If my PCs make multiple attempts at intimidation, I typically ratchet up the DC for each failed check, letting them know that it's getting harder and harder to intimidate this person. The most I typically allow is 3 checks, after that I let them know that this person will not be affected anymore.
Some of the treasure hoards as calculated in the DMG can have hundreds or even thousands of copper pieces. This is a huge pain for the characters to transport and convert into gold. How do people here handle that? Do you let any random shopkeeper accept payment in hundreds of copper pieces, or do the PCs have to visit a money-lender or bank to cash in their hoard? If I'm being realistic there would be an exchange fee, but that just seems mean when you're already dealing with an inconvenience like this. I'm curious to hear how other DMs have handled this.
I'm talking about running an actual combat, which I'm assuming they will lose as a group of level 4 characters outnumbered two-to-one by CR3 veterans. Not just saying "the guards knock you out; you wake up in a jail cell."
Except .. remember that Naerth IS the legitimate authority. He is the speaker for Targos, duly elected and in charge. The head of the militia is directly loyal to him and there are likely others. The PCs could already be branded as thugs and bandits for breaking in and beating up the speaker. Most folks are unlikely to believe a bunch of unknown adventurers who (after beating up the speaker) claim that these flying snakes are actually his - another possibility is that the other speakers will think the PCs are Zhent representatives scouting ten towns with the snakes to prove it.
This is resonating the most with me. Naerth could totally use the snakes to frame the party as a group of Zhentarim agents. I think he's going to send 8 of his veterans out to capture the PCs, knocking them out in combat if they resist. (Don't know if you consider that DM fiat, Sposta) A Harper agent can free them from the dungeon if necessary, giving them a helpful NPC to let them know they screwed this one up and Naerth is out of their reach for now. If I can convince them to leave Targos, that buys me time to think of a resolution while they're off doing random adventures.
Of course, they could always ignore the warning and march straight back into town. That will not go well for them.
I'm playing Rime of the Frostmaiden with a group of 4 players, and they just assaulted Naerth Maxildinar, the town speaker of the second biggest town in the region. They found out he was involved with trying to influence the election in Good Mead, and they went straight to "let's go rough him up a bit", which they did by barging into his room, tying him up, and smacking him around while they interrogated him. They ended up telling him to give up his evil ways, took his cage of flying snakes as new pets for themselves, and left him tied on the bed.
So here's my problem. There absolutely have to be consequences for this: sending the town guard after them, banishing them from the city, potentially even sending assassins in response. However, if I do that, it's almost guaranteed that the PCs are going to become convinced this is the main plotline. How do I convince them this isn't worth their time?
Moon-Touched swords are not supposed to have a bonus to attack or damage, but the versions in the character sheets appear to be adding a +1 bonus to both. I found a thread several years old claiming the opposite (that they *should* have a bonus), but I don't see anything in XGtE or the errata that supports this.
Character: "But the wizard told me it wasn't magical!"
Helpful NPC: "That old fraud? He's more salesman than wizard. There are kinds of magic that won't read as an active enchantment. Any wizard worth his staff should know that."
The monks found a strange glowing meteorite years ago. They found that people exposed to its light slowly gain psychic powers. They put it in their meditation room, so the entire order spends time around it every day.
Do you let players know the value of the gems and art objects they find? Or do you wait until they try to sell it to let them know the value? It seems like waiting until the sale would be the right answer, but that causes all sorts of book-keeping headaches. I'm curious how other DMs have handled this.
I think I actually agree with your original stance now, Lyxen. The SAC you're quoting is for spell-like effects, not creatures. Earlier in that same question, it points out that dragons have the word "magical" in their description, but their breath weapons are non-magical effects.
You might be thinking, “Dragons seem pretty magical to me.” And yes, they are extraordinary! Their description even says they’re magical. But our game makes a distinction between two types of magic:
• the background magic that is part of the D&D multiverse’s physics and the physiology of many D&D creatures
• the concentrated magical energy that is contained in a magic item or channeled to create a spell or other focused magical effect
I believe from now on I'll be considering golems to not trigger detect magic. I'll have to let my players know they can't rely on that anymore. (I imagine some of them won't be very happy, but oh well)
but in rules as written you can't push a creature into another creature's square.
This isn't true. The only rule along those lines states that "Whether a creature is a friend or an enemy, you can't willingly end your move in its space". Being pushed into another creature's space isn't willingly ending your move in it. So a monster could shove the bottleneck player into the space behind them (even if it is occupied), then step up to fill the void.
That actually brings up another point I had considered. If it is possible to have two creatures in the same space due to unwilling movement, how does that affect them until one of them moves? I considered having disadvantage on all checks, attacks, and dex/str saving throws, and advantage on all attacks against them, but was worried that was too harsh.
You might be thinking, “Dragons seem pretty magical to me.” And yes, they are extraordinary! Their description even says they’re magical. But our game makes a distinction between two types of magic:
• the background magic that is part of the D&D multiverse’s physics and the physiology of many D&D creatures
• the concentrated magical energy that is contained in a magic item or channeled to create a spell or other focused magical effect
It's that "in a magic item" line that had me doubting if this ruling applied. What is a golem, if not a very complicated magical item? If it has to do with sentience, does that mean sentient weapons don't trigger detect magic either?
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If my PCs make multiple attempts at intimidation, I typically ratchet up the DC for each failed check, letting them know that it's getting harder and harder to intimidate this person. The most I typically allow is 3 checks, after that I let them know that this person will not be affected anymore.
0
Some of the treasure hoards as calculated in the DMG can have hundreds or even thousands of copper pieces. This is a huge pain for the characters to transport and convert into gold. How do people here handle that? Do you let any random shopkeeper accept payment in hundreds of copper pieces, or do the PCs have to visit a money-lender or bank to cash in their hoard? If I'm being realistic there would be an exchange fee, but that just seems mean when you're already dealing with an inconvenience like this. I'm curious to hear how other DMs have handled this.
0
I'm talking about running an actual combat, which I'm assuming they will lose as a group of level 4 characters outnumbered two-to-one by CR3 veterans. Not just saying "the guards knock you out; you wake up in a jail cell."
0
This is resonating the most with me. Naerth could totally use the snakes to frame the party as a group of Zhentarim agents. I think he's going to send 8 of his veterans out to capture the PCs, knocking them out in combat if they resist. (Don't know if you consider that DM fiat, Sposta) A Harper agent can free them from the dungeon if necessary, giving them a helpful NPC to let them know they screwed this one up and Naerth is out of their reach for now. If I can convince them to leave Targos, that buys me time to think of a resolution while they're off doing random adventures.
Of course, they could always ignore the warning and march straight back into town. That will not go well for them.
1
I'm playing Rime of the Frostmaiden with a group of 4 players, and they just assaulted Naerth Maxildinar, the town speaker of the second biggest town in the region. They found out he was involved with trying to influence the election in Good Mead, and they went straight to "let's go rough him up a bit", which they did by barging into his room, tying him up, and smacking him around while they interrogated him. They ended up telling him to give up his evil ways, took his cage of flying snakes as new pets for themselves, and left him tied on the bed.
So here's my problem. There absolutely have to be consequences for this: sending the town guard after them, banishing them from the city, potentially even sending assassins in response. However, if I do that, it's almost guaranteed that the PCs are going to become convinced this is the main plotline. How do I convince them this isn't worth their time?
0
D'oh! Completely missed that one.
0
https://www.dndbeyond.com/profile/Purp107/characters/66208807
Character has a +3 dex bonus and a +3 proficiency bonus, but the attack for the sword is showing as +7 instead of +6.
0
Moon-Touched swords are not supposed to have a bonus to attack or damage, but the versions in the character sheets appear to be adding a +1 bonus to both. I found a thread several years old claiming the opposite (that they *should* have a bonus), but I don't see anything in XGtE or the errata that supports this.
3
Character: "But the wizard told me it wasn't magical!"
Helpful NPC: "That old fraud? He's more salesman than wizard. There are kinds of magic that won't read as an active enchantment. Any wizard worth his staff should know that."
0
The monks found a strange glowing meteorite years ago. They found that people exposed to its light slowly gain psychic powers. They put it in their meditation room, so the entire order spends time around it every day.
0
Do you let players know the value of the gems and art objects they find? Or do you wait until they try to sell it to let them know the value? It seems like waiting until the sale would be the right answer, but that causes all sorts of book-keeping headaches. I'm curious how other DMs have handled this.
0
I think I actually agree with your original stance now, Lyxen. The SAC you're quoting is for spell-like effects, not creatures. Earlier in that same question, it points out that dragons have the word "magical" in their description, but their breath weapons are non-magical effects.
I believe from now on I'll be considering golems to not trigger detect magic. I'll have to let my players know they can't rely on that anymore. (I imagine some of them won't be very happy, but oh well)
0
David42, I love your grappling idea. I was so concerned with pushing I forgot about pulling!
0
That actually brings up another point I had considered. If it is possible to have two creatures in the same space due to unwilling movement, how does that affect them until one of them moves? I considered having disadvantage on all checks, attacks, and dex/str saving throws, and advantage on all attacks against them, but was worried that was too harsh.
0
It's that "in a magic item" line that had me doubting if this ruling applied. What is a golem, if not a very complicated magical item? If it has to do with sentience, does that mean sentient weapons don't trigger detect magic either?