Halloween '18: An Unexpectedly Howling 5 Takeaways D&D 5E AL 10/30/18

If I waltzed into my FLGCS to discover, Shadowrun was cancelled the sole Halloween connection would've been feeling akin to a trick. Except I knew more than a week in advance I'd be playing D&D 5E. I had also made known in advance to the table musterer (the person who organizes the tables at organized play events provided the players don't do so themselves) I would love to play the first module in Season 8, DDAL08-01. What I didn't expect was anything remotely resembling Halloween within the module. Since I've lumped a costume party into a Halloween-type module, an event that did occur for us definitely qualifies. Normally, I don't mention the module's name in my five take-aways but I make an exception here because of the impact.






Spoilers past the first three take-aways if you haven't played DDAL08-01 and don't wish to be spoiled:






Five Take-Aways:


Never really  though a D&D PC could mimic the Iron Man villain Whiplash until now - Ignoring the armor suit wearing Whiplash in the Iron Man two, Whiplash is a Marvel Comics villain who dual-wields two whips. Never in my wildest imagination have I EVER conceived of a PC who dual-wields two whips in D&D 5E. Heck, ANY edition for that matter. Tonight, I witnessed a Human Fighter PC with the Dual Wielder crack two whips in combat. The character was surprisingly effective too. As it's only Tier 1 (levels 1 - 4), I don't know how effective the PC performance in upper tiers will be. In Tier 1, the PC was a badass. Plus, the puns about flogging took on a whole level in conjunction with Waterdeep's punishment for some crimes.


Fey Presence is an excellent situational power - While I've played D&D 5E situationally for a number of years now, my gaming has been situational and inconsistent. If anyone's used Fey Presence, I've forgotten it, the power was used in a way none of my PCs benefitted, or the power failed. That being said, one of the PC concepts on my bucket list is a character with a strong connection to the fey, which includes a warlock with the archfey patron. During one of the combats tonight, Fey Presence was used successfully to maximum effect where the entire party derived benefit. No longer do I view the Warlock power in the abstract; and I have an idea how to use it.






SPOILERS for DDAL 08-01 Await


My Ninja Tortle Had the Potential to travel in sewers for the first time - It's no secret my tortle monk is inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. While it feels like a waste at Tier 2, mimicking knowledge of the sewers with the Dungeon Delver feat is a concept feat too good to pass up. Heck, I almost took it at fourth level! However, sewers travel never came up during the entire time I've played my tortle. Either that or I forgot... Regardless, I've never had the chance to view travel via sewers as a regular thing. Until now. We almost went into the sewers. Joked about doing so. Didn't. Not sure if it was the right decision. Suppose I could've placed this above the spoiler section but then I would've been stating the module is set within an urban environment.




Loved the sandbox feeling of the module - Sandbox gaming and Adventurers League are not two things that normally go together. I loved how the table pretty much got to decide how it would address the flow of the module. Depending on table make up, how the players play, and DM fiat, the module will change. Heck one encounter played out completely different from how a player experienced it his previous TWO times.




Halloween Spoilers


Ambience and monster type can make the difference whether a module has horror elements - We had a wise-cracking, pun-flying table. Any attempt to amplify the horror moments would have fallen flat. However, a more serious table or a table willing to let itself be spooked would find the encounter fitting for Halloween season. D&D simply isn't a horror RPG. There is non-mainstream horror mechanic that either forces your PC to flee or freeze up with terror. Entering a room filled with extremely morbid art depicting bloodstains, death, and a cemetery is a page right out of a horror RPG. Provoking the shopkeeper/artist to attack you in a fit of rage while transforming into a werewolf in the process in such a place is as Halloween as you can get. The party wasn't  heavy magic nor armed with magical/silver weapons! With the right group, the mundane becomes the horrific. A day away from Halloween and the connection is right in your face.


There you have it my unexpected Halloween-related Five Take-Aways.


Halloween is tomorrow.


Later.