Role-playing Games Stack Exchange
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1500 questions
57
votes
7 answers

As a DM, how to avoid unconscious metagaming when dealing with a high AC character?

In my previous campaign, a player started the campaign with a tanky fighter build with a chain mail, a shield, and Defense fighting style, for a total of 19 starting AC. For a level 1. I was still learning to DM, so I became frustrated whenever it…
Vylix
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2 answers

With the 2019 Sage Advice Compendium release, are Jeremy Crawford's tweets considered to be "official rulings"?

The 2019 Sage Advice Compendium has been released. Previously, the SAC has indicated that Jeremy Crawford's tweets were considered to be official rulings. Is this still true?
Rubiksmoose
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57
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8 answers

What's the point of having a locked door if the players can just destroy it?

A lock may be picked or a lock may be broken after a few attempts, but what stops the players from just destroying the locked object? Especially wooden doors, but even iron doors or wooden chests, all have AC and HP according to the rules. Four or…
Alex Parvan
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57
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25 answers

How can I avoid problems that arise from rolling ability scores?

Rolling ability scores is a time-honored tradition across many editions of D&D. However, it can sometimes cause problems for players and/or the DM. For example, one player character may end up much weaker or much stronger than the rest of the party,…
Oblivious Sage
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57
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5 answers

Why is this uncommon magic item better than this rare magic item?

From what I understand, uncommon magic items are less valuable than rare items in terms of functional power and monetary value. From the DMG (pg. 135), uncommon items are worth 101–500 gp while rare items are worth 501–5,000 gp. I was reading…
KSchank
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57
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5 answers

Is a creature in the area of a Wall of Water spell trapped in ice when hit by the Ray of Frost cantrip?

In 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons, I am playing a Sorcerer where I have set myself the rule that I can never take fire spells, and instead take weaker spells and try to make the most of them with creativity. I am wondering if the following trick…
Borislav Sevcik
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57
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4 answers

How to resolve multiple 'start of turn' triggers

There exist multiple spells/effects/mechanics that can trigger on the start of a character's turn. How in general should a DM rule the ordering, in cases where the order will matter? As an example: Alice has been downed. She has 0 hit points and has…
Rupert Foggo McKay
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57
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13 answers

How to challenge a pacifist party

Ok, so the title is a bit of hyperbole. But my party has recently been using persuasion abilities (backed with RP) to turn otherwise combat encounters into social ones. To be clear, I have nothing against this kind of play. But, I don't know how to…
Shem
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56
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7 answers

How can I play a character who is scared without disrupting the gameplay?

I'm playing a character in a DnD setting who decided to become an adventurer because it sounded like fun, not seriously considering how dangerous it would be. Our DM has us running a campaign with a wonderfully antagonistic storyline where our party…
Kevin
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56
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10 answers

Medieval problems in a magical world

This is a bit of a broad question, but I will try to narrow it down to this: When GMing a medieval fantasy, and conflicts arise between the medieval times and the magical world (mostly D&D and Pathfinder universes) which side should the GM be most…
Nils Munch
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1 answer

Can clerics use swords?

My DM, who hasn't played newer versions of D&D, was asking if my cleric was allowed to use sharp weapons. I double checked the descriptions and didn't see anything like this written there, but now I am doubting myself. So, can my wood elf cleric use…
WendyG
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56
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4 answers

Can spells with a verbal component be cast underwater if the caster can't breathe water?

My party recently tipped over a boat of enemies into what was essentially rapids and trapped the enemies in a cube of force underwater. The warriors inevitably drowned as they had no way out. However, trapped in the cube of force was a wizard with…
Tophandour
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56
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9 answers

How to handle players who make unmotivated characters

I'm a relatively new GM, and I'm having trouble getting my (also new) players to create motivated characters. I don't mean that the players themselves are unmotivated, but the characters they create and play as are. I've run three separate…
Chumblechops
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56
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9 answers

Make the player roll even if there is no chance of success?

Let's say you're the GM for a a game that involves players rolling for success and the player attempts to do something, but you already know that given their current stats, it's impossible for them to succeed at it. Do you make them roll anyway, or…
BladePoint
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5 answers

Can Raise Dead revive a character with zero maximum Hit Points?

So, a character died from Draining Kiss of a succubus and his Max HP is 0. Can he be restored by Raise Dead, or does he need a higher level spell? Or a Greater Restoration cast on his lifeless body before Raise dead? I'm probably interested in RAW…
Misamoto
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