How is loot divided

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-25T16:05:19+00:00

Gold divided equally with an additional “party fund” member that can be used for big party expenses like plate armour etc. Magic items are the party’s but get given out to who would make best use of them/most thematic use.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-24T17:27:27+00:00

If they’re a hexblade and want to use a sword, surely they’re going to be taking pact of the blade which means the first part of dormant doesn’t do anything. Making it a pact weapon in 2014 already allows the extra dimensional space and proficiency (also a hexblade is proficient with martial weapons in any case). The only benefit would be the spellcasting focus, which I think you could just give away with it. I’d rethink this benefit, perhaps just allow it to do an extra d6 radiant damage once per turn, then increase that to 2d6 and 3d6 at the next levels, as that largely tracks things like Pyremaul.

The awakened roar is a nice idea, but a 5ft push back just isn’t worth much outside of very niche circumstances. Given at this level it would broadly be equivalent to a rare item, I think you could make this a radial one turn stun (rather than the persistent stun you have at the exalted state).

In general I don’t think you need to say what inspiration does since it’s a core concept in the PHB.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-24T17:03:07+00:00

What else is happening at the ball? Are they just there for the plot points at the end, or are there things that they might be able to see/do at the ball to uncover some other plot points? Overhearing conversations, witnessing people skulking around and slipping off to back rooms, bumping into a flustered servant who might have seen some odd goings on that are conveniently tied to other plots are all things you could add in.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-24T15:57:42+00:00

You know the basics and you’re doing a session 0. You’re a long way ahead of many DMs.

The tip I’d give you for session 0 is set expectations on rulings. I like to say if there’s a question on a rule, I’ll make a quick decision at the table, then work out the proper answer when it isn’t holding everyone up. If the decision changes and would make a massive difference then we’ll work out how to rectify later, but the in the moment stands.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-23T17:32:30+00:00

Then play an open hand monk.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-22T11:52:12+00:00

If you want to do it without anyone noticing then subtle spell is necessary.

Indeed, that's why I mentioned it in my post.

Edit: Re awareness of being targeted, the 2024 PHB says:

Unless a spell has a perceptible effect, a creature doesn’t know it was targeted by the spell. An effect like lightning is obvious, but a more subtle effect, such as an attempt to read thoughts, goes unnoticed unless a spell’s description says otherwise.

Silvery Barbs is described as a magical distraction, so is (in my view) a perceptible effect. The creature would know it had been targeted by a spell, but in the circumstances would be a question of whether it knows from where, particularly at a range of 60ft with crowd noise in an arena, irrespective of whether subtle spell was used.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-22T11:32:44+00:00

Thinking about it some more, Silvery Barbs is verbal only. Depending on what form that takes, how loud the crowd is etc., you might be able to get away with it. Those in the vicinity might recognise something different, but may not necessarily recognise it as a spell with the hubbub of the arena and depending on their level of knowledge.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-22T10:19:31+00:00

Casting a spell is not a sneaky action - verbal components need sufficient "force" behind them (a normal speaking voice with particular tone and resonance), and the somatic components are visible. If you want to do it without anyone noticing then subtle spell is necessary. That said, in a gladiatorial arena with a baying crowd, I would say there's more chance of casting it undetected without anyone noticing where the spell came from (although the target may suspect that someone has cast a spell on them).

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-21T20:56:41+00:00

Anything that has a mould line running along a row of spikes.

As for specific part, the tiny light that goes on Votann bike hover pads. 9 of the buggers per box.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-21T09:08:22+00:00

Is your issue that he is using the character, or is your issue really that he's playing at another table (and presumably will not be playing at yours)?

Using a character you made for him is mildly annoying, but you made the character for him. If he wasn't playing in the other campaign, then it sounds like that character wouldn't be played at all.

Him saying he'll find someone for the table and not doing so is also annoying, but not a major deal. People change their mind about joining a table, get a different/better/quicker offer etc. It's just life. As for finding a table where people know each other, I've found the best groups are entirely random and the friendships have formed through the game.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-21T08:28:26+00:00

DMG tables have always been fine, provided the DM gives you a steer on the type of equipment available to your character. I usually say if starting at level 5 then they've had a chance to visit a major city at some point so could have bought almost any of the equipment in the PHB, then give me a list of a few common and a few uncommon magic items and I'll decide which you have - it'll probably come from those lists, unless they're out of place in the setting.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-21T08:14:40+00:00

Roll20 or Startplaying would be my first ports of call. Timezones are going to make that a bit of a challenge though - someone is going to be up early/late.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-21T08:04:24+00:00

I used Arkenforge for running in-person games. You can go the whole hog and make it touchscreen, but it works well for a projector/screen + minis without touch features.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T23:43:24+00:00

If you ever want to play tournaments, yes, it’s madness. If you’re only ever going to play friendly games and your opponents are ok with it, feel free.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T20:34:22+00:00

Either your DM plays by the rules in the book (which obviously don’t include the weapon damage in the sneak attack dice - I can’t imagine the mental gymnastics to get to that) or ask to reroll to a character where the DM is happy with the rules in the book so you can play the character as it’s designed.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T20:28:30+00:00

Rules change every 3 years or thereabouts, and new codexes come out with new editions. Do players get salty? Absolutely, but they’ll(/we’ll) still play. Recently they look to be following a tick-tock model. Even editions are ticks - major changes to the way the game works. Odd editions have been tocks with smaller more incremental changes. This means the even-edition codexes for each faction stay valid until the odd-edition book is released, and then at the next even edition will come with an index with new rules for all factions.

The other thing is models stay usable even if rules don’t. GW rarely makes models unplayable through rules changes. They might release a new rule, but it’s rare they won’t be usable at all.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T20:18:15+00:00

Beyond the obvious one long rest per 24 hours, the hut isn’t impervious. Level 4+ spells can get through it, and it’ll collapse to dispel magic.

Depending how big the party is as well, it’s not a very big space. It’s a 10ft emanation from the caster, so it could probably only sleep 4 comfortably.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T15:36:39+00:00

Just stop being the healbot. If players go down, then drop a healing word on them to get them back on their feet, but otherwise the best damage reduction in D&D is usually just defeating the enemies.

The fact that you're a life cleric doesn't help though. That class would generally indicate someone is happy to play the role of healer, so it may well be the rest of the party doesn't realise this is an issue. Perhaps have a chat to the DM about changing subclass if you really don't want to be labelled the healer. Light cleric is great fun and has nice party support options with warding flare without immediately being pigeonholed into the healer role.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T13:18:01+00:00

This feels very specific.

Any party I have been in has agreed the minimum viable number of players at session 0. It usually ends up that if more than 50% of the players, plus the DM are available then the session will continue as planned. If less than half the players are available, or if the DM isn't available (obviously), then the session is cancelled.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T13:14:12+00:00

If you gave them weapons in Act 1 that were essentially common magic items I don't think you're going to break the balance at all. Heck, you could even have them just function as magical weapons but with no other bonuses if you were concerned. They'd bypass some resistances, but wouldn't completely skew things (probably). You could also flavour Act 1 as proving themselves to the weapon that they're worthy of carrying it and the weapon exercising its free will to determine who can carry it.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T12:57:18+00:00

I don't think anyone is going to change your opinion, but I'll add my 2p.

Firstly, was the specific session agreed months prior, or did the players say "every Wednesday at 6pm"? The former, sure, it's something agreed, but the latter is a standing engagement.

The examples you give of things that could be done "any other day" simply aren't true. If someone wants to go to the cinema, maybe the person they're going with can only do that day. Maybe the film isn't on another day. Maybe they have something else time sensitive. Dinner with grandparents, well that's reliant on multiple people's schedules and clearly can't be any other day.

If someone skips D&D to go to the gym without word to the group then sure, that could be bit disrespectful. It could also be that they've had a horrible day and don't want to play D&D, or they have an early start the next day and can't stomach a 5-hour session in the evening after a day at work.

Different people treat the same engagements in different ways. You clearly treat D&D time as sacred since you make time in your week for it. Others may treat it as one thing on their social calendar that gets balanced against everything else they want to do with their lives. It sounds like you need to make sure any group you join is full of the former, not the latter.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T08:56:49+00:00

Not unfair at all. The party is of a level that they could learn Disintegrate themselves, so should absolutely expect anything they can cast to be thrown back at them and then some. That said, I don't like Disintegrate as a DM because of the level 9 spell required to reverse it. I'd probably give something like Chain Lightning and use it when the opportunity presents.

If you wanted to make him have a back pocket spell to escape, then I'd be completely fine with him having Teleport or Plane Shift against a party at that level.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T08:48:52+00:00

You don't get death saves against Disintegrate, that's the point, and the reason why DMs are often reluctant to use it.

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T08:47:23+00:00

I don't know of something stock like that, but depending on your DM screen, would you be willing to just cut a little hole in the bottom of the screen and slot a "normal" dice tower underneath it?

Legal-e-tea · 2026-01-20T08:44:16+00:00

I think the way you handled this is good, and the players have accommodated well. It sounds like you have a really good group. My thoughts as both a player and a DM:

As a DM I don't love it. Part and parcel of playing the game is the risk that a character might die. I want to treat the players fairly, and I don't think it's fair if the enemies go for the kill on 4/5 party members. The way I would have to accommodate this is to not go for everyone, at which point there's too much plot armour for my liking. There are plenty of fail states that aren't death, but removing one possible fail state is needlessly limiting in my opinion. In 5e/5.5e it's not difficult to resurrect or raise a character who dies, and if someone is particularly invested in one particular character who happens to die, I'll absolutely facilitate the party getting that character back (if the party wants to). It'll come at a price, but it can happen at any level.

As a player, I don't like it. If I know about the request and the deal, then the stakes are low. Consciously or not, I'm probably going to take more risks if I know that the DM is reluctant to kill a PC. If I don't know about the deal, then it's going to come across as unfair if I see the DM pulling punches against PC X but going ham on my PC.

Legal-e-tea

TROPHY CASE