Summary
The Book of Many Thingsintroduces a plethora of new gameplay options forDungeons and Dragons5e, and includes some neat uses for the long-awaited Deck of Many Things. One of the most basic and underdeveloped parts ofDungeons and Dragonsis the Inspiration system, which allows players to reroll any dice roll that they wish if they have already been awarded inspiration by the Dungeon Master. While this is an extremely useful tool, it’s far overdue for a rework.
The Book of Many Things introduces a new way for players to spend their hard-earned Inspiration. When awarded Inspiration, players may draw from a deck of Inspiration Cards, which provide new ways to spend Inspiration that grant new and unique ways to turn the tides of the game. There’s a total of 22 cards, each with new ways to utilize Inspiration, but here are the top options available to players.
8Knight
Spend A Reaction To Impose Disadvantage
TheKnight card will allow any player that draws it to impose disadvantage on an enemy creature’s attack roll, so long as they can see them, by spending a reaction. This method of spending Inspiration could beparticularly useful in battle, as it doesn’t prohibit the user from imposing disadvantage on an attack roll against one of their allies.
It’s a fantastic way to spend Inspiration to benefit party members. This is a pretty unique way of spending Inspiration, which typically will only benefit the player who uses it. This could turn a devastating blow against a key ally in a high-stakes fight into an embarrassing miss, and is definitely a great card to draw of all the available Inspiration Cards.
7Key
Get Out Of Dodge
TheKeycard will allow the user to teleport on their turn, as a bonus action, up to 30 feet away, bringing along anything they are carrying or wearing to any space they can see. This is a fantastic way toavoid a dreaded opportunity attackwhen repositioning on the battlefield.
The 30-foot distance will allow players to escape the wrath of most characters who could strike a deadly blow with a melee attack, and what’s more, a player who uses this option will still retain all of their movement speed, allowing them to create around 60 feet of distance between them and a deadly foe. Alternatively, this could be used offensively to get the upper hand against spellcasters hanging around the backlines of a fight.
6Gem
Make Like A Fighter And Action Surge
TheGemcard is a very simple card; it allows the player to take an additional action on their turn. While this is an impressive use of inspiration, it’s definitelymore suited to martial characters,who could dish out extra melee attacks on their turn. Spellcasters will find much less use for this card, asDungeons and Dragons 5eimposes some pretty harsh limits on spellcasters, which generally prevents them from casting more than one leveled spell per turn.
This could be a great use of Inspiration to finish off a tricky foe before they have a chance to flee, or use their own ace in the hole.
5Void
Reduce Incoming Damage
TheVoidcard is an excellent card that would be useful for any class, and particularly squishy characters like Sorcerers and Wizards. It allows the player to spend their reaction when taking damage, and grants resistance to that damage until the start of their next turn.
This could be useful to allow a Druid to stay in their Wild Shape for longer, or provide a little bit of extra survivability to physically weaker spellcasters who generally have a fairly low health pool, and tend to find themselves knocked unconscious more than most. While the effects are fleeting, this is definitely useful as a last ditch effort to keep key party members alive in even the most brutal of battles.
4Talons
Stop Enemies In Their Tracks
TheTalonscard allows a player to spend a bonus action to reduce the speed of a creature within 5 feet of them to 0, until the start of their next turn. This would be particularly useful against fast enemies who are able to employ a run-and-gun style of fighting, or it could be useful if trying to apprehend a slippery murder suspect.
The possibilities are endless for this card, and it could no doubt be used in some clever and inventive ways in a game ofDungeons and Dragons.Alternatively, this could be used to stopa large, hulking, and deadly foe in their tracks,buying valuable time for the party to flee the scene and live another day.
3Comet
Name An Enemy
TheComet card will allow players to select an enemy as their chosen foe by using a bonus action. The creature will then become vulnerable to all damage from that player,meaning they will take double damage. The creature will also gain resistance to all other damage, and suffer disadvantage on attack rolls against any creature that isn’t the player that named it as their enemy.
This effect will cease when the chosen target takes damage from any other player. This could be a great use of Inspiration to force a duel between a particularly annoying antagonist that might have rubbed a player in slightly the wrong way.
2Euryale
Impose Disadvantage On Foes
This Inspiration Card is a great way to ensure those stuck or save spells take effect. It isn’t dissimilar to the Heightened Spell metamagic available to Sorcerers, with the key difference being thatany class would be able to utilize this effect.Euryaleimposes disadvantage on a creature making a saving throw.
This would be particularly effective when combined with spells like Polymorph, Banishment, Dominate Person, Dominate Monster, or Disintegrate. This Inspiration card is a way to ensure that those precious high-level spell slots aren’t being wasted by an unlucky roll of the dice.
1Moon
Replenish Spent Spell Slots
TheMooncard is one way of spending Inspiration thatany spellcaster would benefit greatly from. It allows the player, as a bonus action, to replenish a 1st level spell slot, or even the use of an ability that can only be used a limited number of times per day. This could reset a Sorcerer’s Tide of Chaos, or a Necklace of Prayer Beads, for example.
It’s a great way to give a character a little bit more longevity in combat, and ensure they keep fighting to see another day. Interestingly, Sorcerers may find the most use for this card, as it could be effectively used to replenish precious Sorcery Points, which are an extremely limited and valuable resource over the course of an adventuring day.
