. Villages fall. Towns collapse. Cities quake. What awakened it? Who does it serve? Perhaps it's related to the Oath of the Ancients. What is its endgame? The mystery walks and brings doom. Will anyone divert or end its path?

In addition to the extra parts outlined above, it also has the following action:

  • Phase Shift. The obsidian earth elemental may use its action to turn invisible and teleport to an unoccupied space within 60'. On its next turn, it can attack a target within range. It has advantage on the attack.

Fire Giant Templar

Here's my personal favorite of the fleshed out monstrous paladin batch: the support-focused fire giant templar. 

It can be a mix of defense, healing, and dominating the battlefield with offensive auras. Fire giants are also excellent foes to incorporate into any story, so here's a bit of lore based on this specific variation!

What is a Fire Giant Templar?

Fire giant society is clearly split. While forgemasters and kings may rank highest in this division, a clear third place is held by templars. These fierce warriors uphold the profound tenets of all fire giants, following the fiery Oath of the Forge, every single letter of it.

Few outside giant culture know about the existence of this sacred oath. It helped cement fire giants as masters of conquering and crafting, as well as their position in the Ordning. These are its tenets:

  • For the Forge. The World Above and the Realm Below hold many people, resources, and secrets. All are food for our roaring forges.
  • Sacrifice for the Forge. Not all crusades into enemy territory end in complete domination. If faced with death and loss of claimed resources for the fire giant kingdom, I will sacrifice myself so that others may take back the won treasures.
  • Master the Forge. Strength in battle is second only to understanding the forge. I must comprehend what I might make the ultimate sacrifice for so that the forgemasters may continue to keep our society strong.

Are you interested in the Oath of the Forge for player characters? I'm working on it right now and will likely release it in good time. Once I do, I'll send out a quick message to everyone on my mailing list. Join it now if you'd like to receive this new paladin subclass in the near future.

In Eldar, fire giant templars are found at the head of Imixia's Burning Legion. They head all forays outside the blasted country, mostly into the Subterrane where they raid dark dwarf and drow settlements for resources, both living and inanimate.

In Golgifell, fire giants are scarcely seen. Fire giant templars, as a result are even more rare. However, in formerly giantish lands such as Odgrir or the Towerpeaks, distant descendants of fire giants who mated with other peoples are seldom found. A few of them live by a heavily revised Oath of the Forge, and a tiny subset seek out the original in dilapidated halls of stone and soot.

Sample Fire Giant Templar

Using the generator I linked at the start of this article, I rolled up this fire giant templar's actions:

  • Base Monster: Fire Giant
  • Added Action: Aura of Health. The foe may use a bonus action to heal all allied creatures in a 10’ radius by 2d6 hit points.
  • Added Action: Voice of Redemption. The foe may use an action to raise a creature it can touch from the dead, as long as its body is intact, and it died less than 1 minute ago.
  • Plot Hook: Clouds of smoke obscure the skies above a usually bustling frontier town and terrifying, fire-breathing hounds scour the countryside around it. Dwarfish veterans whisper in the streets of a potential invasion from the World Below, led by fire giants and their enslaved warriors, but the truth is far more sinister. The town's newly elected mayor is a faithful of the Oath of the Forge, a human descended from a line of half-giants. He primes the town for complete invasion and take-over, working with his great, great grandfather: a fire giant templar. Soon, the streets of his town shall be covered in soot and forges of grand flame shall work through the night...Will this plot be discovered? Will the templar be stopped?

Summarizing Monstrous Paladins

Sometimes, making monsters can be difficult. Plenty of inspiration can be mined from the various books of the current D&D edition and of those past, including from player-centric books. Particularly, the flavor and mechanics of many character classes. To summarize:

  • Paladins make great foes and can be easily generated using the Paladin Foe Generator.
  • Oaths provide paladin foes with excellent goals and simple ways to portray a compelling enemy. Oaths last generations and usually speak to primal pieces of the world: vengeance, conquest, redemption. You can easily base an entire villain around this.
  • Almost anything can use abilities inspired by paladins. Earth elementals can gain their defensive auras or attacks. Dragons can imbue their claws with the powers of smiting. Influential dwarves can wield their force of will upon the meek.

In last week's post, I explored what you might do instead of outright canceling a D&D game when another member or two cancels. If you enjoyed this article, check it out.

Here's to greatening your game and world: cheers!

Related Articles

Want More RPG Tips & Tales from RJD20?

As always, thanks for reading. Please send all inquiries to rjd20writes@gmail.com or leave a comment below.

No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,