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<blockquote data-quote="FrozenNorth" data-source="post: 8536654" data-attributes="member: 7020832">The more I play, the more it seems to me that the best solutions to these sorts of issues is to clarify, early on, what is the focus of the campaign.&nbsp; To me, this goes beyond session zero.One thing I’ve been toying with is before even proposing a campaign to my players, is to jot down 5-7 “simple truths” about the campaign.&nbsp; These are non- mechanical, though they can have mechanical impacts.&nbsp; If I know ahead of time what the campaign is about, then it is easier to identify potential pitfalls (an urban campaign may run into the issue that enchantment spells are overpowered, or a survival campaign could be derailed by goodberry and LTH).This approach only works because I propose 5-7 different campaigns with different truths, and I take the players’ character proposals into consideration.More than that, it seems that the issue is really that the fighter and barbarian are underpowered as martials and wizards are overpowered among the casters (though I have had very few clerics or druids in my games).Personally, I do a couple of things for fighters.&nbsp; One, I try to remind myself that they are not just a guy at the gym.&nbsp; If they want to try something awesome, I will let them have that chance.&nbsp; Get from point A to point B by punching through walls, sure.Also, skills are broad.&nbsp; You CAN roll an Athletics check instead of Persuasion if you want to butter up someone who is gambling on gladiatorial games.&nbsp; Most important, the character is an individual.&nbsp; A knight in shining armor will different opportunities than the swashbuckler than the barbarian hero than the tactition.On the wizard/caster side of things, I have a different mantra.&nbsp; Magic is a difference in degree, not in kind.&nbsp; Anything created by magic can be attacked and destroyed, whether walls of force, mage hands, spiritual weapons or unseen servants.&nbsp; Invisibility only makes you invisible if you succeed your Stealth check, otherwise, your outline is clearly visible (though still grants disadvantage on attacks against you and advantage on your attacks).&nbsp; Also applies to Scrying and Arcane Eye.&nbsp; No disease or curse can only be cured by magic.&nbsp; An Arcana check is a substitute for Detect Magic (though Detect Magic is a guaranteed success).</blockquote>

[QUOTE="FrozenNorth, post: 8536654, member: 7020832"] The more I play, the more it seems to me that the best solutions to these sorts of issues is to clarify, early on, what is the focus of the campaign. To me, this goes beyond session zero. One thing I’ve been toying with is before even proposing a campaign to my players, is to jot down 5-7 “simple truths” about the campaign. These are non- mechanical, though they can have mechanical impacts. If I know ahead of time what the campaign is about, then it is easier to identify potential pitfalls (an urban campaign may run into the issue that enchantment spells are overpowered, or a survival campaign could be derailed by goodberry and LTH). This approach only works because I propose 5-7 different campaigns with different truths, and I take the players’ character proposals into consideration. More than that, it seems that the issue is really that the fighter and barbarian are underpowered as martials and wizards are overpowered among the casters (though I have had very few clerics or druids in my games). Personally, I do a couple of things for fighters. One, I try to remind myself that they are not just a guy at the gym. If they want to try something awesome, I will let them have that chance. Get from point A to point B by punching through walls, sure. Also, skills are broad. You CAN roll an Athletics check instead of Persuasion if you want to butter up someone who is gambling on gladiatorial games. Most important, the character is an individual. A knight in shining armor will different opportunities than the swashbuckler than the barbarian hero than the tactition. On the wizard/caster side of things, I have a different mantra. [I]Magic is a difference in degree, not in kind.[/I] Anything created by magic can be attacked and destroyed, whether walls of force, mage hands, spiritual weapons or unseen servants. Invisibility only makes you invisible if you succeed your Stealth check, otherwise, your outline is clearly visible (though still grants disadvantage on attacks against you and advantage on your attacks). Also applies to Scrying and Arcane Eye. No disease or curse can only be cured by magic. An Arcana check is a substitute for Detect Magic (though Detect Magic is a guaranteed success). [/QUOTE]

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