Recent content by Li Shenron

I don't think published adventures are excessively narrative, but I am certainly forever waiting for someone to figure out such a good module layout that would allow me to read it for the first time when I am running it.

Many systems are based on character classes or archetypes. The "sneaky trickster" who gets what they want by subterfuge is a favourite archetype so it often gets included. "Thief" is always a debatable name for the archetype, as the person doesn't have to be interested or willing to steal, in...

2024 backgrounds have almost nothing to do with "story"

I don't understand how it works within combat initiative: "The secondary casters must take the Magic action and be near the caster to contribute to the spell", but when does it happen? Does the spell go off when the last caster takes their action? Does the primary caster need to be the first...

Interesting thoughts. Keeping in mind that not all players are the same, therefore there is no solution which works for everyone at the same table, here are also some thoughts of mine. 1) Procedural segmentation has the benefit of making combat simpler in a few ways. First of all, it...

1- any skill one of my PC has 1- any skill one of my PC has 1- any skill one of my PC has 1- any skill one of my PC has ... If they have it, I make sure they will find it useful. But then another question is... after 10 years, how many players still haven't understood that "having a skill" is...

Some random comments... This shouldn't be too difficult. Go through the list of magic items and for each one try thinking of a non-magical explanation for its effects: biological, materials-based, or technological. It can be a fantasy explanation if you need, without qualifying as fully magic...

Well mostly I do think it just makes the game (even) easier. Potions more or less are like stored spells. They already have the advantage of going beyond the daily slots limits of your party's spellcasters, and obviously being usable directly by the target without even requiring a spellcaster...

I am definitely a planner. I start by reading a published adventure carefully, then typically in the days or weeks before the game night I find myself thinking a lot about everything between the established elements of the adventure, kind of filling up the space, adding things of my own, or...

I don't think "time" is really what we think it is. I recommend reading "The Order of Time" by physicist Carlo Rovelli to get a new perspective.

I think the classboards are cool. Unfortunately they are a bit specific to the box pregens. Shouldn't be too difficult to turn them into templates. Even then, there are classes with fairly different needs, so I don't think a one-size-fit-all exists, just like with character sheets. I already...

When I want to make an important NPC myself, I pretty much always make it using PC rules, i.e. race + class + background in 5e. I may skim on some details like not filling up all its known spells and proficiencies allowance. I may on the other hand also give it some extras if it fits. I...

I am fairly neutral. Dice with unusual number of faces or non-numeric results can aid certain things, but in terms of probability and random results, they aren't strictly necessary and can always be emulated with regular dice. Snowflake dice neither impress me nor annoy me.

I had to vote "D&D is dead to me" because I'm long off the hook with the edition by now, so I am unlikely to purchase any new book. But if I'm going to buy anything, it's definitely going to be settings books, because I'm done with players material until 7e (I don't play half editions, and...

Yes but it's been a very long time... I think last time was The City of the Spider Queen campaign in 3e, where all PCs were Drow. However, I don't really consider that a "monsters campaign", in fact Drow became fully playable creatures in the 5e PHB. It's a preference, but what I would call a...