Kristijan

About Kristijan

1. WHAT TO EXCEPT English is not my native language, so my vocabulary might not be as rich as some other DMs’, but I haven’t had any problems or complaints communicating so far. I might get nervous and struggle to find the right word sometimes, just a heads up. :) I make mistakes, and I encourage you to hold me accountable. Your feedback is incredibly valuable, and I'm always looking to improve and better my DMing skills. I don’t know all the rules, especially when it comes to spellcasting. I haven’t had every class, subclass, or race at the table yet, so there may be moments when I need to make a quick ruling. The show must go on! We’ll make a call on the spot and talk it through between sessions to decide how to handle similar situations in the future. I seldom hold up the game to look up exact rules if I don’t have them at hand or memorized. I also won’t flat-out tell you the name, type, or species of a creature you encounter. Instead, I’ll describe what you see and let you draw your own conclusions. I try hard to avoid saying “you feel.” Instead, I do my best to try and create the feeling through description and atmosphere. There can be some light political intrigue in my games, but I’m much more about exploration and adventure. I run a true sandbox, with as much freedom of choice as possible. I don’t railroad players, as there’s no fun in forcing everyone down the same path again and again. One of the best parts of DnD is the ability to choose your own direction, and I fully embrace that. Just remember: every action has consequences (some good, some… less good). 2. COMBAT I run a tough combat, so please don’t expect me to pull any punches. That’s why rule-of-cool applies. You’ll earn plenty of Inspiration for in-character roleplay, clever problem-solving, or memorable moments. If you get downed or killed, it’ll be because of bad positioning, overconfidence, poor decisions, or unlucky rolls. I’m definitely not out to kill players, it's just that I don't see any satisfaction in winning an easy fight. Hungry creatures will attack downed characters (they’re here to feed, and that’s what they’ll do). Some despicable or evil humanoids might do the same. A cornered creature will do anything to survive. I don’t hunt for mechanical advantages in combat. Rather, I'll go with the flow and run fights from the creature’s point of view, taking into account its motivations, emotions, instincts, and react accordingly to the situation. Some enemies fight smart, others fight desperate, but all of them act with purpose and personality. "Be the best you can be, and we’ll see if it’s good enough." 3. RESTS & RANDOM ENCOUNTERS 5e characters are very powerful, so Long Rests should be a big deal. Random encounters are never meaningless. I use them to build up the world, deepen the setting, and foreshadow what’s to come. They also help establish the rules and expectations of the world early on. As the party grows stronger, I ease up on random encounters and remove them almost entirely by levels 6–7, unless they serve a clear purpose in the story. I pre-roll and set up random encounters ahead of time to keep the pacing smooth and the game flowing naturally. 4. ROLEPLAY I’m a big fan of roleplay, but it’s never mandatory, so don’t feel pressured. If you’re shy, new, or unsure what to say, I’ll fill in with descriptions to keep the situation interesting. You can jump in whenever you feel comfortable. I will never make choices for your character, don’t worry. I want you to make your own decisions and shape your own adventure. 5. CAMPAIGNs Personally, I don’t like revealing details about the campaign or individual sessions. I think it’s more fun to discover everything in-game. That said, a positive experience is always my main focus, so please voice any concerns and warn me about potential triggers ahead of time. I also love foreshadowing, dropping hints, and connecting characters’ backstories and goals into the adventure. Curse of Strahd is a horror campaign, and I run it as such. Gold won’t play a big part, as there’s almost nowhere and nothing to spend it on. The focus is on the story, and your role within it. You’re entering a land of dread, where dreams turn to nightmares and hope only prolongs the suffering. Tomb of Annihilation, on the other hand, is a completely open, high-adventure campaign. You’ll explore a vast jungle, discovering, trading, and collecting more items than you could ever imagine. Gold is a significant factor here, as you can essentially buy almost any item imaginable. In ToA, you’re trying to save the world. In CoS, you’re trying to save yourselves. Groups with newer players start at level 1. Groups with experienced players can start at level 3 if they wish.