Same here. mine charges $ 2.00 and gives as store credit. The store I am a player at charges $ 5.00 and gives the DM the Hardcovers and DM Screens as they are released. SO that store makes a killing but only serious players are willing to pay $ 5.00 for a 2 hours session, so it keeps most of the people that want to go on a kill-fest away.
One of the two stores I play at is completely free. They make a killing on MtG and Warhammer tournaments, though.
The other one is free to play but they hold a raffle everytime they host AL play. The winning gift depends on how much money is raised by the raffle - sometimes it's a pack of Nolzur's miniatures, but if it's busy enough it can be a hardcover.
As a player I'll usually call out others for PHB+1 abuse, even for spells. I think booming blade and green flame blade are more common, but perhaps easier to detect, than toll the dead. It would help if not every bit of character advice on the internet suggested those spells.
People suggest them because they're decent melee spells that boost classes that can do melee, but don't get extra attack (like clerics). Magic Intiate (usually Wizard) can add Booming Blade plus another non-Intelligence dependent cantrip and give some solid scaling damage.
Frankly I think they should have been put into Xanathar's Guide To Everything the same way that the spells from Elemental Evil were. Right now if you want a Hexblade with green-flame blade or booming blade you're AL-non-legal.
My Half-Elf Valor Bard took a dip into Draconic Sorcerer and pulled those out, but SCAG is my +1.
Everything basically runs on an honour system anyway. There are already enough possible variations with PHB+1 that it's doubtful DMs can check them all. Just make it "run what you brung" (with the exception of level 1 flying races). If you want a Tiefling descendant of Zariel Urban Bounty Hunter Hexblade with booming blade... you do you (technically, due to the customization rules on page 125, you can basically make up whatever background you want anyway)*. Then the only thing the DM will have to check is that you did the right calculations for your stat scores.
*SERE (Survive, Evade, Resist, Escape) [A revision of the Outlander background]
You were given extensive training in escaping enemies and living off the land during the time you served in the army.
Skill Proficiencies: Stealth, Survival
Tool Proficiencies: Thieves Tools, Herbalism Kit
Equipment: A club, traveling clothes, herbalism kit, a belt pouch containing 5GP.
Feature: Wanderer
You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can always recall the general layout of terrain, settlements, and other features around you. In addition you can find food and fresh water for yourself and up to five other people each day, provided that the land provides berries, small game, water, and so forth.
Suggested Characteristics: As for Soldier.
At my store we pay our $5 and the DM gets it as store credit. The store provides whatever material she needs.
(technically, due to the customization rules on page 125, you can basically make up whatever background you want anyway)*.
not really if you go by AL rules. In your example, the Feature would be 'All eyes on you'. The rules specifically say you have to pick an existing feature and equipment package. 'Basically' the parts of a background that are pure RP can be made up, but everything else has to come from existing options....you can't just make up whatever you want.
The feature is an existing one from the Outlander [PHB p136]. The stealth and survival skills are obvious, hiding and living off the land. Thieves tools and herbalism kit both play into escaping the enemy and living off what you can find. The equipment totals about 15gp (exactly 12gp+6sp), which seems to be about normal for a background, possibly on the low side to pay a price for the customization. Outlander gets a staff, a hunting trap, a trophy from an animal killed, a set of traveler's clothing, and a belt pouch with 10gp, so technically the player can stop in the first shop found, sell the staff (it's not a quarterstaff, rules as written, if it were I'd keep it) trap, and trophy (you should get 1sp for that), buy a club and a herbalism kit, and have the same thing.
I would really really really love to see a feature to turn on DDAL legal PHB+1. Limiting the Character to one PHP plus one one of the DDAL Legal Source Books.
Late to the topic, but I feel like the more splatbooks we get, the more books we should get as part of the core.
For Season 10 I really want PHB+1 to be revised to PHB+XGE+1, (though ideally a PHB+2 would be fantastic).
I think we would get an unacceptable level of characters with booming blade and/or green flame blade with either of those rules. Maybe that rule would be okay if SCAG counted for 2. On the whole, I think PHB+1 is doing a good job, but if it were to be expanded, I'd hope for PHB+1 to not apply to race (in the same way it currently doesn't apply to backgrounds).
Late to the topic, but I feel like the more splatbooks we get, the more books we should get as part of the core.
For Season 10 I really want PHB+1 to be revised to PHB+XGE+1, (though ideally a PHB+2 would be fantastic).
Either of PHB+XGE+1 or PHB+2 would be cool but would also allow use of some of the more "powerful" options.
The SCAG cantrips booming blade and green flame blade were left out of Xanathar's for a reason.
The more powerful races in Volos' were left out of other sources for a reason.
Yuan-Ti hexblades would be really nice. (Currently not allowed in AL). (Actually, any number of Yuan-Ti builds get much stronger with access to Xanathar's, the class archetypes and spells.) There are other volo's races that would also benefit.
Booming blade and Greenflame blade, again with class archetypes from Volo's would tend to bump up the effectiveness of some classes. If you are playing a straight melee rogue for example, these cantrips are a strict upgrade. (eg a rogue casting shadow blade and using the booming blade or green flame blade cantrips on top).
Bladesinger with access to Xanathar spells and class archetypes is a bit of a bump though not huge.
None of the combinations would necessarily break the game but they would increase the gap between optimized and unoptimized AL characters which is something that tends to be a bit of an issue when folks play at a convention or take their characters to a different venue.
The one thing I would like to see is more options for T4 once you get to lvl 20 it seems there's nothing really to. I would say have some short of way to fight high CR level. For an example like epics but for CR 25+ monsters. and tie in some reward or story reward that goes with that creature.
I would definitely think PHB+SCAG+1 for Forgotten Realms campaigns, since very few of them take place outside of the Sword Coast.
But I think your explanation actually justifies the very reason for PHB+1 Something is left out of everything, whether you think that is so you have to pay $ 50 bucks for another book with very little new information or because they are trying to limit characters abilities from becoming overpowered is up to the opinions of the reader.
I would like to see the gold limit in season 10 changed, I feel like wizards really get the short of end of the stick there unless I am missing something.
It costs them 50gp per spell level to copy a spell into their spell book. The whole concept around wizards is that they can learn lots of spells.
At 4th level if you find a spell scroll for a 2nd level spell it costs you more gold than you earned for that level to copy it into your spell book. Plus you are paying for spell components, along with buying healing potions on occasion etc.
Here is a list of changes I would like to see in season 10. Most of these are meant to make tracking things easier, improve flavor, permit experimentation with character gearing, and extend the viability of characters who remain at any given tier.
1 - Remove races from the PHB+1 rule, same as backgrounds. This would make non-PHB races more accessible, increasing their frequency and making the setting seem more diverse.
Also consider modifying currently restricted races, such as those with flying speeds, to make them available for play. This might include restricting actual flight until lvl5 (and only while wearing limited armor), but permitting such a character to long jump a distance equal to their land speed and granting them advantage on high jumps at levels 1-4.
2 - Make wording more clear if mundane items purchased between sessions must adhere to PHB+1 rule. Currently, only source covering this is a Twitter thread concerning spiked armor, which suggests that mundane equipment is not meant to be restricted.
3 - Include a chart indicating what character levels are appropriate for each tier, as this is confusing for new players.
4 - Change from a max gold earned limit (based on total level), to a max gold carry limit (based on tier). Whenever a character has less gold than this limit, they should be permitted to keep an amount to return them to this amount. Suggested values:
T1 - 75gp T2 - 150gp T3 - 300gp T4 - 500gp
This should not prevent characters from spending excess gold earned before a session is complete (which should also be made clear) for things such as re-summoning familiars, pursuing module-specific downtime activities, seeking a Remove Curse spell or similar spellcasting services.
This encourages characters to purchase consumables and pitch in for more group purchases instead of becoming stingy and experiencing gold-burnout, which can make them feel like it's necessary to either go up a tier or retire that character from play.
5 - Restrict the number of consumables a character may take into any given session. This would prevent the previous change from max earnings to max carry limit from causing characters to stockpile potions and scrolls which might make certain character roles largely irrelevant (such as a striker/tank build coming in loaded down with potions that make the healer redundant). Suggested limits:
T1 - 4 T2 - 6 T3 - 8 T4 - 10
6 - Permit certain uncommon utility items (specifically non-attunement container and exploration items) to be kept and counted against the character's consumable limit instead of their magic item limit.
This list should include, but not necessarily be limited to: Bag of Holding, Efficient Quiver, Cap of Water Breathing, Driftglobe, and Rope of Climbing.
Broom of Flying should only be permitted if there are clarifications as to it's use concerning stability (for purposes of staying on, being knocked off, and making attacks while mounted).
7 - Expand the types of mundane equipment which can be claimed and kept as treasure within a module to more than just consumables; specifically non-magical armor and weapons that the character may be proficient with. This removes these essential non-magical items from the character's gold limit burden, which may be insufficient for the task with the changes to gold limits suggested above, without altering the point at which they would normally become available. Suggested progression:
T1 - Light armor and weapons T2 - Medium armor and shields T3+ - Heavy armor
8 - Permit characters to "store" up to one additional magic item per tier (1 item at T1, 2 at T2, etc), in addition to their normal magic item limit. Stored magic items may not be used during an adventure, but may be swapped with active magic items between sessions (possibly requiring downtime days). This permits characters to keep a limited number of items they would normally have to pass up for flavor, future use, or trading without unbalancing the current item limits. This would have the largest impact for T1 characters, but may also permit more flexibility in a character's load-out for any given module at higher levels.
9 - Permit characters to trade in a +1 item (weapon, armor, or shield) for a +2 variant of the same at T3, or to obtain a new +1 item at that point, subject to the same restrictions.
This list should also add a Ring of Protection +1 to the available gear options at T3, as this preserves the flavor of the Faction Agent Background Feature without making it a requirement for some builds at higher tiers, improving overall flavor in the setting.
10 - Permit characters to "purchase" more than one item with the renown gold at T2, and grant characters in T3 a similar renown gold benefit in addition to the use of a vehicle with non-combat crew. Being able to have one additional alchemical item (such as a potion or oil) or a number of additional basic items (such as pitons, lamps, etc) at T2 does not significantly disrupt game balance, and T3 characters are the only ones who have no regular access to healing items.
11 - Change from a total accumulated downtime limit (based on total level), to a max usable downtime limit (based on tier). Whenever a character has fewer downtime days available than this limit, they should be permitted to earn more for sessions played. Logic is largely the same as the removal of earnings cap in favor of carry limit, but aside from scribing spells (a pittance), module-specific downtime activities (varies), or "catching up" (significant), these are significantly less useful. Suggested values:
12 - After completing a 4hr module with the temporary magic item limit reduction penalty due to character death, allow characters at the max level of their current tier to sacrifice their max gold, max downtime days, and all consumables accrued up to that point (not including the above listed special utility items) to restore one lost item slot. This should not prevent a character from earning additional gold, downtime days, or claiming new consumables, but should cost them an amount equal to their limits on these resources.
While this is by no means a perfect list, and certain points may well be controversial, I believe this would make tracking gold, magic items, and downtime days much simpler over all, and open up more ways for players to experiment with different character types and play styles.
A T4 character being limited to 500GP seems odd, how does this work when casting spells with expensive material components?
It also seems like it would make things harder to track for both players and DM's. A wizard who got a scroll or captured a spell book with a few 7th level or higher spells would have to spend most of their allowed gold carry limit to copy a single spell into their spellbook.
With 500gp you can easily purchase a lvl4 spell scroll by yourself, or a lvl5 spell scroll with the aid of one other character. Spell scrolls do not exist above lvl5. Also, scribing a scroll only costs 50gp/spell lvl, so you can still scribe a lvl9 spell from a captured spellbook at 450gp without issue. So it might take a couple games to buy and scribe a spell, but there would effectively be no limit, assuming you can find a spellbook for spells above 6th lvl. This permits wizards (currently the most penalized class) to continue growing.
The most expensive item you can actually purchase in-game is 1000gp (spyglass & water clock iirc, as you could loot that 1500gp plate armor with these changes), which a party of 3 could easily pitch in for if they see any real need. More expensive things in AL, such as galleys or castles are typically have no mechanical benefit (and can just be written in as backstory fluff for the character) and are generally unavailable for purchase anyways.
Essentially, instead of having to constantly recalculate how much gold you've earned over your career, how much of that you could actually have kept, and how much of that you've actually spent over the course of your adventures (which will at some point run out), all you have to know is how much you have on hand and how much you can carry. And when you can easily earn back up to this limit, group purchases would become much more attractive for those critical items that might only be able to remain with one character. The amounts listed for each Tier are primarily based on the cost of spell scrolls (which are among the more expensive consumables) for this reason.
Overall, this permits characters to continue playing through content at any given tier until all content is exhausted for that tier instead of having to advance tier or retire the character early because they've run out of gold, as it would be a renewable resource.
With this gold carry rule would characters be able to spend money between sessions as you can with the existing AL rules?
Would players be able to have unspent gold accumulate between sessions?
If not that seems like a huge pain for the DM if they have to start every session with "what does everyone want to buy" and having the group decide what they want to spend their money on. It would also seem very awkward if a cleric decided to spend money on a scroll and then no longer had 300GP n order to cast revivify unless players kept the cleric stocked with gold. It would also be impossible to cast resurrection in game even with t4 characters, if you rule they have to have an actual diamond of that value on them instead how do they even acquire said diamond..
Some potions cost 5k so potions of invisibility and potions of supreme healing become impossible to purchase going forward regardless of group size. That takes away a bit of the epic feel of higher tiers. If T4 characters can't get their hands on a potion of supreme healing for emergencies who can?
I don't recall having to recalculate earned gold mid season so I am not sure why that is an issue you are trying to solve. As long as players are keeping a log as they are supposed to tracking gold doesn't seem like an major issue that needs to be solved.
I'm not a fan of that proposed rule either. I don't think it actually solves any problems. Players will just store their funds in stuff other than gold and accept the 50% loss when they sell it. I actually didn't see any problems in actual play in season 6-7 rules regarding gold, but maybe there were a few bad apples that spoiled it for everybody.
I do like some of those other proposed rules though.
1. sure. 2. flying breaks a lot of things. the adventures just weren't designed with entire parties being able to fly. you instantly break a LOT of existing material by allowing this. 3. new players ask where they should sit and the DMs give them options (that's how it works where i play anyway). it takes a total of 3 seconds to explain so move along and focus on more important stuff. there's no new player that isn't confused by simple stuff. 4 -6. i don't get it. you're just replacing rules with rules that keep things just as muddled. character roles already are largely irrelevant. there's isn't a character or class that can't be your striker/tank/healer/whatever-you-want-to-label-yourself once you're past the first few levels. 7. sure. 8. prefer they just get rid of the magic item limit and just limit attunement slots for tier1 (for some pretence of balance for existing T1 modules). magically storing a magic item somewhere is just as silly. 9. nah, let them play and find them. that's half the point of playing - otherwise just write down what you want on your paper and say you have it. 10. nah, characters don't need more free stuff. 11. imo, downtime is kinda broke and that isn't going to fix it. (personally i think AL downtime should be measured IRL but that won't fix it either). 12. i think they should just get rid of that rule altogether. if a character is dead-dead and the party isn't willing/able to bring it back - its dead. playing a game where you kill most everything in front of you with no risk at all of dying is silly.
Same here. mine charges $ 2.00 and gives as store credit. The store I am a player at charges $ 5.00 and gives the DM the Hardcovers and DM Screens as they are released. SO that store makes a killing but only serious players are willing to pay $ 5.00 for a 2 hours session, so it keeps most of the people that want to go on a kill-fest away.
Christopher A. Blanchard
One of the two stores I play at is completely free. They make a killing on MtG and Warhammer tournaments, though.
The other one is free to play but they hold a raffle everytime they host AL play. The winning gift depends on how much money is raised by the raffle - sometimes it's a pack of Nolzur's miniatures, but if it's busy enough it can be a hardcover.
People suggest them because they're decent melee spells that boost classes that can do melee, but don't get extra attack (like clerics). Magic Intiate (usually Wizard) can add Booming Blade plus another non-Intelligence dependent cantrip and give some solid scaling damage.
Frankly I think they should have been put into Xanathar's Guide To Everything the same way that the spells from Elemental Evil were. Right now if you want a Hexblade with green-flame blade or booming blade you're AL-non-legal.
My Half-Elf Valor Bard took a dip into Draconic Sorcerer and pulled those out, but SCAG is my +1.
Everything basically runs on an honour system anyway. There are already enough possible variations with PHB+1 that it's doubtful DMs can check them all. Just make it "run what you brung" (with the exception of level 1 flying races). If you want a Tiefling descendant of Zariel Urban Bounty Hunter Hexblade with booming blade... you do you (technically, due to the customization rules on page 125, you can basically make up whatever background you want anyway)*. Then the only thing the DM will have to check is that you did the right calculations for your stat scores.
At my store we pay our $5 and the DM gets it as store credit. The store provides whatever material she needs.
not really if you go by AL rules. In your example, the Feature would be 'All eyes on you'. The rules specifically say you have to pick an existing feature and equipment package. 'Basically' the parts of a background that are pure RP can be made up, but everything else has to come from existing options....you can't just make up whatever you want.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/forums/dungeons-dragons-discussion/d-d-adventurers-league/43990-the-real-deal-on-backgrounds
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
A rather comprehensive list of free WotC D&D resources
Deck of Decks
The feature is an existing one from the Outlander [PHB p136].
The stealth and survival skills are obvious, hiding and living off the land.
Thieves tools and herbalism kit both play into escaping the enemy and living off what you can find.
The equipment totals about 15gp (exactly 12gp+6sp), which seems to be about normal for a background, possibly on the low side to pay a price for the customization.
Outlander gets a staff, a hunting trap, a trophy from an animal killed, a set of traveler's clothing, and a belt pouch with 10gp, so technically the player can stop in the first shop found, sell the staff (it's not a quarterstaff, rules as written, if it were I'd keep it) trap, and trophy (you should get 1sp for that), buy a club and a herbalism kit, and have the same thing.
I would really really really love to see a feature to turn on DDAL legal PHB+1. Limiting the Character to one PHP plus one one of the DDAL Legal Source Books.
Christopher A. Blanchard
Late to the topic, but I feel like the more splatbooks we get, the more books we should get as part of the core.
For Season 10 I really want PHB+1 to be revised to PHB+XGE+1, (though ideally a PHB+2 would be fantastic).
I think we would get an unacceptable level of characters with booming blade and/or green flame blade with either of those rules. Maybe that rule would be okay if SCAG counted for 2. On the whole, I think PHB+1 is doing a good job, but if it were to be expanded, I'd hope for PHB+1 to not apply to race (in the same way it currently doesn't apply to backgrounds).
Either of PHB+XGE+1 or PHB+2 would be cool but would also allow use of some of the more "powerful" options.
The SCAG cantrips booming blade and green flame blade were left out of Xanathar's for a reason.
The more powerful races in Volos' were left out of other sources for a reason.
Yuan-Ti hexblades would be really nice. (Currently not allowed in AL). (Actually, any number of Yuan-Ti builds get much stronger with access to Xanathar's, the class archetypes and spells.) There are other volo's races that would also benefit.
Booming blade and Greenflame blade, again with class archetypes from Volo's would tend to bump up the effectiveness of some classes. If you are playing a straight melee rogue for example, these cantrips are a strict upgrade. (eg a rogue casting shadow blade and using the booming blade or green flame blade cantrips on top).
Bladesinger with access to Xanathar spells and class archetypes is a bit of a bump though not huge.
None of the combinations would necessarily break the game but they would increase the gap between optimized and unoptimized AL characters which is something that tends to be a bit of an issue when folks play at a convention or take their characters to a different venue.
The one thing I would like to see is more options for T4 once you get to lvl 20 it seems there's nothing really to. I would say have some short of way to fight high CR level. For an example like epics but for CR 25+ monsters. and tie in some reward or story reward that goes with that creature.
I would definitely think PHB+SCAG+1 for Forgotten Realms campaigns, since very few of them take place outside of the Sword Coast.
But I think your explanation actually justifies the very reason for PHB+1 Something is left out of everything, whether you think that is so you have to pay $ 50 bucks for another book with very little new information or because they are trying to limit characters abilities from becoming overpowered is up to the opinions of the reader.
Christopher A. Blanchard
I would like to see the gold limit in season 10 changed, I feel like wizards really get the short of end of the stick there unless I am missing something.
It costs them 50gp per spell level to copy a spell into their spell book. The whole concept around wizards is that they can learn lots of spells.
At 4th level if you find a spell scroll for a 2nd level spell it costs you more gold than you earned for that level to copy it into your spell book. Plus you are paying for spell components, along with buying healing potions on occasion etc.
To paraphrase Robin Williams in Aladin .. Enourmous Universal Power... itty bitty coin purse.
Christopher A. Blanchard
Letting us play artificers.
10+ suggestions for Season 10
Here is a list of changes I would like to see in season 10. Most of these are meant to make tracking things easier, improve flavor, permit experimentation with character gearing, and extend the viability of characters who remain at any given tier.
1 - Remove races from the PHB+1 rule, same as backgrounds. This would make non-PHB races more accessible, increasing their frequency and making the setting seem more diverse.
Also consider modifying currently restricted races, such as those with flying speeds, to make them available for play. This might include restricting actual flight until lvl5 (and only while wearing limited armor), but permitting such a character to long jump a distance equal to their land speed and granting them advantage on high jumps at levels 1-4.
2 - Make wording more clear if mundane items purchased between sessions must adhere to PHB+1 rule. Currently, only source covering this is a Twitter thread concerning spiked armor, which suggests that mundane equipment is not meant to be restricted.
3 - Include a chart indicating what character levels are appropriate for each tier, as this is confusing for new players.
4 - Change from a max gold earned limit (based on total level), to a max gold carry limit (based on tier). Whenever a character has less gold than this limit, they should be permitted to keep an amount to return them to this amount. Suggested values:
T1 - 75gp
T2 - 150gp
T3 - 300gp
T4 - 500gp
This should not prevent characters from spending excess gold earned before a session is complete (which should also be made clear) for things such as re-summoning familiars, pursuing module-specific downtime activities, seeking a Remove Curse spell or similar spellcasting services.
This encourages characters to purchase consumables and pitch in for more group purchases instead of becoming stingy and experiencing gold-burnout, which can make them feel like it's necessary to either go up a tier or retire that character from play.
5 - Restrict the number of consumables a character may take into any given session. This would prevent the previous change from max earnings to max carry limit from causing characters to stockpile potions and scrolls which might make certain character roles largely irrelevant (such as a striker/tank build coming in loaded down with potions that make the healer redundant). Suggested limits:
T1 - 4
T2 - 6
T3 - 8
T4 - 10
6 - Permit certain uncommon utility items (specifically non-attunement container and exploration items) to be kept and counted against the character's consumable limit instead of their magic item limit.
This list should include, but not necessarily be limited to: Bag of Holding, Efficient Quiver, Cap of Water Breathing, Driftglobe, and Rope of Climbing.
Broom of Flying should only be permitted if there are clarifications as to it's use concerning stability (for purposes of staying on, being knocked off, and making attacks while mounted).
7 - Expand the types of mundane equipment which can be claimed and kept as treasure within a module to more than just consumables; specifically non-magical armor and weapons that the character may be proficient with. This removes these essential non-magical items from the character's gold limit burden, which may be insufficient for the task with the changes to gold limits suggested above, without altering the point at which they would normally become available. Suggested progression:
T1 - Light armor and weapons
T2 - Medium armor and shields
T3+ - Heavy armor
8 - Permit characters to "store" up to one additional magic item per tier (1 item at T1, 2 at T2, etc), in addition to their normal magic item limit. Stored magic items may not be used during an adventure, but may be swapped with active magic items between sessions (possibly requiring downtime days). This permits characters to keep a limited number of items they would normally have to pass up for flavor, future use, or trading without unbalancing the current item limits. This would have the largest impact for T1 characters, but may also permit more flexibility in a character's load-out for any given module at higher levels.
9 - Permit characters to trade in a +1 item (weapon, armor, or shield) for a +2 variant of the same at T3, or to obtain a new +1 item at that point, subject to the same restrictions.
This list should also add a Ring of Protection +1 to the available gear options at T3, as this preserves the flavor of the Faction Agent Background Feature without making it a requirement for some builds at higher tiers, improving overall flavor in the setting.
10 - Permit characters to "purchase" more than one item with the renown gold at T2, and grant characters in T3 a similar renown gold benefit in addition to the use of a vehicle with non-combat crew. Being able to have one additional alchemical item (such as a potion or oil) or a number of additional basic items (such as pitons, lamps, etc) at T2 does not significantly disrupt game balance, and T3 characters are the only ones who have no regular access to healing items.
11 - Change from a total accumulated downtime limit (based on total level), to a max usable downtime limit (based on tier). Whenever a character has fewer downtime days available than this limit, they should be permitted to earn more for sessions played. Logic is largely the same as the removal of earnings cap in favor of carry limit, but aside from scribing spells (a pittance), module-specific downtime activities (varies), or "catching up" (significant), these are significantly less useful. Suggested values:
T1 - 50days
T2 - 100days
T3 - 200days
T4 - 400days
12 - After completing a 4hr module with the temporary magic item limit reduction penalty due to character death, allow characters at the max level of their current tier to sacrifice their max gold, max downtime days, and all consumables accrued up to that point (not including the above listed special utility items) to restore one lost item slot. This should not prevent a character from earning additional gold, downtime days, or claiming new consumables, but should cost them an amount equal to their limits on these resources.
While this is by no means a perfect list, and certain points may well be controversial, I believe this would make tracking gold, magic items, and downtime days much simpler over all, and open up more ways for players to experiment with different character types and play styles.
Please let me know what you think.
What is the purpose of max gold carried limits?
A T4 character being limited to 500GP seems odd, how does this work when casting spells with expensive material components?
It also seems like it would make things harder to track for both players and DM's. A wizard who got a scroll or captured a spell book with a few 7th level or higher spells would have to spend most of their allowed gold carry limit to copy a single spell into their spellbook.
With 500gp you can easily purchase a lvl4 spell scroll by yourself, or a lvl5 spell scroll with the aid of one other character. Spell scrolls do not exist above lvl5. Also, scribing a scroll only costs 50gp/spell lvl, so you can still scribe a lvl9 spell from a captured spellbook at 450gp without issue. So it might take a couple games to buy and scribe a spell, but there would effectively be no limit, assuming you can find a spellbook for spells above 6th lvl. This permits wizards (currently the most penalized class) to continue growing.
The most expensive item you can actually purchase in-game is 1000gp (spyglass & water clock iirc, as you could loot that 1500gp plate armor with these changes), which a party of 3 could easily pitch in for if they see any real need. More expensive things in AL, such as galleys or castles are typically have no mechanical benefit (and can just be written in as backstory fluff for the character) and are generally unavailable for purchase anyways.
Essentially, instead of having to constantly recalculate how much gold you've earned over your career, how much of that you could actually have kept, and how much of that you've actually spent over the course of your adventures (which will at some point run out), all you have to know is how much you have on hand and how much you can carry. And when you can easily earn back up to this limit, group purchases would become much more attractive for those critical items that might only be able to remain with one character. The amounts listed for each Tier are primarily based on the cost of spell scrolls (which are among the more expensive consumables) for this reason.
Overall, this permits characters to continue playing through content at any given tier until all content is exhausted for that tier instead of having to advance tier or retire the character early because they've run out of gold, as it would be a renewable resource.
With this gold carry rule would characters be able to spend money between sessions as you can with the existing AL rules?
Would players be able to have unspent gold accumulate between sessions?
If not that seems like a huge pain for the DM if they have to start every session with "what does everyone want to buy" and having the group decide what they want to spend their money on. It would also seem very awkward if a cleric decided to spend money on a scroll and then no longer had 300GP n order to cast revivify unless players kept the cleric stocked with gold. It would also be impossible to cast resurrection in game even with t4 characters, if you rule they have to have an actual diamond of that value on them instead how do they even acquire said diamond..
Some potions cost 5k so potions of invisibility and potions of supreme healing become impossible to purchase going forward regardless of group size. That takes away a bit of the epic feel of higher tiers. If T4 characters can't get their hands on a potion of supreme healing for emergencies who can?
I don't recall having to recalculate earned gold mid season so I am not sure why that is an issue you are trying to solve. As long as players are keeping a log as they are supposed to tracking gold doesn't seem like an major issue that needs to be solved.
I'm not a fan of that proposed rule either. I don't think it actually solves any problems. Players will just store their funds in stuff other than gold and accept the 50% loss when they sell it. I actually didn't see any problems in actual play in season 6-7 rules regarding gold, but maybe there were a few bad apples that spoiled it for everybody.
I do like some of those other proposed rules though.
1. sure.
2. flying breaks a lot of things. the adventures just weren't designed with entire parties being able to fly. you instantly break a LOT of existing material by allowing this.
3. new players ask where they should sit and the DMs give them options (that's how it works where i play anyway). it takes a total of 3 seconds to explain so move along and focus on more important stuff. there's no new player that isn't confused by simple stuff.
4 -6. i don't get it. you're just replacing rules with rules that keep things just as muddled. character roles already are largely irrelevant. there's isn't a character or class that can't be your striker/tank/healer/whatever-you-want-to-label-yourself once you're past the first few levels.
7. sure.
8. prefer they just get rid of the magic item limit and just limit attunement slots for tier1 (for some pretence of balance for existing T1 modules). magically storing a magic item somewhere is just as silly.
9. nah, let them play and find them. that's half the point of playing - otherwise just write down what you want on your paper and say you have it.
10. nah, characters don't need more free stuff.
11. imo, downtime is kinda broke and that isn't going to fix it. (personally i think AL downtime should be measured IRL but that won't fix it either).
12. i think they should just get rid of that rule altogether. if a character is dead-dead and the party isn't willing/able to bring it back - its dead. playing a game where you kill most everything in front of you with no risk at all of dying is silly.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
A rather comprehensive list of free WotC D&D resources
Deck of Decks