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At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I think you're making a mistake here. I've talked a lot on a couple other posts about why CRs are determined the way they are (that is: only considering damage/hp, and ignoring versatility, even when versatility can massively impact a fight) and I...

Don't know if there's a consensus, but I'd say no. A dome, to me, sounds like the spell creates half a sphere. If it's a wall, for example, I think tunneling under it is definitely a viable strategy. In previous editions some barrier spells created spheres, not domes (though there were lots...

Just want to say that I always love reading your tactical analyses, Hemlock. Excellent, as always. And, I think, a great illustration of the sort of thing I was talking about in the post just above yours. CR cares about your #1, and that's it. And I think that's for the best, overall.

Yeah, I think your approach is exactly right. It's consistent with the "old school" sensibility 5e strives for, and it's extremely easy. And I agree wholeheartedly that 5e gives us a ton of tools to quickly and easily advance/beef up monsters as needed. I think this thread is largely...

Yeah, I think this is generally accurate. More specifically: With Sharpshooter, the +2 bonus to attack from Archery Style is this amazing mitigating factor that means your +10 damage lands more often, and you have the best attack bonus in the game. And hitting a guy with an arrow at 500 paces...

In general, for stuff like this, I'm inclined to create specific fun rules exceptions, if there is interest. For example, in my main homebrew campaign (BX/3.5/5e mashup ruleset with Epic-6 variant sensibilities) I have traditional Longbowmen who can use a particular stance: stationary, with...

Glad to see you're still working on this. I still haven't had a chance to run it, but it remains one of the coolest 5e homebrew products I've ever seen. And I still think you made the best 5e "warlord" class I've ever seen.

Also depends on how "never retreat" is defined, I'd think. Based on your comments about spacing, it sounds like some hit-and-run would be permissible? What counts as retreating? Are we good so long as the dragon didn't completely leave the field of battle, like to the point that we end initiative?

I still love what you did here. I've been playing around with some ideas, and I'm probably going to run armor as providing a supplementary pool of Armor Dice, used similar to Vitality Dice (though I'm just keeping the Hit Dice name). Except, I'm thinking they'll have a fairly large pool, but a...

Helmed Horrors are a breath of fresh air, man. I kind of hate that the warlock's basic attack bypasses the resistances of approximately 99% of the monster manual right out of the gate.

This has always seemed like such an odd internet phenomenon to me. Depending on the game, I typically run with dozens of house rules. They vary. One of my longest running campaigns (not 5e) is more house rule than core rule at this point. The GMs I know do the same. The rules are not going...

TIME STOP SPELL (9º) To be honest... Most of my gaming still occurs in a game loosely based on 3.5 and 1e with some 5e spice. Characters max at level 5, but continue to gain abilities and can continue to increase damage (and armor reduces damage.) At high levels most people are killed/crippled...

It's also worth bearing in mind that the guidelines in the DMG about when to roll the dice actually also apply when considering *when to look to the rules*. It's not a house rule, or even a "ruling" in the 5e spirit. It's pure common sense, determined before you ever reach the point of "huh...

A big part of the appeal of playing a tabletop RPG instead of a CRPG is that situations like the one Paul describes can be adjudicated using logic and reason rather than pure mechanics. Attacking a sleeping target in the chaos of combat? Okay, I'll call that an auto crit per the rules. But if...

I think it might be helpful to conceptualize concentration not as *physically* taxing but as *mentally* taxing. Something akin to mentally repeating the word "potato" every few seconds, but utilizing a different part of your brain than the speech center (since speaking doesn't interfere with...

In combat, the warlock plays much more like a fighter than a wizard. He has one of the best basic attacks in the game (4th attack comes online faster than the Fighter, it deals *force* damage, it has baked in battlefield control, it just has so much going for it), and has a small array of tricks...

I think your position makes sense and is consistent, Oofta, even though I'm not in total agreement. I find point buy and arrays to be boring and samey, much like Hemlock. But over the years I definitely had occasional issues with both problems you mention: dissatisfied people measuring...

CosmicKid, a Ranger player of mine really didn't want any overt magic. He chose non flashy spells and skinned it as completely and totally non magical... Hunters mark is just skilled/dedicated fighting. Goodberry is just knowing the area and finding innately magical herbs/berries/etc. He...

I have to say that although I wasn't personally sold initially, the longer the argument goes on the more I'm warming up to it. I still probably won't do it for myself, but I definitely would be amused to see how well someone could play this at my table. I mean, I have an Int 9 Wis 14 character...

This is precisely why I don't think I could in good conscience refuse letting someone play Intelligence this way at my table. I've absolutely allowed stuff like the quote above. A low dex character explaining it as having a club foot, for example. As long as there's some consistency, and we...