Players & Playtests: RAVENLOFT: THE HORRORS WITHIN

Creating your character

Character creation for our playtest games will be discussed beforehand and worked out with the GM. Each Playtest Table will playtest different options to choose from. - When we playtest Unearthed Arcana options we will use D&D Beyond for character creation. - When we playtest Third Party options, we will use paper sheets for character creation.

Preparing for the session

We will use D&D Beyond MAPS for VTT, and Discord for Voice & Video.

What Timothy McCown Reynolds brings to the table

All players will have access to 2024/2025 D&D 5e game resources via my D&D Beyond Master Tier Subscription. HOW SESSIONS RUN: * All our Sessions begin with a Player check-in on everyone’s general well-being, how their day is going, et cetera, so everyone can connect a bit together. * We follow this with a recap of the prior Session, ideally recounted by one (or more) of the Players. * We follow this with a Character check-in, so all Players get a sense of how each Character is feeling relative to the action up to this point in our story. This allows the PC’s inner life to have a voice before we get into our Session. * We pick up where we left off in the prior Session’s action, and venture deeper into our story together until the end of the Session. * We will take Bio-breaks as needed, and have a regular break about halfway through each Session. * If an issue comes up requiring a Safety Tool, we will utilize that tool to move through the issue and carry on with gameplay once the issue is resolved. * The Three Pillars of Gameplay will be in use : Exploration, Roleplay, and Combat. NPCS: I am an Actor and our NPCs will have character, voice, dialect, and emotional truth (when appropriate). COMBAT: Our combat will be dynamic and deadly, as appropriate to each adversary the PCs contend with. RULES AS WRITTEN (RAW) / RULE OF COOL: Our Rules as Written create a structure wherein we can be flexible when an opportunity for Rule of Cool presents itself. My basic approach is: “You can certainly try.” Let the dice decide.

Homebrew rules

* CRITICAL HIT (Crit) RULE: On a Natural 20 (or other Class-specific Critical Hit rules) in combat, automatic success and roll double on all damage dice: The first set is maxed; roll the second set as usual. * CRITICAL FAIL (Fumble) RULE: On a Natural 1 in combat, automatic failure and roll on Homebrew Fumble Table (provided at Session 0). * PLAYER V PLAYER (PVP): No PVP at our Table. All PCs are allies working together toward the same goals, despite their differences.

How Timothy McCown Reynolds creates a safe table

PRE-GAME SESSION: Luxton Technique Discussion / Lines & Veils In our Session 0, we will create a Lines and Veils document for the Table based upon our use of the Luxton Technique to identify any possible triggers, hard line topics, and “Fade to Black” veil topics. IN-GAME: Breaks: We will break approximately halfway through each Session. X, N, O cards: These will be messaged to me directly. AFTER SESSION: Debriefing: We will debrief as needed post-session, and incorporate some measure of this with each Character check-in at the top of the subsequent Game Session.