Brainstorming DM Ideas

Dranis230
edited April 2012 in General Discussion
I think that a forum topic about DM's coming up with ideas is a good idea, for me and for my fellow monster-chucker-in-arms. so here it is, you don't have to spill the guts of your campaign, just some ideas to help the creative process. But please before you copy ideas get permission from the idea maker unless they specifically state that anyone can use their idea(s). Thank you OP forums, I hope to see your ideas soon.

Comments

  • RaseCidraen
    RaseCidraen
    Posts: 890
    I originally read this and thought it said Barnstorming and got all excited, as there's not enough of that going around.

    I haven't got any ideas that wouldnt spoil my current campaigns, unfortunately, and my players all read these forums!
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,999
    Yes, I participate in a private group for this.

    Just trying to help out.

  • RobertBenton
    RobertBenton
    Posts: 46
    What exactly are you looking for? Monsters, traps, plot twists, or something else altogether? Being as I SUCK at using the campaign page, I don't care about coming here and dumping my story, just tell me what you want.
  • rayezilla
    rayezilla
    Posts: 3
    Plot lines are interesting to share, but my most powerful scenes have been ones where I throw in an environmental feature and relate gameplay to it. Thing like the rainstorm, the sweltering day, the bloody handprint on the wall.
  • dlaporte7271
    dlaporte7271
    Posts: 94
    I second your comment rayezilla...I have had a similar experience with images off the web. Like most on the Portal, I'm adding images from lots of sources to my site. I find that I often create a story line based on the contents of a particularly cool image. If you can't create your own images from your story, you can create a story from your images.

    dlaporte
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,011
    Simplify things: New Rules, House Rules, etc.
    Think of what you want to present. Cut it down to 10% of what it was.
    See how you can present it in a single line of text.


    twiggyleaf
    "Shimring - The Faces of Divinity":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shimring
    (a multiplanar 3.5 D&D campaign)

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

  • Dranis230
    Posts: 9
    Well like this idea i had for a mechanical vehicle, make it a template for humanoids and add temp hp to their base, when the temp hp is depleted the vehicle is then destroyed, so you don't have to add a whole new monster to an encounter to make it higher level. Remember I'm playing D&D 4e so my ideas wont work in other games like pathfinder most of the time.
  • RobertBenton
    RobertBenton
    Posts: 46
    I have made potions only previde temporary hp, and salves recover it. Potions can only be carried in potion bottles which are on potion belts which only have 6 spaces. Salves, however, can be placed in snake-skin pouches that hold roughly 10 uses.

    Don't tell your players they are hallucinating, just add them in. Have them roll perception checks and if they FAIL tell them they hear/see/smell the hallucination. The same works with paranoia. If they FAIL the check then they should think the food is poisoned, the person is watching them, something is right behind them etc.

    Dreams are not real... when you wake up. But until they know it's a dream, that reality is just as real as the waking world. The difference is in the waking world, escape is possible. In a dream the door always leads where the dream wants you to go.

    Nightmares do not count as rest. After two to three days of unrestfull nights, ability scores start taking hits, with the mind being the first to go. Paranoia, hallucinations, narcolepsy, fatigue, hysteria, accute paralyzing fear, the list goes on.

    Even the creatures from the far realms have discernable anatomies, which means they have the same vitals in the same places. If a rogue wants to cut a mindflayer open to see where the heart is, they'll know where that heart is for future fights.

    There's a little look into my campaign practices. Its not mindblowing, and its possibly useless, but it might help up the difficulty and space out your campaign a little.
  • GamingMegaverse
    GamingMegaverse
    Posts: 2,999
    Robert Benton- Love the nightmares thought... going to steal that.
    killervp
    "A God...Rebuilt":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/a-god-rebuilt
    "Duskreign's First Ever COTM":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/wyrmshadow/wiki_pages/112011
    "OP's COTM April 2012":http://blog.obsidianportal.com/a-god-rebuilt-aprils-cotm/

    Just trying to help out.

  • RobertBenton
    RobertBenton
    Posts: 46
    killervp- I'm using dreams as a whole for my campaign. If you want I can discuss some of my ideas with you.
  • Dranis230
    Posts: 9
    killervp, awesome, that is pretty nice ideas right there, also what are your takes on firearms internet? Mine is a crossbow with modified rules, lore wise the charge is an alchemical substance that is highly combustible that also helps to start magical reactions like a freezing bullet or a poisoned shell.
  • RobertBenton
    RobertBenton
    Posts: 46
    I prefer clockwork technology, but my world uses no magic or divinity. Try out this:
    Bullets are less accurate due to being a new invention. Reduce effective range by taking a crossbows range and halving it. Then take the damage up one dice within size categories and take crits up one as well. Reload as a full round action.

    or you could go the Final Fantasy XII route with guns being more status/elemental effects and crossbows being more damage.
  • twiggyleaf
    twiggyleaf
    Posts: 2,011
    I don't play with firearms. (LOL! Real life too) but I agree with your assessment, Robert. Earlier guns were much less accurate and effective range was also pretty poor. I also agree with your CRIT upgrade as early "bullets" introduced a devastating SHOCK aspect to ranged weapons.


    twiggyleaf
    "Shimring - The Faces of Divinity":http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/shimring
    (a multiplanar 3.5 D&D campaign)

    "I met a traveller from an antique land....."

    CotM May 2016: Mysteria: set in Wolfgang Baur’s MIDGARD.

    Previous CotM Aug 2012: Shimring: High Level Multiplanar Campaign

    Inner Council Member

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