I'm about to run my second module ever, the Waterdeep Dragon Heist, for a bunch of friends. Some of these friends have been playing for years and one of them decided his level 1 character should have Elven Armor, a Potion of Greater Healing, and a Potion of Poison. What would be the best way to approach this? I'm well aware that that's not appropriate level 1 equipment but I don't want to start a fight over it. I almost feel like he's testing me by doing this.
Also, any advice on running the campaign would be great. I've been expanding the world a bit with a market place for my players to explore but is there anything else I should flesh out first? Thanks so much!
Easy: Tell him no and make everyone use the standard starting equipment for a level one character--if everyone is being treated fairly there really is no reason to start a fight. You can let him know you have written down those items for future loot drops so it feels like his choices are still being kept in consideration, further mitigating any frustration in that player.
I have not run this particular module, but my general advice for any module is be prepared to go off script and do not get frustrated if your characters want to do something completely different than the module. Modules work best when they are treated like guidelines, rather than as actual stories.
Oh dear that doesn't sound like a good start and it hasn't even started... I mean if your right with your intuition that the player is "testing" you, it seems quite likely that's going to be a feature of your interactions with him for the campaign...
In the end it's all about communication it needs to be clear that he needs to communicate with you about that kind of stuff before slapping it down as fact on his character sheet.
Not run WDH looks like a cool adventure though I'm sure there are a few useful threads on the forum regarding it if no one chirps up about it here...
Am I right in thinking this Elven Chain so about (~4,000 gp) + potion of greater healing 100 gp + potion of poison 100gp So ~ 4200gp extra starting cash
Mmm... you know in Waterdeep's rougher areas I've heard they are liable to steal the shirt off one's back, I'm starting to understand why...
good luck and do remember to have fun wishing you all the best
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
You didn’t start a fight, your player did when they showed up with that gear. As you say they could be testing you or just trying to bully you, or it could be an honest mistake. There’s lots of ways to approach it. You can give them the benefit of the doubt, and say “I noticed your character’s gear is a bit different. Maybe I wasn’t clear, but in this campaign, we’re using the PHB starting gear for you class, so please make the adjustments.”
Or at the other end of the spectrum “Hey jerkwad, what kind of crap do you think you’re trying to pull with that gear. Use the normal stuff.”
Or maybe something in between. It will depend on the player and your relationship with them.
I'm about to run my second module ever, the Waterdeep Dragon Heist, for a bunch of friends. Some of these friends have been playing for years and one of them decided his level 1 character should have Elven Armor, a Potion of Greater Healing, and a Potion of Poison. What would be the best way to approach this? I'm well aware that that's not appropriate level 1 equipment but I don't want to start a fight over it. I almost feel like he's testing me by doing this.
Also, any advice on running the campaign would be great. I've been expanding the world a bit with a market place for my players to explore but is there anything else I should flesh out first? Thanks so much!
My players enjoy this frankly, break out a spread sheet, have your expendables tracked in a column that when they use, you mark it off, it also makes it where they don't have to try to do expendables in D&D beyond which isn't fun to do. Put the coin in there as well as scrolls. It gives the party a full view of what they are carrying.
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Hi there!
I'm about to run my second module ever, the Waterdeep Dragon Heist, for a bunch of friends. Some of these friends have been playing for years and one of them decided his level 1 character should have Elven Armor, a Potion of Greater Healing, and a Potion of Poison. What would be the best way to approach this? I'm well aware that that's not appropriate level 1 equipment but I don't want to start a fight over it. I almost feel like he's testing me by doing this.
Also, any advice on running the campaign would be great. I've been expanding the world a bit with a market place for my players to explore but is there anything else I should flesh out first? Thanks so much!
Easy: Tell him no and make everyone use the standard starting equipment for a level one character--if everyone is being treated fairly there really is no reason to start a fight. You can let him know you have written down those items for future loot drops so it feels like his choices are still being kept in consideration, further mitigating any frustration in that player.
I have not run this particular module, but my general advice for any module is be prepared to go off script and do not get frustrated if your characters want to do something completely different than the module. Modules work best when they are treated like guidelines, rather than as actual stories.
Oh dear that doesn't sound like a good start and it hasn't even started... I mean if your right with your intuition that the player is "testing" you, it seems quite likely that's going to be a feature of your interactions with him for the campaign...
In the end it's all about communication it needs to be clear that he needs to communicate with you about that kind of stuff before slapping it down as fact on his character sheet.
Not run WDH looks like a cool adventure though I'm sure there are a few useful threads on the forum regarding it if no one chirps up about it here...
Oh I just checked old Slyflourish seems he's done a WDH series I've always found his stuff super useful and insightful.
link -> https://slyflourish.com/dragon_heist_session_zero.html
Am I right in thinking this Elven Chain so about (~4,000 gp) + potion of greater healing 100 gp + potion of poison 100gp
So ~ 4200gp extra starting cash
Mmm... you know in Waterdeep's rougher areas I've heard they are liable to steal the shirt off one's back, I'm starting to understand why...
good luck and do remember to have fun wishing you all the best
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt, It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills, It comes first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter.” J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit, or There and Back Again
You didn’t start a fight, your player did when they showed up with that gear. As you say they could be testing you or just trying to bully you, or it could be an honest mistake.
There’s lots of ways to approach it. You can give them the benefit of the doubt, and say “I noticed your character’s gear is a bit different. Maybe I wasn’t clear, but in this campaign, we’re using the PHB starting gear for you class, so please make the adjustments.”
Or at the other end of the spectrum “Hey jerkwad, what kind of crap do you think you’re trying to pull with that gear. Use the normal stuff.”
Or maybe something in between. It will depend on the player and your relationship with them.
My players enjoy this frankly, break out a spread sheet, have your expendables tracked in a column that when they use, you mark it off, it also makes it where they don't have to try to do expendables in D&D beyond which isn't fun to do. Put the coin in there as well as scrolls. It gives the party a full view of what they are carrying.