Level 1 Tomb Raiding! A Balanced Game for Players of All Levels!

Creating your character

For those of you who are beginners, I'll work with you, via Discord, on using DnDBeyond (you can get a free account) to create your character. For my more experienced players, no homebrewing for this one-shot. Avoid min-maxing/over-optimizing if you can help it. We'll be using DnDBeyond character sheets and, assuming you've got an account (you can make one free), I'll send you an invite to the campaign so you'll have access to the sources that will be allowed. Most official sources are okay...but please no paladins or tortles. (They're a bit much at level 1 for my taste.) You'll be rolling 3 SETS of 6 rolls. Each roll is 4d6 (for you noobies, that's rolling 4 6-sided die), subtracting the lowest roll. Then, choose your favorite of the 3 sets and assign those rolls as you see fit. (Yes, I'm practically baiting you to min-max with potentially crazy stats...but, remember, sometimes the most fun characters (even in combat!) come from not picking the most optimal set of rolls. Ask me about Grandma Baba sometime...) Otherwise, character creation is RAW (rules as written) as far as backgrounds and equipment and such go. Once you're accepted into the game, I'll provide a document on this for onboarding.

Preparing for the session

You'll need a Discord account and a Roll20 account (both free), a chromium-based browser, preferably Chrome, and to install an extension in the browser called Beyond20. (Instructions for doing that will be provided upon being accepted into the game.) There will be a Discord server for the game for game communications and potentially for our voice channel for the game itself, if that's easier for you than using Roll20. Whichever way we go, I WILL be using music and that will be coming through Roll20's audio. (We'll spend some time pre-game making sure everything is working for everyone.) Whether we use video or not will be up to whether everyone is comfortable, although I find it nice to see people's expressions and for me to make funny faces...but that's totally optional.

What JW brings to the table

I myself will do some basic voices and am not ashamed to recycle them (despite having been an actor decades ago). HOWEVER, I don't require you to use voices when you're talking in character. The vast majority of my players sound just like their characters. (I DO encourage using voices and being silly just because, well, it's fun!) I run a mixture of RAW (rules as written) and RAI (rules as intended) when I think something RAW is silly in the context of what's happening. Rule of Cool is awesome...just be aware that I might throw a skill check or two in there because sometimes failing at something cool is entertaining to the whole table. (If you've ever watched someone do a faceplant when trying to do something impressive on a ski jump, you'll know what I'm talking about.) I want you to be creative! Do things computer RPGs aren't able to let you do. It's MY job to figure out how to go along with whatever YOU do! (Within reason...but reason is pretty flexible in a fantasy game.)

Homebrew rules

Critical hits double ALL damage. The math is so much simpler that way and combat so much more interesting. No paladins or tortles. I try and avoid too much homebrew for my beginner-friendly games.

How JW creates a safe table

Prior to the session, I will have communicated with you individually about themes to avoid, to fade-to-black ("veils"), and to not allow to be brought up ("lines"). This way you can get these out there anonymously for me to combine with my own "lines and veils" and discuss briefly with the whole group during the first 10 minutes of the session. The list will also be provided pregame via Discord. Also discussed and demonstrated then will be the use of a virtual deck of safety cards that anyone can use at any point during the game. Sometimes people forget the topics to be avoided or someone forgot to include something on their list of sensitive topics and a tool is needed in the moment for you to make it known that things are heading in a direction that makes you uncomfortable. If someone continues after I steer things away from the topic, I'll stop the game and give them a warning. If they continue, they will be "asked" to leave. If someone heeds the warning in that instance but accidently crosses the line again later, they will get a second warning. A third strike means they're out. Unless everyone at the table knows one another very well and everyone understands each other's boundaries, there will be no talk about gender (beyond preferred pronouns), politics, sexual preferences, or race. I'm probably forgetting a few. Fill in the blanks. Included amongst those topics will be what goes on everyone's lines and veils list.