/5eg/ - Fifth Edition General

Are you hyped for UA "Food and Provision" tomorrow, lads?

>>54726689
Still holding out hope for revised Artificer as a half-caster with mechanical servant moved to its own subclass

>>54726675
Usually pay for Raise Dead.

>>54726675
Weaponize it.

Reposting in new thread.

Playing a tier 4 campaign next week, what's the most fun class to play at high levels?

I'll probably never play a character at 17th level again and it's a 3 hour one shot. I want to get my money's worth.

File: Trumpopoly.jpg (62KB, 584x430px) Image search: [Google]

62KB, 584x430px

>>54726675
>What do your characters do with their money, /5eg/?
We invest into real estate. We already have a town of our own.

>>54726689
It's 3 AM so do you mean today tomorrow or tomorrow tomorrow?

>>54726733
If you're not playing some kind of spellcaster, you're wasting your opportunity. 17 level equals level 9 spells, and you will never, ever get the opportunity to cast them in another game.

Anons? Long story, I really want to homebrew a good dhampir race for a Dark Fantasy setting I'm doing, and I'm aiming for a subrace approach inspired by V:TR, so can I get some pointers on how to make this less overpowered?

Dhampir, mk 1:
Ability Score Modifiers: +1 Constitution
Size: Medium
Speed: 35 feet
Vision: Darkvision 120 feet
Child of the Dead: You have Resistance to Necrotic damage.
Spawn of the Night: You have Disadvantage on attack rolls and Perception checks based on sight made whilst you, the creature you are attacking, or the object you are studying is in direct sunlight. Additionally, for each hour you spend exposed to direct sunlight, you must make a Constitution check (DC 10 +1 per hour); on a failure, you gain one level of exhaustion. Wearing sufficiently covering clothes negates this sunlight weakness.
The Red Thirst: When you have a creature with the Humanoid, Beast or Monstrosity type Grappled, you can use a bonus action to inflict 1d4 + your Con modifier Necrotic damage on that creature.
Muddied Vitae: Your vampiric heritage manifests in the form of one particular aspect. Choose the Aspect of the Lord, Temptor, Predator, Lurker or Terror; you gain racial traits based on that subrace.

Aspect of the Lord:
Ability Score Increase: +1 Charisma, +1 Wisdom
Master of Man and Beast: You have Proficiency in Animal Handling and Persuasion.
The Ruler Eternal: You increase your maximum hitpoints by +1. At each level you gain, you increase your maximum hitpoints by +1.

Aspect of the Temptor:
Ability Score Increase: +2 Charisma
Darkling Charms: You can cast the Friends cantrip. At 3rd level, you can cast Charm Person as a 1st level spell. At 5th level, you can cast Enthrall as a 2nd level spell. When you cast Charm Person or Enthrall with this trait, you cannot do so again until you complete a long rest. All spells cast with this trait use Charisma as their spellcasting ability score.

>>54726771
Aspect of the Predator:
Ability Score Increase: +1 Strength, +1 Dexterity
Bred to Hunt: You have Advantage on Survival checks made to track creatures or find game.
Protean Predator: As an action, you can will your body to produce natural weapons in the form of fangs, claws or similar appendages. This causes your Unarmed Strikes to inflict 1d6 Slashing, Piercing or Bludgeoning damage, as is appropriate, rather than the normal unarmed strike damage. At 5th level, as an action, you can reshape your body to gain either the Amphibious trait and a Swim speed equal to your walking speed, or a Fly speed equal to your walking speed, or a Burrow speed equal to your walking speed. At 7th level, as an action, you can grant yourself the Incorporeal Movement trait. Your alternate movement traits are Concentration effects that last for 1 hour, and once you have used the trait in this way, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest. Whilst you have an alternate movement trait active, you can switch to another movement trait as an action.

Aspect of the Lurker:
Ability Score Increase: +2 Dexterity
Shadow-Walker: You apply double your Proficiency bonus to Stealth checks.

Aspect of the Terror:
Ability Score Increase: +2 Strength
Herald of Nightmares: You have Proficiency in Intimidation.

>>54726771
>>54726805
/5eg/ absolutely despises homebrew, so I'm gonna save you some time and tells you it's shit.

How do I make a powerful warlock?

>>54726867
Eldritch Blast + Agonizing Blast + Hex
You could also dip 3 levels into Sorcerer for Quickened Spell to cast 2 EBs per turn

File: moon2.png (671KB, 843x435px) Image search: [Google]

671KB, 843x435px

>players fight the bbg in the first session.
>they are scripted to lose because of the huge power gap
>somehow survive, start preparing for the rematch.

i know its counter intuitive to do this in a table top game and limit their freedom but what it the best way f going about this?

what can i do to make this memorable and enjoyable?

>>54726908
>players fight the bbg in the first session.
>they are scripted to lose because of the huge power gap
This is literally the worst way you could have handled the first session, and whatever happens to you now, you deserved it.

File: FourElements.pdf (4MB, 1x1px) Image search: [Google]

4MB, 1x1px

>>54726824
All homebrew?

>>54726908
>they are scripted to lose
>somehow survive
Hold the fuck up. You planned on a TPK in session 1? A SCRIPTED TPK? Are you fucking retarded?
Never DM again you fucking autist

File: 1501711146383.png (49KB, 142x340px) Image search: [Google]

49KB, 142x340px

>>54726908
>scripted to lose
make a better campaign

File: graveknight_by_akeiron-d3kop7r.jpg (127KB, 671x1192px) Image search: [Google]

127KB, 671x1192px

>>54726908
I did not script my party to die when they saw the BBG in my game. They saw him (and two Assassins) take out like 5 city guards, a level 7 Paladin (Who to them was unbeatable), and a level 10 Fighter and they GTFO.

Recognizing that they can't face that and need to grow stronger to beat that.

What are some good ideas for the Hermit background's discovery feature?

>>54727019
Depends strongly on the setting and who your character is.

>>54727033
Hobgoblin wizard who's a social darwinist.

Forgotten Realms.

>>54726738
He must mean over 24 hours from now, so consider it tomorrow tomorrow if you're a wiki or whatever you upsidedowners call yourselves. Today's tomorrow from WotC's timezone.

Are Elf, Dwarf and Khenra the only races that give Weapon Proficiencies? I basically want to use any d8 weapon that isn't a Crossbow on my Mystic.

>>54727046
they found what we all desire

some good pussy

>>54727182
He's a hermit though, did he fuck a deer?

>>54727169
Hobgoblins let you choose 4 proficiencies and are among the best mystics, second maybe to half elves.

Are there any Roll20 sheets or ways to make a Mystic character work properly?

>>54727190
>Hobgoblins let you choose 4 proficiencies and are among the best mystics, second maybe to half elves.
That's a funny way to say High Elf for Short Swords and being able to use Booming Blade.

How's the Order of Soul Knife? One of my players is pretty autistic about playing his old character and we had a bad time with Pathfinder overall.

At what level should my monk character dip a couple of levels into druid as multiclass?

Also, for roleplaying purposes, I need a theatrical suggestion on how this change suddenly happens to my party after I level up. I was thinking of my party suddenly waking up to me covered in vines wrapping my character around his bed in the morning.

>>54727324
First question is why do you want to multiclass druid?

A 1 level dip for Shillelagh is good. More than that is... well, rather, do you want to be a Moon Druid with a Monk dip for Unarmored Defense?

And you don't need to roleplay shit, it's not like you went to the class exchange office and marked a point down on your new class so everyone can suddenly see in your status screen that you're a monk/druid multiclass now.

>>54727386
>And you don't need to roleplay shit, it's not like you went to the class exchange office and marked a point down on your new class so everyone can suddenly see in your status screen that you're a monk/druid multiclass now.

This has been a standing question for me. Evrybody here suggests optimal multiclass combinations, but how can your character multiclass IC so easy?

>>54727386
Because it sounds fun and I like the idea of playing an Udyr style of monk. I'm willing to dip at least three levels, since I don't find Empty Body all that useful.

Also, I know I don't NEED to roleplay, I just WANT to.

>>54727415
My current character is a Paladin/Sorcerer. He was always a Dragonborn, and he just chose to develop his dragon magic rather than focusing on his martial skills.

>>54727415
He was always that way? Class (game concept) are just the representation of his ability.

>>54726675

My fighter has amassed a large fortune and has subordinates that manage all of that. Has amounts set aside for any potential curse removals. Used to be a resurrection fund, but the party druid has a rod of resurrection, so that hasn't been an issue.

Warlock holds the purse strings in the other campaign we play. If someone needs money, he gives it to them while investing his own portion into alchemical research and crafting.

>>54727433
This is a good example of multiclass justification that bonds well the race with class.

>>54727453
Some classes demand (by RAW) years of preparation. How do you justify being a monk for most of your life and then suddenly become a druid. You could fabricate a story, but it won't be as believable as the anon's above.

>>54727484
His druid order developed monastic traditions because of cultural sensitivities, the need to make accent on self-defense or some other stuff. The druidic mysteries are opened to you after you honed your body and mind in the way of monks of old.

>>54727484
His Monk sect was particularly focused on Nature and he spent years meditating in the forest while he practiced his martial arts. Using Ki to take on the qualities of animals was his own discovery and now he is forging the Dao of the Beast as his own path to martial enlightenment.

>>54727516
>You could fabricate a story, but it won't be as believable as the anon's above.
Let me repeat:
>You could fabricate a story, but it won't be as believable as the anon's above.

File: 1485456556162.gif (1013KB, 352x348px) Image search: [Google]

1013KB, 352x348px

>>54726908

>army is bearing down on our party and we're preparing for war
>we've had to regularly deal with the fae in the past and we had recently been tasked with capturing Lord Gwyn of the Wild Hunt
>DM was planning on having him come down and fuck with us during the big battle
>he shows up to gloat beforehand and the rogue throws a dagger at him which bounces off
>proceeds to give the "you can't kill me I'm invincible speech"
>DM forgot the pond he was standing in front of him also doubled as a portal to the Feywild
>my character, a battlemaster fighter, tackles him through and we slay him in a single round of combat due to some lucky crits and the rest of the party piling in after us

Never plan your plot or story hinge on the PCs not being able to out-maneuver you. Any outline you do should be a flowchart rather than a timeline.

How the fuck does the CR 6 Hobgoblin Warlord has +9 to hit?

>>54727484
You are not "suddenly become a druid". You do plan out your character progression beforehand and tie it to your character backstory properly since session 0 right?

>>54727568
The way you described it, i think that you killed him so fast because he was alone. Never show a BBEG alone because numbers>strength.

>>54727046

The possible means to usurp Maglubiyet as he did to your old, dead deities and potentially do the same to him. Take your philosophy to a theological extreme.

>>54727584
I think that's the right way to do it. It takes a little more effort to create your character but it makes sense.

What's the best way to protect yourself from being stunned?

>>54727585

He had subordinates with him, but due to the nature of their bond with him, they were neutralized upon his death. I also have a really boring and repetitive job that allows me time to go over hypothetical combat situations when I get bored or have no one to interact with.

Hey /5eg/, I have a general question concerning our campaign. My party is a group of beginners and we ran the Starter Set over the course of a few months and decided to move one to Curse of Strahd. However, we quickly noticed this campaign is quite a few degrees more difficult than what we're used to. Do you have any tips how we can properly prepare ourselves? We already know that some encounters and stuff are not meant to be won and we should keep our guard up, but in what way can we optimally prepare ourselves? Our DM commented that we sometimes miss basic stuff due to forgetting inspecting rooms, but then if we do decide to scan rooms we get suprised by a group of monsters.

So yeah, basically some tips for relative beginners how to improve our chances in CoS.

>>54727674
You already know that you can't win every fight and running away is sometime the best option, so that's good.

Don't forget to pack up some Radiant damage. Paladin / Cleric and a Lawful Good character is nice to have in this campaign.

>>54727674
git gud
>get familiar with the rules, so you can use your character efficiently
>be careful with spell selection
>focus one enemy at a time
>try to get knowledge of your enemies before engaging so you can plan accordingly
>roll more. always investigate rooms, check for hints in the DM's speeches, talk to people you meet, suck all info you can from your DM's teats
>don't forget you're in the land of the Dread Lord

>>54727674
If you have a warlock or a wizard, use a familiar to scout ahead.
Always have the paladin (you didn't go into undead-centric campaign without the paladin, right?) go into rooms first - if he gets ambushed, he's likely to survive.
Don't pick fights.
Don't fall for the combat healing meme.

>>54727749
>Lawful Good character is nice to have in this campaign.
I haven't played CoS. What is a LG pc good for?

>>54727781
Some item / events can only be use / trigger by LG character.

>>54727791
I've ran this campaign, and I don't remember any such events or triggers. Lawful Good is still the best alignment when it comes to CoS, though, but purely due to storytelling reasons.

would a mystic character make sense for curse of stradh? my table insists in only playing published campaigns and i want to try a mystic before they revise it yet again.

>>54727804
There is a sentient sword that can only be attune by LG character.

Opening Sergei's coffin doesn't need a check for LG character

There is curtain that teleport everyone back other than LG character

>>54727832
Barovia keep kidnapping people from other planes, so anything would work.

>>54727832
Honestly, no. There's a gothic horror campaign, and then there's a fucking jedi knight running around.

To the anon who wanted to do Summoner Warlord last thread-

Wu Jen Mystic.

Take Animate Dead as one of your three spells.
Psi Restore works on Undead.
Mantle of Command and other auras for boosting skellington power.
Mastery of Light and Dark for 2 extra (much stronger) Minions.

>>54727772
>(you didn't go into undead-centric campaign without the paladin, right?)
Aren't clerics more useful since they can turn undead more times? Plus, they can destroy undead.

>>54727832
If you want to be Shrek in Silent Hill, yes.

>>54727579
The proficiency is based on the cr.

>>54727770

>be careful with spell selection
I am the wizard in the party, we also have a cleric. What spells do you mean? I like to think I have a decent spell selection, but we're close to level 5 and I'm not sure what level 3 spells to pick and what to prepare. My current spell list;

>Cantrips
Firebolt
Mage Hand
Mending
Shocking Graps
>1st
Burning Hands
Chromatic Orb
Grease
Detect Magic
Identify
Mage Armor
Magic Missile
Shield
Witch Bolt
>2nd
Hold Person
Invisibility
Scorching Ray

Also
>try to get knowledge of your enemies before engaging so you can plan accordingly
I like this tip. I've got the feature 'Researcher', so I'll start using that a bit more from now on.

>you didn't go into undead-centric campaign without the paladin, right?
We have a cleric. Our paladin didn't like RPing as a paladin, so he switched to barbarian (DM allowed class switches between campaigns since after the SS everybody was finally figuring out how everything works)

>>54727890
From his proficient saves you can learn his bonus is +3. I have no idea where the remaining +3 to hit comes from.

>>54727890
>CR 6 Drider with the same modifier has +6 to hit
I'm at a loss here.

>>54727842
we already have a jedi knight (eldritch knight with dawnbringer) in out of the abyss and no one really cares.

>>54727921
That feel when my party use Hold Person on Irena and carry her away from Stradh when he charmed her.

>>54727921
> Witch bolt
Take that out
TAKE THAT OUT

Seriously, I know you're a newbie but since you are here in this /5eg/, you should at least know about the worst spell in the game.

>>54727921
counterspell
Also you should get chill touch on your cantrip. It stop vampire regeneration (and hp heal from biting someone) and most undead aren't resist/immune to necrotic damage in 5e.

>>54728002
>>54727982

I can't really change my spells anymore since I'm a wizard. I've e-mailed them to my DM before we started.

What's bad about witch bolt? Doing 1d12 damage every turn without needing another spellslot seems good for encounters where we need some extra damage, but I don't need to go all out. I really am a newbie, even while I'm on /5eg/.

>>54728021
firebolt does more damage and costs no concentration or spellslots.

>>54728021
1d12 is 6.5 damage on average
A lightcrossbow with 14 DEX is 1d8+2 = 6.5 on average

So yeah.. you're using your spell resource to do the same amount of damage as a mundane weapon. And it doesn't scale so from level 5 onward, you are better off shooting firebolt.

Also the spell end if someone move out of that pitiful 30 feet range. Which pretty much every creature can do on its own turn.

>>54728055

Firebolt is 1d10.. witchbolt is 1d12

>>54728062
Yeah, you're assuming they both hit all the time. The upside of witchbolt is you only need to hit once, to do a consequent 1d12 every turn. If I'd grab a crossbow, I'd need to hit every turn.

I don't get how that's not taken into the equation. Ofcourse I could also cast Chromatic Orb for 3d8, which is better, but I felt it had its niche. Apparently I was wrong. I can just 'not' prepare it, but kinda bummed I wasted a spell.

>>54728133
When you hit 5th level Firebolt is 2d10 and you're never ever going to use witch bolt again

>>54726733
Illusionist Wizard or Lore Wizard. Anything else is weak.

>>54728133
And you are forgetting that Witchbolt only exist for like 2 round at most. And that's when you're using it at point-blank, in an empty plain without cover or corner.

Which race works best with a Paladin/Ranger multiclass? I'm leaning towards going human for the extra feat.

>>54728166

Why would it only exist 2 rounds? I don't plan on getting hit so that it breaks concentration. If I am getting hit, losing concentration is the least of my concern.

>>54728152
Doesn't the damage of Witch Bolt increase to 2d12 as well on a level 2 spell slot?

>>54728173
Variant Human is quite right.

>>54728203
> The spell also ends if the target is ever outside the spell’s range or if it has total cover from you.

They could just walk out of your range (if you are casting at 30 feet away). If you are casting at 15 feet away, you will probably get hit.

> When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the initial damage increases by 1d12 for each slot level above 1st.

> INITIAL

>>54727857
SOMEBODY ONCE TOLD ME THAT STRAHD WAS GONNA TROLL ME

>>54728222

I have spell sniper, so it's 60feet.

>Initial
Oh fuck

>>54728203
>2nd level spell slot
Yeah sure, but the 2d10 from firebolt is a cantrip that you can do as many times as you want and not waste a 2nd level spell slot for a shitty spell.

>>54728283
That's better but 60ft is still within engage range. And you're really wasting your concentration resource when you could be using it on better spell.

Corner and doors will still be your worst enemy.

>>54728304

I thought it would do the 2d12 on every turn. My bad I guess.

Back on topic; I really want to get counterspell, but I'll only have 1 level 3 spell slot. I'm also thinking Fireball for obvious reasons and Haste, since we have a combat oriented party and a few people that could really benefit from a +2 to AC in big fights.
I feel if I pick counterspell, I will be holding on to that single level 3 spell slot every encounter and never get to use it, or misuse it and counter a cantrip or some shit.

>>54728362
Dude you're a Wizard, not a limited spells known caster like all the CHA full casters.

You can write anything you want in that spellbook. You can prepare whichever ones you want and use your slot for that one. Just don't prepare jank like witch bolt and you'll be gold. Also you'll get more slots as you level.

If I were you I'd have FB and Counterspell both prepared. Also as you level youll get that sweet sweet Arcane Recovery so at 6th level you could realistically cast a 3rd level spell 3 times a day

>>54728362
If you don't mind minor spoiler
Strahd can cast Fireball

>>54728396
to be fair, it's hard to find spell book / place to learn spell in CoS. Unless he has another Wizard in the party.

>>54728362
>I'll only have 1 level 3 spell slot
you have two 3rd level spellslots at 5th level...

counterspell is arguably the best 3rd level spell in the game.

>>54727579
He's an expert swordsman?

>>54727579
>>54727925
Expertise in stabbing things => double proficiency bonus.

>>54727579
+3 weapons?

>>54726733
Arcana Cleric, Lore Bard, Illusion Wizard, Arcane Trickster, Rogue Thief with magic items like Instrument of the Bards, Staff of the Woodlands and shit if you are allowed,and finally, any Paladin you want.

>>54726771
Jesus Christ, I hate you people overcomplicating everything.
There already are Planeshift Innistrad vampire races, and they already got Revenant subtracts, but if you really want one, here I'll make you one on the spot

Grab the Charm Tiefling, the one that gives bonus to dexterity instead of Inteligence.
That that and then take his fire resistance and swap it with necrotic.
Done. Oh but necrotic is a lot more rare than fire?
Fine. Grab the Lizard Folk's Bite and Swallow ability
Oh but now it's a little overpowered?
Fine, grab the Drow Sunlight Sensitivity to balance it out.

All done.

My party of fighter, wizard, cleric and rogue are thinking of storming an underground mind flayer colony. We are 7th level. Yay or nay? If yess, propose strategy.

>>54727644
Step 1 is high con. Step 2 is hiring a bard with power word heal.

>>54728659
Give more details.

>>54728659
>storming

First mistake: you don't storm mind-eating aberrations' colony, you do the best recon you can. Is it going to be a branching dungeon with multiple ways to enter and exit? Something linear?

What are you after? Is it about wiping out mindflayers or some particular mcguffin or anything else? How much things can you negotiate with your DM?

All of that impacts your strategy.

>>54726675
>What do your characters do with their money
Mostly we give it away to the needy, buy food and drink for the whole Inn we're staying at, bribe folks, and make bets on the situation between players.

>>54728745
>>54728765
All we know is that it's a dungeon and that a powerful mcguffin is located in there that the flayers care nothing about. The entrance is guarded by intellect devourers and quaggoth(?) servants.

>>54728810
Have you tried asking them nicely for this mcguffin they care nothing about?

>>54728362
Haste is a good spell, but not super worth it unless you are a sorcerer with twin.

>>54728837
We start next nession. Up to now, we only know what i wrote. We don't know a way to contact the mind flayers and the reports say that they don't even know about the mccgaffin that is somewhere in their dungeon.
I think we should skip this one.

>>54728396
That's true. Arcane Recovery already works from level 5, since it specifically states "half your wizard level (rounded up)".


>>54728430
I just encountered one, but it didn't have a lot of interesting stuff. Protection from evil and good, darkvision (which everyone and their mother already has) and magic weapon iirc.

>>54728432
Oh darn you're right. Fireball and Counterspell it is.
Any tips on casting counterspell? I'm not sure what the timeframe is once the DM starts mentioning a spell is being cast (he never says which spells, just a spell. I'm not experienced enough to recognise them).

>>54728972
Does the Wizard have comprehend languages? Does anyone in your party know undercommon? They're lawful evil, so they'd probably be willing to trade if you offer them something.

>>54726675
Where is the usual Mega link that contain all of UA and published book?

>>54728987
Ask your DM if you can make an Arcana check to recognize the spell. Other than that, it's just a reaction, so tell him you want to cast Counterspell.

>>54729006
Yes he does. The problem is that we have nobody to talk to. The guards seem to attack anybody who enters.

>>54729026

Thanks for the tip. I'm just worried I'll use a 3rd spell slot for a minor spell. It does waste an entire turn for a spellcaster probably, so that's still something.

>>54726703
Agreed. Thouhh I wouldn't be opposed to a mildly different or slightly more powerful version of find steed as a higher level spell what summons such a construct.8

>>54729010
It was taken down. Again.

>>54727921
Eh. Google 5E wizard optimization and read what they have to say about various spells. Familiarize yourself with the mechanics of magic and remember; don't rush into fights when you could talk. Sure if you are ambushed or you already have enmity with a specific group be prepared to show no quarter, but if someone seems to have some sense about them after you've scouted the situation, at least give a little whistle of parlay.

File: Artificer.pdf (5MB, 1x1px) Image search: [Google]

5MB, 1x1px

Thoughts on this? Was posted in the last thread

as someone who has never played before but is about to start wed, do people play through the entirety of these pre written modules?

if you die, do you just never find out how it ends... seems a bit silly to invest a bunch of time into something to never see how it ends if you die half way through?

>>54729568
what is this from...?

>>54726867
Hexblade 13 Paladin 7
Get a paladin type whose auras have synergies with Warlock spells, like oath of conquest

>>54729778
>do people play through the entirety of these pre written modules?
Depends on the group, some do, some don't. Many groups fall apart in the span it takes to complete a module

>if you die, do you just never find out how it ends
If you die, you roll a new character and continue the story. It rarely happens that the whole party is wiped at once. What happens then is up to the DM.

>>54729835
Don't know actually, maybe the guy who posted it in the last thread could enlighten us.

>>54729778
Generally if you die, you roll up another character that gets fit into the story somehow.

>>54729867
>>54729868
gotcha

my group is a total of 4 people (looking to expand to 5 or 6) who've never met. its sort of my understanding that most groups fall apart semi-naturally just due to the fact it's tough to find a group of strangers whose personalities mesh well together enough to hang out for hours on end for months straight?

>>54728987
> protection from evil and good
That should be your staple concentration spell in CoS.

>>54728987
I mean... 5e took out spell identifying for a good reason, it's just a tedious task that every spell caster should already know. Your character spend years studying magic. He should know his spells, so he couldn't fail. Thus there is no check.

Hell even in 3.5e, Wizard never fail their spellcraft check.

Seriously, if you see a person trying to pick up bat guano, you know it's a fireball.

Your DM sound like shit.

>>54729568
Wording on the wandsmith seems off in a lot of places.

>>54726675
https://www.orcpub2.com/
https://www.orcpub2.com/
https://www.orcpub2.com/

Shilling a good character creator app.

>>54726908
>bbg
ugh
>scripted to lose
UGH

Do your group a favor and renounce DMing forever

>>54727484
Take the druid level, but do not use any druid abilities until you can justify it - for example, after having received initiation in your local grove.

i want to make the swordmage class from 4e, how do I go about this?

>>54730545
I don't know what it is, but from the name it should be Eldritch Knight, Bladesinger or Hexblade.

>>54730545

Depending on what you want from it, there's EK and Hexblade, or there's a free magus (similar idea) class on the dmsguild. No idea what the quality of the latter is like, though.

File: 228444-Magus_v1.2_by_Benjamin_Huffman.pdf (4MB, 1x1px) Image search: [Google]

4MB, 1x1px

>>54730545
Eldritch Knights, Bladesingers, Hexblades (UA), Stone Sorceror (UA), or if homebrew is an option, Magus.

My DM is letting me take a homebrew invocation for my level 9 tomelock. I can pick any level 5 spell to be able to cast once per day using my spell slots. What should I pick?

Perception or investigation proficiency?

why?

>>54730786
Perception. It's more generally applicable.

>>54730309
>https://www.orcpub2.com/
>investigator background
where is that? I don't remember seeing it anywhere

>>54730731
Is this from any spell list? if so..
Wall of Force
Bigby's Hand/Arcane Hand
Teleport Circle (If party does not have something for teleporting)

>>54730809
City Watch variant.

>>54730809
SCAG City Watch variant

>>54730731
>>54730815
If it's from the Warlock spell list only...
Hold Monster

>>54730786
Perception, because it's the most used proficiency. Every time the GM gets stuck and wants to advance the plot, they will ask you to roll Perception. They want to just rule that the plot advances, but they feel like they are not allowed to. Instead, they will ask for a roll, so the dice give them permission to advance the plot. I have done this. Every GM I have played with has done this. It is the most frequently rolled skill.

Also, if you say your character is searching for something, your GM may make you roll Investigation, but they're also likely to make you roll Perception if you have Perception but not Investigation. Same reason as above. The GM wants to tell you what's going on. They want to share their campaign with you. They just want the dice to give them permission.

>>54730855
Alright this sounds solid as fuck, i'm gonna go for it

>>54726944
One of the few 5E homebrew gems, mainly because the PHB Archetype is mediocre.

>>54730855
This anon has got dubs of truth

Also /5eg/ how do I into proper Gish in this edition? I've played Valour Bard, EK, Bladelock, War Cleric and Paladins most different multiclasses. But I can't get the feel of a fighter/caster

>>54730920
Continue to exhaust this >>54730678 list. Have you tried a Bladesinger/Fighter?

>>54730870
Investigation is quite niche. It's about actively deducing.
>"Based on the layout of the building, a secret door could be there, or over there. In that case, let's check for small air currents or scratch marks on the floor. And if I were to design this, I'd hide the switch somewhere around here..."

Perception, on the other hand, is your ability to actually notice stuff.
>"As you walk over the floor, you suddenly realize that your footsteps sound different. There must be a hollow space below the boards."

The latter is far easier for DMs to deal with - just roll and chuck the info out according to the results. The former needs some sort of player declaration.

>>54730958
No but that's because I play AL and being a Bladesinger=Elf
Yes, I know AL is largely faggots but I have found after much searching a few decent tables
Also Bladesinger is mostly a caster. I just wanted to make something int based that could use V Human because I've played literally every charisma class by now

>>54730958
Personally I like Bladesinger/Rogue for a more agile feel.

Either way, multiclassing Rogue or Fighter long enough to get the 1/3 spell progression makes things annoyingly muddled. You get all the cantrips, which is nice with the new ones from SCAG, but you get that weird progression where you have spell slots you can't use properly.

File: 1498464709850.jpg (2MB, 3000x5386px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 3000x5386px

So how would the stats look like on a Rogue Inquisitive/Hexblade Bladelock?

What should be my primary stat? CHA or DEX? Follow up WIS or INT?

Half-Elf if that helps at all.

File: EXPLOSIONS.jpg (112KB, 718x418px) Image search: [Google]

112KB, 718x418px

Hey we're doing some one-shots since over half our group moved over 100 miles away life in a college town. The DM said we could use our old characters or make new ones. I really didn't like my rogue. It got outshone by just about everyone else in the party in every way. The only thing that was cool with my character is that he got into bombs halfway through the campaign and I found my true love. EXPLOSIONS!?!? What is the best class for blaster? I want to do massive damage and just make my party afraid of me accidentally killing them. Maybe a little utility/healing because I loved being a bard that could do everything but I really want to focus on being Mr. Torgue

All UA's and any officially published material is fair game. Even had the DM approve a lore wizard once but never played it.

>>54731023
The closest thing I can think of is an EK for you. It is really defensive though and if you are looking for a blasty amalgamation of both its a bit tricky to pull off without multiclassing into a wizard for the extra spells.

>>54731099
That's an awfully MAD build you're asking for. Why do you want to that to yourself?

>>54731144
Is it? It just seems fun is all. Does a Warlock multiclass on a Rogue not handle well? Or is it due to the need of Wisdom?

>>54731164
Think about it

You need Dex to attack. You need Cha to cast. You need Con to not die in a single hit. You need Int for all the mastermind subclass perks. You need Wis to not be junk at Perception. In short you're super MAD and doing 12 con as a frontliner is... Brutal to say the least

>>54730786
>>54730855
When is good time to roll for Investigate? We usually try to puzzle the situation as players and we use Investigation when actively searching for something. But it is kinda weird for Ranger to have better chance to notice something, when he's not looking for it. Investigating as putting pieces of puzzle together is done either automatically or by players themselv.

Are we only one who has problem with that? How to fix this?

>>54731186
I can use CHA to attack, the each one of the Inquisitive abilities uses WIS not INT.

>>54731242
Ok so you can dump Int and Str

But you'll still need minimum 13 dex to multiclass and you probably want 14 for the AC boost. You're MAD but it's manageable. I hope you're doing point buy

>>54731257
I am doing point buy and I will drop STR, I kinda want to get my INT to 12 so I can investigate okayish, but I might not.

File: Explosion.gif (2MB, 500x281px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 500x281px

>>54731125
Megumin/Lina Inverse can be done with either Draconic Sorcerer or Evocation Wizard. Wizard would give you more room for utility while Sorcerer is 100% 'splosions

>>54731222
The same problem exists with social skills. "I roll to persuade" has always been scraping the bottom of the roleplaying barrel. Basically, it falls into the same category of needing to be rolled when the players can't come up with the right words or ideas themselves.

>>54731303
Can you make a warlock splosions good or is warlock just not a good call? Am totally willing to multiclass fyi.

File: Quinn.pdf (3MB, 1x1px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 1x1px

>>54731257
Final build at level 20, even though I don't think I'll make it that far.

>>54731440
Seems more lawful than chaotic though

>>54731475
Oh, good eye. Fixed that.

>>54731413
Warlock isn't horrible but they can be even worse on utility than Sorcerer. If you want to go that route, pick Fiend and get the Kiss of Mephistopheles Invocation from UA to cast Fireballs as a Bonus Action.

>>54731222
This article helped me a lot with regards to figuring out where Investigation checks are relevant.
http://theangrygm.com/hide-and-seek-traps/

How to convince my DM to allow me to play something from UA? I want to play an artificier wizard, but even mentioning UA last I did was shut down, I remember something like "oh that's entierly unbalanced and experimental--don't read that as you will likely never get a chance to use it"

>>54731615
>How to convince my DM to allow me to play something from UA?
You don't

>>54731615
It's always the DM's call for what goes at his table. Artificer Wizard is shit anyway so you're better off.

>>54731615
Well, one remember that the DMs rule is law and that they have the right to say no to anything if it does not fit the universe or requires too much balance.

If you really want to play the UA material ask the DM if they could read through it with you and explain what is so wrong with the material in question, that way you both can see eye to eye.

>>54731615
Counter with the simple fact that core is plenty unbalanced already. Fighters and Rangers are terrible, Sorcerers got nothing on Wizards, warlocks are reliant on a DM lenient on short rests (and a party that goes along) and really bad if they don't get their daily naptime... Moon Druids overpower all martials until the mid levels and always are full casters on top of that.

So because there is no balance to begin with, looking over UA options on a case-by-case basis is the only reasonable way to proceed.

Thinking about making a grappling character as a backup in case the character I use dies.

How would you guys build one?

>>54731688
anything with expertise and extra attack

>>54731440
Cool I like it but how are you proficient in Wisdom saving throws? I don't see the Resilient (Wisdom) feat so is it a class feature of Hexblade?

>>54731688
BabarianX/Rogue1
Or Moon DruidX/Rogue1
Valor Bard can also work

>>54731736
>Barbarogue
Reddit pls

File: 228444-Pugilist_Class_v2_-_Benjamin_Huffman.pdf (4MB, 1x1px) Image search: [Google]

4MB, 1x1px

>>54731688
Barbarian or Fighter with 1 level into Rogue for expertise in Athletics. Extra Attack + expertise in athletics is the way to go.

Valor Bards also work well due to expertise and Extra attack though they come online a little later than the other two,

If homebrew is an option I like the Pugilist's Squared Circle subclass, ask your DM if they are cool with it or not.

>>54731723
15th level Rogues get Slippery Mind which gives them proficiency in Wisdom saves.

>>54731772
Sorry I'm not proficient in Memes. What does that have to do with reddit?

>>54731783
Stop shilling this shitty meme homebrew in every fucking thread.

>>54731688
Barb/Fighter with the Brawny UA feat.

>>54731860
>Shilling it

I'm not that anon but I think it's kinda neat. Its like a bareknuckle boxer or tavern fighter instead of a Kung Fu guy. I don't know if I'd allow its play but it is cool and according to the creator saw some extensive playtesting which makes it better than most homebrew I feel

>>54731860
Not trying to be rude, but I'm curious do you guys voice your opinions to the homebrew creators? A lot of these people are willing to talk about whats wrong with their class, especially if a lot of people use it.

Like the Pugilist just went through a revision a few months ago and they are still taking feedback (Example: They are considering changing the Hit Dice to a d10 as a lot of people don't think it fits as a d8, and some people enjoyed the regenerating moxie system so they might do something with that.)

File: duck.png (46KB, 283x233px) Image search: [Google]

46KB, 283x233px

>>54732218
I'm playing it for the first time, playing blind. Please be kind and spoiler strahd discussion.

>>54732286
Yeah I realized what I did like 3 seconds after I did it. Not sure how to go about fixing that now tho

My bad. No serious spoiler tho

>>54732338
It's no big deal, thank you for your consideration in the future.

>>54731303
>>54731125
Mystic's Mastery of Fire Detonation is basically explosion magic, except less magic and more psionic, but the effect of a mushroom cloud huge explosion is there. Multiclassing would allow you to specialize in that further, maybe Phoenix Sorcery?

So is the old "linear fighter quadratic wizard" still true for martial classes vs casters?

>>54732501
No

>>54732501
not really

>>54732187
>A lot of these people are willing to talk about whats wrong with their class

Nearly every homebrewer I've seen makes excuse after excuse for their homebrew. It's always
>"Hey this thing is broken when combined with *STANDARD RULE*"
>Oh, well I houseruled that rule away
>Okay but how are we supposed to know that? Also, [RACE] combined with that brew completely breaks the system in half
>I don't allow [RACE]
>okay, but this level 3 ability completely outclasses the entire Paladin class
>Paladins don't exist in my setting, instead (blah blah no one cares)
>Also ability X doesn't exist in 5e
>Oh, I'm thinking of 3e, let me change it *changes to something directly opposed to the design philosophy of 5e*

I rarely see homebrewers actually try to FIX their brew. and that's why we have zero fucking tolerance for homebrewers

>>54726944
This version's pretty good; certainly better than the 15-page-long shit.

>>54732638
>certainly better than the 15-page-long shit.
Could you post it?

>>54732644
It's literally the same thing just with more words.

File: Haymaker.png (350KB, 730x342px) Image search: [Google]

350KB, 730x342px

>>54732602
These guys put forward an effort to fix their brews, just put your opinion forward to them. There are definitely people who do not pay attention to the system or rules or combination of things and need to be told that this does not work well with x thing, but these guys do listen to criticisms and take them to heart.

For example, I had a problem with the wording on this ability for the Pugilist as the way it's worded makes it so it works with all forms of damage dealt for the turn, spells, smites, and sneak attack. That's overpowered and needed to be reworded so I explained it to them and they now are going to be editing that to make it work with just weapon damage only.

If you explain your points well and the creator is open to criticism they will change it.

File: FleshEaterCryptGhouls02.jpg (34KB, 600x620px) Image search: [Google]

34KB, 600x620px

>>54726675
So I've been getting into buying minis for d&d 5e and got some warhammer ghouls (pic related) as they looked cool and fitted - question is is there any difference in appearance between a ghoul and a ghast?

Could I use the same models but recoloured or would a different model be preferable? If they physically look different I'd rather use different models to not cheapskate on the difference but the manual doesn't seem to suggest they look different.

>>54732602

I only allow homebrewed spells and items and I make the final call on whether it's allowed or not. Closest I've gotten to homebrewing rules is changing the names of a few races for setting purposes.

>>54729864
Man, I cannot wait until my current campaign ends and I can try out a Conquest Paladin / Fiend Tome Warlock. Kind of want to take Tiefling and take advantage of that free Hellish Rebuke.

But I think DM wants to hit CoS next. Dang.

>>54731222
My stance is its active versus passive; the dude with high perception is really really really good at noticing details around him - but you could call him the ADD dude; he's not necessarily paying CLOSE attention to the task at hand, just to his surrounding environments. Investigation is focusing really closely on what you're doing - but you might not notice what's going on around you.

So, Ex: High perception Ranger investigating a room might end up missing a hidden lever, but he notices someone creeping him behind him while he's distracted. High investigation character finds that lever, but they are so caught up in their task that they fail to notice someone is trying to ambush them.

It's often generally advocated that if the PC's are not under any particular time constraint, just treat it as they will find stuff. Rolls work great for "YOU HAVE A LIMITED WINDOW TO WORK IN!", but if they have free reign, don't lock anything that's not just an extra goody behind rolls.

Anyone find any good alternate uses for Hit Dice?

I was kinda thinking of a variant / house rule where we take the Inspiration system, but replace it with rolling a hit dice as a bonus so players don't just get advantage / disadvantage?

Maybe limit it to once a day, or stick to the arbitrary nature and let the players know on what certain, important rolls they can use it on?

>>54732759
they look pretty much the same

File: 20170806_122549.jpg (158KB, 1024x1022px) Image search: [Google]

158KB, 1024x1022px

Can I move diagonally through a space that has a creature on either side?
Pic related.

>>54731685
>Fighters are terrible
Anon, what. Fighters are fine.

>>54731787
Assumption: Its acknowledged that Barb/rogue is best for this, but I've never seen anyone advocate only *ONE* level in rogue.

>>54731959
Personally I would allow it - the big issue I noticed before was it kind of had an infinite Moxie/HP cycle that made it tankier than any other class, but that was changed in one of the recent revisions. I don't find it all that crazy.

Pugilist is one of the more accepted home brews around here.

>>54732602
This is what my problem is - and I think /5eg/'s problem in general - with home brew is. It's way too fucking often made by people who have far more eagerness than they have systems knowledge, doubles down on redundant concepts, uses broken mechanics, or flat out is just INSANELY powerful in comparison to anything else. People get excited about their work, and make something that outstrips the rest of the game, and then get really fucking defensive about it.

Versus look at, say, Compendium of Forgotten Secrets (or whatever the fuck), where the creator inserts his mechanical reasoning into the 'brew, and is actively engaged with his feedback. I am far more okay with that shit.

>>54732765
Homebrewing items and reskinning races is babby-mode, and by spells I assume you change damage types for existing spells, correct? As opposed to creating your own, which almost never ends well.

>>54732788
>barbarians get the most out of inspiration, while wizards and sorcs are shit
Leave hit-dice alone, anon. Messing with them is almost never ok.

>>54732860
I allow creatures that are friendly to each other to move through each other in such a way because it would be easy to shift a little bit to allow them through, but moving between hostile enemies like that invokes the overrun/tumble rules in my game

>>54732772
Perception is observing something, Investigation is using reasoning to determine something. Active vs. Passive is already represented through Passive ability checks, where you just compare DCs against their check modifier + 10.

>It's often generally advocated that if the PC's are not under any particular time constraint, just treat it as they will find stuff.
This is definitely good policy. No reason to belabor everything the characters do or gamble against them knowing something you want them to know.
By far the most common and pain-in-the-ass mistake GMs make is to call for too many rolls for no reason. Letting your players simply do cool shit sometimes is great and it makes a good contrast with the actually important rolls that have real stakes. Your players will be able to feel that distinction even if they don't really think about it.

>>54732860
I'd say yes, but some could make the argument against it.

File: grid.jpg (138KB, 455x576px) Image search: [Google]

138KB, 455x576px

>>54732860
Read the book, senpai

>>54732899
What if you want to move between a hostile and a friendly

>>54732910
>but some could make the argument against it.
they would be WRONG, but they could still argue against it.

>>54732912
A creature isn't a wall, large tree, or other terrain feature that fills a space

>>54732914
Overrun/tumble with advantage

>>54732937
Ding Ding Ding

File: 7ca.jpg (34KB, 600x448px) Image search: [Google]

34KB, 600x448px

>>54732912
>mfw I almost exclusively move diagonally for 50% more movement per turn and my DM can't stop me because he doesn't know about the alternate rules for diagonal movement

File: 563826-College_of_the_Maestro_1.2.pdf (3MB, 1x1px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 1x1px

>>54732602
I'd like to mention that there are tons of Homebrew creators (Usually the ones with higher ratings) who talk with the people who provide feedback on their work such as the guys who made these: >>54726944, >>54730678, >>54731783 and pic related. Its not all bad.

If the creator says anything similar to what you proclaimed they don't truly care about their work and just want yes men or don't know what they are doing.

>>54732906
I do end up wondering what's good 'form' for rolling stuff; in my game when we come across Knowledge stuff, every damned person in the party rolls, whether or not they have any conceivable reason to know that. -1 INT Murderhobo Outlander? Yeah, absolutely rolling on if he can recall lost history of a god, or what not.

This has created some discomfort in the characters who are trained / have roleplay reasons for knowing this, but have terrible rolls - and the DM is resistant to stopping it because 'it would impact his ability to detail the world / tell the story' if details were just not brought out.

But it does feel like it would be simpler to just tell characters that conceivably would know something, than arbitrarily locking it behind roll spam and just assuming that because there's enough people throwing dice at it, they'll figure it out.

Makes me wonder:
When are GOOD times for people to be rolling Knowledge checks, under the model of 'don't belabor the PCs, let them just know stuff if its not under a big time constraint or what not.'

Give me some curse removal ritual objects

Something not too hard to find, but at least a few things you wouldn't be able to just walk into a town and buy. Something around level 3-4

>>54733004
>don't know what they are doing.
which is why we tell homebrewers to fuck off, if 99% of homebrew is trash, I have no obligation to sift through that shit for the 1% that are good, Dont like the hostility? Start a homebrew thread where people actually WANT to look at your shit, instead of shitting up the 5eg

How's Tyranny of Dragons? Running a homebrew game that takes place after the events of LMoP right now and had a plot that I'm finding I really don't like. Wanted to pivot to something that focuses on Venomfang as a mid-level villain with the real enemy being the Dragon Cult, leading to fighting the other types of chromatic dragons with a plot to either summon Tiamat or to destroy Bahamut out of existence.

I realized it sounded pretty similar to ToD so I'll be reading it to steal the things I like but I wonder if I'm just better off running the thing pretty straight.

>>54733012
>-1 INT Murderhobo Outlander? Yeah, absolutely rolling on if he can recall lost history of a god, or what not.
Shit man, you don't know his life, maybe he enjoyed stories around the campfire that his sagely grandpa told him when he was a child.

>>54733012
If something is important to know, don't leave it to chance. If it's a minor detail or whatever that doesn't really affect much beyond "congratulations you just learned more lore" or "cool you know that this creature is weak to acid damage" then you can leave it to rolls

>>54733012
>When are GOOD times for people to be rolling Knowledge checks
When it isn't critical to know t, but it would help.

You do find the book on draconic lore you were looking for, but since you rolled well you also find a scroll for a spell that allows you to speak and understand draconic for 24 hours

>>54733020
Holy [NOUN]
Silver
Special Incense

>>54733053
I would be okay with that, to be honest. I've rolled on things for similar reasons.

But I am legitimately pretty sure the character doesn't have a backstory.

>>54733012
How I tend to do it is just by passive knowledge score.

Does your hero have any personal quests? How did they start them?

>>54733074
just don't worry about it. If he somehow made the roll, he heard or read about it somewhere, having a low int and being untrained in the skill means he'll fail more often than not.

I once had a character in Anima who was literally retarded, always "crit" his knowledge rolls, we always just ruled it that by sheer dumb coincidence he shouted a word that triggered one of the intelligent party members to have an epiphany.

File: wraithsandshadows.jpg (165KB, 1020x708px) Image search: [Google]

165KB, 1020x708px

>>54732809
Neat - that saves some money.

How about shadows, wraiths, specters (and poltergeists)? Got a few contenders attached - but wtf is the actual visual difference between them all?

>>54733095
My character deserted from the army of his home country when his King gave an order to slaughter civilians of a town they occupied. He left the continent and grouped up with the party after a long series of events. Once they're done doing what they are now, he wants to go back to his country and kill the King

>>54732896
>while wizards and sorcs are shit

Is changing how Inspiration works really the lynchpin to what makes Wizards, Sorcs, and casters in general that much more powerful than martials?

>>54733125
Eh. It's honestly not something that has bugged me too much, but I know its getting to some of the other players as they are feeling super fucking redundant. The characters that 'should know things' have a super low roll, and the character that literally isn't a character outside of a murderhobo stat block that has to be constantly reigned in my the party keeps rolling high.

It's more synonymous with group dysfunction than anything, but I am looking at kicking said dude out and DMing for the party, so kind of picking /tg/'s brains on how to make sure to highlight character focuses/strengths.

>>54733012
I don't bother with a roll for recalling knowledge. If your character knows it, he knows it. End of story. Rolling for Arcana, History, Nature, or Religion covers researching those topics or performing experiments.

Example: You succeeded a Perception check and the DM determines that you spot a unique flower among the brush. He says you've never seen anything like it. You ask if you can test the flower's properties to see if it has a medicinal use and your DM asks for a Nature check.

File: centaur2.jpg (363KB, 800x557px) Image search: [Google]

363KB, 800x557px

I'm running a game in a homebrew setting that is very Eternia / Sword & Planet style.

How would you introduce centaurs or have an adventure that heavily features them?

>>54733147
again, next to no difference

shadowy but visible ghostly entity

>last time dnd.rem.uz 5e was updated was april

have I missed any books since then?

>>54733393
Last book was Yawning Portal
Next book is Tomb of Annihilation in September
Next book with player option in is Xanathar’s Guide to Everything in November

>>54733439
>Next book with player option in is Xanathar’s Guide to Everything in November
So close yet so far

File: 1489527325376.pdf (785KB, 1x1px) Image search: [Google]

785KB, 1x1px

>>54726675
>What do your characters do with their money, /5eg/?

>>54733439
how about any good or interesting third party books?

>>54733200
That's not quite it.

You roll for actions. The same way a Thieves tool check when there's no clock can just be given to the player unless it's a Dwarven Master Safe, you can remember information later with time for note taking and shit, but right there and then at the moment, you re not thinking of it.

>>54733519
Only ones I can think of are a critical role campaign setting book and an enworld book for new classes. I don't know if either of them are good

>>54726675
Gamble it away, which isn't going to bode well for the rest of the party when I don't have any money for resurrecting them

>>54733519
Tal'Dorei, the Critical Role setting book came out recently and the gazeteer section is far better than the SCAG by far has plenty of usable content. It's worth taking a look at.

Other than that, 5e is pretty devoid of good third party content

>>54733179
Inspiration should be a universal mechanic because it is not determined by race or class, but by the player themself. Making certain classes have "better" inspiration is a poor mechanic for that reason.

File: Bellas Rau.png (886KB, 700x1290px) Image search: [Google]

886KB, 700x1290px

>>54726675
Spend a decent chunk of it keep the rest for a rainy day or when emotions can be swayed though coin. Occasionally I spend it at a brothel or for parlay.

>>54733179
>>54733717
Quick follow-up because I hit reply too early: if you want to fuck with class balance, don't do it by messing around with inspiration.

>>54733715
Were Swashbuckler and the cantrips the only good thing to come out of SCAG?

>>54726908
>showing the party the BBEG that early
Just let them kill him and have it turn out he was a lackey of the REAL BBEG

Best way to keep that kind of shit chill is to have an Emperor Palpatine type of motherfucker as your BBEG so the party fears him, but they have pretty much 0 chance of getting to him for at least a while

>>54733753
Storm Sorcerer, Undying Warlock, Variant Tiefling, and Variant Half-Elf was in there as well. Aside from that not really.

>>54733753
Arcana Cleric, Long Death Monk and Battlerager were all good. Also Duergar.

>>54733773
This, I never let my BBEG anywhere near the party. Hell in my last campaign they didn't even really know who he was until the very last session

and he was just a dude, once they had killed his most elite guards he killed himself before they even got to him in his castle

File: 5663d42f5c0908595db45f845eb84fff.jpg (66KB, 894x894px) Image search: [Google]

66KB, 894x894px

>>54733753
Oh yeah, and Super Saiyan's are in the book.

Do you use Inspiration in your game?

As is, or a variant of it?

>>54734048
My DM uses Inspiration, and he hands it out very rarely, mostly for making him laugh.

Rate the party I am DMing for:

Bladesinger, High elf(Moon) , orphan raised in an order of bladesingers in the feywild
Sorc/Warlock, variant human, minor noble looking to make his house rich again
Battlemaster Goliath, orphan raised by a dwarf blacksmith, he likes to smash things
Druid of the moon, hermit who found veganism, very hippie, keeps insisting that there should be marijuana in my setting

>>54734048
No, I like to award them in the game for good roleplay.

>>54734090
I don't like the Druid, the rest seem okay though. Lots of orphans.

>>54733492
>Downtime rules coming in November

Thank God my players aren't getting any downtime until after then

>>54734048
I'm in three games and all the DMs seem to forget it's a thing altogether, which is a little bothersome.
I think I'll suggest the "players award inspiration" variant.

>>54734048
In my opinion, if you do something to give you inspiration, that action would already give you some benefit that would've made doing it a very good thing.

>>54734048
I usually forget about it, but when I remember I award it to players if they add fluff, or do something that makes it clear they're making a conscious effort to think in character.

>>54734152
Nothing more hazardous than being part of an adventurer's family.

>>54734048
>>54734063
My GM is pretty generous with it, but he also only ever hands it out for jokes. I've never seen Backgrounds be used for anything other than skill proficiencies. We still roleplay our characters, but the Bonds and Flaws go unused. Feels wrong whenever I look at my character sheet and the amount of space devoted to them, but it works for us.

How do the popular people do Inspiration? Does Matt Mercer use it in his game? I've never watched Critical Role; I'm sure it's entertaining in places, but fuck off I do not have 300+ hours to spend on ANYTHING.

Personally, I like the idea of awarding inspiration Fate-style. You roll well to set up a benefit with one of your skills, you get to describe what your character did and give someone advantage on a roll somewhere. To pick a completely original and never done before example that I definitely made up myself, you roll History, you remember what happened last time this dragon attacked, you give the guy firing the siege crossbow at it advantage on his shot because you know where it's vulnerable. I've never tried that approach in play, though.

>>54734163
>Book with more than 25 new subclasses
>Complain about variant rules

>>54734419
Death by backstory. It's a real tragedy.

Evil Overlords should really fund Clerics to cast Raise Dead on all parents. And no, killing the orphans isn't a cheaper alternative; you just get double-orphans with twice the angst-induced murderboner for you.

>>54734442
Mercer occasionally gives it out for good RP, but he has stopped using it after a while. He would give the person a d6 inspiration dice instead of advantage.

I believe he does this because he already gives out situational advantage or disadvantage.

>>54734419
I now have this sudden urge to play a character who's an orphan searching for what happened to his parents, certain that the BBEG killed them.

..Only to find out that they abandoned him when as a small child he showed some sign of divine favor / martial ability / whatever the fuck, and they figured they should NOPE the fuck out of there before the Plot caught up with them.

> The real Haunted One background

>>54734063
>>54734102
>>54734173
>>54734185
>>54734280
>>54734442


See, I'm a DM who kinda already does situation advantage / disadvantage.

I was looking at The Angry DM and he had in an interesting variant that ties "Inspiration" to rolls that are directly affected by a PC's Personality, Ideal, or Bond. They can also give themselves an "Inspiration" by taking a 'setback', or disadvantage on a roll where it would make sense if it tied to their Flaw.

I might hash that out and try something similar with my group.

>>54734525
I mean, situational dis/advantage should be a more common occurence than it is. The whole point of inspiration is to give you an extra boost or counter a disadvantage. It only becomes a problem when there is no balance.

>only female in party is the only part that makes trouble in the group
>is GMs girlfriend/fiancee or whatever.
Help. This is some of the shit she does.
>Lawful stupid paladin. Killed a possessed little girl because she couldnt think of anything she could do as a paladin to help her or remove the evil.
>"That's not fair!" and
>"I didnt even land attack that combat" When she ran into the middle of every enemy, drew aggro and went unconcious in three rounds--She drew aggro and tanked like a boss though.
>"That's not fair!" whenever something happens she doesn't like, including when someone else in the party knows a tiny bit of information she doesn't OOC---because;
>She's a huge metagamer. She CAN NOT seperate character knowledge from player.

despite all this we put up with her because we really like the DM and our party in general. Is there anything I can do to make her presence better for the group?

>>54734598
Sounds good. Also sounds very similar to how Fate handles itself. I don't really like Fate as much as a game with actual non-narrative-based mechanics, but its aspects and trouble systems can be stolen and slotted straight into the narrative-based Inspiration system with ease.

https://fate-srd.com/fate-core/invoking-compelling-aspects

Ey, I'm gonna be a faggot and ask where I can find some homebrew classes. I got a guy that wants to be a Sith.

Sorry for the trouble

>>54734679
>Sith
Soul Knife Mystic is basically gonna do it, also tell him to get fucked.

>>54734631
>is GMs girlfriend
Abort or deal. These types of people are impossible to work with.

>>54734590
That's actually the character I'm playing now, Thief Rogue who's parents dipped out on him (teenage pregnancy memes). He was found in the forest not too far from the site of a goblin attack, so people assumed his family got merc'd. In reality the kids who had him were just super irresponsible and hoped he'd get found. Thr baby cries fucked up a goblin ambush on a caravan, which ties into another character's backstory.

Also two characters ago was a Paladin with a completely heart-warming family that absolutely loves him and are proud of him. Just some wholesome shit that contrasted with the two super-edge memers in the party.

>>54734679
Send him this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31g0YE61PLQ

>>54734679
>I got a guy that wants to be a Sith.

oathbreaker paladin

don't let him actually play it though

>>54734631
>Playing with vaginas

Huge mistake

>>54726908
>>54726927
>>54726983
This is basically how Tyranny of Dragons starts

>>54734679

Aren't the Sith literal psychopaths with a long and storied history of fucking themselves over because they're fucking psychopaths and can't keep a plan together?

>>54734866
With what, Lennithon or that Dragonborn?

>>54734790
That's how you get into a sticky situation, anon.

Seriously though: Nothing wrong with female players. I've got a few in my group. Only complaint is they have a weak sense of the mechanics, but the group as a whole does. Our big issue is a Dude, not any chicks.

>>54734631
>DM's girlfriend
You already lost. Unless you start sucking the DM's dick better than she does, everyone else is going to be beneath her in terms of how the DM treats everyone. One of my DMs let his girlfriend have a pet chimera at level 3

>>54734887
Yes. It's part of their culture. I'm surprised that there are ever any left in any point in Star Wars history considering how they suffer from a terminal case of Chronic Backstabbing disorder.

There are a few that adhere to the actual culture and are lawful evil rather than stupid evil. Those are the ones that get betrayed more often than not.

>>54734866
And it's regarded as the worst official campaign, universally.

>>54733187
>The characters that 'should know things' have a super low roll, and the character that literally isn't a character outside of a murderhobo stat block that has to be constantly reigned in my the party keeps rolling high
Different "knowledge ______" DCs for different characters.

"Identify the spell on the scroll:"

Wizard DC: 5

Murderhobo DC: 20

Is it even possible to make any interesting Warlock?

>>54735072
Tried that; DM was bothered by the idea of information about the world being withheld from the PC's as it "hampered his ability to tell the story". Also he argued that DC's are a flat difficulty check for everyone, it's not a tiered.

I do think different DC's for different characters are totally fine.

>>54735100
Yes, but it requires you to consciously gimp yourself.

>>54735072
>Different "knowledge ______" DCs for different characters.
>"Identify the spell on the scroll:"
>Wizard DC: 5
>Murderhobo DC: 20

Why even have the Wizard roll? he likely can't fail the roll.
Why have the murderhobo roll? the -1 int murderhobo we were talking about earlier can't succeed.

Never make players roll for something if the roll doesn't matter.
Also, don't make palyers roll if the result only affects how long it takes and they are under no time restriction, for example, if a rogue is picking a lock, fail, and can pick it again, you should only make them roll where time is a factor. In combat? Roll. Out of combat and it will be hours before someone comes along? No rolling.

>>54735100
I'm trying out a high Str and Cha fiendpact warlock focusing on fiendish vigor, armor of shadows and armor of agathys for the time being. Wish me luck, bros.

I'm DMing a game. My party suffers the most damage from Friendly fire.

>Trapped inside a Tower Mimic boss fight, the party's Hylian Sorceress (long story, special snowflake player) decides to jump out the window to avoid the slimy tendrils coming out of the walls attempting to consume her. She lands a little poorly and takes minor damage.
>Following her example, the Aqueous Cleric jumps out after her, landing on her and knocking her unconscious for the rest of the battle.

File: 343.jpg (10KB, 200x211px) Image search: [Google]

10KB, 200x211px

>>54735249
Serves her right.

>>54735249
>landing on her and knocking her unconscious for the rest of the battle.
It'sa me! Mario!

>>54735202
This is why you add negative effects to repeated failures so they can't just spam rolls infinitely until they succeed.

>Rogue fails to pick a lock
>Tries again
>Fails a second time
>Lock is busted, can only open it with a key now

>Wizard tries to climb a tree
>Fails
>Tries again
>Fails again
>This time he falls out of the tree and takes xd6 bludgeoning damage

Obviously this only works for physical actions, something mental based like checking for traps or trying to think of some weakness for an enemy, you can only attempt once.

>Rogue checks for traps
>Rolls a 3
>"You see nothing"
>"I check again"
>You already checked, your Rogue doesn't know that you rolled a 3, he checked for traps and found nothing. No.

>>54735306
>Lock is busted, can only open it with a key now
Why would a busted lock still work with a key? Why not just break your own locks so that intruders are unable to pick them?

>>54735306
>This is why you add negative effects to repeated failures so they can't just spam rolls infinitely until they succeed.

No, that's why you don't ask players to roll for something if it doesn't fucking matter. You can safely assume someone who can travel out to the middle of nowhere and kill a god damn troll can manage a standard tree.

>>54735339
I didn't say it was realistic, it's just a way to actually punish failure when time isn't a factor. It's a game before anything else

>>54735306
This post is fucking retarded. Anyone who may be a DM lurking this thread, disregard this travesty to the hobby. If a player cannot fail a task given the time allotted, don't make them roll.

>>54735103
Ah, gotcha.

I am the DM, and I have 0 issues with doing it. I don't tell the PCs, but I do it.

>>54735306
>>Rogue checks for traps
>>Rolls a 3
>>"You see nothing"
>>"I check again"
>>You already checked, your Rogue doesn't know that you rolled a 3, he checked for traps and found nothing. No.

>what is doublechecking

When I finish a math problem, I go over it again. If I see no issues, I go over it once more. I'm self aware enough to know that I might'be missed something.

File: Billie Jean Actually Was My Lover.gif (514KB, 200x136px) Image search: [Google]

514KB, 200x136px

>>54735282
>>54735294
Forgot to mention, the Cleric received no damage due to having his fall cushioned.

>Bard tries to cast sleep, rolls 5d8.
>Tower has over a hundred HP.
>I don't stop her from trying again the next turn.

File: 1444930155751.gif (4MB, 270x263px) Image search: [Google]

4MB, 270x263px

>>54735380
>>54735360

>>54735072
that just makes it pointless for a wizard to actually invest in skills like arcana. if you want to give wizards free arcana proficiency, do that instead of fiddling the numbers behind the scenes. as for the murderhobo, if you want to make it impossible for them to identify scrolls, tell them it's an impossible roll. if it's not impossible there is no need to further bias the numbers against them: if they've dumped INT and haven't invested in knowledge skills they are already at a disadvantage.

>>54735408
Fuck you, your character has no idea that he checked poorly. If I was your DM I would start rolling your trap checks for you behind the screen. You can't just sit there and infinitely check until you get a perfect roll

>>54735413
>land on sack of meat and bones
>take no damage

>>54735202
Hmm. That's one way to look at it. Never considered that, I usually just have them roll and then see what happens based on the roll (meeting the DC or not)

I kind of like what the other anon said about raised stakes for repeated failures, but at the same time that would get obnoxious fast I think.

But to answer your question, I have them roll because it keeps the players more invested than me talking at them some more.

>>54735447
>You can't just sit there and infinitely check until you get a perfect roll
Why not? If there's no time pressure why can't they take more time on something?

>>54735466
Because if you look at a wall and see that it's just an ordinary wall you have no reason to keep staring at that wall indefinitely. You are only doing so because you have the meta knowledge that you rolled poorly.

>>54735447
You bet your sweet ass I can. If we're all alone in a featureless corridor with no pressing objectives to meet, I can waste
ALL
FUCKING
WEEK
checking this hallway for traps and there aint a damn thing you can do about it. DM better.

>>54735439
Not necessarily. I was using an extreme example to underline my point, but yeah, I get it.

Might be a bad idea. It just bugs me when the character that should know shit doesn't and vice versa.

Guess that's why we don't shouldn't have people roll for things like that.

>>54735447
you know taking 10/20 used to be a thing, right? It was put into place in earlier editions for the sole purpose of avoiding these situations.
>I have no time restraints? I take 20.
>DM: Okay, after several hours you manage to do [the thing]. While he is doing this, what are you others players doing?

>>54735489
>You are only doing so because you have the meta knowledge that you rolled poorly.
FINALLY someone puts into words what I keep trying to say when my players keep redoing skill checks.

>>54735520
If someone could succeed on something if they took their time with it, don't fucking roll in the first place

>>54735494
>and there aint a damn thing you can do about it
I roll trap checks for you behind the screen now. You don't know the number, you just know what I tell you you see.
A troll happens to wander into the dungeon behind you.
You trigger a magical trap that only triggers if you stay in the same hallway for 20 minutes straight.
A fucking Remorhaz burrows in.
Stop trying to cheese the game faglord

>>54735538
Not necessarily.

Going back to lockpicking---if they don't make the DC they should find another way around (or break down the door), not keep on picking the lock. If it's in a dungeon or city they'll meet a monster/guard patrol, for example.

That said, I'm seeing the weakness of my argument. It just feels like giving them stuff for free without having them roll.

Any perspective that'd help get over that?

>>54735597
>A troll happens to wander into the dungeon behind you.
>You trigger a magical trap that only triggers if you stay in the same hallway for 20 minutes straight.
>A fucking Remorhaz burrows in.
Oh look, pressing time constraints that would warrant needing to roll a check. Dumbass.

>>54735616
>If it's in a dungeon or city they'll meet a monster/guard patrol, for example.
If there's a time constraint, like this, then roll. If there's no reason they can't keep going until they succeed, assuming that the DC isn't higher than 20+their bonus, then you should let them succeed after a certain amount of time.

File: 1425860565087.png (79KB, 457x472px) Image search: [Google]

79KB, 457x472px

We're close to finishing Curse of Strahd, and we've had a lot of fun, but I can't help feeling disappointed that we could have had WAY MORE fun.

Our DM is a close personal friend and he did his best, but he's had to balance session prep with a college workload and a lot of play sessions wound up being pretty haphazard and seat-of-the-pants.

Not to mention the tone overall was way, way too light. I was under the impression that CoS was supposed to be really grimdark, bleak, tough as fuck, etc, but at no point over the last months of play have I felt like we were in any danger. Unless the DM has been playing it close to the vest and he blows our tits clean off over the course of Amber Temple/Castle Ravenloft, then we'll probably finish the campaign with no casualties.

I feel ungrateful complaining about this but it's a severe bummer that everything has been so bland and neutered.

File: t9Kkt8h.jpg (19KB, 232x254px) Image search: [Google]

19KB, 232x254px

>>54735624

>>54735644
You're ignoring the fact that other things can go wrong that aren't time dependent, like the lockpick breaking off inside the lock and rendering any attempt to unlock it thereafter useless.

>>54735494
>DC increases to 50 after a check because the character is sure that they didn't miss anything
Go ahead roll again faglord :^)

>>54735616
>Any perspective that'd help get over that?
realizing that the other party members should be keeping all that in check.
>Wait guys! I'm still not certain this place is free of traps!
>Dude, you've been at this for HOURS! We're fucking leaving. You can stay if you want, we're getting lunch.

Or as I said in >>54735504
It will take you X amount of time to do this thing, rest of party, what are you doing during this time? The player then isn't getting something "for free" he is investing his character's time to get the result, and during that time the party could be doing something else, which could even result in a change in circumstances for the original player.

>>54735494
>there ain't a damn thing you can do about it
While blindly fumbling around checking for traps, you trigger a trap and boulders fall from the ceiling and crush you.

>>54735680
>like the lockpick breaking off inside the lock
Don't do this shit

>>54735716
>killing a player because you can't DM for shit
Sure, champ.

>>54735731
Just did bitch. Cry more.

>>54735745
>try to cheese the DM and thinking you'll ever win
lmao

>>54735370
My problem with that is that by far the biggest defining factor in a roll is the dice, not an individual characters competency. Competency makes you MORE LIKELY, but it seems just kind of wonky to go "Yes, you the rogue, who is fantastic at picking lots, congratulations, you fucked up the lock and it cant be opened anymore" while working with a normal lock in a comfortable fashion.

If you want to make it some super special ancient complicated mechanism? Sure. If it's in middle of combat and they are rushed? Sure. But I don't see much of a value in doing outside of those scenarios, because what's the benefit of:

>Yeah your wizard can't manage to find a way into the tree.

>>54735439
I would argue that the assumption there is that its low BECAUSE the wizard invested in arcana. The character who is trained in the field / has likely knowledge has a weak DC, while the character who isn't trained in the field / unlikely to have knowledge has a high DC.

>>54735616
My stance on it: You're letting characters succeed at things that they are focused around; it's giving them a bit of a spotlight. I would say it is more so a higher fantasy thing ("You, the incredibly talented rogue that you are, manages to crack the lock open and slip in undetected") versus low fantasy ("There's no risk of fucking up the lock, which really shouldn't be much of a risk in the first place, but theoretically possible.") .. But yeah. It's assuming competency of characters, and letting them shine in their rolls - because the 'failures' should be more reserved for high pressure situations that are narratively more interesting.

>>54735747
I'm not going to cry about you being a shit DM

>>54735770
>he says after crying for the past 20 minutes about people "being shit DMs"
Oh dear.

I want to make an evil Artificer. He is a mass murderer, but a deal he made with another person ties him to the party and overall storyline, so hw will behave.

Now I'm unsure about the race. Stat wise I want int, dex or con would also be nice.
The most obvoius choice would be a variant human with a feat that gives int (most likely observant).

How feasible is an evil Gnome? Most of the time they are good, always smiling, and full of humor. This wouldn't fit the mass murder image at al, but they fit for Artificer.

>>54735769
It's a good thing this guy is here with calm reason because my insane ranting sure isn't getting through to the degenerates in the thread.

>>54735792
Is English not your first language or do you legitimately not know what crying means?

>>54735821
>How feasible is an evil Gnome?
as feasible as anything else. You could still be always smiling and full of humor, but you'll also stab a guy in the back for a copper, it's not mutually exclusive.

>>54735821
You can be a smiling, charismatic, lovable evil murderer, man. Nothing about killing people precludes that. In fact, it really just makes you even more unsettling.

>>54735850
>Crying even harder
Oh deary deary me.

>>54735769
>I would argue that the assumption there is that its low BECAUSE the wizard invested in arcana. The character who is trained in the field / has likely knowledge has a weak DC, while the character who isn't trained in the field / unlikely to have knowledge has a high DC.

that's represented by the mechanical bonus you get for having proficiency. if you don't feel the bonus is high enough then establish a homerule that increases it. that at least makes it transparent to the players. the game already models this stuff.

>>54735851
>>54735876
You just convinced me. Neither me nor my friends have ever played a Gnome, so this could be fun

>>54735889
You're trying too hard

What's a good class for a WoW style death knight?

File: LPA49-83.jpg (46KB, 563x353px) Image search: [Google]

46KB, 563x353px

>>54735821

Some would say it's less feasible for an artificer gnome to be Good.

>>54735928
You're crying too hard

New thread

>>54735968
>>54735968
>>54735968
>>54735968
>>54735968