Recent content by Jefe Bergenstein

I do not get WOTC's obsession with pissant damage boosts. Bleed is a whopping Cha modifier damage to one hit a couple times per rest. When the damage bump wont kill a rat, I don't want it. The preserver gives 1d4+ druid level, which is needlessly randomized by a worthless amount. Make it...

I'd honestly run the Verdant Passage as the opening adventure path and draft the campaign book assuming Kalak was slain and Tyr is free.

D&D is an exception based game. Writing a boss whose possession is stronger and requires more than a mid level spell to negate is no different than writing one with legendary resistance, turn resistance, or needing a +1 or better weapon to hit.

TBH, yes. D&D's magic sucks and often the game is poorly balanced for team play and excitement. This is why bosses have legendary resistance - to give them a chance to be interesting. RAW Strahd is a one round speedbump for any semi competent party, assuming everyone even gets a chance to act...

You don't need to design the magic system from the ground up. You design the boss with immunity that needs to be overcome. You telegraph it. You have the dragon show up, the priest casts "Solve Problem", the dragon persona emerges long enough to tell them "its too strong" or something and lets...

I personally would have given the boss immunity to this spell until certain win conditions are met. Casting "Solve Problem" with one of your many spell slots that recharge after a nap is incredibly unsatisfying from my perspective, and one of the reasons why D&D magic is just kind of bland...

Because it looks dumb and like some guy just cut and pasted the digital elements wrong when assembling the final art, rather than putting any effort into making backwards wings or something actually unique. Because that's what it is. The star wars species dugs have what I would describe as...

Now that the kids of the players in the group are getting older they join us sometimes, so I have taken to introducing them at 2nd/3rd level so as to not overwhelm them with their character abilities and let them have a sense of growth. Handing a 9 year old a 7th level warlock as her first real...

I'd say that runs into the "not directly harmful" clause of Command.

It depends on the campaign and rest of the party composition. Dissonant Whispers is limited in scope compared to the more open ended Command, deals a bit of damage, effects undead, and isn't language dependent. Command is multi target and more open ended in what you can accomplish but there are...

Hey guys, let's put a pin in this conversation while the PDK chants for 10 minutes straight.... IMO Rituals take too long. I let people rush them with successful Arcana/Religion/Nature checks. Also, can we retire the damn d4 and just move on to the d6? Its annoying to roll and the difference...

It highlights what a bum deal fighters get, trading away all their utility and interesting abilities to get the same number of attacks as everyone else.

I always liked it because its a bit dorky. They ganged up on a baby dragon and took its shoe box of loot. They're so proud and now the elf lady can afford pants! It's not really clear what kind of dragon it is. I landed on brass. Good work forces of Neutral! Now on to the blink dog hunt!

Thanks, she looks cool! My knowledge of the realms is about 2.5 editions out of date lol.