Page 130 — Level Up Montage
It's usually important for the players to at least be aware of what the other PCs can do. As a team, the combined abilities of the party can accomplish great things. Apart, you just have some assorted people taking turns doing their own thing.
I've only come to appreciate this because my previous DM actually put us through a body-swap session to force us to become familiar with each other. And I had to grudgingly admit — we worked a little more as a team after that game.
Transcript:Twilight Sparkle: Look, we need to deal with the dragon one way or another. We can figure out our method once we get there. Princess Celestia has given us an important mission, and we must not fail!
Rainbow Dash: All or nothing, huh? I’m in!
DM: I suggest you all break to gather your equipment and supplies, and meet back at the library in an hour.
Twilight Sparkle: Why’s that?
DM: Because it’s a perfect segue into talking about your characters’ new abilities.
Rainbow Dash: Finally! Time to see what the party’s got! I’ll go first. The new and improved Rainbow Dash has higher defenses, more health, more rage damage, and a bunch of powers that let her move even faster across the battlefield. She’s the super-tough barbarian racer!
DM: Not a whole lot of creative feat choices, I take it?
Applejack: Hey, ah also took the Toughness feat. Extra HP is extra HP. But what Ah’m really proud of is mah new Alertness feat. It means Applejack is never, ever surprised.
DM: What a shocker.
Applejack: She’s also got an Evade Ambush power that lets her allies avoid getting surprised, too.
DM: Do I look like a DM who sets up a lot of ambushes? Don’t answer that.
Pinkie Pie: Me next! Pinkie Pie is now a Bard of All Trades! I can also Inspire Competence and Glimpse the Future to give you all better skill rolls.
DM: Isn’t that feat +3 to every untrained skill? For the love of…
Pinkie Pie: And I bought party supplies with the gold I had. In case we need an emergency party.
DM: Oy vey. Anyway… I noticed Rarity’s alignment has changed to Unaligned-
Rarity: Oh, that’s nothing at all, truly…
DM: I gotta be honest, I was kinda digging the Evil social rogue fashionista thing. Why Unaligned?
Rarity: It’s… perfectly normal for characters to change. Even I had no idea how generous I was until last week.
DM: Are… Are you alright?
Rarity: Say, what’s new with Fluttershy?
Fluttershy: Oh! There’s Angel… I took some feats that made my skills better… And I also bought some armor.
DM: …That’s heavy armor. Did you take the Armor Proficiency for that?
Fluttershy: The what?
DM: …
Fluttershy: …
DM: You didn’t know. It’s okay. I’ll make sure you get a refund. What about Twilight? What did she get?
Twilight Sparkle: The feats Far Spell, Disciple of Lore, Jack of All Trades, the utility powers Arcane Insight and Empathic Read, and the attack powers Arcane Bolt and Fireball.
DM: …Which means?
Twilight Sparkle: Pardon?
DM: I haven’t exactly memorized… Nevermind. This is a lot to take in as it is. At any rate, it sounds like the party’s off to a good start. Ready to encounter a dragon?
Mane Six: YEAH!!
Fluttershy: Um… Could I go back and change my character?