Things you should consider, a Sleeper Island tale.
Welcome to the “Things you should think consider” cheat sheet. A rough guide to help you get into the mindset to survive this deadly island.
Before you get started however, it’s best you familiarize yourself with the basic rules of play of Fantasy Grounds and Play by Post.
The first, and most important, thing is that this island is deadly.
You won’t realize this until your first PC death, but it will hit you, and you will wish you thought a bit more on your actions.
Discord Deliberations
- Have you read the channel description and the pinned messages?
(If not, read before posting.)
Pre-Session Ponders
- Have you read the adventure logs for the mission you are about to partake in?
- Have you bought items in preperation for the mission?
(Healer’s kits are cheap and save lives.) - Have you checked your calender to see that you have the right time?
- Is your character set up?
(Do the have the standard effects?) - How about your specfic spell effects?
(If you aren’t sure ask in #fantasy-grounds-help or #new-player-questions.) - Does the area you’re going to have history attached to it?
- Have you asked the players on discord for advice about where you are going?
- Have you looked at the HexMap to plan out your path?
Mid-Session Musings
- Are you proficient in either Survival or Perception?
(Speak up at the beginning of a session to help your party leader.) - Say you’ve just met a new NPC, How are they acting?
(Are they associated with White Moon Cove? Do they need your help?) - Did the DM just spend a lot of time describing something you are about to encounter?
(Did it sound dangerous? If you aren’t 85% confidient your party can take it, dodge it.) - Is your party a traditional Tank/Dps/Healer set up?
(If it isn’t, have you discussed how you’re going to compensate for that before battle?) - Do you have an escape plan for when thinks go south?
- Have you set up a watch system for when you are resting?
(Both long a short rest can be interupted, and surprise rounds are deadly.) - If you had a quest giver did they say Slay the target or Investigate the target?
(There’s a big difference.) - Have you let your party know where your healing items are on your body?
(If not they’re going to have a hard time finding them while you’re dying out.)
Combat Conundrums
- Is one of your party members dying?
(Why aren’t you trying to save them? Did they just run in without a plan?) - Why are you even in combat?
(Did they just attack you? Diplomacy isn’t always the answer, but it is an answer.) - Are you spliting damage across multiple enemies? Why?
- Are you out of spells slots, healing, inspiration, etc and still wanting to continue into the cave? Why?
- Are you targeting the big guy when there are a lot of little
add-ons?
(Is it that much more dangerous then each add-on getting an attack?) - Are you making sure you AoE abilities like Darkness and Fog Cloud aren’t inhitibiting your allies more then your enemies?
- If your ally is still down? Why? (Enemies won’t hesitate to finish off an ally.)
- Have you thought about dodging instead of attacking?
(How about disengaging?)
Post-Session Pontifications
- Did you take the time to share the RP spotlight?
- Did you try and include the quiter members of the crew?
(Speaking up over louder people can be difficult for shy
members.) - Have you reflected on how you could have played a little
smarter? - Did you have fun on this deadly island?
- Have you checked the wills of the players that died?