I just want to attack my enemies from a range but also play a barnarian

I've a Level 3 Artificer who's a shapeshifter in a small party with a paladin and a rogue.

We've gotten by ok and last combat was a near tpk but we survived and got a level up, my question is:

If I multiclass and take a level in cleric to give me 3 cantrips or druid to give me a wildshape is that going to help more than short term?

I feel like level 4 artificers get nothing so I'll need to eat that levelup at some point but for now I need to be able to do more once I've used up my 1 eldritch canon.

*edit: thanks all. No I didn't know you could chose to have a feat instead of ability score. It's not obvious in the player handbook or class upgrade pages. Will be taking a feature instead ta :)

So me and my friends just started a new D&D campaign. I am the DM and the players are a Wizard, Fighter, Eouge and Paladin. They were sent to stop a ritual, and one of them was given a cloak. They had to kill two guards that were guarding a door to the ritual site. At the ritual site there were 20 cultists on the ground and 40 on the balcony. There were also people in a cage above the heptagram as the sacrifice. The cage fell and the people fed the ritual. Then the Pit Devil appeared. The party got killed(whuch was madatory) and the last one with the special cloak exploded because it was filled with explosive glyphs. Then the pit fiend resurected them under one condition: they have to serve him. The party got 14 days of life and then I made little side quests to lenghten their life, like sacrificing two lambs, their own blood ect.

Is thus a good idea?

So this is my first full dnd campaign. I’m playing a Druid who was a pirate, first mate, that got stranded on a deserted island after his ship was attacked and sank, that’s when he developed his powers. He was originally an orphan.

I’m thinking I’m going to play this character for 3 campaigns. After giving my dm my background, I told him my characters first motivation is to find out who attacked his crew/ship and get revenge.

I think I’d like his second motivation to be going back to the island he was deserted on and figuring out more about his powers. I told my dm he was stranded for 5 years but time passed funny and my character was never really sure how long he was on the island. I also told my dm that my character constantly heard whispers on the island as well as having encounters with a giant “beast” that he couldn’t see or know exactly what it was.

My characters 3rd motivation would be to find his parents.

Am I giving my dm too much info telling him I’d like to play this character for 3 campaigns and my “plans” for what his motivations are? Am I meta gaming or what? Really would just like to know how much I should tell my dm?

Hey!

I'm pretty new in this D&D world (approx 1 year playing) and I want to try an online way to play. I found roll20 and D&D Beyond, but I can't decide which one is better to start a new game.

Any recommendations?

Thanks!

Okay, first of all, English is not my native language, so I created this project in Spanish; what I am sharing here has been run through Google Translate, so some parts may not have been translated correctly.

I wanted to bring back epic spells from 3.5, so—inspired in part by the *Epic Level Handbook*—I reintroduced some spells for my 5.5 campaign. Some are inspired by that aforementioned book, while others are based on 9th-level spells that weren't updated; most originate from 3e/3.5, though a few come from 2e.

Epic Spellcasting Rules:

- Spells that are epic-level by default do not function using spell slots; instead, they act as unique, one-time-use consumables. 9th-level spells cast using "epic levels" (slots above 9th level) require a recovery period of 1d10 days for each level above 9th before they can be cast again at an epic level.

- Material components for spells that are epic-level by default—even those without a specified gold cost—cannot be replaced by a spellcasting focus.

- Epic-level spells gain a +2 bonus to their saving throw DC and attack rolls.

- Casting an epic-level spell causes you to gain 1 level of exhaustion.

- Epic-level spells are unaffected by standard spells or other magical effects.

9th-level spells that can be cast using epic-level spell slots:

- Meteor Swarm

You create 2 additional areas of effect for each level above 9th.

- Power Word Heal

You may select one additional target for each level above 9th.

- Power Word Kill

You may select one additional target for each level above 9th; furthermore, the instant-death threshold increases by 25 HP for each level above 9th.

- Shapechange

When cast using a spell slot above 9th level, the spell no longer requires concentration. You regain the temporary HP after a long rest, and the effect lasts until it is dispelled, you drop to 0 HP, or you end the transformation (which requires no action).

- Blade of Disaster

When cast using a spell slot above 9th level, the spell no longer requires concentration and lasts for its full duration. Additionally, for each spell level above 9th, the blade can make one extra attack. - Foresight

You may select an additional target for each level above 9.

- True Polymorph

The spell no longer requires concentration—lasting until the effect is dispelled or the target dies or is destroyed—and the available CR increases by 2 for each spell slot level above 9.

- Weird

The spell no longer requires concentration, and the primary damage increases by 2 dice for each level above 9.

- Psychic Scream

The number of targets increases by 3, and the damage dice increase by 2, for each level above 9.

- Mass Polymorph

The spell no longer requires concentration—lasting until the effect is dispelled—and the number of targets increases by 3 for each level above 9.

- Time Stop

When cast at an epic level, time stops for a number of turns equal to 5 plus the number of levels above 9.

- Storm of Vengeance

The spell no longer requires concentration; the duration of the final effect increases by 2 turns, and the damage dealt each turn increases by 1 die for each level above 9.

- Imprisonment

The target is subjected to an additional effect for each level above 9.

- Detonate

The primary and secondary damage increase by 2 dice for each level above 9.

- Vision of the Passing Eons

You may select an additional target for each level above 9.

- Wail of the Banshee

The number of targets increases by 2, and the HP threshold for an automatic kill increases by 10, for each level above 9.

Level 10

- CREATE MYTHALLAR

10th-level transmutation

Casting time: 1 hour

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (A large crystal sphere worth at least 25,000 GP, upon which the spell is cast, and a stand to hold the sphere)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards

You imbue a large crystal sphere with magical energy, transforming it into a Mythallar. (A Mythallar is a Large or larger object with an AC of 20, 300 hit points, and immunity to fire, cold, lightning, poison, acid, thunder, radiant, necrotic, and psychic damage. It emits bright light out to 60 feet and dim light for an additional 60 feet. Furthermore, it deals 12d10 force damage to any creature that comes within 10 feet of the Mythallar for the first time on its turn, or that begins its turn within 10 feet of the Mythallar.)

A Mythallar serves as an anchor for magical power, altering the laws of reality within a 1-mile radius. The effect is chosen by the spellcaster; for instance, it could grant all creatures within the area resistance to a specific type of damage, prevent a certain type of monster from entering the area, or provide another effect permitted by the DM. A Mythallar cannot be moved from its stand.

A Mythallar is unaffected by *Mordenkainen’s disjunction*. It can only be deactivated by its creator, a deity, or by destroying the crystal sphere. Casting *disintegrate* on the sphere using a 9th-level spell slot automatically destroys the Mythallar.

- EYE OF POWER

10th-level divination

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 1 mile

Components: V, S, M (a skull made of glassteel worth 8,000 GP)

Duration: 1 hour

Available to: Wizards

You create an invisible, invulnerable eye within range that remains suspended for the duration. You receive visual information mentally from this eye, which can see in all directions. Additionally, it possesses truesight with a range of 60 feet.

As a bonus action, you can move the eye up to 30 feet in any direction. A solid barrier blocks the eye’s movement, but it can pass through an opening as small as 1 inch in diameter.

Furthermore, you can cast any spell of 6th level or lower that requires you to see the target through the eye, as if you were positioned where the eye is. If a spell requires you to see two different points, you may choose either a point within your own range or a point within the eye’s range.

- PLAGUE OF NIGHTMARES

10th-level enchantment

Casting time: 1 minute

Range: 1 mile

Components: V, S, M (A sample from the target, such as a strand of hair or a vial of blood, which the spell consumes)

Duration: 1 hour

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers, Bards

Through a ritual, you summon the target’s worst terrors to haunt them. The target must succeed on an Intelligence saving throw; on a failure, they take 5d6 psychic damage at the end of each of their turns and become frightened by their hallucinations. On a successful save, they take half as much damage and are not frightened.

Creatures immune to the frightened condition automatically succeed on the saving throw.

- VAMPIRIC FEAST

10th-level necromancy

Casting time: 1 minute

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S, M (A gold chalice worth 15,000 GP)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers

Through an unholy ritual that culminates in drinking from the chalice, you drain the life energy of creatures within the area. They must each make a Constitution saving throw, taking 40d10 necrotic damage on a failure, or half as much on a successful save.

You regain hit points equal to the total damage dealt, up to your maximum hit points; any excess becomes temporary hit points that vanish after 1 day. While you possess these temporary hit points, you have advantage on any d20 roll. Those whose HP is reduced to 0 by this spell see their bodies age rapidly until only bones remain, eventually crumbling into dust—dying instantly, much like those affected by the *Disintegrate* spell—and rise as wraiths under the caster’s command on the following turn.

The targets cannot be constructs or undead.

- MYCONTIL’S LAST RESORT

10th-level Evocation

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S, M (A hair from one of Mystra’s Chosen—which the spell consumes—and a platinum ring encrusted with diamond dust, with a total value of 10,000 gp)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Sorcerers

You channel your entire natural talent into shaping the Weave to its absolute limits. Choose three spells you are capable of casting—each of a different level between 1 and 8, and each with a casting time of 1 action—and cast them simultaneously. You may include up to two additional spells, but doing so incurs one level of exhaustion for each extra spell.

You do not expend spell slots to cast the spells unleashed by this effect; however, you must still provide any material components that have a specified cost.

At Higher Levels: When you cast this spell as an 11th-level spell, you may cast four spells without penalty, with the option to include up to two additional spells at the cost of one level of exhaustion for each.

- TELAMONT’S DARKNESS

10th-level Illusion

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 90 feet

Components: V, S, M (A clear quartz crystal darkened by the influence of the Shadowfell)

Duration: 1 hour

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers

Drawing upon the power of the Shadowfell, you manifest illusions in the form of shadowy versions of creatures summoned by "Summon [Creature]" spells. Choose three such spells—regardless of whether you are capable of casting them—and create replicas of the creatures as if you had cast their corresponding spells at 9th level.

You do not expend spell slots, and you are not required to provide the material components for the replicated spells. The creature is an ally to you and your allies. In combat, it shares your initiative, but its turn immediately follows yours. It obeys your verbal commands (requiring no action on your part). If you give it no commands, it takes the Dodge action and uses its movement to avoid danger.

When a creature is hit by one of these summoned entities or is forced to make a saving throw, it must—following the attack or effect—make a Wisdom saving throw to realize that the entities are illusions. Once this is discovered, the summoned entities’ attack rolls suffer a -1 penalty, and the target’s saving throws gain a +1 bonus. Both modifiers are cumulative, up to a maximum of 3, as the illusions gradually appear less real to the observer. Creatures that fail the saving throw remain convinced that the entities are real, even if you tell them otherwise.

Using a higher-level spell slot: Casting this spell as an 11th-level spell allows you to replicate a fourth summoning spell.

- GLORIOUS LIGHT OF RENEWAL

Level 10 Necromancy

Casting Time: Action

Range: 100 feet

Components: V, S, M (A vial of blood from the avatar of a god, which the spell consumes)

Duration: Instant

Available to: Clerics

You plead with your deity like never before in order to revive five creatures within range who have died no more than 200 years ago from any cause except age. Creatures are revived with all their hit points.

This spell closes all wounds, neutralizes any poison, cures all magical contagions, and removes any curse that affected the creature upon death. The spell replaces damaged or missing organs and limbs. If the creature was Undead, it regains its original form.

The spell can provide a new body if the original no longer exists; in that case, you must say the creature's name. The creature will then appear in an unoccupied space of your choice, within 10 feet of you.

This great resurrection wreaks havoc on the body of the caster, who suffers 9d6 necrotic damage for each creature revived, this damage ignores resistance and cannot be reduced in any way, if you are left with 0 life points due to this damage, you die instantly and can only be revived by a True Resurrection spell or similar magic.

- KILLER WIND OF TOLODINE

Level 10 Evocation

Casting Time: Action

Range: 500 feet

Components: V, S, M (The body of an undead of CR 15 or higher, which the spell consumes)

Duration: 1 hour

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers

You create a 50-foot-radius sphere of yellow-green mist centered on a point within range. The fog lasts until a strong wind (such as that created by Gust of Wind cast at level 9) disperses it, ending the spell. Its area is very dark.

Each creature in the sphere makes a Constitution saving throw upon entering the area or if it begins its turn in it, taking 10d6 poison damage and 10d6 acid damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one. If he fails the save he will also suffer the Poisoned condition until the end of his next turn. While poisoned in this way, on your turns you can take one action or one bonus action, but not both, and your speed is halved.

The caster can move the sphere up to 20 feet at the end of each of their turns (no action required), creatures make a saving throw if the sphere moves into their space once per turn.

The caster is resistant to damage from this spell and always succeeds on the saving throw.

- MORDENKAINEN’S DISJUNCTION

10th-level abjuration

Casting time: 1 minute

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (The stinger of a Phaerimm hatchling, which the spell consumes)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers

Choose a creature, object, or magical effect within range. For each epic spell active on the target, make an ability check using your spellcasting ability (DC 10 plus the spell’s level). On a success, the spell ends. Standard spells are dispelled automatically, without the need for a check.

Magic items can be affected by this spell, losing their magic until the next dawn if you succeed on a DC check based on their rarity: the effect is automatic for items of rare rarity or lower; the DC is 17 for very rare items, 19 for legendary items, and 23 for artifacts.

- ARCANIST’S ARMOR

10th-level abjuration

Casting time: 1 minute

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (A pair of gold bracers worth 10,000 GP, which the caster must be wearing)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers

A force field envelops your entire body like a robe. You gain a +5 bonus to your AC and to Constitution saving throws made to maintain concentration, as well as resistance to force damage. Furthermore, when a creature of a size category immediately larger than yours—or smaller—makes a melee weapon attack against you, the attacker must succeed on a Strength saving throw. On a failure, their attack against you misses, they are knocked prone, and their turn ends.

The spell ends prematurely if you don any armor or remove the bracers.

- CATARACT OF FIRE

10th-level Evocation

Casting Time: Action

Range: 5 feet

Components: V, S, M (A bronze gong worth 7,000 GP, which the spell consumes)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers

Upon striking the gong, a pillar of arcane fire—40 feet in radius and 120 feet high—descends from the sky. Creatures within the area must make a Dexterity saving throw; they take 25d8 fire damage and 25d8 force damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. All non-magical objects and any entities reduced to 0 hit points are turned to dust, as if affected by the *disintegrate* spell; force-based creations, such as a *wall of force*, are also destroyed. Flammable objects that are not being worn or carried and are within 10 feet of the fire begin to burn.

When casting this spell, the caster gains immunity to force damage until the end of their turn.

- DRAGON KNIGHT

10th-level Conjuration

Casting Time: Action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S, M (A scale of Tiamat of any color, which the spell consumes)

Duration: 10 minutes

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers, Clerics, Bards

An adult dragon of the same color as the scale used to cast the spell descends from the sky at a point of the caster’s choice. The dragon considers you an ally and attacks your enemies, taking its turn immediately after the caster’s. The dragon cannot use legendary actions. When the spell ends, the dragon flies away.

Using a higher-level spell slot. Casting this spell as an 11th-level spell causes the summoned dragon to be an ancient dragon.

- RUIN

10th-level transmutation

Casting Time: Action

Range: 300 feet

Components: V, S, M (A lock of Yeenoghu’s hair and the shattered phylactery of a lich)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric

You focus the ultimate expression of destruction at a single point. The target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 40d8 force damage, or half as much on a successful save. If a creature’s hit points are reduced to 0 as a result of this spell, it turns to dust, as if affected by the *disintegrate* spell.

Additionally, all objects not being worn or carried within a 50-foot-radius emanation centered on the target are likewise reduced to dust. Within this area, force constructs—even those created by epic-level spells—are also shattered.

- INFERNAL ORB

10th-level evocation

Casting Time: Action

Range: 180 feet

Components: V, S, M (A torch of hellfire from Cania, the saliva of an ancient black dragon, a lightning bolt trapped in a bottle, and the cry of an angel in agony)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizard, Sorcerer, Cleric, Bard

You hurl an orb of pure agony. A 60-foot-radius emanation centered on the target briefly transforms into a manifestation of suffering worthy of the Abyss. Every creature within this area must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 15d6 fire damage, 15d6 acid damage, 15d6 lightning damage, and 15d6 thunder damage, or half as much on a successful save.

- BATTLE SONG

10th-level transmutation

Casting time: 10 minutes

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S, M (A finely crafted instrument worth 3,000 GP, used as a spellcasting focus)

Duration: 1 hour

Available to: Bard

You play the instrument to bolster warriors before a great battle; your allies gain resistance to slashing, piercing, and bludgeoning damage, a +3 bonus to saving throws, attack rolls, and AC, immunity to the frightened and charmed conditions, and 70 temporary hit points.

- SIMBUL’S SPELL TRIGGER

10th-level abjuration

Casting time: 10 minutes

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (A gem-encrusted statuette of yourself worth 5,000 GP)

Duration: Indefinite

Available to: Wizard

Choose a set of spells—the sum of whose levels is 20 or less—that can target you, are not of a level you are otherwise unable to cast, and have a casting time of one action. You cast these spells—referred to as "contingent spells"—as part of casting *Simbul’s Spell Trigger*, expending spell slots for each one; however, the contingent spells do not take effect immediately. Instead, they take effect when a specific trigger occurs. You define this trigger when casting the spells.

Only one of the contingent spells may require concentration; however, when activated via *Simbul’s Spell Trigger*, it will not require concentration.

The contingent spells take effect immediately the first time the trigger occurs—whether you wish them to or not—at which point *Simbul’s Spell Trigger* ends. Contingent spells cannot be epic spells.

The *Simbul’s spell trigger* spell affects only you, even if it could normally affect others. You can have only one *Simbul’s spell trigger* active at a time. If you cast this spell again, the effect of any other *Simbul’s spell trigger* currently affecting you ends. Furthermore, *Simbul’s spell trigger* ends if its material component is no longer in your possession.

You cannot be under the effects of a *contingency* spell when casting this spell, nor can you cast this spell while already under its own effects; if you are under the effects of a *contingency* spell when you cast this spell, the latter dissipates without activating.

- MUMMY DUST

10th-level necromancy

Casting time: 1 minute

Range: 20 feet

Components: V, S, M (The body of a 1,000-year-old mummy, reduced to dust)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards, Clerics

You can only cast this spell at night. Choose up to three corpses of Medium or Small humanoids within range. Each one becomes a Mummy Lord under your control.

As a bonus action on each of your turns, you can mentally issue commands to any creature you have animated with this spell, provided it is within 120 feet of you (if you control multiple creatures, you can issue commands to all of them simultaneously, giving them the same order). You decide what action the creature will take and where it will move on its next turn, or you can provide a general directive, such as guarding a specific location. If you issue no commands, the creature takes the Dodge action and moves only to avoid taking damage. Once an order is given, the creature follows it until the task is completed.

The creature remains under your control for 1 year, after which it ceases to obey any commands you have given it. To maintain control over the creature for another year, you must cast this spell on it again before the current 1-year period expires. When used in this way, the spell reaffirms your control over up to three creatures you have previously animated with it, rather than animating new ones.

Casting at a higher level: If you cast this spell using an 11th-level spell slot, you can animate or regain control over four Mummy Lords or one Lich. - BURST OF GLACIAL FURY

10th-level evocation

Casting Time: Action

Range: Self

Components: V, S, M (A shard of ice from the heart of the Reghed Glacier)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers, Druids

Each creature within a 60-foot radius centered on you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 30d6 cold damage and become petrified in the form of an ice statue. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and is not petrified.

- VEGETAL DELUGE

10th-level conjuration

Casting Time: Action

Range: 150 feet

Components: V, S, M (A pouch of seeds from Evermeet)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Druids

An area with a 100-foot radius begins to sprout wild, uncontrolled vegetation. Any creature moving through the area takes 10d4 piercing damage for every 5 feet of movement; additionally, the entire area is considered difficult terrain.

The vegetation regrows almost instantly whenever it is cleared away. Casting *Mordenkainen’s disjunction* on the affected area stops the growth and eliminates the damage, though the area remains difficult terrain until the vegetation is removed.

Level 11

- SUMMON PLANAR ARMY

11th-level Conjuration

Casting Time: 10 minutes

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S, M (A black pearl worth 20,000 GP, which the spell consumes)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards, Clerics, Bards

You open a series of portals to the planes of the multiverse within range, bringing forth a host of Celestials, Fiends, Elementals, Fey, or Aberrations of your choice. If you know the name of a specific creature, you may designate it to be part of this army. The remaining creatures are selected by the DM until their total Challenge Rating (CR) reaches 30.

You have no control over the summoned creatures; they will act according to their own inclinations, though they will not attack the spellcaster.

The creatures vanish upon death or when the battle ends—the entities themselves decide when the battle is over.

- TARCHAMUS’S VOLCANO

11th-level Conjuration

Casting Time: 1 minute

Range: 5 feet

Components: V, S, M (A cloak with diamonds sewn into it, worth 10,000 GP, which the spell consumes)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards, Druids

A portal with a 10-foot radius opens beneath the caster’s feet, leading to Phlegethos, the fourth layer of the Nine Hells. Overwhelming heat and lava pour from the portal, mimicking a volcano in full eruption. Upon completion of the spell, the caster must move out of the portal’s area—which is considered difficult terrain until the end of the turn. If the caster remains in the area, they—along with anyone else present in the area at the time of casting—will be pulled into the portal. At the end of the turn, lava begins to flow violently. Each turn, an area extending 10 feet from the portal becomes covered in incandescent lava, continuing to expand until it reaches a distance of 100 feet after 1 minute. The lava-covered area is considered difficult terrain; moving 5 feet through it—or starting one's turn within it—requires a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, a creature takes 5d10 fire damage, or half as much on a successful save. Because the heat rises, flying creatures must also make this Constitution saving throw, though they do so with advantage. Furthermore, once the casting is complete, the area within a 1-mile radius fills with smoke and ash, obscuring the surroundings.

Demons may emerge through the portal.

The *Mordenkainen’s disjunction* spell can be used to close the portal. Once closed, the cloud of smoke begins to dissipate—returning to normal after 1 day—and the lava solidifies after 1d6 days.

- VENGEFUL GAZE OF GOD

11th-level transmutation

Casting time: 1 action

Range: 300 feet

Components: V, S, M (A platinum effigy—worth at least 30,000 GP—of a deity you worship)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Clerics, Druids

Your eyes and those of the statue flare with divine wrath. When you fix your gaze upon an enemy, that creature must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failure, it takes 50d10 radiant damage and becomes frightened of you for 1 day; on a success, it takes half as much damage. If the target fails the save, it may repeat the saving throw at the end of each hour to end the frightened condition.

- BONFIRE OF MADNESS

11th-level necromancy

Casting time: 10 minutes

Range: 1 mile

Components: V, S, M (A large, lit bonfire; 10 humanoid corpses to be burned; and a black diamond worth 30,000 GP, which the spell consumes)

Duration: 1 year

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers

You cast the corpses into the fire, and the smoke from the bonfire forms necrotic clouds in the sky. Upon completion of the spell, it begins to rain. Any corpses within a 1-mile radius rise as ghouls after 1 hour of this rain. Living beings in the area that come into contact with the necrotic rain become cursed; each day following the onset of the curse, their maximum HP decreases by 10. When their maximum HP reaches 0, they transform into ghouls. The curse could only be undone by casting *Remove Curse* as a 9th-level spell; the transformed ghouls would only return to normal through a *Wish* spell.

Ghouls created by this spell were not subject to the caster's will.

*Mordenkainen’s Disjunction* can end the necrotic rain prematurely if cast upon the bonfire used to perform the spell. A *Hallow* spell, cast using a 9th-level spell slot, achieves the same result.

- NECROMANTIC SINGULARITY

11th-level necromancy

Casting time: 1 minute

Range: 300 feet

Components: V, S, M (a Sphere of Annihilation, which the spell consumes)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards, Clerics

You invoke the power of the Negative Energy Plane. All living creatures with a hit point total of 100 or less within a 300-foot area—or that enter this area—must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failure, they die instantly and rise as undead under the caster’s control. Creatures that succeed on the saving throw must repeat it every 24 hours until they leave the area. Undead created in this manner cannot leave the area of ​​effect, nor can they be affected by effects that turn or banish undead. Furthermore, all undead within the area—whether created by the spell or otherwise—gain resistance to radiant damage.

The spell’s effect expands gradually, reaching an area of ​​1 mile one year after it is cast.

*Mordenkainen’s disjunction* must be cast within 60 feet of the effect’s point of origin; doing so destroys all undead created by the spell. These undead can only be returned to life through the use of a *wish* spell. - ENTROPIC SHELL

11th-level conjuration

Casting time: 1 minute

Range: Touch

Components: V, S, M (A fragment of a Slaad spawning stone, which the spell consumes)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Sorcerers

You touch a creature for the duration of the casting time. Upon completion, the creature’s soul departs its body, and a vast surge of entropic energy takes control. The creature’s Strength and Constitution scores increase to 26, its hit points become 200 (if they were not already higher), and it gains resistance to all damage. It then begins to attack everything it sees. After 10 minutes, the creature dies, and its body crumbles into dust—as if affected by the *disintegrate* spell. Only a *wish* spell can restore a creature that dies in this manner.

If *Mordenkainen’s disjunction* is cast upon the creature, it dies as if the 10-minute duration had expired.

- CONDEMNATION

11th-level conjuration

Casting time: 1 action

Range: 120 feet

Components: V, S, M (a vial of a Demon Lord’s ichor)

Duration: 1 minute

Available to: Cleric

You invoke the unholy power of the Lower Planes to curse a target. The target must succeed on a Charisma saving throw or be transported to the Lower Planes. On a failure, the target takes 8d10 psychic damage each turn—doubled if the target is a Celestial—and remains incapacitated until the spell ends, at which point it returns to the space it previously occupied or the nearest unoccupied space. If the target dies as a result of this spell’s damage, its body remains somewhere in the Lower Planes rather than returning.

Fiends are unaffected by this spell.

*Mordenkainen’s disjunction*, if cast upon the space the target previously occupied, brings the target back prematurely.

- SOUL DOMINION

11th-level enchantment

Casting time: 10 minutes

Range: 60 feet

Components: V, S, M (a piece of amber worth 1,000 GP, used to contain the target’s soul)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Sorcerer, Cleric, Bard

You perform a ritual to seize control of a creature. The target must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or become charmed, with its soul trapped within the amber used to cast the spell. While in this state, the target will follow all your commands, even those that entail risk. The creature may repeat the saving throw if it is attacked, but no more than once per day. You share a telepathic bond with the charmed target as long as both of you remain on the same plane of existence. While charmed, the creature takes 20d10 psychic damage if it acts in a way that contradicts your commands.

Alternatively, as long as the creature is on the same plane of existence as you, you can take direct control of it as a bonus action; in this state, the creature retains its own Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores, but uses your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores.

Breaking the amber that contains the target’s soul allows the creature to make a saving throw with advantage; if it succeeds, the charmed condition ends, but if it fails, the creature dies, as its soul is unable to return to its body.

- CANNON OF MECHANUS

11th-level Evocation

Casting Time: Action

Range: 150 feet

Components: V, S, M (An authorization contract signed by Primus, which the spell consumes)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers

You send an infallible mathematical signal to the plane of absolute Law. A circular portal, 30 feet in diameter, opens 60 feet above a single target you can see. Through the portal, a colossal artillery system from the plane of Mechanus deploys and unleashes a continuous torrent of pure logical energy. The target takes 60d4+60 force damage. No attack roll or saving throw is required.

- IGGWILV’S LIGHTNING CAGE

11th-level Evocation

Casting Time: Action

Range: 100 feet

Components: V, S, M (A solid storm cloud from the Feywild)

Duration: Instantaneous

Available to: Wizards, Sorcerers, Bards

An immobile, invisible, cube-shaped prison—composed of magical force wreathed in lightning—manifests out of thin air in an area of ​​your choice within range. The prison can take the form of a cage or a solid box, at your preference.

A cage-like prison can measure up to 50 feet on each side and is constructed of bars half an inch in diameter, spaced half an inch apart. A box-like prison can measure up to 25 feet on each side, creating a solid barrier that prevents the passage of any matter and blocks any spell cast into or out of the area.

Upon casting the spell, any creature located entirely within the area of ​​the cage becomes trapped. Creatures that are only partially within the area, or those too large to fit inside it, are pushed away from the center of the area until they are completely outside of it.

The cage prevents escapes by striking prisoners with bolts of lightning each turn, dealing 5d6 lightning damage, though it never reduces a prisoner to fewer than 1 HP.

A creature inside the cage cannot exit it through non-magical means. If it attempts to use teleportation or interplanar travel to escape, it must first make a Charisma saving throw. On a success, it may use that magic to leave the cage. On a failure, it remains trapped and the spell or effect is wasted; additionally, the creature takes 4d12 lightning damage—this damage can reduce the creature to fewer than 1 HP. The cage also extends into the Ethereal Plane, blocking ethereal travel.

This spell cannot be dispelled using *Mordenkainen’s Disjunction*.

I've been at this monthly table for almost 2 years. People have come and gone but myself and one other character have been at the table the whole time. 3-4 sessions ago, in response to departures, with DMs blessing swapped out my original character for another, a caster druid for a barb-druid. I had been talking about making this switch and when we ended session with caster a POW, I asked if I could just start the new character.

Caster druid mostly did support either changing combat landscape or calling a play that made battles much easier.

Barb-druid is primed for combat with two really good pairings. Polearm master and sentinel. Rage and wild shape. After the first session where I was taking 4 glaive attacks a turn (2x for barb level 5, d4 from pole arm master, and reaction since we were bunched up with the enemy), DM said my character had a target on its back. I said as I've often said "scale up the enemies to match us." We had a tiff where one of the enemies had an effect that I would attack them at disadvantage. I asked if I could use reckless attack to negate the disadvantage. "No, because they are the one that put the effect on you"

Second session with new character I raged and wild shaped. As a totem warrior on the bear path, we talked about how with immunity to everything but psychic, I basically have double the HP.

Third Session was yesterday

On a particular turn, I was raging, killed the last enemy in range, and spotted another enemy 60 ft away, I bonus actioned to wild shape into a panther and run to close the gap. DM says that I can't rage and wild shape at the same time and that if I wildshape, the rage falls off. Rule 0. Fine. So I've closed on the enemy in panther form but my turn is over with getting to attack.

Enemy's turn, DM says they disengage and flee. "Hold on DM. sentinel. I still get my opportunity attack". grumpy noises from DM. It connects but enemy is still upright. DM starts to move the mini. "Hold on DM. I hit with an opportunity attack, their movement speed drops to zero for the rest of the turn." Ranged party member takes their turn and kills enemy with crossbow. Enemy has on-death AoE effect and reduces me to zero health even with making my save. Totally fair the other enemies had it too so no surprises there. And no big deal. Other party member aids me and I use my druid slots to heal myself up a bit.

At a second encounter, we're ambushed while I'm in human form (yes human, I'm not even taking some weird race to get crazy benefits, I just took a feat at level 1 in exchange for darkvision and trance) and flying enemies come by. I'm in front because where else do you put a barbarian, flyer whips past me. "Hold on DM. Polearm master, I get attack of opportunity when they come *into* my reach" The response "Nope, they are small and moving fast. You can't use your feat on them"

Is this a problem of my character being broken? Is my playstyle a problem? Am I reading the rules wrong? or is my DM just ignoring rules?

I understand Rule 0. but before I exercise my right to simply leave the table, I want to attempt a proper conversation about expectations and I'd like advice on how to start that convo. We have discord between sessions

So I am currently making a dnd campaign about toys, they’re in this gigantic superstore of toys and collectibles, their souls are bound to the toys and they have to find what’s making all this magic happen

My brother and his friend wanted to play, because they never played before, they left the making of characters to me
And I’m having so much fun just making stupid knock off characters that are really good too, but the story is so much worse

So they told me what type of toy they wanted to be my brother wanted to be Optimus prime and the other guy wanted some kind of he-man body

And given this is a toy world of where I’m gonna make as many jokes as I can here and there I decided to give them Optimal Milleage and HIM-GUY.

Optimal mileage

a species of gas operated bio-mechanical life known as the Convertermorphs. The two factions raised their war across the universe.

leader of the GasBots, Optimal Mileage, seeks peace amongst the fuel rich galaxy with his team

While the leader of the Dieselcons, UltraTonne, seeking control of all the fuel in the galaxy.

Their petroleum based War rages on, as the two faction fight for their fuel economy.

HIM-GUY

Omnisnia is a mystical world of ancient magic, mighty warriors, and monstrous creatures, where good and evil wage an endless battle for control.

Him-Guy, Champion of Omnisnia
Once an ordinary warrior, Him-Guy discovered the legendary Powerblade, unlocking incredible strength to defend his world from evil warlords and dark sorcerers. Now Omnisnia’s greatest hero, he fights to protect the innocent and preserve hope in a world threatened by darkness.

What do y’all think? Do you think they’ll have a kick out of this?

I'm running a one-shot for the first time with completely new players. I want to give them a fun mini game where they get a taste of the DND experience and get to kill a dragon at the end. What level should I start them at so they have enough hit points and spells to have a chance at surviving a dragon fight? How do I run a dragon without accidentally killing them all?

The one-shot is very lighthearted and is basically a playground for them to cause as much chaos and mayhem as possible, while also getting to kill a big dragon and save the kingdom, y'know? I want them to have a good time, and dying the second the dragon comes out because I didn't set them up properly isn't super fun. Any advice?

Okay, to preface, me (25f) and my wife (25f) have been into dnd since highschool and have made our own homebrew world together. Our current friendgroup has played dnd together for almost 5 years now, and we're on campaign 2! I'm dming this time!

In our last campaign, we had romance throughout. My wife dm'd and romanced both me and my one friend. (For the sake of continuity, I'll call her Sally.) Sally, me and my wife made a seperate dnd discord chat for our 1on1 romance scenes as to not weird out the other players. Both me and Sally's sisters are in the group. We have been doing roleplay scenes for like 3/5 years now and it's been really great.

That was, up until our last campaign, when I noticed Sally and my wife have been roleplaying an insane amount. Like...it was to the point they were staying up until 5 am doing 20k scenes in a discord server. It didn't bother me that much, until my romance with MY OWN WIFE got downplayed by Sally and wife. The three of us dabbled in nsfw scenes on discord as well, though that got kind of uncomfy for me after a while. I stopped doing them, yet they did not. (I can't be too upset I didn't ask until recently.)

That brings me to the current campaign, in which I am dming. I made an NPC for my wifes character, who came into campaign about half way through the current amount of sessions. However, my wife and Sally have been romancing eachother, which started out fine, until the roleplay started. It's to the point I have had to ask them to stop REWRITING SCENES THAT HAPPENED IN CAMPAIGN!!

A few days ago, I talked to my wife and I asked them to stop doing nsfw scenes. It wasn't an immediate yes. I then explained how I was feeling uncomfy about the amount of scenes they we're doing, and how it was affecting the sessions and the way things flowed. My wife got extremely upset and essentially said that it's because it's fun. I explained again that I was feeling left out and not comfy that in my own campaign, my wife was choosing to in depth roleplay and romance one of our best friends, when I had made a character for my wifes. My wife explained how they separate the characters from our relationship, and yes, I agree to a point. I agree that it's not me and my wife, however, I also feel like the situation isn't right. I don't know how to explain to my wife differently that this is making me upset.

I have no idea how to go about this, seeing as everytime I bring it up, my wife starts freaking out crying.

(Also, not to mention, my wife has been talking to Sally about me being upset about the roleplay and how I'm struggling to differentiate character relationship from ours....idk yall.)

Hi! My name is Bryn and I have to be honest: I’m not good at Reddit and barely know how to use it. I’m a lurker on things more than a participant. However, I’m really, REALLY proud of the Kickstarter I’ve put together and I wanted to share it here.

Long story short: This is the first 3 one-shots I made for what I hope will be a continuing series called Ohio Adventures. Each module is optimized for a group of level 5 players and focuses on a different aspect of Ohio history, folklore, legend, etc.

I wanted to make something unique that shows Ohio is more than a meme. Since I’ve lived here my whole life and am a librarian and a gamer, I thought this would be a really fun way for me to combine reality and fantasy in a way that can cite its sources. ;)

I set a very low goal (I wanted to be able to send people the PDF if that’s all they bought) and I reached that goal within 1 day of launching it. I’m psyched! I’m hoping to continue building support and momentum so I can end up taking this project to local conventions, sell copies online, and use it as a nice start to what I hope will become a growing portfolio of TTRPG material.

If you’re looking for something different to run at your table, are interested in adapting history into semi-educational entertainment, and/or are also a DnD nerd living in Ohio, this would be something for you to consider. This has been a labor of love and I’ve done 95% of this by myself. (The other 5% is my friend who’s edited it for me lol). It’s all human-made! I even have a local teen providing some artwork of the big bosses in each scenario to feature another small hopeful creative like myself. I’m really excited about the finished project and I’m eagerly awaiting getting a test copy printed and in my hands!

Here is the link if you’re interested in learning more!

Doing all of this for the first time has been both a challenging and wonderful journey and I’m so glad to be part of the DnD and TTRPG communities. :) Thanks for your time and consideration, friends! 

So my spelljammer chronurgist wizard is mostly based on Star lord (he too was taken from our earth as a child to wander space).Im going to reflavor his spellbook as a walkman, and i want to rename his spells as tracks from 70s-90s. So i need some recommendations for songs that would fit!

So I brought up in an r/rpg post how I prefer having PCs and NPCs with Goals as opposed to Alignment. For instance, a Paladin's short term goals may be to help the innocent but with a long term goal of becoming the head of their Order or something. Gives the character more direction than just Lawful Good.

Similarly with Villains narratively the idea of a villain wanting something is easier to define than "This character is Lawful Evil so they will do XYZ thing because they are evil" for instance, a Lawful evil character might not care about a particular Good/Neutral/Evil action or event because they are so focused on their goal of becoming Ruler.

Some aspirations I've had for NPCs:

* Establish a base of operations within the world.

* Make sure their children become famous with high standing political roles.

* Prevent Demons from manifesting in the world.

* Open the barriers to allow a Great Old One into the world.

* Marry royalty to gain political power.

Some of these may seem "good" on the surface but the methods they use are often at odds with the ayers such as Preventing Demons from manifesting in the world required also preventing the Gods from affecting the world and limiting access to Divine and Infernal magics in tandem.

Thoughts?

I just think it'd be very funny and want to do it preferrably without using spells though but I want to have something for extra ranged damage

So Ive never really been a player that much before, so Im sort of confused on how to make an artificer work. That and I see a lot of people say that a poorly optimized artificer is a terrible character to play. Im just confused

flaired as table disputes because it’s kinda a silent dispute at the moment

Ok so about 3 and a half months ago at this point the dnd group that I’m in finished our year-ish long run of Icewind Dale: Rime of the Frostmaiden. With us all being willing to sacrifice sleep and having relatively flexible work schedules, we were able to roll through the game with incredibly consistent (missed 3 or 4 over the course of a year) 7hr weekly sessions. I was DM, with 5 players (2 of which were first time players) and rare cameos from people we knew to play NPCs, or even just watch. One of the players owns a local tavern, and so we would close down a room to the public and play at one of the tables. (Super cool atmosphere) And all of the players were super devoted to the game; they all wrote incredibly well-made characters and they played well with each other. Obviously, this was an incredible scenario. I’ve been playing the game for 7 years now, and had never had the luxury of a table that really genuinely cares as much as these people. Icewind Dale was the best campaign I’ve ever had the luck of being a part of. The issue is what happened after.

After Icewind Dale ended, I wanted to hang up the DM hat for a bit and join the crowd of players. The man who owns the bar that we play at stepped up to DM, and told us about his homebrew game that he‘s been working on for a while that he’d like to run. I was ecstatic. He really is a fantastic guy, and a really good player. He‘s a really detail oriented player and helped the party solve a ton of puzzles. I assumed that everything was gonna be great and quickly built my character. The DM got into an argument with another party member after he fed their character art through AI, and while that did set off a lot of red flags, I just hoped everything would be ok and rolled up to session 1 with a smile on my face.

And it was pretty bad. The session was extremely slow paced, which was a bit of a shock for our group, as we tend to move at a pretty fast pace. The world was entirely disconnected from the backstories of all of the characters, and we spent most of our time wandering around looking for the next thing the dm wanted us to do. The following sessions were rough, to say the least. The unspoken rule of “Hey DM if the players invest a ton of time and effort into something and it’s not totally unreasonable, just work with it” just kind of failed out. One of the players took a level of exhaustion in game to build a complex trap to try and catch a creature. Not only did the level of exhaustion mean nothing because no creature was ever caught, the DM quickly had a surprise world event force us out of the area so we had to leave the trap behind, and then acted smug about how this player wasted his precious time. The following sessions have just been a lot of nothing. We haven’t made any story progress to speak of, we haven’t killed any bosses, we haven’t gained a level, we haven’t met any important characters (to our knowledge), and it’s not even like we’re travelling, because we have ended up right at the same place the campaign started. And the effects are starting to show. The other players are completely disinterested, and have completely lost their drive for the game. Our group chat, which was just a few months ago filled with constant conversation and memes and people pointing out stuff about the game is now completely silent. I’m talking about averaging 2 messages a week silent. People don’t even say they’re going to be there at session time anymore, they just kinda show up. And last week he mentioned that he plans this game to go on until level 20, which at this pace would be genuinely around half a decade (assuming we get a level at the next session) And so I’m worried about the future of the group.

Again, the new DM isnt a bad guy. He’s GREAT as a player, but I think being a DM is just out of his element. The problem comes in with the potential issues stemming from bringing it up to him. As the previous DM, I don’t want it to come across as “wow I’m so great but this guy just sucks!” Or anything of the like. I think I’m a mediocre DM at best (but always trying to be better :) ), but I think the group is good enough to where mediocre DMing is all they need to turn a spark of a game into a raging inferno. Unfortunately, we’re a long shot from mediocre. Im also worried about the potential implications of him getting upset with us talking to him and banning us from playing at his bar. It IS his business and he has the right, but that doesn’t make me want that to happen any less. I don’t feel right about trying to just abandon the game and start a new game excluding him, as again I feel like he’s a good person and deserves to be treated respectfully.

Any and all advice is welcomed!

sorry for it being so long lol

TLDR: DND group was doing amazing, switches DMs, new DM drops the ball but is the host as well as a good player.

Hey r/DnD, I'm Nick from Helios Tabletop, a small Toronto studio that makes resin minis and ready-to-run 5e encounters. For Halloween we're running a spooky sale of our spooky stuff for the next two weeks.

What's on sale:
Spooky minis: skeletons, zombies, wraiths and phantoms, vampires, mummies, mimics, demons, spiders, liches and more

Spooky Mythic Encounters (our ready-to-run encounters with minis, battlemap and DM handbook):

Brigade of Bone
Crimson Feast
Crimson Feast - Legendary Edition
Haemoturgy Lab
Haemoturgy Lab - Legendary Edition
Hordes of the Inferno
Mimic Madness
Phantom Vengeance
Threads of the Spider
Curse of the Eternal Pharaoh

Also orders over $125 CAD get a free exclusive Halloween mini + free shipping across Canada.

Everything is in one place on our spooky collection page

The sale ends November 1. If you've got a Halloween one-shot coming up, tell me what you're running and I'll happily point you at what encounter/minis fit!

Also happy to answer any questions about our products and services :)

Sanctified Champion essentially lets you attune to a melee weapon that I am proficient with and turn it into a Finesse weapon for you. By all intents and purposes, this means you can attune to a greatsword and not only be proficient with it, but use it for your sneak attacks.

This has given me a lot of ideas in terms of flavoring and designing a character like Cloud or Ichigo who wield claymore size weapons but with deftness and agility as finesse implies that the weapon is specifically made for precision over brute force.

That being said, how does this interact with the weapon's existing properties? Two-handed states that it requires two hands to use, and Heavy requires a 13 Str. Is it assumed that for the purpose of this feature, finesse replaces Heavy yet the weapon keeps the two-handed property? I see no reason why two-handed weapon would go away, but I wanted to flavor this character having a versatile fighting style that involves wielding the weapon one-handed (more flavor, less mechanical)

Level 3: Sanctified Champion

Your intense training bears fruit. You gain proficiency with Martial weapons and training with Medium armor.

Whenever you finish a Short Rest, you can perform a ritual on a melee weapon you are proficient with that deals Piercing or Slashing damage, sanctifying it. It becomes your sanctified blade, and you can only have one such blade at a time. The blade has the Finesse property for you, and attacks made with it against Aberrations, Fiends, and Undead ignore Resistance to damage.

If you were to roll 3d6 all the way down and get either max rolls or min rolls for all your stats what would be the character you would make with those stats? Either a build or a character concept is fine.

An unlucky character would roll all 3s for stats so mechanically in combat you’d be pretty useless as any martial. Thus, I think magic is the only way out. Moon Druid doesn’t need many stats to be used to wild shape into something decent. They want Wisdom for boosting things but they’re stats generally get replaced if they’re worse so I think mechanically Moon Druid is best for the minimum stat roll character. Or my other idea is a Tortle Diviner Wizard that uses mainly no attack roll or save spells other than maybe one or two when they can replace a roll with portent stuff.

A lucky character that gets all 18s in their stats to start could be a great chance to make an opportunity to make some crazy multiclass hodgepodge of casters like a Wizard / Sorcerer / Ranger or something or a crazy Pet build with Beast Master Ranger / Battle Smith Artificer / Vestige Warlock.

Whenever I read the Monster Manual Stat block, I got confused whenever the monster has immune to charmed. Does this mean that monster are immune to all enchantment or are they immune to the spells that have charmed effect?

Hi all! I recently was roped into sponsoring a D&D club at the high school I teach at. I am looking for suggestions for different things we can do - we usually meet 2x a week for about 1hr each. My students orignally wanted to do a campaign, but attendance is pretty inconsistent, so I would like some alternatives, like short one shots, that can be done regardless of which players show up.

The students in the club have very little experience playing D&D and want to learn, but I unfortunately am also fairly new to D&D, so I cant guide them very much. Most of the group are interested in both DMing and playing. Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated!

I've been doing this a very long time and I'm pretty good at it. I have a full roster of games and my selling point is always the character/NPC interactions and storytelling, even with crunchier systems like DnD/Pathfinder 2e. And almost universally, everyone who asks about games wants a long-form campaign, with a deep story, great NPCs, world-building, and role-play.

So, I crack my knuckles and get to it. I love writing characters, I love developing the setting. I don't play very often because - while I'd never tell a GM this - if the characters aren't at least a little bit interesting, or we're just hack-n-slashing through a dungeon, it's not really my thing. No hate to those who love that, just not my niche, and not why my players come to me.

But...sometimes those same people who CLAIM to want those things out of a campaign are the most difficult to get involved in any way. They'll just sit there silently unless they need to roll dice. I try to dangle bits of their unresolved backstories in front of them, they ignore it. I'll even have an NPC engaged in conversation with somebody else turn to them either asking for a second opinion or asking for support, ANYTHING really. And I get one-word responses.

All the above is fact, so now I'll venture into the realm of guesswork. I think that Critical Role et al has given people unrealistic expectations of a game. This isn't a complaint about that style of play, quite the opposite, given the right group it's wonderful, and I have a few of those groups. They're always engaged in the story, and their characters have little quips, conversations flow between them and the NPCs.

But I think a lot of players see Matt Mercer/Brennan doing their thing and think: "Wow, I'd love to be in their game!" But don't realize that all the players at those tables are literally professionals. The players at such a table have to give almost as much as the GM in terms of participation. That's what makes it great. If all the players just sat around the table and answered when directly spoken to, nobody would watch that.

It's just one of the revelations I've had over the years, and it kind of sucks. Because if I take the time to craft something interesting and nobody responds to it...did I just waste my time? It actively discourages me from trying, because what's the point? They won't talk to any of my NPCs anyway.

I'm sort of making it out to be a bigger problem than it is, I suppose, as I've had tremendous luck at my tables with having a really good crop of players. But I just wrapped up a game with a group I've been playing with for years now, and every session it's hit or miss with whether they'll interact with my world beyond rolling the dice, and it's discouraging. I feel like a monkey doing a song and dance, but nobody is watching.

Just curious if other GMs feel that their players know what they want when they ask for a particular kind of campaign, or you find they have an unrealistic idea of how such campaigns actually work? Maybe that makes sense...

like as the title said at the very end of the fight I wanna just turn my self into a nuclear bomb and fly to the bbeg how do I cause the biggest explosion possible with out turning my party to dust

I've been thinking about something as a DM and I'm struggling to put it into words.

On one hand, D&D is obviously a game. It's a hobby. We're sitting around a table pretending to be elves and wizards. Real life comes first.

But I'm struggling with a current situation where attendance has been very inconsistent lately. Some absences are completely understandable, including health and mental health issues. At the same time, some absences are because players simply chose to do something else that night, like going clubbing.

This has resulted in it being really tough to run a weekly campaign with only 3/5 players at most for the past month, as the other two haven't been to a session in the past month. I don't really know what to do.

I don't want to be unreasonable. Nobody is paid to be here, and D&D is supposed to be fun. At the same time, the campaign only works if people can rely on each other to show up most of the time.

What are reasonable expectations regarding player commitment? How do you talk about consistency and reliability without making D&D sound more important than real life?

Fellow DMs! I want to make the ending of my campaign a twist that would make M Night Shyamalan proud. How do you all recommend I do that?