Search results

I can't find anything in either the MM or the DMG that specifically addresses your question. My interpretation would be that innate spellcasting follows all the rules for casting spells, but that special abilities are NOT spells. They are mundane and magical abilities that the creature can...

Rather than use the optional rule in the DMG, which requires a couple on-the-fly calculations (How much did the attack miss by? What's the cover's AC?), my group uses this simple rule: If you roll a natural "1" when firing into melee, you hit and damage the cover. It's simple, easy to remember...

From Chapter 1: Beyond 1st Level As your character goes on adventures and overcomes challenges, he or she gains experience, represented by experience points. A character who reaches a specified experience point total advances in capability. This advancement is called gaining a level. When your...

Then change it in your game, if that's how you feel. Except for 4E, I've played every version of D&D since white box and there has always been something that counters regeneration. I happen to like that because it rewards players for being smart. I remember one battle where fire was not...

My first thought is using golems to perform all sorts of mechanical functions, such as: - Dumbwaiter that is moved by very small golems pulling on a chain and pulley system. - Doors open upon command. The golems that do so are just arms built into the walls around the doors. They can also be...

The issue comes up in troupe play, which I favor both as a GM and as a player. Troupe play means players have multiple characters which can be switched out depending on the specific adventure or the preference of the player. For example, when the main party was away sacking one of the elemental...

This is why Gary Gygax didn't like critical hit/fumble systems. His argument was that while any individual monster has a small chance of being affected, the PC's, because they are in many, many battles, will eventually roll a critical fumble or be subject to a critical hit from a monster. Any...

Wow, I hadn't noticed that protection from poison is NOT concentration, so it can be cast on multiple characters by one caster. Not only is it only 2nd level, but not having concentration makes it the perfect spell for green dragons and other creatures that mainly deal poison damage. Thanks for...

My group has played since the starter set came out (July 2014), haven't used feats at all, and are having a blast. The highest level characters are currently 7th level (we use troupe play, so PCs get swapped out a lot), so I'm not sure feats would have made much difference so far. It certainly...

c) roughly neutral - no major issues foreseen There are two rogues in my current campaign, one has "Assassinate", one has "Fast Hands". Assassinate rarely comes up, but when it does, it's powerful. Fast Hands, on the other hand, comes up all the time, but it's not a big deal. The rogue mostly...

I've noticed this too. Lost Mine of Phandelver worked out about right, but in running Princes of the Apocalypse, I've noticed that the PCs are having a very difficult time reaching the levels they're assumed to reach before getting to certain areas. I've been consistently boosting XP awards for...

The way I read this spell, it would stop their regeneration for one round. As it requires an attack roll, I don't see it as better or worse than firebolt against trolls. Thanks for pointing this out - I'd never noticed chill touch's secondary effect before. "You create a ghostly, skeletal hand...

You're probably right, but it's still a risk. The last time my players took on trolls, the wizard missed almost every firebolt he cast (I think he hit only 2 out of 10 shots). One troll rolled well, dropping the 6th level paladin in 3 rounds, even after the paladin used pretty much all his...

I have a visceral dislike of items that mess with PC's minds. As a player, I really value being able to control my character's actions and assume other players feel the same. So I took some steps to warn the PCs about the effects of the elemental weapons. The party encountered an NPC who...

Yes and no. If the troll wins initiative, it can easily drop a character before the party acts. If the party does not have access to fire or acid damage, the 10 HP per turn will add up, especially if the dice are not kind. I love 5E, but it's very swingy, so a single troll could TPK a group of...

It really just depends on where you want to start the adventure. Given that the characters will likely be 4th-5th level at the end of LMoP, you don't have to use any side treks, instead just plopping the party directly into the main line of the adventure. Here are several options. 1) Instead...

This has been my experience too. And since characters don't typically stay at level 1 and 2 very long, I don't see it as a problem. Recently, the party's 4th level druid tried taking on a troll as a crocodile. He successfully grappled the troll, but even with disadvantage on the attack rolls...

Two things I've noticed about 5E is that it's very swingy, and smaller parties are very vulnerable. Your group ran into both issues. If there are only 3 characters, consider providing an NPC. I usually prefer NPCs that are one level lower than the party and with a class that supports the PCs...

Yep, for whatever reason, the designers decided that Enlarge/Reduce has different impacts for weapon damage. Double weapon dice was probably seen as too good for a 2nd level spell with a one minute duration.

Not a house rule, more of a design concept. Check out page 278 of the DMG, the rules for creating custom monsters. It states "Big monsters typically wield oversized weapons that deal extra dice of damage on a hit. Double the weapon dice if the creature is Large, triple the weapon dice if it's...