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2019-09-16, 08:06 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
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2019-09-16, 08:51 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
But the one you linked to was posted in 2016.
Then, a couple years later, I believe after the big survey was done (where they received 3 times their target number of responses and had to close it early), we have Mearls saying that less than half of all tables use feats.
Mearls never said it was from Beyond.
They have surveys of a ton of players, way more than who play Beyond.
I trust Mearls' data over those publicly available D&D Beyond demographics that we've seen which I am skeptical of as you are.
But what if they're taking broad demographic data and don't care about the 'why'.
I'm sure your wife does a good job, but I also bet that WotC have also hired stats professionals to write surveys for them which will give them the data that they want.Last edited by ad_hoc; 2019-09-16 at 08:56 PM.
If you are trying to abuse the game; Don't. And you're probably wrong anyway.
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2019-09-16, 10:58 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
Originally Posted by krugaan
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2019-09-16, 11:12 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
If you are trying to abuse the game; Don't. And you're probably wrong anyway.
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2019-09-16, 11:16 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
When you ask "is this class better than this other class", everyone could say yes but mean completely oposite things.
Maybe people like that class A is strong than class B. Maybe people don't like non-casters and class B is a non-caster. Maybe some people's optimization levels are different for the classes? What if a bunch of people are all saying "yes" but yes is good to a lot and yes is bad to others?
Essentially, their questions were always so vague that it looks just like the type of servey someone will put out if they don't know how to collect data from a servey OR if they just want to give the perception of collecting data (plenty companies do this when they want to show productivity and they already have a solution).
The only things those serveys really told WotC is that "x number of people like Y" but everything comparing one thing to another was trash. Especially the balanced questions, even I was like "you learn nothing from these".5e e10
Class Progression (Ver. 1.1-ish)
The Cleric
The Fighter
The Rogue
The Wizard
Character Progression
Psionic Sub-classes
Races
Humans
Crossbreeds
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2019-09-16, 11:21 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
Less so when it is a rules module that was in the core book, has a history of being a key part of character customization, and that surveys from multiple sources have reported more than majority support of people using them. Try to see it from the perspective that there are multiple data packets being shown supporting the prolific nature of feats, while the only support we have against that is hearsay. Like, even doing a search, all I found about your hearsay was you talking about it on a different forum. And even knowing the name of the podcast, what I'm finding instead is Mearls talking about doing an episode devoted to feat design, which does not exactly support your claim.
Originally Posted by krugaan
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2019-09-17, 01:35 AM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
Strictly speaking, all maps of all kinds are purely optional for D&D. I've still yet to see a group that never broke out a sheet of paper to draw out a basic grid at some point or other for positioning.
Strictly speaking, all magic items are entirely optional. I've still yet to see a table where no one in the party has one after level 8.
If someone told me that Mike Mearls once said on an uncited video that fewer than half of all tables used magic items, or that more than 50% of all groups went purely theater of the mind, I'd tell them that they were nuts and probably wildly misconstruing the statement.
Likewise, I will disbelieve that fewer than half of all tables are using feats at all, no matter how reputable that video of that guy you know that you just can't find right now sounded at the time.
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2019-09-17, 01:18 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
Very true. my own table is evidence of that.
It's possible. Probably even. I almost always like a feat that offers more bonus action options, as I don't really player casters or rogues and I tend to have limited options for those. I find my characters get more out of improved action economy than +2 to main stat. But our Warlock, Druid and Rogue haven't taken any feats and probably won't since our campaign is likely to end before 12.
I am aware that I am a statistical outlier.
I've also found several of the surveys to be a bit lackluster. I'll type out my reasons in the text box they usually have at the end, but I very much doubt anyone is sifting through those beyond a few keyword checks.
Far easier to aggregate the multiple choice options.
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2019-09-17, 01:23 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
Probably because it was Crawford, not Mearls https://twitter.com/JeremyECrawford/...20122177331200
Again though he says players not using feats and doesn't say tables not allowing feats.
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2019-09-17, 01:52 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
Yeesh. I was writing a comment about the Banneret, but somehow I get the sense that this thread isn't about that anymore.
Last edited by LudicSavant; 2019-09-17 at 01:54 PM.
Originally Posted by ProsecutorGodot
Nerull | Wee Jas | Olidammara | Erythnul | Hextor | Corellon Larethian | Lolth | The Deep Ones
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2019-09-17, 01:59 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
Another reason for putting out surveys is to increase brand loyalty: studies show that if I ask you to e.g. rate my camera on a scale of 1-5 for its various qualities (all of which are good), it will increase your chances of buying that camera EVEN IF other cameras are even better. Surveys can focus attention where the corporation wants it focused. (Source: Robert Cialdini's book Pre-Suasion, highly recommended.)
I totally believe you that WotC's surveys are of low analytical value. The UA surveys that I've seen sure haven't been impressive. WotC doesn't give the impression they even know what they want to measure.
I agree! Now that I know more about 5E, both the rules and the typical stats of monsters, I can see that a good bonus action like a Crossbow Expert attack is worth far more than an extra +1 to your prime stat, especially at low levels. But to a new player who barely even knows what a "bonus action" is, and maybe isn't aware yet that you can't have more than one bonus action per turn... there's a lot of uncertainty to feats, and you don't know whether it's a good deal or not. Risk aversion might explain the low feat prevalence at low levels: giving up a sure, small gain for an uncertain benefit is something that we know typical human beings are psychologically unlikely to do.Last edited by MaxWilson; 2019-09-17 at 02:05 PM.
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2019-09-17, 02:18 PM (ISO 8601)
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2019-09-17, 02:33 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
Depends what you mean by "bad". Purple Dragon Knight/Banneret makes a nice, simple fighter, less fiddly than the Champion and with better social skills, and you can run a one-shot with three Knights of the Round Table (PDKs) and Merlin (Land Druid) and they will still have a blast beating up monsters and healing each other (and solving riddles and negotiating with monsters). In that scenario it isn't bad at all.
The baseline Fighter chassis is strong enough that PDKs are still fun. It's just that mechanically you'd get more raw power out of any subclass that isn't the Champion or Arcane Archer. Don't play PDK if your goal is to make the game as mechanically easy as possible for yourself.
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2019-09-17, 03:17 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
Alas, I was just going to break down why I think it's a turkey with examples of how to outperform it at its own game. You know, stuff like how the Samurai can actually make a better party face than it (since they get their bonus proficiency 4 levels earlier, and their Persuasion-boosting ability can actually stack with Expertise, and they're basically a feat ahead of schedule for combat relevance thanks to their Wisdom save proficiency and therefore can afford to take Prodigy or something if they're so inclined). Or how Battle Master or Eldritch Knight can provide more support.
Like Max says the PDK is still going to be playable because the Fighter core is decent enough, but saying a class is playable is like saying food is edible. This ain't the mechanical equivalent of a 3 Michelin star restaurant, is all I'm sayin'.Last edited by LudicSavant; 2019-09-17 at 03:27 PM.
Originally Posted by ProsecutorGodot
Nerull | Wee Jas | Olidammara | Erythnul | Hextor | Corellon Larethian | Lolth | The Deep Ones
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2019-09-17, 03:30 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
You're not wrong, but I have more to say so I will.
I'd rate it highly for simplicity. There's nothing you can do with a Battlemaster that will make it simpler than a PDK. You'll always be fiddling with your maneuver dice and optimal maneuvers to learn (Riposte, Precision Strike, Commander's Strike?) and which dice to spend on what maneuvers. The PDK can give you a pretty good experience out of the box, and you still get to heal your buddies and give people extra attacks at roughly the same efficiency as an equivalent Battlemaster. (Plus, you can help people pass some extra saves, which I don't think the Battlemaster can do at all.)
It might not be a 5-star restaurant or custom-tailored suit, but it's a pretty decent off-the-rack suit that you can buy if you want to look nice and don't know or care much about custom tailoring.Last edited by MaxWilson; 2019-09-17 at 03:31 PM.
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2019-09-17, 03:51 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
So I know tier 4 doesn't matter (which begs the question: why are people mentioning pre tier 4 sam?)
That said. PDK gets to toss out a nice 100+ damage with no personal action cost 2/SR in tier 4 when supporting a pair of AT's . It's definitely decent.
Edit: The big complaint for PDK isn't that it has a bad tier 2, 3, or 4. It's tier 1. In tier 1 we pretty much get only second wind+ which is... actually pretty great. Every time I've used this skill to self heal it has pushed at least one party member out of ORKO range at 0 action cost. As I prefer to play in wide magic or AL settings the low number of "buttons" on the sub is... irrelevant. Magic items give better bang for my buck power and action economy wise anywho.
TL:DR The main selling point of PDK is that its features cost nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch in terms of the defining optimization mechanic. Is it the best sub? No. EK exists. That said it's not significantly worse than non-EK fighters in published books and it has some qualities that are somewhat unique in terms of char OP space. I'd give it a try before slamming it.
Edit again: In terms of 1-20 simple playability and the class delivering what it promises I'll agree that PDK is low key... just really stellar game design.Last edited by Nhorianscum; 2019-09-17 at 04:45 PM.
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2019-09-17, 04:07 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
You know, that is an excellent point.
I was about to post a Battlemaster build with the Rally and Commander's Strike maneuvers, and the Prodigy feat, and argue that you've got about 9/10ths of what the Banneret can do, on top of the rest of your Battlebaster abilities. But, looking at it from MaxWilson's perspective, it's also true that if you WANTED a battlemaster with those abilities, but didn't want to have to be fiddly about building one, here, have a PDN. It'll get you 9/10ths of the way there, with no hassle.
Compared to the Champion fighter, which was meant as a kind of plug-and-play insta-character for people with other things to do besides chargen, I think you could make that argument for the PDN/Banneret as well. Want to play a courtly knight who leads his troops in glorious battle? Human, PDN, noble background. Standard array stats, Str > Con > Cha > whatever. Take starting equipment, done. You've got a perfectly playable character that checks all your boxes.
I think this is the strongest defense you can make for this guy, not that he's really as strong as the other options, but that he does what he needs to do well enough without the complexity of the other options.
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2019-09-17, 04:46 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
It's an interesting point to discuss. I can appreciate the niche of offering something that is simple and "plug'n'play," yet doesn't offer the most optimized experience. However, I think the PDK could stand to have some improvement in terms of that kind of design, too.
Let me paint you a picture of a player who wanted something simple and supporty in their Fighter. Someone rather unlike me (I'm more the sort to prefer the 'custom-tailored suit' as you put it, though I can appreciate the appeal of things like Champion to others). They play a PDK, and have an experience like this: "Well, I failed my save, but maybe I should save my Indomitable until I can use Bulwark. I'll just suffer through this failed save. And this one. And this one. Gotta think of supporting my allies, after all. Oh, okay, now we're both getting targeted with saves and we both failed! Oh wait, it wasn't mental, okay. Okay, now the DM is feeling bad and is explicitly trying to give me a chance to shine and had the enemy target me and an ally with an AoE mental save! And my ally failed the save! Time to save them! Wait... what do you mean I made the save, so I can't make my ally reroll it?"
This sort of thing continues. They end the adventure having never actually used their Bulwark to successfully change an outcome. Let's just say they are not very happy with the experience.
I feel like the devs may not have even registered that "you can reroll an ally's save a number of times per day equal to your Indomitable uses" and "you can reroll an ally's save when you use Indomitable on a save you failed" are quite different in value.
Also, if the design goal was really friendly plug and play design, a few of the design choices don't seem quite on the mark to me. For example, a player with Rallying Cry has to think about whether they want to use their Second Wind in situations where a Fighter would normally use it, or hold off until everyone else has taken some damage too (or vice versa, where everyone's taken a little damage but they wouldn't get much out of the larger self heal). And if they use it early, they might feel a sense of loss aversion (similar to the player who didn't want to use Indomitable when they couldn't benefit from Bulwark). The Champion intentionally has no such decision points.
I also get the sense that a lot of things players expect or want to work... don't work, and that this leads to disappointing experiences for those players as their expectations or desires are dashed. For example, the Banneret inspiring the fallen man to get back up on his feet doesn't work. Why the heck not? That seems like a rather iconic part of the banneret fantasy, a trope we've seen over and over, and it wouldn't add any complexity or anything.Last edited by LudicSavant; 2019-09-17 at 05:29 PM. Reason: Elaborated a bit
Originally Posted by ProsecutorGodot
Nerull | Wee Jas | Olidammara | Erythnul | Hextor | Corellon Larethian | Lolth | The Deep Ones
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2019-09-17, 05:30 PM (ISO 8601)
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2019-09-17, 06:58 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
You're arguing that the fighter could be made simpler? Oh, I 100% agree there. If it were up to me the base Fighter chassis wouldn't even have Second Wind or Indomitable on it--Action Surge is all the resource management I want a player to have to deal with, when he's looking for a non-fiddly experience. Instead of Indomitable, just give +3 bonus to all saves.
Also, if the design goal was really friendly plug and play design, a few of the design choices don't seem quite on the mark to me. For example, a player with Rallying Cry has to think about whether they want to use their Second Wind in situations where a Fighter would normally use it, or hold off until everyone else has taken some damage too (or vice versa, where everyone's taken a little damage but they wouldn't get much out of the larger self heal). And if they use it early, they might feel a sense of loss aversion (similar to the player who didn't want to use Indomitable when they couldn't benefit from Bulwark). The Champion intentionally has no such decision points.
I also get the sense that a lot of things players expect or want to work... don't work, and that this leads to disappointing experiences for those players as their expectations or desires are dashed. For example, the Banneret inspiring the fallen man to get back up on his feet doesn't work. Why the heck not? That seems like a rather iconic part of the banneret fantasy, a trope we've seen over and over, and it wouldn't add any complexity or anything.
However, from a fluff point of view I don't think it's a problem that you can't shout someone back to consciousness. You call it an "iconic part of banneret fantasy, a trope we've seen over and over" but if you're referring to war movies and stuff, I have never seen this trope happen to an unconscious person, only to a discouraged person. It might be more iconic for Bannerets to get to end Fear on one target as a bonus action (no resource cost), which is something I actually do see in movies.
What would really be iconic though is the ability to boost NPC morale, but 5E unlike AD&D has no Morale stat for monsters or NPCs and barely has Morale rules (optional rules in the DMG for Wisdom save-based morale checks), and for whatever reason the PDK chose not to interact with those rules.
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2019-09-17, 07:00 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
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2019-09-17, 07:06 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
By "features" you mean "a feature," right? Bulwark.
I quoted stuff that I agreed with, and said so. LudicSavant: I agree, the PDK's rules are needlessly complex and often counterintuitive, and Bulwark is the worst of the lot.
P.S. As a DM I'd say that not letting a fighter use Indomitable (therefore Bulwark) on a successful save, if he wants to, would be a jerk move.Last edited by MaxWilson; 2019-09-17 at 08:37 PM.
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2019-09-17, 07:15 PM (ISO 8601)
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2019-09-17, 09:05 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
Y'all inspired me to make my own Purple Dragon Knight subclass.
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showt...9#post24153349
It's not the best but I threw it together rather fast.
Edit: Aparently I forgot that fighters get a subclass feature at 15 lolLast edited by SpawnOfMorbo; 2019-09-18 at 08:15 AM.
5e e10
Class Progression (Ver. 1.1-ish)
The Cleric
The Fighter
The Rogue
The Wizard
Character Progression
Psionic Sub-classes
Races
Humans
Crossbreeds
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2019-09-18, 04:27 PM (ISO 8601)
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- Oct 2015
Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
This was for the most recent UA dealing with giving Bardic Inspiration to an unconscious creature, but this actually buffs the Banneret! Since Rallying Cry only needs them to see or hear you and apparently an unconscious creature can still hear, you can pull the classic Call of Duty scene of the Banneret sergeant yelling at the PC not to die yet.
Originally Posted by krugaan
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2019-09-18, 04:37 PM (ISO 8601)
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2019-09-18, 04:40 PM (ISO 8601)
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2019-09-18, 04:41 PM (ISO 8601)
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A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
I'd have preferred to see this thread go into how to get the most out of the PDK, rather than the series of posts slamming that archetype. If one is trying to optimize a given sub class, it isn't necessary to go on and on about how a different class is better, etc.
Can we get back to that?
How to get the most out of the PDK?Last edited by KorvinStarmast; 2019-09-18 at 04:42 PM.
Avatar by linklele. How Teleport Worksa. Malifice (paraphrased):
Rulings are not 'House Rules.' Rulings are a DM doing what DMs are supposed to do.
b. greenstone (paraphrased):
Agency means that they {players} control their character's actions; you control the world's reactions to the character's actions.
Second known member of the Greyview Appreciation Society
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2019-09-18, 04:45 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
5e e10
Class Progression (Ver. 1.1-ish)
The Cleric
The Fighter
The Rogue
The Wizard
Character Progression
Psionic Sub-classes
Races
Humans
Crossbreeds
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2019-09-18, 04:49 PM (ISO 8601)
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Re: A Defense of the Banneret: A Mechanical Guide to a Supporting Fighter
You seem to have missed the point I was trying to make.
It doesn't matter that a given sub class isn't perfect or as "awesome" as some other class and / or sub class. The point is that "getting the most out of this sub class" is a form of optimization. I'd suggest that there is enough brain power in the Playground to tackle that challenge instead of dismissing the OP's intent.Last edited by KorvinStarmast; 2019-09-18 at 04:50 PM.
Avatar by linklele. How Teleport Worksa. Malifice (paraphrased):
Rulings are not 'House Rules.' Rulings are a DM doing what DMs are supposed to do.
b. greenstone (paraphrased):
Agency means that they {players} control their character's actions; you control the world's reactions to the character's actions.
Second known member of the Greyview Appreciation Society