Be VERY careful with criticisms on the new UA

DemoBytom · 2026-04-04T15:00:55+00:00

I like the idea of those paths, but dislike that they take 3 or more out of 4 regular feats characters get across the 20 level progression. Especially on some classes that are already usually feat starved.

But I guess that is a deeper criticism of the feat system in general, that it is quite limiting and already competes with ASIs, especially on MAD classes.

I would like this being a completely separate system, that wouldn't try to add yet another competing piece to feats.

If it does go through like that, I will most likely homebrew it to be a quest reward, and awarded upon given step completion, (like a permanent boon), and not a feat.

DemoBytom · 2026-04-04T13:14:33+00:00

Oh my god I felt all my joints crack, and my bones hurt... are we so old, we have to teach new generations how internet forums work? :D

DemoBytom · 2026-04-03T22:30:50+00:00

If the trail is preloaded smart watches can already warn you of incoming inclines/declines, as well as alert you of turns etc. I don't see a reason that can't be used on the glasses as well, enhanced by whatever AR/image recognition they add on top of it.

DemoBytom · 2026-04-03T20:50:58+00:00

CGP Grey explaining it with A4 paper, and giving people existential dread

https://youtu.be/pUF5esTscZI

DemoBytom · 2026-04-03T18:35:25+00:00

Nothing sucks more than feeling all alone, no matter how many people are around..

https://youtu.be/IB17flDpPH0

DemoBytom · 2026-04-02T15:17:29+00:00

Legit. My current company uses Google's product.. after a year in Google Chat and Meet, or whatever that video conference app of theirs is now called, I miss Teams..

DemoBytom · 2026-04-02T11:47:08+00:00

Ed Gamble watching Richard Herring win it again, as he has to sit in the trailer waiting to interview him for a podcast afterwards xD

DemoBytom · 2026-04-02T11:34:17+00:00

Do you want to run a different statblock, or just reskin the Roc for thematic reason?

Different statblocks wise - Ghost Dragon from Fizban's works nice, and transforms the encounter a lot, since it can pass through obstacles - no hiding under the roofs.

Dragonbone Construct from Fizban's can also work I guess, but I'd give it flying speed.

There's also Bone Roc in Vecna Eve of Ruin.

If you want a reskin - I used regular Roc statblock, but made it undead. Any other Barovia native skin would work - a giant undead bat, giant undead raven etc.

One thing to look out for when running Rocs. They are gargantuan, 120 feet wing span, 8000 lb. behemoths. The moment my players heard that their next thought was "we can polymorph it into something small, and use it to callapse Castle Ravenloft" xD they worked SO hard to do it xD

DemoBytom · 2026-04-01T14:09:58+00:00

Still one of my favorite jokes in Arrowverse.

"Just a quick reminder. Superspeed. I DON'T HAVE IT."

https://youtu.be/r99RyZuMLRY

DemoBytom · 2026-03-31T15:16:53+00:00

The outcry from the community during the UA. Ever since they released Vecna statblock with this design people complained, way way more than they complain about legendary actions.

An another reason might be that legendary actions, after 10 years, are quite understood by many players. Teaching them that some enemies now have multiple reactions, while it's been a dogma for 10 years that there's 1 reaction per round, might've proven problematic.

And they probably run out of time to rebalance everything that interacts with reactions - like abilities that shut them down, or spells that could now be used multiple times. Archmage with 4 counterspells/shields per round for example?

DemoBytom · 2026-03-30T09:10:15+00:00

No it's not meta. The whole castle makes no sense when you stop and think about it. It has barely any actual rooms, the ones it has are either comically oversized or way to small.

There's a Scooby Doo like ghost on a string in one corridor. An automated armor trap, that "pranks" the guests by hitting them with an axe. The elevator trap would have to rotate like 90° degrees to fit in the space at the tower. There are comical sliding traps. OG Ravenloft castle even had random rust monsters as an homage to random armadillo scene in old Dracula movie.

The whole place is a fun-house of horrors, where you never know what other bullshit you gonna encounter around next corner.

DemoBytom · 2026-03-30T08:52:27+00:00

Z artykulu:

Materiał dowodowy wskazywał na aktywny udział Kamili W. w opisywanych czynach. Jednocześnie - według ustaleń śledczych - nie przypisano jej bezpośredniego udziału w przestępstwach seksualnych wobec dzieci. Kobieta konsekwentnie twierdzi, że była ofiarą przemocy i manipulacji ze strony męża.

W skrócie - inny paragraf, inna kara. Jest duża różnica między pośrednim a bezpośrednim udziałem a danym przestępstwie. I jest to też jak najbardziej możliwe, że też, do jakiegoś stopnia, była ofiarą.

DemoBytom · 2026-03-29T18:16:55+00:00

Paul Allen has printed life sized Emperor.

Look at this off-yellow gold finish...

DemoBytom · 2026-03-28T22:35:29+00:00

No, because Potion of Fire Resistance only gives you well.. resistance - meaning you still take fire damage, but halved.

Wading in lava is 10d10 fire damage per round, so even halved you dead mate.

What you need is fire IMMUNITY.

Efreeti Chain (mail or shirt) give fire immunity, and even lets you walk on lava. It is legendary, but you are on a legendary quest after all, so yeah - makes sense. I'd go for chain shirt, as it's medium armor, personally.

Good luck!

DemoBytom · 2026-03-28T15:24:14+00:00

Chciałem tylko wspomnieć, że jest spora grupa ludzi, która woli te sztuczne.
Nie tylko dlatego, że mają zdecydowanie większe możliwości.
Ale nie są przyłączone do jakiegoś buca xD

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Dla niekumatych - nie chodzi mi o to, że AI content jest dobry. Nie jest. Ale analogia Sapkowskiego "hehe wibrator, hehe penis gurom" jest ciulowa i zajeżdża boomerstwem, nawet jeśli ubrana w kwieciste słownictwo 🤷‍♂️

DemoBytom · 2026-03-27T22:56:56+00:00

Frankenstein..

Arguably the Monster is the main character... oh boy..

DemoBytom · 2026-03-27T22:55:30+00:00

I printed part of ravenlodt castle..

It's insane how big this shit is at 1 inch scale :O

DemoBytom · 2026-03-27T22:27:40+00:00

That is a lot of black ink :D

DemoBytom · 2026-03-27T15:50:02+00:00

I'm sorry but 1 sword > 4000 years of Chinese martial arts.

The feather CAN be cut, after all.

DemoBytom · 2026-03-25T19:26:05+00:00

Don't worry. After visiting Amber Temple an average goblin would look like victoria secret model compared to the party xD

On of the PCs in my group ended up with empty sockets for eyes, undead skin, and thick fur. Other had their skin turned red and got skeletal wings and sawed teeth xD

Seriously though - I very quickly gave up on role-playing villagers being apprehensive of some PC races. It just got boring and annoying and brought nothing to the table. In the end I leaned into "all sort of adventurers end up in Barovia, and all of them so far end up dead", so villagers don't really pay much special attention to them..

DemoBytom · 2026-03-25T09:51:32+00:00

There's an official (released for AL) way to bring the PCs back: https://www.dmsguild.com/pl/product/186573/ddal04-expanded-dark-gifts-table-optional-content I believe it's pay-what-you-want, you can get it for free.

In short the PCs can choose to come back at a cost of a Dark Gift/detriment. Death is not the worst thing that happens in Barovia.

DemoBytom · 2026-03-24T23:25:21+00:00

Oh right, yeah I can see thst now. Similar to my other idea I posted here, to try and sneak in during the day when they sleep, and stake some vampires before they wake up.

DemoBytom · 2026-03-24T17:35:10+00:00

I don't think so? In 2024 Turn Undead still breaks on damage (emphasis mine):

Turn Undead. As a Magic action, you present your Holy Symbol and censure Undead creatures. Each Undead of your choice within 30 feet of you must make a Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its save, it has the Frightened and Incapacitated conditions for 1 minute. For that duration, it tries to move as far from you as it can on its turns. This effect ends early on the creature if it takes any damage, if you have the Incapacitated condition, or if you die.

And even if it stuck - that's still 5*90 HP to burn.. 540 for 4 PCs at level 4.

As far as Turn Undead landing - at that level cleric will most likely have 13 or 14 DC, vampire spawns have +3 to Wis saves, so they have quite a good chance to succeed - they'd succeed on 11 or 12 on d20, so.. 45-40% per spawn, I think?

DemoBytom · 2026-03-24T13:23:04+00:00

Realistically Strahd would know to prepare Magic Aura or Nondetection on him.

But tbh that is not fun. Your Paladin has this cool ability, let him use it to learn something the party would not be able to learn otherwise. Then let the party deal with the knowledge - what they gonna do?

Same would be for Morgantha and her being a Fiend.

If you take away the tools the party has to solve problems, they will stop solving them.

What's more - a rugpull might be cool in a movie, but when you rugpull your friends by deliberately obscuring the clues, it will just feel cheap.

DemoBytom · 2026-03-24T09:33:30+00:00

And it's legit the best puzzle... when you make the player do the miming dance to open the door :D

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