D&D (2024) Wrapping up first 2-20 2024 campaign this week, some of my thoughts

[Zardnaar]

I don't know about this, we have a pretty bad-ass fighter and my character has more Rogue levels than anything else.

I'm guessing indomitable is great. I've noticed I. The rare high level games DCs creep up around 20.
Even spellcasters with less than great saves are going to flunk that a lot.

Had a few "look at the pretty lights" scenario. Translation save at 15% chance or whatever to have your turn.

 

[GrimCo]

I don't know about this, we have a pretty bad-ass fighter and my character has more Rogue levels than anything else.

Sure, but it would be challenge and not one-two rounds steamroll over opponents. Tier 4 characters, specially if they are caster heavy (and looking at your party, you have only 1 non caster), are very strong, Not just in pure HP/DPS, but control spells as well. Antimagic/dead magic zones shuts down spellcasters, but it also shuts down magical gear, which lowers party's both offensive and defensive capabilities.

As i said, high level encounters are more art than science, so they require decent amount of work to be challenging. As is, from the box, encounters from published adventures suck.

 

[Zardnaar]

Sure, but it would be challenge and not one-two rounds steamroll over opponents. Tier 4 characters, specially if they are caster heavy (and looking at your party, you have only 1 non caster), are very strong, Not just in pure HP/DPS, but control spells as well. Antimagic/dead magic zones shuts down spellcasters, but it also shuts down magical gear, which lowers party's both offensive and defensive capabilities.

As i said, high level encounters are more art than science, so they require decent amount of work to be challenging. As is, from the box, encounters from published adventures suck.

Isn't there only 1 lvl 20 campaign?

I think the tier list was meh in real terms and the hypothetical level 20 character.

 

[GrimCo]

Isn't there only 1 lvl 20 campaign?

I think the tier list was meh in real terms and the hypothetical level 20 character.

2, Vecna and Dungeons of mad mage. There are 3pp, like the one OP have just finished.

What makes tiers meh? It's easy way to differentiate power levels and expected character levels.

 

[Zardnaar]

2, Vecna and Dungeons of mad mage. There are 3pp, like the one OP have just finished.

What makes tiers meh? It's easy way to differentiate power levels and expected character levels.

Tier lists are fine I love them. I just don't think this is a good one.

They've lumped a heap of subclasses for the same classes n the same tier for starters. Problem 2 it's level 20 and I'm guessing none of them have played level 20 to any significant extent and it's all feels and vibes.

 

[Bae'zel]

Wow. If this has taught me anything as a DM, it is to show restraint with magic items (and follow the attunement rules to the letter), but also ban “dip” style multi-classing.

No wonder the PCs in that campaign steamrolled everything. Yeesh.

Curious that bosses were defeated in one turn without being able to fight back. Don’t most of them have legendary resistances and actions?

 

[Zardnaar]

Wow. If this has taught me anything as a DM, it is to show restraint with magic items (and follow the attunement rules to the letter), but also ban “dip” style multi-classing.

No wonder the PCs in that campaign steamrolled everything. Yeesh.

Curious that bosses were defeated in one turn without being able to fight back. Don’t most of them have legendary resistances and actions?

Various ways to overcome bosses. Sheer brute damage for example.

 

[Bae'zel]

Various ways to overcome bosses. Sheer brute damage for example.

Noted. If this is a thing with 2024 PCs, I'll max out boss HP, I guess.

Or do that thing where bosses have different "forms", like in video games.

edit: the trope of anti-climactically killing off a villain right away is fun once in a while, but I can't imagine that players find it awesome to have a campaign build up to a final battle with the Ancient Red Dragon only to one shot it within the first 5 mins.

 

[Shardstone]

Wow. If this has taught me anything as a DM, it is to show restraint with magic items (and follow the attunement rules to the letter), but also ban “dip” style multi-classing.

No wonder the PCs in that campaign steamrolled everything. Yeesh.

Curious that bosses were defeated in one turn without being able to fight back. Don’t most of them have legendary resistances and actions?

5E multiclassing legit damages the game more then it helps.

 

[Oofta]

Various ways to overcome bosses. Sheer brute damage for example.

If you can overcome a boss monster at any level with sheer brute damage in one round and it's not a fluke, it's bad encounter design IMHO.