Whats up of us, and welcome again to Flawed Each Time. At present I’m desperate to dive again into the rambling adventures of Vox Machina, whereby our heroes have presently divided their forces between combating a dragon and infiltrating hell itself. Not usually a time after I’d suggest splitting the occasion, however given their spectacular historical past of dragon-slaying, I’d think about… what’s this? They’ve fought this dragon twice already, and it kicked their asses whilst a full occasion? Yeah, they’re fucked.
Luckily, seeing how a gaggle of gamers and their DM can collaborate in getting themselves un-fucked from some seemingly unwinnable state of affairs is considered one of DnD’s best pleasures. Readers of conventional fiction will typically look poorly upon completely foreshadowing-free deus ex machina, nevertheless it’s not laborious to weave some complicating variable into your prior narrative such {that a} group’s fortunes can change from determined to triumphant at a second’s discover. In distinction, DnD prioritizes participant company above all, which suggests an answer that doesn’t emerge from skillful software of their participant skills is at all times going to be much less satisfying than a victory that feels “mechanically earned.”
This challenge solely turns into all of the extra distinguished as a marketing campaign rises in scale over time, presenting ever-more intractable opposition for its courageous heroes. The simplest answer to this riddle comes within the type of offering your enemy an Achilles’ Heel, or, in sport parlance, a large glowing weak level. An enemy’s energy may be totally overwhelming as long as its weak point can be obvious – that approach, there’s no have to restrict your conception of an enemy’s energy relative to your occasion’s accessible energy. And relying on the model of your marketing campaign, these weaknesses can vary from one thing as tangible because the Vestiges to easy overconfidence, as long as you present the gamers alternatives to take advantage of that confidence. Given we’re pitting Vox Machina’s craftiest members towards the Chroma Conclave’s dimmest dragon, I think about some trickery might be concerned within the activity forward, and I’m desperate to see how Mercer realizes this chapter’s outsized threats with out outright killing the occasion. Let’s get to it!
Episode 4
We open on Pike as soon as once more trying to barter with the Everlight, which could once more suggest her participant was absent for some time period. Pike’s story has concerned an entire lot of conversing immediately together with her god in an effort to keep her powers, which in DnD phrases is each kinda arbitrary drama and likewise party-averse, because it’s a mode of battle not one of the others can meaningfully have interaction with. This makes me suppose it was a concession to her scheduling – Pike’s participant usually needed to progress her drama purely via one-on-one discussions with Mercer, as she wasn’t accessible steadily sufficient for her drama to progress naturally via the group’s collective experiences. A clumsy answer, however possible the perfect of a number of unhealthy solutions, because it’s definitely superior to simply leaving her as a static character all season lengthy (significantly when a number of different characters are already grappling with concern of both change or stagnation)
“Redemption doesn’t exist within the realms of the damned. The Hells of Despath are forbidden.” Attention-grabbing phrases from the Everlight, drawing consideration to the type of fractured conception of the afterlife as introduced by DnD’s default fantasy world. Totally different gods all have their very own completely different everlasting rewards, and in the event you aren’t aligned with some deity or different, the belief is that your soul will mainly type of disintegrate over time. So it’s a mix of pagan polytheism with a variation on the 9 hells clearly ripped from Dante, missing in clear guidelines relating to how your actions on earth and everlasting punishment or reward truly work together
This implies religion in DnD is messy, nevertheless it additionally offers loads of dramatic alternatives. With a purpose to sq. this circle of all gods being technically actual, however not essentially possessing the authority you’d assume of a conventional god, I’ve taken to embracing the system of “religion generates divinity” – the extra a god is actively worshiped, the extra energy they possess. Because of this, gods have clear incentives to develop their energy, and tales can naturally incorporate these incentives to drive their mortal drama. As my occasion’s characters drift via their late teen ranges, they’re changing into an growing concern to the deities, as teams of that energy can truly collect religion of their wake
Regardless, the tip end result on this case is that the Everlight declares she has no energy throughout the hells. I personally outlined this separation extra loosely – the gods couldn’t assault hell immediately, however when my gamers had been making their last assault on hell, the gods had been capable of present blessings and transient appearances by key allies. Exactly the type of “I’m not technically touching you” godly nonsense that makes Greek mythology so entertaining
We swiftly run via a sequence of deft athletic maneuvers that had been presumably an precise problem throughout tabletop play. Working via bodily impediment programs is a DnD staple that doesn’t translate significantly gracefully to TV drama
After which everybody will get a hellish makeover from Scanlan. One other DnD staple, and for good purpose – taking part in dress-up along with your invented characters is like half the enjoyable of inventing them. I’m having a variety of enjoyable with that in our presently ongoing marketing campaign, as I accumulate a steady of outfits for my goblin Tilly
Keyleth deftly passes an intimidation examine by noisily consuming some passing hell-creature. A pure methodology of limiting the sport’s reliance on arbitrary cube rolls over participant actions is to emphasise that efficiency and fast considering will at all times sweeten the pot – it’s simpler to achieve a persuasion examine in the event you do one thing that truly appears persuasive, and so forth
Ooh, love these full tableaus of hellish filth and violence. A really texture-rich interpretation of the underworld
Actually appreciating Keyleth’s enthusiastic hell-voice efficiency. Plenty of saliva, very convincing
In the meantime, Vex is blasting our different occasion freed from their ice tomb. She and Percy can’t assist however riff as Allura rushes out looking for Kima – a distinction in tone that appears nearly unavoidable in DnD. The DM will at all times be taking part in one thing of the straight man relative to the occasion members, providing alternately stoic or passionate NPCs who should naturally be considerably accommodating of a jocular adventuring occasion’s humorousness. The world exists for the gamers, and joking means they’re having an excellent time – accommodating that sense of camaraderie necessitates ignoring (or no less than downplaying) no matter offense such a tone may immediate among the many NPCs of their world
The evil of hell is sort of a bodily weight upon Pike. Based on the usual DnD guidelines, good and evil are tangible, elemental issues you’ll be able to truly sense by way of magic – nonetheless, such a static, mechanical conception of morality appears like plain unhealthy writing to me, and so I typically steer away from invoking such gadgets
Pike makes an attempt to assist a damned soul, which solely will get it screaming so loud it disrupts Scanlan’s focus on their disguises. Time for an additional chase sequence!
Chase sequences are difficult in DnD for a number of causes. For one, fight or another lively actions are turn-based – how a lot you’ll be able to transfer in a given spherical is a direct results of your characters’ written motion pace, which means you need to break the symmetry of that system in a roundabout way merely to convey the concept of characters shifting quicker or extra creatively throughout a given stretch of terrain. For an additional, these turn-based sequences are typically conceived as happening inside a set enviornment – in an effort to create the terrain obligatory for an ongoing chase, you need to stretch the sport’s pure conception of lively battle, developing a bigger and extra complicated map for the characters to traverse. These points aren’t unresolvable, however they do make chase sequences significantly labor-intensive on the DM’s aspect, necessitating a variety of further prep work
They’re in the end saved by the satan Zerxus himself, who leads them to his sanctuary
He gives them the vestige if they’ll finest him in a sport of probability. Basic satan stuff, and DnD offers numerous dice-based simulated card video games. I’m partial to truly simply working a spherical of 5 card draw myself; so long as your gamers know the fundamental guidelines of poker, it’s laborious to beat the acquainted drama and tactile sensation of playing cards in your arms. Each prop you’ll be able to embody as DM helps bolster the substance of your world, whether or not it’s a set of playing cards, a slideshow of surroundings on a monitor, a novel monster determine, or just applicable scene-setting music
Pike wagers her life towards the vestige, sealed with a contract. Devilish contracts really feel like one of many few real successes of DnD’s alignment system – now we have culturally accepted that devils love contracts, and thus DnD devils are designed because the epitome of “lawful evil,” evil sure by each bureaucratic flourish you could possibly think about
The sport they’re taking part in is “5 Skulls,” which appears to be a combination of Guess Who? and Battleship – gamers should uncover their opponent’s black cranium out of 5 complete face-down playing cards, asking inquiries to information their search
In fact, the sport is definitely a psychological gambit to weaken Pike’s will, as he’s absolutely conscious her bodily tells will reveal her card’s location. Designing gambits like this demand failsafes – it’s glorious that Pike can truly fail right here, however you’ll be able to’t simply depart your gamers with no exit technique
Right here, the failure serves solely to ratchet up the stress, as it’s now all of her buddies’ lives which can be on the road
Granted, the importance of failure is relative in DnD, relying largely in your participant group’s abdomen for it. For on-book adventures like Curse of Strahd, DnD can seem very like a GTA rampage in a fantasy sandbox, and gamers who prefer it that approach are additionally possible to not take offense at being requested to roll a brand new character. However in the event you’re making an attempt to collectively craft a long-form fantasy epic, character demise is mostly one thing to be dealt with rigorously
“Have you ever ever questioned if the Everlight wants you greater than you want her?” A scrumptious query to ask a faith-driven character, and one I’ve been actively toying with whereas crafting post-campaign quests for my very own occasion. The villain of my marketing campaign exploited the tangible energy of religion inside DnD in an effort to create a type of manufacturing facility, the place acolytes had been sacrificed to create magical power. Religion isn’t good or evil, it’s merely energy – and now, with the occasion primarily serving as champions of the gods, the query of whether or not they’re extra risk than profit to their patrons is coming into focus
“Do you ever surprise in case your life can be higher with out the Everlight?” The true sport right here isn’t divining the proper card, it’s asking questions your opponent can’t honestly reply, thus forcing them to take penalties. A scrumptious and intensely devilish sport design – I’ll be completely happy to poach this one if an applicable scenario presents itself
And in response, Pike additionally takes her focus off the playing cards in entrance of her, asking Zerxus who he was, and why he selected her. A really applicable alternative – the core of goodness isn’t righteous self-assurance, however easy empathy
Zerxus explains he was truly among the many adventuring occasion that prompted the Calamity, as his religion in his buddies blinded him to the hazard they posed
Good visible prospers for this sequence, presenting Zerxus’ historical past in stained glass home windows
“There isn’t any distinction between the gods above or beneath. All of them lie.” This Zerxus is making some good factors
“Do you would like your loved ones was right here?” Pike’s last query challenges the idea of his present philosophy, whether or not there was honor in his alternative, or just self-interest. A swish tethering of his knightly and devilish identities
“Effectively performed. That was extra devious than I anticipated.” That’s the enjoyable factor about devils – the perfect of them respect good sport, even when they’re on the dropping finish. It makes them well-suited for roles as former adversaries who now possess a point of respect for the gamers
Truthfully, there are many methods Pike’s query might have failed to impress a helpful response, however that’s the work of the DM – if the participant places in good work, their effort must be rewarded. You’re not making an attempt to “defeat” the gamers, you’re making an attempt to construct one thing that’s better for your entire collective contributions
Zerxus graciously gives them his talisman as effectively, permitting passage via Despath. He is likely to be a satan, however he’s not a monster
Aaand then he sics his bodyguard on them. Effectively then
And Carried out
Wonderful work, courageous heroes! And a uncommon highlight episode for Pike Trickfoot, whose variable availability has usually left her considerably underserved relative to her teammates. Pike did glorious work on this episode, rising to a problem between good and evil that demanded eager emotional funding within the story of her devilish opponent. I’m fairly intrigued by Mercer seemingly drawing the inconstancy of the gods into his lively drama, clearly pointing to a risk that lies past the Chroma Conclave. Nice, expansive fantasy tales have a tendency to not take their conceptual origins with no consideration; the Calamity is clearly the biggest defining occasion for this world, and Mercer seemingly has designs in thoughts for permitting Vox Machina to function a bookend for that occasion, resolving no matter wound continues to be left upon the earth. I’m desperate to see how he manages it, and likewise fairly positive I’m gonna steal that 5 Skulls sport. Our productive foraging continues!
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