The DMs Craft
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Crit Academy is joined by DM Scotty, popular Youtuber, and creator of "The DMs Craft". Scotty uses his masterfully artistic skills to teach other Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Masters how to make extremely affordable and beautiful works of art for their stories and campaigns.
DM Scotty walks us through a little bit about himself, gives some insightful gaming advice, and most importantly, about "The DMs Craft". He shares his development process, the challenges he runs into, and how he builds his videos so that even the most novice of creators can make amazing looking tabletop terrain for their games.
Unearthed Tips and Tricks: We bring you new and creative content for you to bring with you on your next adventure!
Character Concept:
Listener: PJ Sherril
Infinity Stones:
Character Concept is based around the recent movie "Infinity War". This character (Who is technically a Wild Magic Sorcerer) has, by some twist of fate (whether cruel or great) has had an ancient stone(or stones) infused with powerful magic embedded inside them, dubbed an "Infinity Stone(s)". This stone(s) has spread its magic throughout this character, granting him uncontrollable magic powers. You can choose any Stone, as I really don't remember them all. Maybe Power Stone?
Monster Variant: Rotting Toad
Origin Giant Toad:
New Feature:
Replace Swallow with:
Rotting Swallow:
The toad makes one bite attack against a Medium or smaller target it is grappling. If the attack hits, the target is swallowed, and the grapple ends. The swallowed target is blinded and restrained, it has total cover against attacks and other effects outside the toad, and it takes 10(3d6) acid damage at the start of each of the toad’s turns. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 11 Constitution saving throw or be cursed and have its skin rot. The cursed target can’t regain hit points, and its hit point maximum decreases by 7(2d6) every 24 hours that elapse. If the curse reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies, and its body melts into a pile of liquid goo. The curse lasts until removed by the remove curse spell or other magic. The toad can have only one target swallowed at a time.
If the toad dies, a swallowed creature is no longer restrained by it and can escape from the corpse using 5 feet of movement, exiting prone.
Encounter:
Patron Sam:
Mimic Pair for hasty adventurers (CR5)
The darkened corner of a dungeon has a chest. Mildly damp environment. In the chest is a set of shiny plate armor. The armor seems to have a light sheen of oil on the surface. To a magic-user the armor seems magical. DC 16 Investigation can reveal the mimic if the character checks. If the PC dons the armor, after 1 minute of wearing the armor the PC feels a cold wet feeling in the nape of the neck. The Mimic(Armour) gets 1 pseudopod attack then roll initiative. If a player is within 5ft of the chest, then the 2nd mimic(Chest) also gets 1 bite in the surprise round. The chest cannot adhere to PC while Armour is adhering. While Armour is adhering, the PC's AC becomes the mimic's AC(12). While Armour is adhering, the PC takes half damage from incoming attacks aimed at the mimic if the attack had disadvantage(Mimic other half). 50% chance of half damage for normal attacks and no damage for attacks with advantage. (Have a player roll a D12, odd hit player, even miss. Will really freak them out.) While Armour is adhering to PC, PC takes 1D6 acid damage at the start of the PC's turn. Armour cannot bite while adhering. The player as an action can pry Armour off with DC18 STR check alone, DC 30 STR combined for 2 Pc's (other player forfeits action and must be within 5 feet), DC 46 STR combined for 3 PC's(same rules as above). Armor mimic who has been pried off cannot adhere again for 1 day. If a PC falls unconscious while adhered the mimic begins consuming the body if not otherwise threatened. If threatened mimic immediately dislodges and attacks other targets. No lingering acid damage after dislodged.
Magic Item:
@BoozleBoi
Rage Powder
Potion, Uncommon
When you inhale the red powder contained in this vial, you gain the benefits of the barbarians rage feature for 1 minute. Additionally, when you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t gain the benefits of rage powder again until you finish a long rest.
A small violent sandstorm appears in the vial but vanishes when the vial is opened.
Dungeon Master Tip:
@DMSchristopherW
Prepare your enemy spell casters.
If spell casting enemies are aware of the PCs before they actually engage them, they should already have cast spells to aid them in combat.
Examples: Mage armor, Fly, Mirror Image, Heroism, Bless, False Life, Enhance ability, Enlarge/Reduce
Player Tip: Don’t be a Dick
Patron Nathan H.
Play Actual Music as a Bard
Obviously, this is only for players that actually play a musical instrument in real life. But if someone plays a bard and also knows how to play an instrument that's easy to transport, then play music at your game! Whether it's a flute or recorder, or ukulele or even a trumpet... even if it's a simple as a kazoo... make up some jingles for your spells. In Ocarina of Time, you have to play certain melodies for spells to take effect. For your D&D game, come up with a few sequences of notes for spells like healing word or bane or heroism, anything you might use on a regular basis. How awesome would it be to just play a quick melody on your uke and everyone already knows what you're doing?
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