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A post shared by Zoltar Sage Advice (@sageadvicednd) on May 29, 2019 at 10:00am PDT

Is there any reason why the Bard spell list does not include the Thaumaturgy and Alter Self spells? These two spells seem extremely appropriate and useful for a performer/orator. I wasn’t around when those decisions were made, but my guesses are as follows:

1. Thaumaturgy is thematically a manifestation of divinity. The booming voice thing is more BE NOT AFRAID than a microphone.

2. Bard shtick doesn’t cry out for physical self-transformation.

— Dan Dillon 👥 (@Dan_Dillon_1) November 13, 2019

Was adding the spells to the Variant Class UA considered by any chance? Also don’t Bards have the Polymorph and Tenser’s Transformation spells now, aren’t those considered Physical-Self Transformation spells? Polymorph is more for the buff/debuff of others (though it could be used on the bard, sure) and Tenser’s is for Valor/Swords support, less about shape changing.

If there are changes you want to see on spell list expansion, please make sure to comment when the survey goes live!

— Dan Dillon 👥 (@Dan_Dillon_1) November 13, 2019

My pleasure!

— Dan Dillon 👥 (@Dan_Dillon_1) November 13, 2019

Building 1st Level Combat Encounters. https://t.co/FJ0u36uugj #dnd pic.twitter.com/nmReSUbvs8

— SlyFlourish.com (@SlyFlourish) October 23, 2019

For hit points, make everyone’s equal to their full Constitution plus the average of 1 HD. The game will be fine for it.

Also, for fun’s sake, that the “rats in the basement” adventure must be way better than actual rats in the actual basement. 1/ Too many low-level adventures start (or are full of) lame encounters that don't feel venturesome or like part of a rousing tale. And too many CRPGs and MMOs imitated this inauspicious starting point.

— Chris S. Sims (@ChrisSSims) October 24, 2019

On the other hand, monsters such as a bugbear can add real peril to a 1st-level adventure. In this case, the key is foreshadowing the peril or giving alternate approaches that facilitate getting the drop on the scary monster. 3/3

— Chris S. Sims (@ChrisSSims) October 24, 2019

Honestly I think people vastly overestimate the squishiness of first level characters in the first place. Sure, you maybe have single digit HP, but nothing at that level hits hard enough to full on KILL you, so at worst, half the party sits out half the fight, needs heal checks. I'm not sure that's true for 1st-level 5e PCs versus CR 1 or so creatures. They can be dangerous.

— Chris S. Sims (@ChrisSSims) October 24, 2019

All this said, I agree with @SlyFlourish that some low-CR monsters (looking at you, shadow) shouldn't appear until characters are 3rd+ level unless those monsters are integrated into the adventure so as to mitigate or allow players to prepare for the danger. Good article. 4/3 😉

— Chris S. Sims (@ChrisSSims) October 24, 2019

What I'd like to know is why don't sages just keep corpses on ice, embalm or mummify them (not make a magical mummy, just preserve the corpse), then have a cleric cast speak with dead whenever they want to know something that happened during that body's lifetime.

— Jason MacDonald (@JasonAlanMacD) November 16, 2019

Because certain undead, and certain cults, will come for the bodies, and most sages aren't fighting types. Word long ago got around of their horrific fates, so…they're now afraid to try that.#Realmslore

— Ed Greenwood (@TheEdVerse) November 17, 2019