Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos - First Party Review

Moonmover

Adventurer
I haven't actually run 5e since before this book came out. But, I've already designed an encounter for ny next campaign using a Strixhaven statblock.

Did you know that the Pest Mascot is actually the adult form of the larval Rot Grub? No, you didn't, because I made that up. Anyway, you're walking through the jungle and notice a big worm hanging upside down from a tree, with smaller worms clinging to its back.....
 

log in or register to remove this ad

Sparky McDibben

Adventurer
Did you know that the Pest Mascot is actually the adult form of the larval Rot Grub? No, you didn't, because I made that up. Anyway, you're walking through the jungle and notice a big worm hanging upside down from a tree, with smaller worms clinging to its back.....
That would be a delightful encounter!
 

bedir than

Full Moon Storyteller
I mean, Lorehold academics will conjure up whole armies to see how a battle played out; why can't they drop some spirits on the PCs? Give them a bonus action 1x/day summoning spell for 1d4 wraiths and see how the PCs handle that!
This idea, while interesting, has nothing to do with what Lorehold does though. The D&D group don't get to rewrite the Magic lore in order to keep a reviewer happy.

They do get to do their best to fit the MtG lore into D&D mechanics.
 

Sparky McDibben

Adventurer
This idea, while interesting, has nothing to do with what Lorehold does though. The D&D group don't get to rewrite the Magic lore in order to keep a reviewer happy.

They do get to do their best to fit the MtG lore into D&D mechanics.
I have only limited familiarity with lore after reading this, so I'll take your word that doing so runs contrary to the established lore. Can someone explain to me what the scroll-greatclub is doing and how that fits into the lore?
 

bedir than

Full Moon Storyteller
I have only limited familiarity with lore after reading this, so I'll take your word that doing so runs contrary to the established lore. Can someone explain to me what the scroll-greatclub is doing and how that fits into the lore?
Here's the Lorehold cards

 


bedir than

Full Moon Storyteller
Unless I'm missing something in the card descriptions, I don't see why summoning spirits for historical purposes is something that breaks MtG lore. One of the cards is even named Spirit Summoning.
Summoning spirits to reenact battles is not adverse to the lore.

Summoning combat wraiths to kill people is.

Lorehold mostly fights using artifacts
 

Eyes of Nine

Everything's Fine
This idea, while interesting, has nothing to do with what Lorehold does though. The D&D group don't get to rewrite the Magic lore in order to keep a reviewer happy.

They do get to do their best to fit the MtG lore into D&D mechanics.
Actually, a D&D group can do whatever it wants within the bounds of 2023 earth physics. As long as it's fun for the table - they can mangle or ignore MTG canon entirely. I know I plan to.

If you mean that a D&D table can't cause Wizards of the Coast (or whatever future license holders of Magic the Gathering) to re-write the existing MTG lore - I agree with you there. That's incredibly unlikely; although not totally out of the question if for example Matt Mercer or Joe Mangianello suggested something.
 

bedir than

Full Moon Storyteller
Actually, a D&D group can do whatever it wants within the bounds of 2023 earth physics. As long as it's fun for the table - they can mangle or ignore MTG canon entirely. I know I plan to.

If you mean that a D&D table can't cause Wizards of the Coast (or whatever future license holders of Magic the Gathering) to re-write the existing MTG lore - I agree with you there. That's incredibly unlikely; although not totally out of the question if for example Matt Mercer or Joe Mangianello suggested something.
No, I mean expecting the staff of WotC that works on D&D to rewrite Magic the Gathering lore in order to make a reviewer happy is absurd.

They work for the same company. They aren't going to destroy one brand in order to satisfy a poster on ENWorld.
 

Sparky McDibben

Adventurer
No, I mean expecting the staff of WotC that works on D&D to rewrite Magic the Gathering lore in order to make a reviewer happy is absurd.

They work for the same company. They aren't going to destroy one brand in order to satisfy a poster on ENWorld.
Oh, I see the misunderstanding. I wasn't asking WotC to rewrite the lore. I was asking them to come up with more interesting monster abilities for their casters. I offered one example that apparently didn't fit the lore, despite the fact that both the lore and the ability support summoning a bunch of ghost-warriors to fight.

So, let's talk a few others:

Professional Educator: This creature has two bonus actions per turn, and may use one bonus action per turn to use the Help action on a creature of its choice within 30 feet.

There's Always Precedent: The Lorehold professor is never without historical examples to guide their actions. They receive a +1d4 to all ability checks, attack rolls, and saving throws.

Spirit Statues: A Lorehold professor can ask spirits to animate statues and help defend them. As a bonus action once per day, the Lorehold professor can summon a stone golem (as per the Monster Manual).

Living History: Once per day, a Lorehold professor may channel knowledge from a long-dead spirit, giving them access to a higher level spell. The professor can cast one of the following: disintegrate, prismatic spray, delayed blast fireball.

And this is just me spitballing, but I find it much more interesting than "hit with scroll greatclub and knock them prone."

Also - how does the scroll greatclub fit into the lore again? I must have missed that response.
 

Remove ads

Top