I’ll be DMing a one shot one night after a long day at a writers conference next month. Questions for character creation for a one shot.
1- Since the characters usually are higher than level 1, do you pre-load money into the inventory? If so, do you just pluck numbers out of your head or do you roll in the DMG’s loot tables? Or do you just use the starting gold from the PHB? Do you give every character in the party the same amount?
2- How do you handle incorporating magic items or healing potions? Most one shots I’ve looked at are designed for minimum 3rd level PCs, usually they’re 5th which is right about when characters could feasibly obtain an uncommon magic item. Do you grant them by default or have them obtainable in-universe at the start of the adventure?
3- Do you disallow feats for one shot characters and only allow ASIs?
4- Any other advice for creating characters for a one shot?
Most of the one shots I have done are for my longer term players that are in campaigns. In other words, we have done them as a way to mix things up a bit. (Chance to play a different class, personality, goals, etc) I say that because my answers below are tilted towards that end.
1- All depends on the one shot. I've had ones where I knew no money would be needed. Actually, most one-shots don't need much money unless it's part of it. I have them add in 100gp just in case they need some spending money at a tavern or for bribes.
2 - This is where my above description of my one shots comes in most. Since we do them to break up monotony, I tend to go crazy with the magic items. Nothing super powerful to throw off encounter balance, but I like looking through the magic items and including stuff I've never seen in play before. (To make it interesting for me as well.) Apparatus of the Crab won't make it into my campaigns probably, but a one shot? Absolutely. I have them start with plenty, then include more in the one shot.
3 - Not only do I allow them, but give them all one for free. Again, chance to try something new.
4 - Kind of like I hinted at before, consider allowing things that you wouldn't if you were doing a longer adventure.
Maybe to help answer the question, I've asked a few of my own.
Do you know if the folks at the writing conference have ever played 5E D&D before? That would drastically change how I'd answer these questions, as running a game for a majority of brand new players is different than a group of mostly experienced ones.
How long do you want to spend letting these folks make their characters? The more options you give them to look at and consider, the longer it will take to finish making a character.
What is the goal of the one shot, what kinds of things should the players focus on? Let the players know if they should be thinking about characters for a murder mystery or a Tomb of Horrors survival quest.
Maybe to help answer the question, I've asked a few of my own.
Do you know if the folks at the writing conference have ever played 5E D&D before? That would drastically change how I'd answer these questions, as running a game for a majority of brand new players is different than a group of mostly experienced ones.
How long do you want to spend letting these folks make their characters? The more options you give them to look at and consider, the longer it will take to finish making a character.
What is the goal of the one shot, what kinds of things should the players focus on? Let the players know if they should be thinking about characters for a murder mystery or a Tomb of Horrors survival quest.
Just my 2 copper here.
It'll be a mix of newbies and some play experience. I am debating between having them create their own characters ahead of time or me creating a bunch of stock characters for them to choose from that night. I know for sure I don't want to have character creation happen night of since that will eat up all the available time. I'll have one person in the group who's DM'd before to help the newbies. I want the game to be fun because A) I want them to have fun and B) I'm hoping that this could eventually lead to me actually finding a group to play with that isn't my existing group. I love my existing group (they're family) but I want to play with adults too. It's roughly a month to the conference so there's time for everyone to create their own characters (with me giving them guidelines for the things I was asking about in my OP) or for me to get the stock characters created. I'm probably going to run A Wild Sheep Chase just because I've run it before so there's not a ton of prep to do for it.
I’ll be DMing a one shot one night after a long day at a writers conference next month. Questions for character creation for a one shot.
1- Since the characters usually are fighter than level 1, do you pre-load money into the inventory? If so, do you just pluck numbers out of your head or do you roll in the DMG’s loot tables? Or do you just use the starting gold from the PHB? Do you give every character in the party the same amount?
2- How do you handle incorporating magic items or healing potions? Most one shots I’ve looked at are designed for minimum 3rd level PCs, usually they’re 5th which is right about when characters could feasibly obtain an uncommon magic item. Do you grant them by default or have them obtainable in-universe at the start of the adventure?
3- Do you disallow feats for one shot characters and only allow ASIs?
4- Any other advice for creating characters for a one shot?
If the one shot has any bearing on the current campaign, say a flashback for context in the main campaign, I'd try to stay closer to the campaign on each of your questions, though it doesn't have to be exactly the same. Otherwise:
1. Pg 38 of the DMG has some guideline for magic item and gold disbursal for higher level campaign starting points which could be used as a general idea for what you want to accomplish. You could also ignore gold for a one shot and just give everyone a set number of purchases of various adventuring items in addition to unlimited food, food stuffs, and other provisions. 100 g mentioned above is probably suitable for a one shot.
2. Pg 38 again, but perhaps just roll out a list and have everyone select one or two from the list. Each item gets crossed off as it gets selected. I agree with one shots that going all out can be fun and help people explore new things.
3. I think ASI or feat should be considered based on the goal of the game. ASIs are less time consuming, but experiencing feats can help people learn about new things that they will like (or loathe) in a low risk setting.
4. For character creation, you could check through the forums for character ideas that people have put forward while asking for help and put together the ones that you though were interesting. That would probably give you the mechanics and you could add some simplified backgrounds if none were provided. Additionally, you could always take the books that you have access to, assign them numbers, and randomly roll for everything. I had my 2 year old daughter roll the dice for me while creating the character behind the one from this link, and it was pretty fun coming up with the concept and trying to flesh it out a bit.
It'll be a mix of newbies and some play experience. I am debating between having them create their own characters ahead of time or me creating a bunch of stock characters for them to choose from that night. I know for sure I don't want to have character creation happen night of since that will eat up all the available time. I'll have one person in the group who's DM'd before to help the newbies. I want the game to be fun because A) I want them to have fun and B) I'm hoping that this could eventually lead to me actually finding a group to play with that isn't my existing group. I love my existing group (they're family) but I want to play with adults too. It's roughly a month to the conference so there's time for everyone to create their own characters (with me giving them guidelines for the things I was asking about in my OP) or for me to get the stock characters created. I'm probably going to run A Wild Sheep Chase just because I've run it before so there's not a ton of prep to do for it.
Cool, it's nice that there's a decent amount of preparation time beforehand -- For me one shots are usually last-minute situations. Anyway, here's my advice for your original question, I hope it's helpful.
Since the characters usually are higher than level 1, do you pre-load money into the inventory? If so, do you just pluck numbers out of your head or do you roll in the DMG’s loot tables? Or do you just use the starting gold from the PHB? Do you give every character in the party the same amount?
I've done this in a variety of ways -- if the group is starting above first level, I'll give the character 25 gp per level after first. That's just a number that has worked for me in the past, no written rule or anything like that. Another thing I do is make a d12 chart and have each person roll on the chart once for each level above their first -- the chart awards a mix of gold, minor common magic items (like potions of healing and such), and ally NPCs. Those are just a couple ideas, I think the options you posed are valid too.
How do you handle incorporating magic items or healing potions? Most one shots I’ve looked at are designed for minimum 3rd level PCs, usually they’re 5th which is right about when characters could feasibly obtain an uncommon magic item. Do you grant them by default or have them obtainable in-universe at the start of the adventure?
Like I mentioned above, I like to use a rollable chart that gives some chance and randomness to simulate awards found in previous adventures. I believe by design the game usually assumes player characters are getting treasure as they progress so it'd be important for the group to have some magic items.
Do you disallow feats for one shot characters and only allow ASIs?
If the players have plenty of time to make characters, I don't see a problem with letting them take feats.
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I’ll be DMing a one shot one night after a long day at a writers conference next month. Questions for character creation for a one shot.
1- Since the characters usually are higher than level 1, do you pre-load money into the inventory? If so, do you just pluck numbers out of your head or do you roll in the DMG’s loot tables? Or do you just use the starting gold from the PHB? Do you give every character in the party the same amount?
2- How do you handle incorporating magic items or healing potions? Most one shots I’ve looked at are designed for minimum 3rd level PCs, usually they’re 5th which is right about when characters could feasibly obtain an uncommon magic item. Do you grant them by default or have them obtainable in-universe at the start of the adventure?
3- Do you disallow feats for one shot characters and only allow ASIs?
4- Any other advice for creating characters for a one shot?
My Homebrew Backgrounds | Feats | Magic Items | Monsters | Races | Subclasses
Most of the one shots I have done are for my longer term players that are in campaigns. In other words, we have done them as a way to mix things up a bit. (Chance to play a different class, personality, goals, etc) I say that because my answers below are tilted towards that end.
1- All depends on the one shot. I've had ones where I knew no money would be needed. Actually, most one-shots don't need much money unless it's part of it. I have them add in 100gp just in case they need some spending money at a tavern or for bribes.
2 - This is where my above description of my one shots comes in most. Since we do them to break up monotony, I tend to go crazy with the magic items. Nothing super powerful to throw off encounter balance, but I like looking through the magic items and including stuff I've never seen in play before. (To make it interesting for me as well.) Apparatus of the Crab won't make it into my campaigns probably, but a one shot? Absolutely. I have them start with plenty, then include more in the one shot.
3 - Not only do I allow them, but give them all one for free. Again, chance to try something new.
4 - Kind of like I hinted at before, consider allowing things that you wouldn't if you were doing a longer adventure.
It'll be a mix of newbies and some play experience. I am debating between having them create their own characters ahead of time or me creating a bunch of stock characters for them to choose from that night. I know for sure I don't want to have character creation happen night of since that will eat up all the available time. I'll have one person in the group who's DM'd before to help the newbies. I want the game to be fun because A) I want them to have fun and B) I'm hoping that this could eventually lead to me actually finding a group to play with that isn't my existing group. I love my existing group (they're family) but I want to play with adults too. It's roughly a month to the conference so there's time for everyone to create their own characters (with me giving them guidelines for the things I was asking about in my OP) or for me to get the stock characters created. I'm probably going to run A Wild Sheep Chase just because I've run it before so there's not a ton of prep to do for it.
My Homebrew Backgrounds | Feats | Magic Items | Monsters | Races | Subclasses
If the one shot has any bearing on the current campaign, say a flashback for context in the main campaign, I'd try to stay closer to the campaign on each of your questions, though it doesn't have to be exactly the same. Otherwise:
1. Pg 38 of the DMG has some guideline for magic item and gold disbursal for higher level campaign starting points which could be used as a general idea for what you want to accomplish. You could also ignore gold for a one shot and just give everyone a set number of purchases of various adventuring items in addition to unlimited food, food stuffs, and other provisions. 100 g mentioned above is probably suitable for a one shot.
2. Pg 38 again, but perhaps just roll out a list and have everyone select one or two from the list. Each item gets crossed off as it gets selected. I agree with one shots that going all out can be fun and help people explore new things.
3. I think ASI or feat should be considered based on the goal of the game. ASIs are less time consuming, but experiencing feats can help people learn about new things that they will like (or loathe) in a low risk setting.
4. For character creation, you could check through the forums for character ideas that people have put forward while asking for help and put together the ones that you though were interesting. That would probably give you the mechanics and you could add some simplified backgrounds if none were provided. Additionally, you could always take the books that you have access to, assign them numbers, and randomly roll for everything. I had my 2 year old daughter roll the dice for me while creating the character behind the one from this link, and it was pretty fun coming up with the concept and trying to flesh it out a bit.
Cool, it's nice that there's a decent amount of preparation time beforehand -- For me one shots are usually last-minute situations. Anyway, here's my advice for your original question, I hope it's helpful.
Since the characters usually are higher than level 1, do you pre-load money into the inventory? If so, do you just pluck numbers out of your head or do you roll in the DMG’s loot tables? Or do you just use the starting gold from the PHB? Do you give every character in the party the same amount?
I've done this in a variety of ways -- if the group is starting above first level, I'll give the character 25 gp per level after first. That's just a number that has worked for me in the past, no written rule or anything like that. Another thing I do is make a d12 chart and have each person roll on the chart once for each level above their first -- the chart awards a mix of gold, minor common magic items (like potions of healing and such), and ally NPCs. Those are just a couple ideas, I think the options you posed are valid too.
How do you handle incorporating magic items or healing potions? Most one shots I’ve looked at are designed for minimum 3rd level PCs, usually they’re 5th which is right about when characters could feasibly obtain an uncommon magic item. Do you grant them by default or have them obtainable in-universe at the start of the adventure?
Like I mentioned above, I like to use a rollable chart that gives some chance and randomness to simulate awards found in previous adventures. I believe by design the game usually assumes player characters are getting treasure as they progress so it'd be important for the group to have some magic items.
Do you disallow feats for one shot characters and only allow ASIs?
If the players have plenty of time to make characters, I don't see a problem with letting them take feats.