D&D 5E Design Debate: 13th-level PCs vs. 6- to 8-Encounter Adventuring Day

[iserith]

That's more understandable than what I was thinking. So we just think differently for how long something would take. We'll see how Flamestrike runs it. For me it would depend on how obvious the information was.

How obvious the information is plays into it as well as it goes to whether the approach to the goal has an uncertain outcome. If the approach to the goal has no uncertain outcome, then there's no check at all - the character just succeeds (or fails).

 

[Flamestrike]

Given the crowded conditions, I would have approached the battle slightly differently: send a bunch of (Inspiring Leader-enhanced) summoned Giant Owls through the Teleportation circle first with orders to spread out throughout the whole room while readying a Grapple against any creature which approached them, followed by PCs.

Its a 5th level slot to teleport the owls through first, plus the summon spell to get them up in the first place, and then another 5th level slot to teleport the party afterwards. And this presumes you know there is an encounter coming in the first place (i.e. it presumes knowledge of the encounter).

Also, you cant use inspiring leader to motivate a bunch of owls in my campaign. They might follow your commands, but they dont care for your flowery words.

 

[Flamestrike]

Travel Time: 1 hour running like heroes of legend to save the world. (It's hard not to enjoy the scenario Flamestrike has set up. It's definitely intense.)

Thanks

See what happens when you trust your DM? You might just end up having a lot of fun!

 

[Flamestrike]

Questions I have:
Will the rift itself kill us if we enter?
What are the negative effects of entering the rift?
Any unusual traits we should be aware of?
Is the rift itself alive?

Im happy with your parties combination of skills to answer these questions:

1. Not yet. It seems to be some form of unique demi-plane - almost a tear between the planes. If allowed to expand, then it would gradually absorb all of the prime material, before expanding into the other planes and reducing reality into a singularity of zero. There may be another 'exit' in the plane on the other side - if encountered you want to avoid that exit as it likely leads to a realm of zero time and space and pure entropy.
2. It may be hard to physically leave, if not impossible (although due to its connection with the astral, a plane shift should work). Aside from that, the rift and demi-plane seem to be stable (for now).
3. The plane seems to absorb matter and light. With your investigation bonus you can gather that it seems to have 'sucked in' much of White Plume Mountain and surrounding flora and fauna via some kind of implosion, possibly converting it into some kind of dark matter or anti matter that the demiplane is likely to be comrpised of. You expect the plane itself to absorb light, and all physical constructs inside it (all matter) to be super dense and likely almost impervious to normal matter from this plane.
4. There is no connection to the ethereal or border ethereal (however it connects to the astral plane just fine).
5. No, the rift itself isnt, but you sense that it contains an entity of great destructive power.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Its a 5th level slot to teleport the owls through first, plus the summon spell to get them up in the first place, and then another 5th level slot to teleport the party afterwards. And this presumes you know there is an encounter coming in the first place (i.e. it presumes knowledge of the encounter).

Also, you cant use inspiring leader to motivate a bunch of owls in my campaign. They might follow your commands, but they dont care for your flowery words.

Re-read Teleportation Circle. It lasts for a full round. No need to cast it twice.

It does not presume knowledge of the encounter. As stated previously, with knowledge of the encounter I would have only cast Conjure Animals III. But if all I know is that I'm going to be teleporting blind into a dracolich's lair, I'm going to be more cautious than I would if I knew it was just a couple of frost giants and four winter wolves. Mild paranoia and a wasted spell slot is better than dead and the world ending.

 

[Flamestrike]

Re-read Teleportation Circle. It lasts for a full round. No need to cast it twice.

In the scenario above, a 5th level slot was chanelled into a teleportation crystal to teleport the party (as per teleport) to an existing circle.

If you wanted to send two waves through, thats two 5th level slots (and a perfectly valid tactic).

It does not presume knowledge of the encounter. As stated previously, with knowledge of the encounter I would have only cast Conjure Animals III. But if all I know is that I'm going to be teleporting blind into a dracolich's lair, I'm going to be more cautious than I would if I knew it was just a couple of frost giants and four winter wolves. Mild paranoia and a wasted spell slot is better than dead and the world ending.

Fair call mate. The encounter was set up to create just such a conflict in the players minds.

Do we prebuff and take precautions? If there is no encounter we waste those resources, but if there is one, we save them (becuase we will be able to end that encounter earlier). Risk vs reward.

Its the core of the game of DnD. Making your players consider the resource expenditure. Do I use this ability now, or do I save it for later? It makes using a player ability a meaningful choice and rewards player engagement.

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

In the scenario above, a 5th level slot was chanelled into a teleportation crystal to teleport the party (as per teleport) to an existing circle.

If you wanted to send two waves through, thats two 5th level slots (and a perfectly valid tactic).

Ah. I misunderstood then. I thought Celtavian said you got the coordinates to a teleportation circle in a dracolich's lair. If it's instantaneous teleportation instead, in that case I'd just ready an action to cast Conjure Animals as soon as the wizard completes the teleportation.

Obviously you prebuff with Aid + Inspiring Leader. Ideally a Phantom Steed or two as well, depending on how your teleportation tech works.

 

[Flamestrike]

Ah. I misunderstood then. I thought Celtavian said you got the coordinates to a teleportation circle in a dracolich's lair. If it's instantaneous teleportation instead, in that case I'd just ready an action to cast Conjure Animals as soon as the wizard completes the teleportation.

Obviously you prebuff with Aid + Inspiring Leader. Ideally a Phantom Steed or two as well, depending on how your teleportation tech works.

You can only ready an action during the turn by turn combat sequence (after the DM has called for initiative). So no readying.

The rest works though.

 

[BoldItalic]

@Flamestrike

Before I work through the second encounter, could you give me couple of rulings?

1) The True Seeing spell normally gives truesight vision out to a range of 120ft. Given the strange conditions in the rift (starting at encounter 2), does this still apply, or is it reduced in some way?

2) My Wizard has cast it on himself and is using Rary's to telepathically communicate images of what he sees to the rest of the party. Will they see these images continuously, in real time as it were, or only when the wizard makes a conscious effort to transmit a snapshot on his own turn?

I know what I would rule - I'd arbitrarily halve the range to 60ft and have the wizard only sending out snapshots during his turns - but I'd prefer to work through your encounters using your way of doing things

 

[Flamestrike]

@Flamestrike

Before I work through the second encounter, could you give me couple of rulings?

1) The True Seeing spell normally gives truesight vision out to a range of 120ft. Given the strange conditions in the rift (starting at encounter 2), does this still apply, or is it reduced in some way?

2) My Wizard has cast it on himself and is using Rary's to telepathically communicate images of what he sees to the rest of the party. Will they see these images continuously, in real time as it were, or only when the wizard makes a conscious effort to transmit a snapshot on his own turn?

I know what I would rule - I'd arbitrarily halve the range to 60ft and have the wizard only sending out snapshots during his turns - but I'd prefer to work through your encounters using your way of doing things

True sight works in the demi-plane.

Does rarys let you transmit images, or just words?