Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Muddball 09-15-05, 12:43 PM	or, What we've Been Doing Wrong, is what me and my players call the inevitable pre-game explanation of what rules i wasen't following correctly, what monster ability i forgot about, and many many other mistakes that are made due to inexperence. just some lessions i've learned over the few short months of DMing that might help others (or feel free to post your own) 1) triping is an unarmed attack, unless made with a weapon that states that it can trip 2) you can't trip a golem (think about the weight) 3) regenration turns MAGIC damage into subtle damage also 4) not remembering spells is dangrious, because you end up with Horizikaul's boom becoming a 1d8+1/level sonic damage 20 radius area of effect spell. 5) not remembering that vile damage can only be cured in the area of a consicate spell renders the vile damage the player takes kinda moot 6) Damage reduction entrys should be very carefully read 7) no, 30 HP is not alot of hit points 8) the discreption of monsters can often frighten off players much, much better then any fear spell or stat block
weasel fierce 09-15-05, 01:32 PM	Never assume the players will do something specific, because they wont :) If you introduce a completely uninteresting NPC, odds are one of the players will be convinced that the NPC is extremely important to the adventure Dont throw random combat encounters at the party, for no good reason Dont require dice rolls for something, unless A: There's a realistic chance of not succeeding and B: The character's failing would give an interesting twist Know when to say no Know when to say yes
ShadowDragon8685 09-15-05, 02:27 PM	*snip* 8) the discreption of monsters can often frighten off players much, much better then any fear spell or stat block No no. That's what you've been doing right. :evillaugh
green_yawgmoth 09-15-05, 02:59 PM	Know when to say no Know when to say yes Both very, very true. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v91/yawgmoth/kittyjig.gif
Berzerker_prime 09-15-05, 03:04 PM	If you introduce a completely uninteresting NPC, odds are one of the players will be convinced that the NPC is extremely important to the adventure. And on that same token... If you introduce a very memorable NPC, odds are that none of the players will find him interesting and be convinced that he has nothing to do with the adventure. Also... Don't rely on information given to the players to get things moving, even though it should, for they are conservative and oddly attached to their characters. Berz.
Skyscraper 09-15-05, 03:25 PM	In our last session, i had a displacer beast (reach 10') make an attack of opportunity against a cleric casting a cure spell 10' away, but behind (and thus benefitting from cover from) a fighter that was engaging the displacer beast in melee. Cover prevents attacks of opportunity and thus the beast should not have gotten that attack in. I had forgotten about that rule - and so had all players - until i realized my mistake 2 days later. The attack was successful, and the spell ruined after the cleric missed his concentration check. Sky
orionm42 09-15-05, 03:28 PM	2) you can't trip a golem (think about the weight) Where does this come from? I thought tripping was dependent on your opponent's size relative to you (i.e. you can only trip an opponent who is one size category larger than you, the same size, or smaller). What does the opponent's weight have to do with it?
SilverSabre25 09-15-05, 11:57 PM	-Rules lawyer yourself before they rules lawyer you. I had a player pull out a monster manual and read the entry for the creature they were fighting, then correct me on something I was doing wrong. I didn't notice her reading it because I was dealing with everyone else. She was right from a RAW standpoint, but since they were fighting a dread wraith that had been summoned by the Deck of Many Things, I should have said "Funny how artifacts can bend reality, isn't it?". -Don't use the Deck of Many Things. This can only lead to difficulty for you, the DM. It's a clever idea, yes, but unless you are prepared to deal with the consequenses, just...don't do it.
Gauze Fireforge 09-16-05, 03:48 AM	In our last session, i had a displacer beast (reach 10') make an attack of opportunity against a cleric casting a cure spell 10' away, but behind (and thus benefitting from cover from) a fighter that was engaging the displacer beast in melee. Cover prevents attacks of opportunity and thus the beast should not have gotten that attack in. I had forgotten about that rule - and so had all players - until i realized my mistake 2 days later. The attack was successful, and the spell ruined after the cleric missed his concentration check. Sky Soft Cover Player's Handbook, page 151 Soft cover works against ranged attacks, not melee attacks. In the first sentence of the paragraph, change “melee” to “ranged.” NO my friend you are actually correct. In the errata for soft cover (which this is) meele attacks are not subjected to soft cover, only ranges attacks are. Hopefully your player will realise that casting defensively is a good idea...still amazes me how my PC's being 18th-19th level forget that from time to time, usually at the end of a powerful giant... Regardless, there is not a session I DM where I hit myself on the head and go, damn, I forgot about that but even worse is when my ex-DM used to explain during combat what he forgot to do and therefore degraded significantly from the players perspective the sense of accomplishment in defeating the said foe. What ever you do, if u forget an ability, keep it to yourself and then hit them with it when the foe reappears or his clan come calling.
Fixxxer 09-16-05, 04:33 AM	2) you can't trip a golem (think about the weight) This is incorrect. Why should you not be able to trip a flesh golem? It doesn't weigh any more than an ogre. If you want to make it more difficult to trip an exceptionally heavy beast like an iron golem, give them the +4 bonus for being exceptioanlly stable that the core rules mention. If you need a visual image, think about the imperial walkers from The Empire Strikes Back. They were tripping those huge things with pieces of wire no bigger around than a human thumb.
Nom 09-16-05, 07:38 AM	NO my friend you are actually correct. In the errata for soft cover (which this is) meele attacks are not subjected to soft cover, only ranges attacks are.Quite correct. And from the very beginning of the section, we see that melee attacks from non-adjacent squares use the "ranged" cover rules. The errata merely fixes the error in the "soft cover" section. It is not intended as a global negation of the non-adjacent cover rules.
Escef 09-16-05, 09:39 AM	Know when to say no Know when to say yes Know when to hold 'em (When to hold 'em) Know when to fold 'em (When to fold 'em) Know when to walk away, know when to run You never count your money, while you're sitting at the table There'll be time enough for counting, when the dealings done ... What? :embarrass
TheErsatzFacsimileOfMe 09-16-05, 09:55 AM	Know when to hold 'em (When to hold 'em) Know when to fold 'em (When to fold 'em) Know when to walk away, know when to run You never count your money, while you're sitting at the table There'll be time enough for counting, when the dealings done ... What? :embarrass Singing Kenny Rogers at the gaming table (or boards for that matter)
Fixxxer 09-16-05, 05:03 PM	Singing Kenny Rogers at the gaming table (or boards for that matter) ...will get you beaten with a green rubber hose.
orionm42 09-16-05, 05:18 PM	...will get you beaten with a green rubber hose. Well in THAT case.... *ahem* *cough* *ahem* Islands in the stream That is what we are No one in between How can we be wrong Sail away with me To another world And we rely on each other, ah ha From one lover to another, ah ha I like rubber hoses!! :D I picked a duet! Do I still get the hose treatment? Edit: And do I get bonus lashes for picking a song written by the Bee Gees?
olshanski_home 09-16-05, 05:38 PM	just some lessions i've learned over the few short months of DMing that might help others (or feel free to post your own) You should fire your teacher. 2) you can't trip a golem (think about the weight) Yes you can, a storm giant with a spiked chain should have no problem tripping any golem. A raging, enlarged half-orc barbarian with improved trip should be able to drop clay or flesh golems most of the time, and a 50% chance or so to trip iron or stone golems. 3) regenration turns MAGIC damage into subtle damage also No damage is subtle. Some damage is non-lethal, but most damage that penetrates regeneration will be magic... flaming swords, scorching ray, acid arrow, etc. 6) Damage reduction entrys should be very carefully read So should all other rules. 7) no, 30 HP is not alot of hit points it is for a 1st or 2nd level fighter, or for a 4th or 5th level wizard. 8) the discreption of monsters can often frighten off players much, much better then any fear spell or stat block.If fear spells ever frighten players then you have bigger problems than just getting rules straight.
SwitchUK 09-16-05, 09:26 PM	Funnily enough, I saw the thread title, and thought it meant something like "What Would Big Dave Want?"
Didge 09-16-05, 09:44 PM	3) regenration turns MAGIC damage into subtle damage also No damage is subtle. That is correct sir. Hiyo! As for my own goof, when I last DM'd I screwed up when the wizard cast Fireball at a wall that had arrow slits and creatures firing crossbow bolts at the party. I forgot, and the player playing the wizard didn't correct me or remember either, that Fireball is a Burst effect. *doh* That battle lasted longer than it should have, but it did give my players some time to think, "gee, maybe assaulting a keep head-on isn't the best strategy." If that's the price I have to pay, I'm glad because now they look at things and go, hmmm...before trying to burst in head-first.
Cyric 09-16-05, 09:56 PM	If left completely to their own devices, pc's will sit in the tavern drinking ale forever.
FriendoftheDork 09-16-05, 10:07 PM	That is correct sir. Hiyo! As for my own goof, when I last DM'd I screwed up when the wizard cast Fireball at a wall that had arrow slits and creatures firing crossbow bolts at the party. I forgot, and the player playing the wizard didn't correct me or remember either, that Fireball is a Burst effect. *doh* That battle lasted longer than it should have, but it did give my players some time to think, "gee, maybe assaulting a keep head-on isn't the best strategy." If that's the price I have to pay, I'm glad because now they look at things and go, hmmm...before trying to burst in head-first. In that case the targets behind the arrow slits gets a cover bonus to reflex save AND improved evasion. Arrow slits works very well against fireballs, kinda like bunkers works well against explotions.
TheNatealator 09-16-05, 11:01 PM	-PCs will plan for rediculously long amounts of time for what you meant to be simple challenges, and will charge in blindly against overwhelming odds. -For some reason, most players don't want ther characters do die :confused: :P
Super_Demolition_Christ 09-16-05, 11:09 PM	30 HP is NEVER a lot of HP NEVER Alot of HP is over 200
Fixxxer 09-16-05, 11:25 PM	30 HP is NEVER a lot of HP NEVER Alot of HP is over 200 You must be smoking crack. A 7th level wizard with a CON score of 12 or 13 might have 30 hit points...and that's assuming he rolls maximum hit points at every level. Most PCs are not likely to ever have 200 hp. Yes, 200 hp is a lot of hit points. That doesn't mean that 100, 50 or even 30 isn't a lot as well.
TheChilliGod 09-16-05, 11:43 PM	-When it says that a swarm of spiders is Diminutive, it means the spiders themselves, not the swarm. -A swarm of spiders is immune to weapon damage (the one I sent against the party died to a crossbow bolt) -There are such things as 2nd and 3rd lvl NPC's. (Leader of a thieves guild? Captain of the town guard? Head cleric of a big temple? 1st level, the lot of them. ) -Always have multiple creatures in a battle unless necessary, there's a good chance one will die to a critical in the first round (Stupid Gricks...) -Every player wants to be in the limelight, whether it's in combat, roleplaying or being annoying. (Thus, it's really aggravating when, while in a town shopping, one PC goes to the town guard, one to the thieves guild, one to the inn and one to the blacksmith, and they ALL want to talk to somebody at the same time. Same problem with hold person and paralysis) -My Players like celebrity NPC's. (Such as the legendary minotaur paladin with an ECL of 28 and a holy "give the newbies a chance" attitude, or a PC from a different campaign) -Never, never, NEVER bring Mexican Tortillas to a session. (There's more food on the floor than on the tortillas themselves, and the smell after is terrible.) -Keep It Simple. (An exalted Hound Archon paladin/sword of righteousness with feats and spells to make Heironeous cry is NOT a good idea for a first-ever NPC.
Nom 09-17-05, 02:20 AM	That is correct sir. Hiyo! As for my own goof, when I last DM'd I screwed up when the wizard cast Fireball at a wall that had arrow slits and creatures firing crossbow bolts at the party. I forgot, and the player playing the wizard didn't correct me or remember either, that Fireball is a Burst effect.To add to what FotD said, burst effects are still subject to Line of Effect, which means the holes need to be at least 1 square foot in size. Arrow slits typically are not. Of course, the smart thing to do is read the fireball description which explicitly allows you to make a ranged touch attack to shoot the charge through the arrow slit, and then have it burst on the other side. That is how you deal with arrow slits.
The_Elder 09-17-05, 04:43 AM	-Keep It Simple. (An exalted Hound Archon paladin/sword of righteousness with feats and spells to make Heironeous cry is NOT a good idea for a first-ever NPC. That hurts even trying to concidder.....adn i thought I wass bad creating a Roge20/asason10/shadowdancer10 (LN due to a helm of opisit alingment) The:dice:Elder *edit* just remembered the wiz20/sorc1 anchent wyrm gold dragon
Muddball 09-18-05, 08:54 PM	This is incorrect. Why should you not be able to trip a flesh golem? It doesn't weigh any more than an ogre. If you want to make it more difficult to trip an exceptionally heavy beast like an iron golem, give them the +4 bonus for being exceptioanlly stable that the core rules mention. They WERE able to trip the flesh golem, just not the iron golem. If you need a visual image, think about the imperial walkers from The Empire Strikes Back. They were tripping those huge things with pieces of wire no bigger around than a human thumb. yea, and might i add that in that same series of moves little furry bears broke a scifi ARMY with sticks and stones. STICKS AND STONES
Fixxxer 09-18-05, 11:25 PM	They WERE able to trip the flesh golem, just not the iron golem. That's not what you said. The way you phrased your statement is highly suggestive that you inend that no golem should be able to be tripped under any circumstances. I disagree. If it has legs, I will find a way to knock them from under it. yea, and might i add that in that same series of moves little furry bears broke a scifi ARMY with sticks and stones. STICKS AND STONES And that means that golems can't be tripped? The warriors of Zululand held off a more disciplined, better trained army that had firearms for a long time and all the Zulus had was hand weapons (mostly shortspears and shields made from leather). As another poster on this forum points out in his signature, the common people of Ethiopia disabled modern tanks...by ripping the treads off with their bare hands! I'd hardly consider the Imperial Stormtroopers to be an exceptional army, given that they couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if you gave them three shots, their organizational skills were crap and they tended towards head-on bullrush tactics, as opposed to smarter guerilla fighting. A small force of ten year olds could probably have beaten them.