D&D 5E (2024) How Many "Anti PC" Abilities are to Many?

[Zardnaar]

Thinking of a post apocalyptic setting.

Hers a few things I've used recently. Idea is to make things tough while using less encounters.

1. Shadow Storms. Current campaign. Basically weather that makes everything dim light and wild or desd magic areas. At level t PCs haven't encountered a dead magic one yet.

2. Energy drain variants. Shadows of shar grant exhaustion levels vs max hp drain. They've had thus encounter once.

3. Reduced to 0 hp you gain an exhaustion level. Designed cs whack a mole healing. Last used in 5.0.

4. Template for creatures. They gain greater magic resistance similar to Rakshasa. Spell attacks automatically miss, saves vs magic are automatically made.

5. Similar to 3 but they drain magical energy. Starting with your highest level soell slots. Used once.

So I'm thinking act 2 of BG 3 the shadowlands. Instead of taking buckets of necrotic damage these effects apply. There will be counters to be found but all the effects all at once with a dead magic area where the McGuffin lies. Shadow weave works in the dead magic zone however.

 

[Maxperson]

I don't agree with your premise. Those are challenges, not anti-PC abilities. At least they are no more anti-PC than a dragon claw or mindflayer mind blast.

That said, I think magic dead/wild areas should be used sparingly. Not because they make it hard, but because they lose their cool factor if used often.

 

[TigerDude]

How many are too many? When it isn't fun. The Wizard getting out their light crossbow probably isn't very entertaining to them. But oddball things like this are great in campaigns. Like teleportation-free areas (take damage if you misty step), anti-magic, all the oddball undead things like strength drain are great used now and again.

 

[Corinnguard]

That said, I think magic dead/wild areas should be used sparingly. Not because they make it hard, but because they lose their cool factor if used often.

This is also true for areas that manifest the nature of a particular plane on the material plane.

It would probably help if they weren't active all of the time but became active under certain circumstances.

 

[AlViking]

Thinking of a post apocalyptic setting.

Hers a few things I've used recently. Idea is to make things tough while using less encounters.

1. Shadow Storms. Current campaign. Basically weather that makes everything dim light and wild or desd magic areas. At level t PCs haven't encountered a dead magic one yet.

I've used wild magic storms now and then that can potentially be terrifying. Unfortunately it seems like they've taken most of the dangerous things out of the wild magic table. Unfortunately almost all of the surges are now either pretty neutral (at most causing the caster to lose 1 turn) or beneficial. Which is why I use an older chart. I also throw in other random effects, nothing that will insta-kill anyone but will have both good and bad side effects.

2. Energy drain variants. Shadows of shar grant exhaustion levels vs max hp drain. They've had thus encounter once.

3. Reduced to 0 hp you gain an exhaustion level. Designed cs whack a mole healing. Last used in 5.0.

While exhaustion is easier to track now, it can still be quite deadly and is unaffected by level. I'd be hesitant to use this too frequently. As far as so-called whack-a-mole, I don't really care. I can still double tap fallen PCs if I want and using resources to bring back downed PCs is just another tactical issue to throw into the game.

4. Template for creatures. They gain greater magic resistance similar to Rakshasa. Spell attacks automatically miss, saves vs magic are automatically made.

I've always modified monsters here and there or made up my own when I can't find something that fits. I don't see it as anti-PC unless I'm specifically designing them to counter a tactic a player is using that I don't care for. If I think a tactic is OP and being overused I'll discuss it with the player.

5. Similar to 3 but they drain magical energy. Starting with your highest level soell slots. Used once.

As much as I applaud nerfing casters now and then, probably not something I'd ever implement.

So I'm thinking act 2 of BG 3 the shadowlands. Instead of taking buckets of necrotic damage these effects apply. There will be counters to be found but all the effects all at once with a dead magic area where the McGuffin lies. Shadow weave works in the dead magic zone however.

I have used dead magic zones myself but very, very sparingly. After all I want the challenges to be, well, challenging and not feel like I'm punishing someone for playing their character.

 

[Savage Wombat]

What if you offered the players a boon for submitting a suggestion that they're willing to tolerate? Like, an archer PC gets a bonus feat in exchange for a "strong winds" condition that sometimes penalizes his arrows?