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1500 questions
84
votes
14 answers
What should I do about a religious player who refuses to accept the existence of multiple gods in D&D?
I am working on a campaign which I am going to run for a group of friends, all of whom are new to D&D.
I was discussing available classes with one of the players, more specifically classes with access to magic and the differences between them. I…
eeeee
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83
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12 answers
Is saying "Your PC wouldn't do that" to a player denying their agency?
In a comment to my answer to What would be the side effects on a Druid of wearing metal armor?, @Kevin asked:
"So, RAW a druid will never choose to wear metal armor or use metal shields, so the main thrust of the question is based on a flawed…
Dale M
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83
votes
5 answers
How can I stop myself from micromanaging other PCs' actions?
I’ve been having a problem in D&D. I love the game, perhaps too much.
I keep finding myself trying to control the other players' characters (telling them what they should do, or where to go), and I want to stop. I’m ruining everyone’s fun. And I…
Erik
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82
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4 answers
OD&D said it could be played with 20-50 players and one referee. How was that expected to work and still be fun?
Original D&D is often the shorthand name for the 1974 Dungeons & Dragons, Vol. 1, Men & Magic, written by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The section on "Scope" has this quote:
Number of Players: At least one referee and from four to fifty players can…
Thunderforge
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82
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1 answer
Where do I find the "official" rules for D&D 5e?
I play D&D 5e and sometimes come here with questions. But sometimes I see things referenced here as sources that I don't have or am not aware of....
Which are the "official rules" for D&D 5e, and where do I find them?
nitsua60
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82
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13 answers
Can a Black Dragon Hatchling be raised to be good? Or is it inherently evil?
The following came up during my campaign:
The characters got their hands on some Black Dragon eggs. The PCs put out the thought that if they got the eggs to hatch, they could raise the dragons to be "good".
In canon D&D, can a Black Dragon…
Iajitsu
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82
votes
1 answer
What's the inspiration for the owlbear?
The standard explanation for the owlbear in-universe is "A Wizard Did It." Which is fine, as far as it goes, because the trope of "madman tinkering with bizarre mutations" is part of our speculative fiction ethos.
But what fractured mind actually…
BESW
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82
votes
23 answers
How can a GM quickly create interesting, engaging NPCs?
What techniques do people have for coming up with interesting personalities and histories for non-player characters? I'm mostly interested in the GM side of things. I don't want to do a ton of prep. I need a system that will help me brainstorm…
Adam Dray
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82
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7 answers
How can I get a player to accept that they should stop trying to pull stunts without thinking them through first?
How can I get a player to accept that they should stop trying to pull stunts without thinking them through first?
To explain the issue, one of the players in my game wants to assassinate a high-ranking government official. I have mentioned several…
Maiko Chikyu
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82
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22 answers
How can I avoid players spending too much time planning?
Several times when I have played in or ran a game in which the players had an objective and reasonable resources, a lot of (real) time was spent trying to plan for every contingency.
For example, the last part of one objective is "Get Away". This…
Quentin
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82
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17 answers
How should a DM resolve a smooth-talking player with a weak Charisma score PC?
If a player is naturally a smooth-talker, does well with on-the-spot dialogue, is instinctively persuasive, and is overall great in social situations, but role-plays a character with a poor Charisma score, what is the advised course of action to…
He Who Rules As Intended
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82
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4 answers
What happens when my players get promoted and their puns stop working?
In Paranoia 2nd edition, player names are structured as firstname-clearance-sector. The first name can be anything, the clearance starts out as R for Red, and the sector can be any three capital letters. The rulebook strongly advises that this is…
ymbirtt
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81
votes
11 answers
How can I suggest the DM stop trying to kill us?
We have been playing a game for a while now, and while the game itself is quite enjoyable, the only problem is that the DM seems to be aiming to kill us. Sort of.
For example, there have been three situations where a player has been caught in a…
Ben
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81
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10 answers
How should I respond to a DM who unfairly plays the "rules-lawyer" card?
My question: How would you, as an experienced role-player, deal with this situation?
I was recently invited to join a 4e startup goup. I've RP'd a fair bit in my day, but not in decades, and never D&D.
To prepare I pick up a PHB1 and research my…
dmc
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81
votes
16 answers
How do I get my players to form a party without just forcing them to?
I believe that it is generally a good thing that all the PCs travel together, as a "party". This way the GM has to manage one environment – not, say, five. The problem is how the GM can ensure such a relationship between the characters.
One simple…
Vorac
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