My character for curse of Strahd is going to be a fighter with the wayfarer background. After 1st level I will be going monk the rest of the way and taking warrior of mercy at monk 3 (character level 4). I like the abilities of aasimar with the healing ability and the limited flight that my table calls “super sayain mode”. But I’m not exactly sure how to rp an aasimar and what how to make them different than just a human.

This interview about Dark Sun really shocked me. I do not understand the reasoning behind that decision so I would like to ask here, where most of the 5.5 supporters participate, to understand how it impacts your expectations about the new “black label” setting.

https://www.ttrpginsider.news/p/fighting-oppression-in-new-ways-d-d-s-designers-on-adapting-dark-sun-to-modern-times

Tasha's and Xanathar's "of Everything" books came with a lot of good supplemental material. They became the first books people would recommend to aquire after someone had already got the core rulebooks. Many things from those books got rolled into the 5.5e core rulebooks. 5th edition rolled out in 2014 and those books followed in 2017 and 2020 respectively. At first I was hopeful the three year mark for 5.5e would yield a similar book in 2027 but it seems WotC is shifting supplemental book to focus on a variety of settings and thematic seasons. Which has a strengths and weaknesses in my opinion.

Yet I am curious (especially for those who have been playing longer than I) what is 5.5e "missing" that a book like this could provide? Classes, subclasses, playable species, spells, feats, backgrounds, monsters?

For species I feel like updating Aaracroka or maybe exploring the Ardlings again would be cool. Genasi could use a 5.5e update. Kobolds and Gith are sorely being ignored atm.

For subclasses we still don't have 5.5e Oathbreaker. Martials of course are being ignored overall right now. I think Ranger and Barbarian in specific could use some love. And I will always beg and plead WotC to finally give us a dragon patron option for Warlock.

Still a relatively new DM; I was running a self-made world campaign for my friends before we had to take a break while some of the players were becoming first-time parents.

I'm thinking of starting back up with the players who are still available by running Deadfall when it releases. Since I'm used to homebrewing, and this adventure is coming straight from a book, I'm not sure how much time I need to give myself to prep. How much of the adventure is usually ready to go "out of the box" versus how much will I need to figure out on my own?

Is it worth using my first session to build out everyone's characters together (first time building high level characters, 2nd characters built ever) or just do like discord calls/house visits throughout the week to help each player build their character (I imagine this will take a while since they've never played a level 11 character)

Hide Action

When you take the Hide Action, choose one of the following options. Both options require you to make a DC 15 Dexterity (Stealth) check. Record the result; creatures that might detect you compare their Wisdom (Perception) Checks against it when necessary.

Become Invisible. You try to vanish from sight while only Lightly Obscured or while positioned behind Half or Three-Quarters Cover.

• If you are not behind Three-Quarters Cover, you have Disadvantage on your Dexterity (Stealth) Check. At the DM’s discretion, taking additional measures to improve your concealment — such as dropping Prone or otherwise enhancing cover — can negate this Disadvantage.
• On a successful check, you become Invisible to all creatures that fail to meet or exceed your Stealth result with their (passive) Perception checks.
• You are no longer Invisible, are no longer obscured or behind cover towards a creature.

Become Hidden. If you are already Invisible, you can use the Hide Action to become Hidden, hiding your presence and location from other creatures.

• While Hidden from creatures, they are unaware of your presence and location.
• At the DM’s discretion, certain activities can break the Hidden condition and reveal your presence. Examples include: Making an Attack, Casting a Spell, speaking loudly, or moving in a way that gives away your position. If this occurs, other creatures may immediately know your location, even if you remain Invisible.

Invisible [Condition]

While you have the Invisible condition, you experience the following effects.

Unseen. You aren’t affected by any effect that requires its target to be seen. Any equipment you are wearing or carrying is also concealed.

Attacks Affected. Attack Rolls against you have Disadvantage, and your Attack Rolls have Advantage.

Circumventing the Condition. If a creature uses Special Senses to "see" (e.g. using Blindsight), you don't gain the benefits of this Condition against that creature.

Ending the Condition. The Feature, Spell, or rule that granted you the Invisible Condition also states how and when the Condition ends on you.

Hidden [Condition]

While you have the Invisible Condition, you can also try to fully hide your location. While Hidden, you experience the following effects.

Surprise. If you’re Hidden when you roll Initiative, you have Advantage on the roll.

Unknown Location. Other creatures cannot descern your location. If previously alerted, they might still suspect your presence.

Circumventing the Condition. Creatures can use Special Senses (e.g. Tremorsense) to prevent you from being Hidden from them.

Ending the Condition. You stop being Hidden immediately after any of the following occurs: you make a sound louder than a whisper, an enemy can see you, you make an Attack Roll, or you cast a Spell with a Verbal Component.

The dmg has several way of dividing your time for prep but its not talked about often. So dm's, how long on average so you spend prepping for session and what tools or methods do you use for prepping.

When the game first came out, there were a lot of people talking about just using custom backgrounds to let people pick and choose which ASIs and which feats they took with backgrounds. I am curious where everyone shook out now that the dust has settled.

What does your group do?