I know that Icewind Dale is a fairly new module. Its my first time dming and I have a player who is the dm of a campaign I am currently in and they are asking questions I dont have the answer to such as; are there artificers in the world as he has the Pirate Cannibal background and want to know if he can have frost bite, lose a limb and have an artificer create a new limb. Also I cant find in the book how far of a trek it is from the closest town Bremen to the Dark Dutchess. They need it to see if the frost bite they get from an Ice dragon attack would fall off.. Out of all my players they are being the most complicated. Also chose to include a homebrew deity he created using the stats for the lurker of the deep warlock. I really dont know what to do with this player.
I’m pretty sure there are Artificers on the island of Lantan so it’s possible your player could have lost an arm, gone to Lantan and got a new arm to replace it.
For the second one just wing the distance.
Don’t allow ANY homebrewed deities unless you approve them.
This player sounds really annoying. Players like that give me a headache.
I think you should. As DM you have the right to veto any character you think is unreasonable or too much hassle or just doesn’t fit with your campaign.
Yeah, as a first-time DM I’d politely ask your players if they could save the home brew for when you’re a bit more experienced. It can be very difficult to balance, both narratively and mechanically. Heck, I’ve been DMing for years and I still don’t allow home brew: no shame in that.
As for whether there are artificers in the Forgotten Realms: yes, but they tend to be quite rare, so there’s no wrong answer, yes or no, to your player’s question.
Also, as the DM, there's nothing wrong with you saying "No, you cannot play an Artificer, but the Temple of Gond has clerics who can create some intricate devices." You, as the DM can forbid anything.
In one campaign I'm running, the PCs befriended an Artificer at the Temple of Gond and set him up with his own workshop. He is now a great source for how and why they get their magic items. In another campaign, one of the characters is an Artificer Armorer, and he is a frontline tank without being too OP or something as silly as a "Pirate cannibal".
Also, as the DM, there's nothing wrong with you saying "No, you cannot play an Artificer, but the Temple of Gond has clerics who can create some intricate devices." You, as the DM can forbid anything.
In one campaign I'm running, the PCs befriended an Artificer at the Temple of Gond and set him up with his own workshop. He is now a great source for how and why they get their magic items. In another campaign, one of the characters is an Artificer Armorer, and he is a frontline tank without being too OP or something as silly as a "Pirate cannibal".
He wanted to know if he could have prosthetic limbs because in the Icewind Dale campaign players can chose to randomly select a secret from a deck of cards, his secret was pirate cannibal where the ship he was on was either struck by an iceberg or attacked by an ice dragon. Abandoned the ship and survived the frozen tundra by eating his fellow crew mates.
Yeah, as a first-time DM I’d politely ask your players if they could save the home brew for when you’re a bit more experienced. It can be very difficult to balance, both narratively and mechanically. Heck, I’ve been DMing for years and I still don’t allow home brew: no shame in that.
As for whether there are artificers in the Forgotten Realms: yes, but they tend to be quite rare, so there’s no wrong answer, yes or no, to your player’s question.
Thank you all for the advice, I decided to make some rules such as no homebrew gods or races, no evil characters and no UA. So far he seems a bit upset but I mean the campaign isnt till I finish prep and I have only done 5% prep XD
Ah, so it's not a background it's one of the character's secrets. That's slightly different but makes more sense. But, considering those secrets are all related to the area, there's really no time for him to get off the iceberg, get to Icewind Dale, head to Lantan or a nearby big city, find an Artificer, and convince the Artificer to build him an artificial limb. Plus where does a 1st level character get that amount of money to pay the Artificer.
It's easier just to say no. Stuff like that should happen over the course of a campaign, not in the backstory.
99% of the time I rule no homebrew myself. But good luck and have fun!
As a first time DM Rime is a rough adventure to run your group though. There are plenty of points where you have to be good at improv and even switching up story hooks to push them to the events. You said the other player is also a DM. Speaking as a DM who dosent get to play myself often, I can get carried away with all my Ideas and I know what I am capable of but I've learned to let my friends who are willing to DM for me take their time.
My advice is talk to him. Say that since you are new you are going to take things a little slower and easier. In fact see if he is willing to play some sort of tracker or sage from the Dales themselves. This could allow you to use his knowledge as a DM if you get stuck while keeping the game in character. Just make sure he respects YOUR rulings as this is your game.
Good luck though. being a DM is challenging but usually very Rewarding especially with a good group.
Well he has changed from lurker of the deep to hexblade but still wishes to either have his homebrew deity or the kraken as his patron. -.- dont know what to do.
Ah, so it's not a background it's one of the character's secrets. That's slightly different but makes more sense. But, considering those secrets are all related to the area, there's really no time for him to get off the iceberg, get to Icewind Dale, head to Lantan or a nearby big city, find an Artificer, and convince the Artificer to build him an artificial limb. Plus where does a 1st level character get that amount of money to pay the Artificer.
It's easier just to say no. Stuff like that should happen over the course of a campaign, not in the backstory.
99% of the time I rule no homebrew myself. But good luck and have fun!
You make a very good point with the artificer, I will try to let him know that, thank you.
The Kraken could be doable, but idk if you want that or if it’s even a thing in Forgotten Realms. You definitely have the right to limit his choice of patrons. I would suggest you make a list of five or six you’d be cool with and let him choose from there.
The player has just gotten more difficult. One of the other players got bull rolls with modifiers of 2 +3 and 4, 0s and I felt it wouldn't make the game interesting so I allowed him to reroll and even rerolled on camera for him so there wasn't any min maxing. But with modifiers like that I don't believe he would min max. Well the warlock finds it unfair that our Goliath Barbarian went from a +3 to +5. Even though he has 2 negative stats and his constitution is one of the lower stats. I want to be fair and I feel like my choice was right but he is just making me second guess myself
Thank you guys for your help, sorry for putting this out there. It feels like petty venting but I really appreciate the help <3
The player has just gotten more difficult. One of the other players got bull rolls with modifiers of 2 +3 and 4, 0s and I felt it wouldn't make the game interesting so I allowed him to reroll and even rerolled on camera for him so there wasn't any min maxing. But with modifiers like that I don't believe he would min max. Well the warlock finds it unfair that our Goliath Barbarian went from a +3 to +5. Even though he has 2 negative stats and his constitution is one of the lower stats. I want to be fair and I feel like my choice was right but he is just making me second guess myself
Thank you guys for your help, sorry for putting this out there. It feels like petty venting but I really appreciate the help <3
Well it is hard to justify a reroll. I usually use Mercer's threshold so that people who roll like doodoo get a fair shot in social skills and combat. That way I can fall back and say, "well look I told you this is how we were doing it". That said, you're the DM and your ruling is law. As long as your overall intention is to make playing D&D fun for the table, and you can convey your rational, I see no reason that you shouldn't make the ruling. Also, the ruling isn't even about his own character, which frankly I find a bit telling about how he is going to play. I would talk to him about how hes made your first time DMing difficult, and to pick his battles because your patience isn't infinite (among other things).
Yeah, with the reroll thing there really is no right or wrong answer. I personally don’t allow rerolls regardless of results, and I’d be a little miffed if my DM allowed another player to reroll and they ended up getting very lucky. (I personally also think 2 +3s and 4 +0s is not too bad.) BUT. I’d accept it and not complain because it’s the DM’s call to make, not mine. Sorry you have to deal with someone who doesn’t understand that.
P.S. Note that I'm biased: I love underpowered, low-stat characters. Frodo and Sam for the win!
The player has just gotten more difficult. One of the other players got bull rolls with modifiers of 2 +3 and 4, 0s and I felt it wouldn't make the game interesting so I allowed him to reroll and even rerolled on camera for him so there wasn't any min maxing. But with modifiers like that I don't believe he would min max. Well the warlock finds it unfair that our Goliath Barbarian went from a +3 to +5. Even though he has 2 negative stats and his constitution is one of the lower stats. I want to be fair and I feel like my choice was right but he is just making me second guess myself
Thank you guys for your help, sorry for putting this out there. It feels like petty venting but I really appreciate the help <3
As much fun as rolling is, even with Mercer's 70 rule, it can get pretty unbalanced, and some players can be upset that the one thing they were supposed to be good at is being usurped because someone got a higher roll than they did on ability tied to that skill.
Try using Standard Array or Point Buy to make it more balanced. The group should understand you're still new and still learning and the game hasn't started yet.
I still think you had every right to allow your one player a reroll. That was really kind of entitled of the annoying player to complain about that. That was totally your call.
I know that Icewind Dale is a fairly new module. Its my first time dming and I have a player who is the dm of a campaign I am currently in and they are asking questions I dont have the answer to such as; are there artificers in the world as he has the Pirate Cannibal background and want to know if he can have frost bite, lose a limb and have an artificer create a new limb. Also I cant find in the book how far of a trek it is from the closest town Bremen to the Dark Dutchess. They need it to see if the frost bite they get from an Ice dragon attack would fall off.. Out of all my players they are being the most complicated. Also chose to include a homebrew deity he created using the stats for the lurker of the deep warlock. I really dont know what to do with this player.
I’m pretty sure there are Artificers on the island of Lantan so it’s possible your player could have lost an arm, gone to Lantan and got a new arm to replace it.
For the second one just wing the distance.
Don’t allow ANY homebrewed deities unless you approve them.
This player sounds really annoying. Players like that give me a headache.
Thank you, he has a back up simple character I am almost tempted on saying just use that one.
I think you should. As DM you have the right to veto any character you think is unreasonable or too much hassle or just doesn’t fit with your campaign.
If you dont like the character ask them to change it or make a diffrent character, just my opinion though.
Yeah, as a first-time DM I’d politely ask your players if they could save the home brew for when you’re a bit more experienced. It can be very difficult to balance, both narratively and mechanically. Heck, I’ve been DMing for years and I still don’t allow home brew: no shame in that.
As for whether there are artificers in the Forgotten Realms: yes, but they tend to be quite rare, so there’s no wrong answer, yes or no, to your player’s question.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
Also, as the DM, there's nothing wrong with you saying "No, you cannot play an Artificer, but the Temple of Gond has clerics who can create some intricate devices." You, as the DM can forbid anything.
In one campaign I'm running, the PCs befriended an Artificer at the Temple of Gond and set him up with his own workshop. He is now a great source for how and why they get their magic items.
In another campaign, one of the characters is an Artificer Armorer, and he is a frontline tank without being too OP or something as silly as a "Pirate cannibal".
He wanted to know if he could have prosthetic limbs because in the Icewind Dale campaign players can chose to randomly select a secret from a deck of cards, his secret was pirate cannibal where the ship he was on was either struck by an iceberg or attacked by an ice dragon. Abandoned the ship and survived the frozen tundra by eating his fellow crew mates.
Thank you all for the advice, I decided to make some rules such as no homebrew gods or races, no evil characters and no UA. So far he seems a bit upset but I mean the campaign isnt till I finish prep and I have only done 5% prep XD
@The_Glimpse good point
@FriendlyRose awesome!!! You totally did the right thing.
Ah, so it's not a background it's one of the character's secrets. That's slightly different but makes more sense. But, considering those secrets are all related to the area, there's really no time for him to get off the iceberg, get to Icewind Dale, head to Lantan or a nearby big city, find an Artificer, and convince the Artificer to build him an artificial limb. Plus where does a 1st level character get that amount of money to pay the Artificer.
It's easier just to say no. Stuff like that should happen over the course of a campaign, not in the backstory.
99% of the time I rule no homebrew myself. But good luck and have fun!
As a first time DM Rime is a rough adventure to run your group though. There are plenty of points where you have to be good at improv and even switching up story hooks to push them to the events. You said the other player is also a DM. Speaking as a DM who dosent get to play myself often, I can get carried away with all my Ideas and I know what I am capable of but I've learned to let my friends who are willing to DM for me take their time.
My advice is talk to him. Say that since you are new you are going to take things a little slower and easier. In fact see if he is willing to play some sort of tracker or sage from the Dales themselves. This could allow you to use his knowledge as a DM if you get stuck while keeping the game in character. Just make sure he respects YOUR rulings as this is your game.
Good luck though. being a DM is challenging but usually very Rewarding especially with a good group.
Well he has changed from lurker of the deep to hexblade but still wishes to either have his homebrew deity or the kraken as his patron. -.- dont know what to do.
You make a very good point with the artificer, I will try to let him know that, thank you.
The Kraken could be doable, but idk if you want that or if it’s even a thing in Forgotten Realms. You definitely have the right to limit his choice of patrons. I would suggest you make a list of five or six you’d be cool with and let him choose from there.
The player has just gotten more difficult. One of the other players got bull rolls with modifiers of 2 +3 and 4, 0s and I felt it wouldn't make the game interesting so I allowed him to reroll and even rerolled on camera for him so there wasn't any min maxing. But with modifiers like that I don't believe he would min max. Well the warlock finds it unfair that our Goliath Barbarian went from a +3 to +5. Even though he has 2 negative stats and his constitution is one of the lower stats. I want to be fair and I feel like my choice was right but he is just making me second guess myself
Thank you guys for your help, sorry for putting this out there. It feels like petty venting but I really appreciate the help <3
Also how do I give thanks??
Welcome 💗
You did the right thing
I can’t give Thanks on my phone but if you’re on a tablet or a laptop there should be a Thank button somewhere on your interface
Hope this helps 😊
Well it is hard to justify a reroll. I usually use Mercer's threshold so that people who roll like doodoo get a fair shot in social skills and combat. That way I can fall back and say, "well look I told you this is how we were doing it". That said, you're the DM and your ruling is law. As long as your overall intention is to make playing D&D fun for the table, and you can convey your rational, I see no reason that you shouldn't make the ruling. Also, the ruling isn't even about his own character, which frankly I find a bit telling about how he is going to play. I would talk to him about how hes made your first time DMing difficult, and to pick his battles because your patience isn't infinite (among other things).
Yeah, with the reroll thing there really is no right or wrong answer. I personally don’t allow rerolls regardless of results, and I’d be a little miffed if my DM allowed another player to reroll and they ended up getting very lucky. (I personally also think 2 +3s and 4 +0s is not too bad.) BUT. I’d accept it and not complain because it’s the DM’s call to make, not mine. Sorry you have to deal with someone who doesn’t understand that.
P.S. Note that I'm biased: I love underpowered, low-stat characters. Frodo and Sam for the win!
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
As much fun as rolling is, even with Mercer's 70 rule, it can get pretty unbalanced, and some players can be upset that the one thing they were supposed to be good at is being usurped because someone got a higher roll than they did on ability tied to that skill.
Try using Standard Array or Point Buy to make it more balanced. The group should understand you're still new and still learning and the game hasn't started yet.
I still think you had every right to allow your one player a reroll. That was really kind of entitled of the annoying player to complain about that. That was totally your call.