I might inject, that this is a very drastic measure that some groups will find to be annoying. As long as they are actually debating constructively, then the example above isn't even needed. If, as the comment says, the debate is going in circles, some groups can be brought back on track by simply telling them: "So guys... What are you going to do? Because you've been doing the same back and forth for half an hour now?"
Not saying that you should not use the above method. Just saying that some players will find that to be an "extreme" solution. Instead, simply reminding them, that they should probably get to a result within the next five minutes can do.
Please. Its not that bad. Baldurs Gate is a nice place. With a lot of crimes. And horrible Living conditions. There are also a lot of politicians. Did I mention all the noise reporters...? Okay maybe it's that bad.
Thanks. He seems like a really cool guy.
Ah yes. Good ol' Volo. Nice to see him from time to time. I should use his books more often.
Fortunes Favor doesn't seem like the optimal spell to use in a situation like this (even if you could). Unless the games include no social component, enhance ability would be better.
About the house rule: I get why you'd use the rule for simplicity, but especially if your not playing a cleric, but instead a wizard or an artificer, it seems weird to make the PC a chosen one by having those spells.
I usually give NPCs a set selection of spells they use. But this set is only their prepared spell-list, it varies depending on the NPC and most preparation-casters will have access to the other spells on their list, should the need arise (as it most likely won't, so there is no extra work on my part).
Oh. That sounds very interesting. Thanks.
Ah. I see. I think I understand the notion, but if an approach to a map is changing it along with its respective lore, then I prefer just making my own cities alltogether. It's part of the realms lore that not everything is a gigantic floating city. There are those of Netheril if you want some.
Probably. An author once wrote this piece of conversation:
"Wait? You can transform matter. Thats magic." "Your people can use metal to fly over buildings." "Of course they can. It makes perfect sense."
Having a world, where "magic" actually exist raises a lot of questions about some conventional expressions and cultural aspects.
Yeah. I've seen some of it and it looks quite promising. Unfortunately, I'm one of those DMs who, for the love of his life, can't make a campaign with self-made stuff as it always ends in hyper fixation and over preparing on some parts, but complete lack of direction in others. I'm trying to get better, but modules just take of so much of that pressure, allowing me to fill in the gaps with actually well thought out content.
But if any DM wants to run a campaign in the places I so smugly called the ,,forgotten" part of the realms, then I'm always happy to see it.
I'm afraid I don't have the time to do so right now, but thanks for the suggestion.
I think its strongly connected to how many of your campaigns use modules, as with the exception of ToA, every module settled in the material plane takes place in the colored region and near it. And as lore for the 15th century DR is only well developed for the sword coast, I personally tend to stage my campaigns there.
Ironically enough, I've had campaigns where just doing what the priestess suggested would have been a better solution than what the party ended up deciding to do.
Thats funny, because I've seen some DMs where nobody cares wether or not lvl. 10, they still treat you as if you were lvl. one and don't know sh*t about you. (Mainly in campaigns where the characters travel a lot. I still find it weird. Rumors spread quickly.)
Try this one. As the comments of the post say, it's not entirely up to date, but it works well enough.
They could also just make different adventures in different parts of the Faerun. But they'd have to actually update they're lore then.
Far as I think about it, if one wants to hide a spell, they should pick up the subtle spell-metamagic. Making every caster able to do what is supposed to be a special ability (on par with doubling the range/duration of a spell) cheapens the ability and makes casters even stronger than they already are.
The difference between RAW and RAI
Edit: A lot of people say, that GWM needs a melee weapon attack, but they miss Jesses point: While GWM requires a melee attack with a heavy weapon, Sharpshooters only criteria is an attack with a ranged weapon (not a ranged weapon attack). Jesse bases his claim on the fact, that a crossbow is still a ranged weapon, even if used as an improvised weapon for melee combat. That’s why it deals 1d4(!)+20 damage. (It works with any ranged, heavy weapon btw., so Longbow qualifies too.) Of course Jesse is playing the devils advocate here and of course, no somewhat sane Walter will allow this in any campaign ever, as it’s obviously not the intention behind these feats. But you could read it that way and that’s Jesses (paperthin) point. Besides: he finds the image of a barbarian running around recklessly smashing a crossbow over everyone’s head to just be hilarious.