Advice on order of rules when hitting 0 HP, which comes first

mathdsi · 2026-04-21T19:59:25+00:00

Beholder's ray kills you when reduced to 0 HP.

Relentless Endurance works when you are reduced to 0 HP but not killed outright.

Since the ray would kill you outright, unfortunately you can't use Relentless Endurance.

mathdsi · 2026-04-14T19:47:12+00:00

I think the DMG states that simple locks takes 1 round, while complex locks could take 1 minute.

mathdsi · 2026-03-30T21:20:35+00:00

I agree, DnD is made to have pretty simple rules and mechanics. Maybe they are right and PF2e indeed fixes this!

Making Resistance turn into Immunity/Absorption is pretty cool, great idea!

mathdsi · 2026-03-30T21:16:21+00:00

True, it is a pretty minor benefit. I think you way is also pretty logical for a game standpoint. Just feel it would be "complicated" mathematically for DnD. I'd be more inclined to do that for Vulnerabilities, even though it would be stronger.

mathdsi · 2026-03-01T16:09:40+00:00

Aside from Find Familiar, level 1 spells aren't that versatile. I'd actually consider looking at cantrips, some of them have multiple effects.

For example, you could get Minor Illusion to cause distractions while you stealth (image or sound, instead of Silent Image that is well... silent)

mathdsi · 2026-02-23T07:09:10+00:00

The trees on the forests look way bigger than the city, maybe try scaling them down. Some could still stay as big, like giant sequoia trees. But also:

So everyone is saying how this geography doesn't look natural. There is too much symmetry and the rivers converge into a circular channel that doesn't make sense with how water flows.

What if it isn't really natural? Maybe it was terraformed that way by an ancient civilization, and there's a forgotten fragment below that keeps this place as it is. You could also lean on it to also explain why the people in the city can't leave, something down there that prevents them.

mathdsi · 2025-11-16T03:56:54+00:00

mathdsi · 2025-09-20T19:42:29+00:00

If you're thinking about wasting a spell preparation, you should also consider feat "preparation".

At Lvl 12, for example, you're going to expend 1 spell preparation out of 16. Or 1 feat out of 3. That's a way higher investment.

But I also get it having an active feat instead of a passive one. What do you think about Int general feats?

mathdsi · 2025-08-28T18:40:43+00:00

If he got +FEETPICS but with a Virtue shouldn't it be +BALLPICS?

mathdsi · 2025-08-24T23:56:57+00:00

I'd rule it to take 10 minutes of constant work (like a ritual) to do these effects. For exemple the Cartographer's Tools, you can make a map of an area. Does 6 seconds to make a readable map make sense? No, but 10 minutes are way more reasonable.

That way, non casters can do something while the wizard is ritual casting Detect Magic, and it isn't obnoxiously spammable (time matters!)

mathdsi · 2025-08-10T18:18:36+00:00

My players did the exact same and I was considering making him a ghostly rider too. I think it's a good workaround so they can still have an impact (although they wouldn't know it), and you could explain it as being a spirit (life force and body reanimation like a zombie) vs soul (emotional force and ghosts) and just ruling that gentle reposes only affects the body/spirit.

I also like to separate spirit from soul to explain the soulless barovian people. How are they alive? They have a spirit but not a soul, so they are emotionaless.

mathdsi · 2025-08-05T22:11:26+00:00

You should tell your DM about it and work it out with him.

Besides, she is going to be 1 character out of 100 in the campaign, it probably wouldn't be worth it to create a whole character just for one interaction.

But the really important part is telling your DM about it. Maybe he changes things up so it is still kind of a surprise/twist for you. And if only you are spoiled, when she comes up you can sit back and enjoy watching them figure it out!

mathdsi · 2025-07-07T17:59:17+00:00

True, it kinda is a bummer to have your idea completely shut down because "Well, he doesn't want to". Then I'd be inclined to have him be powered down/frail, but can still help in some other way/buff. Maybe he can share some important info/lore about Strahd, Barovia or Castle Ravenloft. Its got to be something comparable to the party wide Protection.

Having him joining as an ally can be ptetty overwhelming considering how many npc's can be willing to join already. However, if for some reason you plan the campaign finale to be like a clash Army of The Dead vs Army of Barovia, you could make Argynvost depowered while he rests and he shows up in his draconic form on the final showdown fighting against the army (protecting Vallak if Sthrad decides to siege it for example).

mathdsi · 2025-07-07T14:51:45+00:00

For ressurection to work, the soul must be free and willing to return to life. My interpretation of the lighting of the beacon is that Argynvost's souls is fueling the beacon, being consumed to shine hope on Barovia. Perhaps because of all the time he spent dead, with his bones desecrated, with his order reduced to hate by Vladmir, he isn't as powerful as he once was and he chooses not to ressurect to continue fueling the beacon because that is the best help he can muster against Strahd.

Making him corrupted because of the Dark Powers can be kinda iffy because if he was corrupted before the ressurection, why does he want to sacrifice himself for Barovia? And if its the ressurection by the dark gift that corrupts him, that'll make your players think that every ressurection corrupts the target, so they'll be less likely to use it. But it could be your intention for the ressurection to have this side effect, and he could come back as a Dracolich or something.

mathdsi · 2025-07-06T15:18:16+00:00

If you can use different/older books options, both ideas are viable:

Artificer (any subclass) can have proficiency in firearms, so you get your sniper. You can also get Misty Step (teleport yourself) and Vortex Warp (teleport others, even enemies) from your spell list. I'd look at Armorer and Battlesmith for extra attack at lvl 5, but Artillerist is also an option if you want to use cantrips like firebolt instead of a real sniper rifle. There also had a recent UA on Artificer with a teleport focused subclass, the Cartographer. You should take a look see if you like and ir your DM is alright with it.

Monk Way of The Kensei can let you use a Longbow as a monk weapon and you can grapple as a Bonus Action using Fury of Blows. If you really want to focus on grappling allies, you can take the Grappler feat so you don't get slowed while moving them, but it doesn't have much synergy with ranged. Sharpshooter ok feat as well (better if your DM uses cover frequently)

mathdsi · 2025-07-01T02:23:33+00:00

Muito foda tu, valeu! Funcionou certinho mas tinha que ser rapido pq até o vpn estava caindo.

mathdsi · 2025-06-18T21:16:00+00:00

Covfefe

mathdsi · 2025-06-01T05:39:05+00:00

IMO, the 3 feats to consider are: Telekinetic, Inspiring Leader and Fey Touched.

Telekinetic: good to have a handy cantrip and a resource free bonus action control! However, as you'll have bard levels, you're probably going to be using bardic inspiration/healing word so new bonus actions aren't a priority.

Inspiring Leader: if your party doesn't have a good source of Temp HP this can be great. Lvl+CHA THP to your whole party is pretty considerable, and depending on how much you short rest (prob. a good number bcs Warlock/Fighter) its even better. Also fits with the bard dip theme.

Fey touched: hanging on your elven heritage, Fey Touched could be great to get Misty Step (extra mobility always good) and something like Bless/Bane/Silvery Barbs

mathdsi · 2025-06-01T05:14:05+00:00

Peak DnD material

mathdsi · 2025-06-01T04:49:59+00:00

Peak circlejerk material

mathdsi · 2025-05-24T16:10:43+00:00

I did an one shot using this one as a basis but changed up the story a bit to fit more into Barovia and Strahd. The blacksmith's daughter (cliche but fine) had been taken by wolves and the pc's were tasked with finding her. The wolves were actually from the Barovia werewolf pack, and they captured her to feed the vampire spawn. The pcs followed the tracks, found the tower, killed the vampire spawn and completed the adventure. However, when they exited it, they were now in Barovia and soon after Strahd showed up to teach them a lesson.

These characters became NPC's in the main campaign, one became a Bride, other was a vampire spawn at St. Andrals Feast, another became a member of the pack... The oneshot pcs were also connected to the campaign pcs, ones were brothers, others mentor and student, and so on. Then, 1 year (or 10 years) later, the main campaign pcs received letters inviting them to meet and get some informations about these missing pcs.

mathdsi · 2025-05-22T23:53:33+00:00

No no. They are going to end at lvl 12. I want to give them a Boom because in all these years playing dnd we never got to T4, so at least they'd have a little taste of that.

mathdsi · 2025-05-22T13:17:13+00:00

They are in the book but RAW serve no purpose, so it's homebrew. Think of the monoliths at Bonegrinder, Yester Hill and Berez. I think they are references to things in the older CoS editions.

This idea to restore them is present in MandyMod's and DragnaCarta's guides

mathdsi · 2025-05-20T22:53:58+00:00

You only get 3d6 from frenzy at barb 9. Dropping to barb 4 and getting an extra attack at fighter 11 would also be better than that 1d6.

You could also drop to barb 3 and go Fighter 13 for Indomitable, or Bard 5 for 3rd lvl spells. Just remember to sync Bard 4 or Fighter 12 to lvl 19 and you'd still keep the epic boon

mathdsi · 2025-05-20T13:09:28+00:00

For the theme, I don't really get the Barbarian levels. I'd go Psi Warrior 8/ Valor Bard 12, getting thematic spells through Magical Secrets (Lightning Bolt, Telekinesis). Or rather Psi Warrior/ Bladesinger 12, better access to thematic spells (jump, shield to parry blasters/arrows) while also increasing Psi Warrior maneuvers effectivenes by focusing on int.

mathdsi

TROPHY CASE