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/5eg/ - Fifth Edition General

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Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition General Discussion


>All official WotC content here (now including the SCAG)
https://mega.nz#F!UVkTnT5b!FJ34UZ98BMY2mEtexenS7g

>Tools for 5e, other stuff, miscellaneous homebrews
http://pastebin.com/X1TFNxck

>Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide Map:
https://mega.nz/#!CowGWLKT!yiwaLeoLWcsV4d8uY5DmqsmPxTw3ZIdpz8xAzaYkQ5II

> November's Unearthed Arcana:
https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/02_UA_Underdark_Characters.pdf

>November's Sage Advice
https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/rules-answers-november-2015


What monster races would you like to see going forward/have you used?
>>
official goblin race?
>>
>>43924861
Seconding goblin, half goblin would be cool too.

I want to play a centaur.
>>
>>43924861
on wargs or on foot? i think the wargs would make for a better race but on foot is less likely to end in goblins being eaten by horrifying wolf creatures.
>>
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Being restricted to one Path was designed to an optional rule, you can actually select whatever feature you want of the same level and it won't break the game.
>>
>>43925598
Picking features from different classes?
>>
>>43925735
Same class.
>>
>>43925598
1) citation needed
2) you got a GM who allows this horseshit? I wouldn't.
>>
>>43925245
Kek
>>
>>43925747
Nope, doesn't work. Some paths have their strongest features at different levels, cherry picking is often going to open up a superior set of options.
>>
>>43925868
Alright, roll a character that way. Go for the most broken build imaginable.
>>
>>43925598
multiclass
>>
>>43924898

My dream is to one day be able to play a centaur... :/
>>
>>43925989
Maybe when I'm off work. Some other anon pointed out the specifics I'll have to go over things again.
>>
>>43925989
Battlemaster fighter.
At 3rd level take Champions improved crit instead of student of war.
At 12th level replace relentless with superior crit.
At 18th level take the Champions super regen instead of turning superiority dice from d10s into d12s.
Almost strictly better.

And how do 1/3rd spell casters progress in your magical christmas land?
>>
>>43925989
I can't think of any reason to ever not take the great old one's create thrall over any other patron's 14.
>>
>>43926269
Not him, but I suppose it'd be a level 3 feature. If the game were actually designed around the idea anyway.
>>
>>43926269
Without student of war, you'd have to pick up the feat instead to get any maneuvers.
That's honestly not a broken build at all, you just made a straight champion with some upgraded superiority dice really.

>And how do 1/3rd spell casters progress in your magical Christmas land?

You're talking about eldritch knight I'm assuming.
Pick up the spell casting feature at level 3 or you don't. The features can still work with magic items, so they're not useless.
>>
BATTLERAGER, what the hell is this shit?
>Known as Kuldjargh (literally "axe idiot") in Dwarvish
Really?
More stereotype pls WoftC, pls we need it...
>>
>>43926299
Or you could just cast Charm on prisoners you haul around, since they always die, like a normal evil wizard.
Unless you really like a certain NPC I guess.

The feature doesn't really allow to do anything special other then give you a waifu charm.
>>
>>43926395
Student of War is proficiency with one type of artisan's tools of your choice. Combat Superiority is what gives you maneuvers.

This is bullshit because lots of classes have features that let you gain proficiency in one thing, when instead you could get something far more powerful from another archetype.
>>
>>43926471
Should be "spiky idiot".

Weak class features reliant on weird equipment. Brilliant. Still better than the level 3 tiger totem though.
>>
>>43926589
barbarian = idiot
dwarf = axe
>brilliant
I say stereotype
>>
>>43926626
That kinda defines class systems themselves, though
>>
>>43926476
This is a permanent charm though, that effectively turns another humanoid into your familiar with no save.
>>
>>43924558
That pic is probably my favourite piece of drawfaggotry on /tg/.

Sure, there are many other well done pics, but this just somehow pulls all the strings except the sexual ones.
>>
>>43924558
Goblin would be nice but I really want to see an official Minotaur race. The one posted in the UA is cool but they could definitely make improvements to it before official release. Also full orc would be cool. Last time I played a full orc I had a blast.
>>
>>43926500
Oops yes, it's called Combat Superiority.
Strange, they have Student of War as another instance of a feature you get at 3rd level. It's intended to be a package deal, or just a bad single choice.

>>43925845
>1) citation needed
PAX prime Q&A panel, 2014 I believe. They mentioned it as optional rails for new players, but they opted to not mention that in the books. They snickered and said the creative groups would take them off rails eventually and were already doing it in the playtesting, so they weren't too worried.

>2)you got a GM who allows this horseshit? I wouldn't.
All the classes have objectively best paths for certain roles already, very few players chose a path for a single ability, so maybe that one good feature might see the light of day for once.
>>
>>43924558
December's Unearthed Arcana when?
>>
I've been thinking, and I've realized I would love to see an inquisitor or an alchemist class. Do you think either class will ever be made or are these fruitless dreams? Also When is the next official 5e book / product set to be released?
>>
>>43927034
Just refluff a Wizard to use potions instead of spells.

Instead of a spellbook, you have a recipe book.
Instead of casting Burning Hands, you sprinkle a potion forward, creating a burst of flame.
>>
>>43927056
Very true. There would be a lot of ways to refluff a wizard to make an alchemist, but I still hope they make an official alchemist. To me at least, refluffing never feels quite the same as playing the real thing.
>>
>>43924558
>What monster races would you like to see going forward/have you used?

gnoll
hags (various types)
orc
hobgoblin
goblin
changeling
medusa
gargoyle
minotaur
hill giant
harpy

Coming back to D&D after a long break, not sure which of these are already implemented in 5e. Wanna play around with idea of Drooam from Eberron for my setting with adding some more historical realism, guess this won't work out tho.
>>
>>43926639
Thralls are good for RP, although it could make your character evil depending on the NPC you're controlling. However, In combat it could get dispelled by a very simple low level remove curse, fairly common and cheap to get. You'll probably won't want the thrall to be too powerful of a humanoid, just encase you run into something like that and he start bashing your face in.

Hurl through Hell is better for straight powergaming I'd say, it's one of the most powerful and reliable single not-spells in the game.
>>
>>43927056
That's all well and good, but what stops you from giving everyone in the party a powerful spell to clusterfuck the enemy all at once?
>>
>>43927342
I think trying to avoid this situation was exactly why the UA Artificer was so shit.
>>
>>43927342
And that right there, is why alchemists and tinkers are game breakers or gimps.

Honestly, they should be crafts instead of classes.
>>
>>43927374
A sensible, balanced artificer needs to be its own class, period. Otherwise it's a dabbler, broken or a plain mess.
>>
>>43927342
>You have to drink a spell to use it, if you're not trained in it it's magic is wasted
>Several potions need to be mixed in the right order, requiring careful timing and precise mixing to deliver the desired effect, otherwise the effect fails

Oh, wait, that's almost the same as casting a spell.
Which it is.
>>
>>43926471
WotC actually didn't invent that at all.
It's from R.A Salvatore's Drizzt books, one of the dwarf characters is the original Battlerager and later there's a unit of them.

Also, though he's known for his dark elf hero I'm pretty damn sure dwarves is Salvatore's favorite race; he has more dwarf characters then any other type in his fantasy books, and they're often fairly memorable characters with weird schitcks (the dual flail-wielding dwarf....professional assassin? the communication-impaired/possibly mentally retarded dwarven druid?) and generally drive a lot of his plots forward.
>>
>>43927453
Think about what you're suggesting this guy is running around doing in combat. It's nonsense.
>>
>>43927518
Components (of spells):

Verbal (V)
A verbal component is a spoken incantation. To provide a verbal component, you must be able to speak in a strong voice.

Somatic (S)
A somatic component is a measured and precise movement of the hand.

Material (M)
A material component is one or more physical substances or objects that are annihilated by the spell energies in the casting process. Unless a cost is given for a material component, the cost is negligible. Don’t bother to keep track of material components with negligible cost. Assume you have all you need as long as you have your spell component pouch.


Copied strait out of 3.5, although it works pretty much exactly the same in 5e.
>>
>>43927518
So if waving your hands in a wacky manner in the middle of combat. Drinking and casting a spell take the same action. I see no problem with this.
>>
Rate my magical item?

Bracers For Impact

Magical bracers created specifically for Dwarven Shocktroopers who would either be flown over or hurled over enemy lines to disrupt forces.

Requires Attunement
Resistance to Bludgeoning, Halves Falling damage.
>>
>>43927493
And like half of them have amusingly horrible names.
Ambergris
Pikel Bouldershoulder
Dagnabbit
Dagnabbet (Dagnabbit's daughter)
Thibbledorf Pwent
Bungalow Thump
>>
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stat him/her
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>>43927738
Salvatore's names in general and pretty crappy I think, but I do believe he deliberately likes giving his dwarves goofy-ass names on purpose.
>>
>>43927797
-4 Str
Level 1 Commoner
Rank 1 Perform : Retarded looking dance
>>
>>43927645
Halving falling damage isn't going to do a lot of good unless you're close to the ground or high level. Resistance to bludgeoning is useful in certain niche situations, so I'd probably rate it as a Rare item.

You could just use Rings of Feather Falling instead, they mitigate falling damage better and they already exist so no homebrew needed.
>>
>>43927034
AFAIK, the next campaign which will come out next year.
>>
>>43927432
I say it's a good candidate for a prestige class.
>>
>>43928073
>prestige class

I may have to cut you
>>
>>43928100
If you could go ahead and use conversation to disagree instead of oblique threats of violence, that'd be great.
>>
'Tis the season /5eg/!

How to you stat Santa Claus as a PC in 5th edition? I'm torn between Oath of the Ancient paladin for that cheer and immortality and a Beastmaster Ranger for that Rudolph companion.
>>
>>43926299
All of the level 14 patron features suck, it's like comparing trash to garbage.
>>
>>43928125
Prestige classes are fucking terrible design, and unless you were suggesting it as a jest, you need to be conditioned pavlovian style to never, ever consider including it in a game.
>>
>>43928191
Stick to the Paladin and refluff Find Steed for your Rudolph.
>>
>>43927374
While I will complain about the affront that is UA Artificer incessantly on visible forums where WotC (might) look and derive feedback from, most of the time I try to pretend that it doesn't exist.
>>
>>43927034

Make it a Wis based caster with the cantrips create/conjure flame and control fire, create water.

And give them a focus on transmutation spells.

Two of these proficiencies: Perception, Insight, Survival , Healing.

They get to create pills which have temporary or at higher levels permanent effects on the body like fire resist, regeneration etc.

Explosive devices (mainly used for projectiles or trap devices so they are also Dex based).

Make sure they have a bit gimped in combat casting abilities making them prepare out of combat or go with the route of making them monks so they have to use Ki to cast.

Items made by them only by those with the required knowledge or perception so put a requirement of Wis 13 to use one of their items (prevents the barbarian from raining the battlefield with alchemists fire).

Basically monk who relies on poison, fire and magic pills which is kinda closer to fantasy monks how the Chinese portray them.
>>
>>43927797
Scout, MM p. 349
AC13, 16hp
Nature +4, Perception +5, Stealth +6, Survival +5
Two Shortsword attacks +4 (1d6+2 damage)
>>
i'm gonna play a barbarian/bard character, am i totally mad/DUMB?
>>
>>43927797
With that goo hanging about and taking those impractical poses i think Goo-lock Blade pact?
>>
>>43928297
But that goodberry
>>
>>43928254
We're well aware of the pitfalls of prestige classes, and if you're careful to avoid them the mechanism *can* work.

That said, alchemy belongs somewhere you can take it from low to high level.
>>
>>43928423
can bladelock have 2 "blades" from the pact?
>>
>>43928503
Not unless you invent a new invocation for it.
>>
>>43928418
You can't cast spells while raging, so two of your primary class mechanics are not compatible.
If you split them 50/50 you will be an ineffective Bard half the time and a Barbarian made of glass the other half.
If you dip Barbarian and go primarily Bard, you get a handful of features that aren't really important and you won't use effectively. I can only imagine that you want to be able to melee, in which case just be a Valor Bard and call it good.
If you dip Bard you get some spells that you'll only use when you're not fighting. Also perform.

Be a Barbarian and get Perform from your background and take the Magic Initiate feat. Or be a Bard and enter the college of Valor.

Or be a Bladesinger from SCAG.
>>
>>43928503
>>43928512
I miss double weapons.
>>
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what do you guys think of this homebrew: https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Swashbuckler_(5e_Class)
>over powered
>under powered
>Vanilla class/multiclass X and Y does it better
>>
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When was the last time one of your characters died /5eg/?
>>
>>43928191
Custom NPC Fae Deity or go home. Fuck Tim Allen, my Santa Claus is a demigod that rewards goodness at a time arbitrarily near Jesus's observed birthday- not some faggot in a magical suit.
>>
>>43928838
I was playing in a charity game a few weeks ago, and some of the stream watchers offered 100 dollars for a TPK. the GM engineered an encounter where ghosts were spooking all of us, and long story short, the fighter used the gnome as a bludgeon to one-shot my beloved horse, then rolled an amazing bluff to make us all think he had gone mad and was trying to kill us. The gnome got pounded, and tried to save himself by throwing up a wall of wind around himself. My dragonborn sorcerer, losing his shit, fired a souped-up fireball right in the middle of all of us, which conflagurated the wind wall and turned the whole area into a spinning tornado of fire and death.

that one round netted us 250 dollars. Felt pretty good, though I really miss playing Vibrantio.
>>
>>43928775
Eh, I'd just make a Swashbuckler Rogue.
>>
>>43928898
That sounds fun. Got a link to a recording or anything?
>>
>>43928838
last campaign. I lost a rogue/warlock and a fighter( my friends lost 2 fighter, a barbarian a monk and a rogue). DM wants op characters. So we go 2 druids, 1 sorcerer, 1 wizard, 1 life cleric, destroying evrything DM throws to us.
>>
>>43928191
I'm making an adventure where you have to save Santa Claus and the Winter Maiden, so winter comes and freezes all the orc invaders.
>>
>>43928913
I don't think so. we just used the GM's twitch URL that he normally uses to stream art he's working on. he didn't record any of it. :\
>>
>>43928906
why? What makes it better?

genuinely curious here, trying to decide between the two.
>>
>>43928465
Magic Initiate? Choose Druid, take Druidcraft for snowflakes and Control Flames to make fancy light shows.
>>
>>43927317
Thralling doesn't make someone your slave. It just means
>They can't hurt you.
>You can always talk to them.
>You have advantage on convincing them to do stuff.

In other words, it makes you that annoying friend.
>>
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>>43927199
Minotaurs for PCs exist in an unearthed arcana. The one about pirates forget what it's called.

Changelings exist (and are pretty broken) in the eberron unearthed arcana.
>>
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Looking at the Unearthed Arcana PDF, I can't help but feel that the Undying Light Patron is kind of overpowered? It seems like it would be nearly impossible to kill them given that they have 'searing vengeance', especially since they get it at level 6 (which is relatively low for such a useful skill imo). Obviously they can only use it once per long rest, but even if you could use it more than once, it would be very rare that you'd ever be reduced to 0 HP twice in one day.
So is it just me not accounting for something or is sun warlock OP?
>>
>>43928204
Um excuse me undying warlock can stick his or her limbs BACK on their body after they've been cut off, which as you know comes up A LOT in games run RAW.

So why don't you derelicte my fucking balls
>>
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>>43929267
A lot of unearthed arcana is unbalanced
>>
>>43929235
Guess it's this one: https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/UA_Waterborne_v3.pdf

Thanks.
>>
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>>43929333
I blame 5e players though for all the "you die... but wait!" abilities of late. Everyone must of been writing in about how deadly 5e is (at low levels) and wotc really must of taken that to heart.
>>
>>43929367
That's the one!

Anytime friend, the Minotaur they did is pretty cool. It feels powerful without feeling overpowered. Interesting spin on the lore imo, or at least a spin I haven't seen before.
>>
>>43929367
>https://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/UA_Waterborne_v3.pdf

is the rogue swashbuckler in this any different from the later, 'canon' version in that sword coast book?
>>
>>43929446
The wording for some of the features was tightened up significantly. Other than that, no.
>>
>>43929333
Guess I'll ban unearthed arcana in my campaign then, which is kind of a shame. I like most of the concepts they have but the more I read of them the more it feels like it's going to PF levels of unbalanced-ness (shut up it's a totally word). I hope they don't continue doing stuff like that, one of the main features that drew me to 5e was the fact that it's relatively balanced and yet has enough spell slots and good enough cantrips for casters to have something to do after the first 3 rounds of combat.
>>
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What would be some good encounters in a Barovian forest?
>>
>>43929466
solid, so long as the mechanics aren't changed or added too, I should be fine building my character directly off the PHB and that UA article?
>>
>>43929489
I would just use discretion.

I think in 5e they set out to make a pared down game which appeals to more grognardian sensibilities. But since they made it, despite excellent reviews and what not, I imagine the user base for 5e is still mostly looking for things like laser warlocks, unkillable shadow sorcerers, etc. So I'm sure in part power creep is just because people want more and more crazy abilities. I can't blame them because it's their fantasy game, as much as it is anyone's. Idk maybe I'll just start playing Lamentations of the Flame Princess or something.
>>
>>43924558
>What monster races would you like to see going forward/have you used?
Shifters that aren't fucking shit
>>
>>43929636
The 3rd level sneak attack change was changed slightly. The creature you're attacking has to be the only creature withing 5 feet of you in order to get auto-sneakattack going.
>>
>>43929489
>unbalanced-ness (shut up it's a totally word)

Imbalance maybe? It's odd when regular words become game terms or slang, because then other regular, related words don't seem to fit.
>>
>>43929798
Imbalance would have been the right word, but it's 3am so I'm not thinking at full capacity right now lol.
>>
I need to make a d20 table of random encounters for 4 level 3 players in a Elvish kingdom, the group will travel in plains, forests and barren.

Please tell me tips to build this table and how to apply it in game.
>>
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>>43929579
Redcaps or other fey, demons, vampires, hags, some kind of beast men or lycanthropes, any kind of evil arcane casters or Druids, black guards, mad Knights, highwaymen, some kind of forest sculpture gargoyles or something else weird and uncanny, savage wolves, mysterious grave robbers, ghosts, will o whisps, ghouls, ghasts, wights, zombies, giant skeletons, animated suits of black armor.

But not all at once. I think of it as very sparse. A kind of ingrown and old land that is certainly haunted and unkind to outsiders. They should probably come across strange skeletons strung up in the woods, maybe a mass grave, an ancient grave yard which seems to have been plundered, the ruins of an old town, a mysterious cottage out in the woods, see a far off castle and hear weird noises, see a very very spooky cave, find a random treasure chest in the woods which is tantilizing but most certainly cursed, see an old woman weeping blood who might try to eat them, find an evil Druidic circle with Blair witch style signs surrounding it, a cult to the wolf God, towns which have too smal of populations who shutter themselves indoors at night and aren't trying to give the PCs a place to stay, but they might need to break in and hide themselves for something comes creeping in every night.

It should be blanketed and smothered by something.
>>
>>43929985
Stop using random encounters
>>
>>43929985
Make a list of 14 encounters, numbered -1 to 12. Roll 1d10.

Add +2 to the rolls at night, and -2 to the rolls during the day. This gives you encounters that only show up at night and encounters that only show up during the day. adjust numbers as you see fit.
>>
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>>43929579
>>
>>43929704
roger
>>
>>43929985
Isn't "Sylvan Forest" one of the random encounters tables in the DMG? You could use that.

It's a shame there aren't more random encounters tables.

>>43930018
What's wrong with random encounters? The party are travelling through a forest for a few days, there's a chance each day they'll run into a certain group of enemies. It's a sensible use of randomness and abstraction that keeps things interesting and dynamic (instead of "nothing happens" or "on the third day, you have to run into this encounter I made").
>>
>>43926874
Monday the 7th.

Here is a teaser https://mobile.twitter.com/mikemearls/status/671448661604343808
>>
>>43930174
>it includes spells

Thank goodness. We need more spells.
>>
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What do you hope to see in DMG II, /tg/?
>>
>>43930344
more magic items

I'd rather get another Monster Manual or a setting book (Planescape, Dark Sun, or Ravenloft
>>
>>43930344
A billion and one variant rules for using 5e in different settings and genres.

Better CR calculation rules, maybe easy-to-use CR shifting rules.
>>
>>43930375
>darksun
yeeees,,,, yeeees!
>>
>>43930280
If they're for elements monks and rangers then yeah why not

>as if that would ever happen
>ever
>>
>>43930344
Are we even getting 5eDMGII?
I was pretty happy with the first one, its my all time favorite DMG, but we can expand, for sure... but so soon?
>>
>>43930441
Probably not any time soon.
>>
>>43930344
Support for various other campaign worlds that have been used in D&D's history, other than FR. Like maybe a page or two on running a 5e campaign in Eberron, Grayhawk, Ravenloft, Planescape, etc.

More optional rules for crafting monsters and better calculations for building well-balanced encounters.

List of magic items that can be found in various settings.

List of unique monsters or characters in D&D's past that have updated stat blocks for 5e.

Optional rules for epic level gaming, including class progression, 10th level and higher spell-casting, and epic level feats.
>>
>>43930452
good, I like to take it slow.
>>
>>43924558
Is it too much to ask for a Djiinblood sorcerer?
Hell, we can even make a whole combo of it, like element domains, for clerics.
>>
>>43930524
If you expect something good, then yes, it is too much to ask.
>>
>>43928775
Way too strong and overloaded. Just use the swashbuckler from the SCAG. It's fun and balanced.
>>
>>43930432
>Why WotC includes rangers in their games if they hate them so much?
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>>43930633
It is weird in drizzy drizzit edition that they would have ranger be so whack. How does that work?
>>
Any tips or guides on how to make a valor bard (skald)?
>>
>>43930685
>yfw drizzit is a bard now
>>
>>43930690
sure
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?427508-Player-s-Gonna-Play-A-Bard-s-Guide
>>
So my character is extremely racist towards orcs, and our party is currently on their way into orc country.

I feel unsure of how to play this out because being just overly hostile and racist and possibly violent towards all the orcs we're inevtiably going to see, while in character, is extremely "that-guy"-ish.
>>
>>43924558
I have a quesion, do racial spells, such as the drows dancing lights require material components?
If so, it sucks, if not, it still sucks because high elf can pick any cantripm, but not as much as needing materials.
>>
>>43930784
play as you imagine a racist redneck white guy visiting some poor urban black neoghborhood.
>>
>>43930685
Dritzit is a fighter with the Two-Weapon Fighting style and a magic item. The Beast Master ranger is a trap option to punish players who just want to be Drizzle.
>>
>>43930736
Thanks that helps alot but still abit unclear about the ability scores if i should go CHA or STR or DEX?
>>
>>43930940
Whats your race/background/stats?
>>
>>43930940
dex over str... always
>>
>>43930940
Go CHA >= Dex > Con > Everything Else unless you have heavy armor proficiency and then you can wear that and replace Dex with Str if you want.
>>
Even as a valor bard i want DEX over STR?
>>
>>43931133
yes, better armor, better initiative, better save, better ranged options
>>
>>43930784
Just don't relax, and insist on chastise belts for all the female characters.
>>
>>43931133
You use finesse weapons, they gain attack and damage bonuses from dex OR str, whatever you choose.
>>
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>>43930940
Dexterity takes less work to make good, but if you don't want a finesse weapon obviously you need strength.

If you go strength you want to ideally either:

1) start with 14 dex to take advantage of medium armor, as medium armor caps out at +2 from dex

and/or 2) to take the heavy armor feat at level 4 (completely dumping dexterity will make your defenses kind of suck for a while though so be careful, probably still want dexterity)

Honestly Bard isn't bad for this as you can get by with not a max charisma score as your spell list is mostly buffs and healing. The bard in my party fights with weapons a lot and it's good because it lets him conserve slots for clutch plays throughout the adventuring day.

What race are you thinking of going? It kind of changes what's possible for your character stats wise form an optimization point. But I will say optimization isn't the most important thing and you should just go with what seems fun or interesting for your character.

If you go dex based I'd try to have 16s in dex and charisma, and your third highest stat in constitution.

If you go strength based you want at least 14 in strength dexterity and charisma. So if you had standard array so a 15, 14, and 13 to apply, a high elf could have 16 str 14 dex 14 con, and still have a 12 left for con. If you wanted to go the absolute madman route and pick 13 13 13 12 12 12 you could have 15 strength or charisma and 14s in the other star and dex, and at level 4 heavy armor feat gives you +1 strength. if you focus on weapons for offense and casting for buffs and healing you'll still be powerful. I hate negative stats.

Point buy you can tweak everything a bit better. That's all an example of one race. You can make it work with other races but you might want to just sit down and think about what to prioritize.

Just plan for whatever you're going to do at level 4, that's like your right hook to nail your character into place stats wise and melee versus casting capacity wise.
>>
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>>43931257
Also as a follow up on this, get really comfortable with what your options are for bonus actions you can take. Learn which spells are bonus actions and lean on those while still swinging swords.

If you can I'd definitely start with a 16 in charisma because that can carry you pretty much the whole game while allowing you to spend level 4 and 8's ASI/feats on boosting your combat and defense abilities.
>>
>>43931257
Was thinking of half elf or (drow) (high elf)

And can i use finesse weapons with a shield?
>>
>GM uses Errata and Sageadvice to prove he's right when it suits him
>Doesn't accept them when it suits you
Fuck this shit I'm out of here
>>
>>43929991
thanks for the suggestions
>>
>>43931409
I don't see a problem with this if he makes it clear in advance.

I use those for clarification when necessary, but I'm also happy to waive certain rules or make a ruling that contradicts them. Two-weapon fighting for example. Without a feat, you can't pull out both daggers from your belt at once? It takes an action? Fuck that, you can just do it.
>>
>>43931380
Yeah you can use finesse weapons with a shield.
>>
>>43931380
Yes.

Bear in mind, however, that if you have one hand holding a shield and the other wielding a weapon, you won't have any free for gestures, arcane foci or component pouches.

Luckily, Vicious Mockery and Healing Word only have verbal components, but Cure Wounds, for instance, has a somatic component.

This may become more relevant later on when you gain additional spell options.
>>
>>43931548
Mmmk thank you this helps alot!
>>
>>43931409
Rule 0 friendo. You sound like a rule lawyer.
>>
>>43928191
What started as a halloween joke ended up with the party fighting the Great Eggplant (pumpkin), then The Dire Turkey of Tunfaire. For christmas I was thinking MechaSanta or creating a Krampus.
>>
>>43931573
>Rule 0
Rule zero is rule of cool, not "rule of whatever the fuck I say because I'm the GM and the rules agree with me, and when they don't, I'm still the law"

You can't use something to prove your point and then dismiss it when it doesn't fit your agenda.

If it were Rule 0 he would have allowed me to use my non paladin spells with smites because:
1. It's cool
2. It's in the fucking Errata
>>
>>43931847
You just seem butthurt that you can't play your mary sue character
>>
>>43931847
>rule of whatever the fuck I say because I'm the GM and the rules agree with me, and when they don't, I'm still the law

This is part of being a GM, yes. You sound like a faggot, so I don't really have much sympathy for you even if the ruling he's apparently making is that retarded. Perhaps talk to him and figure out why he won't let you use any spell slot for smites when the errata states that it's legal?

Maybe he just doesn't like you. I can't blame him.
>>
>>43931921
I already talked to him, his reasons are "no, you can't because I don't allow it", yet when other stuff is stupid as fuck (like micromanaging actions, casters full hands occupied still hasting with somatic components, etc) he uses Sage and Errata to prove that stupid stuff is how is meant to be.
>>
>>43931409
It's called double standards, your GM is a woman? they're masters of that shit.
>>
>>43931847
>Rule 0 is that the GM is always right
>Rule -1 is that everyone is supposed to have fun
>>
>>43932082
No, Golden Rule is The GM is always right
Rule 0 is the rule of cool
>>
>>43932168
Says fucking who?
>>
>>43932236
Global consensus
>>
>>43932262
Prove it, faggot.
>>
>>43932168
Have you ever considered that your GM is trying to enforce a setting?

Riding a multicoloured pony while playing a guitar and firing arrows at my opponents with it's strings might be cool as fuck to some people - But for your DM, you're shitting all over his Grimdark Old Times Fantasy Setting (which you agreed to play in, because you are in the game) because you want to be "cool".
>>
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>>43932262
[citation needed]
>>
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>>43930820

No they don't. It's not said anywhere that they cast in the same way as a spell, and I'm pretty sure any DM worth his salt will not make you carry bat shit or whatever around just to cast your inborn magic.

But that's ok! Because I'm your best pal! Flowey, the Flower!
>>
>>43932298
>Grimdark old times fantasy setting
>The multicolor-haired gnome can somatic spells even though he has both hands occupied with two staves and a wand because Errata/Sage says so
>I can't smite with my sorcerer spells because reasons

I didn't sign for this faggotry, I sign for a "fun game", and that's why I'm leaving.
>>
>>43932571
Thank you for your service Anon, it takes a strong man to admit he's not right for a group.
>>
>>43932363
uh..... ok, thanks.
>>
>>43932571
Anon I agree with and support your position fuck that guy

I've had to argue with my DM a few times about basic shit but luckily there's another player who backs me up on most things so it's gone okay but it makes me worried for the future.
>>
>>43929375
I don't know. I think the 4E epic destiny abilities that trigger when you die were all great.
>Once per day, when you die...
Is just a great line to have on an ability, I say.
>>
>>43932571
>Throwing a bitch fit because he can't play his special snowflake
kek
>>
I'm hearing a lot about UA being unbalanced/bad. How unbalanced is it now? Should it be banned from the table before it turns the game into PF?
>>
>>43930784
Be civil, but make offhanded comments about their culture and their savagery.
>>
>>43932651
The joke is Flowery is a little shit and is giving you bad advice, mate.
>>
>>43932992
UA isn't uniformly balanced or unbalanced, it's a mixed bag. Ban or allow what suits your game.
>>
>>43932992
Some stuff are ok, other are obviously broken, either underpowered (Shifter, Artificer, etc) or overpowered (Changelling, Ambuscade Ranger, Shadow sorcerer)

Ban it? I dunno, I'd probably work with my players till we reach a consensus, I don't like to simply ban a source because a few stuff is broken.
>>
>>43932992
UA basically isn't playtested. Some of the shit is overpowered in the hands of optimized build powergamers. Most of it isn't in practice. If you don't have any one powergaming, or your DM is unwilling to nerf abuse cases you probably shouldn't use UA.
>>
>>43933063
So.... the DM should ask for components for natural spells?
>>
>>43933122
Sorry, fucked up the last sentence. Should be "if you have someone powergaming, or"
>>
Am I crazy or is the new UA not up yet?
>>
>>43933162
the first Monday of the month

yesterday was the 30th

the 7th brah
>>
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If I wanted to create an evil wizard as a monster for the party to fight, how would I CR that? How would I even create it? Would it be just using a normal PC wizard or using the MM rules? If the former, how would I figure out its CR.
>>
>>43933140
Oh, shit, no, I miss-read. Damn it, Pavlovian response is a hard thing to break.

No, the advice there is dead on.
>>
>>43933301
Do not use a PC wizard. Look at the wizard in the MM and change it as needed.
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/tg/, I'm designing an alternate hellfire sorcerer bloodline for a friend. I know the go to move is to refluff the Draconic mechanics into whatever, but I love giving options to players, and this seems like a good opportunity to stretch some creative muscles. So far I got:

HELLFIRE BLOODLINE
Your innate magic springs from your abyss tainted blood. Most hellfire sorcerers trace their lineage to ancestors who cavorted and bargained with dark powers, or meddled in the realm of fiends itself.

FIENDISH ANCESTOR
At 1st level, you speak, read, and write Abyssal. Additionally, as an action, you can sense dark and light beings. Until the end of your next turn, you know if a celestial or fiend is within 120 feet of you, unless they have magically concealed their identity and their level or CR is higher than yours. You do not know the type, number, or location.
If you sense alerts you to any fiends or celestials, you cannot use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

I'm thinking of adding a mini helish rebuke. Any ideas are appreciated.
>>
>>43933291
Yep! I'm insane!
>>
>>43933330
Does a wizard made as a monster use a tome of spells? Like a PC wizard does? Trying to figure out how exactly they work.
>>
>>43933332
That's a pretty shite first level ability for a sorcerer, m8. Unless you were planning on that being the ribbony party.
>>
>>43933301
Take the Archmage out of the MM
Change the name to Evil Wizard
Change the spells if you want

You did it!
>>
>>43933340
Absolute madman!
>>
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>>43933301
>how would I CR that?
depends on your group. use the Xp. refer to the chart on page 82 of the DMG.

> How would I even create it?
stating up an NPC/enemy as a character is a pain in the ass imo.

the MM has an appendix for human npc/enemies starting on page 342. Archmage (CR12) and Mage(CR 6). use those as a template and tweak spell list, skills, stats, etc as desired
>>
>>43933392
Probably not the same way but you can make him value his spell book. Spell books are only used for rituals which the party won't ever see most likely in a mechanical sense (maybe they stop some dark ritual) and for preparing spells, which NPC evil wizards don't really need to do and if they do it won't rly ever effect the parties interactions with him.
>>
>>43933392
Usually, if only so the PC wizard can crib it/the party can sell it. Unless you swap his Int and Cha and call him a sorcerer.
>>
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>>43924558
Hmm I need some help, I'm going to be DM'ing a game and I really need to know how many encounters a group can handle before a long rest.

I don't want to give them too many long rests but i'm ok with short rests.
>>
>>43933401
I'm planning on adding a second 1st level, all the sorcerers do. What do you think of a 1 sorcery to do something along the lines of hellish rebuke?
>>
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>>43933323

In this world... IT'S POST OR DON'T POST
>>
>>43933332
For this, you may want to refer to the Modifying Classes UA. Indeed, one of the classes they modified as an example was the sorcerer. Some of their comments were as such:
>[...]at 1st level, an origin provides not only the explanation for the source of the sorcerer’s power, but also a flourish on the way that character plays.
Therefore, they gave the Favored Soul an expanded spell list, with the proviso that other features wouldn't expand it further. They also gave it weapon and armor proficiencies since it's supposed to be martially-oriented.
>At 6th level, the other sorcerous origins provide features that have an impact on the character’s combat abilities. Looking at the bard class, we can see that the College of Valor gains the Extra Attack class feature at the same level, and we decide to give that to the Favored Soul to further enhance its martial bent.
>At 14th level, the sorcerous origins provide some measure of utility, with little direct impact on spellcasting or combat capabilities.
So they slapped on Draconic's wings.
>At 18th level, the sorcerous origins provide options that are both potent and strongly linked to the origin’s central theme. Since the sorcerer will have access to higher-level spells at this level, and the feature we gave it at 1st level to provide some cleric spells won’t have as much of an impact, we decide to tie this class feature to those cleric spells
So they threw on self-healing when a spell poached from the cleric list is cast - a shitty capstone like all the other sorcerer subclasses have.

So, for most of the features, you want to have something that is at least somewhat helpful in combat.

What sort of feel are you hoping to achieve with this bloodline? Hard-to-kill fiendish resilience? Self-harm for massive damage? Contracts, deceptions and other indirect effects?
>>
>>43933610
Depends on their level really
>>
>>43933758
5
>>
>>43930018
I don't see why.

>>43930035
This is a awesome idea ideed.

>>43930092
Thank you.
>>
>>43933765
then you should allow them to take a breather from time to time.
But it's all up to you
>>
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>>43933610
Depends on the party size, party level, party gear, and what type of characters they are.
If you have the standard 4 person party with a healer, a caster, a bow user, and a tank, it could range between 2 and 4 encounters before they need a long rest. Higher levels with better gear could push this up to a range between 3 and 7.
Luck also plays a fair factor. if people are rolling very good they could push on an extra encounter or 2.
>>
>>43933725
That's a lot of good advice thank. As for feel, I'm thinking something along the lines the movie Carrie, but I would like to tie into the teifling background, as in you have made the same pact that cursed their own lineage.

Mechanically I'm thinking of using sorcery points to enhance hellish rebuke ans spells of that nature.
>>
>>43933725
I really like how this advice is basically made up with no relation to what the sorcerer's origin abilities actually do or are good for.
>>
>>43933901
>everyone is white
>>
>>43934494
And?

>>43934251
What advice would you give then?
>>
>>43934494
What
>>
>>43934539
>all the girls are wearing skirts
>>
Visiting a friend in a few days and hopefully playing in a one shot with him and a few randomers, can anyone recommend something fun to play for that short time?
>>
>>43924558
What is the best route to take in underdark?
My party is almost getting to the black lake.
>>
>>43934574
DnD 5e
>>
>>43934565
Ease of access?
>>
>>43934574
Level?

Regardless I recommend the half/third casters (Ranger, Paladin, Eldritch Knight, Arcane Trickster). You won't play long enough to get bored of you limted casting, but you'll also get the joy of potent mundane combat.
>>
>>43934494
The ox is brown.
>>
>>43934611
Preach it brother!


>>43934494
>The halfling is wearing boots

>>43934565
>all the girls are female
>>
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>>43934494
Black people rarely complete the college education the market requires of adventures these days leading many of them to seek other employment such as town guard or mercenary.
>>
>>43934601
Sloobludop, then Gracklestugh, then Neverlight Grove and finally Blingdenstone. It's a logical progression based on what's closest to where you are currently, and it'll set you up on the route you need to get to the surface while also having all the information you want for the second half of the adventure.
>>
>>43934574
Pick a adventure from the adventurers league, from OPs link.
Pickone that fits your taste.
>>
>>43934672
Arent bards just singing hookers?
>>
>>43934677
Gracklestugh is the duergar city, right?
We just got the waifublade, but I kind want to be better equipped, since Im notthe one using it and our equippment is still mostly shit.
Are there lots of magic items there?
>>
I am currently running a Warlock (10th level) and in most fights the bulk of my damage is coming from EB (which, as far as I know, is the right way to play warlock, but feel free to enlighten me). Between stats and other stuff, my damage is usually as follows:

1d10 force + 1d6 necrotic (hex) + 6 necrotic (agonizing blast) + 1 poison (random item I picked up along the way, my DM is pretty cool).

Given this damage breakdown, what situations/enemies is my EB not going to be a very useful tool? I don't have a great knowledge of the MM or anything, so I don't know off the top of my head if zombies don't take necrotic damage or something like that. I'm gonna dig through it in a little bit, but in the meantime I was hoping people here might have input.
>>
>>43934748
There are a few magic items there's also a pet red dragon if you play your cards right but the city is a major metalworking settlement so there's also ample opportunity to get your hands on regular armour/weapons for yourselves and your companions. If your DM is like I was and kept the player relatively starved of equipment and mostly improvising or using whatever they found then it's a wonderful opportunity to get some gear worth a damn. Then again I also gave them a fair bit of treasure from encounters.
>>
>>43934766
At level 5 you do two beams level 11 three beams and level 17 four beams
>>
>>43933610
I have a similar but entirely different problem. How the fuck do I MAKE my characters not take long rests for 6-8 battles or whatever the fuck the dmg suggests?!
>>
>>43934766
The answer is 'almost none'

http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?379165-MM-Resistances-Immunities-Vulnerabilities-and-Damage
>>
ayy yo, anyone got that picture of that one guy looking at a sheet of paper saying "shit son, you've only got 1 int"?
>>
>>43934766
>Given this damage breakdown, what situations/enemies is my EB not going to be a very useful tool? I don't have a great knowledge of the MM or anything, so I don't know off the top of my head if zombies don't take necrotic damage or something like that. I'm gonna dig through it in a little bit, but in the meantime I was hoping people here might have input.

One of the strengths of EB is that it's almost always useful, Necrotic resistance isn't that common except on higher level undead and celestials.
>>
>>43934807
Yeah, we are starving, thisrty and poor, we will barely able to rent a boat in sloobladop.
Thanks for the advice, anon!
>>
>>43934851
>we will barely able to rent a boat in sloobladop.


I wouldn't worry about renting a boat there, stealing one should be easy enough. Without giving away spoilers there's a major distraction that comes up and you could take advantage of it to nab a vessel.
>>
>>43934817
If I'm reading this correctly, you want to prevent your party from taking a long rest between every encounter.

This depends on your adventure design and how you stage your encounters. In a dungeon (or similar) where they're making along a path with an encounter every few rooms you should interrupt long rests with enemies or punish them by increasing the difficulty. The rest of the dungeon has been alerted to the adventurers at some point in that eight hour interval and now they ambush them while they sleep (spoiling the rest) or set up better defensive positions/traps.
If your encounters are isolated from eachother, put a time limit on the objective which prevents them from taking a fifteen minute workday.
>>
>>43934766
>>43934841
Yeah, as far as damage applicability goes warlocks are set. There's a whole ONE creature in the monster manual that has immunity to Force damage (which your eldritch blast deals) and no enemies resist it.
So long as your blast deals respectable damage (and it will - Warlocks get to add their modifier to each individual ray, so your blast goes from 1d10+CHA to 2d10+2*CHA and so on) you don't need to worry about whetehr you'll have a useful damage ability.
So just focus on your utility.
>>
>>43934766
How are you doing 6 damage from agonizing blast? The max you can get from it is 5 when you charisma is maxed out.

Also eldritch blast gets multiple beams past level 5, and each beam can trigger hex on its own, so you should be doing double that each turn.
>>
>>43934494
It's because shield dwarves are shit.

Get it together, Wizards.
>>
>>43934494
That's probably the most random thing anyone has every responded to my posts with.
>>
>>43934810
I did know this, I was just referring to damage per beam in the hopes of achieving clarity.

>>43934825
>>43934841
>>43935090
This is kinda what I figured. We're going up against some undead stuff next session (or at least have the opportunity to) and I want to make sure necrotic damage isn't going to fuck us up or anything.

>>43935095
I don't know if this is strictly by the books, but in our campaign, our DM has played by the rules that 20 is the max that a stat can be naturally, but an item could boost above that. I've got a pirate hat granting +2 to CHA, getting me to 22 and therefore a +6. He's also making sure we can't just go out and buy whatever magic item we want, which another DM of mine (3.5, which makes it worse) is basically hands off on - if we can afford it, we can buy it. I didn't realize how immersion-breaking that was until I played in a campaign where the only things you could just *buy* in town were the things listed in the PHB, and not even all of those all the time.

tl;dr: It's either a different interpretation of 20=max or just a regular houserule.
>>
>>43935095
>>43935295 (me)
Also worth noting that we played with a more powerful distribution available than normal. I think everyone started with an 18 in one stat, or at least had the means to if they wanted it.
>>
Hey guys, I used the monster creation rules in the DMG and applied them to monsters in the book. Apparently goblins are actually CR 1?
>>
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>>43935373
Math here
>>
>>43935373
The MM's CR is derived from playtesting and the DMG's math is (I assume) averaged out from there. There are a fair few stat blocks with the wrong CR, but most of them are at least pretty close. It gets foggy in the CR 1/8 to CR 1 range most often.
>>
>>43935248
As much as it's shitposting, there is kind of a point since FR elves are supposed to have weird skin colors.
>>
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Gentlemen, what is the ritual to turn a PC into a lich?
Do their stats change or do they just turn immortal?
Do I have to be evil? I just want to read books forever
>>
>>43935610
Depends on the setting.
>>
>>43934539
I like the advice. I just wonder where this advice was when they designed the dragon sorc and wild mage paths in the first place.
>>
Why is 5e so casual?
>>
>>43935610
>Gentlemen, what is the ritual to turn a PC into a lich?
Varies from wizard to wizard, all involve phylactery.
>Do their stats change or do they just turn immortal?
There's no template for it in 5e so /shrug
>Do I have to be evil?
Nope, becoming a lich is frequently an evil act though.
>>
>>43935610
Well, in 3.5, there were basically two requirements.

1) Be Humanoid.
2) Be capable of creating a phylactery.

The Lich’s Phylactery

An integral part of becoming a lich is creating a magic phylactery in which the character stores its life force. As a rule, the only way to get rid of a lich for sure is to destroy its phylactery. Unless its phylactery is located and destroyed, a lich reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death.
Each lich must make its own phylactery, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be able to cast spells and have a caster level of 11th or higher. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.
The most common form of phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40.
Other forms of phylacteries can exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items.

There's tons of of other ways to become a lich in other settings though, like a curse/blessing from a god.
>>
>>43935610
Stat changes :

Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Armor Class: A lich has a +5 natural armor bonus or the base creature’s natural armor bonus, whichever is better.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +2. Being undead, a lich has no Constitution score.

And then a buttload of supernatural abilities, natural attacks, etc.
>>
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Hey guys
I have a DM question: How do you guys deal with mapping?
I mean, I have the full map of the dungeon behind the screen, secret doors and notes etc, and every time the PCs enter into another room I grab their map and overlay over my own and draw the contour of the room and mark obvious doors.

This feels clunky as shit, and doesn't really work well on non-square rooms (think irregular caves).

Any ideas?
>>
Quick Dumb Question:

If you were to built a character for a one off PvP event which Class/Race would you roll.

For fairness let's assume everyone is level 12
>>
>>43936022
Probably any Paladin, maybe Open Hand or Undying Monk

What sort of PvP? Group? 1v1s?
>>
>>43936022
Wood Elf Rogue, because I've heard it's overpowered.
>>
>>43935971
tell them to map their own map by just your description, and when you're satisfied with what they think is the map, you continue and pull a "you didn't check the wall dipshit"
>>
>>43936022
half Orc vengeance paladin. Hold person and smite

I guess halfling moon Druid has an ok shot, or any other race but halflings don't get to roll 1s... But Druids are probably hard to get through all those animal HP even without level 20 onion druidiness.

I want to say a barbarian has an okay shot but a player would have a really good shot of preventing them from raging effectively.
>>
>>43936216
Group like six man free for all, think Battle Royale
>>
>>43935971
One player takes the role of the mapper. Their character has parchment and a pencil. You hand them a sheet of graph paper and say, "The ten-foot wide corridor continues on for thirty feet, then opens up into a thirty-foot by thirty-foot room."

Mapping is one of those D&D sacred cows that still exists, but newer editions are afraid to explain. As a result, it puts more pressure on the DM to come up with something. Just have a dedicated mapper, problem solved.
>>
>>43935971
My Dm draws the whole map ahead of time if its a big dungeon that will last the entire session and covers it with sheets of paper, moving and removing them as needed.

>>43936022
I would make a Human Battle Master Fighter.
Assuming I could get to my opponent in 1 turn I would be set.
>>
>>43935749
Curious, so the player lowers their own xp about 5000 to make the phylactery? Will that lower their level if it goes under a level threshold?
>>
>>43935811
All those things are wrong though.

Especially no Con score, what? What is wrong with you?
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>>43936247
In that case, I would make a High Elf Bladesinger Wizard. Use AoE spells at the beginning to knock everyone low and use haste and mirror image to make myself really hard to hit while being able to spam cantrips and attacks.
>>
>>43936247
If it's a free-for-all, just teleport away or become undetectable until everyone else is dead.
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>>43936254
>Mapping is one of those D&D sacred cows that still exists
Mapping is absolutely essential what are you on about?

>we made a left then a right then went on for 40 yd then left then across a room..
>hurr durr theater of the mind
>>
>>43936392
None of it is wrong. If you followed the chain of comments, you'd realize he was talking about 3.5, which has the most Lich documentation available at the moment.

>>43936314
Yes.
>>
>>43936491
The thing is, there's no solid guidance on how mapping works.

I wish the rule books would again say, even as an optional rule, "One player is the mapper. His or her character must have parchment or paper plus a writing implement, otherwise they cannot map. While mapping, the party can only move at a normal or slow pace."

Maybe now it's considered too meta-gamey that someone is doodling on a real sheet of graph paper? Although I'd say the opposite: one of your adventurers is damn well making a map, and if that map's wrong or they get lost because there's no map, that's the adventurers' fault.
>>
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I putting together a Djin Ancestor quirk table for Sorcerers. Besides, compulsion to learn others' wishes and sleeping with arms and legs crossed, does anybody have any ideas for personality quirks?
>>
>>43936575
- Claustrophobia (genie that hates being trapped in a lamp)
- Agoraphobia (genie that loves lamp; PC always tries to stuff himself into boxes/jars/etc)
- Compulsory Abuse of Writ (classic genie dickery ala "I wish I was the smartest man = make everyone else dumber than you, or make me a sandwich = turn you into a sandwich.)
- Can't attack birds (ancient djinn were servants of the Rukh/Roc, a gigantic ass bird)
- Dramatic Entrances (lots of smoke/pyrotechnics/booming voices)
>>
>>43936022
I generally feel that in a D&D PvP scenario, going first is synonymous with winning.

Variant Human (+1 CHA, +1 DEX, +1 WhoGivesAFuck) and the Alert feat.
Rogue (Swashbuckler) 3/Bard (Lore) 9
Start with 15 DEX/15 CHA, +1 to each from Human. Take +2 CHA and Lucky with your ASIs.

+16 Initiative with a Lucky reroll.
>>
>>43936872
>Contigency : Some dumb nigga attacks me

Going first is for peasants.
>>
>>43936022

anything with invisibility
>>
>>43936022
Human Wizard.
>>
>>43936872
>>43936218
Rogue is really, really bad with no allies, especially if they have no way to inflict a condition to give them attack advantage.
>>
>>43937031
>>43936872
To be fair, he did say Swashbuckler, and they fare much better alone.
>>
>>43937031
Rogue 3 is because I have an initiative fetish, anon. The other nine levels are full caster.
Which puts it a spell level behind other casters, but still with access to some nasty shit.

If it's in melee then things have already gone wrong.

Alternative: Fighter 2/Paladin 10. Hope to shrug off the first round, Action Surge and nova.
>>
>>43937031
swashbuckler would be able to get sneak attack without allies as long as they can fight the enemy 1v1. if people surround him then he would be in trouble.
>>
>>43936938
If buff time is allowed (unspecified) Contingency is going to be a hit-or-miss selection. You're going to be able to set one to go off when you're either targeted with an attack roll or targeted with a spell, but I know of no DM who would let you define an event broad enough to encompass both.
And then your contingent spell needs to also be useful against whatever class feature is trying to wreck your face.

Not saying contingency is bad or anything - but you can't reasonably expect to have the ideal counter for whatever comes out of the other gate. Just some kind of general mitigation.

Unless we know our opponent's class(es) beforehand, in which case this is a very different game.
>>
>>43928512
I've played with this idea, but I've found it to be pretty lackluster.
The invocation my group came up with was that you could summon a second pact weapon of the default variety (you can't store a second magic weapon in your ass), and that you gain the benefits of the two weapon fighting style ONLY IF both of your weapons are your pact weapons (unless, of course, you gained it elsewhere). The weapons did not have to be of the same type.
We played it in one combat and decided it was really a waste of an invocation. PoB can be flavorful and interesting, but it's not a frontliner. We got more mileage out of some of the defensive invocations we're working on.
>>
>>43937223
>when you're either targeted with an attack roll or targeted with a spell

"When I am targeted by an attack or spell"
>>
>>43928995
Will your DM allow the homebrew?

By that I mean: have you asked the DM if he/she'll allow the homebrew, and has he/she given an unambiguous "yes?"

If not, stop fucking around.
>>
>>43937487
As I said, I've never had a DM that would allow both, as it would be too broad.
Maybe the tables I've played at have simply been restrictive. I won't claim that my experience is universal.
>>
>>43936502
Surely this is 5e not 3.5e
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>>43934494
>>
>>43936872
Necro Wiz biz with full skele complement wins
>>
>>43928995
That swashbuckler homebrew is a mess, don't use it.
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>We kill the BBEG that the king himself hired us to kill
>Afterwards I grab my greataxe and try to cut off his head
>DM looks panicked for a second and says "Uhh you cant! For some reason your axe glanced off!"
>We strip him completely (thinking he may have some sort of magic item that prevents decapitation on him) and try again
>Nope still cant do it so I have the wizard cast detect magic
>Nothing
>Try one last time
>Nope
>The same greataxe that was just fucking him in the chest cant cut him now
>Decide just to take his whole body
>"You cant it...uh is stuck to the floor"
>The body we just had to lift off the floor to strip him
>This weirds the wizard out so he tries to light it on fire
>Doesn't work
>We glance at each other and I write something on a piece of paper and fold it up before setting it in the middle of the table
>Tell the DM to ignore it
>We get back to town and are telling the king what happened when Surprise! the guy we killed is outside the city with an army
>He wants to speak with the king
>We go out with the kings guard to speak with the guy
>"Lel I was faking being dead"
>I pick up the paper and unfold it
>Show it to the DM
"He isnt really dead. How did you not plan for this possibility?"
>Written on the paper
>DM flips the fuck out at me and then leaves
Was I in the wrong here? The guy has been "DMing for years!" and should know better. Hell if he had just come out and said "Guys you cant do that because plot" I would be a lot more forgiving than this bullshit.
>>
>>43938732
You were both wrong. That DM was shit, but what you did was passive aggressive nonsense. You deserve each other.
>>
>>43938732
The DM should of planned better. I would not of been that hard to do a fake death. The Clone spell is perfect for this, he could of had some elaborate rouse planned for if he was cornered and getting his ass handed to him, he could of just ran away and met up with his army at undisclosed location X. this sounds like the DM rushed his planning of this encounter.
>>
>>43938732
people don't like being told that they're wrong.
>>
>>43938732
He was obviously wrong in that he removed your agency as a player, but you were kind of a dick about it?
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>>43938827
>>43938878
I agree I was being a cunt about it but after almost four months of EXTREME RAILROADING I was getting fed up with this bullshit.

I am getting really fucking tired of having almost no control of my character to the point that it feels like am playing a (poorly) pre-written scenario and any time I try to fucking deviate from it in any way the setting says "no".

>You want to deviate from the plot forced dungeon to heal up after a crit table causes the cleric to almost lose his hand? Fine. The nearest town is 20 miles through swamp with a 99% chance of a random encounter every ten minutes. There are no roads going to this town.

It just makes you want to kill someone.
>>
>>43938951
could of said you set up camp for the night, but yea rail roading is the worst, but then you as the player will gain a new type of pleasure of derailing as hard as you can to resist the script.
you might also need to have "the group talk" with your dm and get everyones input on the matter, you all got to be on the same ship or know when to leave a burning one.
>>
>>43938951
Hey man, I've been there. I did two campaigns with an extreme railroad DM, each one lasting several months, and both with the idea that I could teach the guy how to be a decent DM.

It was an exercise in pulling my own teeth. Exactly like the things you describe. And after every session I'd sit him down and explain exactly why he went wrong and why we were frustrated. And it never got better. It only got worse in different ways.

Still wouldn't've dropped the paper on him though. I would've said to him straight up "If you're doing this on the spot to make sure he isn't dead because of some plot hook that hangs on him, there are a half dozen ways you could have avoided, or can still fix, this situation."

I mean, he'd still be pissy about it, but at least I get to feel self righteous about it.
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>>43936314
>>43936502
Actually no. In 3.5 you can't spend your own XP if the amount would put you below your current level's XP threshold.
>>
>>43938951
on a side note, he himself as the dm king told you to kill him,
so I would have convince the group to not move until I confirm him dead.
Also tell him the pretending to be dead only works if the actually think he's dead.
>>
>>43939062
come on I just want to be a lich lord spooking the occasional adventure.
>>
>>43939056
I was praying I was wrong and would have instantly forgiven the fucker.

>>43939103
That is why I wanted to take the head. I am playing a very suspicious and paranoid barbarian ( wis 6) that thinks everyone, except the party who has proven to be trustworthy, is out to fuck him over. He wanted to bring the douches head in for proof that we killed him so the King couldn't deny us our reward.

We gave up because we just had spent 15 minutes sitting there (out of game) unable to do anything because the DM is a shit.

I dont think I will be going back to deal with him anymore. This will be where I say "FUCK IT" and find a new group.
>>
>>43939126
Then get enough XP. You don't have to level up when you get the XP to do so, you can choose to forgo leveling up in order to have excess XP for situations like thisfor scrolls, spells that require XP, or whatever.
>>
>>43939253
interesting concept I wonder if there's a lich ritual for 5e yet or would it just covert from older editions.
>>
>>43939252
now now don't be hasty, maybe he just had an off day, and like I said, actually talk it over, it wouldn't hurt to save it, maybe there were players you would like to keep playing with, or maybe this game of roleplaying will give someone the experience of life. But yea don't stick around if you're not having fun.
>>
>>43939252
If he wasn't rolling you down the rails so he could make sure the guy wasn't dead, then he had some equally bad, and equally poorly executed plan that required that guys body to stay behind, in one piece.

The only difference is, anything else would've been more contrived and convoluted.

So, even if you were wrong, things never would've been right.


Got any more idiot DM stories? One time my guy told us the people in a town told time by the stars because they couldn't read, and thus could not read clocks.
>>
Flipping coins for stats:

Flip 8 coins. Each tails is a 1, each heads is a 2. Add them up, that's your stat. Repeat for a total of 6 stats. Distribute them or place them down the line.

Aside from the objectively best method of 1d20 down the line, would this be fine for stat rolling? Or is it too consistent?
>>
>>43939456
that's not too far off how villagers use to tell time by literally looking where the sun was, numbers meant nothing to them and weren't practical in their common farmer lives.
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>>43939504
minimum 8 and maximum 16, average of 12, sounds about right, sounds safer than 4d6 dropping the lowest. or you know just use the buy system.
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>>43939504
You wind up being not good or bad at anything with that method. I dunno, straight 12s is like the worst stat distro in my opinion.
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>>43939606
No, because they had a clock tower, which is just a more convenient sundial, which is more convenient then the sun. And they could figure out the time pretty accurately. Not just half hour or so increments. They could be there down to a five minute mark.

And I don't mean the sun, I mean the stars you see at night. Because the whole town was placed under some illusion that kept the town stuck in perpetual night. (Which the villagers seemed to treat as more of a general nuisance then an actual problem.)

Telling time with the stars takes math and tools. It's much easier to read the clocktower that already exists in your town.
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>>43939691
Can't grow crops in perpetual night, though.
>>
>>43939691
well its like teaching natives how to read when they're use to clicking sounds but yea was there a purpose for the dm to say these npcs were useless?
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>>43939284
Also I'd like to point out that in Pathfinder magic items and spells don't cost XP, including the ritual for a lich's phylactery. Although it does require you to be an evil level 11 spellcaster.
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>>43935749
I remember back in 3.5 we played a +5 LA game where we had to have +5 levels of LA on our character and we were starting at level one. I think I can remember most of the party
>Hound archon paladin
>Half-Troll Zentythri monk
>Dark half-vampire drow rogue
>Young (bronze?) dragon cleric
And finally me
>Preserved human Lich fighter
Preserved is a homebrew lich only template where you get a few bonuses in addition to your body never rotting and feeling warm.

The story behind my guy is that Tom was a town guard that was really unlucky and got fucked over constantly because of it. One day he stumbled on a lich completing his phylactery. Due to sheer fucking luck the wizard fucked up at the very last second out of surprise at me being there. That fuckup killed him and somehow bound his phylactery to me.

Best 3.5 game I ever played in.
>>
>>43939802
Well not surprising that Pathfinder actually make alignments matter but again, I'm trying to find out if there is a 5e lich phylactery yet or do I have to bullshit the dm to let me do this?
>comeon dm I just want to be immortal that's not too much to ask right?
>>
>>43939777
If you come up with any point that takes a second of critical thinking, then the DM would pretend that no one had noticed it, and isn't that mysterious? With his ultimate answer being that there was an illusion at work so nobody noticed the obvious issues.

Which was a dodge, because what it really meant was that he had constructed an extremely shoddy scenario and didn't want it pointed out that he was dumb.

>>43939788
We wanted some NPC to run messages and spy for us, (Which he would do because he was starving, because his government job hadn't payed him in months. But for some reason he was still working.) and told him to meet us at a place at a time. Eventually we just drew a picture of what the clock would look like at the time we wanted to meet him there, which I did to cut off my fellow player since he was ready to argue this relatively minor point for another half hour or so.
>>
>>43939849
5e doesn't have a system for this. Work with your DM.
>>
>>43939849
Only really as a footnote under lich. You could always see about playing a warlock who willingly serves a devil who placed the characters soul in a phylactery which the character will receive upon completing some task or another. Until then the devil keeps the phylactery safe as collateral. Each time the player dies they have to add another debt onto the deal for transport out of hell.
>>
>>43939876
yea I still see it as trying to teach some bumpkin a second language but good call on the picture and cutting the lawyer off, did you ever find out the relevance of the dawnless skies?
>>
So I've been thinking of making a serial killer spell thief type character where all the spells my Arcane Trickster thief learns are from wizards he's killed but I'm not sure how this could be well-implemented into a campaign without basically begging a DM to tailor the story around me. Also it would mechanically be awkward as my DM typically likes to start us out with level 1 characters. I'm also having difficulties coming up with a motivation for my character other than "Wizard killed my X and now I want to kill all wizards with their own spells"
>>
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So me and my group have decided to retire our old 4e characters and move on to 5e.

I really liked 4e, but its the only TableTop RPG I've seriously invested myself into.

What are the biggest things to expect with 5e? Whats some stuff every 5e player should know that isn't obvious or used in 4e?
>>
>>43939934
There was a rock beneath an arena that would make any spell cast on it affect the whole city. I'm trying to remember why the spell cast on it was 'eternal illusory night' (And we knew it was an illusion, as it wasn't affecting us, the players... until he remembered two sessions in that it was supposed to affect us.) I can't for the life of me figure out why, except that the city was controlled by a thieves guild, and I guess eternal night is good for thieves. Although by that point they had all the guards in their pocket, so I'm not sure why they needed the night time.

Anyway, after we killed off the thieve's guild ruler I cast Dominate Person on the stone (Which he didn't like), and we basically played Sim City for a session. He didn't like it, but he'd written himself into a corner.
>>
>>43940025
Spin him as a arcane school drop out? Murdering his professors was a lot easier?
>>
>>43938732
If you kill the BBEG then congrats! A good DM should just roll with it
>>
>>43940091
That's actually a pretty good suggestion, thanks anon.
>>
>>43940057
>Biggest things to expect from 5e
A system that's less tactical. Some classes that have more 'dailies' (Most spellcasters) Some classes that have more 'Encounter powers', and some classes that rely almost entirely on at-wills.

Phrasing in the book that's meant to sound natural, which means you won't always have the clarity of 4e, and the fluff is harder to pull out from the effects, so if you're looking to refluff it can take a little more work.

There are now many non-rituals spells that are useable for utility, which means your spellcasters need to make decisions between using their dailies for utility, or combat.

Healing isn't limited to your surges, though you do have a pool of healing dice you can spend between battles.
>>
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so I want to make a paladin who is essentially a devout Mormon who is agressive in combat

who would be a good Faerun god for him?
>>
>>43928838
My character has been the only one from the beginning of the campaign to survive two separate party wipes.
He's a cheery and eccentric gnome arcane trickster, but having so many dead companions in such a short amount of time is really starting to chip away at that cheer.
>>
>>43940025
that's pretty edgy mate, just be the sadistic gem who starts out with daggers but learns the destructive powers of arcane, thus leading to your arcane trickster path.

And you can keep your mentality of learning magic off dead mages, but it'll be up to you to limit your choices to what your fallen foes had used. Are you willing to nerf yourself for flavor?

Of course everyone loves the megaman trope but you have to know the limits of the system is and how limitless your imagination can be to influence your experience.
>>
>>43940025
>>43940091
As a side note to this, maybe ask your DM if you can start out with a Wizard's stolen spellbook containing the basic rigours of magic (no actual spells) and by 3rd level you manage to crack it and get with the magic.
>>
>>43940057
The formatting is different, a character's abilities are no longer portrayed as self-contained abilities. Bounded accuracy and ability-caps mean that things will be more lethal in the first few levels, and small enemies will remain threats later on if fought in numbers. All attacks are made against AC, and the way saving throws work are now tied to specific Ability modifiers, with a DC like a skill check would have.

I urge you to download the PHB pdf from the Mega link in the OP, and read over it thoroughly.
>>
>>43940060
DM's really got to drop this me versus them mentality, if your players go off to do something you work with them to make it possible not cry when they ruin your unique snowflake world that you spent 6 months creating.
>>
>>43938732
You are in the right. This said, if the rest of the players didnt' collectively facepalm and told the GM to fuck off, then you all dealt with this wrong.

Seriously, that's a shit GM.
>>
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Hey /5eg/ I want to run a day long one-shot game where a group of heroic adventurers help santa claus save christmas from eldritch abominations trying to steal all the holiday cheer to power a doom laser.
Does anyone have any tips for structuring the game?
>>
>>43940204
After two campaigns of trying to fix this, I stopped. We don't let him DM anymore. He refused to learn, despite very clear channels of communication.
>>
What kind of limitation would you put on a player asking to be a younger boy (14ish) who stumbled upon a magical sword in a magically unstable environment that grants him magical power and want to journey to become a great swordsman?

Essentially, my player, who is 14 himself, wants to be a Battle Master/ Wild Magic Sorcerer, and although not optimal, I usually don't turn down characters unless they're too volatile with other players (like lolsorandumbs or magical realm material). Do I adjust his stats to reflect his character's younger age or just say "fuck it, he's got 16 Strength because magic"? Or would I/you opt for a more creative penalty?
>>
>>43940137
An LDS friend of mine played a Paladin of Torm once. He was really fucking good at it.

Torm/Tyr/Helm are probably your best bet.
>>
>>43940397

thanks
>>
>>43940264
I have a similar one shot with a similar scenario, its winter and the kingdom has hired the players to guard a wagon filled with supplies to the outside villages to make sure they survive the season.
Maybe the supply run isn't all that it seems. Maybe some evil goblins try to steal all the presents. Maybe its actually a ritual to seal the dark lord by ensuring the happiness of the villagers?
I don't know buddy my one shot has an eternal winter that starts out with a supply run and ends with defeating the necromancy tree from draining all life to revive a lich queen buried under it.
>>
>>43940168
Another really good idea, thanks.
>>
>>43940383
No penalties for being 14 unless you'd also do -4 strength for being a woman. Also, ask him if he'd like to try an Eldritch Knight instead. Homebrew the wild magic for him if he just wants the wild effects and allow him to use CHA instead of INT if he likes.
>>
>>43940383
I don't believe 5e has the realism age modifier but you can add it if you think its justified. Also its fantasy and you can just blame it on magic, fey or fiend blessings.
Or you can tell him a wizard claim he's the King Arthur of this story and make him do things for you for your story's benefit.
I think for a youngling its best not to limit them since games are suppose to be about fun, and if its really broken, explain to him why and hopefully he'll understand.
>>
>>43940510
Mk, and he's set on Battle Master. He wants his Wild Magic to trigger off of BM maneuvers, which in a test run proved hilarious as his character Pushing Attacked a Gnoll only to cast Fly on it with Wild Magic, which we determined as the Gnoll flying into the horizon. He doesn't plan to cast a lot of spells anyways

>>43940512
I didn't see a stat penalty being appropriate either, but maybe I'll secretly bump up the DCs for knowledge checks just a tad due to him being young and inexperienced with the ways of the world.
>>
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>>43934840
>>
>>43940623
Dude, if anything young kids know more random knowledge shit. Have you even seen "Are You Smarter then a Fifth Grader?"

It's Wisdom that he should be low on. And since he needs Con, Dex/Str, and Cha, I can't imagine he'll have a good one. But then, if you suggest to a 14 year old that his Wisdom should be low because he's playing an inexperienced kid, he might take exception.
>>
>>43940753
Huh, good point. Alrighty, thanks anon
>>
I don't know if I hate or love my DM, guys.

My character is a Fiendlock, Entertainer Background: he was a minstrel who had meant to enter a bargain with Mephistopheles in exchange for musical fame, but he made his pact through a proxy: some imps mixed up the paperwork and he ended up being blessed with fel powers beyond his imagining. He joined the party seeking protection while traveling abroad, hoping to continue his musical career despite his current circumstances.

My DM introduced a massively famous, terribly creepy, and overpoweringly bitter performer widely renowned for his musical skill at tonight's session. As we played through the session, we realized that the NPC was never actually seen to play an instrument and that, despite being ravenous fans, nobody else could admit to having seen him perform themselves. Upon the party meeting him, he kept on staring daggers at my character and asking pointed questions about my mandolin and why my eyes seemed to smolder a lot.

Long story short, he's the guy who got my musical fame, and he's set on killing me to reclaim what he believes is owed to him. He's a talentless hack with no magical ability of his own, but his entourage is well-armed and fanatical.

I really hope this campaign lasts.
>>
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Trying to size up an encounter for my next game.

Exactly how "Deadly" is a Deadly encounter? Auto TPK?
>>
>>43941372
There will be death saves.
>>
>>43941372
>easy: finish in about 3 rounds, no serious wounds
>normal: average 5, half damaged at most
>hard: someone risk of death saving throws
>deadly: at least someone has to die,
give them a chance to run to prep a rematch
>>
>>43941339
Fiddle Duel to the Death. It must be done.
>>
>>43941339
Either leave or kill him before he kills you, make it worth your parties while to help. And yea your DM is pretty creative, he gave you a hook you might not like but its exclusively yours.
>>
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>>43941382
>>43941422
Another question.

If there's two waves of bad guys that come right after the last one was defeated, is that ONE battle as CR or two?

Like, you defeat 4 Orcs. Then immediately after that, 3 more Orcs show up.

2 encounters, or 1? For calculating CR and experience, etc.
>>
>>43941468
If there's zero effective out-of-combat time between the rounds, calculate it as a single encounter.
>>
>>43941339
That sounds godlike, a perfect integration of a devil pact into the story. A+!
>>
>>43941468
they didn't get to take a minute to catch their breathe so its all in one, but if you want to be nice you can give them 1 round to prep before the hoard comes, and again, give them the chance to run, sometimes a defeat can progress more than giving them the win.
>>
>>43941447
>he gave you a hook you might not like
I didn't mean to imply I didn't like it. I love it, I'm just caught off-guard by having my own plot hook.
>>
is it possible to play 5th edition without any of the Backgrounds/Flaws/Ideals/Bonds shit?
>>
>>43941595
Yes.
>>
>>43941595
Entirely, but why do you want to?
>>
>>43941468
I'd look at the XP budget as two encounters. The "if you have more than X creatures multiply by this" is to account for action economy. So if you calculate for 7 orcs the maths assumes that all 7 are present at the same time. If you have 4 followed by 3 then add them up separately and then add the totals together for the overall difficulty of the encounter.
>>
>>43941623
Not the same guy but other than skill background mechanically just add trivial shit, I'm running a game with a group full of new people so I threw out backgrounds.
>>
>>43941595
You could, if you give everyone two free skills and a free language and tool proficiency. But why wouldn't you want to use the backgrounds? They're fun.
>>
>>43941641
New people are the ones you want to have thinking about their character origins from the start. You start them out thinking about their characters' background from the get-go and they become good roleplayers sooner.
>>
>>43941641
>I'm teaching people how to ride bikes so I took off all the training wheels.
>>
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Is 2-person D&D possible?

I wanna get into it but I only know one sad fucker who'd play seriously and not make it a joke
>>
>>43941568
Your DM cares and actually read your backstory. The next time you see him I want you to say thank you for not being a shitty dm.
>>43941595
only reason I can think of not picking or making your own backgrounds is either you don't care, or you want it to develop naturally from the game.
>>43941468
http://kobold.club/fight/#/encounter-builder
here you go buddy go wild
>>
>>43941685
>>43941671

>im teaching people how to ride bikes so I have them a broken scooter
>>
>>43941690
you do mean one on one dnd right? totally possible it just means the only player gets alot of focus and can be tailor to him instead of a party.
make sure to give him npc companions and minions and let him pick and watch them die.
>>
>>43941690
Yeah, but 2 players are better. 1 player can get stuck while 2 players can bounce ideas off each other.

Also, you could give them a party to control in combat, Like Dragon Age, etc.
>>
>>43941707
>I'm teaching people how to swim so I'm throwing them into the sea with no guidance or floats

If you hate the PHB backgrounds that much why not work with the players to make your own instead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater?
>>
>>43941707
hey if thats how you see it and you're dm by all means, but don't blame us when they just start doing however they feel like with no reference.
>>
>>43941748
you mean roleplaying?
>>
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>>43941482
>>43941529
The thing is that even though there won't be any rest, they won't be fighting at the same time. That makes a huge difference.

>>43941635
Ah, that's exactly what I was thinking of.
>>
Jesus people its not that hard
>what character do you want to play?
>an elf wizard!
>do you want to explain his history?
>uhhhh
>that's fine you don't need one right now
>or ever if you don't feel like his past matters
>just tell me what you think you'll be good at
>those are your 2 prof skills now heres a sack of gold
>>
>>43941782
I mean, yeah, if it's a one shot.
>>
So my campaign is going fine except for one problem player. He's playing a lawful evil Rogue (Assassin). Now I've fucked up on several accounts:

1) I had them roll for stats, which I now accept was a terrible fucking idea
2) I allowed feats, specifically skulker which is being cheesed to all hell

Now normally I wouldn't take that much issue. Except this guy keeps wandering off from the rest of the party and playing his own game, insisting that I narrate that for him while the other three have to sit there being bored. Then when I'm doing stuff with them he never pays attention because "my character wouldn't know about it." Whenever we're in combat he acts bored and his method of "interacting" with NPCs is to make veiled threats, hold knives to their throats and generally be a surly dickhead.

Should I just kill the character off, tell him to make a new one, or find some way to deal with it? I've raised the problem (sort of, I haven't directly told him I think he's an edgy pissant obsessed with his amateur dramatics hour) before and his response is basically always "well my character's organisation's code demands that I do X" or somesuch.
>>
>>43941755
no, and I'm saying this for your own good. New players will never roleplay unless you explain to them "You are playing a character, not yourself."
That means a farmer boy would not be super smart, or the obvious decision for you is not what the character would pick.
>or just pick chaotic neutral and do whatever you want
>>
>>43941641

This guy has it right: >>43941671
You want to have people use the backgrounds to improve their RP experience. That was the biggest thing I hated about 3.5.
You could be Mandran Tharax the Mighty Soldier or stat block #3 in 3.5 and it would literally not make a difference in your experience if you were playing a fighter.
In 5e you have backgrounds and archetypes to make every character idea feel special and it all enhances the RP experience tremendously. Backgrounds are literally the best thing I have ever seen in DnD. They are done so perfectly.
>>
>>43941798
send someone from his organization to shut him down, remind him this is a party game, make his private sessions incredibly hard and short, and those threats he makes have consequences.

hell make the whole town start hating this little shit and now the party has to either put him on a leash or they all have to suffer together until he gets his act together. Or yea just kill them all and blame it on him.
>>
>>43941798
Tell him you don't think that character works in this specific game. That splitting up from the group is a bad idea since it forces everyone else to just watch and do nothing.
>>
>>43941755
>you mean roleplaying

No he means aimlessly drifting with no direction because their characters are empty sacks of grey. Without a backstory (which while I hate the players writing a full fucking novella I always want a barebones outline of) they'll just end up playing themselves with magical powers. Which is really fucking dull, but if your group likes that then fair enough.

>>43941782
>What character do you want to play?
>A elf wizard!
>Okay, cool. I think the Sage background would be best for a wizard.
>What does that do?
>Well you get this stuff, you can do this thing and you can choose from these character traits. Or roll for them.
>Oh okay, he loves mysteries, he's very logical, he's written a bunch of books and he's easily distracted.
>Congrats newguy, in two minutes you have made a character.
>>
>>43941690
It's possible but you should try to get one more person if you can. a 2 person party can easily be balanced to work but a 1 person party has a really rough time getting by because you either design everything around the one person and they get bored or you don't and they get stuck a lot.
But overall if you think you can then you defiantly can.
>>
>>43941849
>send someone from his organization to shut him down, remind him this is a party game, make his private sessions incredibly hard and short, and those threats he makes have consequences.


I think you're right. The organisation one I'd have to be careful about because his backstory specifically says they were all destroyed while he was out assassinating. But yeah I think I'm going to go hard on him during his away-from-party moments. Probably also tell him to do less of that too.
>>
>>43941813
I've been playing D&D and other tabletop rpgs for almost 30 years now.

You guys are fucking ridiculous, you cant play a character without a shitty sack of skills and a label on your sheet?

fuck off.
>>
>>43941879
Grognard somewhere else, old man. Your kind hasn't had a place here since the board was founded.
>>
>>43941798
>>43941849
also when he does his little solo things, make sure to drop important shit that his character would know, and if he ignores it, its his fault when he fucks the party up.

make a reputation of this dick that makes npc both avoid him and guards keeping an eye for him, like if he's not with the party and the hostile notice it, there goes negotiations.

An idea that might actually be something he likes is getting an assignment to kill a party member, and when he obviously fails to do so, let them deal with it, and tell them as a party, there's a way to void the contract or just kill him and be done with it. But then again the contract would still send more assassins so it would benefit everyone to deal with it now and let this little shitter live.
>>
>>43941879
>You guys are fucking ridiculous, you cant play a character without a shitty sack of skills and a label on your sheet?

We can but, especially for new players, it helps to have the labels.

I bow to your thespian might oh ancient and noble one but I'm afraid us peasants enjoy the backgrounds because they're an aid to roleplaying and have no detrimental impact on the game.
>>
>>43941798
Tell him you're not going to tell him what happens when he leaves the party since when he goes off on his own, he's leaving the game. Tell him that if the character he made won't stay with the team, that he needs to make a new character that's better suited for the game.

>My character's code demands that I do X
Tell him you want this code in writing, and then if you have problems with it, edit it, and tell him that that's the code you'll allow in the game. If he doesn't think that code fits his character, then he'll need to make a new character.

Make sure he knows that this is a team game, and that you aren't there to make him feel special. Right now he's using as s tool. Probably doesn't even see the person behind the screen.
>>
>>43941879
The point is that this helps people who have been playing for 0 years.
>>
>>43941877
back up that statement, telling him to cut it out will and has likely not gotten through to him.

tell him if he continues on this path, he's going to have a bad time. that there was another survivor, and he's coming for him, safer in numbers, make the consequences obvious and to everyone.
>>
>>43941948
why do you keep talking about new players?
what do new players have to do with a question how playable to the game is without backgrounds/traits/flaws/ideals/bonds?

thanks for addressing that new players have issues learning to roleplay, move on.
>>
>>43941963
you don't need them, they're just extra spices the average player who doesn't want to spend the next hour writing fanfic about his OC.
>>
>>43941798
Tbh he seems to be playing what I would expect an assassin to do, but you should punish him for going solo. Next time he hold up someone solo, have it be a high level retired adventure who will spare his life but kick his teeth in and throw him in the streets for the party to find. Not every town-folk is a common peasant.

A few sidenotes:
>pointbuy is the most fair system by far and is the general system most encounters are based off of.
>feats are only broken in certain situations. Note that skulker does not give a character darkvision, so if there is no light they still cant see shit, and they are still auto-revealed if they hit a target from stealth. desu idk why people praise the feat. Unless you're a darkvision race the benefit is pretty much completely wasted.
>>
>>43941963
It was mentioned that the guy was throwing out backgrounds for the sake of a party of new players.
>>
>>43941963
>why do you keep talking about new players?
Because this whole conversation started with a guy running a game for a bunch of new players?
>>
>>43941963
That's the point? Tracing back to
>>43941641


Yeah, people with experience don't need 'em. But if you're new, or you're just *bad* at roleplaying (I know a few people that have plenty of experience but are bad at thinking in character) Then they're great.

You got the answer you needed
>>43941595
>>43941623
>>43941664

Anything after that is about how they're good for new players.

Are you retarded?
>>
>>43941993
Yeah, he's a wood elf. Skulker's mostly been good because they've been fighting minions of a vampire and dim light felt thematically appropriate. The next thing I'm planning is some shenanigans with an incursion by a cult of Evil Fire and creatures of flame so it'll be less of an issue.

For my OOTA campaign I had already wised up, now I enforce an array of 15/14/13/13/11/9 or 30 point pointbuy, along with some other houserules.
>>
>>43942012
>>43941999
>>43941997

>>43941595
>>43941595
is it possible to play 5th edition without any of the Backgrounds/Flaws/Ideals/Bonds shit?
>>
>>43942025
...So you're retarded?
>>
>>43942025

>>43941603
>>43941623
>>43941664

All of these statements are still true, nobody's refuted them.
>>
>>43942022
sounds solid. Idk if your party is making new Lv. 1 characters for OOTA but don't forget they will start off stripped of everything so make sure the skulker learns his place in the pecking order ;)
>>
>>43942025
Down to the point, you don't need them, you never do, but it helps alot for new players who want a quick template, but no you don't need it.

YOU DON'T NEED IT. ITS ALL FLAVOR AND IF YOU CAN ENJOY UNSEASONED STEAK THATS ALL GOOD BUT A LITTLE SALT NEVER HURT ANYONE.
>>
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>>43942079
Yeah it was new level 1 characters. He's playing a CN half-drow Bard whose objective seems to be to fuck everything (as a side note he plays nothing but female characters these days). I had to have Jimjar invent a story about having kids and still had to have him say no about five times before he dropped that one.

I'm going to get my own back by exploiting his poor OOC knowledge of demons, he prefers devils. The party miiiight just run into a darkly handsome fellow on the way to Neverlight Grove...
>>
>>43942095
If you put the salt on your steak right before cooking it can make it tough.
>>
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>>43942128
absolutely beautiful. I hope to hear more of this adventure. Make sure not to punish him too hard but some madness should ensue >;)
>>
>PC's always get the jobs their assigned done but cause shit tons of collateral damage
>Such as burning down an entire village to kill some orcs
>Or wrecking a royal warship in the pursuit of a pirate
>Or using stone to mud to collapse a section of holy catacombs that was being used as a smuggling base for stolen artifacts.
>Their group is now referred to as "The Demolishes"
>This evidently offends them as they got pissy with me about it
>I keep trying to tell them that rumors spread and they wont listen
Personally I would be flattered. They even get advantage on intimidation with people who know who they are!
>>
>>43942861
>Demolishers
whoops
>>
>>43942861
Very nice. Have an NPC give them a job to destroy some abandoned fort on the outskirts of town because goblins or something else keep infesting it and causing problems for the town. I'd be interesting to see how they demolish that.
>>
>>43935728
>5e
>Liches are literally required to eat souls to survive
>Not evil

I'm sorry, what?
>>
>>43942976
yeah and there are evil people with evil souls ya know?

Just go kill some asshole orc once ever so often and eat his soul. No one cares and you are making the world a better place. Or go kill a devil and eat his soul. Killing demons is a good act.
>>
>>43942988
>Consume the soul of a demon
>not consuming every innocent soul it ever devoured
>implying
>>
How dangerous would a trip to the Nine Hells be for three lvl 9 adventurers? Specifically, a lore bard, a rogue 3 / warlock 6, and a favored soul sorcerer geared for fire spells and up-close combat. (Yes, I know, not really optimized characters)
>>
>>43942988
Eating and destroying a soul is the most profane evil act imaginable.
That includes doing it for demons.
>>
>>43943127
That is just propaganda from devils. Dont listen to it.
>>
>>43943127
Correction, the most profane Evil act imaginable is Deicide.
>>
I come back after all this time and idiots are still posting shitty, overpowered homebrew. I now remember why I left this thread and I will now say goodbye.
>>
>>43943243
What if the god is also a demon (since killing a demon is always a good act).

What about eating the soul of a god?

What about eating the souls of all of a gods followers and THEN killing him and eating his soul?
>>
>>43943270
Killing a demon often gives you their demonic essence, making you a demon lord.
It's probably going to make you evil.
>>
>>43943270
The only being that has ever honestly been able to claim being both a demon and a god simultaneously was Orcus. And if you kill Orcus, either you or another demon lord will rise to fill the power gap. The end result is a net gain in Evil in the system.
>>
>>43943326
So Demon Queen Lolth doesn't count?
>>
>>43943332
She's been both a Demon Lord and a Greater Deity, but not both simultaneously.
>>
>>43943118
Auto death
>>
>>43943118
You can let them survive if you want to, but most devils are nasty.
Canonically, remember that you're sending them into one of THE worst places in all of D&D.
>>
>>43943412
I would take the 9 hells over the abyss any day.
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