Let’s riff on “present an opportunity to use a class ability”…

14 thoughts on “Let’s riff on “present an opportunity to use a class ability”…”

1. FIGHTER: “Rather than have your friends face overwhelming odds at the hands of this war band, you may if you wish invoke the local tradition of single combat against their leader…”

2. Bard: give them an inn lacking a performer

3. I like giving the Wizard a place of power, or (even better) a lead on where one could be found.

4. I’ll go the easy road. Thief, locked chest full of surprises. Thieves love surprises.

5. Ranger, a trail to follow into the perilous wilds.

6. Every player should have the opportunity for an “I got this” moment as often as the pacing of the game will support.

7. Give a theif someone to poison

8. Have the Cleric overhear blasphemy

9. Druid: “An evil presence has tainted these woods” (broad) or “What you need to get/see is down this small hole / up this cliff-face / across this ravine…” (shapeshifting focused)

10. Cleric – A chance to fulfil a tenet of their religion (uncover a secret/help the downtrodden) or the opportunity to take part in religious rites (I had a cleric officiate some village marriages once).

11. 📌

12. At treasure time, give the wizard an inert, historic artifact (preferably a staff) which he might feel compelled to awaken.

13. Bard (with expertise in Legends of Heroes Past): “The sarcophagus is carved with the image of an elven warrior, clearly someone of great importance. What do you do?”

    Barbarian:  “The bandits spread out and move to attack. You see like three of them taking aim at Ovid, the wizard, and two more moving off toward the halfling. Why, it almost seems like they’re ignoring you. What do you do?”

    Cleric: “OH NO ZOMBIES WHAT DO YOU DO?”

    Druid (human): “While the ranger is scowling at the ground, trying to find make sense of the blood stains on the stable floor, you make eye contact with one of the horses.  It looks like it has something to tell you. What do you do?”

    Fighter: “The goblins cackle gleefully as the duck into the secret passage and slam the door behind, confident that you won’t be able to follow them. What do you do?”

    Paladin” “The townsfolk look about sheepishly, and the town elder clears his throat and steps forward. ‘Mayhaps we were too hasty, my Lady. We, um… we need your help. Will you protect us?’ What do you do?”

    Ranger (after discerning realities and asking “What happened here recently?”):  “Something just butchered these men. Most have been hacked and hewed, as if by a sword wielded with inhuman strength. But you find one who’s been… crushed. Like, almost jellied. The tracks amidst the fight are too chaotic to get much more detail, but you do spy a strange depression in the grass leading away from the scene, almost like some great serpent slithering away. What do you do?”

    Thief: You spend almost an hour in the in general’s study, waiting for your appointment with him. You hear him talking and laughing with someone, someone with a foreign accent. Finally, the door opens and the general’s visitor steps out. It appears to be a noble from Vlastikov, which is odd, given the tensions between the two kingdoms.  He shakes hands with the general and slips some documents into his pouch as he turns to go. He and the general walk right past you, not even deigning to look your way.  That pouch is a few inches away. What do you do?”

    Wizard: “As you cross the meadow, it becomes clear that the weird pillar is made of ice, despite the hot summer day. It’s jutting up out from between a few stone slabs, and you can just feel the elemental power pouring off of it. What do you do?”

14. Immolator “Almost everything you see isn’t on fire. What do you do?”

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