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How literally should “you can make a melee spell attack against a creature within 5 feet of the weapon” be taken? Can the weapon attack a creature that is within 5’ but is behind a thick glass pane? What happens if the caster can barely see the creature, but has positioned the weapon such that...

Here is a good thread that suggests 1.5 lbs/day plus or minus 0.5 pounds/day. https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/66734/ You’ll need to specify an effort level and fitness. People can survive a long time on fat and muscle: On the other hand, for strenuous activity in cold weather...

Two points: (1) With what can be done with software, this seems a missed opportunity. I'm thinking of an application which presents a potential opponent, which has the full internal crunch for the creature, and which has several different views of that crunch. Each view would be tailored to a...

As far as I know, ceasing to publish copyright material does nothing to put it in the public domain. Outside an actual release of the copyright, the copyright remains in effect. One of the copyright holder‘s rights is to not publish the material. See Welcome to the Public Domain for a good...

One of the differences is that Psionics doesn’t have Casting, in the sense of casting a spell in D&D. One concentrates and causes an effect. Perhaps there is a step to aid in concentration (say, as is shown with Vulcan mind melds.). There are at most simple requirements: touching an object to...

The thing is, there are different qualities of mechanics that can be invoked, and that does make a difference. For example, compare Niven‘s teleportation disks with basic D&D teleportation. Niven adds one magical step, then binds it to physics as much as possible. Conservation of energy and...

Musing on psionics in various books, movies, and TV shows ... The Vulcans, and Betazoids in Star Trek, and the Empath ("The Empath"). Also, the Telosians ("Menagerie", "The Cage"). I'm not sure what to make of the Medusan's madness effect, or whether to consider as psionic Gary and Elizabeth's...

Except, the fluff matters! The character wasn't just imbued with psionic power: The character was imbued with psionic power by a surgical procedure. There might be in-game consequences to the fluff: Scars from the surgery. Side effects, such as head-aches, occasional black outs, or tremors...

Nod. My sense is that "ESP" was taken seriously as a possible actual ability until about the middle of the 20'th century. (Does anyone have a more concrete sense of this? I'm going by memory of things read and vaguely remembered.) TomB

There seems to be a difference in that "scientific" psionics describes both the mechanism and the effects with scientific terminology. Also, psionic abilities and effects can be created and amplified by technology: Alien experiments can imbue you with a particular psionic ability. An exotic...

I’d rather prefer that psionics not be a skinning of existing classes. For me, the use of pseudoscience and the psycho babble gave psionics a distinct feel. Those also tied psionics into different literary tropes. Different abilities result. I don’t mind much if a class chassis or spell...

I prefer the 1e pseudo-science and early 20th century psychbabble lingo feel. With spell points. I don’t mind if there is overlap with some magical abilities. The campaign is was in several years ago use the 3.5E psionics (updated) and we liked it a lot. TomB

There is a simplicity in playing this way. Yet, I feel that this is the beginning of unmooring of role playing from the game. How much are players making decisions based on the imagined perceptions of their characters, and how much are they finding optimal choices in rules-space. Continuing...

The were tiger is stated as neutral, with slightly below average int and above average wisdom. Unless an unusual specimen, I would expect the weretiger to be neither greedy nor untrustworthy, but not especially loyal, either. You’ll need to work out a motivation and a personality for him. Why...

Re: Targetting. What happens if, in a dimly lit area, a Fireball is shot at a location which is in a mirror? Note the differences between the 1e and 5e spell descriptions! TomB

Is it that a spectral weapon cannot be attacked, or that attacks against one won’t do anything? Certainly, an arrow could be shot at one. Backing up a little, would a wall of force block the movement of a spiritual weapon? I can accept that the visible manifestation is akin to the dot from a...

Reading the 5e description of spiritual weapon, nothing says that it cannot be attacked or grabbed. However, it has no hit points, harness, or AC, and is described as being spectral. Ghost touch, or the equivalent would be necessary to interact with it. I’d say that it takes on a physical...

None of my cats ever had a clue. I’m pretty sure laser pointers strongly trigger a house cat‘s vision and motion detection — in an almost hard-wired way. TomB

Morris, I’m sorry to hear. I hope your illness does not worsen and that your recovery is quick. Tom Bitonti

Whoops, wrong thread. Transferring to the correct one. TomB