sup /tg/
my d&d campaign has been running for a few months now, and as the dm i'm getting a bit bored. they've been tracking down macguffins to release a trapped god and they're just trucking along each week, hunting them down. i think part of the problem is that i have given them too much of a time limit, and now they won't stop just travelling between the different plot points. i don't know what to do to get them to stop down and do some sidequests unless they kind of have no choice (eg. if they might die for not doing a sidequest, they'll do it. but that's it).
i really need some ideas for good sidequests for a mid-high level group to make them forget their time limit. i won't punish them for not relentlessly pursuing the main quest, but they don't seem to realise that.
You have a group that is focused and directed towards your plot coupons, and you want to throw them off?
Have one coupon get stolen by a crime ring, which steals from a party member once the crime ring notices the party systematically disassembling them.
If you get bored, you can always kinda force them onto a sort-of "sidequest" like them getting trapped in a different dimension or them getting displaced in time by 100 years or something.
Have some other macguffin magically shrink them down to microscopic size and now they have to deal with the fantasy microscopic world.
Have fun with it.
Or straight out tell them you aren't really timing them on shit.
Ask one of your players if they have a past that could flesh out into an interesting sidequest for a short time.
It's ok for one character to have the spotlight for a little bit.
This is why I laugh at you "muh homebrew sandbox" retards. You have no concept of a narrative structure or a campaign arc. You drop players in a shit homebrew world on your stupid MSPaint map where the only unique part is that every race has their names changed, and you just let players run off and chase whatever they think is the plot, and you improv wherever they go, so they think they're doing something and you're just stringing them along hoping they catch on and go to the REAL plot, and in the end everyone complains that the game is shit and boring.
Why do you all do this?
>>43767488
>i won't punish them for not relentlessly pursuing the main quest, but they don't seem to realise that.
You instilled the concept of a time limit.
And your problem is that they took you seriously?
Holy shit you're the worst DM ever.
>>43768127
To purposefully annoy you since you seem to be a colossal douche.
>>43767488
They all wake up to find everything they did for the last few months was a dream and are back at level 1, do this every time they deviate from the plot
>>43768136
>You're aware your game is not fun for anyone involved.
>You are defensive about it, though, and refuse to change.
....what?
>>43768127
I would love to learn better campaign pacing and structure, could you recommend any reading material?
>>43768600
The4eDMG
>>43768611
really?
>>43768144
I want to get on, but the ride never starts.
>>43767509
this is the best idea in this thread. just distract them with the macguffins, get them mad enough to chase after a lesser villain even after they have what they want.
>>43767488
kill yourself
>>43768611
>>43768906
better advice than it seems like. just give it a read if you're honestly looking for help.
>>43767509
>>43771048
In this vein, additional means of doing the same thing:
At the site of one of the macguffins, a cruel duke has erected a fortress, which is festooned with the corpses of dozens of children, weeping blood, as sacrifices to prevent whatever calamity the party seeks to stop.
A network of trolls, organized by a goblin warlord, has instituted toll bridges to raise money for their impending invasion of the realm. The party has to cross 17 of those bridges, passes several work sites where the trolls are digging more ditches to build bridges across.
An implacable iron warrior stands in the way of the party, his armor labeled with its origin, and demands to fight. This warrior will not move until he is defeated, but is a prototype golem, who reflects any spell over 4th level to its caster, and halves all damage before damage reduction is applied, at the expense of its breath weapon and actually being able to hit the party's fighter. In short, the fight is an interminable slog that goes on forever if the party doesn't outwit the simple thing.
