Recent content by ECMO3

Generally I would say they are about the same power but mechanically and situationally one will usually be substantially more powerful than the other. Here is how 1. Booming Blade (BB) and Green Flame Blade (GFB) use your strength (or dexterity), while Truestrike (TS) uses your casting stat...

So how do you "put the armor on [with a Utilize action]" when you are already wearing the armor?

This is what I hated about MOTB. Safina was ok, the others were awful. They could have just continued with the NPCs you had from the original, and thrown some other legendary NPCs from the region in there like Minsc, Edwin and Dayanier.

Like I said I have not experienced that. I don't believe it is soul draining or even bad. I guess for some very small percentage of people it my be, but they have not been at my table and I don't think attempts to "balance" the game will make it better even for those people. Just because I...

A lot of tables and players prefer to roll abilities. I don't know if it is most since 2024 was published, but it is still a lot. If you are rolling stats it is the dice right from the get go. In one of the games I DM I give players the option. Well over half choose to roll abilities. In...

This claim is often repeated, but I do not believe it and have seen no evidence it is true.

Sure, it is anecdotal, that is the only evidence I have though. The repeated claims that balance is good are often made without even that, as if it is an assumption or foregone conclusion. I am currently playing in 6 campaigns; 3 weekly campaigns, 1 biweekly, 2 that don't have a schedule and...

Yes everything that is a mathematical construct is a mechanic. Balance is not important at all. I don't think it improves the play experience one bit. I realize that may be unpopular, but it is based on extensive play and there is no compelling evidence or proof to the contrary. The ones...

Stealth errata is a problem. I am reading my PHB and another player has the PHB open on DNDBeyond and they are saying different things. So now which one do we use? What makes it even more problematic is how bad the DNDBeyond engine and interactive parts are, so it is like you can't even trust...

I d keep track of weapon focus if you are using one. Mechanically component pouches work a lot better because you do not need to stow them. I will point out that you do have the option of using a quarterstaff. With shield proficiency something that allows this is marginally more beneficial on...

I don't think there is an Origin Feat that will give you Hex. You will need Warlock, a species or a 4th level Feat for that. IMO Hex is pretty awesome. Hunter's Mark not so much.

' bonuses and the way feats work are mechanics.

Balance is not independent from mechanics, when people are talking about "balance" they are talking about making the mechanics from one option equivalent to the mechanics from another option. There is nothing that makes me believe the pursuit of this this is positive for the game at all.

So no new players ever. Got it!

I agree, but there is a wide gap between "all contribute" and "balanced:" I've played many games where there was a gap in terms of mechanics or in some cases extremely wide gaps due to difference in ability scores due to one player rolling very bad and one player rolling very good, but I have...