While DMing I’ve used the concept of progressive checks for rolls over the listed DC, but the concept from Think DM takes it even further – start with a DC ZERO and add info the better your players roll. This adds more flexibility to the game, but does require more effort from Dungeon Masters.
As a matter of adventure design (or when improvising as a DM), you shouldn’t lock mission-critical information behind a skill check. Because if the characters fail the check, the plot line is dead.
But, the solution isn’t to get rid of skill checks.
The solution is DC 0 checks.
“Isn’t that basically just telling them the information?”
Yes, but we don’t stop there.
Progressive Skill Checks
The idea is to move away from binary skill checks to a progressive resolution system. So, you still have a check to discover mission critical information. But, the DC to learn the stuff you need to know is set at zero.
As you roll progressively higher, you learn additional information that isn’t necessary, but helpful. You probably could have found out that extra information eventually with your DC 0 clue, but rolling better lets you take shortcuts by applying more intuition or conducting a…
There are two important things in a goblin’s lyfe. I’m talking about all of us, the gobkon, the hobkon, the mulkon — all of us — our relationship to the Queen and our Guild. This is hard for you humans, with all your divergent nations and cities and faiths and disgusting menagerie animals to understand.
By creanita design und ausführung by nina saner (CC BY-SA 2.0)
I’m a printer, part of the Ratxet Guild. My engines run on the power of muls (best!) or whoever else I can hire. The clockwerks give that comforting noise as sheaf and stamp press against each other leaving words behind.
We’re into gears, mostly. But also some other interesting clockwerks. Frankly, we do better with springs than the Union does. Sure, they’ve the Queens’ Stamp – so we cannot sell to others. In our builds we don’t buy from the Union anymore.
My first engine was a climbing device. Lean it up against a feral tar-tree and you’ll be able to get to the top on a platform to work that tree with nary your own effort. It was a tough build, because I needed it to be strong enough for a hob. Without a brother there were no hobs to help me. Sis rode atop my shoulders during the entire testing phase.
At Test it showed a new mechanic for the tar-tree. A Baroness blessed the family via flag and decree. Mother’s standing improved, and the full family took on that glory.
Now, sister is part of the Airxip Syndicate. They’re relatively new. Taking our bike-props and bladders from the Sisterhood, and the Federation’s tar stacks, the Syndicate built those awesome airxips. I don’t understand her werk. There’s something about steampipes. She’s done well for mother. Her flags came from a Countess, one for her and one for mother. Blerxa left on the First Flight with me.
I’m Phatha Phioxa Baroness-flagged of the Guild. Sis is Blerxa Phioxa First-Countess Flagged and Many Unfurled of the Syndicate.
We are what we build and how much the Ladies, may they serve the Queen, reward us for our werks.
A few more daughters like us and mother could be a Lady. If Blerxa and I hadn’t left for the untamed lands of the Kin Blerx may have earned mother the knighting on her own.
Our werks are trapped from knowing since we are far from Queen, so I expect mother to have a few more gobkon. Maybe I’ll find out if I go back, not until after I figure out how to use the power of horses in my next werk. They smell, but they are even stronger than mulgobs.
Whether it’s a critical failure (the dreaded 1 in combat) or forgetting your own abilities leading to tactical error every character will have to deal with defeat at some point, likely often if you aren’t into optimization. These losses are an opportunity.
Not all tales of heroes are about victory. Within pain and failure is the contrast to success.
Recently, in the final battle within Lost Mine of Phandelver the party was completely overwhelmed. We knew of 14 opponents, to include the adventure’s final boss. There are 7 of us. Awf is overconfident by nature. As a Hill Dwarf Bladesinger he wades into the frontlines accepting damage as part of raison d’être.
The problem with that became rapidly apparent as he attempted a rear guard action. Eventually four different bugbears were piling on the broadshouldered dwarf. No one was surprised when he fell unconscious and took a death save from another attack.
Norran, our Half-elf Assassin, slid through the traffic of combat to administer the only healing potion available in that part of combat. With the party split things looked dire for the rear guard group. Bring Awf back up gives Norran and Ambrose, Half-orc Beastmaster, and Awf a bit of hope, when things seem hopeless.
Our session ended in mid combat – and that’s when I remembered that Awf has a Staff of Defense.
AFTER taking numerous blows that dropped him. Through poor play as a player, I forgot about Awf’s 8 charges of Shield that he could use as reactions to limit the battering his body took.
It’s a dumb error.
Except, upon review it is exactly the type of error that Awf Hornjaw et Loragwyn would make in combat. It’s part of who he is and how he operates. My error was in fact playing to type.
Personality Traits I enjoy being strong and like breaking things. I face problems head-on. A simple, direct solution is the best path to success.
From Awf’s Background
And this is where embracing the failure becomes an epic tale. In next week’s session Awf’s overconfidence will disappear. Every single turn a Shield spell will be used to protect either himself or his companions that he placed in danger. Rising from his stupor he learned.
Being in danger is part of the joy of role-playing combats. There will be times that the danger is overwhelming.
Now, due to failure Awf will have a fireside tale that isn’t just about the failure, but also about the success. The mistake of the player will become the character’s epic song.
The holidays are fully in session. Your D&D and other RPG adventures may be getting rescheduled. Awf’s most certainly are. If you are looking for gifts, here’s a guide built for the D&D fan in your life. There’s major news regarding the D&D movie, more advice related to Tasha’s Cauldron of everything and dozens of other stories, images, and videos that deserve your attention.
D&D Movie News
Chris Pine is starring in the latest attempt at a Dungeons & Dragons movie. Filming is supposed to start in Q1 of 2021, which is actually really soon unless 2020 decides to last 72 more months. Deadline has all the details.
Official D&D Products Releases and Reviews
The latest issue of Dragon+ dropped, and the cover art is three kobolds in a trench coat. As always there are free maps and a best of the DMs Guild that require your attention.
Looks like Stranger Things and D&D are going to be more than a season 1 appearance, a season 3 meme, a comic book, a starter set (OK they’re already mixing it up quite a bit).
How magic interacts with the world is often a defining space in Dungeons & Dragons. In the Forgotten Realms magic, whether arcane or divine, exists as 5th edition defines it. In Eberron magic is instead something that is common, fueling the themes of steampunk and noir with orcs and elves. Dark Sun goes the opposite direction. Magic there is not just limited. Magic continues the ecological disaster that mars the world.
In the World of the Everflow magic burst forth onto the world in two awakenings. The first, explored mostly through short fiction and table narration gave the Kin (People of Love) a single cantrip, all of them. The second awakening brought the ability to cast spells to certain Kin and saw the return of the Ken (People of Knowledge) and Kon (People of Technology) to the shores of the Six Kingdoms.
As my worldspace, and the associated tales continuing to develop, the thought popped into my head “What happened to the animals during the Awakening?” Throughout known time the Kin were always bonded with companions (initial rules). With the bond between beast and person so strong, did some beasts get small magics?
The answer is yes.
And so the Thunder Monkey became a reality in the World of the Everflow.
The mechanics are fairly simple. The Thunder Monkey can cast Thunderclap once per short rest. They can also use the first bullet point from Thaumaturgy at will. All other stats are like the basic version of a baboon with minor tweaks that you feel are appropriate. This spectacular beast is rare within the Six Kingdoms, mostly found in Douad, a Mediterranean feeling space.
A character, player or non-player, with a Thunder Monkey becomes more notable and memorable.
Combining mundane beasts with other cantrips can lead to other fun combinations.
Lightning Lure Bugs are giant wasps without a stinger, but instead the ability to cast Lightning Lure and Dancing Lights making them useful in a conflict or able to help light the darkness.
Flapping Foxes are fennec foxes that cast Gust with the breeze originating from their big ears.
Pointers are tracking dogs able to cast True Strike as they direct their companion where the target is.
Slinging Spiners are porcupines that cast Sword Burst flinging more spines than their body carries.
Fixin’ Friends are spiders that cast Mending, using their silk to fix what is broken.
Tidings Birds are pigeons with the ability to cast Encode Thoughts, carrying messages throughout the town.
Savage Mousers are housecats with the ability to cast Primal Savagery, their normal painful non-damaging bites now capable of felling a threat.
These remarkable companions are practically limitless. The damage dealing cantrips (probably Guidance and True Strike as well) at just 1 per short rest will not create any sort of imbalance on any world. Others can be more frequent, likely at 2 or 3 ties a short rest, so that they are used but do not overshadow the players.
Every cantrip and every beast is an opportunity to expand the stories you are telling through the use of magic. This expands the 1,000 times a thousands tales available at the table.
What will be the first remarkable beast your character meets?
In wine, beer, coffee, etc there’s the concept of the perfect pairing. At its simplest, the concept is to find foods that complement that specific flavor notes of the beverage. More completely you can find ways to do this through similar and disparate notes – sometimes hitting opposites on the flavor wheel gives the taster an experience that highlights both the food and the beverage.
Pairing beverages with gaming in something I just do. When playing Awf I always have a beverage. Sometimes that beverage is inspired by his personality – drinking an earl grey lavender toddy out of a masonry mug to highlight his duel cultures of dwarf and bladesinger. Other times the beverage connects to the adventure that Droop’s Brigade is going – Skookum Caverns, a barrel aged strong ale, as we enter Wave Echo Cave.
The use of flavor here helps inspire the story being told during that gaming session. The flavors evoke a mental space where Awf’s unique history of annoying elves enough that they taught him bladesong, despite his being a stubby dwarf, is brought to the forefront. Or, the dangers and darkness of a cave are brought to the front of mind through can art and the potency of a strong ale.
Flavor does wonderful things. Pairings aren’t just about maximizing the flavor experience. The connection between taste-smell and memory is powerful. People buy Kona coffee because it awakens memory, much more than due to its quality. A margarita on a cold winter day can put your headspace back to a nice beach vacation. Hot cocoa in front of a fire, even while home alone by yourself, will send you dreaming back to a Christmas visit to a small town.
As roleplayers, in Dungeons & Dragons or any other game, we can use the magic of flavor to help us. The foods and beverages of your game night are important. Make those small choices that aid gaming, just like you would a token, art, or cosplay.
Rather than confine yourself into using flavor as a way to connect your current character, you can also use flavor to inspire new characters.
Each of those characters started with the simple prompt related to a beverage and the object out of which it is consumed. From there decisions were made not just regarding the race, class, and background, but also to inform the skills, attributes, spells, and weapons chosen.
Rum connected to sailors, pirates, merchants, or water genasi. Carbonation was an indication of something light, refreshing. Salt a connection to authority. The mistaken belief that halflings are just old children popped into the head with the root beer.
What those various prompts did was start internet searches into the techniques used to create certain beverages, into their history, into their cultural significance. Chasing those touchpoints and activating them through D&D and by including others in the process, my character portfolio expanded. These are now new NPCs, or maybe even PCs, that would never exist.
Food and drink can inform your characters just as art, books, movies, shows, music and media can. Great cooks say that their meals tell stories. Adapt that into your PC and NPCs.
Empower flavor to empower the stories you tell.
What type of character builds a replica longboat and uses it as a charcuterie table? How does that inform who they are?
Last week Lore Collage was on a break. In its place was a holiday gift guide designed around the types of people into Dungeons & Dragons, with a sprinkling of what makes me, me. But, all the normal sources I trawl for news, opinion, and stories about D&D still kept putting stuff out. That means that there are over 30 things to read or vids to watch. There’s still more Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, as well as some other new products, but the focus on the latest new has faded a bit.
FanWraps D&D Inspired Shirts
They’re known for geek inspired car decals, and more, but the line of shirts that FanWraps put out is pretty awesome. The Dark Matter shirt includes dragonfire that only shows under flash photography. Here I am wearing the thing. Use the discount code DAVE10 for 10% off any purchase over 8$.
If you’re a big minis person who plays in Waterdeep the use of the new Yawning Portal mini is rather obvious. Big set pieces like this need a game that centers that space to have value in most groups.
Think DM evaluates the Psionic Die and how multiclassing changes the Psi Warrior and Soul Knife. They also evaluate the impact of Steady Aim. If you want to optimize your understanding of mechanics, there’s no better place than Think DM.
D&D During the Pandemic
Virginia news site, the Augusta Free Press is recommending D&D as a way to stay in touch with your tech coworkers now that you aren’t playing pinball or visiting the cereal bar.
Being a Dungeon Master is daunting. DM David (no relation) is here to help with four key rules to DMing.
Steve outlines the Spent Condition, a new approach regarding the impact of using up all your limited abilities.
The mighty chestnut tree once defined societies throughout parts of North America. Now, it’s essentially gone. Use this knowledge of a tree that was food, fuel, and shelter all at once as a seed for your next worldspace.
The Legendary Ben Bova passed away. He discovered and promoted so many of the sci-fi authors who helped me fall in love with genre writing and is possibly the best editor in the history of the genre.
The Amazon Prime Tolkien show (I can’t call it Lord of the Rings, because it’s not set within those three books) revealed even more of its cast. The show is currently being filmed in New Zealand, a place that isn’t suffering from the pandemic.
In general I’m fascinated with Tier 1 play. But there’s another trope that I enjoy — the old-timer who retreated from the life of adventure and war, but who for some reason gets called back into it. They’ve done their best to avoid violence. Instead violence seeks them out. The Fighter: Conscript (final name TBD) has seen things. Things no one else should see.
When they get the call to return to their former life they are no longer concerned with having the best weapon and the best armor. Their wits and experience taught them that any tool can be used for any job.
Design Goals
With this subclass the desire was to build a character who attempted to retire from their life of violence. They still know how to fight, they just stopped. Then, for whatever the cause, they re-entered the realm of warfare. Most often this transition occurs when they are on their farm, in their tavern, working their forge.
They use the weapons at hand and the armor of peasants, and yet fight like the mightiest warriors. The build should support the use of simple weapons and lesser armors with Strength being the primary stat.
Fighter: Conscript
You are a light fighter who once served as a conscript in a standing army or militia. While there you learned the horrors of war. You also learned how to survive. You fought with what was available. Then, the war ended.
Now, you attempt to forget your past. Your neighbors may look at you as a hero or a villain. That depends on your behavior and their opinion of the forces for which you fought. You go about your days, an expert smith, carpenter, vintner, or other artisan.
Recently you’ve felt the call. You are duty bound to pick up your sickle, spear, gambeson, and those well-worn boots again. Your people need help, and you are called to serve.
Tough as Nails
Starting at third level you may choose to use your Strength bonus to Armor Class rather than Dexterity when wearing any light armor or medium armor.
Plowshares into Swords
At third level you gain the following abilities as a reflection of your life after service.
You are proficient in improvised weapons.
When using simple or and improvised weapons you gain +1 to damage on a successful attack.
You gain proficiency in an Artisan’s Tool. If you are already proficient in an Artisan’s Tool you may instead choose to have expertise in that Tool.
When recovering spent ammunition you recover all of it, rather than half.
Wise Beyond Years
At seventh level you gain proficiency in Insight and Intimidation. If you already have one or both of these skills you may take any Wisdom skill instead.
Heart of the Lion
At tenth level you are noted for refusal to give up the fight. You have advantage on saving throws that would impose the following conditions: Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, or Stunned.
Rally from Defeat
At 15th level you inspire your teammates. When an ally within 30 feet fails a saving throw that causes damage you may use a reaction to grant them temporary hit points equal to your Fighter level + your Wisdom bonus and they may reroll the saving throw. They must accept the second result. Your ally must be able to hear you. This ability may be used proficiency bonus number of times per long rest.
Bones of Steel
At 18th level your Armor Class is adjusted by both your Strength and your Dexterity Bonus. This bonus is not subjected to a limit based on the armor. When you take damage you may use a reaction to spend a Hit Die to recover Hit Points as if you were taking a short rest.
David Estrada retired from professional soccer after eleven years in the game. Last week’s news wasn’t too surprising, this year he played 500 minutes with only 3 starts, scoring 1 goal. Over his career he amassed nearly 16,000 minutes played winning two U.S. Open Cups while playing for nine different teams after being drafted by the Seattle Sounders. His career as a player ends with New Mexico United.
Thank you for everything David. You've made an immeasurable impact everywhere you've gone, and we can't wait to be part of your next chapter! #SomosUnidos
What will continue is more important than any of his 39 goals scored across MLS, NASL, USL Championship, the Open Cup, and Concacaf Champions League – Estrada continues on with New Mexico United helping them in community outreach.
I first met Estrada back in 2010, after he was drafted. Little did I know that when he spoke to Sounder at Heart about his work with Hope Place that I was meeting the real David Estrada. There had been a large hint at who he is after his St. Hattrick’s Day performance back in 2012, as well.
(On what his grandfather means to him and why he used him in his celebration…) “I never met him, but he is a big influence in my family and me playing soccer. He is big time in my life. I never met him, but he is just so important to me and my family. My extended family back home plays for a Sunday league team named after him. So using him in my celebration is like a double meaning between playing with my family and playing here with the Sounders.”
After drifting around with several clubs scattered around the USA, Estrada came back as a senior leader with Sounders 2 in their first season down at Cheney Stadium. He surged forth to score 11 goals, by far his best year. David’s leadership of the very young team was vital. He demonstrated professionalism to a bunch of teenagers, and they came to be more than teammates to him. At his return the group sought him out.
In his first match against the squad he captained Estrada posed with his old teammates.
Photo Courtesy of Charis Wilson / Seattle Sounders FC & Tacoma Defiance
David taught those kids, now young me, more than just soccer.
This is what David Estrada needs to be known for – not St Hattricks Day, not his long pro career, not 11 goals on S2. Estrada needs to be known for the work he did in the community. It was often quiet here in Seattle. Never on a big money contract David’s work was work. He lived with a spirit of giving and caring.
That’s what he’ll remain doing with New Mexico, after winning recognition as their humanitarian of the year in their first two seasons. It’s also what he did with the kids around Tacoma and Seattle even after leaving the area.
Estrada gives Alec Diaz friendly tap post-game. Photo courtesy of Charis Wilson / Sounders FC and Tacoma Defiance.
He also paid attention to his old teammates, caring about their success. He paid attention to them. Defiance players weren’t just former coworkers.
Estrada’s kindness and care was evident when I reached out to him about Jesse Daley moving on to his hometown club – Brisbane Roar. David didn’t just share a great statement about Daley, he wanted to know that it was a good move – it is.
Way, way back – before Estrada was drafted – former Sounders Academy Director Darren Sawatzky told me that more important than developing good soccer players he had to make certain to develop good men. Those that have followed Sawatzky in the role, Marc Nichols and Chris Little, have echoed and amplified those statements. With Defiance in the org maybe 25% or so of an age group will become pro soccer players. The rest will get opportunities in schooling, maybe go onto coaching.
They will all be Sounders.
People like David Estrada, and recently retired Lamar Neagle, can show that the sport of soccer is just a path to being a good man. The game gave them a platform. With that platform any player, from Academy to star, can help the people around them. They can read books on a video chat with kids thousands of miles away, help plant trees, join a neighborhood center for a pickup game, deliver food, and so much more.
David did that. He’s much more than 39 pro goals and 16,000 minutes. He’s the type of man that every young player should dream of being. The state of New Mexico is fortunate to retain the services of David Estrada. He is once, and always, a Sounder. He’s also a kid from Salinas, a Bruin, and so much more.
His pro soccer career is over, but New Mexico United is right – Estrada’s just getting started.
Thoumas Javelot Kern of Aviceland is the first character built from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything I’ve taken for a spin in actual play. He is a Ranger: Swarmkeeper. With a background as a hunter (used fisher and reskinned) and a forest gnome, the only new rules in Tasha’s that took a spin were related to the Ranger.
Swapping in Deft Explorer, Favored Foe, Primal Awareness, and Thrown Weapon Fighting changed his flavor and story from the baseline Ranger quite a bit.
The rules were also much simpler. Implementation of the new rules via VTT was simple (we played using Roll20). Deft Explorer reduces the need to negotiate with the DM about when/how to gain advantage on skill checks since you will have Expertise on one of the Ranger’s signature skills. Favored Foe means more dice for damage. It doesn’t combine well with most Ranger spells, but it gave a nice boost to the average damage done. Thrown Weapon Fighting let me hurl 3 daggers in a round, and when all hit the small damage of the weapon combined with Favored Foe and Gathered Swarm became significant. Flinging out 3d4 (daggers) + 1d6 (Favored Foe) + 1d6 (Gathered Swarm) + 6 (Thrown Weapon Fighting) + 12 (Dex) is a significant first round attack potential. Plus, lots of dice!
More significant to me, was the fun of flavoring the Gathered Swarm. The connection to the fey spirits that are the swarm is what powers this subclass. How those appear is nearly infinite. The book suggests pixies, twig blights, birds, insects – do not limit yourself to those stories.
Thoumas’ swarm appears as significant number of cairn terriers. They can do anything another swarm can do, because these are fey spirits. How they do it is up to the player. In play I described the swarm as abnormally playful (terriers are basically fey creations anyway), to include the way they fetched the thrown daggers after the combat (this is essentially Mage Hand, reskinned).
There was also description of Thoumas reaching down to pet his swarm. They don’t exist except as spirits, except when they manifest, but the natural habit of his time with dogs in reality emerges frequently. He converses and experiences life as if these are real cairn terriers.
Part of my build process for any character is to imagine where they are from and how they became heroes. It informs my play. Often using the Traits, Ideals, Bonds, Flaws from the chosen Background, the vision that emerges helps inform roleplay in the game.
Personality Traits Rich folk don’t know the satisfaction of hard work. I am unmoved by the wrath of nature. Ideals Balance. Do not hunt the same spot twice in a row; suppress your greed, and nature will reward you. (Neutral) Bonds I will hunt the many famous forests of this land. Flaws I am inclined to tell long-winded stories at inopportune times.
Thoumas is from a small village, and even then he lived on the outskirts, separated from the other families by a small wood out in the southeast corner of the map.
He, and his family, hunted, but never over-hunted the region. The Kern clan of gnomes were tied to the land, working as a bridge between the people and the animals. This helped explain why he became a Ranger, eventually. As a gnome (or halfling) having a pack of terriers help the family just made sense. Pets are fun, both in real life and in gaming. Including working pets in the apocryphal world of D&D is something I do frequently.
Overall, Thoumas felt as powerful as the other characters, but again, more important than the power was the story that could be told of this tiny man with a swarm of terriers serving him as an extra set of hands and even some pesky little biting.
Full Moon Storytelling 