“War in the Shadows: A Halo Dungeons & Dragons Adventure”

Creating your character

Character Creation Process All characters for this campaign will be created before Session 1, so that our first session can dive straight into the action. If you need help with the process, I will be available on Discord to guide you step-by-step and answer any questions. Starting Level: All characters begin at Level 1 at the Heroic Power Level. This means you will start with 30 Characteristic Points at creation, and you will gain +5 Characteristic Points each time you level up. This keeps the game balanced and cinematic while leaving plenty of room for your characters to grow. Stats: Stats are purchased using your Characteristic Points. You’ll use these points to buy your species, improve abilities, purchase skills, and unlock talents. Every character must spend points to select a species first, and the rest can be allocated however you wish. Step-by-Step Creation Choose Power Level We are playing at Heroic Tier. Epic (40/6) and Legendary (40/8) options exist, but are not used here. Choose Species Human: Standard UNSC Marine, ODST, or other soldier archetypes. Spartan: Augmented supersoldier, built for combat and survival. AI: A unique digital intelligence that supports the squad with hacking, tactics, and battlefield control. (Only one player may be the AI.) Background (Humans Only) If you are Human, select a background such as Marine, ODST, Pilot, or Vigilante to define your early skills and narrative flavor. Spartans and AIs skip this step. Specialization Choose a specialization (Assault, Recon, Marksman, Tech, Support, etc.). This gives your character a unique role in the squad. Spend Characteristic Points You start with 30 points at Heroic tier. Spend them to improve your attributes, buy talents, and develop skills. Requisition & Credits Decide how you’ll spend your starting Requisition Points for gear, ammo, and tactical items. You also receive credits for extra supplies. Final Touches Name your character, write a short backstory or callsign, and finalize your statistics and equipment. Leveling Up Every level, you’ll receive +5 Characteristic Points (Heroic tier). These can be used to refine your abilities, expand your skills, and unlock advanced talents. Books & Resources You do not need to purchase outside books. The Halo Core Rulebook material will be provided to you, along with any campaign-specific Spartan and AI templates. All custom rules and options will be explained clearly, so new players can jump in without worry. Final Note This process may seem detailed, but don’t worry—I’ll guide everyone through it before we start. All you need is your imagination, a willingness to work as part of a Spartan fireteam, and the excitement to forge your legend.

Preparing for the session

How to Prepare To make sure everything runs smoothly, please complete these steps before our first session: Accounts & Access Create a Discord account (free) — this will be our primary hub for communication, scheduling, and voice chat. Create a Roll20 account (free) — this will be our virtual tabletop (VTT) where the maps, tokens, and dice rolling will happen. Join the Discord Server After you sign up for the game, I will send you an invite link to the campaign Discord. Please join before Session 1. This is where I’ll share house rules, Spartan/AI templates, handouts, and answer any questions you have. Set Up Your Character Review the Character Creation Basics (which I will provide). Choose whether you want to play as a Spartan or the AI companion (only one AI is allowed). You don’t need to know all the mechanics in advance — I’ll help walk you through your build on Discord before Session 1. Technical Setup Make sure you have a working microphone for voice chat on Discord. A webcam is optional but not required. A stable internet connection is important — battles will be tactical and map-heavy, so reliability matters. If you’d like, keep a set of real dice handy, but Roll20’s built-in dice roller will handle all rolls. Rules & Resources You do not need to purchase any additional books. I will provide all the Halo Core Rulebook material, Spartan rules, and AI templates. Basic familiarity with D&D 5e is helpful but not required. If you’re new, I’ll teach you everything you need to know. Mindset Come ready to be part of a squad — teamwork, tactics, and roleplay are all key parts of the experience. This game is both cinematic and character-driven. Expect big battles, moral choices, and a story where your actions matter. Above all: bring your creativity and be ready to write your own legend.

What Ethan hotckiss brings to the table

What I Provide My Players As your Game Master, I want to make this more than just rolling dice — I want to create a cinematic, tactical, and unforgettable Halo story where you are the Spartans that legends will remember. Here’s what you can expect: 🎭 Immersive Storytelling A fully fleshed-out Halo universe that blends military grit with mythic sci-fi wonder. Narrative arcs that focus on your squad’s choices, sacrifices, and legends — not just the “big names” of the franchise. Character voices for NPCs, from grizzled Marines to eerie Covenant prophets. I’ll shift tone and delivery so every interaction feels distinct. ⚔️ Tactical & Intense Combat Tactical, squad-based encounters where teamwork, positioning, and use of cover are crucial. Expect more depth than simple hack-and-slash. Custom Halo mechanics: Mjolnir armor durability, integrated AI abilities, energy shielding, and weapons inspired directly from the Halo games. Combat will be fast, dangerous, and cinematic — orbital drops, last stands, sabotage missions, and fights against overwhelming odds. 🎶 Atmosphere & Immersion Ambient soundtracks and effects: expect Halo music during epic fights, eerie tones in Forerunner ruins, and comms chatter in battle. Handouts, maps, and visual aids (including custom art) to bring the setting to life. A balance of high-stakes action and quiet downtime moments for character growth. ⚖️ Rules & Playstyle I use the rules as a foundation, but I fully embrace the Rule of Cool when it enhances story and cinematic flair. If a player pitches something awesome and heroic that fits the Halo vibe, I will find a way to make it work. That said, combat encounters will still be challenging — Spartans are tough, but not invincible. Choices matter, and bad tactics can cost lives. 👥 Player Support Session Zero support to help with character creation and understanding the Halo system. Clear, consistent communication on Discord — I’ll answer rules questions, provide recaps, and check in about character arcs. New players are absolutely welcome. I’ll teach mechanics at a comfortable pace so you can focus on roleplay and strategy. In short: I will give you the tools, atmosphere, and freedom to tell a Halo story worthy of the phrase “Spartans Never Die.”

Homebrew rules

Homebrew Rules This campaign uses a Halo-inspired ruleset built on D&D 5e. To capture the feel of Spartans, AI, and Covenant warfare, I’ve added custom mechanics that keep the game cinematic, tactical, and true to the setting. Mjolnir Armor & Shields – Your Spartan armor has its own durability pool (Armor HP). Shields recharge after short rests, while plating must be repaired. Armor adds tactical depth to combat. Integrated AI – One player will control an AI character. They provide hacking, scanning, tactical boosts, and battlefield intel. Their abilities function like spells but with a sci-fi twist. Requisition Points – Instead of gold, the squad uses Requisition Points to request ammo, gear, and upgrades between missions. This reinforces the military tone of the game. Weapons & Ammo – Weapons feel distinct. Battle rifles burst, needlers track, energy swords cut through shields. Limited ammo creates tension — scavenging on the battlefield matters. Heroic Tier Progression – Characters use Characteristic Points instead of standard ability scores. At Heroic tier, you start with 30 points and gain 5 more each level. Cinematic Actions – I embrace the Rule of Cool. Want to leap from cover, stick a plasma grenade to an Elite, and roll into position? Describe it, roll for it, and if it fits the Halo vibe, we’ll make it happen. Death & Survival – Spartans are tough, but not unkillable. Death saves are harsher: if you go down multiple times in one mission, your odds of survival shrink. Choices matter, and sacrifices may happen. Squad Tactics – Flanking, suppressing fire, and cover all play a major role in combat. Working as a team will give you real advantages. Lone wolves won’t last long. These rules are designed to keep the feel of Halo while still being easy for D&D players to learn. If you’ve played 5e before, you’ll recognize the foundation — with some powerful Spartan twists.

How Ethan hotckiss creates a safe table

Safety & Comfort Creating an exciting and intense Halo story is important — but keeping everyone safe and comfortable at the table comes first. Here’s how I handle player safety: 📝 Session 0 & Expectations Before the campaign begins, we’ll have a Session 0 where we go over character creation, campaign themes, and safety tools. I’ll provide a Lines & Veils document so players can anonymously mark content they want excluded (Lines), handled off-screen (Veils), or highlighted (Wants). We’ll talk through tone and themes together so the story is epic but never crosses into areas that make players uncomfortable. 🎮 In-Game Safety Tools I use X, N, & O cards adapted for online play. X = Stop. Something is uncomfortable; we rewind or fade away immediately. N = Not now. This element is okay in the story but needs to move past quickly. O = All good. Check-in to confirm players are comfortable during intense moments. On Roll20/Discord, these can be done through quick chat messages, emojis, or private DMs. 🤝 Aftercare & Debrief After each session, I’ll host a 5–10 minute debrief. This lets everyone share highlights, talk through heavy moments, or flag anything that felt off. If a player prefers, they can message me privately after the game with feedback or concerns. 🌟 Table Culture Respect is non-negotiable. No harassment, bigotry, or gatekeeping of any kind will be tolerated. Everyone’s fun matters. If a player’s actions are consistently harming that fun, I’ll step in. My goal is for this campaign to be epic, collaborative, and safe — where everyone feels like a hero both in and out of the game. This way, players know up front that the game is not only cinematic and high-stakes but also a safe, welcoming space.