RPG ideas to steal. Spooky words. Author's thoughts.
This is an easy tie. I can’t choose one over the other.
Brainstealer dragon. Take a dragon, make them also a mind flayer. Epic, massive, brilliant, and a devastating NPC or villain.
Draco Lich. Take a dragon, make them also a fully decked out lich. How is that not the most intimidating dragon in the multiverse?
The power and roleplay possibilities with those two dragons are seemingly limitless. Also, they look badass.
While I try not to use them too often, vampires are easily one of my favorite creatures to throw my PCs against. They can have complex morals and motivations. They could still run on a draconian law or mentality that they refuse to release. They could be privy some secrets that influences their decisions, giving them insight that makes their seemingly wrong decisions gray. They can use clever lies or honeyed-truthful words to sway others into a decision. They can also be feral- either switching from civil to monster in a flash or always being that instinct-driven beast.
The versatility and their easily hidden but still complex motives make vampires my favorite creature in DnD. This can also apply to many creatures that share a vicious but mindful duality, creatures such as mind flayers, beholders, and driders.
(also they can be a player race, which adds to their potential complexities and fun)
I’m a size tiny sprite witch.
Our party is in the fifth straight hour of battling cultists in a dungeon.
I’m low on spells.
Enemy mage casts a spell.
I roll spellcraft and recognize what the spell is. It will make ice spikes rise from the ground and impale all creatures in its radius.
Myself and our damage tank (Ji-Gon) are within the spell’s radius. We’re both dangerously low on hit points.
I knew the spell required a reflex save. Take no damage on save. Full damage on failure.
I spend a hero point to act out of turn, interrupting the mage’s action for one action of my own.
I need to get us both out of the spell’s radius. I’m a 12-inch tall sprite. Ji-Gon is a size large giant in full armor. I can’t dive tackle him and get us both out.
My reflex save is better than his.
I spend my action and cast a telekinesis spell, pushing him out of the spell’s area of effect.
The spell goes off.
I grit my teeth and roll my reflex save.
I have decent saves but bonuses for my size and high dex.
I roll a 3.
That’s not good enough.
A pillar of spike impales me, pinning me to the ceiling of the cave.
Massive damage, around 20 points into the negatives.
RIP.
Ji-Gon lived, slaying that mage a few turns later.
The other mage used spell slots each day to preserve my body so they could bury me at home after they completed the quest.
It was a beautiful death. It was a sad death. It was an epic moment in the story.
First, you hear him. The clanging of thick metal armor shifts with each forceful step. The only sound louder than his steps is the “breathing.” Rhythmic and horrid, it’s a noise like strips of moist jerky rattling within a throat. Continue reading “#DnDcember 3: Favorite NPC”
Most of the sprite/fairy playable races I’ve seen are homebrew. The problem with most of them is how unbalanced they are. Some have greater invisibility at will, perfect flight, and a host of powerful magical abilities that offer no drawbacks.
In Monte Cook’s Arcana Evolved, spryte is a playable race, and the balance and flavor of it is close to perfect. Continue reading “#DNDecember 1: Favorite Race”
Continue reading “Steal My Idea: Side Quest: The Ring of Exponential Value”
I’m not including stats for these traps and encounters. They are ideas you can use in basically any system and any level, so shape them according to your group.
Continue reading “Steal My Idea: Two Encounters and a Trap Your Players Won’t See Coming”
RexiconJesse - Jesse Galena 