Five Take-Aways: D&D5E Adventurers League March the 6th

Finished my second Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition session in the organized play campaign of Adventurers League for the year at my FLGCS tonight. So without further ado, here's the second D&D installment of my Five Take-Aways!


Don't often spend as much time discussing PC builds as playing a module - I'm fond of paraphrasing Boromir in that one does not simply an Adventurers League module in the time allotted. Two hour modules simply aren't completed within two hours. Ditto with four hour modules. Tonight's module was a rare exception. We finished the module within two hours. I'll repeat. The module ended after two hours of play. Quite astonishing! Was going to call it a night. Instead, another player and myself spent roughly another two hours providing advice to a new player on relatively unique PC build. Unique to me anyway as I've never encountered such within AL. Granted, I haven't played many Tier 2 (levels 5 - 10) and up modules so that may be my limited experience.


A New Respect for Ray of Frost - Prior experience with the cantrip Ray of Frost didn't involve opponents with very low speeds. Tonight, we encountered such and repetitive use of Ray of Frost locked the opponent down. Changed the tempo dramatically.


Witnessed my first extensive use of  the spell Witch Bolt - Prior to tonight, Witch Bolt would occasionally be used. However, I've never seen anyone base their entire battle strategy upon it. Frequently, the spell would be disrupted or the player would drop concentration. Also, the PC rarely moved around. As such, I didn't know there was a tether-like effect limitation. Gained a new appreciation of the spell.


Never knew Kobolds had a grovel ability nor how it worked! - I've sat at tables with kobold PCs before. Pack Tactics is the bomb. Don't recall ever seeing the ability groveling used. Perhaps it was because the kobold PC at the time was busy using its action to attack. Thus, too busy to grant others advantage? Difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2? The PC was also first level too...


Think every Ranger I make whom uses Xanather's will prep Zephyr Strike... - Bought a copy of Xanather's Guide to Everything shortly after the book came out. During that time, I barely looked at spells. As Ranger hasn't been a class I've anticipated creating a PC in the near future, ranger spells certainly haven't been on my radar. As such, the spell Zephyr Strike escaped my radar. After witnessing the spell used to devastating effectiveness tonight, the spell is a must for pretty every ranger I would make that uses Xanather's as its +1. My very first exposure to the D&D ranger was Drizzt Do' Urden from Salvatore's novels. Highly mobile rangers, especially front-line rangers, is how I view the class. May revist my Drizzt clone now haha!


Gibbering Mouthers can be used in creative and evocative fashion - I remember Gibbering Mouthers since the days of the AD&D 2nd edition Forgotten Realms box set. While quirky, I never quite got them and considered the monster bland. After tonight, not the case. Not only can they used in a unique and creative manner, such as a wall, but convey a more epic ambience from their utterances.


That's my Five Take-aways from Tuesday, March 6th playing my second D&D AL session of 2018.




Oops, lost track of the number take-aways! Provided six take-aways and not five. Got carried away I guess!


Happy Gaming!


Next time.