Role-playing Games Stack Exchange
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1500 questions
39
votes
9 answers

How to run a campaign for intelligent players with idiot PCs?

I've just started a pathfinder campaign, and all of the players have taken intelligence as their dump stat. This is causing problems, because usually I depend on knowledge checks to determine what they know about pretty much everything plot relevant…
Benubird
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How to use, and not to overuse, Insight skill checks?

I've recently begun DMing a 5th edition D&D campaign after a long time of quiescence as Dungeon Master. I really like this new take on D&D, but still, soon a problem has resurfaced, that is: the (paranoid) use of the Insight (or, as of 3rd edition,…
Stormur
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How can I take multiple fighting styles?

For a fighter in D&D 5e, I can take one fighting style as part of the character creation. At third level, I can choose a martial archetype (Champion) which will later (at 10th level) allow me to choose an additional fighting style. Is there any…
Ben
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Is it practical to run a weekly lunch-hour game of D&D with my coworkers?

I'm looking to get some of my coworkers together and start a lunch time, casual, D&D game. Has anyone done this - is there a practical way to do this? Our lunch breaks run for about 1 hour, but I can see being able to make one weekly break run for…
blueberryfields
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5 answers

How to reward players that come prepared for non-combat, non-RP situations? I.e., real life

For example, players who either spend their starting gold on combat gear, but not items like bedrolls and rations; or who, at char creation, simply ignored the equipment packs and just loaded up on the combat gear and tools? While I don't want to be…
Khashir
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39
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8 answers

How do I map a 15' cone to a 1" grid?

I've been playing 5e for a while now, and mercifully this hasn't come up yet, but it's definitely on it's way. When a caster casts burning hands, how is that properly mapped onto a standard 1" battle mat? The easy response is a 3x3 square, and…
wax eagle
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4 answers

Do negative Hit Points exist in D&D 5e?

Say that a character has 5 HP remaining and is dealt 10 damage from an attack. Of course, 5 - 10 = -5, so the character has dropped below 0 Hit Points and follows the rules for making death saving throws (provided they didn't get dealt enough damage…
Thunderforge
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10 answers

What should a GM do about players using magic in unforeseen game-breaking ways?

Firstly, a quick anecdote. In our most recent Pathfinder session our cleric jokingly mentioned he will soon be able to summon 1d3 dolphins. Another player then mentioned that some dolphins (orca) can weigh up to 10 tonnes. We then had the great idea…
stphven
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9 answers

DM taking away XP from players as a form of punishment

So I got a group of friends in high school and were all nerds but with no way to play together. Not all of us had a computer or console. We found someone who claims to have a lot of experience as a DM, and I have to admit he's pretty good. Here's…
Player of Fun
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5 answers

What are the "Dark Powers"?

What are the dark powers in Ravenloft? I'm not asking for a list, but rather a description of these entities.
C. Ross
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5 answers

How can I deal with a 'bump on a log player' who doesn't really do anything except when told?

I GM a World of Darkness group every other weekend, and I've come across what I like to call a "Bump-on-a-log" player. This player has been with my game since I started it up, and we're now transistioning from a post-apoc core WoD story to a more…
WhiteWolfDM
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3 answers

Were Illithids inspired by Cthulhu?

Mind Flayers seem to look a whole lot like Cthulhu. Is there any relationship/inspiration between the two?
LeguRi
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3 answers

What is the history and significance of the "dire" prefix to creatures?

Some animals in Pathfinder bestiaries are prefixed with "dire". Does this come from the wolf species Canis dirus, an early edition monster/template or something else? Where does this come from and what significance does it have to these enemies?
StuperUser
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11 answers

How can a party move 10,000 pounds of gold?

The party has found the Vault of Dragons from the Waterdeep: Dragon Heist module. They've managed to play two of the BBEGs against each other and have neutralized the 'enemy' factor of the module, have also managed to fly under the radar of…
aaron9eee
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5 answers

Can a lich be controlled by control undead?

If it is possible, which to me just does not seem at all fair to a lich, are there ways to avoid this silly little thing? If you have the feat or spell and the lich rolls badly, he is essentially dead, because the next question the controller would…
Quartzen
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