SpanielBear
2022-08-03, 09:00 AM
Hi all,
I currently run a 5e d&d campaign, that incorporates some Call of Cthulhu concepts. Most relevant to this discussion is that it includes a sanity tracker, from 100 to 0, with regular dread saves reducing it by 5/10/15 points depending on the scale of horror, and players restoring 1d10 on a long rest. So far this has worked quite well to make it feel like a resource that dwindles but not too precipitously. After around 13 sessions, players have roughly 80 San in the tank, and the sense of rising dread is ticking along nicely for a long-term campaign.
I promise this is relevant.
So, the players are two wizards, a druid, an artificer, a fighter and a sorcerer. The party has just hit level 5, and of all the players the Sorcerer is finding their class the least mechanically satisfying- too few sorcery points, no short rest restoration. The player has a big backstory moment coming up involving their bloodline, and I wanted to use that as an opportunity to give them a boost. They’re enjoying the campaign and character (or so they tell me!), so this would just be about helping flesh out the mechanics a little.
What I had in mind:
“Drawing upon the power in your bloodline, you can manipulate the crystal-weave of magic by connecting with a timeless, inhuman instinct that lurks beneath your waking thoughts.
You may spend sanity to gain sorcery points, at a 2-1 exchange- 2 sanity = 1 sorcery point. Sorcery points gained this way can only be used to fuel meta-magic, and cannot be exchanged for spell slots. You may only spend up to 10 sanity (for 5 additional points) per long rest.
These points exist in addition to the regular amount of points granted to your class, which can still be used as normal.”
What are peoples thoughts? Too much, too little, too overly complex? The idea is to let the player feel more like a sorcerer with their meta-magic shining, while keeping the horror aesthetic and not going too far with power creep. Feedback welcome!
I currently run a 5e d&d campaign, that incorporates some Call of Cthulhu concepts. Most relevant to this discussion is that it includes a sanity tracker, from 100 to 0, with regular dread saves reducing it by 5/10/15 points depending on the scale of horror, and players restoring 1d10 on a long rest. So far this has worked quite well to make it feel like a resource that dwindles but not too precipitously. After around 13 sessions, players have roughly 80 San in the tank, and the sense of rising dread is ticking along nicely for a long-term campaign.
I promise this is relevant.
So, the players are two wizards, a druid, an artificer, a fighter and a sorcerer. The party has just hit level 5, and of all the players the Sorcerer is finding their class the least mechanically satisfying- too few sorcery points, no short rest restoration. The player has a big backstory moment coming up involving their bloodline, and I wanted to use that as an opportunity to give them a boost. They’re enjoying the campaign and character (or so they tell me!), so this would just be about helping flesh out the mechanics a little.
What I had in mind:
“Drawing upon the power in your bloodline, you can manipulate the crystal-weave of magic by connecting with a timeless, inhuman instinct that lurks beneath your waking thoughts.
You may spend sanity to gain sorcery points, at a 2-1 exchange- 2 sanity = 1 sorcery point. Sorcery points gained this way can only be used to fuel meta-magic, and cannot be exchanged for spell slots. You may only spend up to 10 sanity (for 5 additional points) per long rest.
These points exist in addition to the regular amount of points granted to your class, which can still be used as normal.”
What are peoples thoughts? Too much, too little, too overly complex? The idea is to let the player feel more like a sorcerer with their meta-magic shining, while keeping the horror aesthetic and not going too far with power creep. Feedback welcome!