D&D 5E Rule of Three - February 14th

[DEFCON 1]

Wait, wait, wait...

So you're telling me that in regards to Polymorph, 5e is just like WoW?

Yes.

My name is Tom Chilton, and I approve this message.

 

[Campbell]

Wait, wait, wait...

So you're telling me that in regards to Polymorph, 5e is just like WoW?

Right down to being broken by damage. Question is - does it remove DoTs?

 

[Scorpio616]

3.
Terrible. The solution to being turned into a rat should not be 'get hurt'. IMHO an offensive polymorph should be permanent. Even if the effect has to be 'victim takes Nd6 damage per round as it's body rips and distorts and if it is reduced to 1 or few HP it becomes harmless animal.'

 

[werecorpse]

IMO the concentration mechanic approaches stacking limits from the wrong direction. Making the limit equal to the number of casters in the group. A better approach should be that each person can only have 1 ( or possibly more at higher levels- if the math works) augmentation spell" ( defined in the spell as the concentration spells are). This is a rule used in FGU's Bushido (1980's game iirc). This method means:
1. The limit of spells is based on the recipient not the caster. You can't get a 1st level cleric henchman to bless the party then wait with the horses ( and maybe each 10th level PC has 3 low level flunkies to buff them - creating a different feel to the world)
2. When PC 1 casts a new concentration spell PC 2 who was getting a drink doesn't forget to remove the effects of the old spell. Each player is responsible for tracking their own augmentation spell.
3. You avoid the "it would be more efficient to cast haste & fly & ? on me and the rest of you just watch & concentrate while I finish the adventure" issue - which is no fun for the people who thought they were PC's but are actually just flunkies.
4. The augmentation dynamic means that you actually know how many spells can be on 1 PC ( q) rather than not knowing ( as many as there are casters ?) so it is easier to gauge the individual characters strength.
5. Following on from 3&4 - less difference between characters in power & importantly a smaller difference between buffed and unbuffed pc's ( in 3e the difference at 8+ level between a party with spells up and one caught napping is at least 100% power level).

apologies if these points have already been made. I hope they have & have solutions.

 

[Rabbitbait]

3.
Terrible. The solution to being turned into a rat should not be 'get hurt'. IMHO an offensive polymorph should be permanent. Even if the effect has to be 'victim takes Nd6 damage per round as it's body rips and distorts and if it is reduced to 1 or few HP it becomes harmless animal.'

I like that. Maybe more damage per round, but each round the enemy gets a save to throw off the spell. That would mean weak creatures would be polymorphed quite easily, but tough creatures have more chances to resist while still suffering a consequence. It would also make a higher level 'mass polymorph' spell a possibility.

 

[TwoSix]

Right down to being broken by damage. Question is - does it remove DoTs?

I don't know...that seems gamey.

 

[Lokiare]

IMO the concentration mechanic approaches stacking limits from the wrong direction. Making the limit equal to the number of casters in the group. A better approach should be that each person can only have 1 ( or possibly more at higher levels- if the math works) augmentation spell" ( defined in the spell as the concentration spells are). This is a rule used in FGU's Bushido (1980's game iirc). This method means:
1. The limit of spells is based on the recipient not the caster. You can't get a 1st level cleric henchman to bless the party then wait with the horses ( and maybe each 10th level PC has 3 low level flunkies to buff them - creating a different feel to the world)
2. When PC 1 casts a new concentration spell PC 2 who was getting a drink doesn't forget to remove the effects of the old spell. Each player is responsible for tracking their own augmentation spell.
3. You avoid the "it would be more efficient to cast haste & fly & ? on me and the rest of you just watch & concentrate while I finish the adventure" issue - which is no fun for the people who thought they were PC's but are actually just flunkies.
4. The augmentation dynamic means that you actually know how many spells can be on 1 PC ( q) rather than not knowing ( as many as there are casters ?) so it is easier to gauge the individual characters strength.
5. Following on from 3&4 - less difference between characters in power & importantly a smaller difference between buffed and unbuffed pc's ( in 3e the difference at 8+ level between a party with spells up and one caught napping is at least 100% power level).

apologies if these points have already been made. I hope they have & have solutions.

I suggested something like this earlier. My suggestion was that any spell with the 'FIELD' keyword generated a magical field in its area of effect that disrupts other spells with the 'FIELD' keyword.

Then you can have things like a Wizard casting Stone Skin on themselves and not having to worry about it being a worthless spell, but they wouldn't be able to have Blur, Mirror Image, and Stone Skin active all at the same time.

Then you trade that keyword out for many of the concentration spells that are defensive or only apply to a single character.

The 'CONCENTRATION' keyword would apply to area spells that are maintained like Stinking Cloud or spells that affect an opponent in a significant way like Hold Person or Flesh to Stone.