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

[ECMO3]

If your party has 500 days and 20,000 GP per person to craft 10 rings of resistance, the DMs not giving y’all enough to do and probably handing out too much gold

Those were purchased. We only crafted a few things.

 

[Reynard]

@ECMO3 did you basically run this as a direct series of short dungeons, or did you fill in with a broader campaign? I'm only asking because 4 months or so seems really fact for 20 levels.

 

[ezo]

IIRC @ECMO3 has said they level practically each seesion.

 

[dave2008]

Those were purchased. We only crafted a few things.

Either way that is a ridiculous amount of magic items when the game is balanced around having 0! That is not a system issue (I am sure there are some though), but a DM issue. Did the DM not do anything to compensate for the seriously over geared PCs?

 

[Bomberooski]

Either way that is a ridiculous amount of magic items when the game is balanced around having 0! That is not a system issue (I am sure there are some though), but a DM issue. Did the DM not do anything to compensate for the seriously over geared PCs?

Hahaha. No joke. If anything this has proved that the magic items in 2024 are doing their job well.

 

[ECMO3]

I'll have to take a look at the monsters you guys were fighting. But it does seem you guys were LOADED with magic items (10 magic rings each?!?, that means you each probably had amazing other gear too).

We did have a lot of magic. At current time my PC (Arcane Trickster 9/Fey Warlock 7/Bard 1/Paladin 1) is rocking a forsight shortsword (MCDM weapon that gives advantage on first attack against a creature and does max damage on the weapon die), a vicious dagger, Rod Of Lordly Might (used as shortsword), Effreeti Bottle, Cloak of Protection (currently not attunded), Rod of the Pact Keeper +2, +3 shield and a slew of potions and scrolls. I am still using a non-magic breastplate. I don't actually have all the rings. With Uncanny Dodge, Sheild spell, Absorb Elements and Evasion I decided I did not need them, I only have two - Psychic Resistance and Necrotic Resistance if I remember correctly.

Resistance to regular weapon damage seems to be completely gone from the MM. Fire resistance is relatively common, especially at high levels.

Resistance to BPS is still in the Monster Manual but it applies to magic damage as well. This actually makes characters who use a Cantrip a bit more powerful. My character plays mostly like a Gish Rogue with Divine Smite, and some really effective low level control spells. I only get one attack a tturn, but when I do it I can use Truestrike or Pact of Blade to turn all my damage into Psychich, Necrotic and/or Radient or some mix of those, including my 5d6 Sneak attack damage. This is a big benefit over a Rogue that is tied to BPS with Sneak Attack.

But as above, you guys seem completely LOADED with magic items which can skew encounter difficulty greatly.

Yes but that is running the adventure as designed.

 

[Reynard]

Either way that is a ridiculous amount of magic items when the game is balanced around having 0! That is not a system issue (I am sure there are some though), but a DM issue. Did the DM not do anything to compensate for the seriously over geared PCs?

That series of one shot dungeons is really heavy on magic item treasure.

 

[ECMO3]

Either way that is a ridiculous amount of magic items when the game is balanced around having 0! That is not a system issue (I am sure there are some though), but a DM issue. Did the DM not do anything to compensate for the seriously over geared PCs?

I think he followed the guidance in the adventure and this is the first campaign for him using 2024 rules.

Also while it seems to be a lot, and it certainly feels like a lot playing in game, I don't think it is actually an abnormally large amount based on the guidance in the DMG. The DMG says 100 magic items for 18th level party, including 11 Legendary and 19 Very Rare. I don't think we actually have that many. We probably have more Rare than designed, but I think overall we are still in the ballpark for what is recommended.

We have 5 in our party, my PC currently has 1 Legendary items and 4 Very Rare items and I think that is about average for the party.

Edit: Realized Shield +3 was Very Rare and not Legendary like other Armor +3. So it is 1 Legendary and 4 VR items I have.

 

[mamba]

The characters in this scenario were absolutely loaded with magic items.
My hunch is that the results here are not necessarily representative of how most tables play.

I agree, ten rings? But since many of those were resistance and the bosses dropped in round one, they did not really contribute much to that. Not sure what other items there were though

Note the sidebar on page 218 of the DMG

yeah, that is all fine, but then they make it so easy to craft stuff that this notion is undermined quite a bit

2014 was too superheroic for my taste already, and 2024 dialed that up, so I won’t use it. The MM might be an improvement, but they can keep the PHB

 

[mamba]

Out of curiosity, what has made 2024 characters that much more powerful?

they raised the floor without addressing the ceiling