D&D Next - 5e Discussion

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NPC Stat Blocks for Spellcasters? (ttrpg.network)

submitted 1 day ago by juergen_hubert@ttrpg.network to c/dndnext@ttrpg.network

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I will soon be starting a new #DnD 5E campaign. I've done that in the past, and for the most part the system has worked for me - except for one thing:

NPC stat blocks for spellcasters.

For everything else, NPC and monster stat blocks include all the information you need to run them in combat. Not so with spellcasters - for with them, you have to look up each and every spell they might use in a fight, and that takes me away from the game.

So I am wondering: How are others handling this issue? Have you found any ways of simplifying spellcaster stat blocks so that everything you need to run them is on a single page?

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[–] xmunk@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 day ago

As a preface I'm an ADHD DM and so I improvise a lot. My spellcasters are built with a few combat spells with refresh mechanics (i.e. so you just cast fireball roll a d4 and on a 4 you can use the ability again) and then a spellcaster level to guide access to the main spell list and a chunk of spell level points (usually twenty is a good range for mid level encounters) that they can use to cast any spell they want off the class spell list. Does the caster want to randomly cast banishment because the party brought summons? Well, let's deduct six spell points and give it a go.

I've also got a personal preference that good spell casters have a load of HP (no 3e elf wizards with 20 HP at level 10 please) but embarrassingly low AC. They usually have other tools in their box to make it annoying as fuck to hit them so don't put a statistically difficult roll behind a puzzle solution.