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Post by onyxangel24 on Mar 26, 2016 2:33:32 GMT
Had to vent, but yet still posting here cuz....well, it says DM problems., maybe someone can offer some advice, i am working on preparing my next campaign and it appears information I told everyone at the start of part 1 in the deserts of desolation series was IMPORTANT and needed to be remembered....turns out now I have to re-roll those for 3 other players as only ONE player actually wrote down the information, on top of that 2 very important items....were not written down on anyone's character sheets so I dont know who got them., and they dont remember either. *sigh* Im experiencing DM anxiety over this & its driving me nuts! These items arent Rolled up through the DMG either....They are campaign only items aquired through these things. I have narrowed it down to the 2 characters who might have received it...what would you do in a situation like this?  ?? I mean, how would you roll up the items to decide who "found them" in the campaign? Anything you would say to the players to make sure they know how important it was to write down this stuff, i am highly surprised at one of thnem since he is a seasoned DM and has been dming for 30 years! I have leaned on him alot, so you would think he would be smart enough to write down stuff when you tell him its VERY important.... |
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Post by dmsam on Mar 26, 2016 2:55:10 GMT
I haven't read the adventure, so hopefully this would not ruin your game. I would suggest rewriting these important items into the story as a plot device. Maybe a travelling merchant band picked them up, but will not willingly part with them without a hefty cost.
Every now and then important details tend to get lost, one way or another.
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Post by onyxangel24 on Mar 26, 2016 3:19:20 GMT
I like that idea! I dont think it would ruin the adventure in all honesty, its only important that the party gets these items! Its not important as to how they get them  It is refreshing to know sometimes this same thing happens to other dms and that important details get l;ost., maybe I should also keep track of it and not rely on the players in the future....Just in case something doesnt get written down., I have it noted  |
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Post by dmsam on Mar 26, 2016 3:34:19 GMT
Something similar happened to me, except it was an important NPC that the players forgot even existed. I was visibly upset at my players for not remembering. Then, I realized that as important as she was, I only mentioned her in passing. . . After that, I made sure that I try to follow the rules of story telling: when it comes to creating characters, more is not better. If you have two similar characters that perform similar functions in the same setting, combine them. Unless your NPCs are thousands of miles apart, the fact is that most players or audiences will appreciate another chance of of interacting with familiar NPCs, rather than having two dozen nameless faces.
It's not "realistic" that the stable boy is also the jealous lover of the lord's daughter, who is also a proficient thief, it beats trying to memorize 3 different names and descriptions and extra margin of error that players may have.
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Post by friartook on Mar 26, 2016 3:45:17 GMT
My inclination when my players forget items they acquired or NPCs they met is to deny them or screw them over with it.
For example, my players were traveling with an NPC. A helpful, informative NPC, who was staying on their ship when it was temporarily stolen by rivals.
They got the ship back, but neglected to inquire about the NPC over the course of three sessions. So I decided the NPC got handed over to the Empire, thus providing the players' enemies with the same vital information the PCs got.
In the case of forgotten items like yours, I usually rule, "if it's not on your sheet, you don't have it" unless the item is vital to the plot (which sounds like the case here). In the latter case, I'd either arbitrarily decide who got the items (DM fiat/preference) or somehow make it clear that these items were important, but as the PCs no longer "have them" (not on the sheet...) they now need to find them. Side quest!
This is also another great argument for recording sessions. We record all our sessions, so if something like this happens, we can go back and listen to determine what happened.
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Post by onyxangel24 on Mar 26, 2016 4:09:47 GMT
Well, the setting for this specific campaign is the desert, the only passing they recieve with NPCs is.....Ghosts of pharaoh's lost in the desert needing their way back home. They have to aquire a staff with 3 gems between the three different adventures, Friar! You actually gave me a great idea, see they opened up the tomb allowing a pharaoh to claim his rightful place in this tomb, Maybe another "ghost" they meet on their way gives them the staff! Or I just roll it up and have it said "Ok, so since this item was THIS important then...ramos, you got it! Right now I have My dad., husband, sister, her husband. However because everyone wanted to play something and no one called a healer I demanded a healer, so my dad rolled up a healer, and my husband offered to do a second character as well...I am surprised they can keep everything straight! I suppose I shouldn't be too upset, but I can find a way to make sure they aquire this item, unfortunately its so vital, that without this staff they will be banished to this desert forever! Maybe its in a cave that they decide to sleep in for the night! I dont want to make it to hard, but now the ideas are running in my head about things I could do...*rushes to write down all potential items*, the rumors they should have gotten will be easy fixes though...Just re-roll the dice & say okay, these are your rumors, write them down as they are important....and I should document who got what. Thanks for yoyur wonderful help guys!
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?? I mean, how would you roll up the items to decide who "found them" in the campaign? Anything you would say to the players to make sure they know how important it was to write down this stuff, i am highly surprised at one of thnem since he is a seasoned DM and has been dming for 30 years! I have leaned on him alot, so you would think he would be smart enough to write down stuff when you tell him its VERY important....
It is refreshing to know sometimes this same thing happens to other dms and that important details get l;ost., maybe I should also keep track of it and not rely on the players in the future....Just in case something doesnt get written down., I have it noted 
