Matt Friedman

Matt Friedman

@mfrieds.bsky.social

Your favorite MS1 talking about everything from oncology to isles hockey to sci fi/fantasy books

342 followers213 following441 posts

I need to start including more puzzles in my DnD campaigns. Ran a one shot yesterday and watching players struggle through and solve puzzles is one of my favorite parts of DMing (here's the puzzle if anyone wants to try solving with hints they got and the answer in thread. Took them ~20 mins)

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At this point they were on right track and managed to solve but here are some bonus hints if needed 1: You get a feeling that, perhaps, the runes are a tally mark system? 2: Setting the totals equal on left and right does not seem to work easily, nor does splitting into equal top and bottom halves

Answer: Filling empty circle with rune for 3 (the one that looks like pi/is in the top right circle); each circle on the right is filled with the sum of the rune to its left and the rune above that one

I need to start including more puzzles in my DnD campaigns. Ran a one shot yesterday and watching players struggle through and solve puzzles is one of my favorite parts of DMing (here's the puzzle if anyone wants to try solving with hints they got and the answer in thread. Took them ~20 mins)

View full thread

I need to start including more puzzles in my DnD campaigns. Ran a one shot yesterday and watching players struggle through and solve puzzles is one of my favorite parts of DMing (here's the puzzle if anyone wants to try solving with hints they got and the answer in thread. Took them ~20 mins)

View full thread

First tries: You can't move any of the runes; they're engraved in the stone. Pushing/pulling doesn't do anything. Knock won't open it. No visible area to use lockpicking tools (basically, have to solve the puzzle to advance)

Hint 1 (Investigation check on the stone): There seems to be very faded etchings on the blank circle, an echo of what might have once been there, but you can't make out what it is

I need to start including more puzzles in my DnD campaigns. Ran a one shot yesterday and watching players struggle through and solve puzzles is one of my favorite parts of DMing (here's the puzzle if anyone wants to try solving with hints they got and the answer in thread. Took them ~20 mins)

Scene setting: Circles and runes engraved on stone filled archway in antechamber of the BBEG that lit up in arcane glow when the wall was approached; lots of books plus a few gold pieces and some artwork decorate the room

Poking through old notebooks for something and didn't find what I was looking for, but I did find this guy (very early plan for the last dnd campaign I DM'd)

Matt Friedman reposted

Among patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, the RAS(ON) inhibitor daraxonrasib led to significantly longer overall survival and progression-free survival than chemotherapy. Full phase 3 RASolute 302 trial results: https://nej.md/4nWaxvM #ASCO26

How can you not get romantic about hockey?

Stefen Rosner@stefenrosner.bsky.social

#Isles rookie phenom Matthew Schaefer has teamed up with Northwell Health to bring joy to families fighting cancer. @NYIslanders Children's Foundation has donated $150,000 to create a child support center named in memory of Schaefer's late mother, Jennifer.

I love these posts because of how much they grow my to read list. I also hate these posts because of how much they grow my to read list (Please keep making them)

Reconstructionist@unavaleable.bsky.social

how about some fiction recommendations too

Just told a kid I tutor "I'm the backstreet boys, gotta tell me why" and he looked at me like I was crazy. Absolutely no idea what I was talking about. Think we might need to expand beyond math next session

Matt Friedman reposted

This National Public Health Week, DOH stands with the Northeast Public Health Collaborative in accelerating regional success by sharing best practices across state borders. Together, we are advancing regional readiness to foster thriving communities. #NEPHC

Dad of one of the kids I tutor just said if his son doesn't finish the worksheet I left him, no #Isles game tonight. That might honestly be more of a reward than anything else, especially after last night's debacle

Matt Friedman reposted

Today is World Cancer Day. Cancer touches nearly every family. We stand with patients and loved ones and with the clinicians, scientists, and advocates working toward prevention, early detection, and better outcomes. 💙

worldcancerday.orgOfficial website of World Cancer Day by UICC | 4 FebruaryAn international awareness day led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) to raise worldwide attention and inspire action for a cancer-free future.

Super exciting! Journey before destination and all, but I'm looking forward to seeing how both turn out

Culture Crave 🍿@culturecrave.co

Apple has landed the rights to Brandon Sanderson's 'Cosmere' universe • ‘Mistborn' will be a film franchise • 'The Stormlight Archive' will be a TV series • Sanderson will have creative control of the projects (via THR)

Started reading The Death of Cancer in earnest since my exams are done. Great so far, might have to get a copy and add to the shelf

Matt Friedman@mfrieds.bsky.social

Picked up an early Hanukkah present for myself from the library after a rec by one of my mentors, looking forward to reading it!

Been way too busy with classes and tutoring, but trying to make some time to read again. Checked out A Memory Called Empire the other day and I'm glad I did. Off to a great start so far

Matt Friedman reposted

Service is the truest measure of patriotism. On Veterans Day, we honor all who have taken the oath and worn the uniform - and our nation recommits to keeping its promises to every veteran who served our country.

Founding dean of my school came for a brief talk today and, while explaining how he got into medicine to avoid being sent to Vietnam, casually dropped that he was part of the team that discovered cisplatin. Med school has some crazy stories

Update! Islanders record in games I watch: 0-3 Islanders record in games I don't watch: 4-0 Promises made, promises kept #isles

Matt Friedman@mfrieds.bsky.social

0-3 when I watch and 2-0 when I don't, I think I might be the issue here. Guess I have to take one for the team and just watch highlights