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Sometimes a Dungeon Master has a new storyline pop into his head, but he delays crafting it because there’s no clear opening to insert that arc into the ongoing TTRPG campaign. So, instead, the idea lingers and lingers some more until he/she can’t take it any longer! Welp, that’s exactly what happened to DM Ben, and here’s how we approached what happened next!

Longtime 3DRPG readers probably know where we’re going through here, but let’s briefly catch you up. The High Forest is a big part of our ongoing DnD campaign. The group has had many travels and homebrewed exploits within its heavy canopy. DM Ben created two warring factions: (1) Shady Tree & his Angry Acorns and (2) a competing Miffed Mushroom contingent. He even teased the leader of the Miffed Mushroom clan, Tibarious Trunk, in a recent bump-in encounter! The seeds were firmly planted! He’s been dying to develop a Hatfield–McCoy rivalry and force his players to pick a side!

Well, lo and behold, in our last DnD Sesh, DM Ben brought that homebrewed storyline dream front and center when he had several Angry Acorns come to the aid of the party during a nasty Goblin ambush! Not that the group needed it, though, thanks to two fierce fireballs by the party’s magic users.

Still, DM Ben knew this was his chance to insert his desired Mushroom Alley map point into the campaign. The dust settled on the goblin battle, and the guys really wanted to know why the Angry Acorns came to their aid. DM Ben created an acorn lieutenant named Shelby (as well as a lunatic, bloodthirsty acorn called Harry). Shelby knew the party hadn’t picked a side, so he did a brilliant job convincing the players the acorn alliance was their best bet (even though the mushrooms are more ruthless and larger in number).

That new truce-pact was exactly what DM Ben wanted to have happen because now he can have a hair-raising mushroom encounter when the players return to the vast High Forest! Basically, the players will have a fierce encounter with the mushrooms within their own borders. Tibarious will enter the fray at some point and call for a ceasefire. He will then explain how insanely disappointed he is that the group sided with those untrustworthy acorns! So, today we’re going to start building this new Mushroom Alley encounter, as it’s gonna be a biggy!

Let’s start with some initial mushroom scatter. We’re nearly positive this mushroom cluster on the left is by Printable Scenery and was from their slick The Gloaming Swamps and Wilderness Kickstarter. They actually have all their amazing mushroom STLs in this nifty website bundle, and we highly recommend you gobble it up.

Resident painter Kimmy Utah has been our go-to colorist for nearly all our mushroom terrain and miniatures. We can’t wait to show you more of them! DM Ben is going to do his patented terrain-for-minis-swap when the encounter timing is just right.

That other miniature from the pic above is by Dragon Trappers Lodge and is their amazing Myconid Sovereign mini. It’s from their epic Mushroom Bayou series. We’ve bought most of this three-part series and will certainly be showcasing more completed minis from it as time moves on.

Again, Kimmy Utah’s paintbrush was all over this TTRPG miniature, and we’re really thrilled that she did them in lots of different colors! DM Ben is going to start by having this one sprout from the ground in the blink of an eye and greet the players. This mini represents one of their “knowledge trees” while also serving as a lookout in Mushroom Alley. He’e goes by the name Hymeno and is a Spore Keeper of their sacred lands.

He will spring up and stop the party dead in their tracks with a “Who dares enter Mushroom Alley uninvited. State your name and your case, or you won’t like what happens next!” Our office game group has named themselves The Contractors, and when they explain who they are, the Spore Keeper will instantly know who they are, as their new acorn alliance traveled the vines fast. He will demand they break their truce with the Angry Acorns or pay a hefty toll (100 gp) to pass unharmed.

Now, the group could talk their way through the encounter with a series of persuasion and charisma checks, but if things take a nasty turn, Hymeno will suddenly rip off several smaller mushrooms from his body and create some fierce soldiers for his side! And the minis that are going to be used for those menacing monsters are these Deathcap Hydras by Printed Encounter! These nasty chompers are a free download, and the sculpt is wicked good!

We 3D-printed a small group of these un-fungi and shipped them off to Kimmy Utah to paint. She knows that whenever we send her duplicates of a miniature, she should paint them a little differently so we can better identify them at a glance as monster 1, monster 2, etc. Boy howdy, did she absolutely crush these guys! We’ve had these front and center in a display case for some time now. We just love ’em!

DM Ben adores things with a lot of attacks because it can be way easier to balance a fight when a monster can attack more than one enemy in a single round (especially when there are six players in our party).

In terms of some DnD 5e stats, the Myconid Deathcap is pretty solid. Our three-headed warriors have an AC 15 and 90 HP. To better fit our wonderful new miniatures, we’re just going to tweak the following:

• Change the multi-attack to three bite attacks.
• Change the damage type to piercing.
• Give them immunity to stun (cause they’re a plant).
• Each time they do 30 points to one monster, one of its heads falls off.
• The to-hit bonus for each bite attack is upped to +7 (since we have a sixth-level party).
• Damage is also revised to 2d8+3.
• Their long necks give them a reach of 10.
• They can fire a deathcap spore or slumner spore once per round as a bonus action.

Hymeno, the Spore Keeper, is a non-combatant here. The instant he takes damage, he drops these Death Caps and crumbles back into the earth. Pretty fun, right? You could use all these guys in one of our Wilderness Trek Wandering Monster table rolls, too!

Until next time!

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First, a brief housekeeping announcement. Game On Expo is celebrating its tenth anniversary, and the team is quite jazzed to attend the Con for the third year in a row in sunny Phoenix, AZ! We’ve walked away with some excellent RPG finds and can’t wait to walk the convention floor yet again. So, advanced apologies for the no-post on Friday, 4-4, but we promise it will be worth the wait.

Anyways, ransacking The Forgotten Rails’ Hovertrains is dangerous work, and it requires many hired swords to be a profitable venture. Let’s meet our latest cutthroat.

Today’s 3D-printed miniature comes courtesy of Printable Scenery. They call him Dreg Cuthroat, and he’s from their amazing Cities of Ramshackle and Ruin series. They actually did a set of pirates (e.g. the Pirate Witcher Warband) and the sculpts are just tremendous.

Sunrise Sven heeded the coloring call and grabbed a paint brush for our newest marauder. What’s not to love, right? Those pirate boots, his faithful dagger, the dapper coat, and of course, his trusty pipe. So good!

So, let’s get to know a little more about this moody buccaneer and some of his particulars:

• Colorful Name: Ol’ Smokey Joe
• Character Race: Human
• Member Rank: Foot Soldier
• Key Role: Eliminate any and all threats
• Painted Miniature: Printable Scenery
• Weapon of Choice: Masterwork Dagger

And best of all, ol’ Smokey Joe never actually smokes his favorite pipe. He carries it in his off-weapon-hand or gnarls on it in his mouth…and no one knows why.

Until next time!

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Doesn’t everyone want a little “who done it” in their campaign? Like, find that bad guy and bring him to justice! That’s the story angle we’re going for here today.

Longtime readers know we’re playing the excellent free Acquisitions Incorporated 5e module on D&D Beyond. However, we’ve added a ton of home-grown content to keep our players guessing while keeping our 3D printers printing. Besides, we just love Omin Dran and Jim Darkmagic and want them in our gaming lives whenever possible.

So, in the module,  there’s a Life in Waterdeep section, and one of the bullets is as follows: “A killer is stalking the streets of the North Ward, murdering people in broad daylight. The victims’ feet are chopped off, as if by a powerful blow with a sharp blade. Then they’re decapitated. The heads are left behind, but the feet are taken!”

And then that’s it! Ummmm – that’s how they’re gonna leave us hanging here?!

It’s not until we get to the Fissure section of the module and the specific Stomp encounter that we reviewed previously. One of the DM tips in that encounter is to have a fresh set of feet morph into the chamber. Super cool (and we did that), but that event provides more questions than answers.

So, DM Ben decided it was time for another NPC and a few corresponding home-brewed encounters for our ongoing campaign. The premise is just too good here! We’ll focus on the main NPC first and craft up some of those events in future posts.

We’re going to go with a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde sort of approach here. To most, all they see is an insanely charming, well-to-do philanthropist who loves to mingle and be single. However, he’s got some inner demons and can’t help but strike down the innocent in the most bizarre manner.

DM Ben will drop subtle hints of the assassin with our existing NPCs to keep the players guessing. So, we have to introduce our newest NPC now but then hold off on creating a crime scene encounter for a bit so it doesn’t become apparent.

In our campaign, our players have just defeated the Night Hag in The High Forest and remarkably rescued all three captured kiddos (Shamus, Adrik, and Delilah). The girl wasn’t paired with an existing NPC, so we will have her as the niece of our new Mr. Rich and Charming character.

DM Ben loves the old mini-swap trick. You have your character and corresponding miniature, but then you have another version or two ready to switch out on the gameboard. This is most common with mimics, but you can’t do it with just about any character class or monster.

So, we will have a Mr. Rich and Charming version and then a Mr. Slice and Dice version. Hence, we pulled two miniatures from our collection: one Noble Man by Cast n Play and another Pirate Swordsman by Printable Scenery.

Let’s start with our Noble Man. Once again, we called upon painter Sunrise Sven to heed the call and give us a vibe of pomp and circumstance for our new miniature. Ask, and you shall receive as he delivered excellent model details with his long, fine coat and boots. This dude just bellows the pompous life.

When the players return to Waterdeep, Delilah’s parents have tragically passed away in a street wagon accident and are directed to head over to Lord Galobax DuGalle’s estate. As thanks, he will offer to fund one addition to the group’s new Bastion.

What the group doesn’t know is this same man (who likes to keep his enemies closer) is also the infamous Crosstown Cutter! This twisted slayer is slicing off his victim’s feet left and right (see what we did there), and his attacks are only becoming more brazen and frequent.

Sunrise Sven tackled this second paint job, too, and did an especially great job on his sword and cap. A hooded mini would have been cool here, but we loved this sculpt and wanted to get it in the game! The module points to the incredible blade used to detach the feet in a single blow, and the weapon here was just so on point!

Not too shabby, though, right? We’ve got a two-faced madman hiding in plain sight in Waterdeep – gotta love that.

• Colorful Name: Lord Galobax DuGalle
• Rumored Name: The Crosstown Cutter
• Character Race: Human
• NPC Type: Prominent businessman (importer/exporter) and philanthropist.
• Painted Miniature(s): Cast n Play & Printable Scenery
• Weapon of Choice: Ornate Long Sword (with Oil of Sharpness applied)

Now we just need to find a face card and a stat block for him (probably just using Viari’s to keep it simple). Then, it’s game on!

Until next time!

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We’re in love with our ArmyPainter Speedpaints (and Citadel Contrast Paints...and Pokorny Paints), so we thought we’d share a recent coloring job on some additional scatter terrain we decided to include in an upcoming DnD encounter.

First, let’s discuss the STLs we’re using — the Hedge Maze set by Printable Scenery. For just $10, you get a complete set of modular pieces you can combine in countless ways. Many of them are double-sided; meaning they have cool details on each side, like trees, vines, statues, bones, etc.

Now let’s explain how we’ll use our purdy, new scatter terrain. Our work campaign is currently focused on the players tracking down a witch who is snatching up younglings in Waterdeep. Omin Dran has offered the group the deed to her land and cabin if they can successfully evict her and eliminate the ongoing threat.

A showdown fight is brewing, and the gameboard will include a battle behind her cabin where another poor soul is being held captive in midair. DM Ben wants to enclose the backyard to her place with some thick hedges to make it a little harder for the group to access her domain (instead of just waltzing right in via the backdoor).

Since you’re up to speed, let’s review the paints and steps for coloring these vines! We’re using several ArmyPainter Speedpaints, a few ArmyPainter Fanatic paints, and one Vallejo color. We primed our pieces black and used slapchop for the first layer.

We start with the very bottom of each hedge, which is lined with an initial layer of stone. Our rock go-to ArmyPainter Speedpaint combo is to layer on Ashen Stone and dab on a little Burnt Moss while that stone layer is still wet. This same combo can also be used on any of the statue elements.

Next, we’ll tackle the vines by layering ArmyPainter Speedpaint Fire Drake and then going back over them with a dry brush of Vallejo Ocre Brown. Alternatively, you can use Dark Wood Speedpaint. Don’t feel like you have to cover every vine. It’s ok if some of them are green (or become green as you cycle through these steps).

Here’s where your core color comes into play with the hedge’s main green color. ArmyPainter Speedpaint Forest Sprite is soooooo good here. It’s just the right shade of green. We layered this on, but if you prefer a heavier, wet, dry brush technique, that works too.

So now, even though the slapchop method helps create shadows, applying a wash helps with any inadvertent brush misses. And as we once heard a wise craftsman say, “Everything is better with a wash.” We were also really eager to try some of ArmyPainter’s new washes and this Green Tone tested great for us.

We added a lighter green to the mix to add a little foliage contrast. A sporadic dry brush (almost stippling-esque) is all you need here. This step makes it feel like the sunlight is hitting the hedge in different spots. Contrast is always your friend when it comes to painting.

You’ll notice some plant buildup spots here and there on the model. You can use either ArmyPainter Speedpaint Slaughter Red or Pokorny Paints Regal Red to give those areas their own little look and make ’em pop against the green leaves.

And here’s the best part! You can use these color combos in other terrain pieces that share similar elements. Meaning, every time we have a new 3D print that has rocks, we can use that same SpeedPaint combo. The same goes for staples like wood and leaves.

For example, we had these really cool Ancient Elven Ruins set from Fantastic Plants and Rocks that we wanted to incorporate into this encounter, and we already had all the paints we needed to make it come to life! Coloring those up couldn’t have been easier because we already had all our steps in hand!

Nothing to it, right?! Go ahead and give these a try. We promise you’ll be thrilled with the results. The monsters inside your newly created hedge maze, on the other hand? Well, you’re on your own with those.

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Crazy, oddball plants are one of the cornerstones of traveling through an unknown wilderness, so we thought introducing a mushroom-pod-like plant would be especially fun. However, let’s come up with some twists to keep it interesting.

We need the right 3D-printed DnD monster plant, though! For that, we turn to Printable Scenery and their silly-good line of swamps, wild roots, and plants! This no-brainer download set includes a detailed paint guide and DnD 5e monster stats! Eventually, we’ll showcase every STL here (14 in all) because the sculpts are so unique and perfect RPG scatter terrain.

Printable Scenery has dubbed this particular RPG STL a ‘Stone Sprig.” Resident painter Kimmy Utah did an amazing job laying down some color here! She loved all these sculpts so much that she even asked us to print her a set, too! There’s just something about purple on plants that we can’t get enough of, as that color just pops with the greens and browns.

So, let’s set the scene here. The group has picked a posh spot, or so they think, to make camp, and naturally, the party didn’t investigate the surrounding plants with much scrutiny. Plants can be a moody bunch and quite calculated in how to rid their home turf of unwanted guests.

What could our podded mushroom plant do to protect its rightful spot?

• Emit a gaseous cloud.
• Hatch some fungi minions.
• Reach over with vicious vines.
• Release a hail of spiked barbs.
• Self-destruct as a last resort.

We like to pool together a bunch of options to jumpstart our creativity and then pick the trait that speaks to us.

DM Ben likes the idea of the plant discharging some sort of chemical into the air. But what will that chemical actually do? Once again, let’s lay out a couple of ideas to choose from:

• Charm the player(s) on watch.
• Pass on a disease.
• Save against poison.
• Transmit a rash.
• Emit an alluring scent for other predators.
• Cause false, violent hallucinations.

And just because we’re using one idea from our two bulleted lists doesn’t mean we can’t save them for a future wandering monster plant re-roll, right?!

The DM might start off this Wilderness Trek Wandering Monster encounter by reading the following:

“Your rather uneventful watch continues throughout the evening, and suddenly, you hear some odd rustling just off the vegetation edge line of the camp. The movement is strong enough that you suspect someone or something might be hiding within this tall, purple-podded plant!”

Place the plant on the gameboard as close to their camp as possible. The DM can request several checks here: Perception, Nature, and/or Survival. Play these checks up to draw the character(s) closer to the odd, nearby rustling. We’re describing this odd plant-shaking movement to really pique their curiosity.

It’s a tough call to determine whether the group will ultimately keep its distance or muster the courage to get closer. Sometimes, players can be such chickens.

Describe the out-of-place plant just like our paint job: “You see twisted tree plant holding these vibrant purple pods. The mysterious plant is trembling in place, and the vibrations rapidly increase before suddenly…boom! Numerous pods pop off and thrust up into the air. Poof! It looks like a fireworks display gone wrong on the launch pad!”

So, feeling cornered, our cranky plant suddenly emits a gaseous cloud that covers a 30-foot radius. Anyone within the hazardous haze must make a Constitution Saving Throw, DC 17, or take 2d6+2 poison damage and be charmed for 1 minute. While charmed, our plotting plant directs each affected character to attack their cohorts.

The Stone Sprig has self-destructed so there’s no need for the players to try and kill it. However, the pod shells are insanely hard; Faeries love to use them for armor, so the explosion will also rain down an additional 2d8+1 of shrapnel damage (DC 15 Athletics to save for half).

Now, it’s up to the party to figure out how to survive for the next 10 rounds as charmed vs uncharmed go head to head!

Until next time!

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