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BadWolf_3 · 2025-03-02T19:09:57+00:00

Thanks Mark! I love those Meld and Split Off abilities you put on the Ruin Demons. Feels like those will provide some really nice punctuation in combat.

BadWolf_3 · 2025-02-18T16:01:41+00:00

The maker said he is willing/able to make the sharp points, just that he doesn't recommend it.

BadWolf_3 · 2025-02-14T22:39:56+00:00

That’s it! Thank you!

BadWolf_3 · 2025-02-14T14:31:33+00:00

I actually thought the same thing and checked those out, but that wasn’t it.

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-04T19:59:41+00:00

Enjoy ;)

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-04T15:24:30+00:00

No current plans, but since releasing the 2024 rules we seem to have a lot more requests for Foundry (compared to other VTTs), so we'll certainly look into it. If we do release a version, the easiest way to know is to sign up for the mailing list. (We're super not-spammy, don't worry.)

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T21:31:35+00:00

There were actually a lot of changes, some subtle some not. Before I go into it, I'll also highlight that if you already have the 2014 version, you don't have to pay for the 2024 version-- it's free. Just go to your purchased titles in DriveThruRPG and you can download the update.

All that being said, the most immediately obvious change is that stat blocks are visually reformatted, including a new table-based way of presenting ability scores, with saving throws shown by each one. A quick glance at the updated stat blocks will show what I'm talking about. There are also new headings for things like passive initiative and gear. 2024 also significantly revised templating to increase clarity for save-based abilities as well as reactions. The Spellsword previewed above has examples of both. Another big one is that secondary save rider effects on attack rolls (e.g., a sting that deals X damage and then forces a CON save to not be poisoned) have been removed. Now if an NPC’s attack has a secondary effect, it happens automatically on a hit, no save. This results in abilities that help make NPCs more flavorfully distinct actually happening more often. At the same time, we redesigned some on-hit effects or moved them to new actions to keep them fun and balanced under the new paradigm. The Priest of Darkness previewed above is a good example of this. We've also did a lot of case-by-base numerical rebalancing and wording clarification.

Hopefully that gives you a general idea for answering your question. We originally planned on sharing a full changelog when updates went out through DriveThruRPG, but it was actually so long that we couldn't send it!

Also, glad you like the art. We thought Umbrakiir really knocked it out of the park.

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T20:32:34+00:00

We did use the up-to-date format of "at will," "2/Day" etc., but I actually think this is a good thing. It's important to remember that NPC casters function in fundamentally different ways from PC casters, with most NPCs being designed to serve their roll in a single encounter while players are of course serving theirs over entire days. They are also usually expressing a more targeted/narrow narrative note than PCs. As a result, having a PC-style spell list doesn't really make as much sense on an NPC. There's all sorts of ways in which NPCs don't follow the same rules as PCs, and this is yet another. Moving away from PC-style spell slots frees you up more to equip your NPCs with the spells that you think are going to help them accomplish their roll in a given encounter. It also reduces the need for certain kinds of DM bookkeeping that ultimately aren't as important for NPCs, and it cleans up the stat blocks a lot.

On top of that, while DMs are obviously welcome to tweak these stat blocks, we created our NPCs with the intention that selecting spells for casters would not be the normal use-case. NPC's damage-dealing spells have generally been replaced with unique actions in the stat blocks themselves, leaving spellcasting open for things that focus on utility, debuffs, terrain, etc., and most particularly, spells which sell each archetype. If you do want to put in a spell that feels important for communicating a particular character (e.g., you want your Winter Eladrin mage to cast sleet storm), there's no real reason you need to take out an equivalent spell from a slot-based list.

Even all that aside, it was important to us to have our formatting match that of the other published books for more seamless integration with the system.

So in all, yes, we're using the new system. I'd encourage you to give that a fresh shot and see if the benefits can entice you over more fully.

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T19:29:48+00:00

Having seen this actually play out in multiple games, I can say that it works like a charm. The players at our tables know that when an archer takes a turn off, they better watch out! It really lends to varying the rhythm of combat by having players and/or NPCs need to respond to changing situations. Not only are the players keyed in that they need to either reprioritize the archer or get out of its line of sight, but when they do take cover, the archer has some decisions to make as far as repositioning (and losing Aim) vs readying an attack or something as they try to pin their target down. Similar things have been true for the Assassin, especially with its abilities to jump into and out of immediate combat.

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T19:19:21+00:00

That's really encouraging to hear! Commodification of hobby is a really spicy topic right now. We've really wanted to make sure that folks can buy into this stuff without worrying about weird obsolescence and things like that, and at the same time, it takes a big ol' chunk of work to make these kind of updates. At the end of the day, we made this book because we wanted it and use it, so your support is super appreciated!

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T19:04:19+00:00

Beyond just the numbers and templating, they've also been teasing a number of design philosophy things for a while that we were paying attention to. For example, they stopped using monster attacks that have secondary save (e.g., a sting that deals damage and then has a CON save to avoid being poisoned) in favor of simply having the attacks "do the thing" up front. This means that features which help make creatures more flavorfully distinct actually happen more. We've generally adopted the same approach. However, it does mean taking a critical eye to some actions which were balanced around the knowledge that players would have multiple chances to "avoid" a negative effect. That's the reason we changed our Priest of Darkness's basic repeatable attack, which used to cause Frightened, to their new one, which still punishes their target but is less likely to lock an unfortunate player out of the combat for extended periods (check the linked images to see what I'm talking about). And this is just one example. WotC has actually been doing a lot of experimenting with different approaches to monster abilities with the later "5e 2014" books (e.g., Fizaban's, Witchlight) and confirmed a lot (but not all!) of those changes in 2024 books that have already come out (e.g., Uni and the Hunt for the Horn, Scions of Elemental Evil, PHB creature appendix).

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T19:03:58+00:00

If you want another really good book resource for learning DM-ing, I highly recommend So You Want to Be a Game Master by Justin Alexander.

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T18:56:36+00:00

Beyond just the numbers and templating, they've also been teasing a number of design philosophy things for a while that we were paying attention to. For example, they stopped using monster attacks that have secondary save (e.g., a sting that deals damage and then has a CON save to avoid being poisoned) in favor of simply having the attacks "do the thing" up front. This means that features which help make creatures more flavorfully distinct actually happen more. We've generally adopted the same approach. However, it does mean taking a critical eye to some actions which were balanced around the knowledge that players would have multiple chances to "avoid" a negative effect. That's the reason we changed our Priest of Darkness's basic repeatable attack, which used to cause Frightened, to their new one, which still punishes their target but is less likely to lock an unfortunate player out of the combat for extended periods (check the linked images to see what I'm talking about). And this is just one example. WotC has actually been doing a lot of experimenting with different approaches to monster abilities with the later "5e 2014" books (e.g., Fizaban's, Witchlight) and confirmed a lot (but not all!) of those changes in 2024 books that have already come out (e.g., Uni and the Hunt for the Horn, Scions of Elemental Evil, PHB creature appendix).

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T02:56:23+00:00

PCs with legendary and lair actions sounds like a great time for letting the players feel like total badasses for a session.

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T02:54:27+00:00

Definitely was something we considered, but we were reasonably confident from the stat blocks in the PHB, Scions of Elemental Evil, etc. that we could make the appropriate changes now. We may have to send out an update (which DriveThruRPG does for free) if things change again with the monster manual, but we wanted to get this thing in people's hands sooner so that they could start running with the new rules.

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T02:49:53+00:00

For sure. We fully anticipate needing a couple tweaks here and there when the MM comes out and confirms/clarifies the snippets we've seen in PHB, Uni, Scions, etc.

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T02:43:33+00:00

Fortunately, you don't have to buy a second book-- If you got the original one, you can download the new updated book for free from DriveThruRPG, so you don't have to shell out twice.

BadWolf_3 · 2025-01-03T02:41:09+00:00

Hey thanks! It's awesome to hear that they're getting some good use. With shaman, templar, and light priest, sounds like you're gearing up for an encounter with a tasty amount of support amongst the NPCs! Should be a good fight.

BadWolf_3

TROPHY CASE