I will say in defense of Adventurer's League that I believe there's more flexibility in terms of magic items because it uses a currency/downtime system to "purchase" items, but I could be wrong. And that would only be AL and I couldn't speak for other forms of organised play such as Adventurer's in Greyhawk or other con-play events.
That sounds like a good addition, if it does that. Any given regular DM could do similar, though (directly via occasional things purchasable in whatever nearest civilization there is, or by way of quest rumors).
I think the popularity of video games and anime gave newer people to D&D failed expectations of what melee classes can do or should be able to do.
People expecting the game to be balanced is not an artifact of video games and anime. People do look at video games and anime as an example of balancing, but that's not the same thing.
I think the popularity of video games and anime gave newer people to D&D failed expectations of what melee classes can do or should be able to do.
People expecting the game to be balanced is not an artifact of video games and anime. People do look at video games and anime as an example of balancing, but that's not the same thing.
Building on the above, I think blaming video games and anime is a popular modern scapegoat typically referenced by older players complaining about the modern state of the game.- but it is nothing more than a scapegoat. Humans have liked overpowered hunky combatants doing incredible feats of martial prowess since time immemorial.
You look at the Iliad and you have pages and pages of martial heroes churning through ranks of men in incredibly gory detail… not to mention fighting rivers and wounding gods. Moving forward to some of the early 20th century literature D&D is based on, you have characters like Conan, who, in the books, is a lithe (Howard loves that word) and fairly intelligent and charming figure (more so than the films) who is able to use his various martial skills to defeat supernatural threats.
Power fantasies are hardly new - they’re literally foundational to the genera. There is a reason folks have been complaining about martials getting the short straw for multiple editions - and a reason Wizards tried to fix that gap with 4e. People want to play as a Conan, and have since long before the modern video game or anime boom.
In tier 4 that may be true because of a few really busted 9th level spells, but in tier 3 pretty much anything that isn't chaff has legendary resistance, so a lot of your examples turn into "You cast your awesome spell and... nothing happens".
using 2024 MM only...
Colossus is the highest CR and thus the Strongest 2024 Monster. AC 23, Initiative 16, HP 553 (27d20+270)
Magic Resistance. The colossus has Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects. Legendary Resistance (4/Day). If the colossus fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Though walnut to crack. Pick a Caster, level 20. (Note Not Warlock as they fit a differant box)
Level 9 Spell - Blade of Disaster it's a summon, the summon attacks with melee does 10d6 Force crits on a 18+ Level 9 Spell - Meteor Swarm this is the one eveyone thinks of Dex Save, level 9 20d6 fire, 20d6 Bludgeoning. AOE 40ft, with a 1 mile range. Min 52 Max 480 damage. 230~260 average Save take half min 26 max 240 average 115~130. Sure the big scary boss didn't take anywhere as much as the Roguelock Backstab for insane 200 force damage. (Yes can be done.)
here's the thing, the big scary Monster always has an Army with them. As a DM I usually look at the CR and find a good mix of appropreate monsters and match the Bosses CR, trying my best to fill the ranks with enough monsters to equal the bosses HP. This means with the Colossus I could reasonably have an army of 50 56HP monsters. While the boss shrugs, the minion swarm is no more. Sure a few minght survive the meteor swarm, but the remaining numbers will very few HP. (assuming someone could roll 40 nat 1s at once) But wait there's more. Because oh look features. Any good caster will have some way too boost the output of such a spell. Sorcerers have some fun ons, Wizards can do some broken ones.
But in truth, the caster should be going last, because if the party of 3~5 players did things right, the Melee and frontline players have all used an ability to clear the Legendary Resistence. 4 is easy enough to burn through in one turn. So yeah the big spell to kill the boss would be on turn two.
Note, this is not considering some crazy combos. ie Conjure Minor Elementals, reverse gravity, Anything using Disintegrate. There are 1000point one hit combos in this game.
Power fantasies are hardly new - they’re literally foundational to the genera. There is a reason folks have been complaining about martials getting the short straw for multiple editions - and a reason Wizards tried to fix that gap with 4e. People want to play as a Conan, and have since long before the modern video game or anime boom.
Everytime I make a Hexblade Warlock, I think "what would Elric do?"
But in truth, the caster should be going last, because if the party of 3~5 players did things right, the Melee and frontline players have all used an ability to clear the Legendary Resistence. 4 is easy enough to burn through in one turn. So yeah the big spell to kill the boss would be on turn two.
How are those melee and frontline players going to clear the legendary resistance? It's not like a boss is going to blow a legendary resistant to avoid being knocked prone. Other than stunning strike, it's hard to come up with a martial attack that's worth spending legendary resistance on.
But in truth, the caster should be going last, because if the party of 3~5 players did things right, the Melee and frontline players have all used an ability to clear the Legendary Resistence. 4 is easy enough to burn through in one turn. So yeah the big spell to kill the boss would be on turn two.
How are those melee and frontline players going to clear the legendary resistance? It's not like a boss is going to blow a legendary resistant to avoid being knocked prone. Other than stunning strike, it's hard to come up with a martial attack that's worth spending legendary resistance on.
Quite a few subclasses have options for it by 4th tier, although I still wouldn’t take it as a given that an enemy will fail enough saves to burn through LRs in a single round.
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That sounds like a good addition, if it does that. Any given regular DM could do similar, though (directly via occasional things purchasable in whatever nearest civilization there is, or by way of quest rumors).
People expecting the game to be balanced is not an artifact of video games and anime. People do look at video games and anime as an example of balancing, but that's not the same thing.
Building on the above, I think blaming video games and anime is a popular modern scapegoat typically referenced by older players complaining about the modern state of the game.- but it is nothing more than a scapegoat. Humans have liked overpowered hunky combatants doing incredible feats of martial prowess since time immemorial.
You look at the Iliad and you have pages and pages of martial heroes churning through ranks of men in incredibly gory detail… not to mention fighting rivers and wounding gods. Moving forward to some of the early 20th century literature D&D is based on, you have characters like Conan, who, in the books, is a lithe (Howard loves that word) and fairly intelligent and charming figure (more so than the films) who is able to use his various martial skills to defeat supernatural threats.
Power fantasies are hardly new - they’re literally foundational to the genera. There is a reason folks have been complaining about martials getting the short straw for multiple editions - and a reason Wizards tried to fix that gap with 4e. People want to play as a Conan, and have since long before the modern video game or anime boom.
using 2024 MM only...
Colossus is the highest CR and thus the Strongest 2024 Monster.
AC 23, Initiative 16, HP 553 (27d20+270)
Magic Resistance. The colossus has Advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Legendary Resistance (4/Day). If the colossus fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Though walnut to crack.
Pick a Caster, level 20. (Note Not Warlock as they fit a differant box)
Level 9 Spell - Blade of Disaster it's a summon, the summon attacks with melee does 10d6 Force crits on a 18+
Level 9 Spell - Meteor Swarm this is the one eveyone thinks of Dex Save, level 9 20d6 fire, 20d6 Bludgeoning. AOE 40ft, with a 1 mile range. Min 52 Max 480 damage. 230~260 average
Save take half min 26 max 240 average 115~130. Sure the big scary boss didn't take anywhere as much as the Roguelock Backstab for insane 200 force damage. (Yes can be done.)
here's the thing, the big scary Monster always has an Army with them. As a DM I usually look at the CR and find a good mix of appropreate monsters and match the Bosses CR, trying my best to fill the ranks with enough monsters to equal the bosses HP. This means with the Colossus I could reasonably have an army of 50 56HP monsters. While the boss shrugs, the minion swarm is no more. Sure a few minght survive the meteor swarm, but the remaining numbers will very few HP. (assuming someone could roll 40 nat 1s at once) But wait there's more. Because oh look features. Any good caster will have some way too boost the output of such a spell. Sorcerers have some fun ons, Wizards can do some broken ones.
But in truth, the caster should be going last, because if the party of 3~5 players did things right, the Melee and frontline players have all used an ability to clear the Legendary Resistence. 4 is easy enough to burn through in one turn. So yeah the big spell to kill the boss would be on turn two.
Note, this is not considering some crazy combos. ie Conjure Minor Elementals, reverse gravity, Anything using Disintegrate. There are 1000point one hit combos in this game.
Everytime I make a Hexblade Warlock, I think "what would Elric do?"
How are those melee and frontline players going to clear the legendary resistance? It's not like a boss is going to blow a legendary resistant to avoid being knocked prone. Other than stunning strike, it's hard to come up with a martial attack that's worth spending legendary resistance on.
Quite a few subclasses have options for it by 4th tier, although I still wouldn’t take it as a given that an enemy will fail enough saves to burn through LRs in a single round.