Search results

I think a huge problem is the slow assumption of Common as the everyday language. In some settings like Greyhawk, it makes sense because a monolithic empire set it as the standard language. Most of the other early settings assumed Common was a trade tongue that was only used when communicating...

I personally prefer the old bell curve modifiers to the modern linear method. Unfortunately it doesn't jell with player's desire for ASI, so unless you remove those from the game (not a terrible idea IMO), the 5E engine doesn't work so well with it.

I didn't need Phandelver, but I picked it up anyway so I could teach the game. If you ever plan on introducing players to 5E 2024, it's probably a good purchase.

I've got no issues with Rope Trick or Magnificent Mansion. Rope Trick is a fine spell to guarantee a Short Rest while letting the enemy's alert die down a bit, which seems good for a level 2 spell slot. Magnificent Mansion does the same for a long rest, but is much higher level (as it should...

I think it was left open so the players can come up with their own plan. I assumed the players would try to talk their way past, since we have a Rogue with Reliable Talent and deception expertise, but they decided to use Dimension Door, Scrying, and Arcane Gate instead. My biggest issue was...

I think there might be a few setting specific feats, but I don't expect them to be particularly common. Things that tie to setting specific situations might be limited, like the Red Wizards or Spellfire, but I think most things will be fairly open. Personally I agree with this concept, because...

It depends on the adventure and pacing. We often get 1-2 hour long short rests per adventuring day, sometimes more, sometimes less. I don't like the 4E style short rests, because we do 6-8 encounters per long rest. Using 5 minute short rests would results in 6-8 short rests per long rest...

If you look into Monsters of the Multiverse, you'll see several monsters have Legendary Reactions, rather than Legendary Actions. It works the same way, having a set number per round that recharge, but you can only use one per round. You could simply have your homebrew monster just have the one...

If the players are discouraged, I'd remind them of times that the dice were on their side, making some encounters super easy for them. The dice giveth and the dice taketh away. You could start rolling behind the screen, allowing you the opportunity to fudge the dice towards the middle to create...

I'm great at making interesting challenges and NPCs the players love to hate. Because I don't really follow the encounter guidelines, focusing on more realistic setups, the players have to carefully consider their decisions. Additionally, I'm a big fan of tricks and traps that challenge the...

One or two level dips are all I ever see, and even those are pretty rare.

IME the primary reason successful campaigns don't go to high level is because their story has been told. I've run three successful campaigns in 5E, ending at levels 18, 7, and 9 respectively. The first one was an epic tale told in 3 arcs, plus I had an additional one-shot callback adventure...

Yes. Just because it's not their walking speed doesn't mean they can't dash. Flying creatures can dash with their action too. RAW, no. IMO, I wouldn't require a character to hide in the first place, as they're virtually undetectable. Their movement would create a slight breeze, so in a confined...

I oppose the notion of magic item shops, but I seldom have any issues with PCs not having anything to spend coin on. At tier 1, the characters need to save up for at least one suit of plate armor, and often two. Material components are expensive, especially if they're consumed, and everyone...

Using a VTT, I prefer to use the minis. It generally speeds up play and keeps things moving. IRL I prefer theater of the mind, because setting up a map and mini's takes too much time.

While by rule I'm pretty sure that MM only creates one save, we've always house ruled it to be one save per missile. We've never found the spell all that useful, so this gives it the niche of "concentration breaker."

I'm simply going to bring back the Hidden condition from the playtest. I don't have it right now, or I'd post it for those who don't have it. It worked fine IIRC, and the only real thing I see as an issue is that See Invisibility effects don't work on it (which I'm fine with).

The Stealth rules for 2014 were intentionally a big vague on purpose, because there was a huge argument during the playtest about how it should work. In theory, each DM would have leeway to run it whichever way they wanted, although with clarifications that idea slowly went away. The Stealth...

While I'm not a big believer in the martial/caster divide, I think the two simple things you could do is remove cantrip scaling and use more encounters per long rest. Using either of these will make casters "weaker" without upsetting their overall balance (or fun), while using both should all...

I've already started adapting the Rules Glossary to my 2014 campaign. The players will continue to use their original options, as they're balanced together. My next campaign will be fully 2024, however.