One of my players has requested some opportunities for downtime or side quests. However, even in the game with these that I play in, I frequently think about how, while we're futzing around, evil isn't sleeping and innocents are quite possibly dying at the BBEG's minions' hands. Am I thinking about this wrong? Is there a reasonable argument for not stopping the Big Bad as soon as possible?
It all depends on the Villain's timeline. If you want your players to experience non-BBEG related events, and be able to be distracted, don't set them on a tight clock. Give the BBEG a plan that will take months to develop rather than days, and the players won't feel quite so pressured.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Sharpening skills isn't "futzing around." If they think those skills will help them defeat the bad guy eventually, either let them think it or show them otherwise. If the players think learning Undercommon will help them sneak into the drow city, you can decide whether you want them to have that resource available, or whether the villain's plans proceed and at what rate; but they're not doing something frivolous.
I personally don’t prefer a campaign with some major BBE that spans levels 1-X and then the campaign ends. I like to start multiple shorter story hooks periodically and then I can either pick up the ones the players like or drop the ones they don’t. That way as one storyline is winding down another one that got foreshadowed months ahead of time starts up so it’s like a continuously evolving story. That’s the same way good TV writers keep seasons constantly evolving into each other so people keep coming back season after season. Like Friends and N.C.I.S. as examples.
But just like real life, heroes need a “healthy work:life balance” as people. That's a woke way of saying they need a break. And that reflects the players as well. Sometimes, the Wizard and the Fighter who is proficient with Smith's Tools want to get together and make a magic sword. That’s good. That means they are immersed in the world. Congratulations. IMHO, that’s one of the signs of a job well done.
The way I'm running it in my campaign, the organization working for the BBEG isn't omnipotent, they have to scout out and run intelligence operations in order to find what they're looking for to achieve their goals; during those periods of quiet, my players will have opportunities to investigate side quests or pursue downtime, having time to do what they want without having the pressure of having to thwart the Big Bad on a constant basis. Your villain should be a force to reckon with, but that doesn't mean you have to make them all-powerful or infallible. Hope that helps!
The way I'm running it in my campaign, the organization working for the BBEG isn't omnipotent, they have to scout out and run intelligence operations in order to find what they're looking for to achieve their goals; during those periods of quiet, my players will have opportunities to investigate side quests or pursue downtime, having time to do what they want without having the pressure of having to thwart the Big Bad on a constant basis. Your villain should be a force to reckon with, but that doesn't mean you have to make them all-powerful or infallible. Hope that helps!
Yup.
I factor in things like travel time it would take the BBEG or his minions to get from A to B. So the next step in the BBEG's plans can't happen until the minions have traveled there, etc.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Do your players have a Homebase? A town or location they return to.
they could buy and renovate a tavern, have an influence on the area.
maybe it’s more individual, my main group has a town where there is Hunters lodge where the ranger can bring trophies they have killed and be rewarded with items. the rogue is trying to start their own thieves guild, the Wizard has a magic academy they can become a teacher at.
if they don’t have a Homebase maybe involve them in a contest or tournament, have a carnival/festival cross paths with them. Maybe use it as an opportunity to experiment with different encounter styles. Have them become suspects in a murder mystery and have to prove there innocence. Make it a flash back scene to something that happened pre adventure.
if your characters are asking for side quests they are not looking for ways to avoid the narrative, they are looking for more ways to invest in your world.
give them that, maybe it becomes revealing to your BBEG, maybe it causes them to befriend a much loved npc and your BBEG can kill/kidnap/harm them to invest them further in the final fight
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One of my players has requested some opportunities for downtime or side quests. However, even in the game with these that I play in, I frequently think about how, while we're futzing around, evil isn't sleeping and innocents are quite possibly dying at the BBEG's minions' hands. Am I thinking about this wrong? Is there a reasonable argument for not stopping the Big Bad as soon as possible?
It all depends on the Villain's timeline. If you want your players to experience non-BBEG related events, and be able to be distracted, don't set them on a tight clock. Give the BBEG a plan that will take months to develop rather than days, and the players won't feel quite so pressured.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Sharpening skills isn't "futzing around." If they think those skills will help them defeat the bad guy eventually, either let them think it or show them otherwise. If the players think learning Undercommon will help them sneak into the drow city, you can decide whether you want them to have that resource available, or whether the villain's plans proceed and at what rate; but they're not doing something frivolous.
I personally don’t prefer a campaign with some major BBE that spans levels 1-X and then the campaign ends. I like to start multiple shorter story hooks periodically and then I can either pick up the ones the players like or drop the ones they don’t. That way as one storyline is winding down another one that got foreshadowed months ahead of time starts up so it’s like a continuously evolving story. That’s the same way good TV writers keep seasons constantly evolving into each other so people keep coming back season after season. Like Friends and N.C.I.S. as examples.
But just like real life, heroes need a “healthy work:life balance” as people. That's a woke way of saying they need a break. And that reflects the players as well. Sometimes, the Wizard and the Fighter who is proficient with Smith's Tools want to get together and make a magic sword. That’s good. That means they are immersed in the world. Congratulations. IMHO, that’s one of the signs of a job well done.
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The way I'm running it in my campaign, the organization working for the BBEG isn't omnipotent, they have to scout out and run intelligence operations in order to find what they're looking for to achieve their goals; during those periods of quiet, my players will have opportunities to investigate side quests or pursue downtime, having time to do what they want without having the pressure of having to thwart the Big Bad on a constant basis. Your villain should be a force to reckon with, but that doesn't mean you have to make them all-powerful or infallible. Hope that helps!
Thanks, all!
Yup.
I factor in things like travel time it would take the BBEG or his minions to get from A to B. So the next step in the BBEG's plans can't happen until the minions have traveled there, etc.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Do your players have a Homebase? A town or location they return to.
they could buy and renovate a tavern, have an influence on the area.
maybe it’s more individual, my main group has a town where there is Hunters lodge where the ranger can bring trophies they have killed and be rewarded with items. the rogue is trying to start their own thieves guild, the Wizard has a magic academy they can become a teacher at.
if they don’t have a Homebase maybe involve them in a contest or tournament, have a carnival/festival cross paths with them. Maybe use it as an opportunity to experiment with different encounter styles. Have them become suspects in a murder mystery and have to prove there innocence. Make it a flash back scene to something that happened pre adventure.
if your characters are asking for side quests they are not looking for ways to avoid the narrative, they are looking for more ways to invest in your world.
give them that, maybe it becomes revealing to your BBEG, maybe it causes them to befriend a much loved npc and your BBEG can kill/kidnap/harm them to invest them further in the final fight