Dragon delves

Creating your character

We'll use point buy for ability scores. Otherwise, follow standard D&D character creation rules using D&D Beyond. I’ll assist with any questions and review all characters during Session Zero to ensure balance, party cohesion, and integration with the campaign world.

Preparing for the session

To play, you’ll need the following: A Discord account for voice chat and session coordination. A D&D Beyond account (free or subscribed) for character sheets and rules access. The AboveVTT Chrome extension installed and running. This integrates with D&D Beyond for a seamless virtual tabletop experience. Before Session Zero, please ensure all tools are set up and working. I’m happy to assist with setup if needed.

What David Mann brings to the table

I carefully curate background music and sound effects underscore each scene—rain-slicked cobblestone alleys, crackling campfires, or the thunderous pulse of battlefield drums—so you feel the world breathing around them. Every NPC has a distinct personality, setting up realistic reactions combined with narratively fitting humor designed to entertain and delight you, the players There will be top-down maps with verticality, cover, and environmental hazards make which make positioning important. Enemies will use smart tactics and synergies to encouraging you to think beyond “I attack.” Flanking, terrain manipulation, and resource management all matter—yet victory often comes to the team that improvises! Pacing: Fights are cinematic but brisk; you keep initiative moving and spotlight rotating, maintaining tension without slog. The Rule of Cool Lives Here Daring ideas—surfing a shield down a staircase, grappling a wyvern mid-flight, or convincing a sentient sword to change allegiance—are not only allowed; they’re rewarded. If a stunt fits the fiction and amps up the excitement, I’ll bend mechanics to make it possible (often with a quick skill check or cinematic consequence). Clear Table Expectations Session 0 & Safety: We open with lines/veils. Respect & Spotlight Balance: Everyone gets their heroic moments; table chatter is welcome, but we keep it on theme and share the mic. Prepared but Player-Driven: You bring a rich sandbox and NPC agendas, yet the story pivots on your choices. Actions have consequences—both triumphs and tragedies are earned. Rules Transparency: Core rules are the backbone; house rules (e.g., Rule of Cool adjudication, cinematic advantage, quick-loot tables) are explained up front and documented. Punctuality & Tech: Sessions start on time, maps and handouts are posted in advance, and owelbear rodeo/ discord links will be shared so everyone’s ready. Overall... My GMing style fuses theatrical storytelling with crunchy, strategic play. Players can expect evocative scenes, smart foes, and a GM who says “Yes, and…” when someone dares something epic. Come prepared to collaborate, think tactically, and—above all—lean into the adventure!

Homebrew rules

these optional house rules will be discussed during session 0 Healing potions. You can use a potion as a bonus action for yourself or an ally and roll the healing as per normal, or can use an action and receive the maximum amount allotted by the healing potion (example, standard healing potion heals 2d4+2, taking this as an action would heal 10) Prone: being prone causes quarter cover instead of disadvantage to attacks further than 5ft from the target. Inspiration: you can gain as many inspiration points as the dm gives out, earning them through exceptional role play, Natural 20s, humor. You lose any unspent inspiration points at the end of a session You can spend an inspiration role as a reaction to help an ally or yourself reroll a failed check, attack or save. Additionally you can spend an inspiration to “know a Guy”. If the player is stuck they can explain how they met a person who has useful information or a skill set that is needed. This npc must fit narratively in the players backstory and must convince me as the dm that they exist and fit. Legendary Resistance: If a monster has to resort to using a legendary resistance, it has Disadvantage on the next contested ability check or attack action until the end of its next turn. Crunchy Crits: Critical hits deal max damage. Reorient : If you drop to zero hit points, when returned to 1 hit point you can only take the dash dodge or disengage action or drink a potion. Lasting death: Failed death saves last until a short rest is had then it resets to zero. Humor Pays: If you can tell a joke that makes me laugh, vicious mockery does double damage or a target has disadvantage on tasha's laughter. Critical Saves: nat 1s on saves deal double damage and nat 20s negate all damage on the save. Fixed initiative: You have a fixed initiative value of 10 plus initiative score. (in situations where you would roll initiative with advantage add 5 to your fixed score). This is to speed up combat. Pushing a Roll: if you fail an ability check, explain or roleplay how you decide to push yourself, giving a second chance (reroll). If you fail again then the consequences are severe. Counter Chaos: If a player counterspells dispel magic or another counterspell roll on the wild magic table in addition to the standard effects of the counterspell. Advantage Stacking. If you have more than one source of advantage, you gain a +2/ source above the first. Same for disadvantage, you gain a -2 per source above the first. Ex: if you are attacking a creature that is prone(within 5ft) and blind, you roll with advantage and a +2. If you are blind and prone trying to attack someone, you roll with disadvantage and a -2. Take Five: A player may choose to make a d20 skill roll and treat the roll on the die as a 5 if they have proficiency in the skill, but must choose to use this before rolling the die. Example, dm asks you to roll a stealth check. You have a plus 8, you can choose to take 5 so your total roll is 13.

How David Mann creates a safe table

We utilize lines and vails, as well as aftercare for particularly intense episodes.