I Cast...Brainstorm issue 31!

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This week — A New Spell for Paranoid Casters, and a New Feat for Heroes with Fast Reflexes

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Let’s brainstorm some fun!

In this issue...

• A New Spell for Paranoid Spellcasters

  • Ozziker’s Spell Reflector

• A New Feat for Quick and Deadly Characters

  • Quicksilver Reflexes

• Brainstorming Links

• What I’m DM-ing

• Gifts for Gamers and People Who Love RPGs

Happy weekend, everyone! My games were so much fun this week, and came with a helpful reminder for me. Both groups are at pivotal points in their respective campaigns, transitioning to new chapters and ramping up the danger and mystery. For some reason after both sessions I felt a little off, like I was just ticking off boxes, (“first this happens, then if the players do this, it triggers that, etc.”) For a moment it felt kind of mechanical, and not really exciting or filled with a sense of wonder like I’m used to.

Then I had an epiphany — I wasn’t feeling the sense of wonder at those moments because as the DM I could see the whole story, and I know exactly where the characters are on their journey through the plot. The players, however, have no idea whats around the corner, (if I’ve done a good job as a DM, anyway!). It was a great reminder for me that when I want to reconnect with that sense of wonder to take a step back and look at the game and the story from the players’ POV. When I did that, I felt that excitement again — that feeling that there’s mystery all around, and something amazing (or dangerous), behind every door.

Speaking of exciting and dangerous, I’ve also been brainstorming a new town this week, one that’s built around a school of magic — the Fel and Xarkorian College of the Magical Arts. More on that in upcoming issues.

Thanks for reading, and I hope your games are filled with wonder and mystery!

A New Spell for Paranoid Spellcasters

The diminutive Ozziker began her career as a less-than-talented student at the Fel and Xarkorian College of the Magical Arts, and was the target of many pranks and jokes from her fellow students as a youngster. Over the years, however, she dedicated herself to her craft, especially in the area of magical research, and became a formidable wizard of some renown. This is just one of the many spells she created as a student, created to dissuade students from using her for target practice as she crossed the quad.

Ozziker’s Spell Reflector

Level — 4th
Casting Time — 1 Action
Range/Area — Self
Components — V, S
Duration — 8 Hours
School — Abjuration
Attack/Save — None
Damage/Effect — Reflection

You grant yourself protection from malicious magic.

When you are targeted with a harmful spell that targets a single creature, the spell reflects off you and targets the caster instead.

The spell can reflect a total level of spells equal to the spell slot used to cast it. If cast with a fourth level slot, the spell is expended once it reflects a total of four levels of spells in any combination. Reflect Magic doesn’t work on cantrips, area of effect spells, or spells that target a point in space and not a creature.

At higher levels
If the spell is cast with a spell slot higher than fourth level, the total level of spells it can reflect before being expended is equal to the spell slot used.

A New Feat for Quick and Deadly Characters

Combat is often a chaotic situation, and those who can’t think on their feet usually find themselves flat on their backs. Through study, experience, and sometimes sheer talent, there are some who master the chaos, and are able to respond to changes on the battlefield with deadly accuracy. This feat is for them.

Quicksilver Reflexes

General Feat (Prerequisite: Level 4+, Strength or Dexterity 13+)

Ability Score Increase
Increase your Strength or Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.

Your fast reflexes make you even deadlier in the chaos of combat. You can use two Reactions every round of combat, and you make Opportunity Attacks at Advantage.

Brainstorming Links

You probably already know about the folks below, who are real inspirations to me, but if not, do yourself a favor and check them out.

The Arcane Library — masterpiece adventures, and Shadowdark, too!
https://www.thearcanelibrary.com

The Angry DM — so angry….so many great ideas….
https://theangrygm.com/

DMDave — on point analysis of D&D rules, and a ton of fun ideas
https://bsky.app/profile/dmdave.bsky.social

RPGBot — whip smart critique and explanations of 5e rules
https://rpgbot.net/

Sly Flourish — a DM’s best friend who is also a better DM
https://www.slyflourish.com/

Treantmonk — years of helpful advice and clever ideas
https://www.youtube.com/@TreantmonksTemple

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COMPARE COVERAGE

What I’m DM-ing

• A high level campaign via Roll20 using 2014 5th edition rules.

• A weekly Rime of the Frostmaiden campaign, in-person, with 2024 5th edition rules

• A series of one-shots in a bi-weekly game at a bar in LA. If you’re interested in joining in, the next event is October 22. Invites are sent via the Partiful app, and you can sign up at Ye Rustic Inn — 1831 Hillhurst Ave, Los Angeles, California.

• Two different campaigns with my kids, (Rime and Storm Kings Thunder) when schedules align

What I’m Playing

• Vecna: Eve of Ruin as Clybb Thistlebridge, a 9th level Halfling great-weapon Fighter

• Hearthstone! Find me at BigKahuna (#1802) if you’d like to play

• The gold-box D&D CRPG Ravenloft: Strahd’s Possession
  
  
  

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The original ideas in this issue of I Cast….Brainstorm! are covered under the Creative Commons BY-SA license — all content is free to use (including commercially) and change, with proper attribution.

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