Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition General
Curse of Strahd in the Mega Edition
>Official /5eg/ Mega Trove, contains all official 5e stuff:
https://mega.nz#F!UVkTnT5b!FJ34UZ98BMY2mEtexenS7g
>Pastebin with homebrew list, resources and so on:
http://pastebin.com/X1TFNxck
>/tg/ Character Sheet
https://mega.nz/#F!x0UkRDQK!l-iAUnE46Aabih71s-10DQ
What's your favorite new monster in CoS?
>>46200495
Link is dead. Did anyone catch it? I'd rather have the OCR version than the original scan.
>>46211073
>PHB P8
Specific Beats General
Remember this: If a specific rule
contradicts a general rule, the specific rule wins.
This is how I justify it
Still don't know if the feat is good or not
>>46211054
Nevermind, I'm an idiot. Mega has the OCR one.
Wereravens! I'm playing a minotaur infected soon; it doesn't really help my build, but they are awesome nonetheless!
Alright, so, the PC's walk up a sharp set of stairs and then enter a room. It's lit up by 4 small firepits in each corner, just like the other rooms in the dungeon. The room is fairly small and the ceiling is low. On the other side of the room there is a door with an obvious pit with some kind of foul smelling liquid in it, the pit is only about 5x5. When they enter the room they might notice that the floor is about an inch lower than the final step in the staircase they came from. in the wall itself they see what appears at first to be a aquarium tank of water-like liquid built into the wall, there is gold and some jewelry on the bottom. In the middle of the room there is a small "plateau", large enough for two people to stand on.
If the glass is broken, large amounts of extremely strong alcohol starts pouring out very quickly, possibly dousing the person who breaks the glass, depending on method and possibly failing a dex save. The liquid reaches the fire pits and ignites the floor into flames, the amount of liquid is big enough to pour over the edge and pool at the bottom of the stairs, but a good amount remains in the room. When it reaches the pit the "regular" fire is converted into a 5x5 wall of fire, covering the door almost fully. The only place that is safe is the plateau, with enough space for 2 people, possibly 3 if they are creative.
If the party tried to "wait it out" in some way so will they slowly start getting drowsy, with slow carbon monoxide poisoning taking effect, thats when the consaves not to fall unconcious and drop into the burning booze starts.
Y/N? Anything to add? Any changes you would make?
Got a bit of homebrew monster stuff (that I didn't create) that you elegen/tg/entlemen might be interested in.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1n1Mu5LoHujvlG3WSIFdAeS7rHndd9A053BipsbPEmJ8/edit?pref=2&pli=1#gid=0
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6soC2ro7p4WOWFwSDA4cWdBUjQ/view?pref=2&pli=1
>/5eg/ Discord server
https://discord.gg/0rRMo7j6WJoQmZ1b
>>46211346
I would say the party would be unable to wait it out unless they used Leomund's Tiny Hut or Rope Trick. If they tried to just sit there, they'd eventually just die; you can't roll high enough to survive without oxygen. Explain to them after a minute or so that they begin to feel extremely drowsy, and are having a hard time staying awake. Hopefully that would tip them off into doing something else (and might motivate them to hedge their bets and try to move through the wall of fire).
Warlock question.
I've always thought it would be a good idea to swap out Mask of Many Faces for Master of Myriad Forms once I'm able to, but I just found out Alter Self requires concentration and Disguise Self doesn't. Should I still take Master of Myriad Forms when I can?
Shit I missed the post of CoS
How beginner friendly is 5e to someone completely new to RPGs?
>>46211781
Very. Start with Lost Mine of Phandelver.
>>46211781
Friendly enough.
>>46211781
Coming from someone who started with 3.5, I'd prefer to have started with 5e.
I was thinking of doing away with the common "20 is always success, 1 is always fail" rule in my upcoming game. But I still want to reward players for getting a 20. I'm just not sure what to replace it with. I was thinking of 20 getting double their proficiency bonus to the roll or something along those lines.
Anyone ever tried anything like that?
I feel bad for my party in CoS.
They don't have anyone that will ever be able to cure the Mad Mage of his crazy's...Makes me sad...They'd get a kick out of learning who it really is.
>>46212012
Personally, I like the "20 is always success, 1 is always fail", but your idea sounds good.
For a 1, maybe subtract their proficiency bonus, or half of it?
>>46212012
>"20 is always success, 1 is always fail"
This is only the case with attack rolls. It's not an auto success or failure with skills.
My party just defeated the wraith in LMoP by beating it to death with silverware.
They figured out that non-magic weapons wouldn't cut it, so the fighter pulls out the only silver he has on him, a goblet. On his first turn he action surges and gets two crits. This fills the party with hope so they all gather around the wraith and start beating him over the head with whatever silver loot they'd gathered before this point.
After a few rounds and two near deaths they succeeded in bludgeoning the spirit to death.
The best part was, the fighter had 2 magic weapons but didn't realise they'd pierce the resistance.
>>46212012
I really dislike 20 is always success for skill checks, only because it makes those DC 25 and DC 30 things useless.
>>46212064
>I really dislike 20 is always success for skill checks
But it isn't
Anyone have some tips for someone wanting to play a warlock?
>>46212074
Oh I know, I was just and agreeing, wasn't sure if you were referring to combat only though.
>>46212090
Pact of the Tome.
Agonizing Blast + Book of Ancient Secrets.
Hex, Hunger of Hadar, other disabling spells. Use Eldritch Blast for your damage.
>>46212013
You can always tell them later, after the adventure.
Still looking for better stratagems to use against Strahd.
>>46212049
I know its not according to RAW, but a lot of people (specifically the group I'm going to be DMing for) have or have had that as a house rule. I also don't really like having a 20 auto hit in combat either, I'm fine with crit damage, just not auto-hitting.
>>46212043
I was thinking that rolling a 1 would be penalty enough for most things, but maybe building a combat fumble table if they roll a 1 and also miss.
>>46212132
True...I just noticed something though.
There are threehagsin
Oldbonegrinder
They'renighthags, so they carry Heartstones which can cure any disease. Would you guys agree that madness is a disease, since it can be cured with greater restoration?
>>46211781
Swords & Wizardry Complete is the most beginner-friendly version of D&D. The rules are highly streamlined, everything is explained concisely, the rules are free in pdf form (legally) and come in a single hardback for $35. None of that 5e bullshit with needing 3 books. But 5e isn't too bad for beginners, its just not ideal. Start with the beginners box if you want to play 5e.
>>46212376
Up to you dude. Hell, you could even have them be combinable with a special recipe that makes a Cure Madness potion or some shit. If you want to make it work, there's plenty of ways to make it work.
With the Lich ritual in CoS (which only requires 13 days), would you allow a paladin to do the same thing to become a death knight?
Killing the party to become a lich is pretty cliche at this point, even though you don't have to kill anything anymore
>>46212886
Sure, why not.
>>46212886
I mean, any of them result in your player no longer being under their control so they'd be fucking retarded to do that (or really just want to end the campaign), but a death knight is far more than a lich. You'd have to do something UTTERLY reprehensible to the gods to be cursed/blessed so.
>>46211019
>adds ritual to become a vampire or lich
>player loses control
Then why the fuck would you put them there in the first place?
So are there no traditional maps for Strahd's castle? All I'm seeing between the mega trove stuff is the isometric maps. It seems odd since there are great looking maps for literally every other area in the adventure.
>>46213112
That's how it was in the original module, CoS is paying homage by mimicking. Either make ones yourself or go full theater of the mind.
>>46213112
>isometric
>great-looking
>suggesting the two are mutually exclusive
Fucking pleb.
I'm probably going to be running a heavily modified Curse of Strahd scenario soon.
Planning to allow Dhampir as a selectable race.
I've googled a bit, and I've found a shitton of Dhampir homebrews, and I'm not really sure which is the most balanced, as I've not delved into homebrew material before with 5e.
Does anyone have suggestions?
>>46214084
Don't do it Jim
>>46212012
Maybe make it so if they hit a twenty they get like, another +10 added to their roll. And do the opposite for 1's if you so desire.
>>46214084
Don't do it. Dhampiro is too much responsibility to not turn into a fuckup for most players.
I was casting Guidance in my last game on everyone as we were walking around the death house doing investigation and perception checks and my DM took me aside and told me they didn't want me casting Guidance all the time.
I thought they meant everyone could assume they'd have Guidance or he'd let the spell last like an hour or something but he said he doesn't like the idea of other PC's skills relying on it. Am I crazy for thinking that's dumb as shit? What's the point of a cleric if not to boost the players around him?
Trying to come up with an interesting boss encounter for my party. Is the CR of this monster about accurate, or should I change some things/raise or lower the CR?
>>46214084
Just use the stats for Human and let the player say he's all edgy and vampire-born and sparkly or some bullshit.
>>46214407
It is dumb as shit. He's dumb as shit.
It's a d4. +1-4 is good, but it's hardly breaking, especially since you can only do it on one guy at a time.
>>46214407
>Have the spell last an hour
It lasts 1 minute, and it's concentration. Essentially, your character has to follow everyone around and cast the spell every time someone makes an ability check.
I don't think that giving +2.5 to all ability checks out of combat is such a bad thing. It really shouldn't be a big deal. It really lets your character enhance the party.
Ask him what he expected you to use guidance for, if not this?
>>46214165
>>46214299
Normally, I'd agree 100%.
But I'd be running this with a group I've got 7 years of roleplaying experience with, and we've done very story-heavy games with good feedback and talk. I'd never dream of allowing a random jagoff I didn't know extremely well to have something like that.
I've seen some that include hilariously silly blood-drinking bite-weapon abilities that scream "STAY AWAY" to me, and I probably will stay away from those.
Most of the others I've seen err towards "Vaguely reskinned Duergar", but I'm not sure how crippling the sunlight sensitivity might be. I think I might ease up on the sunlight sensitivity, but take away something else, but I'm not sure how big of a bonus I should remove to compensate, really.
>>46214474
there's actually a monster called Oni already
page 239 MM
>>46214597
use this
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ViqLSEN67mmd2Lo_OJ-H5YX0fccsfI97kFaqx7V1Dmw/edit
>>46214592
>Ask him what he expected you to use guidance for, if not this?
I did and he apparently said "only for life and death stuff like traps" he basically wants me to limit my cantrip usage to a few times a game. Yeah idk, I'm just gonna finish up this house module thing and maybe find another group or something.
I have a question: When you gain a new level, do your experience points reset to 0 or do you stay at the amount of xp you needed to level up and then continue counting from there for the next level?
>>46214682
cumulative
>>46214661
>I'm just gonna finish up this house module thing and maybe find another group or something.
Don't jump the gun. I can totally see where he's coming from, having been in a game where a Druid kept casting Guidance every time anyone wanted to do anything. I could tell the DM was getting a little irritated with it, but I can only assume he understood that a d4 to a roll isn't game breaking and that that's the intended use for the cantrip. Make sure you explain this to him clearly after a couple of days of letting it sit, and if he's still hard assed about it, ask him if you could take another cantrip in place of Guidance. If he stonewalls you on this, let him know that he's intentionally taking away a cantrip that your character knows until the DM feels it's appropriate for it to be used.
If nothing gets through to him, he's being irrational and unreasonable, and at that point, it would be good to leave the game.
So for things like Pact of the Tome and the bard features that say take spells "from any class list", do you play with letting the players pick spells from multiple lists or do they have to pick their spells from 1 class's list? The wording leaves it unclear and after some searching there seems that a lot of people are debating over it.
Hey, anyone know if Wizards will be putting out more monster manuals, character options books, and equipment books any time soon? I want more stuff, but I don't want to buy the adventure books when I will only ever need five pages from each one and they're ~30 dollars each.
>>46214824
Magical Secrets (bard class ability) rads: Choose two spells from any class, including this one.
Seems clear as day to me. Only idiots would think it means you can only pick from a single class. If it was meant for you to pick from only a single class, it would read: Choose two spells from any one class, including this one.
>>46214878
They don't announce books until they're ready to focus specifically on them.
So no, no one here knows.
>>46214824
For Pact of the Tome I say any 3 cantrips from any list. The point of the Warlock is basically a shortcut to power, so why not pick the best cantrips you can? Especially since your spell slots are so limited compared to other common spellcasters.
>>46214474
>>46214630
I completely missed it.
I also forgot to include the multiattack on the thing I made, even.
>party is fighting some wights
>druid is in a hall connected to the room, trying to help at range
>but the party is doing fine
>he decides to chill and sit on a table in the middle of the encounter
>his ass gets stuck to the table
>the table is a mimic
>the chairs are mimics
>>46214968
>the room is a mimic
>>46214968
Why was the druid split from the party?
Sounds like a dumb player.
>>46215033
The entire dungeon is a mimic.
>>46214084
Have I got a PDF for you!
These should all be fairly well balanced. Shifter was largely pulled from the UA and so might actually be a tad bit on the weak side.
The Variant options for Shifters and Dhampirs are both quite powerful, particularly Shifters. Use at your own risk.
>>46215175
>Half Vistani is basically Half-Elf with Wis instead of Chr and a weakass Evil Eye
Ogey
>>46214474
Seems like it'd make a fun fight by itself, but it only has one attack type and not much utility out of that.
Maybe you have it summon up some lawful evil minions or some shit to fight alongside it. You could also have it make some psychic/necrotic damage ranged attack to give it more than just the one melee attack to work with.
>>46215175
I see the Shifter got buffed in this to high hell.
>>46215175
The Vistani, Dhampir, and Shifter seem incredibly powerful in comparison to the base races.
>>46215238
Not really. All I did was give them Keen Scent and automatic proficiency in Nature and Survival. So they're better than the UA version, but I still think they're a fairly suboptimal, if flavorful, choice.
For practical purposes, The Curse Remains variant gives them a bite attack they can only use in grapple, which isn't very powerful at all; and the ability to become a full lycanthrope at level 9, which is fairly late, comes with its own drawbacks, and something that could happen before then anyway by just failing a save against a lycanthrope's bite attack.
>>46215217
Half-Vistani fill the same role as half-elves in Ravenloft; I also mostly just wasn't sure what else to do with the race. Giving them the full-on Evil Eye would be way too powerful.
Always open to suggestions.
>>46215334
Oh, right, I forgot, I let the shifters shift more often. Maybe that should be cut back.
>Show up to AL early, work on homework as people set up
>Find out that 10 of 16 people tonight haven't finished Death House
>In order to prevent us from getting further ahead, we get delayed
>"only half an hour for the final boss"
>Spend the next two hours playing magic
>Finally get to start, get the savvy table
>Sniff out plot hooks, handle them efficiently
>No table bickering, combat goes swiftly
>Even had a half hour derail of me getting in a duel with the merchant guard
>Get stopped early because we still ended up two entire objectives ahead of the next group
My LGS charges three bucks a night for this.
>>46215334
>All I did was give them Keen Scent and automatic proficiency in Nature and Survival.
Yeah, that's much more powerful than you might think. That's two proficiencies the character doesn't have to take with Background or Class, and if the player's a Rogue, they'll end up with 8 (!) skill proficiencies at level 1. In addition to this, they can shift more than once per long rest after gaining some levels.
Sub-optimal? I can't fathom what you think might be overpowered.
The Half-Vistani are better mechanically. However, they're so lame in that they're practically just a Half-Elf variant.
>>46215175
Please kill yourself anytime
>>46215425
Is this really that bad?
Not the guy who posted it, but curious as to hear why.
>>46215175
Also, the Caliban are fucking incredible. How do you not realize this before you upload it?
>free prof and expertise in Intimidation, as well as being able to use Str instead of Cha for Intimidation
>runts get free prof and expertise in Stealth
>>46215415
>Extra shifting
I'll drop it back down to just the once, then, regardless of level.
>Two proficiencies
I'll drop it to just Survival, then.
>Half-Vistani
Honestly don't know what else to do with them. Vistani are important to Ravenloft as a setting, and so half-Vistani should be available as they were in earlier Ravenloft games. But earlier Ravenloft games just basically made them half-elves, too.
>>46215492
I actually don't mind the extra shifting, just maybe spread it out a bit more (1 shifts at 1, 2 shifts at 5, 3 shifts at 10) or so. The two proficiencies I feel are what make it really powerful, and dropping it down to one proficiency seems more reasonable. I will not,e however, that the racial trait is "Bestial Familiarity", making me think the skill it gives should be Animal Handling.
In regards to the Half-Vistani, I don't know what you should do with them either. If they were basically just half-elves in previous editions, that's fine, but I don't think they're deserving of their own race if they're almost a 1-1 copy,
>>46215453
Dhampir are always bad
turn into a vampire at 9th level turn all your friends into vampires have a party full of vampires
free expertise everywhere
stun creature for 5 rounds no recurring save
become a werebear at 9th and be immune to physical damage turn all your friends into werebears and an entire party immune to physical damage
>>46215488
>How do you not realize this before you upload it?
3.PF is a Hell of a drug and I'm still trying to break the habit and get used to 5E and the idea that skill proficiency is actually powerful rather than just flavorful.
Caliban will just get free proficiency in Intimidation (no expertise), though they'll keep the ability to use Strength instead of Charisma (not many caliban would build towards Charisma so I don't want to give them a functionally useless proficiency), and Runts will lose expertise with Stealth.
>>46215492
Vistani are humans who can use Evil Eye and Curse
not really appropriate for PCs
HUGE FUCKING THANK YOU FOR THE GUY THAT SCANNED COS YOU SAVED ME THE EQUIVALENT OF 300 DOLLARS BECAUSE OF SHIT TAXES IN BRAZIL.
YOU ARE A GENTLEMAN AND A SCHOLAR, GODSPEED TO YOU SIR
>>46215415
>more than once per long rest after gaining some levels
It's already more than once/long rest, considering it's once/short rest by default. Maybe you just mis'spoke', though?
>>46215488
>str for intim
this is literally listed as a possibility in the PHB as it is.
Possibility to get 2 expertise skills is likely a bit much, though, yeah.
>>46215552
9th level shit is literally listed as a DM possibility, and I'm not even sure what the other shit you're saying means
>>46215559
Losing the expertise is probably for the best. I would caution against letting the Caliban exclusively use Str for Intimidation (after all, not many people who would want to use Intimidation would build towards Charisma). If you really want the Str to Intimidation thing, I would consider that more of a house rule, as a racial doesn't make much sense to me.
>>46215601
Yeah, I meant short rest.
>intim
Yeah, but it seems off-putting for it to be a racial. Why is it that a Caliban can use his Strength to intimidate, but the Dwarf Battlerager can't (we're assuming playing straight and not including str for intim normally.
>>46215629
Aye, it is a bit non-standard to explicitly list it, that's true.
It strikes me more of a firm 'message'/rule to the DM that they can and are intended to "always" be able do this, but you'd think a DM permitting homebrew would also permit you just using strength as described in the book (pg 175 PHB, for anybody who cares)
>>46215552
>Dhampir are always bad
I wonder if at this point aichmophobia should itself be meme-worthy...
>turn into a vampire at 9th level turn all your friends into vampires have a party full of vampires
It is listed as a variant requiring DM permission, and note it says "as otherwise noted in the Monster Manual". The Monster Manual notes that a character becoming a vampire should probably be 1) Evil and 2) taken over by the DM.
>stun creature for 5 rounds no recurring save
Hmm, good point. I'll introduce a new save every time the target takes damage.
>become a werebear at 9th and be immune to physical damage turn all your friends into werebears and an entire party immune to physical damage
Again, listed as a variant requiring DM permission. Besides which, if everyone's a werebear then the DM just has to make the monsters stronger to accommodate the increased capabilities of the heroes, doesn't he? Not that much different from normal.
>>46214084
Reskin a drow.
Print these A3 and they are a good size for cards
1/2
>>46215739
I do like the idea of the Dhampir. Here's another one I found 10 or so threads back that I thought was worth saving. Maybe compare yours to this one and see what you think.
>>46215889
2/2
>>46215593
>living in Brazil
>>46215593
>>46215975
original scanbro here, i am friend to all BRexcept the blacks
>>46215891
Well, mine is actually based off of that one, though I adjusted the various bloodline traits, dropped Hard to Kill, and upped the Darkvision to 90 feet, and changed the basic ability increase from Constitution to either Strength or Dex.
I did the last because from what I know of dhampir folklore, while they're often described as being supernaturally strong, they're also described as being frail - bones like jelly and the like. So a CON bonus doesn't make sense to me.
When I put together the Races of Ravenloft document it was with the idea that all of our PCs for the game were going to come *from* Barovia or, rather, Barovia and surrounding lands. My DM and I don't really like the "Demiplane of Dread" idea - that is, the idea of a small pocket plane that occasionally pulls in people from other planes for shits n' giggles in order to fuck with Strahd.
The basic idea of the Dark Powers and the Mists and so on, fine, but not the demiplane bit. So instead Barovia is going to be a land in an otherwise normal, if spooky, campaign world. Bearing that in mind, though, elves, dwarves, gnomes, and especially dragonborn don't really fit with the basic "feel" of the setting.
So instead I basically grabbed races to fit various horror movie monsters/tropes:
- Hulk Calibans: Frankenstein's monster
- Runt Calibans: Igore
- Dread Dhampir: Nosferatu-type vampires
- Noble Dhampir: Carmilla-type vampires
- Feral Dhampir: Dracula-type vampires
- Half-Vistani: Gypsies
- Shifters: The Wolf-Man
- Tieflings: Possessed kid, like Damien from The Omen
Feeling a bit salty today /5eg/, the Adventure League is running Rage of Demons and ended up in a bit of hot water due to some player actions in Blingdenstone. A player attempted to charm an NPC in order to find out the secret to making spellstones, and the NPC rightly so, reported the party to the ruling council. Semi-related possible that guy has spent the "day" trying to get a magic weapon, and the DM says no one has one so he bitches about how 3.5 every market had magic items. So we get ordered to clear out a meduesa/gorgon, and the market guy starts bitching immediately about how he never wanted to go back to the Underdark and he just wants to leave. Then he starts talking about how he wants to kill the guards, and bitches about them. Fuck, don't show up if you don't want to play instead of this passive-aggressive bullshit. /end blog post
Fairly new to 5e here. I was considering having the races of my setting be Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Gnomes, Orcs, Kobolds, and a custom race made of animated volcanic rock. I was planning on bastardizing the kobold press Gearforged rules for the rock-people (giving them resistance to fire in exchange for something), and just removing the "half" from the half-orc rules for PC orcs. But I'm at a loss on the kobolds. Does anyone know a good source for PC kobold rules?
>>46216069
That's a cool theme, though I would recommend you drop the "Races from Ravenloft" moniker. You flat out said you dislike the idea of the demiplane of dread, so you should probably distance yourself from Ravenloft and make it your own thing. Maybe "Horror Races" or something.
I guess i'm going to have to find a 5e homebrew for a decent necromancer class, or does the Necro Wizard / Death Cleric do well enough that i can play it and still be effective?
>>46216113
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/races/other-races/featured-races/arg-kobold
So what would you say is the class that has the most diverse toolkit. Currently playing a fighter and I'm board out of my mind near every session. Even battle master abilites arent spicing things up much due to our group being so big that whatever comes our way is gonna die anyway.
>>46216069
Oh, and I ditched Daywalker because they're already daywalkers by virtue of not bursting into flame in sunlight, and also because if you have a disability then you shouldn't be able to switch it off because the disability is just as defining to your character as the abilities.
I have to admit that I do like the fundamental idea of being able to expend Hit Dice into stuff, though, and may steal that for later.
Anyway, here's an updated version of Races with the various suggestions from above implemented.
>>46216113
I would just use a variant of halfling,maybe give em a dex bonus, a bonus to trapmaking/sensing and an AC bonus for armor, and the features of small races.
>>46216123
Necromancer wizards are the most powerful minionmancers in 5e.
>>46216113
Allow winged kobold at your own risk.
https://mega.nz/#!HwRH2aSS!PKiCc8yR0dJbMq_Az6imjBT-ouu7JZtZwRaKOXUe7o4
Bookmarked COS DM maps only
>>46216069
You should make a gravedigger/ghoul race that can feed off of felled creatures for like (3xCR) hp. Give it some Con and Dex bonuses and it'd be bretty ghoul.
>>46216157
Could you explain how, i still haven't confirmed with the Gm because i'm worried that i won't have any minions early into the campaign
You can probably tell i'm new to 5e
>>46216115
Well, the thing is that caliban and half-vistani were taken straight from Ravenloft. I could change the name on both, but everyone would know what I was doing so it seems more honest to just keep it as Races of Ravenloft - besides which, these were created specifically for a Curse of Strahd game that my DM is going to be running somewhere down the line, after I've had a go at running Out of the Abyss, that is.
Plus I actually *love* Ravenloft, I just dislike the demiplane part.
>>46216197
They can have the most minions at once, permanently, and can equip those minions with better equipment. The only balancing factor for them is that it takes daily spell slots to maintain those minions and that creating undead is objectively evil or at least greatly shunned by society, depending on the setting.
>>46216231
The demiplane part is one of the better parts of it, though. It's made up of a constantly shifting set of domains (though usually locked in set positions, they have no TRUE stable geography), which can allow for players to be from pretty much any setting the GM allows.
>>46216237
Ah awesome, thanks anon
>creating undead is objectively evil or at least greatly shunned by society, depending on the setting.
PC grew up alone on an island of Death worshippers that all got wiped out because they messed up a ritual. PC was chosen by the Death God to spread the word
Everyone thinks he's just insane :^)
>>46216193
Nah, I don't like outright undead races for a number of reasons. Note that I had the dhampir race note, for example, that most dhampir are born from a pregnant woman being attacked by a vampire but surviving the bite, rather than directly bumping uglies.
How do I break the Book of Ancient Secrets by using ritual and cantrip combinations?
>>46216293
cast cantrips
learn rituals
cast those too
>>46216260
I know; I have the 3E Ravenloft book and have read it cover-to-cover. I can understand why the idea would appeal to some people, but personally I dislike it, and so does my DM. So instead we're taking everything else, up to and including the Dark Powers, the Mists, Strahd basically being trapped in Barovia, and so on - but leaving out the Demiplane part. Instead our characters will come from places like, I dunno...
Britain - Albion
France - Bourgogne
Germany - Bayern
Austria - Magyaror
Italy - Sardhigna
Russia - Kjevia
Turkey - Anadolu
Greece - Ellada
Stuff like that. A faux-1880s Europe, basically.
Is it viable to want to dual wield but not be full on dex based? Or would I be better off using a shield?
>>46216419
Sure? So long as you take the feat, you can dual wield longswords or axes or whatever, and you get a +1 to AC when wielding separate weapons in both hands.
>>46216293
Bumping for answers for good rituals to cast together for added perks
>>46216484
What classes would you suggest for a dual wielder, I'm not all that familiar with melee classes.
>>46216551
v human champion fighter
>>46216551
You want your character's focus to be dual wielding, without having a focus on Dex, right?
Champ Fighter or Totem Barbarian would probably be the best two options.
>>46216551
Fighter, ranger, barb, paladin
>>46216156
>>46216187
Thanks.
Anyone have any suggestions on my planned adaptations to the gearforged?
http://www.5esrd.com/races/3rd-party-publisher-races/kobold-press---races/gearforged
>Replace 2 variable points with fixed 2 to con
>Do naturally sleep, ignore the "maintenance" thing
>Resistant to fire
>>46216771
http://www.5esrd.com/races/3rd-party-publisher-races/silver-games-llc---races/flutterpony
What are the best cantrips and 1st level rituals to get for a tomelock at third level?
I'm playing my first game tomorrow as a talky highborn half elf bard female with lawful neutral alignment. Any tips?
>>46217356
Shillelagh if you ever plan on going into melee.
Guidance because most basic of cheese.
>>46217356
Depends on whether you want more utility or more damage.
>>46217356
Find familiar
>>46217437
Warlocks need utility. They have more than enough damage with eldritch blast.
>>46211019
>What's your favorite new monster in CoS?
>Implying anyone with taste would ever say anything other than strahd himself
If you discount strahd I'd have to pick wereravens.
>>46214255
>you could potentially get a -10 on your roll
I should introduce that just to fuck with the people who try rolling for everything, sometimes before the DM asks.
>>46217735
>strahd
>new monster
>>46212145
you are the DM faggot the rules are whatever you want
>>46217783
>counting other editions or peoples shitty ports/homebrews
literally nothing would be new, then.
>>46217841
Strahd is a variant spellcaster Vampire. You can find him in the Monster Manual
I like Wereraven's and Mongrelfolk
if strahd's daddy was a king why is strahd only a count
>>46217944
His lair actions actions aren't in the MM, as well as basically all of the abilities he has. That's enough for me to count him as new.
>>46217996
Only his lair actions are unique.
>>46217955
He never got a coronation done.
>>46218069
then he would be a prince
Strahd is actually a bit of a busybody
>>46215398
or you could just make friends with the players you like then invite them over for a private game and no one has to pay shit.
i started a fresh campaign with some friends plus a couple randoms and we were creating our characters and then we found out this week rules changed and shit fucked up our characters. made me want to never return out of spite
>>46218063
Could have sworn at least children of night was new.
Huh.
So do you think that they'll revisit old adventures after they publish enough new ones? I think that's way they all of the actual adventure title and a second title like Rage of Demons or Return to Ravenloft. I have a pretty solid hunch that we'll get another ravenloft game eventually with Lord Soth as the main antagonist. What do you guys think?
>>46218079
And he is a Prince, but because he conquered Barovia in his lifetime he was appointed Count of Barovia, Prince of the larger kingdom. It's like how the British Princes get to simultaneously be Dukes of Wales and the like.
>>46218113
>I have a pretty solid hunch that we'll get another ravenloft game eventually with Lord Soth as the main antagonist.
I actually doubt this since the Hickmans were super against Soth being roped into Ravenloft. If we see Lord Soth again it will be in Dragonlance.
>>46218113
It seems unlikely. That sort of thing might have happened in 3.5e's or 4e's release schedule, but not on 5e's release schedule. It's too focused on singular releases to really have room for that sort of thing.
>>46218113
I wish anon. Har'Akir is lovely this time of year or so I hear....
but its Back to Sword's coast for us all I'd wager
>>46218085
what if i just let it ring and never answer
>>46218116
yeah but you don't call prince charles the duke of cornwall do you
>>46218184
He sends vampire spawn to beat you up
>>46218213
If Prince Charles is the only member of his family left alive, never got crowned King, and is trapped eternally in Cornwall? Then yes, you call him the Duke of Cornwall.
>>46211019
What are some cool things you can do with Monks? Any cool or flavorful multiclasses?
>>46218234
He'd probably make himself King of Cornwall
I had a similar though yesterday, imagine if Prince Harry is serving in the middle east somewhere and nuclear apocalypse happens but he and the british army detachment survive.
Do you think they'd follow the Prince or the highest ranking officer? I bet he'd crown himself a new king
>>46218225
I'm not even in Barovia fuck off Strahd
>>46218291
take Magic Initiate
pick Hex
Your party comes across this special animated armor. What do you do?
>>46218541
fuck it in the mouth
>>46218541
Open my mouth.
Just started playing with a group of 9.
9
9!!!
It's going better than expected.
Combat is fairly smooth
If not a touch meat grinder esq
We have quite the varied group.
Barbarian
Bard
Cleric
Druid
Fighter
Paladin
Ranger
Wizard
It's our first time in dnd.
We are looking at multi classes ect.
I'm the tempest cleric
I am thinking fighter for action surge fighting style and battle master.
Am i thinking of synergies or am I about to make a character as useful as gloves for a beholder?
I demand a Domain of Dread Adventurer's Guide and at least two more Ravenloft Adventures involving Lord Soth, Adam, or Ankhtepot. Also, which warlock patron do the mists fall under? GOO or Undying?
>>46218828
>first encounter
Spooky skeletons!
They roll well.
Damage us significantly.
We panic thinking each encounter can be our last.
Later on we realise that it must have been luck and proceed to charge with abandon through the dungeon steamrolling everything in our path!
>Each time a non-evil creature accepts a dark gift, it must make a DC 12 Charisma saving throw. If the saving throw fails, the creature's alignment changes to evil. A character who turns evil becomes an NPC under the Dungeon Master's control, although the DM can allow the player to continue playing the evil character.
I think what I will do is : 1 failure change to evil. 2 failure become a pawn of the dark powers under my control.
So i went and made up a few new spells that should mix well with unarmed characters with tavern brawler and monks.
Basically the concept is similar to the booming blade and green flame blade cantrips.
As part of your spell you make a unarmed strike on a target withing 5 ft of you and the target suffers the spells effect on hit.
Works with the MA feature so you can get in that bonus action unarmed strike as well.
Example:
Mage-fist (evocation cantrip)
Action
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
Range: 5 ft
Your limbs become sheathed in magical energy.
As a part of this spell you make an unarmed strike.
On hit it the target takes normal damage tied to your unarmed strike and the target suffers additional 1d4 force damage.
The damage die is raised as you level up to 2d4 at lvl 5, 3d4 at lvl 10, 5d4 at lvl 16.
Deadly strike (necromancy lvl 1 spell).
Action
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
Range: 5 ft
Your limbs become sheathed in negative energy.
As a part of this spell you make an unarmed strike.
On hit the target takes normal damage tied to your unarmed strike and has to make a Constitution saving throw or take 5d4 necrotic damage on a failed save or half as much on a successful one.
Casting the spell at a higher level raises the damage die by 2d4 per spell level.
Everyone go to page 89 of the Curse of Strahd adventure book and read the description for Crypt 16Elsa Fallona von Twitterberg (Beloved Actor): She had many followers. There is nothing of value here.
>>46218852
1. Agreed.
2. They all work pretty well. GOO is maybe the wrong sort of horror, but undying, fiend and the nastier sort of fey all feel appropriate.
>>46211019
One of my players want to be a Strength based brawler monk. Any downsides to letting him use Unarmored Defense with STR+WIS instead of DEX+WIS?
>>46219072
nope
>>46219072
None.
Just let him be.
Oh and fluff the high AC so that instead of dodging every blow he got hit but the blow didn't do anything because his body is magically strengthened through ki.
>>46219078
>>46219074
I think that's what he would want anyways. Thanks anons
Does anyone else have trouble creating backstories for Barbarians and Monks? Why would they be in a city or whatever doing what they do?
>>46219152
Should monks only live in the wild
should barbarians not get drunk as fuck
>>46219152
Freed slave-gladiator.
Curious tribesman exploring the world and doing mercenary work(Barabarians actually use magic drawn from their rage so anyone can become one under the condition of meeting the requirements).
Justiciar or agent monk working for the kingdom, his monastery or a merchant guild.
etc.
>>46216513
Just get every single one you can.
Alright, let me know where I'm wrong and why I'm wrong:
I'm in melee range of an enemy. My left hand is holding a shield, and my right hand is holding an spellcasting focus. I can't fight this by casting spells since I don't have any melee range spells, and ranged spells in melee combat incur disadvantage, so I need to put away my focus and draw my sword. In order to put away my focus, I move 5 feet around my opponent, circling him and putting away the focus as part of my free interaction during my move (sourced later). Now that my focus has been put away, I'll take the attack action with my sword, and during this attack action, I will draw my sword as part of my free interaction during my action.
Interactions are listed on page 190 of the PHB, and describe being able to do simple tasks (such as drawing or sheathing a sword) as part of your movement and action. I make the assumption that I can take one of these interactions to draw my sword while simultaneously using my action to attack with it based off of text on page 193 that reads "...such as when you draw a sword as part of an attack."
>>46219586
Isn't that Exalted?
>>46219586
Description of Solar is annoying because Demon Princes are stronger than a Solar
>>46219603
Solar are found in the Monster Manual pp. 18 under Angels
>>46219611
Being fair, the solar given in the MM is a generic solar, i.e. the base for which the 24 solars (since they each should be named and equipped differently) share, and differences arise among them based on equipment and personal preferences.
>>46219643
I'll accept that
>>46219542
Next paragraph:
>If you want to interact with a second object, you need to use your action.
Seems to me that you can either stow or draw a weapon for free as part of a move or action, but you can't do it twice. You'd have to use your action to draw, since you're interacting with a second object, the sword.
>>46219756
Ah, right. I missed that and was reading just the sidebar. So I can stow my focus as part of my move, but I need to use my action to draw my sword.
>>46218828
>I am thinking fighter for action surge fighting style and battle master.
Full casters should (almost) never multiclass, and besides which, your party already has 3 beefcake fighters. Instead of being the only member of the party who can cast huge badass Cleric spells, you'll be the guy who casts okay spells and fights kind of okay. It's much better to specialize, especially in a large party like that.
>>46211434
Go back to the shitposting channel and post more dank memes
One hex in Barovia map is 1/4 mile, or 1320 feet.
The map is 1542 pixels wide and each hex is 25 pixels. So there are 61.68 hexes, round up to 62. 62/4 = 15.5 miles
Barovia is 15.5 miles wide? I think I am retarded and did math wrong somewhere please send help because Fast travel pace is 30 miles in 8 hours so can the party traverse Barovia in 4 hours?
>>46218828
As a general rule never multiclass out of a Caster class unless you're doing it to patch a hole your party can't fill, which you aren't because you've got a balanced 9-person party.
Your party wants high-level Cleric spells a whole fuck of a lot more than they want another punch-good dude when they've already got a Barbarian, Fighter, AND Paladin.
>>46215087
life itself is a mimic
>>46219959
That's deep anon
>>46219586
Well he's certainly orange enough.
>>46219964
Your entire life up until this point has been an illusion. There's no going back. Wake up. WAKE UP.
>>46219868
I was just thinking this. while they party COULD travel the entirety of Barovia that fast, theyd be having encounters constantly.
Rather than a map, think of it as a stage, and every little hex tile is a prop worth explanation.
What creature are the PCs supposed to sacrifice in Death House? Should I put fish in the pool around the altar, or what?
>>46220142
I believe the implication is that they're "supposed" to sacrifice one of their own. They clearly aren't expected to actually to do that, but you never know,
Rolled 8, 6 + 2 = 16 (2d12 + 2)
>>46220130
Actually, the adventure says there is a max of 2 random encounters in 12 hours
So the players could traverse the entirety of Barovia and only have two encounters
How would you homebrew Durulz into 5E?
Death House, if your players kill everything is worth 5950xp
For a 4-6 man party this gets them to level 3. Well calculated WOTC
>>46211731
Master of Myriad Forms gives you more options at the expense of your concentration slot, as you say.
If you're just doing party face things, you don't need alter self. If you wanna be able to do shit like breathe underwater or have on-demand access to a light magic melee weapon (because you didn't take bladelock, for instance), alter self is bretty gud.
>>46220354
3-6 rather
What's /5eg/'s experience with playing 5e over roll20?
I live in the middle of fucking nowhere and have zero chance of finding a group on the material plane.
So assuming you don't run Death House, are starting from Level 1, and don't feel like tracking XP, what are the best Milestones to use for level advancement?
Finding the three artifacts and gaining the ally from the card reading are all pretty obvious, but being random I can't count on them to not be bunched up either early or late in the level structure.
Does beastial fury mean the animal takes both of your attacks, or it attacks twice as one attack then you still have an attack left?
>>46220486
Either follow the areas by level or don't be a faggot and start them at 3rd
>>46220212
Disregarding literally everything they can come across in the book, yes.
But if its that big of a deal, make every a hex an entire mile.
>>46220486
Theres a lot of sidequests. After finishing one, I'd probably grant a level. Getting the treasures themselves are so strong and random, that i don't think they'd deserve a level up themselves.
>>46218093
but then I'd have to DM, and the group would only last a month because the semester is ending. Also, I have a group on sundays for that.
http://npcgenerator.azurewebsites.net/
generate an NPC with all fields set to random. tell us about them.
>>46220668
>CN Orc smuggler
>venerates Oghma
>has a good singing voice
>slowly turning into a plant
>>46220668
>Peyton Hillless is a 56 years old male human banker.
>Sexual Orientation: Straight
>Relationship Status: In a relationship
>He has a shocking piercing on his nose, an elaborate piercing on his right eyebrow, a piercing on his left ear.
>He admires the local lord.
That's not straight at all.
Maria Chaucer is a 23 years old female human paladin.
She has a bald head and gray eyes.
She has rough, tanned skin with a chocolate complexion.
She stands 167cm tall and has an athletic build.
She has a sharp, slightly attractive face.
She has 2 piercings on her nose, 2 bland piercings on her nose.
She quietly worships the archdevil Prince Levistus, Lord of the Fifth. (Lawful Evil)
She easily holds grudges.
She has no self-confidence.
She always has a battle story to tell. She works hard to play hard afterwards. She is an alcoholic.
Strength 14
Dexterity 10
Constitution 17
Intellect 8
Wisdom 11
Charisma 18
She has been hired to assassinate the PCs.
I'm pretty sure my party wouldn't trust One Punch Woman at all.
>>46219868
1. Most of the roads aren't straight-shots
2. Most of the wilderness in Barovia is probably going to be difficult terrain
3. Traveling fast in Barovia sounds like a great way to get your nuts bitten off by surprise dire wolves. Why in fuck would you do it if you weren't forced to?
>>46218828
Nine companions...
But so far you have only mentioned eight. Anyway, taking three levels of fighter will mean you're losing out on your highest 1-2 levels of cleric spells, and you still won't get an extra attack. Taking five levels of fighter will mean that you're losing out on your highest 2-3 levels of cleric spells. This is a pretty big deal. Though you have two-and-a-half other healers in the party, you're the one who gains good resurrection magic first in the form of Revivify.
>>46220668
>Caresta Galamin is a 309 years old male high elf explorer.
>He quietly worships Corellon Larethian, God of elves, magic, music, arts, crafts, war, poetry, bards, warriors. (Chaotic Good)
>He has never declared himself an adult. He believes that he is related to Corellon Larethian. He is slightly paranoid.
>Sexual Orientation: Straight
>Relationship Status: Married and having an affair
All I can say is that around elves, watch yourselves.
Someone's been puffing a bit too much on the pipeweed if you know what I mean.
>He talks very fast and incomprehensibly to the NPCs before turning to dust.
da fug?
>>46220668
Not sure I would ever use this...
>>46220668
>Jarin Woodleaf is a 29 years old male human bodyguard.
>Sexual Orientation: Straight
>Relationship Status: Married and having an affair
>He lives with a succubus.
Is he cheating on the succubus? Or with the succubus?
>>46220668
>Anne Crewe is a 44 years old female human scribe.
>She quietly worships Torm, God of duty, loyalty, obedience, paladins. (Lawful Good)
>She is always ready to help others.
>She only talks in whispers.
>She constantly quotes sacred texts. She loves discovering new mysteries and solving them.
>Sexual Orientation: Straight
>Relationship Status: Recently divorced
>Plot Hook: She is a cannibal.
Well, at least we know she'll say grace before she eats our body parts.
>>46220811
>Is he cheating on the succubus? Or with the succubus?
Yes.
>>46220668
>Matilda Caskbow is a 53 years old female half-elf bodyguard.
>She has rugged, dark skin with a black complexion.
>She stands 152cm tall and has a regular build.
>She has a round, typical face.
>She smells of tobacco.
>She is very obstinate.
>She works hard to play hard afterwards.
>Sexual Orientation: Straight
>Relationship Status: Recently broke up
Grouchy chain-smoking chocolate elf shortstack ISO rebound sex. 10/10 would play.
>>46220474
I'm playing 90% of my sessions over roll20. It works really well, especially if you play the official modules and use their maps, which are in the Mega btw.
>>46220474
It's pretty fun, you just gotta hope you find a group that doesn't fall apart super easily. It's easier to find a group as a DM though, just keep that in mind.
>Start conversation in my LGS about how I DM
>Thing of note is I docked xp from a fight they wrecked
>The wizard's save-or-suck basically one-shot it
>"No, you can't punish player for your fuck up. Would you do it if they critted a bunch?"
>No, I can do it off expected results, there was a 70% chance of it sucking
>I also didn't hear anyone complaining when I quadrupled xp from the four drow
>The drow had terrain and surprise and were not CR 1/4's
>"..."
>Are Shadows CR 1/2 if the party has no magical damage?
>"You can't punish your players for your decisions man."
>I could choose to have a dragon crash through the ceiling on them
>I could choose to use fast pacing and double all xp
>I could choose to use milestone levelling
>You people are just being greedy and gamist and inconsistent to boot
>>46220811
He and his wife are both fucking the succubus
>>46220486
>lol random PC tries to kill madam tarot.
>shit goes down
>huuur, DM is picking on me
>>46220668
>going to make my first one my next character
>medusa
Dont think my dm is going to allow that
>>46221105
try again
>>46220984
Why do you keep fucking posting this? You're wrong. Learn from your mistakes and get over it.
>>46221182
should just make a rule ahead of time about not allowing wizards. half the problems that come up are because of interpretation of rules involving their spells.
or if your wizard has a hard-on for raw and thinks that it won't come around to bite him, water elemental engulfs him, quasit pickpockets his spell focus, ropers in general, helmed horror who hates magic users and happens to have just the right spell immunity list, hidden mages with counterspell, ghosts, aboleths.
the DM can stack so much shit against the players it's not even funny. complaining about not following a strict Turing set of rules is the mistake players make if they think it will help them.
>>46221182
why don't you fucking address the points I made you faggot? Oh wait, that's because I'm right
>>46219542
>not keeping your casting focus tied to a band or strip around your wrist so it can be easily dropped without losing or damaging it
>>46220837
Maybe her cannibalism isn't voluntary? Maybe she's compelled to it, or it's a curse.
>>46221270
>>46221276
>>46220984
You sound like a horrible DM with a player vs DM mindset.
You fucked up, just give them the exp. It won't hurt anybody. You forget that the most important thing is that your players are having fun, arguing over such bullshit isn't fun for anybody, especially if it ends in fucking the players over.
>>46218184
Tatyana pls
>>46221353
if wizards can use grease, minor illusion, etc to fuck up enemies why would people object to engulf, slight of hand, etc?
>>46220984
You're so shitty a DM it causes me less cognitive dissonance to believe this story is made up.
>>46220668
>Zexez is a 18 years old male goblin paladin.
>He doesn't worship any god.
>He tries to convert everyone he meets. He judges people on their fighting skills.
>He is non-materialistic.
>He has a pet falcon companion named Bagel.
>Plot Hook: His house has been eaten by a purple worm. Further inspection of the tunnel reveals a complex cave system.
Zexez, where is your life going?
"When you are adjacent to an enemy, and one of that character's allies attacks you, you can use your reaction to force the ally to make their attack roll with disadvantage."
A fighting style that rewards you for rushing into melee. Is it unbalanced? How would you fluff this? A sudden feint that forces your opponent to obscure his friend's aim?
>>46221507
>Doesn't worship a god
>Tries to convert everyone
I hope he wears a fedora
>>46219801
Ok cool.
Multi class waste of expertise.
Like i said I'm new.
I haven't looked much into the top end spells
Are there any of particular note?
They just didn't seem that impressive in my newbie eyes.
>>46219912
Thanks for the advise.
Any big bad spells i should take note of as a tempest cleric?
One of my players will be starting a CoS run through soon. I've been a wizard the last two campaigns I've been in because no one I play with ever chooses casters. Assuming that will happen again, what should I play? I like playing cool and interesting builds. Options I was considering:
>Bladelock
>Bladesinger of weeb haste
>CLERIC OF HOLY LIGHT
>Boring ass GWF Barb
>Dex Paladin of maximum AC
>Crossbow Fighter
>>46221691
Bless is your go to concentration spell at lower levels
>>46218113
WHY NOT MOTHERFUCKING VECNA?
HE WAS A DARKLORD, AFTERALL
NEW CAMPAIGN "EYE OF THE LICH"
FUCK YEAH
>>46220762
Er yeah.
One of the party must be a mimic?
Anyone of you got a good Skeleton player race?
>>46221363
>>46221483
>Make xp proportional to actual difficulty rather than listed CR
>WOW SUCH SHITTY DMING, DM VS PLAYER IS BAD YOU KNOW
>ARE YOU KIDDING ME???
>tfw you make a campaign from scratch and think it's pretty unique only to have your players tell you it's just like some anime about robot drills or some shit that you've never even heard of
>>46221713
Crossbow Fighter, do it!
High as fuck Dex, Ranged combat, and either crossbow expert or sharpshooter for your variant human feat.
You'll have +7 to hit at first level.
It's almost the build I went with for CoS, but I ended up going more of a duelist/fancy fencing type fighter.
>>46221809
Go watch it
>>46221752
Yeah I love that one.
One of my players was bitten by a wererat and failed his constitution save. I hadn't really planned on this (I know, why would they face wererats if I wasn't prepared for this? Because I am an idiot). How annoying is it to have a lycantrope player? RAW they turn lawful evil which fucking sucks because it takes away a ton of player agency.
Is there any good way to deal with this? I'd like to turn it into some kind of plot point in the near future, but if it leads to too much interparty conflict I'd rather just give them the option to go to a temple and get the curse lifted.
>>46221808
Holy shit you sound mad. The problem is that you're inconsistent, which is always a bad thing.
>An encounter didn't went as planed?
>Let's just turn the exp lower/higher lel
You adjusted the exp after the ecounter which even your player noticed, or you told them yourself.
>>46221953
Doesn't it say the alignment only changes if they "embrace the curse"?Alignments are dumb anyways
>>46221960
Do you not realize that by your own logic, you're fucking over your players by using multiple enemies rather than single enemy encounters (normalizing for threat of TPK)? If an encounter is balanced, it should be worth level appropriate xp.
Rules as written, players only ever want to fight solos of exceedingly high CR, since xp scales exponentially on creatures but danger is basically linear.
Even within a single CR, their difficulties can vary drastically based on party composition. A party of warlocks can mulch Shadows. A party of fighters? They'd get bent over and fucked up the ass till their prostates popped. Why should the warlocks get the same amount of xp?
And before you answer, this isn't a fucking AL module. The dungeon is made for your specific party.
