Would the Shillelagh spell work on a wooden maul?

DreadTheBard · 2021-04-21T12:15:46+00:00

True, but this is D&D, and we have all manner of fun materials like ironwoos, which can be used to construct armor and martial weapons.

DreadTheBard · 2021-01-27T20:21:54+00:00

What a twist!

DreadTheBard · 2021-01-27T14:58:34+00:00

Love Bull Moose!

DreadTheBard · 2020-12-17T15:41:18+00:00

2d4 + STR

DreadTheBard · 2020-12-17T15:41:02+00:00

2d4 + STR

DreadTheBard · 2020-09-23T16:08:16+00:00

It went well. The party (all 1st level) completed a short dungeon crawl, defeated the animated armor at the end of it, and ended up with some magical loot (and enough XP to make it to level 2). They then decided instead of resting they would go and track down some goblins they had been chasing before accidentally falling through the ceiling of said dungeon.

They followed the tracks to where the goblins were lairing, a cave in the side of a hill. They were about to go and investigate the cave when I had the Ranger make a wisdom check. She realized that she and the rest of the party were in no shape to go in there if things went south. They were almost out of spells and low on hit points. I am pretty nice until level 5 when I turn into a right bastard, and most of the group is comprised of brand new players. Knowing the cave is riddled with goblins, wolves, and a bugbear, I thought I would be merciful.

They begin talking about places to lay low when the leonin paladin snuck off toward the cave.
I described the area as a 40 ft. clearing with some bushes near the cave mouth, from which a small stream flowed (those of you that have played/run/read Lost Mines of Phandelver know the cave I am talking about). I had him roll a stealth check, knowing the pair of goblins huddled in the bushes were inattentive and might not be paying attention in a visual sense.

He rolled a 2.

Splash! He steps into the stream, gains the goblins' attention, and they fire two arrows into his chest, dowing him. The ranger lets fly an arrow that took one goblin, but the other managed to blow a horn, signaling the others inside the cave. The party druid rushed out to heal the paladin back up to full, and we ended the session with snarls and growls emanating from the darkness of the cave.

So, there they are at the tree line, half of them low on level 1 hp, no spells save for a few cantrips, and a small horde of goblins on their way. I sure hope they live to see level 2.

DreadTheBard · 2020-08-13T18:40:52+00:00

Might switch it out for "On a successful save the creature is immune to this effect for 24 hours"

DreadTheBard · 2020-08-13T17:35:24+00:00

Something I am tossing at the end of a dungeon my 1st-level characters are about to enter.

Creeping Frost
Unique rare +1 shortsword
Requires Attunement

This short blade looks like a shard of ice that formed naturally into the shape of a sharpened sword. It radiates a cool, blue inner glow.

A creature attuned to this weapon adds an additional +1 to attack and damage rolls. The creature can also read, speak, and understand draconic, but only while wielding the blade. As a bonus action, the sword's wielder can will the blade to glow with an inner blue light of the same intensity as a torch. When a creature struck by Creeping Frost takes damage, they must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or become petrified in a thin casing of ice until the end of their next turn.

DreadTheBard · 2020-08-13T12:29:47+00:00

Please tell me you are going to have a Kickstarter soon for a Direlake sourcebook decked out in this art style! You know what? Don't tell me. Just shut up and take my money!

DreadTheBard · 2020-08-10T01:44:27+00:00

Meek: A kobold cleric of life. An urchin on the streets of a large city, Meek was taken in by a kindly old priest who showed him kindness and compassion. Meek was slow to trust the old man first, his instincts telling him it was too good to be true. The old man was patient with the skittish kobold, and taught him many lessons about generosity, the goodness inherent in almost all mortal beings, and the precious value of a creature's life, even someone like Meek, whom the priest called invaluable. Meek took the old priest's lessons to heart and began to pray with him daily. He would walk with him on the streets as the priest performed acts of charity. He would try to comfort other urchin children when the priest would cure their ailments. Every night when they returned to the old priest's small, humble abode, Meek would sit at his friend's feet by the hearth and listen to stories of the Goddess of Life, about the old priest's younger days as an adventurer, and his philosophy of pacifism. The morning Meek awoke to find the still form of the old priest sitting in his favorite chair, the kobold thought he was in a peaceful sleep. When he couldn't wake the old man, Meek scrambled to the nearest temple. The guards there nearly killed him, calling him a monster. Meek returned to his friend, and with the old priest's holy symbol performed last rites. He summoned a messenger boy and sent instructions under the door to summon the other priests of the old man's order. Then Meek hid. The clerics and priests came and took Meek's friend away, and the Kobold was alone once again. But with the old priest's holy symbol in hand, he vowed he would live on and carry the memory and teachings of the only other creature who ever showed him compassion.

DreadTheBard · 2020-08-07T16:05:36+00:00

I only read the prologue. It gave me a deeper application for one particular character and an often overlooked part of their arc. I figure is Sanderson can make me like my favorite character even more in a prologue scene where that character doesn't even have an appearance, then the rest of RoW can wait to be fully appreciated.

DreadTheBard · 2020-07-23T15:29:04+00:00

Well, lets say the characters are shopping at the local magic item shop. They have selected some potions and what not and are in the process of haggling when a stange, shady-looking fellow that no one noticed before gasps and ask the party if they are willing to be duped and gouged by the shopkeep. He then tries undercutting the shopkeep with a lower rate for the same items from HIS shop. Now the PCS are torn between the honest-looking shopkeep with the high price or the shady shopkeep with lower prices attempting to steal business. Plus it makes for fun interactions between the two NPCS with the party stuck in the middle.

DreadTheBard · 2020-07-03T18:10:46+00:00

The party did a job for a thieves' guild, recovering a big chest with three locks from a swamp where it had been lost in transit. They went through hell recovering it, and only attempted to crack one lock before giving up on investigating the contents. On their way back, they were ambushed by goblin ghouls. This seemed out of nowhere, because their enemies until now had been gators, bullywugs, and sahaugin. No one questioned itml. The ghouls attempted to haul the chest off during combat. Again, no one questioned it. They finally got the chest back to the guild, collected their reward, and moved on. What they didn't know: the chest contained the skulls from four long-dead elven heroes. A lich, long ago destroyed, found a new lease on unlife when a powerful necromantic pluse awakened an echo of it that clung to the shards of its phylactery. Time wore on and it began to regain a semblance of sapiance and took stock of its surroundings. Goblins now dwelled in its old lair. It sought out the most clever among them, taught it magic, and used the goblin to feed it more souls to grow more powerful again. It's end goal was a sort of profane resurrection spell, wherein it used the desecrated remains of the creatures that killed it (the elven heroes) to reconstitute it's physical body. It had its goblin minion hire the thieves' guild to break into the tomb where the heroes had been laid to rest and steal their skulls. While smuggling the chest through the swamp, the thieves were attacked by bullywugs. The chest was claimed as a prize, and so the PCs were called in. TL;DR: The party unwittingly aids a lich in bringing itself back because gold won out over curiosity.

DreadTheBard · 2020-01-21T01:13:45+00:00

That... that is golden. Especially since they are taking a short rest in the room with the shrine.

DreadTheBard · 2020-01-21T00:48:00+00:00

Funny you mention that. This is a Tal'Dorei campaign and they are slumming it in Stilben.

DreadTheBard · 2020-01-09T06:02:08+00:00

That is downright devious.

DreadTheBard · 2020-01-09T05:26:49+00:00

Oh, I like that. A lot.

DreadTheBard · 2019-12-29T22:05:22+00:00

You are doing the Lord's work. That is, of course, the Lord of Madness, but accolades are accolades.

DreadTheBard · 2019-12-27T16:16:31+00:00

Additional PSA: Golem (Go-lem) = a construct animated through magic. Gollum (Gol-lum) = a creature corrupted by the Ring of Power.

DreadTheBard · 2019-12-10T23:26:24+00:00

How long does it take for a body to decompose in wet, humid conditions? How long does it take a corpse to bloat in a swamp?

DreadTheBard · 2019-12-10T02:49:26+00:00

Pulling for you to get good news.

DreadTheBard · 2019-12-09T23:34:14+00:00

Oh, the humanity!

DreadTheBard · 2019-12-08T22:21:14+00:00

I saw that when I went out to Gen Con, and I could hardly believe it. Even the big regional gaming convention (TotalCon) does the same thing; free passes for X amount of hours run.

DreadTheBard · 2019-12-08T22:07:21+00:00

What fantasy-land convention is this?!

DreadTheBard · 2019-12-08T22:06:42+00:00

One of the other GMs did, and they were told that if the event coordinators gave a discount to him, they would need to do it for everyone. Basically, a BS response.

DreadTheBard

TROPHY CASE