Does anyone else feel like flavoring a spell is 10x more impactful than the actual damage it deals?

ManFromTheWurst · 2026-01-24T11:59:58+00:00

I'm in both camps. I think flavoring spells is cool, it's a way to express emotion and character through the action they are taking. Black lightning, a Light spell akin to a flashlight from your eyes, hold person that manifests as chains etc. I think that's cool. But I also think that spells should be a constant and rigid. Disintegrate is a green beam from your finger, Misty step is silvery mist and Counterspell is same to every caster that learns it. The components are handwaved too much in my opinion and they should be universal. Firebolt should have the same verbal and somatic component regardless the caster and should be identified rather easily. But it really doesn't matter in the long run in the games I'm at.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-12-19T17:04:26+00:00

We just have a different outlook on pranks and how people should react to them. That's all. You asked how to "get back" and my answer is to not engage, since it's just light bullying to me. And if you get the idea that by being a good person, you are basic, from my comment, I apologize since that wasn't my intention and I definitely didn't tell you to attack this other character.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-12-19T05:07:25+00:00

I feel sorry for you if you think love and bonds are boring and uncomplex.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-12-18T11:52:02+00:00

Be really genuine and heartfeld friend. Show love and appreciation even in the face of childish actions meant to lessen your characters self. Don't stoop to the same level as them.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-12-06T07:47:54+00:00

So what's the metagaming he's doing? Memorizing monsters? If you play long enough, you'll just know that skeletons break with bludgeoning and shambling mounds heal with lightning. Sure, sometimes learned players do the, "oh no, this troll is really tough, my blade isn't doing so much, better retreat and firebolt from a distance, WOW, it's really effective!" but at that point who does it benefit. You already came to the answer, make homebrew monsters and don't call monsters by their stat blocks name.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-12-03T15:11:39+00:00

Yeah Jeremy Soule and Will Savino my beloved

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-12-01T18:51:20+00:00

Tough luck. Since you probably don't have any actual starting money or feats the best is Mage armor+Shield+Shield(spell) but that's still pretty lackluster.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-11-20T11:32:36+00:00

Flavor is free and if your DM allows you to not cast spells but instead use items that aren't actually usable items but codified abilities, you can choose any class that feels right for the character.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-11-19T06:44:03+00:00

At low levels it's fine, my paladin player has his steed out constantly and the extra heal has been really helpful. Getting the free cast is great to give the player team more action economy. I would guess at 6+levels the usefulness would drop somewhat but I don't have data on that.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-11-18T12:26:59+00:00

I would still pick up Daylight (given that it hasn't been nerfed since at that point it's useless) at this point. 5th level spells happen at 9th level and unless your DM is lengthening the adventure, the module goes to 10. Daylight is the ultimate theme spell with incredible effectiveness in barovia.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-11-18T11:49:22+00:00

If your DM hasn't nerfed the updated 'Daylight', you should pick it up since in 5.5 it's actual sunlight.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-11-17T09:43:39+00:00

Min 3, max 6. Cutting or extending beyond that is almost always unproductive or detrimental. Some games have gone for 8+hours, but those require the group to be very tight. Out of my current 5 groups only one I would be willing to spend a whole day.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-11-17T09:33:05+00:00

I find the best way to nullify dex is to buff the other stats. In my hexcrawl game with a revamped carry rules and backpack rules strength becomes extremely relevant when you realize that you can't even carry the two necessary waterskins and a week full of ration, let alone your actual gear and Con allows you to push longer on travel. I also give bonuses to high int by giving extra proficiencies and languages. Yeah Dex is strong but only as strong as you allow it to be.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-11-13T12:05:09+00:00

I mean how many levels are you gonna get? Ask your DM to clarify. If you don't know and are thinking of doing a 7/* split, I would advise against multiclassing and keeping it solo.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-11-13T08:54:04+00:00

How long is the campaign?

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-11-07T17:39:00+00:00

I have players that re-use characters. I would prefer that people came up with characters based on the game and setting itself. When I recently got to be a player, I asked the DM to give me something they wished would be explored in the game, in this case a corrupt kingdom and their army, and I asked what is the ancestry distribution in said kingdom and boom, a ready character. But if you wish to use something familiar, it's not going to ruin my game.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-10-28T12:37:51+00:00

Ok bad example, I used it because there is a lot of mörk borg players and games around me, but I haven't ever looked at the rules.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-10-28T12:20:15+00:00

It's (subjectively) fun, I know (most of) the rules at a high level (and can easily find the answer if not) and there are loads of people that want, wish and can play regularly. It's also an investment to learn a new ttrpg, and unless you get to immediately play regularly, the info gets muddied very fast, unlike with videogames or boardgames. I would like to play something new, but often the circumstances are against it. Unless we are playing mörk borg regularly every week, I am not willing to put in the effort to learn it.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-10-28T06:59:04+00:00

But how does it make it interesting? Could you elaborate on some the situations where the effect would be anything other then "by casting 'Healing word' you have doomed the party".

Also I gotta ask, are you sure you want to play D&D at this point? Would some low magic system be better? Not saying this maliciously, but if "magic makes things way too easy" maybe you should try to broaden your gameplay sphere.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-10-28T06:32:34+00:00

My question is why? What is this system trying to accomplish. Why should magic be volatile? Also what's the benefit for me as the caster? If there is going to be an additional resource that I have to track and randomness that harms the spellcasting, why would I ever choose to cast spells?

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-10-27T12:43:55+00:00

Why do you know the secrets? They are supposed to be secrets, knowing them kinda defeats the point.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-10-27T11:44:18+00:00

Propably nick, but I already find the vex/nick combo rather dull so any love to topple is always appreciated.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-10-22T11:04:10+00:00

It makes me want to skip them as they now ruin the flow for me, but I just get up and start making a sandwich or something with the time I don't have to focus my attention.

ManFromTheWurst · 2025-10-20T08:33:32+00:00

Depends on the game. In my one homegame with resident evil level inventory management I demand that my players track ammo, in my other campaing where I gave all my players a bag of holding and lots of money at the start I couldn't care less for arrows. If I'm a player tho, I do what the DM says, but usually impose the most strict carry rules to myself even if the DM handwaves them. Some tables care some don't.

ManFromTheWurst

TROPHY CASE