Creating Smuggling Syndicates in D&D

[@blzbubb5135]

Hey there, hope you're doing well. Miss the uploads, your show still remains my favorite D&D content. Always brightens my day and delivers fantastic ideas that I love to share with my friends at the game table

[@bear_hardy2118]

100% a video on actually using the verbal, somatic and material components for spells. Its brilliant role play and makes for so much flavour.

[@HalflingHobbies]

Very soon!

[@bear_hardy2118]

Cant wait, and hopefully another fantasy baking one too 🙂

[@sasjhwa]

Your fans miss you!

[@HalflingHobbies]

Hey! I appreciate that so much! The Halfling will return soon, pinky promise! 😊

[@carpma11]

There's a good DCC Lankhmar module called 'Grave Matters' that involves a gang of smugglers that use an undertaker/embalming business as a front. I love that kind of stuff in my games. Great video, as always!

[@rworrick8037]

Another absolute home run video. Regarding spell components I generally give a pass on MOST components as long as the magic user has a component pouch and/or a Focus. However, that only covers the most mundane of the physical requirements that carry no gp value. If a spell component specifically mentions (item: worth at least X amount of gp) then I am a stickler for the necessity of said item. That helps to balance my games. For my GM style, requiring every specific item could lead to entire campaigns focused solely on adventures gathering components...but now that I think of it you probably have these well fleshed out guilds and businesses dealing with the trade of spell components. I look forward to your video on how you handle this in your world. Because I give a lot of leeway on physical items I tend to pay a lot of attention to how the magic user uses their hands and voice for the somatic and vocal aspects. If the magic user couldn't reasonably have free hands then they can't use spells; the language of spells in my world is a special language that most people wouldn't know. I liken it to the scene in Fellowship at Rivendell when Gandalf uses the language of Mordor: it sounds different and everyone is aware that he is different. There is never a question in my world when a PC or an NPC is using magic requiring a verbal aspect.

[@FlutesLoot]

My IRL crime syndicates were doing well but I don't have a lot of business sense. These videos have been very helpful for increasing my profitability! :D

[@-POISON-]

The exotic animals part took me back to the Savage Tide Adventure Path, one awesome official lvl 1-20 campaign for an older version of D&D. I actually ran it up to lvl 10 (and set it in Maztica).

[@tedgalacci8428]

The Rhine river had castle after castle each charging a tariff on cargoes passing through. It made smuggling almost a necessity.

[@HalflingHobbies]

Exactly!

[@taylorbesharah8]

7:35 I'm doing something similar, im currently in an evil campaign and i just bought the towns pet store with the intention of replacing all the animals with ones capable of understanding humanoid speech with the intention of using them as a spy network

[@Jeromy1986]

Hell yeah! I kinda have wanted to know what you'd do to essentially make Han Solo for a while now.

[@HalflingHobbies]

Getting into Star Wars 5e…so that video might be coming soon!

[@onlystamina5932]

Hello! I got into your videos because of the Eberron video; thanks for making it :)

[@ImaginationHobbies]

Just found your channel. Super cool

[@MagiofAsura]

Great video! Never really thought about syndicates before. I'll be watching all of your syndicate videos. Subbed and excited to see what you come out with next.

[@SevenStarsandSevenStones]

I generally do prefer dogs to cats, but I sure like my own cat. Thanks for the videos and ideas!

[@HalflingHobbies]

Of course! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!

[@macoppy6571]

How do smugglers get around Divination spells, such as Locate Object or Scrying?

[@larsespeland6068]

Lead boxes, using clever wording which does not directly make them lie, having people only know a little bit so they can't reveal the whole group. Stuff like that.

[@edwarduribe2910]

My group smuggling a drug. But I like the refugee idea...

[@alaexanderhawkins6324]

Wow.... there are some great ideas here. Smuggling spell components? Heck yeah! Never would have thought of it. haha :)

[@Acarinn]

Spell components are only required if they have a gold cost associated with them i believe? Otherwise the mundane material costs are covered by the use of a focus or a component pouch (which just seems to have anything you need). Are you suggesting people play by requiring ALL material components? Like bat guano doesn't have a gold cost i don't believe. Man that would be tough, but if you presented opportunities for them to gather the stuff i suppose it would be possible. Great vid :) I'm working on a campaign with a focus on organized crime

[@larsespeland6068]

Each spell has components, and with a spell component pouch it'll cover anything costing less than a gold piece. Consider that magic is much more effective than martial prowess as you level up, so each spell should have unique spell components and having them limited to how many black pearls they can buy or cat gizzards they've been able to acquire is an interesting way of helping make play interesting.

[@JulnirIzdrage]

Grrrrrrr. woof woof woof! Arf Arf! Grrr Arf! Grr Arf! Grrrrrrrrrrrr.....

[@FrankMonday]

Saturday night for me... Beijing time 8pm.

[@FrankMonday]

Agreed spells are lacking. Imbalanced power wise and definitely need components. Should also roll to hit. And all magic should have a fumble chart with a wild magic effect. Hehe... Just saying, magic should be dangerous.

[@HalflingHobbies]

Nice!

[@HalflingHobbies]

Love the fumbling idea! (Or pronunciation for spells you just learned!)

[@AdeptScholar]

Parts 4 & 5 still in the works...? Also; what state accent is that...?

[@HalflingHobbies]

4 and 5 coming soon! And I am from Southern Missouri (The Ozarks)

[@AdeptScholar]

@@HalflingHobbies Great news; and I thought it sounded familiar because I am a northeast Arkansian. 😆

[@badgerburns521]

tried to use your contact page on your website but there was no form or no email using latest iteration of firefox

[@HalflingHobbies]

Oh no! I am so sorry to hear that! My email is [e-mail]

[@badgerburns521]

hannah I did take out a patreon but there was no new content here or there so I cancelled it there is still no new information here, are things ok?

[@FrankMonday]

1st?

[@FrankMonday]

Yes!!! Haha...

[@jonbaird8835]

I feel so embarrassed. The cursive script threw me off and i read it as SMEGGING not smuggling. If i lose the ability to read cursive i will legit feel like such uncultured swine 🤣

[@HalflingHobbies]

😂😂😂

[@Beau74]

No updates for over a year? What's the dealio?

[@HalflingHobbies]

Update short and new videos coming Saturday!