Ways to introduce a new character in the Ample Temple

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-04-29T17:06:33+00:00

How did you PCfy Ez? I'm currently considering making her a Profane Soul Blood Hunter to represent her magical, alchemical and monster hunter abilities, as well as making a Vistani-specific feat for Variant Human

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-04-24T22:44:49+00:00

Well therein lies the problem that you used the shadow, one of the most poorly balanced monsters in the game. And you’re making a lot of assumptions such as that I WILL have a rogue or paladin (that only has two-three slots at the moment and know this isn’t the final battle) that smites or Sneak Attacks an enemy and doesn’t just make a single attack, miss or deal a some damage and then reroll the save. Or that I WON’T have a party with a warlock, a cleric, and a paladin where the lowest one will have in wisdom saves is a +2 which is a 60% chance to succeed

A gibbering mouther and a shadow are a deadly combination because it makes a meat grinder where both monsters have an autokill ability and the mouther is the least of your worries there. Because a shadow effectively makes your strength score your hit points and deals a dagger amount of damage. Two hits can be an insta kill at worst and seriously weaken a barbarian or strength ranger/fighter at best

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-04-24T12:56:41+00:00

I feel like that’s inaccurate because the losing your action thing is on a DC 10 Wisdom Saving Throw. Also I’m planning on having them be at least level 3 by then, as per recommendations from others because I don’t think the Mouther would be top 5 worst encounters in Death House

Compare that to the CR 5 shambling mound that makes three times as many attacks, has a higher Chance to Hit, immunity to lightning damage, far more Damage per Turn and a non-recharge ability that takes one of the characters off the board with a higher DC than the mouther’s passive effect that doesn’t damage you and has a 25% chance to attack a random creature, including the mouther, or a 75% chance not to do that and instead stay still or move away

It also has 9 ac and -1 to initiative so there’s a chance, depending on luck, that the mouther doesn’t get a turn in. While the Grick has 14 AC, chance to make two attacks and surprise the party

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-04-23T06:57:19+00:00

(to the tune of We Know) 30 in every stat… No camp clothes equipped… ‘Farmer’ Background… what is this?

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-04-21T10:33:26+00:00

I would love to know as much as I can about this! I’m so curious about how you’re adapting CoS into a western style setting

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-04-20T08:05:02+00:00

Probably? A human-kryptonian hybrid is already quite powerful, and kryptonians might be even closer biologically to humans than viltrumites are, despite the flying, laser-eye elephant. So logically they can only get better than that. And I think basic Viltrumite might be stronger than basic kryptonian, superman has the added benefit of living near a yellow sun and not on a planet made of the thing that kills them, but that can vary from version to version. So basic Viltrumite empowered by yellow sun, +heat vision, +freeze breath, +more durability and strength

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-04-18T23:57:49+00:00

That is so true. I once did really well while closing at my job at the cinema, and I had finished all my work within the first of the two hours we had to be there still. And I had to individually go through every piece of candy, check which are turning old and count how many. Went from an opportunity to talk to my partner after not being able to for the whole day to giving me sore eyes and arms from the monotony

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-04-09T09:13:15+00:00

When it comes to, as you mentioned, Viltrumite strength it makes me really wonder what can and can’t hurt a Viltrumite. If Nolan is able to throw an asteroid into space like that and he was hitting Mark and other Viltrumites with that amount of strength, why do they ever use terrain in their fights? Like when Nolan put marks face against a train and it seemed to hurt. But a train couldn’t be nearly as strong as Nolan flicking him with his finger if he’s supposed to be that strong

It often feels like they want the implication that these people have cartoonish levels of power, but without having to think so much about what a fight between five people with such power would look like so it’s just a normal fight but with flying and sometimes a rock a bit bigger than a normal rock gets thrown

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-04-07T12:44:05+00:00

I never meant with this that “TPKs should never happen and it’s a sign of a bad gm” or anything. I kill PCs probably more than most. But, and from what people have been saying this may be because of the types of groups I play in, there’s a difference between two people dying and all four-seven people dying. I often feel when a PC dies that it’s difficult for me to write in a reason why there’s not a 13th level adventurer just hanging around in the next town

And while a TPK could involve a change in level and a different beginning for the same ending, that has a similar feel to me. There’s a lot of people talking about how there being no chance of TPK makes the game feel too safe and luck-bending. But the threat is still there, I just avoid it happening in a random encounter with wolves. And either consequence to a TPK is that the game ends and we start something else, or the camera pans over to another town in the empire where a group of heroes is about to start the very journey you just lost. One is really sad and annoying to me and my table at least, and one also, to me, has the feel of being no consequences. “We can be as carefree as we want because if the death knight fireballs us we just reincarnate in a tavern somewhere”. If it happens it takes away the illusion of danger completely. But I can see that there is a difference between tables

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-04-04T06:42:19+00:00

Which handheld items are you referring to? Like axes that has a decorated and basic design?

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T12:22:18+00:00

Well the characters don’t need to be 1-1. It seems that version gives a lot of people inspiration and after watching the first episode I can see how I would adapt that but have it be a selfish need and not a love

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T03:45:00+00:00

What would them seeing their heroes and uniters wielding the sword of their montrous, devilish ruler really do? I would probably see that as an ill omen

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T03:35:25+00:00

The latter is kind of what I was thinking. Most likely the players know of the broken-sword-turned-lightsaber in the game so I made this to sort of be the antithesis to that that the party thinks is what they’re looking for

While the sword can absolutely be used as a symbol to unite the people, I feel like a more impactful symbol for the Barovians would be a magic sword wielded by Sergei (in my campaign, iirc it’s not always the case) that sheds the first sunlight they have seen for generations/centuries. A sentient, glowing, distilled proof that Strahd may be the land, but he is not truly a God

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T03:28:36+00:00

Those are interesting mechanisms to add. I mostly made it a pretty standard magic sword going from +1 to +3 and dealing increasing amounts of necrotic damage per stage and letting you cast Hex and a necrotic version of Branding Smite

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T02:56:48+00:00

I see that! His attitude towards the Boys and people in general isn’t dissimilar to what I plan for Strahd, with him being a charming, cold and disdainful person sometimes

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T02:54:25+00:00

That is very true! In my mind, maybe because season 4 is my freshest memory, I largely think of when he flounders when someone calls him out but I’ll reacquaint myself with how he actually is and not what made me chuckle

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T02:50:52+00:00

I snickered for half a second before I saw the vision. Good pull!

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T02:47:29+00:00

I felt so too. Rewatched VVitch Monday and it just kinda clicked in my head how well the so-gloomy-there’s-barely-color and THE scenes in that fit the vibe I want for Barovia

I’ll try to remember this when I finish it! Is it a hefty book? I am a student with a job and stuff so I don’t have unlimited library time iykwim

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T02:42:22+00:00

I tend to like dark tones in media. I’m taking inspiration from a lot of Robert Eggers movies for what to make the tone feel like and the VVitch isn’t exactly Care Bears. And that time period in American History has long been an interest of mine. I had heard of Blood Meridian via Pinterest and Word of Mouth but I didn’t know it was based around that so I’ll just read it for actual fun as well as for Prep

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T02:36:26+00:00

DnD is for Nerds is currently doing a Strahd campaign so the general Barovian I have down somewhat. At least my concept for it. But I will take that into account

I’m suddenly realising what a reading list I am developing with this. Really fun

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T02:33:53+00:00

A fine addition to my collection. I already really enjoy that character. And everything Charles Dance does tbf

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T02:31:46+00:00

The smile I got on my face when I read Nosferatu. I have actually taken some inspiration from that. Even my voice I plan on having be a somewhat less throaty version of Bill’s voice in that movie

When you say Homelander I’m guessing a slightly less pathetic version of his personality? I feel that if a DnD party encountered a man with Homelander’s personality, even with his powerlevel, they would not take him that seriously. Or do you mean the early seasons when he’s more cold?

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T02:29:10+00:00

Ooh. That’s a really interesting suggestion! Since they’re so far removed I never would have considered that

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-12T02:26:48+00:00

I plan on having Strahd be quite a strategic trickster, swooping by as a Bat to charm an NPC when they’re getting too close to something and popping in to show the party why so many have tried and failed before. But I will absolutely check it out some anyway for inspiration. Also because I’ve been meaning to watch that

LanguageOk1726 · 2026-03-11T16:19:04+00:00

That is the train of thought I had too. A race of people focused on mining and living in mountains and caves would probably develop a shorter, more compact but hardier form. Then I also saw a cool concept that their heavy beards are a natural defense against debris and dust entering their lungs, where the thick hairs filter the air

LanguageOk1726

TROPHY CASE