Adventurers encounter and even seek out experiences beyond the ken of most mortals. Whether it’s harrowing encounters with interdimensional beings, the sudden, violent loss of a beloved NPC, or simply the trauma of constantly being surrounded by death and terror, their lows can be as dramatic and potentially impactful as their highs. 

The harm that can come to adventurers may not always be physical, and players may decide that these events have a more lasting effect on their character’s psyche. It’s important to consider this in conjunction with the safety rules and its potential impact on the game. When a group or the Narrator decides that gamifying mental stress and morale isn’t right for the campaign, respectful roleplay is a viable alternative to these mechanics.           

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Mental Stress Effects

The Narrator may decide that a particular encounter that goes badly can leave a lasting impact on adventurers. Alternatively, if these options are discussed during character creation a player may decide that an event in their past provides sufficient mental stress to bring about a change in their character. These effects provide options for short- and long-term repercussions. A creature may only have one mental stress effect at a time. A long-term effect overrides a short-term effect, and if two effects are of equal strength, the most recent effect replaces the older effect.

A mental stress effect is usually best chosen based on the encounter that causes it and an adventurer’s personality, but may be randomly determined using the mental stress effect tables.

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Table: Short-Term Mental Stress Effects (d10)

1. Bewildered

2. Cowed

3. Distraught

4. Enraged

5. Flippant

6. Musical

7. Obsessed

8. On Edge

9. Sleepless

10. Terrorized

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Table: Long-Term Mental Stress Effect (d10)

1. Covetous

2. Distorted perceptions

3. Hopeless

4. Inimical

5. Memory Wipe

6. Murderous

7. Peacekeeping

8. Phobia

9. Superstitious

10. Suspicious

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Strife and Mental Stress Effects

When a creature suffers its fifth level of strife it gains a short-term mental stress effect, and when it suffers its seventh level of strife it gains a long-term mental stress effect.

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Short-Term Mental Stress Effects

These conditions are the immediate effects of mental stress after an event or encounter. They last for 1d6 days, but could remain longer based on discussions between the Narrator and player. 

BEWILDERED

A bewildered creature is overwhelmed by trying to process a particular event. Its mind begins to play tricks, altering its perceptions. A bewildered creature has disadvantage on social-based ability checks as it struggles to engage with what’s happening. When a bewildered creature would succeed on an ability check, roll another d20. On a result of 15 or less the creature succeeds, but otherwise it fails the ability check instead. This could be caused by a temporary forgetfulness that leads the creature to forget what it was trying to achieve, or in some cases a brief hallucination that alters the circumstances in such a way that it is unable to succeed.

COWED

A cowed creature cannot shake the idea that they are certain to face defeat, and so flinch and surrender at the first sign of danger. After taking any damage in combat, on its next turn a cowed creature takes the Dash action and uses all of its movement to escape danger (or if it is unable to move towards safety, the Dodge action). A cowed creature has disadvantage on Intimidation checks and when given any alternative to combat will happily take it, and it has advantage on Persuasion checks made to try and avoid combat.

DISTRAUGHT

A distraught creature is visibly and deeply shaken by a recent experience, and its apparent distress moves people to do what they can to help. Once per long rest, a distraught creature can choose to gain advantage on a check made to persuade neutral or friendly creatures to aid it, but it has disadvantage on Deception, Performance, and initiative checks.

ENRAGED

An enraged creature is unable to shake its frustration with an enemy or its own perceived failings after an encounter. An enraged creature has advantage on Strength checks, but has disadvantage on all other ability checks. Whenever an enraged creature fails an ability check, it throws or attempts to break any tools or objects involved in the check.

FLIPPANT

A flippant creature refuses to face the enormity of whatever event befell it. Not only does a flippant creature superficially shrug off the experience, it goes to reckless ends to prove it is ‘unaffected’ with little regard for itself or allies. A flippant creature has advantage on Dexterity checks, but has disadvantage on Wisdom checks and saving throws .

MUSICAL

A musical creature has temporarily taken leave of social norms after a deep shock or strange encounter. Instead of talking, it now sporadically sings its thoughts and during conversation, giving it disadvantage on Deception, Intimidation, and Stealth checks but advantage on Performance checks.

OBSESSED

An obsessed creature cannot stop talking about the ordeal that troubles it. It has disadvantage on Stealth checks as it constantly tells allies that it is reminded of “that time when…” Whenever initiative is rolled, an obsessed creature makes a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or loses 1 round of actions as it wrestles with and exclaims about the similarities to the traumatic encounter in its past.

ON EDGE

A creature that is on edge is hyperaware of its surroundings and unable to fully relax. An on edge creature has advantage on Perception and initiative checks, but disadvantage on all other ability checks as it is distracted, unable to take its mind off the dangers that could potentially lurk around every corner.

SLEEPLESS

A sleepless creature is unsettled by its encounter and struggles to relax in order to sufficiently rest. Whenever a sleepless creature takes a long rest, it makes a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw to quiet its mind or only gains the benefits of a short rest . During rests where a sleepless creature has failed its Wisdom save, it has advantage on Perception checks made to detect danger.

TERRORIZED

A terrorized creature is not just fearful of danger but convinced it is already here. A terrorized creature is unable to shake its fear response from its unsettling encounter, unwilling to go within 30 feet of strangers or participate in melee combat without succeeding on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw first (instead taking the Dash action to escape to safety or retreat from a sudden noise). A terrorized creature has advantage on Perception checks and any Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution checks made to escape combat or danger, but it will sleep only in places with reasonable security precautions.
 

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Long-Term Mental Stress Effects

These effects denote a more permanent impact made by the mental stress of traumatic encounters. 

COVETOUS 

A covetous creature is gripped by a fear of losing in any sense and it begins to desire what is owned by others, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, feeling deprived by that which they do not have. A covetous creature has advantage on Sleight of Hand checks, but disadvantage on Wisdom saving throws and Deception checks related to things it has taken.

DISTORTED PERCEPTIONS

A creature with distorted perceptions has been shaken to its core, and perhaps had its mind jolted by interdimensional travel. Whenever a creature with distorted perceptions rolls a Perception check with a result equal to or less than its passive Perception, small details of the world begin to warp—a swaying tree becomes a dancing shadowy figure, a coil of rope becomes a deadly snake coiled to attack, and its allies may temporarily wear the face of an enemy. These distorted perceptions are brief but absolutely real to the creature. 

Discussion between the Narrator and the player of an adventurer with distorted perceptions can determine what kind of hallucinations they’re most likely to have and how far they’d like to take it.

HOPELESS

A hopeless creature has completely lost faith in its purpose and finds it difficult to be motivated. A hopeless creature has advantage on Persuasion checks that involve convincing someone not to take a certain course of action, arguing the pointlessness of it all, but it has disadvantage on initiative checks.

INIMICAL

When an inimical creature is bloodied , on its next turn it takes the Attack action against the nearest creature to it. The inimical creature has disadvantage on these attacks as it flails without control. In addition, an inimical creature has disadvantage on checks and saving throws made against being grappled or restrained .

MEMORY WIPE

A creature with a memory wipe becomes forgetful in the extreme after its encounter, perhaps not remembering the event at all. A memory wiped creature has disadvantage on Arcana, Culture, History, Nature, and Religion checks, and any other knowledge-based check as its capacity to easily recall information is profoundly affected.

MURDEROUS

A murderous creature no longer sees shades of gray when it comes to even the gentlest disagreement or conflict. At the first sign of conflict, whether that be disagreement within the party or a suspicious looking stranger, a murderous creature sees red, attacking first and asking questions later. Dazed by their recklessness, a murderous creature has disadvantage on initiative checks, but advantage on its first attack roll on each of its turns while in such a state. This state lasts for a maximum of 5 rounds, but can be ended earlier by a calm emotions spell or DC 18 Persuasion check. 

PEACEKEEPING

A peacekeeping creature wants no more violence and on each of its turns uses all of its actions to prevent or subdue combat by every nonviolent method at its disposal, continuing this course of action until it or an ally are bloodied . A peacekeeping creature has disadvantage on initiative checks but advantage on its first ability check made to try and end a combat.

PHOBIA

A traumatic encounter leads a creature to have a long-term, debilitating fear of some element of the encounter. For example, narrowly escaping a burning building may leave a creature with a phobia of fire. When encountering the subject of its phobia, a creature makes a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw . On a success the creature can act normally, but on a failure it is frightened for 1 minute (at the Narrator’s discretion, depending on the situation it may be incapacitated instead). At the end of each of its turns, the creature repeats the saving throw, able to act normally on a success.

SUPERSTITIOUS

A creature comes to believe it has survived its traumatic encounter thanks only to the presence of a lucky charm. This charm can be anything it had on its person at the time of the event. The superstitious creature has disadvantage on attack rolls and saving throws whenever it is more than 30 feet away from its charm, except for Investigation or Perception checks to find the charm again (which are made with advantage ).

SUSPICIOUS 

A suspicious creature has lost faith in the goodness of the people and circumstances around it. A suspicious creature has advantage on Sleight of Hand checks, and Perception checks to detect hidden foes, but it has disadvantage on Insight checks as it is unable to objectively interpret intentions. 

Indefinite Mental Stress

It may be that a creature encounters a situation that inflicts indefinite effects on its psyche. In this case it may have one or more of any of the above mental stress effects, with no time limits imposed. The Narrator should decide which effects and how many. A creature can only suffer from multiple mental stress effects if one or more are indefinite mental stress effects.

Saving Throws

Saving throws can be used to determine how a creature handles the mental stress of a particular encounter. When a creature fails a saving throw by 10 or more or rolls a critical failure on a saving throw, it may acquire a short-term mental stress effect determined by what the save was made for. In a tougher encounter, at the Narrator’s discretion a success may mean that a creature is left with a short-term mental stress effect, and on a failure it instead acquires a long-term mental stress effect.

Wisdom or Charisma saving throws are most likely to relate to a creature’s mental fortitude, however Intelligence or Constitution may be more applicable based on the encounter.

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Spell Effects

Some spells such as contact other plane and symbol involve potential impacts on the mind of a creature. Rather than using the described spell effects, the Narrator may substitute a short- or long-term mental stress effect.

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Relieving Mental Stress Effects

Like physical injuries, the mental impacts of adventuring are not permanent. In a world where even death is not necessarily the end, there are also options to recover from the mental impacts of overwhelming events.

Roleplay

In the same way that danger sometimes passes without combat, conditions that impact an adventurer’s psyche (rather than their physical self) can be resolved through effective roleplay. Roleplaying an important resolution for a PC (or even an important NPC) may bring an end to their condition—this might be reuniting with a significant person from their past, finally defeating a sworn enemy, or simply being soothed by the companionship and protection of their allies. 

Healing Magic

Short- and long-term mental stress effects can usually be removed with a greater restoration spell (although the Narrator may set other conditions) and temporarily relieved by the calm emotions spell (until the spell ends).

Other Magic. The obvious restorative properties of healing magic are effective, but powerful illusions or even spells that alter reality have the potential to end mental stress effects.

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Personality Changes

A failed saving throw may not lead to a mental stress effect. In some cases after discussion with the group, the Narrator may decide that a particular event leads to a far more fundamental change. The nature of this change and the status of an adventurer’s mental stress effect afterward (it may become a long-term mental stress effect, indefinite, change to a short-term mental stress effect, or be removed entirely) are at the Narrator’s discretion.

Everyone shows up to a game to have fun, but what fun looks like is different for different people. When preparing and running a game, the Narrator wants to know what the group enjoys and how to keep them engaged. Understanding what players like helps everyone have fun and feel included in the gaming group.

It’s common for players to enjoy many aspects of the game at different times, but each individual has specific motivations that really spark their imagination and immerse them in the experience. For convenience we use player archetypes to define what aspects of the game someone is particularly enthusiastic about: Character, Combat, Drama, Mechanics, Rules, Socializing, Specialization, Story, Tactics, or the World.

The player archetypes listed below are not immutable. Many players have motivations from more than one archetype, and their type might change depending on their mood, what else is happening in their lives, across different games and campaigns, or even based on who else is at the gaming table. Furthermore, none of these types are inherently good or bad—they are simply different ways of enjoying the game.

Character Enthusiast

Other Names: Actor, Roleplay Specialist

Preferred Pillars: Social

These players want to inhabit their character and come to the table with strong ideas about their character’s background and personality. They thrive when given the opportunity to roleplay and portray their character’s values, and tend to prefer social engagements to fights. They are easily led to adventure by a Narrator who incorporates PC motivations, backstory and relationships.

A character enthusiast is most engaged when they have the spotlight and are presented with situations meaningful to their character, and when drawing on their character’s place in the world. The Narrator should provide opportunities for character development and recruit them to create rich narrative moments that affect the campaign world. When they can play in character with other actors, they thrive—don’t be afraid to sit back and let them spend a session talking around the campfire.

Potential Difficulties: “But it’s what my character would do!” Make sure the player’s character gets along with the world and other PCs; otherwise they will constantly fight against the group and frustrate everyone. Be careful not to let them bore the rest of the table either by attempting to converse with everyone and everything! An occasional conversation with a squirrel is fun, but a whole session of talking to animals causes more action-focused players to switch off. Similarly, character enthusiasts will get bored with too few opportunities to roleplay and develop their character.

Combat Enthusiast

Other Names: Butt-Kicker, Slayer

Preferred Pillars: Combat

To this type of player, a huge amount of the fun of the game is combat. The power fantasy of being able to take down dangerous foes is core to their enjoyment of the game. This may be because combat feels the most like a board game, the player wants some catharsis to blow off real-world stress and frustrations, or some other reason, but whatever the underlying cause these players perk up when the dice hit the table and hit point totals start dropping.

A combat enthusiast is most engaged when adventures include regular combat encounters. Some like graphic or at least exciting descriptions of the violence playing out in the game (which may need to be balanced against the comfort level of the rest of the group). This desire for combat is typically not a big ask, but if more than one session goes by without some sort of physical confrontation these players may get bored and in some cases pick fights with friendly NPCs in an attempt to liven the game up. Another potential point of frustration for these players is when they are prevented from participating in a combat—use paralyzing attacks, sleep effects, and other agency denying mechanics sparingly on adventurers controlled by these players. The same goes for enemies with escape plans such as teleportation effects or vampires that turn to mist. 

Potential Difficulties: In addition to the potential for picking unnecessary fights, there’s also a chance that these players may disengage from noncombat portions of the game. Narrators may need to proactively point the spotlight at them from time to time. One way to do this is to make their martial skill an important bit of knowledge or respect that opens doors for the party as a whole. “You’re Grogthak the wyvern slayer! Yes, of course you and your friends can come in!”

Drama Enthusiast

Other Names: Instigator, Pot Stirrer

Preferred Pillars: Combat and social

Drama enthusiasts are all about making things happen! These players love to take crazy risks and deliberately make bad choices, thriving on the chaos they sow and creating memorable campaign moments. They usually love the immediacy of combat and dislike having nothing to do. Trust these players to take decisive action (pulling levers, attacking the guards, stealing the dragon’s gold from under their nose!) especially when the adventure otherwise grinds to a halt.

A drama enthusiast is most engaged when there is plenty of action and when they are in encounters that invite experimentation. Put them in a tight situation of their own making or offer high risk and high reward scenarios and they’ll be on the edge of their seats. They also love being egged on by NPCs or other players who encourage bold action.

Potential Difficulties: They don’t like over-planning, rules arguments, or anything that slows the pace of play, and can be disruptive to party unity by hogging the spotlight and making impulsive choices that risk getting everyone killed. Also beware the opportunity for dramatic betrayal! When the MacGuffin is on the table the drama enthusiast is tempted to attack other PCs or allies, or snatch it and run, undermining group trust and potentially derailing the campaign altogether. If you have an instigator in your group, make sure you cover expectations around group behavior and player versus player conflict.

Mechanics Enthusiast

Other Names: Min-Maxer, Power Gamer, Theorycrafter

Preferred Pillars: Combat and exploration

These players derive a lot of enjoyment from the mechanical side of the game and spend a lot of time thinking about the interactions between various character abilities. If a player excitedly talks about their “build,” they may be a mechanics enthusiast. Another sign of a mechanics enthusiast is a focus on optimizing PCs solely for maximum effectiveness at combat (typically around a singular tactic), but exceptions exist where a player may design a character that is as competent as possible at a wide range of activities or a specific noncombat role such as stealth, making money, or diplomacy.

A mechanics enthusiast is most engaged when given opportunities for their carefully-crafted PC to shine. Don’t neglect character advancement either, as these players often have planned out their character several levels in advance and will be eager to realize the next stage of their plan. These players can become frustrated when they feel like the work they put into character creation was “wasted.” This can come up in a variety of ways, but generally speaking the player should be allowed to “do their thing” on at least a semi-regular basis. If the PC is a stealth expert, give them places to infiltrate. If the player has built a wizard that focuses on area spells, it’s only sporting to give them a tightly-packed group of enemies to blast now and then. 

Potential Difficulties: Power disparity between PCs can be a real concern. Characters designed for maximum mechanical effectiveness can often overshadow ones that are not unless care is taken by the Narrator to account for the differences. Be especially aware of multiclass builds that use a single primary ability score, as those can sometimes create a “whole greater than the sum of its parts” situation. There’s also the danger of “when all you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail” with these players, who may try to solve in-game problems in wildly inappropriate or implausible ways just so they can use their character’s cool abilities.

Rules Enthusiast

Other Names: Rules Lawyer, Sage

Preferred Pillars: Anywhere to demonstrate rules knowledge (usually combat and exploration)

These players find satisfaction in their knowledge or even mastery of the rules of the game—when an odd circumstance comes up in the game and there are rules to address it, they either know the applicable game mechanics off the top of their head or at least have an excellent idea where to look for them. Consistency and fairness are very important for these players, and they may object to the Narrator providing mechanical bonuses for doing things in a fun or entertaining way (the so-called “rule of cool”).

A rules enthusiast is most engaged when their encyclopedic knowledge of the rules is put to work. The Narrator should proactively ask these players to look up and reference rules when there’s a dispute or lack of knowledge at the table. However, they can become frustrated if they feel like the mechanics they have spent so much time and energy learning don’t matter in the game.

Potential Difficulties: Rules enthusiasts can sometimes attempt to hijack the game by insisting on slavish adherence to the rules at all times, and in some extreme cases will even accuse Narrators of cheating if they roll behind a screen or have game events happen by fiat. Conflict can also arise when the player and Narrator interpret a given rules passage differently. These players can sometimes exploit their rules knowledge against the Narrator or other players in an effort to get their way when they are unhappy with something in the game. Establish clear boundaries with these players up front and don’t be afraid to revisit them as the need arises.

Social Enthusiast 

Other Names: Casual Gamer, Watcher

Preferred Pillars: The pillars are the friends we make along the way

The social enthusiast shows up to the game because they love being involved and spending time with friends. They might not care much for the rules, know the details of their characters, or keep extensive notes on the setting, but they are happy to hang out and focus on having fun. As such they are usually happy to fill a gap in the party roster and are great at reminding all involved to not take the game too seriously, helping calm disputes and raise spirits when the dice start betraying the adventurers.

A social enthusiast is most engaged when everyone is having fun, the stakes aren’t too high, and they can socialize in and out of character. They’re happy to be prompted as necessary to use spells and features they might otherwise not recall (especially during turn-based action), but prefer not to be in the spotlight, and hate to be forced to be more involved than they want to be. The Narrator should accept that they’re often happy observing. These players may also enjoy “fourth wall breaking” puzzles or riddles to be solved outside of the game, where they can feel involved without requiring in-game knowledge or actions.

Potential Difficulties: These players can slow the pace of play by not knowing the rules or what to do in character. Because they’re not as engaged in the game as they are in socializing, they can distract other players with out-of-game conversation, get lost in other activities mid-session (such as playing on their phone), or disappear from the table at crucial moments (or miss game sessions altogether). Don’t rely on these player’s characters to be movers and shakers in the game’s plot, and offer in-game reasons for them to drift in and out of scenes to avoid player absence derailing the campaign.

Specialty Enthusiast

Other Names: Archetype Specialist, One Hatter

Preferred Pillars: Combat or social (depending on what the player specializes in)

A specialty enthusiast has a particular type of character that they love to play and typically try to play in any game they participate in whether or not it’s appropriate or makes much sense. What form this takes varies from player to player—sometimes it’s a specific character class, other times it’s a broader concept such as “front-line combatant” or “healer”, or it may even be a personality type such as “edgy loner” or “paragon of virtue.” Depending on how specific the player wants to be, they may need to be told “no,” integrating their preferred character type into a setting or party may be trivial, or something in between. Sometimes these players also stick with a particular concept out of comfortable familiarity or anxiety about being able to play something else.

A specialty enthusiast is most engaged when they get to embody the type of character they want to embody, whatever that means for them. Giving these players space to let them “do their thing” is the surest way to keep them invested. 

Potential Difficulties: Setting boundaries may be necessary with these players, especially if they’re dead set on a character that doesn’t plausibly fit in the campaign world (such as an actual ninja from feudal Japan), and some may need to find a different game if they are unwilling to bend. That said, if their preferred concept fits in the world, there’s no good reason to insist they play something else just for the sake of variety. But while insistence may be a problem, encouragement is another matter—if the Narrator feels the player has become stuck in a rut and could benefit from trying something new, convincing them to experience something different may be the best way to go.

Story Enthusiast 

Other Names: Storyteller

Preferred Pillars: Exploration and social

The story enthusiast is at the table for the unfolding narrative of the fantasy world. They support the story by bringing thematically appropriate characters and a rich backstory tied to an overarching plot, though they are less concerned with any one character’s motivations and personality than with a satisfying tale. Provide a wise mentor and enough clues of the antagonist’s misdemeanors and they will happily follow the call to adventure!

A story enthusiast is most engaged when participating in dramatic scenes with recurring characters and when given opportunities to develop the story through their actions and choices. These players work hard to make integrated characters and feel rewarded when their backstory is incorporated into the campaign’s narrative. They take failures and successes in stride as long as the narrative is interesting, and will often keenly record important events and encounters.

Potential Difficulties: If the campaign lacks plot (consisting instead of disconnected quests and combats) the story enthusiast will get bored. On the other hand these players respect the rules of the game so long as it supports the narrative, and if the rules get in the way, telling a better tale should win! An overzealous story enthusiast might try to force the story based on their preconceived notions, dictate other characters’ actions, or argue against the rules because they don’t support the expected narrative, while more character focused story enthusiasts might also insist on being the protagonist (trying to hog the spotlight during play).

Tactical Enthusiast

Other Names: Mastermind, Planner, Tactician, Thinker

Preferred Pillars: Usually combat (sometimes exploration or social)

Tactical enthusiasts get a great deal of satisfaction out of watching a plan come together. Some don’t mind having a plan come unraveled, but few among them would want that outcome all the time as the thrill of outsmarting the opposition is very satisfying indeed. Sometimes making the plan is almost as enjoyable to these players as executing it. 

A tactical enthusiast is most engaged when one of their plans goes off without a hitch. While it may seem strange, a lot of the time these players find a good anticlimax extremely gratifying. They’ll often become frustrated if nothing ever goes according to plan or the NPC opposition seems to be able to anticipate their every move. Constantly winning is no good either—they can easily become bored if they feel like the other side isn’t even trying—but they may also enjoy puzzles, riddles, and other cerebral challenges that have to be solved by the player rather than with skill checks.

Potential Difficulties: These players can be averse to risk and pessimistic, which can lead to excessive planning at the expense of actually doing something. If they start to bog the game down, introduce some time limits (in or out of game as appropriate). Also, while it is normal and fine for characters to fail, the Narrator should avoid rubbing the player’s nose in it when they do, whether they are a tactician or not.

World Enthusiast

Other Names: Explorer, Lore Expert, Setting Geek

Preferred Pillars: Exploration.

A world enthusiast is seeking new experiences through exploring the game’s setting. They love seeing new places, meeting interesting people, uncovering lost treasures, and learning facts about the world. The promise of exotic locations and different cultures is often enough to lure these players wherever the adventure needs to go.

A world enthusiast is most engaged when encounters call for exploration and their curiosity is rewarded with detailed information about the fictional world. They crave atmosphere as much as combat and story, and love rich descriptions, proper names, cool maps, handouts, and props. They’re likely to be delighted by opportunities to map a location on behalf of the party, and take notes regarding the game world’s history.

Potential Difficulties: A world enthusiast is likely to consume as much information about the game world as is available. Be aware of attempts to exploit player knowledge for advantage (particularly in the context of monster abilities). Worlds with a lot of published material might also become a source of disagreement when the Narrator invents or changes details instead of sticking to existing lore (“setting lawyering”). Their thirst for detail can also be overwhelming for a Narrator and boring to other players focused on other aspects for the game, and likewise they will lose interest in a setting which is inconsistent or devoid of detail.

Potential Conflicts

Certain combinations of play styles have fundamental incompatibilities that can cause conflicts.

Drama Enthusiast and Tactical Enthusiast: A drama enthusiast wants something to happen now and doesn’t mind chaos and failure. A tactical enthusiast wants the satisfying anticlimax. The best way to resolve this conflict is to talk to the players and let them know that they need to give each other space to enjoy their respective styles of play.

Rules Enthusiast and Story Enthusiast: Rules enthusiasts put the rules first and want them adhered to, come what may. Story enthusiasts think the rules should take a backseat to interesting in-game fiction. To resolve this, Narrators should explain whether the game will stick strictly to the rules or treat them more as guidelines as early as possible in a given campaign so players know what they’re getting into—then be consistent to that baseline.

Problem Behaviors

Level Up is a shared activity, and sometimes players (including the Narrator) behave in a way that’s disruptive or disrespectful to other players. The best way to avoid these behaviors is to set expectations before the game begins (see Session Zero in Chapter 1: Introduction), but if they crop up during a game it is helpful to understand why players might be behaving the way they are, and to have a conversation about the type of game the group all wants to enjoy.

Forcing Control

Sometimes friendly advice on what a character can do becomes taking over another character’s actions, denying a player their own character’s agency. This behavior comes about from a desire for a specific outcome, often to avoid the unexpected (and stay safe). A story enthusiast might force control to ensure the story happens “the way it should”, and a tactical enthusiast wants everyone in a combat or heist to follow the plan. 

When a player is forcing control it’s important to set boundaries. Each player only controls their own character’s actions. The narrator might stop play if necessary to remind everyone of character agency, to allow players an opportunity to do what they think is best, whether or not that is the expected or agreed upon action. Some players (social enthusiasts) might be happy having another player give them advice or being swept along by a strong narrative, but be careful to check that the player feels they are still in charge of their own character.

Fudging the Numbers

When a player cheats—by lying about the results of dice rolls, or adding extra money, items, or abilities to their character sheet—they’re fudging the numbers. This behavior comes about from a fear of failure or losing the game. Character enthusiasts might do this to protect their beloved character from death, and mechanical enthusiasts might do it to ensure the viability of their build. 

When the Narrator suspects that a player is cheating it rarely helps to accuse or blame the individual. Remind everyone in the group that without the potential for failure, there is no challenge and little room for character development. Encourage openly rolling dice and regularly check character sheets. When discrepancies show up, ask for explanations and correct mistakes. Provide opportunities for failure to be fun—and include exciting consequences to abate that fear. If failure would be boring anyway, why ask for a roll? This can also be an opportunity to expedite the game by reducing the amount of rolls called for, moving the story forward based on proficiencies the characters have chosen. 

Murderhobos

A common complaint in online gaming communities are “murderhobos”, when adventurers essentially become extremely powerful wandering bandits who kill everything and everyone they meet, grab any loot left over, and then wander off in search of more prey. This can have several root causes. One is that if tactical enthusiasts feel like all NPCs are untrustworthy, they often decline to leave living enemies behind them and strike first. Another cause may be a lack of regard for the noncombat parts of the game. Combat enthusiasts or drama enthusiasts may pick fights just to liven the game up if they feel it has gotten boring. Finally, a lack of in-game consequences for PC actions can lead groups in this direction. 

When the Narrator realizes the characters are becoming murderhobos, the behavior should be met with out-of-game discussion and the group should try to reach a consensus about the style of play that is most appropriate for them and the campaign.

Spotlight Hogging

Some players love to be at the center of attention. When a player insists on making the narrative or action all about them, all the time, they’re hogging the spotlight. This behavior originates with a desire to be the protagonist of the story, or to prevent a slow down of pace through group discussion or indecision. Character and drama enthusiasts are especially prone to this, the character enthusiast wanting to maximize opportunities to roleplay their adventurer, and the drama enthusiast jumping from scene to scene (regardless of continuity) to give input on everything discovered. Narrators should also beware the lone wolf specialty enthusiast who wants to scout ahead while the rest of the party waits. 

When the Narrator notices one player hogging the spotlight, don’t be afraid to cut them off (once they’ve had some time to shine), to actively pass the attention to another player, and use turn-based action to ensure each player has a chance to be involved or give input to an encounter.

Zoning Out

At times players of any type will just stop paying attention to the game. This behavior can have a lot of root causes, and some may have nothing to do with the game itself. 

When the Narrator notices players losing track of what is going on, have a talk with them (ideally privately) and try to determine the root cause. If the issue is out-of-game, be as supportive as possible. If the issue is with the game itself, consider which player archetype is most relevant to the situation and use the advice above as a guide for what might be more engaging to them. Do not, however, crack down on distractions like a ruthless antiquated schoolmaster, especially given that some people actually pay attention better when allowed to fidget a bit—the game is a recreational activity and shouldn’t feel like knowledge prison. 

Whether you find yourself in the cobbled confines of an alleyway meeting an alchemist of ill repute, peering into the weathered face of a tinker as she shows you her wares, or navigating the bustling crowds and heady aromas of a marketplace to find a traveling armorer, the world offers many objects to enhance your adventures. You may find mundane and miraculous items ranging from the small and inconsequential to the legendary and deadly.

For day-to-day adventuring there are some staples that come in handy at any level. A sturdy length of rope, well-made armor, and a source of light could well be the difference between a successful quest and an early demise.

In this chapter you’ll find both common items and more unusual knickknacks that you may find most efficacious in your travels.

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Starting Equipment

Your character’s beginnings determine the supplies they have access to at the start of your adventure. Choices made during character creation provide a list of default gear, but there is also the option to forgo this standard list and select items that you feel better fit your character. Simply choose your class from the table below and spend the allotted amount of gold on the equipment detailed in this chapter.

  How your character came by your starting equipment is up to you. Perhaps they pickpocketed gold until they could afford the shiniest axe, or excelled in transmutation class and were given a beautiful crystal spell focus as a reward. An herbalism kit may be passed down through generations of village healers, or a holy text may be a treasured inheritance from a devout relative. These items are not simply useful implements for your adventuring—they are opportunities to flesh out your character.

Starting Gold Per Class

Adept   30 gp

Bard 135 gp

Berserker 120 gp

Cleric 125 gp

Druid 115 gp

Fighter 140 gp

Herald   200 gp

Marshal 200 gp

Ranger 150 gp

Rogue 125 gp

Sorcerer 100 gp

Warlock 110 gp

Wizard 100 gp

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Trading

While gold pieces and other coinage are used to describe the value of items throughout this chapter, they are not the only way wealth manifests itself in the world. Merchants and crafters accept coins, and most people will have access to coins to give as quest rewards. Other types of currency and trade are common too. Gems, information, services, and exchanged goods are useful ways for the average person to acquire what they need. Working people of every stripe may find it easier to barter day-to-day, and many local governments accept taxes in valuable items that meet the amount due—whether that be poultry or fine wines. The wealthy may trade in the same way albeit on a grander scale such as with deeds, parcels of land, or full bars of precious metal.

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Currency

Coinage varies widely in appearance across realms and sometimes even between cities. Coins are minted with the faces of different rulers and in different shapes or patterns. Sometimes these designs represent their originating culture, and sometimes simply to make a forger’s job harder and rightly so—despite best efforts to thwart them, forgeries are common. Merchants and vendors may be suspicious if your character’s spending power is incongruous with their appearance, and may test coins (either openly or surreptitiously).

Most coins from across the world are made from the same weight of their respective metal, ensuring easy trade across continents and oceans. A gold piece is the usual standard unit of wealth, and when discussing deals and trade merchants will often refer to value in gold pieces even if the final trade involves gems, metal bars, or services.

The average day’s wage for a skilled artisan such as a tailor, carpenter, or armorer is a single gold piece. 

One gold piece is equivalent to 10 silver pieces. A silver piece is half a day’s wages for an unskilled laborer. 

One silver piece is equivalent to 10 copper pieces, the most common coinage amongst the lower-paid working class. 

Other coins of less common metals may be found while traveling. Electrum and platinum are not unheard of, but may not spend easily. Cautious merchants may avoid unfamiliar currency to avoid being duped by a forgery.

On average, 50 coins of any value weigh 1 pound.

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Table: Exchange Rates and Relative Value

 

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Trading Valuables and Treasure

It’s likely that on your adventures you’ll come across an immense variety of valuables ranging from unusual trinkets to weapons and armor of every make, shape, and size. While common items can be sold in almost any town, some more unique items may be difficult to sell without locating a specialist or a sufficiently wealthy collector.

Used Weapons, Armor, and Equipment

Used equipment in good working order will usually sell, but it may be worth half (or even less) than a new item. This is not a hard and fast situation and vendors may be swayed into giving more—how your character persuades someone to do that is up to them.

Magic Items

The ease of selling magic items differs from place to place. If in a region where magic is commonplace—perhaps an arcane academy is nearby—selling these items is relatively straightforward and can be highly profitable. In regions where magic is rare, vendors may not believe the item is genuine let alone be willing to buy it. If they can be sold, magic items are valuable and often cost more gold than the average person would see in a year or even a lifetime.

Treasure and Art

Items such as gems, precious metals, jewelry, and art are valuable because they are sought after across the world. For this reason they rarely diminish in price and may even gain value as time goes by. Lost relics or pieces by master crafters are especially likely to bring in vast amounts of gold despite their lack of magical or practical utility.

Basic Trade Goods

Trade goods such as grain, salt, and domesticated beasts are sought after everywhere and so are unlikely to diminish much in value from place to place. Because of their almost universal usefulness, these are the items most commonly used to barter for the average person.