#142

[@johnmagowan6393]

I can't stop laughing at Ben's In Memorium picture.

[@matthewsnow-zj1cu]

As we all know, Ben Byrne was an honorable man.

[@MarxMayhem]

So proud for everyone carrying this episode!

[@matthewsnow-zj1cu]

It’s what Ben would have wanted.

[@LUZ_TAK]

​@@matthewsnow-zj1cu Ben who?

[@gvanbooven]

I was one of those who meet James briefly at the intermission of the Critical Role live play and had a lovely chat. What a kind and friendly individual!

[@wallyallen7169]

My favorite D&D podcast, my second favorite podcast overall, I look forward to y'all every Wednesday morning 🥹

[@tylerreed2409]

I love the still of Ben left up, because even when he isn't here his presence is felt

[@badmojo0777]

ONe of my top 5 KZbin subscriptions~!! Treantmonks Temple, Lsy Flourishs Lazy DM, Dungeon Dudes and Ghostfire Podcast are all all top notch in their different approaches to the game.

[@CitanulsPumpkin]

3:23 Dael may get some milage out of my homebrew ranger fix. When I run games for ranger players, I give them all the upgrades in Tasha's, deft explorer, canny, tireless, the bonus spells, etc... with one major exception. Rangers lose Hunter's Mark and any features that reference it, and they lose favored enemy and favored terrain. In place of those three features, they get Favored Mana. At levels 1, 6, and 14, the levels where they would choose a new favored enemy creature type, they get bonus languages equal to the int modifier, and they choose one color of mana. White Blue Black Red Green Colorless The colors of Magic the Gathering. Rangers get bonuses when dealing with any creature, terrain, background, class, or effect tied to their favored mana colors. 1. All weapon attacks against any creature tied to their mana colors deal one additional damage die of the weapon's normal type. 2. They make all Dex, Int, and Wis ability checks related to anything tied to their favored mana colors with advantage. If I'm running Hex Crawl based exploration, I give rangers another bonus. I look at the movement speed of any creature or vehicle. I drop the number in the ones place and look at the tens. That's how many hexes a creature or vehicle can cover in one day over uneven terrain. Rolling hills, light brush, soft earth, loose sand, or tall grass. Rough terrain is halved and takes two hexes of movement to cover. Rocky slopes, loose forests, small mountain ranges, or other similar terrains. Massive mountains, swamps, and dense or haunted forests are almost impassable and routes through them are treated as dungeons. If there is a paved or maintained road in a hex then movement through that hex costs half what it would over uneven terrain. A creature with 30 feet of movement can cover 3 hexes over open fields, 2 over rough terrain(rounding up), or 6 hexes of road in a day. Rangers and their vehicles or traveling companions treat hexes dominated by one or more of their favored mana colors as roads. Want to race through the impassable mountains or dense swamps next to the town your base is in? Get a ranger who picked rakdos colors. Traveling across a blasted wasteland left by a magic cataclysm or a major city during rush hour? Be friends with a colorless mana ranger. Haunted forest? Green and black. The Aetherial Expanse? Blue and colorless. That stretch of desert the locals call "The Anvil of the Sun?" Red and white. After seeing the UAs where rangers just got the Tasha's upgrades made baseline and more uses of Hunter's Mark, I quickly concluded I wasn't going to get much use out of the 2024 reprints.

[@kurtoogle4576]

I really appreciate the conversation and ideas with the chase scenes! Thank you! Also - love that intro!

[@matthewsnow-zj1cu]

Get out your conspiracy cubes folks. It’s time to practice some Ethical Art Necromancy. Love thise tentative babudahs at the end. 😂 You all are the best.

[@R2D_YT]

Rip Ben

[@ArcRevenant]

Dael has some great malphorisms. "Staking a flag" is perfectly cromulent phrase and I will begin using it regularly.

[@nicka3697]

The AI players are playing with the AI dungeon masters. They all turn up on time, no one types BRB or keeps rushing off to the loo. It's great.

[@Batterydennis]

Honestly, I love telling stories and have always seen the rules/system as a vehicle to do that. But, as I have more recently focused on the rules, and treated D&D as more of a ‘game’ I have found that my campaigns last long (and actually finish) and I have more people referring their friends. I have more people wanting me to DM for them than I can handle. And I believe that’s because I have focused on playing and running a game, and in turn also end up telling a cool story. People who don’t know anything about D&D think it is a game. When they show up for the first time and it is less focused on rules and more about “storey” it can be a turn off.

[@DavidSmith-jj7ll]

Now I'm imagining Hasbro just going Extremely Online and re-orienting Furby to be Biblically Accurate Furby.

[@dantherpghero2885]

I Love ALL Ghostfire Podcasts videos! AI players do not bring snacks to the game. Automatic fail.

[@Lycaon1765]

What I hope personally is that the game ISN'T like pf2. Those games have completely different ethos and design goals and making it like pf2 would just ruin 5e imo. pf2 has nearly completely removed randomness and attrition, meanwhile 5e is steeped in those design aspects. pf2 is all about having a rule for everything and never needing to homebrew, meanwhile making 5e your own is the base assumption and is built that way. All this and more, the games whilst looking the same have critical differences and so I hope they don't take cues from it.

[@paganite]

A way of doing a 'coin flip' style quick check while still keeping your stats is to roll at or below your corresponding Ability Score. Roll with advantage if you're proficient with the skill. Perception check? Roll below Wisdom. Acrobatics? Roll below Dexterity. It's not completely accurate, but its better than a flat DC 10 check. That said the most important thing is keeping up the urgency and not giving the players the opportunity to drag it down. Directing the energy of the table is one of the most important theatrical skills a GM needs if tension not derived from combat is important to your game.

[@geraldogrady]

I think there is more art in the D&D Beyond version (especially NPC art) to support online play. I've been a DM for more than 30 years and I almost never show an image of an NPC in an in-person game, but the last 5 years I've been DMing online and I find art for every important NPC to show in my VTT.

[@DavidSmith-jj7ll]

I've done chase scenes as player a couple times. Treated it as a skill challenge in one case, and just as a moving combat in the other.

[@RevocerGM]

45:50 - that is such a good frickin point. I've tried doing a chase sequence before (it was a bad idea - it was more for style than substance and it kinda failed) - but the breadth of the player choice meant they ended the chase sequence far earlier than I'd expected could happen. It made the 'cool moment' kind of fall flat. So I think, 1: probably avoid style-only chase sequences. and 2: do as you say and give a/b choices.

[@basselstineart]

My favorite style of chase is the moving platform style. The party is on a carriage, raft, War Rig ect.. and have to defend it from waves of attackers.

[@loragex]

I feel like there was a major point missed in the conversation about the pushing mechanics. The limited-ness of the push requires teamwork or at least timeing/planning. If D&D were a single player game, this would be a great argument, but you can work with other characters to make that cool cliff or wall interaction happen, to work the boss or enemy to the right place so you can make the right move at the right time. What do you think is more rewarding, working with the party to make a cool move happen or doing it by yourself off to the side?

[@LordZeebee]

For chases, skill challenges do kinda do the trick. At least for shorter chases. It's fast, you get to highlight each character and they get to still be creative about how they approach the problem at hand. For longer ones you could potentially use multiple multiple skill challenges where each successful skill challenge adds a bonus to a "catch up" straight d20 DC10 roll. So like, this chase will be 3 skill challenges long. The party succeeds the first one, fails the second one and succeeds the third one, resulting in a +4 to the roll. Then the DM rolls the d20 and BAM, it's a total of 12, you catch up. Does that result in entering combat? Do they simply subdue their "prey"? Idonno, up to the DM

[@sammcgurran8142]

Can only speak from my own experience but slamming enemies through walls in the MCDM RPG is fuuuuuun.

[@robofeeney]

Could we possibly get a link to that article from fortune magazine?

[@CmikeDnD]

i use the oracle system from shadowdark now. 1-9 no, 10 twist, 20 yes. If i remember, odds "..but" (yes but, no but) 1,20 are critical

[@donkeyfly43]

In loving memory: Ben Burns

[@armorclasshero2103]

The ridiculousness of 5ft squares is why i use yards instead

[@JazzyBassy]

Push mastery in 2024 is 10 feet tho, with it stacking with multiple attacks you are able to keep pushing 10.

[@laughingpanda4395]

My group has play tested the weapon masteries for quite some time now. At first they forgot to use them but eventually, they remembered and they add another layer to the combat. There are some interesting combos between battlemaster maneuvers and weapon masteries. Like being able to push the creature much farther back, Or trip and push etc. My guys have really enjoyed using them.

[@minimoose7890]

I've yet to find a single person familiar with Waterdeep Dragon Heist that did not warn about the "chase" being the worst part of that book and recommend completely changing it. So... maybe look at that as a reference of how not to do a chase?

[@josephpurdy8390]

The guards ended the group I ran. Ex city guards acting as mercenaries inside the same town. That they served on the city guard. Yeah players are going to face little sympathy inside of a court, or dealing with the abundant reinforcements available to the mercenaries.

[@armorclasshero2103]

They don't commission Santa's elves, they just use pinkertons

[@leandrocarvalho2261]

I’d just do a skill challenge and then describe what happens in the chase scene. Maybe give them a 2nd challenge if they fail

[@Firecell777]

a youtuber actually tried playing baldurs gate where he made the player be chatgpt so dael's question has an answer

[@jonsaucy8440]

While I am about 30% interested in the new core books, it would take a great deal of urging me to invest the type of money they are asking for from a DM perspective. I try to look at value these days when buying DnD content and from what I've seen of "new additions" and no just changes to old content... I've already got most of what they are offering. Their new Martial Maneuvers, while not verbatim, are the exact same thing that 5e Advanced provided years ago at this point. Their crafting system, while I haven't seen the nuts and bolts per se, has already been provided through numerous other quality resources. Including pricing for magic items is cool and all, but again, numerous resources have already been provided by 3rd party creators. So what's truly new then? Moving ability score increases in char creation from races to ability score increases from backgrounds instead; net gain of zero (outside of minimal creative freedom). And I'm not trashing them here, but I am being critical to what this whole movement begun as (a final DnD Edition) to where it is now (an errata, a Tasha's Cauldron of a Little Bit More) and them sticking to the FULL PRICE... idk, just makes me lose even more interest. What I would like to see? I'd like them to focus heavily on NOT increasing player power and instead choose either 1) keeping the player power the same and capping levels at 10, or 2) stretching player power out a bit more to properly balance the back half of progression (levels 10-20). What I don't want to see? A move entirely away from Advantage/Disadvantage as a mechanic. And no, I do not wish to go back to further "+1's" that accumulate in ways that slow down combat. What is wrong with a simple straight roll to determine success or failure modified through spells such as guidance/inspiration/etc. that occasionally come up in play? How anyone could play in a game using the optional flanking rule is absolutely beyond my comprehension; it just makes everything so boring and predictable! As for "who is the average dnd player", that's nearly impossible to define to a point worthy of making assumptions off of. But a game designer named Richard Bartle developed a system for classifying gamers into four personality types... and I still believe its one of the most well thought out philosophies. In fact, I also believe (but cannot prove) that if you built a dnd game from players who ALL shared the same personality type... it could possibly be the best damn game you've ever had. The four types, and how they interact with each other are as follows: Achievers: Players always focused on treasure/rewards and are results-oriented mindsets; these love to see their actions impose dramatic changes upon the world itself; not necessarily the other players. Explorers: Players who are naturally curious and prefer the process of discovery over failure. These players love getting off the beaten path and exploring the world in all it's majesty. Socializers: Players are empathizers who love interacting not only with other players, but the people they meet within the world (NPCs). Killers: Highly competitive and enjoy beating other players; they don't care for anyone else's experience but their OWN. They enjoy finding loopholes to exploit to help them win. These don't really care about the world and will hardly interact. Power is their main focus. And they will do almost anything to NOT have to interact with other players/npc's as well, unless it gets THEM closer to THEIR goals. Say what you will, but ole Richard Bartle was on to something.

[@RecklessFables]

Enshittification of physical media is everywhere. Of course Hasbro would partake.

[@shallendor]

How many vegetable carts were destroyed in a chase scene? The more destroyed, the better the chase scene! : )

[@matthewsnow-zj1cu]

Also panes of glass shattered, merchant stalls jumped, ramps over rivers/rooftops taken, tapestries emerged through, and last minute baby carriages swerved around. Them’s the rules. Also in 5 Act Structure, you need the 5th beat needs to either be the heroes or the villains pulling away until the opposing side almost catch up before something ends the chase. You gotta build to that tension at the very last second.

[@AMRosa10]

I think they got too bogged down in the distance of Push as opposed to the Tactical Side of Weapon Mastery for Martial Classes. Let's say the Fighter is low on hit points and he does a Push with Weapon Mastery on his attack. If the opponent is humanoid, it means that 1) The Fighter can move without taking an attack of opportunity. 2) If a party member is a Barbarian who is next in Initiative and in melee with one opponent and they have Cleave with a Battle Axe Mastery, the fighter might be able to push his opponent next to the Barbarian's opponent, giving the Barbarian the opportunity to use Cleave next. The Rogue can use weapons with Nick to make two attack rolls and to keep their Bonus Action to disengage or they can use Vex with a Shortsword to set up Sneak Attack for their next turn if they are isolated on the battlefield.

[@MPonygirl]

Regarding chase sequences: I am currently running Descent into Avernus, which is about to turn into Fury Road-a movie that is one long chase scene, but the module itself doesn't really provision a good one, so I'm trying to have just an absolutely bonkers high-speed chase across the surface of Avernus in a stolen Infernal War Machine. The important thing is that each person has something that they could do based on their classes and skills, and more importantly (because my players roll absolute garbage out of combat) is to have the fail-with-a-But for each item I put in their path. There needs to be a clear terminus (if you can just make it to that landmark or get this one pack leader to break off, you've escaped) and a clear option for if they fail (tough combat, party has to escape imprisonment, maybe an infernal deal?). I'm hoping that it will be a fun sequence for the players... the question is will it be worth the effort?

[@AndyReichert0]

Chris Cocks just needs to use the phrase "fingers in the pie" more often and i will forgive everything. but it has to be like 28 times per interview.

[@harlowslanding]

BRB, gonna go pitch a Monkees reboot with Mike as an Australian woman.

[@donkeyfly43]

Well done. Ben Burns missed out on a fun episode!

[@KaleDavid]

BAHBUHDUH!! 👿

[@arcady0]

7:00 - This is why I wish there was at least one person on this cast that wasn't a mostly D&D player. The comments about complexity seem all in an echo chamber gamer paradigm wise. Not wanting the 5-foot push from a type of weapon because 'what story purpose does it serve' has basically "triggered me" to type a comment. That being: it serves a gamist purpose. These are roleplaying games. That's two words, not one. We're not just here for story, we're also here for game. Some of us who primarily play other games do so because they better serve 'game'. Tactical game challenge is it's own reward. Some play other systems for the exact opposite reason; they favor story even more "without needing house rules" to do it. But they're not the ones you guys are lacking. You need a wider perspective there. Bringing more tactical choices that lead to tactically driven outcomes is something many of us strive for. But a balance is key, it is two words after all: roleplaying and game.

[@javieraguajardo9719]

greetings, from chile

[@thestevemclaughlin]

I am always curious what will happen if the characters fail in a challenge situation, like a chase. Are there consequences, what are they?

[@arthurmarques6191]

I want a ranger class that is good. 👀👀👀

[@gedece]

For this edition I want official PDF editions I can buy. Since it's not happening, not buying the new books.

[@megarural3000]

Looking for traps? Goodman Games is releasing Grimtooths Traps for 5E and DCC, troll tested, troll approved.

[@methmeth]

I thought Vecna Eve of Ruin was for the 2024 rules… am I wrong

[@renzopinasco51]

Cmon, things to correct: Resurrection rules Magic item sttunement rules (they suck) Death rules Weapon and armor functionality and variety Resting rules Narrative (meaning we need spells and skills. Not superpowers.) Monster upgrqde and difficulty. Thats it!

[@scotthalfhill7501]

I went back a watched this after the Ranger video. This didn't age well.. sorry Dale..

[@badmojo0777]

D&D is a social game that attracts NON SOCIAL people.. HUGE Oxymoron :D

[@badmojo0777]

i dont need complication for complications sake, that being said i DO NOT wantg a game that requires LESS CHOICS, or LESS CHOICEs.. if the game doesnt require me to make chocies its NOT an actual game.. GO play Monopoly if thats what you want. Roll the dice and get whatcha get...

[@josephpurdy8390]

DM hands out 2 premade characters in the first session to every player. Each session going forward players get another character. The player chooses, which character to play and have a back up. If said character is taken out of commission.

[@johnandrewbellner]

Miss Dael. I'm shocked. I thought the internet had figured out that the ranger in the PHB, and all of the game that functions with it, does, in fact work, and is, in fact, great. Truly. I believed we were all past this. I don't use (ever as a player) or allow Tasha's (while DMing). I was listening to the podcast, heard the comment, and came to KZbin to speak up. I thought the "free parking" conundrum had been discovered by all, and remedied.

[@howirunit2033]

D&D is a story making game no matter what style you play. Story telling as a style, however, turns me off and D&D doesn’t seem best for it.

[@badmojo0777]

if you force one player to use the 2024 class and another to play 2014... someone is getting SCREWED ( hint its the 2014 guy in most cases)

[@badmojo0777]

Ironically (if the word applies) is Habro lsot their ASSEs making TOYS for THE MOVIE.. i dont thnk kids wer einterested ina Hugh Grant action figure, big surprise.. no wonde rthey ended up at OLLIEs discount store

[@NZESP]

Good video if you've never played DnD before and don't want to make any effort. Yawn.

[@erad3035]

That little 'snap' thing that Dael does is so fcking obnoxious.

[@shangc2781]

Are you mad because as the Emperor of All Things Obnoxious you think she owes you a tithe, or something?