Displaying items 1-10 of 62 in total of Like Dragon Like Son with the tag "tips".
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Changing the Way We Build Characters
Episode | April 21st, 2023 | 47 mins 42 secs
level 0, levelling up, rolling with emphasis, steal this character, subverting tropes, tips, weirdness
If you are like us, you've probably built more characters than you will ever play. But what if you had to play a character to build them? The idea is that as a 0 level character, you play in a short mini-campaign that showcases an influential time in your character's life that shaped who they would become. We discuss how this work with starting with only 2d6 in each ability score, gaining stats, skill, languages and spells as your character blossoms. We also discuss some fun ways to take the levels out of leveling up, and look at ways exciting ways to motivate players to lean into the role play of character development. We also discuss the idea of "rolling with emphasis".
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Rock The Clock Mechanic: Going Beyond The Timer
Episode | March 31st, 2023 | 40 mins 47 secs
clock mechanic, combat, tips, world building
Using a clock or counter system can dramatically overhaul how encounters play out. They can introduce a puzzle-like complexity, and increase the number of ways to win besides just doing damage. And they can add a dynamism to the active evolving world of your campaign setting. If you need some help getting clocks working in your game, now's the time!
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True Magic: How to Make Spellcasting Work Like It Does In The Movies
Episode | March 24th, 2023 | 1 hr 12 mins
casting, magic systems, spells, tips
We've all seen spells explode on the big screen and thought, "I want my character to be able to do that!" Then gone looking in the Player's Handbook only to find the closest thing to it is some 3rd level spell with a ridiculous number of restrictions. The World's Greatest RPG shouldn't be so disappointing. So the solution is simple: steal some magical ideas from other sources. We look at Ars Magica, Push Powered, as well as some of our own homebrew to find ways to create a new full spectrum of magical powers full of the sort of risks and rewards that makes the TTRPG hobby so much fun.
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How To Make Players More Invested
Episode | March 17th, 2023 | 1 hr 15 mins
adding flavor, dm skills, improv, npcs, plot points, social interaction, tips, weirdness
Ever get the feeling that, as a DM, the weight of the world rest upon your shoulders alone? That your players just show up expecting to be entertained? That there is a lot of pressure on you to look after everyone's feelings? But then who is looking after you? Join us as we look into how to deepen player involvement in the game, the story, and the enjoyment at your table
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Changing the Way We Play
Episode | November 11th, 2022 | 55 mins 10 secs
blades in the dark, breaking trope, dragonlance, other systems, tips
This episode began as a sneak peek into the upcoming Dragonlance release for 5e. We started talking about how the Squire of Solomnia feat looked like what we have been seeing in the One D&D playtest material around feats. And then we started talking about the important ways the game has evolved since Dragonlance first hit the scene, and how the game of D&D has grown, and how we as DMs have continued to expand our playstyle, continue to push outside the boundaries of RAW. Join us for a rollercoaster discussion that includes Blightheim, Blades in the Dark, and, alos a bit of Dragonlance.
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How To Tell Haunting Tales
Episode | October 26th, 2022 | 46 mins 40 secs
adding flavor, halloween, huantings, three pillars, tips, weirdness
Ghost stories are always fun to play -- especially around Halloween. Ghost hold a special status among D&D monsters. They aren't just sacks of HP that need to be smashed with an axe. They are creatures with unsettled business that requires deeper player involvement in order to truly vanquish the ghost. We look at some of the tools provided in Van Richten's guide and elsewhere that can turn your apparition into the haunting tale of adventure that no one will soon forget.
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How Good Is Rolling With Advantage?
Episode | October 17th, 2022 | 51 mins 12 secs
advantage, tips, weirdness
Everyone loves rolling dice. And rolling twice seems even more fun! But how does that really change your odds of success and by how much? The answer might surprise you. Rolling with advantage is more than a simple +5, it radically alters the likelihood of success. This week we dig into the statistics, and discuss ways that you can use the odds to your advantage.
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Is Spelljammer a Bit of a Thin Update?
Episode | August 27th, 2022 | 49 mins 44 secs
adding flavor, cosmic horror, revised, spelljammer, tips, weirdness
As much as we love all things D&D, there are moments when we stop and ask: "Is that all you are giving me?" As experienced DMs we do a lot of homebrew, but that's not the case for everyone. And there is something nice about having a ruleset that is standardized between tables. So when we are looking at a scant 60 pages of Astral Adventurer's Guide, there's a lot more we need to bring to Spelljammer. This week, Jay and Jack talk about all the pre-existing resources that can be adapted to your Spelljammer campaign.
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Beyond Oathbreaker: Making Edgy Paladins
Episode | April 15th, 2022 | 1 hr 1 min
oath of conquest, oath of vengeance, oathbreakers, paladins, steal this character, subverting tropes, tips, warlocks, weirdness
Sometimes we get misled by the name of a subclass, and probably none more so than Oathbreaker. We discuss where this unusual subclass comes from, the weird quirks it offers, and how to build something better. We also clear up the old javelin vs. spear debate (and why your Paladin might want to switch to spears). And we do some comparisons with Warlock, noting how Paladins are about the oath they make, and Warlocks are about who they make the oath to -- and how that affects the way you might want to roleplay them.
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Adventures at Sea
Episode | April 4th, 2022 | 51 mins 34 secs
adding flavor, pirate, sailor, sea elf, steal this character, subverting tropes, tips, triton, weirdness
From the decks of a ship to the bottom of the ocean, nothing says adventure like the life at sea. This week we look at ways that players and DMs can create characters and environments well adapted to water-borne combat.