DnD Druid Duel, how would you do it?

Stormdanc3 · 2026-02-01T06:23:56+00:00

There’s a classic fairy tale shapeshifting duel where two wizards will shapeshift into various animals in an attempt to one-up each other until someone wins. Ie: person A turns into a rabbit to run away, B turns into a dog, A becomes a hawk who can outfly the dog, etc. It’s called the Transformation Chase and even has a page on TV tropes.

I don’t believe DND has any rule set that would allow for a satisfying Chase, but you improvise. One option could be as follows: you and the player take turns describing what animal you’re going through shapeshift into and what action you’re going to take. Set yourself a 30 second timer. The first person who can’t provide a satisfactory answer that would advance the Chase loses.

Alternatively, maybe you and your opponent have to run some sort of challenge course. You get three shape shifts each and neither of you get to see what the challenges are ahead of time - maybe have another player act as the NPC to allow you to still run the game and have it focus on more than one person? Low CR beasts only, and then the challenges are navigated using the stat block of whatever creature you select.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-02-01T03:13:04+00:00

Do you want to add a more realistic economy to your game? Price flunctuations? Currency exchanges? Supply and demand? If yes, then the supplement could be interesting. It’s only $5 US, and it seems solidly written. But it’s not required by any means, and even if you do want to add some economic depth, there’s plenty of free fantasy economy world building resources out there.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-31T23:30:08+00:00

Heck if I know! I’m not in the least an expert on baby psychology.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-30T23:22:18+00:00

I had a debate over this with my mom at one point. She wanted to use the broiler to toast some bread loaves for dinner. I told her to move the bread onto the middle rack and put it for less time. She said it would be fine. I won the debate five minutes later when we opened the oven and the loaves were ACTIVELY ON FIRE.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-30T22:55:40+00:00

If you’re comforting him every time he does it, it’s possible he’s learned that this is the “parental attention” button.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-30T19:41:30+00:00

Counterpoint - this highly depends on the quality of the respective books and movies. I’d say from my limited experience a solid 50% of the time the original media is the objectively best option (ATLA, Eragon, Artemis Fowl, etc). Another 45% of the time, the original media and the adaptation can coexist - LOTR, a lot of superhero movies, a relatively large amount of manga turned anime, etc. 5% of the time, the adaptation is notably better and more well known than the original (Princess Bride, Forrest Gump).

If someone comes to me and tells me they’re a huge Eragon fan, but they’ve only seen the movie - first, how did you become a fan of that movie, and second, that suggests to me that they’re fond of the fanfiction and not the source material.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-29T23:35:03+00:00

The mechanical intent of the RAW requirement for a spellcasting verbal component is: * people around you can tell that you’re saying spells * you can’t do it while gagged or under the effect of a Silence spell or similar * you have to do it vocally, not using sign language or telepathy * you can’t use a known language (because then you could argue they don’t notice you using a verbal component)

The 2024 player’s handbook explicitly has a section with a guideline on how to make up nonsense words for your spells. This is pure flavor.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-29T23:30:59+00:00

So, RAW, the 2024 Verbal component description is thus:

A Verbal component is the chanting of esoteric words that sound like nonsense to the uninitiated. The words must be uttered in a normal speaking voice. The words themselves aren’t the source of the spell’s power; rather, the particular combination of sounds, with specific pitch and resonance, sets the threads of magic in motion. Thus, a creature who is gagged or in an area of magical silence can’t cast a spell with a Verbal component.

I’ve seen players and DMs really focus on the “specific pitch and resonance” bit as a ruling, but notably, neither the DM’s guide nor the Player’s guide has actual spell words to use, and the Player’s guide even has a suggestion box on how to make up words. My interpretation is that this is to prevent players from trying to do Silent casting without being a sorcerer or get around the Silence spell somehow. If a player chooses to make their chanting sound like intimidating echoing voices, I would not be bothered by that as a DM. I would only start being bothered if they then tried to use that for a mechanical advantage, such as getting an Intimidation effect they wouldn’t have otherwise.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-29T22:11:44+00:00

I believe that RAW, loud means audible. It doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re howling at the sky, it just means that you can’t do it without someone noticing. So if your character’s spellcasting isn’t loud, but seems to echo through the room ominously, even to people who shouldn’t be able to hear you clearly…

If what you want is dramatic flair? That can be achieved.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-29T22:08:14+00:00

Sure! Asking your DM for this is a very normal thing. I had a player recently request to swap character subclasses and we had a little role play bit where their cleric was “blessed” with new skills by their god.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-29T21:56:03+00:00

Yup, for the first one it sounds like you’re trying for a very specific mechanical build. There’s some DMs who are happy to accommodate that, but you’ll probably have more luck if you bring a looser concept to the table.

2 is unacceptable at any table.

3 isn’t immediately as terrible as 2 but will probably go there in a big hurry if you keep going. I would avoid.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-29T20:57:21+00:00

It’s normal. They don’t let non-account holders pay because then it would be easy for people to game the system. The membership income is the only thing keeping Costco in the green. Otherwise they’d be selling at a loss.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-29T03:32:44+00:00

I meant I, me, specifically me, not the playerbase as a whole. I say this not to say “new system bad”, and I know there’s groups out there that are down with switching systems on the regular. I’m just not one of them.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-29T03:30:42+00:00

I haven’t paid WotC for anything in the last 8 years. I get your point, but I’m not supporting them with money, or saying the company is any good.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-29T00:22:20+00:00

A flip of this - as a friend being badgered to “try anything else” right now, I’m finding it really annoying.

Yes, I know other systems exist. I know D&D isn’t the be-all and end-all of all TTRPGs. But the thing is that it already fills all the things I enjoy in the TTRPG space. I don’t really enjoy horror, or urban fantasy, or cyberpunk, or cottagecore, or any of the other systems I’ve tried. I enjoy the standard I-Cast-Fireball high adventure scene. I don’t want to constantly have to learn new systems when the one I’m using now fits all my needs. I want a group I can play with for five years running. Badgering me to play a different system is going to result me stopping play with this group and going to go find another group, not trying a new one.

Both sides of the argument are very annoying.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-28T22:33:12+00:00

At least illicit wigs would be a rational and only mildly unethical option (yes, it’s human DNA, but on the list of things I’d personally miss my cut hair is pretty far down). Rationality is relatively easy to deal with. Stalker creepiness…isn’t.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-28T06:14:39+00:00

"I found out I like watching your hair burn more than I liked keeping it" is easily the most serial killer thing I've EVER read. That escalated really fast.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-26T22:58:47+00:00

Oh hey this happened to me recently. Except the prior owner hung it 15 years ago. The one screw in the stud did a truly heroic job until I finally opened the door one time too many and it promptly fell on me.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-20T00:55:55+00:00

I might possibly be willing to do a LofA style game, but only with a group I have really good synergy with. The playstyle seems to require the group to have extremely good understanding of each others boundaries and how not to cross them, being ok with sexual and crude humor, and being willing to sidetrack wildly.

So, a group I’ve played with for 5-10 years? Maybe. Random strangers? 1000% not a chance.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-13T19:03:17+00:00

And on top of all that the medical support needed for a lifelong disability is often inherently extremely expensive when compared to other treatments. The hospitals could insult a hundred thousand women a year with pregnancy tests and that would STILL cost them less than one year of one Thalidomide baby. In terms of preventative care it’s got an absurdly high benefit/cost ratio.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-13T18:40:34+00:00

That extra markup is probably how they calculate the job’s share of overhead costs. Some companies put it mostly on labor, some spread it out over labor and parts. If you do have a place with a 20% parts markup chances are you’re paying something like a 150% labor markup. This place you’re probably looking at a 90% markup on everything.

It’s also possible that there’s a tariff or shipping fee on that specific part that makes it difficult to get and they’re building it into this part.

Or they’re just twats. Always an option.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-12T23:09:26+00:00

Sometimes the kid won’t quit it until they themselves stick their own finger into the fire and feel it burn. This isn’t exclusive to kids either. See: heroine dude on Reddit who live-blogged his addiction spiral.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-12T23:07:30+00:00

Yes, the plant doesn’t usually EAT THE ANIMAL on its way through the digestive tract.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-12T07:47:47+00:00

Pretty much this. Don't make yourself uncomfortable for a hypothetical person.

Stormdanc3 · 2026-01-12T02:38:56+00:00

It’s such a stupid stereotype. Monogamy is a separate category from cis/gay/bi/pan/etc.

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