Will Gawned is an Australian human (CR 0) living in the UK. He's a writer, RPG designer, improv performer, and research administrator in his spare time.
The unexpected attack is a common trope in D&D: Ambushes set by goblins to rob travelling merchants; Assassins sneaking into bedchambers to kill a sleeping mark; Treasure chest mimics, waiting to eat the curious and greedy; A doppelganger disguised as an old friend to attack when their target is most vulnerable. In all these situations, you might find someone is surprised once combat is...
Curses are a staple of the fantasy genre, and in D&D 5E they are usually encountered in one of three ways: Bestow curse (a spell) Cursed magic items Monsters! This is the part of a weekly series of articles by a team of designers answering D&D questions for beginners. Feel free to discuss the article and add your insights or comments! Bestow curse This spell is how player characters are...
Counterspell is a 3rd-level abjuration spell on the sorcerer, warlock and wizard spell lists, which allows you to attempt to interrupt the casting of a spell. Its description can be found in the Player’s Handbook. This is the part of a weekly series of articles by a team of designers answering D&D questions for beginners. Feel free to discuss the article and add your insights or comments...
Some spells (and, more rarely, abilities) require active concentration in order to maintain their magic effects. If you lose concentration, the effect ends. The rules outlining concentration appear in the Player’s Handbook on page 203. If a spell or ability requires concentration, it tells you. Spells have a Duration entry which specifies “Concentration, up to [a certain amount of time]”...
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