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Not to mention being a key component of military strategic and tactical doctrine since time immemorial. C.f. "Divide and conquer"

I disagree in the strongest possible sense; on many levels. First off, encounter design and placement is NOT "mere contrivance", at least not in any game I run or create. Encounters are designed to be: Evocative (of the theme and plot elements I'm trying to communicate to the players)...

Firmly in the category of "probably easy but possibly swingy". As for the chance of the PCs dying? If they CHOSE to split up, then show no mercy. The game suffers badly from a loss of dramatic potential if there are no stakes. Without consequences, choices won't feel meaningful and victories...

Overall an improvement. There ARE some things I'm skeptical of or waiting to see in action - such as weapon mastery abilities (I'm a bit worried about there being too many sources of advantage / disadvantage, or that some of the weapon traits aren't worth the added complication); or the...

That was one of my concerns. Technically most familiars have additional or better abilities...but maybe it still steps too much on that features' toes; at least in early levels.

Maybe they could just be friendly and well-disposed to the user rather than magically compelled? That sounds like an hilarious item.

Everyone has different tastes and tolerances. Which is why I think it's a good idea to set boundaries and expectations before play (such as through a session 0). Should be noted though that if you are running an actual sandbox-style game where the PCs get to choose what they attempt and where...

Best way to handle it, IMO, is first to bring up during a session 0 that 1) you CAN flee, and that 2) there is no guarantee that every monster the PCs face will be reasonably possible to defeat. And then, to drive the point home, actually introduce and clearly TELEGRAPH through descriptive...

Was thinking about introducing the following magic item in one of my games: Item is hat or bag. Someone attuned to the item can reach into the container as an action and produce a tiny creature. The creature can understand and speak in any language known to the user; and obeys their commands...

Rather than inventing new and exotic dragon types, you might alternately consider brainstorming things a creature could do or craft with a renewable breath weapon and immunity to a particular element. For example: Red dragons: Are superb craft-dragons, capable of melting stone, metal, or glass...

Full answer: Yes

Many of these seem more like setting-specific elements than balancing mechanics to me. Overall I don't think 5e is really set up to do grim and gritty or low magic well; except maybe at low level. If I HAD to do it, I'd say Limit magic to 3rd level or lower. Unfortunately to keep the classes...

While Death Ward should probably be fairly common by the time one is facing Power Word Kill, I'm maybe a LITTLE more inclined to do something like the following: Power Word: Kill 9th level Necromancy Casting Time: 1 action Range: 60 feet Target: 1 creature Components: V Duration: 1 round The...

I'm not a fan of eating buckets, personally. Too...metallic or plasticky. Maybe the wooden ones wouldn't be too bad, but those are uncommon these days.

To be sure I DO vary things up. A finale might be a summoned horror, construct, or trained beast rather than the erstwhile BBEG, for example. (Cult leader unexpectedly sacrifices himself to call forth eldritch horror is a classic). Or even a horde of tough minions attacking in front a of a...

Hmm, interesting. I make an effort to make my finales predictable. I want the PCs plotting, preparing, and bringing their A game (although ideally pressured and running somewhat low on resources as well). Of course, I make the finales crushingly difficult to compensate.

I like reading well-written stories and plots. But quality and variety of encounters is a major factor for me. As a general rule of thumb three or more uninterrupted combat encounters is poor adventure design IMO and at the very least needs alteration. (Because it gets boring in play)...

War pops up occasionally in my games, both as a player and DM. More often then not it's a background element, as the mere logistical concerns of simulating mass numbers of individuals - particularly if you're not using ToTM - is a bit of a chore. As DM, I VERY rarely feel the need to use any...

I've got to admit this is one of the things I miss from earlier editions. Less (AND fewer 😝) credulity holes than having heat-adapted creatures wade through lava with impunity.

I often treat drow as a "dark fey" themed in my games. But reading your (the OP's) description, I'm struck by a number of questions: 1) HOW are they going to be dark-fae-like in your game world? Just being magical and ruthless and manipulative? What particular "dark fae" themes are you going...