tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post3275135923855161505..comments2023-04-26T02:25:00.179-07:00Comments on The Frothy Friar: Adventure Ruining SpellsThe Frothy Friarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11239287980636452197noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-4988239421587341292010-03-03T07:32:28.444-08:002010-03-03T07:32:28.444-08:00The problem is, the rules state one thing and the ...The problem is, the rules state one thing and the players come to accept that as law. If you curse a character, they will automatically assume that it can be dispelled in a short amount of time with a minimum of effort because the rules tell them so. For a DM to stop them in their tracks and say "Sorry, in this instance I'm changing the rule and that doesn't work" makes the players feel like you are 'out to get them' or that you will be changing the rules that they are familiar with at a moments notice whenever it suits the DMs needs. <br /><br />I understand that the rules are merely guidelines and sometimes changes need to be made, but they are also the basis of the entire game that everyone has studied and become familiar with and make changes in the DMs favor on the fly could set up an "Us vs. Them" attitude.The Frothy Friarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11239287980636452197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-3631239812492164132010-02-26T11:08:07.134-08:002010-02-26T11:08:07.134-08:00Interesting. I have noticed how everyone and thei...Interesting. I have noticed how everyone and their sister seems to rail about spells ruining games, the magic system wrecking everything, etc. But really, it is not the spells that are making it difficult for you--it is your understanding and approach to magic and spells that is the real culprit. Yep. It is your own fault, sort of--no offense meant. You see, the spells are presented with no real context for their existence or operation beyond the vague, ambiguous so-called Vancian mechanics and left at that. This does you no favors as a DM. In the instance of a curse that you do not want the players to just remove with one spell, take a step back for a moment and get some perspective. Is this curse equivalent to a spell cast by a character of a specific level? Or is it the equivalent of an Artifact or the work of a God or somesuch? Curses can be ramped-up just as much as a fighters' attacks can be or a Thief's skills can improve...and they ought to increase in nastiness, especially if they are the left-overs of a perfidious prehuman race of serpentfolk, or the twisted work of mind-blasted cultists, or whatever. PCs are not the epitome nor acme of all there is in a world, they are (mybe) the best at what they do, perhaps, but there is far more to a world than a bunch of unwashed grave-robbing vandals can even imagine...and a curse that they can repeal or revoke with a single spell is a weak curse indeed...do you allow a 3rd level fighter to casually decapitate a 20th level fighter in fair combat? This is a similar situation, if you think about it. But then, that's just one opinion. YMMVnetherwerkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08361800925618339097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-85490908942109115402010-02-19T15:18:19.824-08:002010-02-19T15:18:19.824-08:00Yup.
We instigated firm character sheet vetting ...Yup. <br /><br />We instigated firm character sheet vetting procedures after that one. Players would often deliberately seek out games run by a particular Monty Haul DM who thought he was funny, gather up the 'quirky' magic items that he created and then move on to other DMs' worlds, causing havoc as they went.Daddy Grognardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05559857164172090739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-7373992512128818782010-02-19T14:09:17.348-08:002010-02-19T14:09:17.348-08:00Vorpal Frisbee huh? did it glow blue and return to...Vorpal Frisbee huh? did it glow blue and return to TRON's hand...I mean...the character's hand after he threw it?The Frothy Friarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11239287980636452197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-64595347397580899722010-02-19T13:18:27.041-08:002010-02-19T13:18:27.041-08:00Geas - hehehe...I was playing in a campaign once a...Geas - hehehe...I was playing in a campaign once and I came up with what I thought was a foolproof way to stop party bickering, backstabbing and downright treachery by drawing up a contract of co-operation and binding every party member to it by Geas. It worked, sure, only insofar as everyone tried their level best to provoke everyone else into breaking it, just to see them die. <br /><br />Adventure-ruining magic items - one DM I knew failed to check the magic item list of a player who'd come into the adventure from someone else's campaign (happened a lot with our group back in the day) and could only watch as the character in question decapitated a Pit Fiend with a vorpal frisbee...Daddy Grognardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05559857164172090739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-11877176873375445712010-02-19T12:32:29.105-08:002010-02-19T12:32:29.105-08:00true, but unfortunately, most of the "Remove&...true, but unfortunately, most of the "Remove" spells are around 5th or 6th level caster spells see even that early they are rendered moot.The Frothy Friarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11239287980636452197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2395408718428935037.post-17381707642512032052010-02-19T12:17:04.859-08:002010-02-19T12:17:04.859-08:00Curses are for low level PCs. Geas is the way to &...Curses are for low level PCs. Geas is the way to "curse" your badass players... Saving Throw: None :)rainswepthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06165059567790555748noreply@blogger.com