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The binder was very flavorful but mechanically weak unless you had access to all the vestiges and could make the best possible pacts for each situation given your level, which kind of goes against the concept of the binder. It was so fraught with synergies that I understand why they never...

I recommend thorn whip over lightning lure. Thorn whip has more range (30ft) and doesn't have a save on the movement. Conversely Lightning lure can do more damage and has no size limit. I think in general thorn whip is superior unless you plan on fighting a lot of huge creatures with low...

I think Mearls is off the mark with his comment that "...high level 5e looks like high level 3e. Which means that it, like high level 3e, is hard to DM and play." What it looks like and what is are different things. Yes, the spells/powers as written are pretty similar but there is a 400%-500%...

Being a but pedantic, but 5e was an increase in complexity... from 4e. 5e didnt swing as far back as 3e's very granular crunch. As a 3e fan (who also loves the super crunchy Earthdawn) I think in general 5e hit a sweet spot. Not perfect, but pretty good. I think they even saw the path...

As the DM in 2 of the 3 campaigns that went 1-20something, I disagree. I had a blast both times. I relished my players freaking when I unleashed some new terror on them (usually an official RAW foe with a different description) and reveled when they beat it. The 2e game in 1992-94 didn't have...

As apparently the only person on earth who has had a campaign go 1st to 20 (or higher) in 2e*, 3e, and 5e, I pity the rest of you who do not know the glory of high level play. *One 2e campaign started at 20ish and went to upper demigod using the original WotC ttrpg product "The Primal Order".

The "roman soldier who bought a farm" story, which is not "a tale as old as time" but is around 2,000 years old. I agree, some of the populace should have PC classes. Some PCs retired at some point. I liked the 3e DMG because it had a framework for that, as well as for getting the less...

A fairly simple way to handle large forces is to reduce the units to a single CR and have those face off. Ie 10x goblin warriors is 1200xp or CR4. So you could have it use the generic cr4 stat block from the DMG. This let's you simplify complex units (a hobgoblin with 2 bugbears and 6 goblins...

As a forever DM here's my takes BECMI - yay, rules for my toys! AD&D 1e- rules for social interactions (honorable mention: splitting races & classes) 2e -organized rules(yay!) that edited out stuff like Appendix C "Random harlot" 3e - Rules that are universal (same for PCs, NPCs and monsters!)...

Note that the OP was also in the context of wargame-style rpgs. The term "campaign" is a vestigial sign of most fantasy rpg's wargame heritage. Note this is aligned with the oft-neglected "exploration" pillar of game play. The difference between a trek to the north pole and a military campaign...

US - probably 4th grade in an extracurricular program. Other kids had some from comics (Avengers had both Thor and Hercules) and movies (Clash of the Titans, Hercules in New York) and later TV (Hercules Legendary Journeys). 1e Deities & Demigods was also a mythology gateway drug for a lot of...

This is a variant of "geek the mage", where you take out a (relatively) fragile enemy who does damage. Its a very useful tactic where easily killed mooks can hurt the PCs while taking out the boss will take several rounds. You shift the action economy faster by offing mooks as the boss is...

The "amateurs" quote is properly attributed to USMC General Robert Barrow, who in 1979 said "Amateurs talk about strategy and tactics. Professionals talk about logistics and sustainability in warfare” but it is sometimes attributed to General Omar Bradley. However that is a modern retelling of...

My players use food for a lot of different things. To distract beasts, to barter/bribe "differently civilized" peoples, as bait, and as "alms" for the poor. Even arrows, or at least steel arrow heads, can be bribes to stone-tool types. I'm on team "logistics matter", but for food, water...

It probably wasn't. I was doing math at 6am on a bus, quite suboptimal.

Double 20s is a 1:400 event. That should happen 2.6x10^8 times for every on 3 on a character made with 4d6 drop low & drop lowest stat.

And those all behave exactly the same. :) Raccoon and primate smart is pretty clever at tasks they can conceive. Heck, watch a squirrel figure out an aerial route from point A to point B. But you have to add sapience, the stealth feature of PCs races, which includes complex reasoning...

Since we use 4d6 (drop low) 7 times (drop low) it means rolling all ones on 4d6 twice. That's like one in ten billion odds. My quick math has 1 in 1.2x10^10. I would have to keep it and then declare them the "character of destiny, a hero against all odds."

Armored Melee: bard (valor) Unarmored Melee: bard (dance) Lock picker & trap springer: bard (lore) is best but any bard could do it. Healer: bard (valor) or bard(lore) Blaster: bard (lore) Enchanter: bard(glamour) Races: all species that can carry a tune. Especially hybrids. Because somewhere...

Fun fact: the CR4 guard captain doesn't add PB to ANY saving throws. Zero impact. But why would it? Its a bounded set of mechanics tied to CR4 and only CR. If weapons are irrelevant to damage (which breaks immersion much more IMO) why should PB even exist for Saves or skills? Why not list...