Alter Preceptions of Alter Self

The fine print of Alter Self can create conflict in your game, but with some specificity, it can be the best spell in your arsenal.

There are some odd addendums in the spell description of Alter Self. The challenge of using this spell for both GMs and players is that the rules as written confines us from the places where our imaginations naturally go. What a pain. With some minor clarifications and gentle relaxing of the rules, we can find some middle ground that both sides of the table can love.

In the Kinship Camp, we'll look at some of the tricky language in the spell description and provide some more concrete clarifications that remove the source of conflict when using one of our favorite sorcerer, wizard, and artificer spells. Then of course, we go to some weird and wild places when imagining what could be done with this must-have 2nd level spell.

As always, huge thanks to the support of our patrons for making this episode a reality.

Deadman, Kirk T., Ninja Duckie, PseuArt, Blackthorne, First Law, Peacockdreams, DM Thunderbum, Marley R., Timewarp, Dangerous Marmalade, Zach G., NoMaam, Michelle T., Adlerious, Chris F., The Senate, Lucas D., Lyla G., The GM Tim, Nevermour, Thomas W., Ty N., Heavyarms, Aldrost, Leprecan, and Will H-P.

Find Familiars Unforgettable

Make your familiar into the memorable sidekick you know they can be.

In the Strategy Stateroom, we go over four steps that can guide you through creating memorable and engaging familiars.

• 1. Determine a relationship type Is it totally in sync with you, or is it a fraught relationship?

• 2. Give it a trait Make the trait something that compliments or contrasts your character.

• 3. Engage with others Start with a party member that compliments or contrasts the familiar in a different way.

• 4. Determine its summon What does it look like when your familiar enters the world?

Then we head to Grandma B's Schoolhouse to sprinkle a few extra details on top of our familiars. These details are based on a smattering of animal facts about the myriad of creature choices you get when casting Find Familiar.

As always, huge thanks to the support of our patrons for making this episode a reality.

Victoria O., PeacockDreams, DM Thunderbum, Marley R., Garr the Pirate, Timewarp, DangerousMarmalade, Nico Y., Zach G., NoMaam, Michelle T., Alan E., Felix R., Chris F., The Senate, Lucas D., The GM Tim, Nevermour, Thomas W., Ty N., Heavyarms, Erik R., Aldrost, Leprecan, Will H-P.

Hold Person Handily

Make every casting of this controversial spell heighten your heroic adventures.

Hold Person is wildly powerful and feels pretty cool when you get to snag a baddie with it. But it's one of the classic save or suck spells, meaning that either nothing happens, or something absolutely awful happens. This means dice start flying out of pure rage at the table when your barbarian is stuck in place during a climactic throw-down. Well, we demand better from our spells, and we hope you enjoy our exploration in making this enchantment feel as gripping as it sounds.

In Kinship Camp we cover three tactics for bringing out the best in Hold Person. First, we talk about how much you can twist the flavor depending on your caster's whole deal. That'll give everyone involved more to respond to, and make it feel like a part of your character. Plus we do a weird dive into the terrifying world of sleep paralysis, how it relates to the spell, and how you can use it to add depth to your magic.

Then we talk about minor mechanical tweaks if you want something better than a single save while keeping the soul of the spell intact. We sprinkle on a couple more thoughts about how you could use the spell, and that'll do it! Let us know what cool ideas this sparked for your games.

As always, huge thanks to the support of our patrons for making this episode a reality.

DM Thunderbum, Marley R., Garr the Pirate, Timewarp, DangerousMarmalade, Zach G., NoMaam, Michelle T., Alan E., Felix R., Chris F., The Senate, Lucas D., Lyla G., The GM Tim, Nevermour, Thomas W., Tyler G., Ty N., Heavyarms, Erik R., Aldrost, Leprecan, Will H-P.

Fear, Cause Fear, and the Frightened Condition

Turn a flash of fear into one of your character's most defining moments.

When you're in the middle of an epic fight, whether you're the one inspiring the darkest fears in your enemies, or they're the one summoning the terror within you, it feels like that should be a big deal, right? Yet what we so often end up with is a restrictive mechanic slapped down that makes someone hang out for a turn or two. But we're talking about one of our most primal human emotions here! The one that can reduce us to a shivering pile, or cause us to funnel it all into pure rage and explode against our foes! Shouldn't this be a moment? We think it should, so that's what this episode is about.

In Kinship Camp, we use the five-step structure we talked about in Episode 126. The Five Steps to Every Story.

• Step one, the inciting incident, covers how we can make that moment of causing fear land. What can your character or monster do that's truly terrifying, and what are the physiological effects of fear that we can describe?

• In step two, challenges, we discuss what your character could do in their fight, flight, or freeze, and what it feels like to come down from fear.

• Step three, the choice, is about whether you're going to actually overcome your fear at that moment, or lean in, and turn the fear into something to wrestle with as a character.

• Step four, action, is about looking for your moment to show your choice, whether it be a two-handed screaming ax blow or a retreat to the shadows.

• And finally, step five is figuring out how your character feels about their fear afterward.

Then we go to Grandma B's Schoolhouse to take inspiration from three real-world creatures, and how they cast fear on their enemies. It gets nasty.

As always, huge thanks to the support of our patrons for making this episode a reality.

Garr the Pirate, Time Warp, Nico Y., Zach G., No Ma'am, Michelle T., Hentenius, Alan E., Matthew T., Felix R., Chris F., The Senate, Lucas D., Lyla G., The GM Tim, Nevermour, Thomas W., Tyler G., Ty N., Heavyarms, Erik R, Aldrost, Leprecan, and Will H-P.

Detect Thoughts Could Be Steeped in Tension

Play out mind-reading scenes that do more than push open the door to a mind, and make them feel more like a thief cracking a vault while the guards are closing in.

Trying to respond to spells like Detect Thoughts can be tough. The challenge for a DM is either improvising a rich inner world for every NPC or revealing your secrets too soon due to a single spell. That's why we wanted to tackle this one. It threw us some serious curveballs when we were new to running the game. In this episode, we get into what surface thoughts are, how to simplify them in your own mind, and an option for making the spell part of a tense scene where information is teased out slowly, rather than as a single move.

In the Strategy Stateroom we break potential thoughts into three categories of observational, factual, and secret. We do this because there are a million directions you could take a mind read, but if you reign it in, and think in terms of these three categories, then you're able to give out useful information to the party without going too far off the rails. Then we suggest a slight change in the mechanics of the spell that makes it a part of a tense conversation, letting the caster roll to get deeper into the target's mind without getting caught.  

Then we take a quick dip into Lamashtu's Breeding Pit where we propose an idea for a mind-reading villain that'll mess with your player's plans real quick.

As always, huge thanks to the support of our patrons for making this episode a reality.

Zach G., Greg Greg, Michelle T., Hentenius, Alan E., Matthew T., Felix R., Chris F., The Senate, Lucas D., Lyla G., The GM Tim, Thomas W., Tyler G., Ty N., Heavyarms, Erik R, Aldrost, Leprecan, and Will H-P.

The Flavour of Darkness

Blanket your foes in the most dramatic darkness you can muster.

Too often is this spell discussed only in relation to its conditions and mechanics. Immerse yourself in the inky blackness that is darkness, and make sure the next time you use shadow magic, it feels fantastic.

In Kinship Camp we discuss some concepts for how the magic actually functions, what you can do with it as a player, and flavourful ways to cast it with different character themes.

Then we pop over to the Strategy Stateroom to take a crack at new uses of darkness from the GMs perspective. From monster concepts to creepy lairs, puzzle fights and terror mazes, there's really no end to how you can use magical darkness in your games. And never forget to respond with your NPCs with some actual fright when players cast darkness on you. Make them the anti hero they so desire to be.

As always, huge thanks to the support for making this episode a reality.

Felix R., Chris F., ISeeSpidersWhereThereAreNone, The Senate, Lucas D., Lyla G., The GM Tim, Nevermour, Thomas W., Tyler G., Ty N., Heavyarms, Erik R, Aldrost, Leprecan, and Will H-P.

The Many Wonders of Shape Water

Explore every corner of this cantrip, and give your caster every tactical and roleplay advantage you can.

Overlooked cantrips are some of our favorite places to look for creative gameplay opportunities. This one covers a lot of ground. Since it has so much potential, however, it's easy for it to become a game de-railer, whether you get an overcautious GM that doesn't want things to get out of hand, or an overzealous player that wants to break the game with a low powered spell. In this episode, we hope to find a great middle ground that keeps things fun, challenging, and full of surprises.

In Kinship Camp, we consider every angle of Shape Water, from offensive and defensive capabilities, to it's abilities to deceive and delight. We've got stealth, naval combat, and even some interparty prankery. We're hoping it unlocks just the right idea for your next water wizard or deep sea sorcerer.

Then we head to Lamashtu's Breeding Pit to create a monster out of an environment. Starting with the inspiration of a villain that's really into Shape Water, we lay out the groundwork for a lair and a combat encounter that will keep the party on their toes. Icy minions, teams of wizards, and we even pull some inspiration from deep space for this one.

As always, huge thanks to the support these folks give us on our Patreon.

Chris F., ISeeSpidersWhereThereAreNone, The Senate, Lucas D., Lyla G., The GM Tim, Nevermour, Thomas W., Ty N., Heavyarms, Erik R, Aldrost, Leprecan, and Will H-P.

Detect Magic, Identify, Arcana and the Difference

Become an adept investigator of the arcane arts by understanding your options

As a knowledgeable spellcaster with a deep understanding of the arcane arts, you want to be able to pull out the right skills at the right time, like the rogue when they're picking locks, or the barbarian when they're cracking skulls. But magic is a little less straightforward, and there's a few abilities that get used and confused in these moments. They often either get mixed up, or used to very underwhelming effect. So here we are to help your spellcaster shine in those magical moments!

In Kinship Camp we begin with an overview of three abilities: The Arcana skill, the Identify Spell, and the Detect Magic Spell. We've first got to understand what makes them distinct. Then we can figure out how they can be used to actually make the intelligent caster feel like the hero of a magical detective they are. This includes both in a way that stays true to the rules, and in a way that expands the potential and flavor of these abilities.  

Then we head to Milly's Shop of Wonders, where Travis introduces us to a grand magic item. Do you ever get a player that finds a magic item in the books that they really want their character to have? Well, it can be hard to make it feel like a part of the story or game world after that, without it just felling like a gimme. Well, the Coterminexus translates the magic item desires of your players into an in game system that requires sacrifice of them in order to get that which they truly desire.

As always, huge thanks to the support these folks give us on our Patreon. ISeeSpidersWhereThereAreNone, Sean J., The Senate, Lucas D., Lyla G., The GM Tim, Nevermour, Thomas W., Ty N., Heavyarms, Erik R, Aldrost, Leprecan, and Will H-P.

Confidently Cast the Charm Person Spell

Make improvising the right level of charm a problem no longer!

There's so many opinions of how to handle Charm Person, and being charmed in general. And they're all right! Obviously, we'd never tell you our way of acting charmed is the only way. But we will tell you how we keep it pretty simple in our heads, and are able to actually play this out in a way that fits the game. Too many times we've gone too big, and let them befriend the big bad for all time, or too small, and planted a big juicy "no" on our reactions.

In the Strategy Stateroom we pick out the only roleplay prompt included within the spell, "they regard you as a friendly acquaintance" and examine what that means to us. Then we go through how to get your head in the space of being charmed quickly. Pick a value or two for the character you're playing, see that value in the charmer, and assess requests from the charmer based on values, convenience, and risk.

Then we head to Griffon Street Market, where we talk about a new tool that makes your life as a DM much easier! Do you have more campaign ideas than prep time? Of course you do! Does your party have a peculiar knack for going that one place you’d least expect? Of course they do! Want over 1400 box texts, from places, monsters, items and spells to drop into your games? dScryb has seasoned writers creating this for your table. One of our favorite bits is that dScryb is a proud community partner of Safer Spaces, a 2S-LGBTQ+ Workplace Training & Inclusion organization. Safer Spaces played a foundational role in forming dScryb’s writing policy.

Check it out at dscryb.com and use the coupon code "hook" to save 10%.

Finally, we go to Grandma B's Schoolhouse, where we look at the first recorded professional charmer, or "con artist", William Thompson, and how he got people to hand over their valuables after a brief conversation, willingly. Then we run through how people like him operate, so you can pull a few tricks of the con artist into your games.

Tension and Using Disguise Self

Disguise self… is it the ultimate tool of the trickster trade or is it a “good in theory” stinker in your spellbook?

Well, it’s kinda tough to say. Y’see, we think it’s all a matter of how getting the expectations right for this incredibly utilitarian sorcery. In this episode, though we take a deeper look into a spell that tends to blow up in players’ faces with a single lucky roll.

Then we hop over to Grandma B’s Schoolhouse to talk about some historical and real-world examples of folks that have used a disguise to great effect, what skills did they employ that went beyond just smoke and mirrors?

Creatively Clutch with Mage Hand

Mage Hand is more far reaching than simply reaching far.

Ever want to pop off your hand and throw it across the room? Try Mage Hand instead. It's a cantrip that has an incredible variety of uses, and they're all fun as heck. Well, I'm sure you could fold laundry or something, but you're playing D&D here. Well, then again, if laundry's your jam, go for it. The lesson is there's very few situations in which you shouldn't cast Mage Hand.

When discussing this gripping spell we first go to Kinship Camp to discuss how to make the most of Mage Hand in role-play. First, you've gotta figure out what yours is like. Don't hold back. Creepy, with long nails and decaying skin? Angelic, soft as a rabbit and faintly glowing? How do you control it? Moving your hands? Is there a laser beam of energy connecting it to you, or just faint wisps trailing through the air? Then we talk endless possibilities from easy distractions to cheap scares. Framing people to making them fall down a chasm. And don't forget how lazy your character can become with this spell. Finally we apply it to some specific characters and see what happens.

Then it's over to Milly's Shop of Wonders to come up with some ridiculous magic items that are Mage Hand based. If you actually use them, we can't trust you anymore. So go forth, and use this knowledge for good! Or for hi-jinks, we don't mind.

Casting Friends and Influencing People

Dispel misconceptions about the Friends cantrip and charismatic-ally blaze your way through the world.

Friends is an often overlooked and criminally misunderstood spell, and it's easy to make this mistake. It doesn't sling poison or prevent certain death or create illusions in the minds of your foes, but the versatility of this spell deserves a second look. It can make your charming character an ace in the hole for every talky part. As a reminder, Friends gives you advantage on Charisma checks for a bit, then makes your target turn hostile towards you. And it's fun as heck, okay? If it's good enough for Obi-Wan Kenobi, it's good enough for you! Easy now.

First, we get inspired by considering all the charisma based situations and skills this spell helps with and sort out what hostility really means. Then we explore new applications of the spell in different societies and figure out how people might really respond to it. Then we apply it to the characters that can stock this magic, and discuss using it in intimidating, deceptive, performative and persuasive ways.

And if you still want a little more inspiration, we introduce a couple of real world con artists that must have had a little magic on their side to make the deals they did. 

The Joy of Vicious Mockery

Evoke Emotion with Every Insult

The spell Vicious Mockery has created some of the funniest moments at our gaming table. That's why we wanted to start this episode with some fun looking at hilarious inspiration for insults. We also take a look at the more dramatic side and talk about how your character can really get inside the head of their enemies with a few words. But it wouldn't be complete without talking about how a DM can respond to these insults in satisfying ways. To top it all off, we create a monster based off of this wonderful spell.

Magic Items and D&D God Mode I

Give Players the Feeling of Epic Without Breaking Your Game.

Players keep begging you for a legendary weapon? Well what if there were ways of giving them what they want without irrevocably changing the game AND creating an amazing moment they will talk about for years to come?

Supporting Content

The Homebrewery

The Complete Armorers Handbook

A Guide to Crafting Magic Items in 5e

Crafting Magic Items: A guide to Artifice

Including Magic Items in the Best Way

The Benefits and Drawbacks of Different Methods

Have you ever had sat there brooding because you ended up with a sloppy broken club while your ally has the finest elven blade of shimmering splendor? We feel your pain. That's why we talk about five ways to introduce magic items, including our favorite, which we will dive into during our next episode. This one's also got a new short segment, for our grandma!

Compelling Character Curses

Create Curses that Your Players will Love to Hate.

Curses are super fun to ponder. Oh, what mayhem we can create! In this episode, we look at some creative curses and figure out the rules to making great curses custom for your own games. We also discuss a great new supplement for weapons and armor by Heavyarms on DMs Guild.

The Source of Force

Magic Missile: Guaranteed to make you hurt, now with triple strength!

Adventuring without Magic Missile is like wearing those loose shorts that you save for laundry day without underpants. It's gonna leave you exposed. Listen to this episode to wrap your brain around force damage, get some character driven ideas for what the spell could look like, and bring items into your game like The Maw, something we came up with that incorporates Magic Missile, and defends cities.

Spells - Prestidigitation

Mystify in style with this detailed look at hands going wow!

This “basic” spell has so much to it, and the brothers are super excited to unpack it here for some clarification of its power, inspiration for roleplaying, and how to put it into action when the going gets tough.