(It takes an action to command Peter to attack.)

("On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you). You can use your action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, or Help action. If you don't issue a command, the beast takes the Dodge action. Once you have the Extra Attack feature, you can make one weapon attack yourself when you command the beast to take the Attack action.")

(Oops, his character sheet seems to have a slightly abbreviated version.  That's kinda an underwhelming ability.  It would be much more useful if it only took a bonus action.)

(That’s Beast Master for you.  It’s really a shame, ranger’s one of my favorite classes.  It just suffers from a few too many underwhelming abilities.)

(Also, yes, match is over.  Prizes tomorrow.)

(Don’t mind me asking, take no offense, but in the future, can you decide how you do traps in front of us? Just asking.)

Ugunootu slumps foward clutching the wound from Gad’s deadly dagger.

”I really wanted you to meet my snake...” 🐍 

(I did.  The d4 roll was to decide the complication, the d6 was to decide the target.  I numbered you going from top to bottom, left to right.)

(@Faux & Mehmen: Oh my! Watch out, Tortle man. I think that druid is coming on to you.)

(Random area of effect damage is not really a fun complication in the midst of a battle teetering between sides.  Just because the target is random doesn't mean one team won't be disproportionately affected, as we saw here.  Just kinda pissed on my hard won advantage.)

(I’ll definitely have to tone down the blast radius.  Little too strong in these circumstances.)

We worked so hard.  I got literally one good roll this match and you blew it up. There comes a time when as a dm you take your hand off the scales and let the story unfold. We didnt need this complication. You knew what this would do to us when you rolled out if the thread and you did it anyway. I didnt even know I was dealing with AOE traps. Its kinda hard to not see this as personal. My luck isnt that bad.  I really hope Im wrong, but it seems like you wanted the other team to win because of my attitude and you are hiding it behind dice rolls no one could see. 

This match should go to the house not any player.

Take what you want from this. Im sad at my shitty performance and have no choice but to be over this match.

(It did seem largely unnecessary and random. I’d suggest taking it out. What is really the point of a challenge you can neither anticipate nor adapt to?  Had I known, I would have taken a spell like absorb elements.  I had only cast a single spell, so I had plenty of resources to stay in the fight before the trap  

As Keneux says, it’s a finger on the scale on a team vs team matchup. Unless the finger is applying the same pressure, like adding equal foes vs each team, someone is going to feel slighted.

I’d shrug it off if we could “get back on the horse”, but losing means not leveling and probably waiting another month to get back in rotation. Just a lousy way to lose after working hard on tactics.)

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

(Now.  It should have happened earlier.)

Complication: 1

Target: 3

A 20-foot radius bloom of flame erupts, centered on Peter (catching everyone in that little area except for Gad).  Everyone in the area must make a DC 13 Dex save or take 10 fire damage.

 (How.  Are.  These.  Rolls.  Hidden.)

(I already explained how they were completely randomly determined, and that they were in the original post.)

(I do every single random roll possible visibly in this thread, from the time choice to the map choice to the NPC choice to the hazard.  The only thing I don't randomly determine is what enemy spawns in for that roll, but I determine that based on overall level and CR, then pick something balanced from that.)

(I level up :) )

(I don’t want to join the complaining bandwagon. But I will say this. I’ve seen, or at least noticed, a slight pattern. All complications usually focus on one team, or one enemy, etc. I’m glad you run the game, and I thank you for the work you put into it, but when you work hard to do something and get it off, only to die via a burst of flames equal to a 2nd level spell (it was just a giant one-shot Flaming Sphere, in all honesty.), it doesn’t feel good.)

(sorry for complaining. Some people just like to complain :) )

(You are still on my complaining wagon muhhahah.)

This shit is like war sometimes. You never know what can happen. That makes a good game great. This arena has always been above just a good game. Its why I care too much.

(You have every reason to complain.  That trap was too strong, and I already admitted that.)

(Hazards haven’t focused on only one team.  The enemy spawns one on each side, so unless two people on the same team are somehow both closest to them, they will target both teams.

(Yeah, I don't want to complain too much either. I'm appreciative of the time LST puts in to run the game.  Sometimes you just gotta rant, it's therapeutic. 

Part of the frustration was not getting to try some new offensive spells/abilities and knowing we had a good chance of edging out the 2 competitors.)

(Even if the trap didn't happen, I was about to get Njal up again anyway so it would have been slightly evened out again)
(Also, I am disappointed that I didn't get a chance to fight Ugo after our last match, especially having given him the snake staff)

(I had a counter for that Swiftgale 😉.  If either you or Gad went up to heal him, I was going to Ice Knife you for cold blast and follow up with the sphere again.  I'm disappointed too- I had some fun things in store for you and Gad, but we'll just have to wait for 🕷🌝 🐍 next time.)

Congratulations to Theren, Gad and Njal!  You each receive 400 gold and 1800 XP, in addition to a mini chest you can choose one item from (standard trade in rules apply). (Not posting Njal's chest since he already let me know he was retiring after this match.)

Nara, Ugunootu and Arabon wake up in the cleric's office and each find 160 gold and 1200 XP in their bedside tables.  In addition, Arabon finds an uncommon item token for leveling up on a loss (you can trade that token and one other magic item in for an item of your choice).

Latrius stops Nara, Ugunootu and Arabon on the way out as well, and gives them each 25 gp in compensation for the unfortunate way the match ended.

"My apologies, that trap went a little awry."

Theren's chest:

Gad's chest: