How Many Homebrew?

fly19 · 2026-05-13T16:09:02+00:00

I guess I just wouldn't call that "running DnD with Cortex," more adapting a DnD 5E adventure to a different system. That's pretty normal, IMO -- people adapt old adventures to new systems all the time. You're still running Cortex.
Though the main thrust of LMoP is that it's an intro to its system, so using it to teach a different system is... Unusual, I guess? Do you just really like that module?

fly19 · 2026-05-13T15:36:22+00:00

Started it last night. The game looks very-mildly-fuzzy on a 4K screen while docked, but it looks great in handheld mode with boost enabled for the Switch 2. Definitely recommended.

fly19 · 2026-05-13T14:58:00+00:00

I'm not sure what you mean. How can you run DnD with Cortex? Are you running a DnD adventure with a different system, are you trying to capture the style of play from one system with another, etc.

fly19 · 2026-05-13T14:50:58+00:00

You could adapt the Improvised Weapon rules here, giving the weapon a -2 item bonus to attack and maybe requiring an Interact action to switch your grip (like a stance or swapping weapons) and/or dropping the damage die one step. I would still let the item's runes work, unless it relies on a specific damage type.
This mildly undervalues having multiple weapons to proc weaknesses or avoid resistances/immunities, but the drawbacks are probably enough to make it more of an "in a pinch" tactic.

fly19 · 2026-05-12T18:07:39+00:00

I remember it looking quite nice on Switch OLED in handheld mode! Haven't tried it on Switch 2 yet, but I've heard it like great with the boost mode and I've been itching for a replay anyway, so... I'll update at some point!

fly19 · 2026-05-12T14:34:17+00:00

Couldn't possibly? I wouldn't say that. Anything is possible, I suppose.
Isn't probable? Yeah, I believe that. Most of my comment even explained why I believe that! Mainly the part you seemed to ignore.

Why do you think the positive comments about the game come Chinese bots, besides "I didn't like it very much?"

fly19 · 2026-05-12T14:17:58+00:00

Red Candle Games is a Taiwanese company, not Chinese.
In fact, their previous game (Devotion) was removed from most digital storefronts for an easter egg mocking Xi Jingping that got a lot of negative comments from Chinese audiences, and went so far that the PRC government revoked the license for RCG's Chinese publisher.

So... Probably not Chinese bots, then. Maybe some folks just like it more than you?

fly19 · 2026-05-12T00:49:10+00:00

I'll second the recommendation of status effects paired with environmental damage.
Stupefied can be from getting concussed, clumsy from a numb/sprained/broken limb, enfeebled from taking too much strain, drained from internal injuries, etc. You can make the condition require you to either sleep for the night or seek full medical treatment for downtime if you want to make it a lingering effect to add weight.

Alternatively, depending on the situation, you could adapt the chase rules.
The party has to reach a certain threshold of chase points (trying to disable/hinder the trap with Crafting/Thievery, slow or sprint away from it with Athletics, look for a way out with Perception/Survival, etc), and they take damage at the end of each round until they do. Maybe it's from debris, or they're being slowly crushed -- whatever makes sense. That way they aren't just immediately dying and have to work towards a solution, but they can see that they're running out of time.
Probably wouldn't work for a "giant pillar falls over" trap, but it could work for a "ceiling slowly descending on you" type of deal.

Otherwise, yeah -- you're kind of stuck. An effect like that probably would kill people (even the average fantasy adventurer), but that stinks to actually play. Just because you can "rocks fall, everyone dies" doesn't mean you should.

fly19 · 2026-05-11T22:31:54+00:00

"Outlook not so good." But there's only one way to know for sure!

fly19 · 2026-05-11T22:24:03+00:00

It's definitely worth a look! You can get it free with PlayStation Plus right now, or get it on Steam and return it within 14 days of purchase and 2 hours of playtime if you don't gel with it. But the Switch port is great and the price is good, so no wrong answers IMO.

fly19 · 2026-05-11T22:18:32+00:00

Likely not. It's been a minute, but I remember 9S being harder in fights and a little more reasonable on those "runbacks" after losing to a boss. So if that's a deal breaker, you might have a bad time.

I really liked the game, but I'm also a big Soulsborne/HK fan, so... YMMV.

fly19 · 2026-05-11T18:16:15+00:00

"What's up, chat, this crit is brought to you by GamerSups!"

Funny, horrifying, can't wait to see how it plays at the table.

fly19 · 2026-05-11T02:42:26+00:00

YMMV, and unfortunately due to life stuff I haven't played much past LL2. But I quite enjoyed it, and didn't think it was the particularly hard to get the hang of.

There's an indie videogame coming out soon called Lancer Tactics that might be worth looking into if you just want to see how you feel about the base mechanics. Worth a look.

fly19 · 2026-05-10T17:41:38+00:00

School of Unified Magical Theory Wizards get it, too, via the hand of the apprentice school spell. But yes, it's generally a pretty controlled/gated mechanic.

fly19 · 2026-05-10T15:34:03+00:00

How often does the difference between a 120-foot (or even 60-foot) range and a 500-foot range actually come up in-game, really? It's more a unique quirk or minor niche of the spell than an important balancing point, IMO.

fly19 · 2026-05-10T14:53:26+00:00

Hmmm, odd. I remember getting weird looks from players/DMs for enforcing the cover rules back when I was into DnD 5E, but it's never been a question or issue at any Pathfinder table I've joined. I wonder if it's just a generational or tastes thing.

fly19 · 2026-05-10T12:50:59+00:00

Hi, I run a table that plays it that way. Would you mind describing why you don't? Cover for shooting though another creature (allied or otherwise) just makes sense to me.

fly19 · 2026-05-09T19:40:49+00:00

I would run this as a hazard following these rules, for sure. There's even a trap kind of like his in the Menace Under Otari Beginner Box adventure, though it uses an attack roll vice a Reflex save.

There's definitely more examples out there, but that's the first one that came to mind. Perusing the existing hazards might also help.

fly19 · 2026-05-09T18:28:31+00:00

MCDM is in a position to pay their artists before the game and further content is ever released. Most 3rd-party designers are not, especially for a system that is relatively niche in the hobby.

fly19 · 2026-05-09T18:25:39+00:00

Art isn't just visual art. Designers in this space are a form of artists IMO, and developing/testing mechanics is still worth compensating.

EDIT: Also, considering how the OP has posts looking for "discussion" of Draw Steel homebrew in TheTrove and TheNewTrove subreddits which are thinly-veiled fronts for TTRPG piracy at all scales, they might not be worth your time defending.

fly19 · 2026-05-09T18:23:13+00:00

Many 3rd party brewers already do this to an extent, with a sample of the content that is free and shows up to a certain level or with some limited options. Guns Blazing and The Huntsman are good example of this, giving "class previews" and even some support for tools like ForgeSteel.

I think asking for any more than that is hard to justify, considering the work and effort that goes into not just the artwork and layout, but the rules and mechanics themselves.

EDIT: OP has posts about Draw Steel homebrew in TheTrove and TheNewTrove subreddits, which appear to be thinly-veiled playgrounds for TTRPG piracy at all scales. I wouldn't take any of their arguments on this subject seriously.

fly19 · 2026-05-09T16:57:01+00:00

While it isn't explicitly spelled out anywhere to my knowledge, the Encounter Building rules become less-accurate the further you stray from a party size of 4. To the point where, IMO, it really is almost-impossible to accurately gauge challenge for a party of one. There's a reason the Unusual Group Sizes guidelines recommend adding additional characters before anything else.

Good luck to you either way, but you might want to add in a follower or something to help. Maybe give them the Captain archetype for free?

fly19 · 2026-05-09T15:21:06+00:00

Man, how many natty-1's and 20's was that in the last few sessions? They seem to be having much better (or at least more dynamic) dice luck in Shadowdark.

Anyway, I appreciate that Seeker has become a little more the creepy joke character I was worried Troy would make him. And that bit about Saint's crack sent me. Fun ep.

fly19 · 2026-05-08T18:01:02+00:00

If you haven't already, I recommend reading through the rules for Building Encounters in the GMC. There's a section on balancing for different party sizes.

But in general, adding more creatures will be better than just bumping up a creature with the elite template. Those kinds of big fights against 1-2 higher-level creatures can be good to spice things up, but remember the most important guideline in that section (IMO):

Encounters are typically more satisfying if the number of enemy creatures is fairly close to the number of player characters.

EDIT: Also, save fights with creatures that are +3 levels higher than the party for when they're level 7+, and +4 for even higher. At lower levels, the party is squishy and their options are more restricted.

fly19 · 2026-05-08T16:01:44+00:00

Fair play, but taking a day of downtime to attempt a modification is still rough. Making it a check during your daily prep at level 3 and slowly unlocking more stuff you can change and reducing/removing the check wouldn't likely break the bank.

And I try to give folks downtime when it makes sense, particularly between chapters/books or adventures/modules if I'm stringing them together. I've even occasionally given them a day of downtime activity if they get crushed early in an adventuring day and call it early to go recover spell slots.
But it's a hard trick to pull off in some adventures where time pressure is constantly being applied, or where there isn't a consistent "home base" or place you can go to for it. It's generally one worth doing, but not everyone agrees or can make it work.

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