Recent content by Jabborwacky

D&D is in an odd position: On one side, its more flexible than ever. On the other, D&D simply isn't D&D without its named archetypes and spells, which all have their own unique identities to uphold. It's also blessed and cursed with being the most popular tabletop RPG, so a lot of people want to...

Yeah, I think I understand what you're saying. The designers decided skills are general purpose and mundane, while spells are specialized and extraordinary -- except this runs counter to what people expect.

5e has different standards for the skills and spells. Individual spells have spell descriptions that strictly define their effects. Skills and ability checks are more of a wide "category of things" type system. A carnie using his performance skill to perform his fire breathing trick during...

It's also worth mentioning the skills and abillity checks are left open ended specifically to allow players and DMs to roleplay a variety of characters. If a player wants to play a wizard with the soldier background, it makes sense that a wizard's basic combat training would differ than a...

Didn't Orcus die at some point in the past, too? I think around 2nd edition, if I recall. I wouldn't be surprised if in some paperback any number of other big antagonists bit the dust as well. Eventually, every character reaches the end of their time. Meeting Elminster will someday only be...

Falling out of favor with a DM is a whole other ball park. Can't do anything against that except find a new group, sadly. :(

There is never a situation of DM vs players in terms of PvP unless the DM or players explicitly attempt to go after each other. From experience, player deaths to intelligent creatures are due to miscommunication or lack of communication between players and DM, or players simply choosing their...

What I'd be excited about really depends on whether we're talking about organized play or home play. My experience in organized play tells me that players in that environment need something more substantial to protect their character's personal stories against subtle, yet brutal DM fiat. Outside...

Sometimes I look at my own advice and say "what have I done." :p Giving advice on this sort of stuff almost always ends up being misleading in some way because there are two competing frames of reference in D&D about how characters should be built. One says that players should choose the...

It looks fantastic! Great job to all those involved!

What this needs is a ruling, not a rule. The ruling should be what is most fun for the PC's in question. Is their brand of fun building or shaping things? Then sure, let them use fireball that way. The players are trying to tell a story as much as the DM, and the DM should be helping them...

Although in the case of Strahd...his relationship with Tatyana is most certainly representative of rape. He just wants to break her and make her his new vampire china doll.

The only real pitfall is choosing something that doesn't fit your play style. A character can be fairly well rounded at the start of the game. On another note, no plan survives contact with the enemy, so don't think you're doing something wrong by veering away from your original character goals...

I absolutely agree. Just recently when I thought I was being harassed on the forums here, I gave those in charge as much information as I could on the incident. In fact, sometimes a person in one of these situations will give you more than you actually need. I like to emphasize being supportive...

My post was in context to the poster I was quoting. Maybe its not what he actually meant, but it seemed as though he was suggesting that expressing doubt/criticism to a victim in regards to their claims is a good idea when in reality it is the opposite. To help a victim, be supportive and...