Free Time

It's getting easier and easier to find something to use in my 4e game, but rarely do I want to use something exactly as it's written. I like the mechanics of the thing that is presented but not the flavor so, I make something up to replace that.

For example, there's an Ice hazard in one of the books but I needed something that was slippery and slowed the PCs down, so I used that and said it was slime instead of ice. It worked well and I've done similar things a couple times now. Then just recently I wanted an elite monster but couldn't find one or a template to apply to the shadow like thing I was using. So, I just took 2 monsters that had similar properties and combine them together, use the better of any defense, chose a couple powers added their hitpoints together and poltergeist + shadow of some kind = my new creation the "Dominating Shade".

Right now the PCs are engaged in a long series of social interactions with a neighboring kingdom of elves. I'm using the skill challenge mechanism to award them xp, but they still have to RP their way through a series of social encounters. The best part is making them plan out the social events that they host. That seems to get most of the players involved. Not as well involved as killing something does.

Regards,
-Benjamin