>players are starting a new campaign, no one has played in a while >make a super basic dungeon for them to go through with a few minor traps >place a skeleton near one of the traps, meant to be a warning ("what caused him to die?") >instead of searching it, one player pokes it with a pole >nothing happens, so he tries to ride it >??? >nothing happens because it's just a fucking skeleton >spends 10 minutes fucking around with the skeleton >the entire time, keep saying it's literally just a skeleton >gets mad at me when nothing happens
Did I do something wrong? Should I have made the skeleton dance or some shit?
Adrian Powell
Given them what they wanted i.e. a skeleton fight.
Robert Smith
This is when you're supposed to improvise.
The most obvious thing would be to have the skeleton attack, but it's too simple.
Maybe describe that they find a clue on the skeleton's body. A strange key with a recognizable insignia for a chest that they will find further in the dungeon. A diary. Anything that will distract them from the skeleton.
Maybe whatever is inside the dungeon rushes out and attacks while the characters are distracted. Perhaps several starved rats or a weak swarm.
Grayson Mitchell
You gotta be adaptable man. The whole point is to have fun not to enjoy your dungeon. Should have just went along with it. Riding that skeleton then something weird happening could have been one of those funny stories you and the guys reminisce about later down the line.
Owen Brooks
I hear you. I guess I should take chekovs gun more seriously in the future.
I just worry that if I make everything they interact with quirky then it'll take away from the game
...is what I was about to say but now that I typed that out I realize that it just makes things more fun. Neat
Isaiah Mitchell
trigger the trap and the skeleton attack and the noise attracts a few kobolds
Luke Brooks
You should explicitly describe the skeleton from the first time that it has shattered bones and obvious signs of being mangled in fight or by some animal. This way they would be 100% it's decor.
Jayden Campbell
Just keep it loose. Once you have a specific stage (a dungeon, for example), figure out what happens around it.
If a dungeon is a bandit hide-out in the forest, a dug out cave behind a bush with a simple trap and a few rooms for storage and sleep... What happens if players come at night? >There's a watch. If they make too much noise, the bandit will see them and wake his friends. >There are wild animals eating scraps from bandits food, potential encounter. >??? What happens if bandits aren't home? > 1 or 2 wounded/ drunk bandits inside while the rest are on a raid > A drawn out plan of attack is on a table within
>the bandit party might return when players are inside the hideout
Luke Sanders
Helps to have some sample stat blocks for this kind of thing on hand, just in case.
And always remember, if players come up with something that you haven't thought of and it's easy enough to implement, consider just doing that. Shamelessly use their idea, just don't do it every time they come up with something fun or you'll become too predictable.
Ethan Taylor
>Given them what they wanted i.e. a skeleton fight.
>later in the dungeon >fucking huge ass giant skeleton >'I herd you hurt my little bro'
