The Next Session

Next Session Help: Foreign-Press is trying to avoid a TPK but the player’s aren’t listening to the hints inside and outside of the game.  Ask a GM:  just-a-VA wants to make puppets for important NPCs. Good idea or just goofy? TheRedWarlock wants some suggestions for some games to play between long campaigns.   Use That Spell: Psychic Scream Thanks for listening! As always, you can ask us a questio...

Next Session Help: Chicken Bobbin comes on as our special guest to talk about his upcoming campaign! Mistergoodthing has a party who wants to steal the magical item that was lended to them by killing the lender. How should this play out? Ask a GM:  Jlove28792 doesn’t know how to make the game challenging for the Monk in the party as they seem untouchable.  TAKE IT OR LEAVE IT: MythicalWarrior has...

Next Session Help: Jstncrwfrd is running a maze and wants help brainstorming how to make it interesting and fun, and not a giant slog.  Ask a GM: GolettO3 asks “How do you use mimics without them feeling like a cheap "gotcha!"? It's never exciting when I use them.” Use That Spell!: Mind Sliver Thanks for listening! As always, you can ask us a question at www.nextsessionpodcast.com Instagram: @next...

Next Session Help: ChickenBobin needs some advice on creating balance in a homebrew world with multiple element casters. Contrastrictor’s players are trapped on an island with no way out and a 3-headed dragon turtle busting through their ship. Will this turn into a game of Survivor?  Ask a GM: Vitto95 wants to know if a character goes into a rage and someone casts Calm Emotions, what happens?  Use...

Next Session Help: ChickenBobin is planning a Christmas one-shot for the family with mixed-experience playing TTRPG. We talk about how to keep it festive, fun, and beginner-friendly without sacrificing the magic (or the mayhem) of a good seasonal adventure. Jose_Jota needs help making a Night Hag more creepy and scary. Ask a GM:  YourAskingTheQstions wants to know if they should let their player h...

Next Session Help: JoahyPooh wants to design a mini game for the players to wrangle some rust monsters! MTG3K_on_Arena needs to come up with a list of classic monsters for a dungeon delving dinner party gone wrong.  Ask a GM:  Outrageous_Goal_504 has a player who tried to one shot a CR 13 creature with some cheeky rule bending. Should we let them? Use That Spell!: Drawmij's Instant Summons Thanks...

Next Session Help: Secret_Shallot93 has a fighter who is multiclassing into a Druid and wants to figure out how to go about training one.  TheRedWarlock has Halloween on the brain and tasks us with brainstorming some ideas for a one (or two) shot.  Ask a GM: Stevenoodlesoup is wondering the difference between the 2024 Thaumaturgy “Invisible Hand” vs. Mage Hand. Use That Spell!: Heroes' Feast  Than...

Next Session Help:  Diet Toothpaste’s PCs are in a temple/dungeon and split across time! Let's see what fun ideas we can brainstorm around this interesting and clever mechanic.  Kejones9900’s PC that decided to eat every random berry in a cave system of every color. What should happen to them?  Ask a GM: RadiantIris_ has some questions on how to implement the lingering damage rules in an area and...

Next Session Help: Okidokiefrokie’s players predicted a battle and decapitated a mummy before the fight even started. How would they work this in without taking away the time/effort of the Players?  The one and only RedWarlock is trying to work out some Orphan backstories into his campaign.  Ask a GM: Karshayn’s player destroyed 10gal of water around an enemy’s head while underwater. What happens...

Next Session Help: Due to a series of amazing events, Isms52 needs to know how to calculate the destruction caused by many giants falling from the sky onto a city. Sushigami’s players are considering collapsing a mountain on an ancient white dragon. Would this be enough to kill the dragon?  Ask a GM: THEINKINMYSOUP wants to know if they should tell players the DC of a check before the roll.  Use T...

Next Session Help: ADHD-Geek-9 is setting up that the God of Chaos is testing the players but needs help brainstorming what those tests could be.  Ask a GM:  Bennett wants some feedback on a template for random encounters they have been working on. Happy to help! Use That Spell!: Rary's Telepathic Bond Thanks for listening! As always, you can ask us a question at www.nextsessionpodcast.com Instagr...

Next Session Help:  The Red Warlock is doing a plot based on a movie - should they change up the characters or lean in and keep to the script?  Ask a GM:  Jonno26 has a player that used Inflict Wounds on an Invisible Enemy and they came across a conundrum. Use That Spell!: Illusory Dragon Thanks for listening! As always, you can ask us a question at www.nextsessionpodcast.com Instagram: @nextsessi...

Next Session Help:  Thatrandomguy007 has an upcoming NPC’s wedding to plan where things are going to go wrong. We help plan the best worst wedding ever! Ask a GM: EasyComparison224 is ruminating on the use of AI when it comes to D&D planning. Use That Spell!: Word of Radiance Thanks for listening! As always, you can ask us a question at www.nextsessionpodcast.com Instagram: @nextsessionpodcast Fac...

Next Session Help:  Diet Toothpaste joined us this episode to go over some ideas for working the crowd during a gladiator/WWE fight. T-shirt catapult anyone?  TheRedWarlock has a Big Bad Evil Guy that is making constructs, lining them with a special metal, and selling them to one side of a war….. But why? We go over some possibilities that may take his player’s all over Planescape! Use That Spell!...

Next Session Help:  PRolicopter Needs a bit of advice on how to handle a PC going out of their way to do something that doesn’t lead them anywhere….. Yet! KelpieRunner’s party is in a looped hallway trap with painted portrait prisons. Ask a GM:  Peterwin wants to know if giving the Bard a free sending spell once per day is overpowered.  Use That Spell!: Power Word Kill Thanks for listening! As alw...

Next Session Help: Bigpahparay is worried they are taking away player agency in a specific prison break challenge. Ask a GM: Anomalousblimp wonders if we present multiple options for skill checks? Take it or Leave it: PrometheusHasFallen provides some advice that we dissect: “Having issues with your 5e game? Switch systems!” Thanks for listening! As always, you can ask us a question at www.nextses...

Next Session Help:  Bennett Is looking at running a campaign with a Dark Lord, but what if it was a Lawful Good Flumph..... would that even work? Majors Descendent’s party was defending a casino from being robbed and they caught the 5 people that were trying to rob it but they unalived all the robbers except for the wizard robber, who now wants revenge. But how does the wizard now have the power t...

Next Session Help:  The Red Warlock is back for more and asking how to keep their PCs that had been yoinked onto Planescape from returning. Then Waffle Wizard is starting a youth RPG group with all new players and has reached out for advice. Awesome! Ask A GM: Sinrus is wondering if they should let the players call back a retired character thus avoiding an entire planned sidequest. Use That Spell:...

Next Session Help:  Waffle Wizard has a Halloween one shot and wants to make it challenging but still give the PCs a leg up. What to do? Ask A GM: Waffle Wizard asked another great question that we just had to muse over! “What would happen if your PC drank a mini water elemental?” Use That Spell: Whirlwind Thanks for listening! As always, you can ask us a question at www.nextsessionpodcast.com Ins...

Next Session Help:  Rhearye has an archdruid lich that just got freed and needs some ideas for the players who are on their way to destroy the phylactery: the throne she sits on.   Ask A GM: Astra-the-curious wonders what we do when players are setting up a plan that we (as the DM) know will definitely not work.  Search the Room: Philter of Love Thanks for listening! As always, you can ask us a q...

Next Session Help:  John the Red Warlock is back and asked us to brainstorm some Halloween one-shots just in time for spooky (or spoopy!) season.  Key-Philosophy-5446 needs help coming up with ideas of what a cursed fishing rod would catch. SamPYo has players considering human sacrifice. Use That Spell: Hail of Thorns Thanks for listening! As always, you can ask us a question at www.nextsessionpod...

Next Session Help:  John the Red Warlock has devised a Dino Hunt for his player’s with a Dinosaur that gets stronger with every feeding! We’re tasked with brainstorming some fun scenarios on introducing the Dinosaur and utilizing the NPCs during the hunt.  Ask a GM:  mjsShadow has a player that likes to use Arcane Eye to look at a room(s) before going in constantly, but it is slowing down gameplay...

Next Session Help:  Majora's Descendant has created the Island of Tetra and is looking for us to brainstorm some ideas as to what makes the island unique.  Ill-Oven3506 has a player who wants their character to make a noble sacrifice. Can you do that without railroading?  Ask a GM:  Gourmetcheese01 wants to know “What should I include on a DM screen?” Search The Room: Nether Scroll of Azumar Thank...

Next Session Help:  DietToothpaste is back and wants to know some fun methods of interplanar traversal.   Ask a GM:  Majora's Descendant has a player who is a wizard necromancer summoning sometimes up to 15 zombies and two mummies. Is that right?  Search The Room: Incendiary Cloud Thanks for listening! As always, you can ask us a question at www.nextsessionpodcast.com Instagram: @nextsessionpodcas...

Next Session Help:  Jradddyo has players with a bird “companion” that does not like them and do not like that it does not like them.  Ask a GM:  LazerusKI has a player with the Pirate background which lets them get away with lots of things, but does that mean he should let him?  Search The Room: Prosthetic Limb Thanks for listening! As always, you can ask us a question at www.nextsessionpodcast.co...