The Unseen Servant forums

It sucks to lose a pet; they truly are part of the family. The kittens are adorable!

I'm in favor of rounding up when recovering arrows, but I'm fine with rounding down, as that's what I'm used to. I'll replenish arrows if we find enemies with them, so not that big a deal if we round up or down.

Scott308 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 3:25 am It sucks to lose a pet; they truly are part of the family. The kittens are adorable!

Thanks.

Scott308 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 3:25 amI'm in favor of rounding up when recovering arrows, but I'm fine with rounding down, as that's what I'm used to. I'll replenish arrows if we find enemies with them, so not that big a deal if we round up or down.

To be honest, I sometimes forget my own house rules so it's probably best to stick with rounding down. There will be opportunities to recover arrows from overcome opponents (like from these goblins) so definitely don't hesitate to indicate you're looking for ammunition when declaring that you're searching their possessions. I will try to remember, too.

Speaking of recovering ammunition, Rex, Unari currently benefits from the Guidance spell Lika cast upon her, but its effects only remain for a short amount of time. I'd hate to see them go to waste, so if you want, I will let you use these benefits to aid in your search for useful arrows (so an extra 1-4 arrows found). Just let me know.

Unari will use it to help find extra arrows, she is going to need them, thanks.

Rex wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 5:40 pm Unari will use it to help find extra arrows, she is going to need them, thanks.

Cool. I will try to update the game again later today.

Do you want to roll, or do you want me to?

I haven't really played with it yet, but with D&D Beyond's introduction of the game log, it might be possible (and maybe desirable?) to use the die roller built into the actual character sheets?

1. Share Your Dice Results with the Brand New Game Log!
2. Share Your Dice Rolls! (Digital Dice Open Beta)

Feel free to play around with the roller, and making rolls by clicking on the various places on your character sheets (e.g. initiative, any of the modifiers for your ability scores, the bonus for any skill, the weapon (or spell) to-hit and weapon (or spell) damage (or healing), etc...). It's pretty nice.


If/when we decide to start using the built-in roller, I can clear the logs


Some things I'm not sure about yet:

1. It might be possible, but I haven't been able to figure out how to roll with advantage/disadvantage. For example, Unari makes 'Athletics' checks at advantage, but clicking on the "+4" next to her 'Athletics' skill only rolls one time.
   

   Advantage.jpg (453.48 KiB) Viewed 914 times

2. I'm also not sure how I would make DM rolls?

Edit: Adding that dice rolling should be available in the mobile app, if you use it: Digital Dice are now LIVE on the Mobile App!.


But, thoughts?

I tend to be a Luddite and stick to what I know. I am comfortable with this site's roller and I know how to paste it into my posts.

I do most of my gaming on my phone and the mobile interface for DndBeyond is a bit more cumbersome (lots more clicks, not as intuitive, I keep exiting the sheet).

I don't see how I can look at past rolls, or paste a link reference, or otherwise navigate. I am sure I can learn, but... Luddite.

I used to have issues with firewalls -- it is why I ended playing almost exclusively on this site because it reliably works. DnDBeyond is always blocked as a "gaming site" when navigating such things.

All fair points. I am certainly not pressing to switch rollers. There will/would be a steep learning curve for me, too, as I've really never used it. I just know, historically, you could only ever make just a single roll, and the roll history was not tracked (at least publicly). Now that they've introduced the game log... it's a bit more interesting to me. I think, for a live game, it would be great! For play-by-post like this, maybe not?

I did dabble with it a bit, trying to figure out how to make DM rolls, and I'm not sure it's currently possible? They do have a Combat Tracker and Encounter Builder tool, and I thought maybe if I added monsters to those I'd be able to click and make rolls for the monsters, but no. That functionality, I hope, will be something they'll be adding eventually (but I'm not holding my breath... oh boy).

Tangent: D&D Beyond

I have been paying for their annual Master Tier subscriptions for years, which is what allows me to share my purchased content.
I've officially decided to cancel the auto-renewal on this and will almost certainly allow this to lapse once it expires (on April 23rd of this year). I do really like their tools, and I will obviously still have access to everything I've purchased, which is everything except the 'Dungeons & Dragons vs. Rick and Morty' adventure -- I just won't be able to share it any longer, because sharing is actually the problem.


I want to do a bit of researching/testing between now and then, but the only reason I purchase their subscription is to share content, but they refuse to actually implement the controls necessary to do it properly. I was one of the earliest vocal voices in their forums pressing for content management functionality --
It took them over two years to finally implement some basic functionality, but their intentional failure to extend this initial functionality the character builder is infuriating to me:

Content Management Initial Release

However, elements from the source are still currently available in the character builder, character sheet, and encounter builder. Restricting access in those tools will be coming in a future iteration.

This promised future iteration used to exist on their product roadmap (so did AL validation) but has since been removed. I raised the question to Adam in one of the most recent Dev Updates, from January 21, 2021: He did respond to my question (he doesn't always; I've asked a bunch) and did say that those are still long term goals of theirs, but they've been made a lower priority due to a lack of demand. Fine, whatever. When the ratio of players-to-DMs is probably 50:1 or higher, naturally the issues players want are going to seem more important (and maybe they are?), but it seems like DMs just continue to get pissed on. I will continue to purchase any new content they release that I want (I've already pre-ordered the upcoming 'Candlekeep Mysteries' adventure), but I really don't want to pay for a subscription (specifically to share content) when their sharing controls suck. My main objective in enabling content management in the campaigns I have set up is to limit the sources you players can use for your characters. Yes, disabling a source will prevent players from being able to just pull up the book contents from the 'Sources' menu -- -- but when the options from those disabled sources are still available to be selected on your character sheets, it's just garbage.

For example, if I disable the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide as an available source in the campaign your characters are assigned, you shouldn't be able to select a background or one of the subraces from it. Yet, you can.


Until they fix this, I won't be supporting them financially in subscription fees. I just can't stomach it any longer.


Apologies for the rant, but it was long overdue.

That's a lot of feels, bro. I don't blame you, though. For what they are charging it damage well better work.

Gaming books have always bordered on usury with how much they cost. I am a bibliophile and always want hard covers and actual paper. The idea that they want me to pay twice at full price to access the electrons too galled me.

That said, the dndbeyond wizards REALLY helped the learning curve. I am very grateful in retrospect that you had and shared all the content because my first real foray into 5e was able to benefit from trying options on your provided campaign. If I had run into the pay walls first I might have quit on it entirely.

...instead I am a total convert. 5e is easily my favorite D&D system. We do everything in PDFs and Roll20 now, but if you hadn't shared products I would not likely have tried it.

Marullus wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:44 pm Gaming books have always bordered on usury with how much they cost. I am a bibliophile and always want hard covers and actual paper. The idea that they want me to pay twice at full price to access the electrons too galled me.

I have long been in love with PDFs and other electronic media forms (e.g. D&D Beyond), but I have somewhat recently taken a liking to the actual hardcover books. My biggest problem, sadly, is the font size used in most physical books; it's getting more and more difficult for me to read without reading glasses, which I don't enjoy wearing.

Marullus wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:44 pmThat said, the dndbeyond wizards REALLY helped the learning curve. I am very grateful in retrospect that you had and shared all the content because my first real foray into 5e was able to benefit from trying options on your provided campaign. If I had run into the pay walls first I might have quit on it entirely.

This is actually very encouraging to hear. This is partially why I just struck out but ultimately left in my "almost certainly" bit about letting the subscription lapse. There's still a chance I might change my mind. One of the things I want to test is creating a second D&D account using a different email address. Then, re-purchase just the sourcebooks I want to share (e.g. PHB, XGTE, etc...) on that account and subscribe from it (and keep all my other purchases linked to (but not shared from) my current account). I'm curious how that will work with what's available in the character builder? It would really kind of suck as it would literally be the FIFTH time I'd have purchased the PHB:

1. Hardcover
2. D&D Beyond
3. Roll20
4. Fantasy Grounds
5. D&D Beyond... again!

But, if it satisfies my goal in content sharing, it would be worth it -- probably.

Marullus wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 11:44 pm...instead I am a total convert. 5e is easily my favorite D&D system. If you hadn't shared products I would not likely tried it.

There is a lot I really do like about 5e. Not everything, mind you, but a lot.

Lately I've been spending a LOT of my free time getting caught in YouTube auto-play spirals and just consuming RPG information. The experience of Darklin2 in my other game notwithstanding, I do think 5e is too easy. My next game, whenever that will be, will almost certainly be a tougher/grittier version of 5e, like the one I teased out almost a year ago now: [Placeholder] 5e: Hardcore Mode.

You can roll Dave, its fine with me any time.

I see 5e's weakness is just how easy it is. Yes it can go bad but its a lot harder than older editions and makes it hard to maintain any sort of verisimilitude.

dmw71 wrote: ↑Tue Feb 02, 2021 6:06 pmI will try to update the game again later today.

Tomorrow. Sorry, guys.

dmw71 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 03, 2021 12:22 am But, if it satisfies my goal in content sharing, it would be worth it -- probably.

Well, shit.

It was an expensive test, but I just confirmed that there is ZERO way to control content in the character builder on D&D Beyond.


So annoying!

Ouch! That is ridiculous. As an AL player, I would love it if I could turn off individual books, so I don't have to sort through options from Volo's and Mordenkainen's when Xanathar's is my +1. I don't understand why they would not at least give an option to toggle access to individual books if the DM doesn't want to allow them. I can think of several reasons to want to limit the options, but no good reasons to not allow it.

Scott308 wrote: ↑Mon Feb 15, 2021 3:07 amI don't understand why they would not at least give an option to toggle access to individual books if the DM doesn't want to allow them. I can think of several reasons to want to limit the options, but no good reasons to not allow it.

Enhancing their content management functionality is apparently still something they'll get to. Eventually. I mean, what they've already put into place is nice --

It's just really, really, really annoying that, even if a source is specifically not shared, if you join a campaign with content sharing enabled, all character options (even those from blocked sources) will be available in the character builder. Spell selection, for instance, is really annoying in the character builder because spells from all different sourcebooks are available as options to select. It's just annoying.

I'm well aware. As an AL Player, I have to be careful when leveling up that I don't select options- spells, feats, subclasses- from sources other than PHB and my +1. I'd love to be able to turn off other sources.

Scott308 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 17, 2021 7:18 pm I'm well aware. As an AL Player, I have to be careful when leveling up that I don't select options- spells, feats, subclasses- from sources other than PHB and my +1.

Speaking of which, it seems that may no longer be a problem:

(Link)

Thankfully I don't play AL because I really dislike this. Maybe I'm wrong, though. Scott/anyone that does follow the AL rules as a player, what is your take on this?

I'm pretty happy with it, and that seems to be the general consensus. What I dislike is the splitting into another campaign. For those who aren't familiar, there had been two campaigns- Seasonal (the current hardcover adventure) which may have specific rules for characters made to play that specific adventure, and Historic, which had been everything else. Well, not exactly. There is an Eberron campaign, which uses the Eberron sourcebook and is completely separate from all other AL games. Up until this current season, characters playing the hardcover could also play AL adventures published for their current season, as well as earlier seasons (with a few exceptions- Tomb of Annihilation and Curse of Strahd had very specific, world altering rules that prevented other season adventures until certain criteria were met in campaign). This season, Season 10, seasonal characters can only play season 10 adventures, whether those are Hardcover, AL modules, or Dungeon Craft, which are written by members of the community and required to choose from a list of story hooks and give out specific rewards based on the hook chosen. Now, with the addition of the Masters campaign, things become much more jumbled. There was a series of modules, Dream of Red Wizards, that had been season agnostic, meaning they could be played by any tier-appropriate characters. Now, they are a separate campaign, and will feature new adventures, whereas seasonal campaigns will roll over into historic with the beginning of a new season, but no other new adventures will be released for the historic campaign. There are hundreds of historic adventures currently, as well as all the old hardcovers, so there is plenty of material for characters to play. Kind of. There are not many Tier 4 adventures currently published that are part of the historic campaign, but there are some- it looks like 21, but some of those are epics and a few are author only adventures, so not very likely to find one to play. Currently, there are no tier 4 adventures for Masters, although there will be one debuting at Gamehole in October. I have two tier 4 characters- a wizard and a paladin. If I keep them in Historic, eventually I will run out of adventures for them to play, as tier 4 adventures are not guaranteed in a season- in fact, most seasons did not have any.

On the other hand, if I migrate to Masters, there will be some new adventures published, but I'll be cut off from characters that stay historic and unable to trade magic items, making certain hard to find items impossible to get unless someone who already has one is willing to part with it. I have to make my decision before I play an adventure with my characters, as whichever campaign the adventure is in is where my character will go. Making this more complicated is the lack of a guide for the historic campaign, detailing some of the many questions players have had, such as, If I am currently playing the current seasonal campaign and the next season begins before we finish the hardcover, are we automatically sent to historic unless we choose to abandon the campaign to jump to masters? What if we are currently playing an older hardcover but want to move to the masters campaign- do we have to abandon that hardcover, potentially preventing the other characters from finishing due to a lack of PCs? It seems like they put out some of the rules without having the other rules ready, and didn't really think through the consequences of the rule changes. I know WotC wants to sell books and adventures, and if people only run/ play old adventures, the revenue stream dwindles. For conventions going forward, unless individual DMs choose to run historic adventures, it'll only be seasonal or masters games available as those will be the new ones that people will be excited to play.

There are a number of people who don't go to conventions and don't play hardcovers, who it seems are going to be punished for that preference. It's like Wizards has this large back catalog, but wants everyone to ignore it and focus on the new stuff, which is where the money is. And it is a lot of money. Hasbro, Wizards' parent company, just released sales data, and their revenue from gaming (D&D and Magic) has actually surpassed revenue from their toys. I'll have to see the historic rules when they get released, but we just started Rime of the Frostmaiden today. We won't be done by the time the next hardcover, Candlekeep Mysteries, comes out in March, although that'll be automatically placed in Masters, so Rime will likely still be the current season for a little longer, anyway. Until then, there are only 7 adventures (plus an epic) for masters available on DMsguild, all tier 2 or 3. If I want my tier 1 characters to take part in the masters campaign, I will have to play Candlekeep or hope tier 1 adventures get released, but right now there is not a single adventure I would be able to play them in. I'm paralyzed with indecision right now. I am afraid to do anything with my characters because I don't want to choose wrong. If tier 4 adventures don't get released for current seasons, and since Rime will take characters to level 11 there is a good chance no tier 3 or 4 adventures will be released, eventually my high level characters will go into forced retirement. Sooner, if I don't want to play the same adventure with multiple characters- assuming, of course, that I can find anyone to run them even one time, let alone twice when I am available to play.

I don't know anyone who is happy with the split. The explanation is that Masters will be for the advanced player who has all the high-powered magic items on their characters and will be more challenging, while historic will allow newer players to learn and grow their characters without getting powergamed out of the way by the people who know how to break the system and dominate the game at the expense of less knowledgeable players. Many of those newer players, however, will be playing masters events at conventions with with the more experienced players, not to mention the more casual player who doesn't understand why they cannot play their favorite characters they played at last year's convention and are now frustrated, angry, or upset, and now have empty time slots to fill because they had to drop out of the incorrect campaign. The change makes things WAAAAAAAAY more complicated and seems unnecessary to me. Conventions already have a hard time with people signing up for games and not realizing that they need an appropriate-level character, which of course they do not have. Now there is one more factor to worry about.

Dave, what don't you like about getting rid of PHB+1?

Scott308 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 28, 2021 11:40 pm Dave, what don't you like about getting rid of PHB+1?

Power creep.






The very first 2e game I ever attempted was Omega1143's ill-fated 'Tavern Tales' game, which he began recruiting for and launched in April of 2012.



Anyway...


Why the 2e history lesson?

When I was first dipping my proverbial toes into the 2e waters, I really liked it. It felt like a more streamlined or more well-organized version of 1e (and I really liked the improvement they made to the thief rogue class). The appeal of 2e began to quickly diminish, however, as I started to familiarize myself with all the "splat" books which, in my opinion, only served to create bloat and imbalance, which is much worse.


That, I fear, is the direction 5e is going. Only, this time I'm experiencing this expansion as it's taking place (instead of almost a quarter-century after it already happened). It just makes me very uncomfortable, especially when, in light of the massive success D&D has had in 2020, Hasbro is potentially looking to increase the number of titles they release each year:


I don't DM organized play games, so the news doesn't directly impact me and how I enjoy the game, but I do fear for how it will impact the game as a whole, going forward. I immediately adopted the 'PHB+1' for the games I run because I thought it was brilliant in how it specifically combated this potential bloat issue.

Now that's going away, which makes me very nervous over the direction the game appears to be heading.





P.S. I don't have time to read your thoughts on the different AL campaigns, but I'm definitely interested. I'll shoot for later today.


P.P.S. I still miss playing Castien.

ravenn4544 wrote: ↑Thu Mar 04, 2021 2:18 pm Xanlanan gives a little cry at the shattering mirrors! "Cease that nonsense, young lady! These are special items worthy of study! Ack!" He rolls his eyes and looks to the heavens and pleads against such impetuous action!

I love it.