HelmetBug
@helmetbug.bsky.social
A literal mango, posting mostly about TTRPG stuff. He/They. Australian looking on with a growing sense of unease.
Gonna throw myself into a volcano. How can a file sliced on my laptop work fine with my printer by one sliced on my PC won't? Make it make sense.
November 12, 2025 at 7:28 AM
Gonna throw myself into a volcano. How can a file sliced on my laptop work fine with my printer by one sliced on my PC won't? Make it make sense.
I'd deeply appreciate having like, a nice solid week without something breaking, or some new tribulation to wrestle with in my personal life. It'd be real swell.
October 25, 2025 at 4:08 AM
I'd deeply appreciate having like, a nice solid week without something breaking, or some new tribulation to wrestle with in my personal life. It'd be real swell.
Going over some of the little changers in 5e DnD now, and huh, sleep is worth keeping at higher levels, but can't hit as many targets, interesting choices. Curious to see how it plays out at higher levels.
December 7, 2024 at 7:40 AM
Going over some of the little changers in 5e DnD now, and huh, sleep is worth keeping at higher levels, but can't hit as many targets, interesting choices. Curious to see how it plays out at higher levels.
Preparing again for more Curse of Strahd, and now that the dinner has started properly, I need to nail down my facts about the brides, as I'm sure my players are going to be asking some questions. The book leaves them pretty sparse for detail, a blank canvas. Gonna spice them up with some new stats.
December 7, 2024 at 6:48 AM
Preparing again for more Curse of Strahd, and now that the dinner has started properly, I need to nail down my facts about the brides, as I'm sure my players are going to be asking some questions. The book leaves them pretty sparse for detail, a blank canvas. Gonna spice them up with some new stats.
Tweaking NPC statblocks to make a rival party for my players. It doesn't take too much to personalise some foes, a few magic items, and a feature can add enough, after all, NPCs only survive 1 combat, generally speaking.
December 5, 2024 at 3:53 AM
Tweaking NPC statblocks to make a rival party for my players. It doesn't take too much to personalise some foes, a few magic items, and a feature can add enough, after all, NPCs only survive 1 combat, generally speaking.
More DND today, time for the party to meet an emissary of their enemy, and we'll see if they can lie their way through the encounter, last season suggests no.
December 1, 2024 at 1:46 AM
More DND today, time for the party to meet an emissary of their enemy, and we'll see if they can lie their way through the encounter, last season suggests no.
Reposted by HelmetBug
I have just submitted my final (and examined) PhD thesis and am now looking for a job. My research explored the role of public participation and design in planning energy transitions. I am looking for work at the nexus of #EnergyTransition policy and advocacy in Sydney. Please share!
November 27, 2024 at 4:28 AM
I have just submitted my final (and examined) PhD thesis and am now looking for a job. My research explored the role of public participation and design in planning energy transitions. I am looking for work at the nexus of #EnergyTransition policy and advocacy in Sydney. Please share!
Reposted by HelmetBug
South Australia bans political donations and gifts to MPs in ‘world-leading’ reform
South Australia bans political donations and gifts to MPs in ‘world-leading’ reform
Peter Malinauskas says the laws were not in his party’s best interest, but critics say it’ll mean more taxpayer dollars going to major parties
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“World-leading” laws banning political donations have passed the SA Parliament, but a democracy expert says they deliver millions of dollars from the public purse to the major parties without justification.
The state Labor government secured support from the Liberal Party, Greens and other members of the crossbench to pass the Electoral (Accountability and Integrity) Amendment Bill 2024 on Wednesday night.
Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 28, 2024 at 3:34 AM
South Australia bans political donations and gifts to MPs in ‘world-leading’ reform
Dinner at Castle Ravenloft started well, the party choosing to disrupt the seating arrangement, thus forcing the brides to rearrange themselves, to the amusement of Strahd. It's rewarding to have a villain monologue and the player that was being addressed says your villain said all the right things.
November 28, 2024 at 3:19 AM
Dinner at Castle Ravenloft started well, the party choosing to disrupt the seating arrangement, thus forcing the brides to rearrange themselves, to the amusement of Strahd. It's rewarding to have a villain monologue and the player that was being addressed says your villain said all the right things.
Seeing a lot of discourse about following back in the feed, and I'm frankly shocked anyone's followed me back at all. Weird little thing that I am.
November 28, 2024 at 2:30 AM
Seeing a lot of discourse about following back in the feed, and I'm frankly shocked anyone's followed me back at all. Weird little thing that I am.
While it's great that Bluesky has made it easier for me to find Aussies doing Cool Things, especially indigenous folk, it also comes with the hilarious element of people who do Actual Work following me back and seeing my posts, largely about my D&D campaigns.
November 20, 2024 at 8:19 PM
While it's great that Bluesky has made it easier for me to find Aussies doing Cool Things, especially indigenous folk, it also comes with the hilarious element of people who do Actual Work following me back and seeing my posts, largely about my D&D campaigns.
Another session of Curse of Strahd coming up this weekend. Time for the big dinner/ball in Castle Ravenloft. The party's going to be really upset when they discover the wait staff are some reanimated companions that died during the intro session.
November 20, 2024 at 2:44 AM
Another session of Curse of Strahd coming up this weekend. Time for the big dinner/ball in Castle Ravenloft. The party's going to be really upset when they discover the wait staff are some reanimated companions that died during the intro session.
Reposted by HelmetBug
"i hope this site doesn't end up like the last one :("
Hope has nothing to do with it--DO YOUR PART!
Twitter & Truth Social are dying. Their users are used to farming outrage for engagement. Don't give them any!
🚫 Don't argue with them!
🚫 Don't quote them!
✅ #BlockAndMoveOn
Hope has nothing to do with it--DO YOUR PART!
Twitter & Truth Social are dying. Their users are used to farming outrage for engagement. Don't give them any!
🚫 Don't argue with them!
🚫 Don't quote them!
✅ #BlockAndMoveOn
November 16, 2024 at 9:53 PM
"i hope this site doesn't end up like the last one :("
Hope has nothing to do with it--DO YOUR PART!
Twitter & Truth Social are dying. Their users are used to farming outrage for engagement. Don't give them any!
🚫 Don't argue with them!
🚫 Don't quote them!
✅ #BlockAndMoveOn
Hope has nothing to do with it--DO YOUR PART!
Twitter & Truth Social are dying. Their users are used to farming outrage for engagement. Don't give them any!
🚫 Don't argue with them!
🚫 Don't quote them!
✅ #BlockAndMoveOn
While I'm not particularly good at posting, there is something liberating about none of my regular players having moved over onto this site yet. I can air all my campaign secrets without worrying at all.
November 13, 2024 at 1:56 AM
While I'm not particularly good at posting, there is something liberating about none of my regular players having moved over onto this site yet. I can air all my campaign secrets without worrying at all.
I'm slowly developing a theory about bus seating choices relative to estimated travel times. Further observation required.
November 10, 2024 at 11:22 PM
I'm slowly developing a theory about bus seating choices relative to estimated travel times. Further observation required.
Floating through the new DMG I noticed that diseases are cured on a case by case basis. Paladins and anyone with a lesser restoration are no longer the instant problem solver of all diseases. Interesting to consider for published adventures like Tomb of Annihilation.
November 10, 2024 at 11:17 PM
Floating through the new DMG I noticed that diseases are cured on a case by case basis. Paladins and anyone with a lesser restoration are no longer the instant problem solver of all diseases. Interesting to consider for published adventures like Tomb of Annihilation.
Taking a rest weekend and putting together some more magic items for my ongoing 5e D&D games. Armour that lets you shout real scary, belts that let you run on water as long as you don't stop moving, and a hat with a magic feather for secret messages. I love making silly little items.
November 9, 2024 at 2:14 AM
Taking a rest weekend and putting together some more magic items for my ongoing 5e D&D games. Armour that lets you shout real scary, belts that let you run on water as long as you don't stop moving, and a hat with a magic feather for secret messages. I love making silly little items.
Some of the best advice to come out of the new DMG for 5e is the success at a cost suggestion. While already something I did occasionally, having it consciously in my mind led to much more dramatic results as my players fled a collapsing demiplane. RIP cloak of the eagle, you did your best.
November 5, 2024 at 2:18 AM
Some of the best advice to come out of the new DMG for 5e is the success at a cost suggestion. While already something I did occasionally, having it consciously in my mind led to much more dramatic results as my players fled a collapsing demiplane. RIP cloak of the eagle, you did your best.
Apropos of this question, I'd be remiss not to mention my favourite method of stat generation, The People's Array. Everyone rolls 4d6 drop the lowest to generate an array, and then the group chooses which array of stats to use. That's not your array comrade, that's OUR array.
So what do you do if you do manual rolls and end up with shit like 4/5/4/4/5/8? Just muddle through?
Any char gen method you use leaves gaps you can play out, wether you rolled a 3 or point by gave you an 8 in something. You won't be lacking for interesting flaws to play out.
And yeah, a GM who has a groove for encounter balance should be able to handle one pseudo min-maxed character lol
And yeah, a GM who has a groove for encounter balance should be able to handle one pseudo min-maxed character lol
October 26, 2024 at 10:41 AM
Apropos of this question, I'd be remiss not to mention my favourite method of stat generation, The People's Array. Everyone rolls 4d6 drop the lowest to generate an array, and then the group chooses which array of stats to use. That's not your array comrade, that's OUR array.
There's downsides to creating an NPC so interesting the entire party wants to follow them out to sea. Namely having to stat up every ship and crew they're liable to come across out there.
October 26, 2024 at 10:05 AM
There's downsides to creating an NPC so interesting the entire party wants to follow them out to sea. Namely having to stat up every ship and crew they're liable to come across out there.