So I just started a homebrew going really well! I have this idea sort of like silence of the lambs when bill is in the dark with Jodie. Problems I'm running into is bc the serial killer kenku is gonna mimic other players voices and having a hard time mechanically preventing them from meta gaming. Clearly the player isn't saying this so it's the kenku. With that luring the player to him to get a cheap shot in before gets to the main fight. It will be magical darkness bc everything has dark vision.
I'm not familiar with the setup from the movie, but it sounds like you want to put your players in the dark and taunt them with a creature that can mimic other players' voices.
This would require some prep and for you to explain that you need something from your players before getting started. If you're in person, record all of them saying a few different lines of dialogue that you will use to taunt with, things like "I'm over here" or " don't go that way!" During the game when darkness is cast, have all of your players blindfold themselves and continue playing (*very* theatre of the mind), and you play the sound clips when you need them. Direct your players to only speak in character except for saying I move 15 ft this way or that, and that they have to figure this out with just their sense of hearing as much as possible.
If you're on a VTT, I would use decoy tokens and pings to show where they are hearing voices from, as well as light and vision effects (if available) to try to control what they can and cannot see. Not as theatrical, but it would work. And again I'd instruct my players to only talk in character and narration as much as possible.
On a VTT you could also split them up onto separate but identical maps. You can do the same with multiple tokens to show where they're hearing each other from, but that way each players "blind" experience is unique and more difficult to meta.
That's a fun question! Good luck
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Thanks,
- Brad (he/him)
Player Since 2020, DM Since 2022, Nerd Since Way Back
Just go for it. The players who are paying attention will benefit from paying attention, and they'll have fun because of it. What you want to accomplish is a moment where you can say, "You hear so-and-so's voice saying..." Place yourself between players, so that everything comes as GM narration. The players should always be asking whether the GM is accurately relaying speech from another player or employing the killer's deceit. If they guess right, more power to them, but the point is to get them guessing and to avoid giving perfect information. You'll be surprised by how little it takes to create confusion. I did this in a game a while ago, and it was a fun moment. Good luck!
Thank you! Idk about blind folding my players they may find that to be too much, especially for one of my players (poly couple had her in campaign for one reason). But the token idea is think you're onto something there! 2 tokens for each player, movement commands are to be texted to only me. Sucks that the session is literally today at 3pm est.
Thank you first off for replying, much appreciated. 2nd, one think I was thinking of is should it be a roll off of deception vs insight roll? Or should I leave it up to them to decide? Only thing I think would be bad about that is soon as they succeed game is up. 3rd, did you do a map or leave it up to in the mind?
Oh! I forgot to mention in my first post, this is my first time Dming. From what I have been told by my players that most isn't their first time some even in other campaigns currently. I got a compliment that they prefer my campaign to the other so far lol so I'm shocked bc I thought I was garbage.
I’d personally try and lean into the metagame and ask your players to play along. Tell them what you’re doing, and explain the situation, then ask them to go with it in character. Yes, I think the kenku would make a deception roll. (Probably vs the characters passive insight, unless they want to spend an action thinking about it.)
Then tell the player, you are sure it sounds like Bob’s character around the corner calling for help. And then you just need to trust them to act in character.
I’d personally try and lean into the metagame and ask your players to play along. Tell them what you’re doing, and explain the situation, then ask them to go with it in character. Yes, I think the kenku would make a deception roll. (Probably vs the characters passive insight, unless they want to spend an action thinking about it.)
Then tell the player, you are sure it sounds like Bob’s character around the corner calling for help. And then you just need to trust them to act in character.
Agreed. You could also hand out card (or msg) to players and tell them to read it as if their PC is saying it. Most folks will play along.
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"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
I’d personally try and lean into the metagame and ask your players to play along. Tell them what you’re doing, and explain the situation, then ask them to go with it in character. Yes, I think the kenku would make a deception roll. (Probably vs the characters passive insight, unless they want to spend an action thinking about it.)
Then tell the player, you are sure it sounds like Bob’s character around the corner calling for help. And then you just need to trust them to act in character.
Yeah, I was thinking along those lines. I hate having to meta it, I know it's the fairest way. Then again, something more magical about having a clever way to go about it where meta is prevented.
I’d personally try and lean into the metagame and ask your players to play along. Tell them what you’re doing, and explain the situation, then ask them to go with it in character. Yes, I think the kenku would make a deception roll. (Probably vs the characters passive insight, unless they want to spend an action thinking about it.)
Then tell the player, you are sure it sounds like Bob’s character around the corner calling for help. And then you just need to trust them to act in character.
Agreed. You could also hand out card (or msg) to players and tell them to read it as if their PC is saying it. Most folks will play along.
I thought about this too but texting my number. I know that they would eventually start signaling to each other which is which out of game. Was really thinking of the kenku copying everything they say in their voice giving 50/50 shot of which source is the true source. If I use a map of the encounter it would give it away too though. Long story short got sick today so had to reschedule session anyway so gives me lil more time. Thank you all for the support 🙏 being a new dm/gm makes me nervous 😓.
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So I just started a homebrew going really well! I have this idea sort of like silence of the lambs when bill is in the dark with Jodie. Problems I'm running into is bc the serial killer kenku is gonna mimic other players voices and having a hard time mechanically preventing them from meta gaming. Clearly the player isn't saying this so it's the kenku. With that luring the player to him to get a cheap shot in before gets to the main fight. It will be magical darkness bc everything has dark vision.
I'm not familiar with the setup from the movie, but it sounds like you want to put your players in the dark and taunt them with a creature that can mimic other players' voices.
This would require some prep and for you to explain that you need something from your players before getting started. If you're in person, record all of them saying a few different lines of dialogue that you will use to taunt with, things like "I'm over here" or " don't go that way!" During the game when darkness is cast, have all of your players blindfold themselves and continue playing (*very* theatre of the mind), and you play the sound clips when you need them. Direct your players to only speak in character except for saying I move 15 ft this way or that, and that they have to figure this out with just their sense of hearing as much as possible.
If you're on a VTT, I would use decoy tokens and pings to show where they are hearing voices from, as well as light and vision effects (if available) to try to control what they can and cannot see. Not as theatrical, but it would work. And again I'd instruct my players to only talk in character and narration as much as possible.
On a VTT you could also split them up onto separate but identical maps. You can do the same with multiple tokens to show where they're hearing each other from, but that way each players "blind" experience is unique and more difficult to meta.
That's a fun question! Good luck
Thanks,
- Brad (he/him)
Player Since 2020, DM Since 2022, Nerd Since Way Back
Just go for it. The players who are paying attention will benefit from paying attention, and they'll have fun because of it. What you want to accomplish is a moment where you can say, "You hear so-and-so's voice saying..." Place yourself between players, so that everything comes as GM narration. The players should always be asking whether the GM is accurately relaying speech from another player or employing the killer's deceit. If they guess right, more power to them, but the point is to get them guessing and to avoid giving perfect information. You'll be surprised by how little it takes to create confusion. I did this in a game a while ago, and it was a fun moment. Good luck!
Thank you! Idk about blind folding my players they may find that to be too much, especially for one of my players (poly couple had her in campaign for one reason). But the token idea is think you're onto something there! 2 tokens for each player, movement commands are to be texted to only me. Sucks that the session is literally today at 3pm est.
Thank you first off for replying, much appreciated. 2nd, one think I was thinking of is should it be a roll off of deception vs insight roll? Or should I leave it up to them to decide? Only thing I think would be bad about that is soon as they succeed game is up. 3rd, did you do a map or leave it up to in the mind?
Oh! I forgot to mention in my first post, this is my first time Dming. From what I have been told by my players that most isn't their first time some even in other campaigns currently. I got a compliment that they prefer my campaign to the other so far lol so I'm shocked bc I thought I was garbage.
I’d personally try and lean into the metagame and ask your players to play along. Tell them what you’re doing, and explain the situation, then ask them to go with it in character. Yes, I think the kenku would make a deception roll. (Probably vs the characters passive insight, unless they want to spend an action thinking about it.)
Then tell the player, you are sure it sounds like Bob’s character around the corner calling for help. And then you just need to trust them to act in character.
Agreed. You could also hand out card (or msg) to players and tell them to read it as if their PC is saying it. Most folks will play along.
"Sooner or later, your Players are going to smash your railroad into a sandbox."
-Vedexent
"real life is a super high CR."
-OboeLauren
"............anybody got any potatoes? We could drop a potato in each hole an' see which ones get viciously mauled by horrible monsters?"
-Ilyara Thundertale
Yeah, I was thinking along those lines. I hate having to meta it, I know it's the fairest way. Then again, something more magical about having a clever way to go about it where meta is prevented.
I thought about this too but texting my number. I know that they would eventually start signaling to each other which is which out of game. Was really thinking of the kenku copying everything they say in their voice giving 50/50 shot of which source is the true source. If I use a map of the encounter it would give it away too though. Long story short got sick today so had to reschedule session anyway so gives me lil more time. Thank you all for the support 🙏 being a new dm/gm makes me nervous 😓.