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  1. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) Best 5.5 Mechanic They Should Use More IMHO

    You could say that. The intent of the houserule is to make higher level foes more resilient so that save or suck are less likely to work - allowing them to still get that big spell off occasionally off a top tier foe, but having it be unlikely to work so as to prevent a save or suck from ending...
  2. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) Best 5.5 Mechanic They Should Use More IMHO

    What does more mean? What creatures do you want to give this to? All creatures that currently get Legendary Resistance? A few select creatures? If you don't want the "save or suck" spells to impact high level foes, there is a house rule I've encountered in a few circles for 'save or suck'...
  3. jgsugden

    Wizards of the Coast Hiring New Lead Designer and Head of Game Ecosystem for D&D

    It is what is not written that have people thinking in terms of a new edition plan. It is common practice at WotC to change regime about a year or two into a new edition and then hire people to work on the 'next new thing', whether that is a new edition or a half edition like 3.5 or 4E...
  4. jgsugden

    D&D General The joys of playing a PC with low stats

    As a DM - I try to encourage players to get at least one 16 on their PC one way or another as I find that even with the best and noblest of intentions, players lose focus more quickly when other PCs outshine theirs. There are exceptions to the rule - but it is an overwhelmingly strong tendency...
  5. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) It Is 2025 And Save Or Suck Spells Still Suck (the fun out of the game)

    Here are a few thoughts: Limiting Save or Suck: The easiest approach is to limit save or suck. While the math can be annoying to track, one method is to apply the differential between the CR of the creature and the level of the PC as a modifier to the save for save or suck spells. Suggestion...
  6. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) Using general Feats when your ability is already 20

    Do you think being hit by a bus would be bad? I mean, it rarely happens, so why would we think it is bad? The rolled stats discrepancy happens at a small percentage of the time because: 1.) Many, if not most, tables use point buy or other 'fixed' systems. 2.) Rolled characters tend towards...
  7. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) Using general Feats when your ability is already 20

    ... and? The point was you can have huge discrepancies and they have an impact. It was demonstrative of how big those impacts can be with different ability scores being a significant factor. However, if you just want to do a quick comparison just between +4 for 2d6+2 and +7 for 2d6+5: +4...
  8. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) Using general Feats when your ability is already 20

    No. 300%. See my example above where a 2nd level barbarian with a 20 strength is outdamaging a 2nd level fighter with sword and board and a 14 strength. It is literally a 300% difference. You're entitled to an opinion, but there is pretty insanely widespread evidence of it occurring often...
  9. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) Using general Feats when your ability is already 20

    We're not just talking more effective though - we're talking 300% more effective. In a great game with a great DM a player with low attributes can make major contribution in the combat and story. However, when a PC has overwhelmingly high stats, either they garner all the spotlight in combat...
  10. jgsugden

    D&D General Campaign epilogues

    I have a few Homebrew Campaigns. Each has an epilogue. The first ends in a little bit of a Railroad as the PCs discover that something was underway a thousand years before they started adventuring that needs to be handled. While there are many solutions to the problem, the one that every...
  11. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) Using general Feats when your ability is already 20

    I have run a lot of D&D for new and experienced players. There is an overwhelmingly strong tendency through every edition for characters with stronger stats to take on a 'starring role' because they are inherently more efficient, and in ways that do not require deep rules knowledge, creativity...
  12. jgsugden

    D&D 5E Nystul's Magic Aura: Best spell combos?

    When casting on yourself, you're often trying to reduce your vulnerabilities more than gain advantages. To that end, becoming an ooze is a great option as there are generally very few interactions with the ooze type. I might aim for a construct or undead for a single fight, but if I am going...
  13. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) Using general Feats when your ability is already 20

    Generally agreed with your conclusion, but I don't agree that the game is not designed for 20 ability scores as early as level 1. Random generation is allowed and there is over a 1 in 3 chance of one or more PCs rolling an 18 in a 5 PC party at first level (that can be bumped straight to 20)...
  14. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) Magic Secrets: Best Necromancy Spell With Dis. On the Save.

    Blindness / Deafness - it lasts for a minute or until the save is made. Blinding enemies and given them disadvantage on the save is strong. It is a con save, however. This, however, can entirely gut many enemies. - No longer Necromancy. Blight for pure damage is a decent choice if you need...
  15. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) Psionics: What Do You Want?

    My homebrew psion version has this element (which explains why I want it included). The idea is to replicate the psionic Superhero trope of being able to go all in when you really need to, but risking that you'll do harm to yourself (and potentially others) that is meaningful and lasting, but...
  16. jgsugden

    Planescape Vortex of Madness. New Weird and fighting against anomalies.

    Are you looking for things that are essentially a 'signal degradation' of reality? Things that seem like they're twisted off the real world and warped (glitched)? I have a few versions of that in my game, but the one that is closest to the idea you seem to be referencing, to me, violates one...
  17. jgsugden

    D&D (2024) What Should a Psion Be Able To Do?

    In D&D, psionic characters should cover the following concepts if they want to fill all the voids in my game: Telepath (Professor X) Telekinetic (Jean Grey) Clairsentience (discovering information by reading auras, seeing through time, etc...) Metacreativity (Astral Constructs and other...
  18. jgsugden

    D&D General Lego Sandbox vs Open Sandbox (and other sandbox discussion)

    Practice. :-) While these DMs were very talented, they were also skilled through practice. Some of those skills were developed within the RPG world, but a lot of them came from their professional fields. The terms were just provided as a starting reference point. The efforts to provide a...
  19. jgsugden

    D&D General Lego Sandbox vs Open Sandbox (and other sandbox discussion)

    The oddball thing here is that people are so hung up on definitions that they ignore the underlying question. Using whatever terminology you'd like: I wanted to tease out how we construct our sandboxes. I'd like to hear your experiences running or playing in Sandbox games, with a focus on how...
  20. jgsugden

    D&D General Lego Sandbox vs Open Sandbox (and other sandbox discussion)

    My natural impulse is to agree as my orderly mind likes the structure and the belief that only through proper planning can I construct the genius edifice that is my next adventure (joking), but I played with DMs that were master storytellers with minds for detail and creativity that put my...
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