D&D 5E The BG3 Effect. Control and Paralyzing 5.5 Meta?

[TorgoTheWhite]

Nice. Yeah, I gave the party AMPLE warning on my campaign that exhaustion would be a factor and this would also skew what types of abilities were useful. I have them questing in cursed lands where exhaustion WILL happen from certain events, as in: "roll to see if you if you only receive one level exhaustion" It has been really fun to change the party goals so dramatically.. they are just wanting to find a safe spot to simply level up, as they are far over their experience threshold to do so, but have not found a stable place to long rest.

I think the wizard was up to 4 exhaustion levels, really altering her effectiveness. Mandatory exhaustion with no "full" mitigation from saving throws was a large driving factor. Also funny how the "warm yourself by my fire" obvious hag-trap scenario becomes actually tempting when your PC has 4 exhaustion levels, totally alters the party priorities.

Just flipped roles upside down where the usual use-it-or-lose it characters finally had to take a backseat to 2 of my grind, conservative characters

 

[Zardnaar]

New exhaustion can spiral? As I read it 2 levels gives you -4. If the third level has a save that's also at -4?

 

[TorgoTheWhite]

I may not be understanding correctly, but as I am reading your question.. yes I think. On contuous saves your 2 levels (-4) would hamper any d20 roll for your next exhaustion roll. In my hapless parties case. They got caught outside in a supernatural storm, which their less dedicated opponents saw coming, so they fled. The remaining few, who did not find shelter started to make ongoing either saves or survival checks. Any failures did start to snowball. So (-2) first, then cumulative negatives. -8 for the poor wizard at 4 levels exhaustion

 

[Zardnaar]

I may not be understanding correctly, but as I am reading your question.. yes I think. On contuous saves your 2 levels (-4) would hamper any d20 roll for your next exhaustion roll. In my hapless parties case. They got caught outside in a supernatural storm, which their less dedicated opponents saw coming, so they fled. The remaining few, who did not find shelter started to make ongoing either saves or survival checks. Any failures did start to snowball. So (-2) first, then cumulative negatives. -8 for the poor wizard at 4 levels exhaustion

That's how I did it. Exhaustion quite nasty. I hit them with 6 saves and they drained all their lucky feats, inspiration etc vs it. DC q5 level 8.