D&D 5th Edition General: Deepest Depths edition /5eg/

time to hope for a quick Strahd scan today,

>>46032973
>he didn't get it cheap on amazon
enjoy the wait, anon

I'm pretty new to DMing and I'd like some advice. My first couple of sessions were pretty highly structured. I had a good idea where my players were going and what they'd most likely do and I had some contingency plans.

They're at a point now where I don't really know what they're going to do. Like they have so many options available to them that I can't plan everything. I know where I'd like for them to go over the next couple of sessions, but not really how they're going to get there.

Is it OK to let the players dictate where the story moves?

>>46016479
That really depends on what your spells are.

>>46019850
>Unless you have the d20 from Wild Magic Surge as separate from this one
The Tides of Chaos surge is separate. It also isn't a d20. I can't say how often it should be refrshed, but I'm inclined to say always. I wonder what, if anything, would break first.

>>46020484
What is this? Bait for ants?

>>46026199
Why is my transmuter tracking down a serial killer? Investigating a new cult? Solving a property dispute in a mining town? Unmasking a cat burglar? Escorting a foreign ambassador? I'm only interested in mastering the secrets of eternal life and raising the dead so I can bring back my little brother.

Sure, you have your motivation. Sometimes that will be used to get you to do the things that everyone else is doing, and sometimes you gotta do a job to pay the bills. You'll figure out the philosopher stone stuff when you reach the right level anyway.

>>46027958
I'm quite open about liking the system well enough, but the books have enough problems that I can't recommend buying them. They're not worth the money. It's a pirate's life for me.

>>46028602
Your stats are worse than standard array, and I assume you've included your racial bonuses.
> Rolling. Not even once.

>>46028864
>Then why are they the default rules and not variants?
Grognards and h4ters, probably.

>>46033026
Yeah, of course. You can have ideas of things you want players to discover or whatever, but they don't have to do it at at exact place you want them to if they never end up going there. Just have your story stuff reveal itself to them no matter what they decide to do. If you do it right, no one will ever know the difference, and the players will think they're geniuses for finding the plot lines.

>>46033026
>Is it OK to let the players dictate where the story moves?
It's not just OK, it should be expected. Work on your improv skills and plan for more paths with less plans each. Use tools like kobold.club to create encounters on the fly, make use of index cards and other styles of quick reference for NPCs and locations.

>New campaign
>5 players
>Wizard
>Sorcerer
>Lore Bard
>Tomelock
guess I'll just go front line melee again...

Just got my Strahd copy! Its happening!

>>46033132
>>46033154
I appreciate the advice. My gut instinct was to improv a little with it, but I wasn't sure. I'm concerned with having newer players since they're less likely to do things without having their hand held, but I guess I'll just have to trust them.

I'm starting DM'ing because i would rather get a group of irl mates into DnD, rather than having do go literal dungeon diving in London to find a group
Let alone a group that are starting from level 1

Would it be better to run a made up campaign, or just use the Mines from the starter set?

May get to playing a scout fighter soon. Should I go crossbow with crossbow expert, or two-weapon fighter?

>>46033188

Go moon druid senpai

>>46033260
For the first time just use mines. Get used to DMing before you have to worry about your own campaign working properly

File: triple flail.png (254KB, 422x480px) Image search: [Google]

254KB, 422x480px

I'm DMing for a group of new players. How can I get them to roleplay more? The diplomancer will talk in character to NPCs but that's about it.

In fact, I don't think they have ever said a single word to one another in character.

>>46033188
Fuck that. Go sharpshooter elf rogue. Sneak attack from 600 feet. Now they're the front line.

>>46033024
I got it on Indigo. It still has not shipped however which annoys me.

File: 303986.jpg (1MB, 2000x1200px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 2000x1200px

Quick, what's more exciting and interesting?

>Wizard npc that has been helping the PCs is actually a rogue clone of the secret BBEG
Or
>Wizard npc that has been helping the PCs had a clone that went rogue and became the secret BBEG

Bonus: how can I develop this further?

>>46033545
Look into Fabius Bile
Also Option A has the constant "Will he, won't he betray us" element to it

>>46032944
>want to play a witch but dont want my group to think im a fag
>if I play a wizard and say im a warlock they'll think I mean the class warlock

>>46033452
Some players just don't like doing it. I've dmed a group for 3 years and all I ever get is 'I say X to them'

>>46033570
Just say you're a witch.
What class you are shouldn't matter IC

>>46033630
Some people wanna roleplay
others wanna rollplay

>>46033452
You force them out of their comfort zone by making someone other than the face talk. Bring in characters from everyone else's backstory, and if they don't have any, make some up for them. If one of the PCs is nobility, have other nobles refuse to talk to anyone else. Don't present adventure hooks while they're all together in the inn; present them while they're split up and shopping. It's the noncombat equivalent of monsters trying to maneuver around the fighter to get to the wizard.

What are some interesting ways I can reskin some of the base "holy" abilities a Paladin gets to better suit an Oathbreaker?

LE half-orc paladin who believes orcs have the right to take "serfs" from dwarves, elves, humans, and other humanoids, but not from fey or giants or any of the really weird things out there. He expects humanoid serfs to be grateful for having orcish masters, but also insists orcs learn to become mercifuland protective towards their serfs.

How can I make this work? Which Oath would I have to twist less for a bizarro-progressive orc supremacist: Crown, or Ancients? Vengeance and Devotion just flat-out don't work for this, and Oathbreakers hate the idea of the strong protecting the weak.

At least, I don't think Devotion works. Teaching an orc not to whip his slaves when they disappoint him probably falls short of the "Compassion" tenet.

He's also highly tolerant of "barbarians," any non-orcish humanoid who does pledge loyalty to an orc. Were he an Avenger, he might be a bit annoyingly evangelical about his beliefs, to the point where he couldn't work with the average party.

>>46033692
Look into Death Knights from Warcraft
:^)

>>46033666
some people roleplay but, you know, just don't talk exclusively in character


and that's OK, I would rather that than bad accents, Olde Englysshe and "Examples of Play" stuff

As long as everyone is on the same page and having fun, go for it

>>46033570
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/classes/base-classes/witch/archetypes/paizo---witch-archetypes/white-haired-witch

"Male witches use their Eyebrows or Beards in place of hair more often than not"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WASn6PRG1Fc

Impress them with your Witchly Machismo. Be a Mexican Orc Spellslinger with a Pancho that's no a Pancho and is actually a magical beard that you use to strangle motherfuckers with Shocking Grasp.

>>46033284
Depends. Do you wanna focus on shooting people with a crossbow or stabbing people twice?

>>46033703
Oathbreaker. You're talking about taking and beating slaves, which is really not kosher for any Oath.

My players are trying to get into a building by knocking out a wall in the sewers.

I'd like for them to find it, so an investigate check seems out of the question, so I was thinking of making a puzzle out of it. Anyone know of any puzzles that could apply?

>>46034305
No one cares about this as much as you do, you know?

I mean, do you think you'll post this and some anon reading through the thread will have an epiphany and say to himself "my God, 5e is garbage because there's a duplicate weapon in the equipment section"?

File: tgCharacterSheet_v1.4_4pages.pdf (1B, 486x500px)

1B, 486x500px

Character Sheet version 1.4 :
http://www.mediafire.com/download/1w2e7jploickkbj/tgCharacterSheet_v1.4.zip


If you have feedback and want to be sure I see it, here is a google form set up to collect feedback:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1vGvNuuVuJedatZfbIioz47FWGQBHkHbVKILuN_gyCRc

>>46034305
D&D has always had this problem: most weapons do approximately the same amount of damage. If there was a weapon which absolutely always did way more damage, why would anyone use any other weapon?

File: 81G26Hh5AYL[1].jpg (312KB, 1400x2259px) Image search: [Google]

312KB, 1400x2259px

>>46033545
>The friendly NPC has an evil clone that runs the underworld as a criminal mastermind.
>The NPC's father was murdered by the BBEG
>The BBEG is the father's evil clone.

>>46034278
He explicitly mentions NOT wanting slaves to be whipped, and an oath that relies on a sense of morality you don't share is still an oath. Hell, an objectively immoral oath is still an oath.

>>46034381
Holy hell, they really got to have their cake and eat it too on that one.

"I must avenge my father!" and "Luke, join the dark side!" all in one without the big reveal.

>>46034334
Hey, what's the difference between the Alternate Variant, the 4 Page, and the Print Variant (aside from two of those not having the reference page)?

>>46034305
WHAT!? Glaives and halbards are functionally similar in this game? What the fuck, no verisimilitude at all.

>>46033703
Crown would be closest, I guess. Ancients is 'ancient' which an orc might be compared to a human, but it still emphasizes being a bright light of pure good. Enslaving humanoids generally isn't good, even if you'd like the orcs to be "nice" to them.

Crown is mostly just authoritarian.

>>46033703
Crown.

Ancients wouldn't really work at all from how I understand Ancients.

>>46034448
Print: standard first page, with 2nd and 3rd pages
Print 4 Page: standard first page, with 2nd and 3rd page, with reference in one pdf
Alternate: alternate first page (removed ammunition box, and one less set of weapon boxes), with 2nd and 3rd page

Having the reference page separate makes it easier for me to update it without having to append every pdf, and including a version with all 4 pages makes it easier for printing.

>>46034305
>being enough of a petty faggot to shitpost the same shitpost every /5eg/

Find something to do, anon. I hear drinking bleach is all the rage these days.

>>46033209
...

File: 17.jpg (141KB, 814x445px) Image search: [Google]

141KB, 814x445px

We're starting Curse soon and I wanted some new barbarian totem animals. My imagination focused on dungeon rats and guard dogs. Here are my second pass ideas, not play-tested yet. Thoughts?

Totem Spirit
Giant Rat. While raging you have advantage on melee attacks against a creature if an ally is within five feet of you.
Guard Dog. While raging you have advantage on grappling checks and Strength checks to push, pull, lift or break objects.

Aspect of the Beast
Giant Rat. The giant rat spirit hones your instincts. You gain proficiency in two of the following skills: Athletics, Acrobatics, Stealth or Survival.
Guard Dog. You gain advantage on Perception checks that use hearing or smell.

Totemic Attunement
Giant Rat. While raging you may make an Unarmed Strike “bite” attack against one target creature. It deals 1d4 piercing damage. On a DC10+ proficiency bonus chest the target is poisoned as per the diseased giant rat rules in the monster manual.
Guard Dog. When you are raging you can use a bonus action to knock a Large or smaller creature prone when you hit it with a melee weapon attack.

File: Chivalry-A-Knight-and-rescued-damsel.jpg (192KB, 440x643px) Image search: [Google]

192KB, 440x643px

>>46032944
I'm trying to make a knightly PC who is awesome in mounted combat but can still be useful off his mount.

I'm thinking of either making him a Fighter/ Purple Knight Dragon or should I make a Paladin Oath of the Crown or Oath of Devotion?

For sure he will be a dueling fighting style and I'm still trying to see if I should go with a Noble/Knight or Knight of Order background.

>>46034780
Rats are neat. They'll save a drowning friend rather than go after food, and they laugh when you tickle their bellies.

>>46034295
Why not just tell them that there's a wall close to the building that they can smash through, and let them figure it out. Let your players come up with solutions.

is grappling actually overpowered? does someone plan to be a high level grappler or is it just a gimmick? do grapplers need support spells to enable grappling vs enemies that are played intelligently?

>>46034937
Grappling is a nice tool to have available sometimes, but isn't something you should have your character revolve around. The moment you face something significantly larger than yourself the gimmick doesn't work.

"revolving around" grappling is just like having high strength, proficiency in Athletics, and the Grappler feat, isnt it?
And the first two aren't even specializing, really.

anyone working on a scan of Curse of Strahd right now?

>>46035054
>>46035034

so grappling doesn't involve a significant investment in feats or skills or whatever?

>>46035078
Specializing in grappling, for a character who is already strength-based, requires one feat. A feat is a bigger deal than in previous editions, but it could be much worse.
Still, Grappler is one of the lamer feats. I'd say it's only worth it if you really want to be a wrestler for fluff reasons.

>>46035078
To occasionally grapple well, you just need a reasonable bonus in Athletics (high strength plus proficiency will do the job). There's a feat that you may want to pick up that's, IMHO, of questionable value.

To actually focus on grappling you could go Barbarian for the rage advantage on Strength checks, then take a few levels of Bard to pick up Expertise in Athletics (double proficiency bonus) and biting words (impose a penalty on your opponent's attempt to escape). You'd be a badass luchador that's probably pretty effective for non-grappling purposes too.

>>46035138
>biting words (impose a penalty on your opponent's attempt to escape)
Wait, what is this

>>46033188
I'd say...go sharpshooter, yeah. Or, if you really want to, variant human, heavy crossbow and sharpshooter feat. Maybe get crossbow expert at level 4 if you want to go akimbo with hand crossbows.

>>46035162
Cutting Words, not biting. Allows you to use your Bardic Inspiration to impose a penalty on enemy Ability Checks.

>>46035162
He probably meant cutting words, lore bard 3 feature.

If you really want to play a grappler and homebrew is allowed, look up the pugilist by sterling vermin. We are trying one in our game and hasn't broken the game yet.

>>46034817
I'd recommend the Mounted Combatant feat, though that seems a bit obvious.
Purple Dragon Knights are all about sharing their buffs with their allies, not necessarily the best for horse-fighting.

[spolier]Unless you're in a military campaign and get an army of horse cavalry[/spoiler]

So my group is playing a very high-magical/high-fantasy game currently. I really want to play a wereshark/shark man. All my scouring of google is helping me not at all. Any suggestions?

Are there any rules for combat in waist-deep flooded areas? I was thinking something like DC 10 athletics check when you move, otherwise you only move at half speed.

>>46035527
Difficult terrain by default, though you might consider making the penalty 3:1 instead of 2:1.

>>46035513
You could play a Shifter from UA and ask your DM to give you a swim speed while Shifted as the sub-race benefit.

>>46035527
I would think a strength check would make more sense, though just considering it difficult terrain works fine too.

File: wut.png (2MB, 1151x784px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 1151x784px

>>46035335
So I looked him up
He has a Dhampir Race option, which, fine, whatever.

What I am confused about is how it's the exact same one some other anon posted.

Who stole from who here?

>>46035554
>Who stole from who here?
*who stole from whom
FTFY

Started DMing the mines a few weeks ago with some buddies. Went through Klarg's cave in a session and since then we've just been doing all kinds of made up bullshit all throughout the town which has been a lot of fun. I plan on using the book as little as possible and I've realized if I just sort of sit back and sort of nudge the group they'll make their own stories out of it like sneaking into a thieves' guild in their garb and defeating them in a drinking game.

My problem is that I'm DMing for a fairly large group of 8 people and so it's hard to juggle all of this in a wway that everyone has something to do. I'm not sure if I should cut down on the group or not as I'll notice that someone hasn't said or done anything in 10 minutes and so I'll try to give them a nudge to help out in some way but they have no idea where to begin. I wasn't sure if I should just blatantly tell them things they could be doing as I don't want to railroad the group.

Also how do you break it to someone that no one likes their character(chatic evil)? He just tries to kill every helpful npc and threatens to burn down any establishment when things don't go hisway or tries to intimidate other player characters to "convince' them to go along with his plans? Should I kick him out? I try not to say no to what people want to do but if it ruins the fun for everyone else I don't have much choice.

>>46035583
thanks, baby.

>>46035595
>chaotic evil
>kick him out?
Yes. D&D is a cooperative game. If you don't cooperate, you don't play.

>>46035554
I don't care, wanting to be part vampire is for Mary Sue faggots. The point was there's a grappling class homebrew that seems pretty balanced.

>>46035595
tell him he is ruining the overall enjoyment of the game and he has to adjust or be removed.
Depending on how much you like him you can work with him to make a character he'll still enjoy, but won't be shit

>>46035629
wow ok

>>46035595
>Also how do you break it to someone that no one likes their character(chatic evil)? He just tries to kill every helpful npc and threatens to burn down any establishment when things don't go hisway or tries to intimidate other player characters to "convince' them to go along with his plans? Should I kick him out? I try not to say no to what people want to do but if it ruins the fun for everyone else I don't have much choice.
Don't kick him out immediately. Tell him he's being an asshole and nobody wants to keep playing with him. Give him one chance to reroll and be better. If he fucks up that time, change the meeting time/place without telling him.

>>46035554
I looked at it more and "/u/coolgamertagbro" is probably actually sterling guy, so they're in fact the same person.
Just for anybody that was emotionally invested in this.

>>46035682
>If he fucks up that time, change the meeting time/place without telling him.
Is that a joke.
Just tell him he's out, don't do some dumbass shit like this. If he shows up anyways, don't play with him. If he forces it, and it's a public place, tell the owner you're being harassed - if it's a home, kick him out.

>>46034780
The Dog Aspect seems little underpowered for a totem aspect.

>>46035682
>change the meeting time/place without telling him.
Don't do this, that sort of passive-aggressive bullshit doesn't help anyone in this situation.

Follow anon's advice and at least sit down, have a talk with the guy, and see if he's willing to adjust his character or reroll a new one in a way that meshes with the group better.

Then, if he continues that sort of behavior, just take him aside again and let him know that, look, you just don't think this campaign fits what he's looking for in a group and you think it's best if you split ways.

He's being a douche, but ultimately what it comes down to is that he's looking for something different. That's not inherently a bad thing, he might be better off looking for a DM running an evil murderhobo campaign rather than ruining fun for other people.

>>46034780
the dog one seems to overlap a lot from other totems. You could easily just go those and reflavor them as "dog".

Other than the cap stone, the rat's the same way.

>>46035828
When I started thinking about mechanics I realized the other totems already covered a lot of things. I had trouble finding a way to put the flavor of the animal totem into the path.

I'll keep the rat capstone then and tinker with the others. I need to make the dog more defensive, I think. Like the bear.

File: 0315161419.jpg (3MB, 4160x2340px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 4160x2340px

Complaints about SJWs infiltr8ing the ravenloft book when? It's only 20 pages in.

>>46035616
>>46035659
>>46035682
>>46035724
>>46035775

Thanks for the advice. I don't know him that well but he seemed really excited to have a group to play with again. I'll give him one more chance and if he keeps being a jerk I'll just tell him it isn't going to work out.

>>46035914
Gotta be a typo. There's better ways to introduce a character than that.

Is this male like physical sex? I didn't know spells could target a specific sex.

File: 1454108395803.png (90KB, 521x406px) Image search: [Google]

90KB, 521x406px

>>46035914

>>46035914
Because the Vistani are both male and female? I don't think it means that any individual vistani is both at once, anon.

>>46035914
It's a typo, otherwise they wouldn't flub the NPC's gender like that.

>>46035912
well let me ask you this. Why new totems? If existing options already work why add new ones?The point of 5e is cut out the bloat 3.5 had where a lot of the options were the same thing.

>>46035914
I remember a whole paragraph in the player's manual about a character's gender not having to be tied to the character's sex and that it's a game of inclusiveness.

File: 17.jpg (64KB, 310x445px) Image search: [Google]

64KB, 310x445px

>>46035960
I was interested in capturing the flavor of the specific animals. I thought about the following for the giant rat, before falling back on the combat mechanic idea:

Spirit: Resistance to poison damage and advantage on constitution checks against disease and poisons.
Aspect: Gain proficiency Stealth and Survival.
Attunement: Bite attack with disease check.

Would something like that be strong enough in game?

>>46035962

Oh, god. A WHOLE PARAGRAPH? In a 300 page book?

No one actually cares about this, right?

>>46036156

I think its there for people who don't understand that gender and sex aren't the same thing.

I have a PC who plays very feminine men, like totally female gendered. Our group gets it. Other groups might not, because not everyone is familiar with the concept.

>>46036156
No. But this is 4chan so anything remotely close to acceptance is branded as SJW pandering.

>>46035914
Even Pathfinder isn't that ham-fisted with inclusiveness, it's gotta be a typo.

Also, >implying SJWs would care about that, and not the fact that Vistani, who are pseudo-Romani are mechanically different from humans

>>46036205
Don't group me in there. I try very hard to tell the difference between pandering and audience targeting.

>>46034780
>Guard Dog. While raging you have advantage on grappling checks and Strength checks to push, pull, lift or break objects.
You already do. Seriously.

>>46035914
I VANT TO SUCK YOUR BENIS

File: 98cde46bb73e7afe96ab1c11f40cee93.jpg (48KB, 599x371px) Image search: [Google]

48KB, 599x371px

Trying to make pic related. So far I have him as a half aquatic elf with an outlander background. LN or NG.

He started out as a ranger with plans of being a beast master with scale armor and a trident but I been thinking about making him a Tempest Cleric or a Fighter.

Any input?

>>46036304
Yep
What's weird there is that second half is actually taken from the Bear's aspect of the beast.

>>46036364
wait no the bear is all the time.

>>46036288
But on the issue of the paragraph for gender in the PHB...
This is a game where you play as elves and use spells to kill dragons. Telling someone that their character can act differently than they would according 21st century gender roles isn't that out of the ordinary.

>>46035914
Speaking as a SJW, I'm fairly certain that counts as misgendering someone (a big no-no in our circles) so it's probably a typo.

>>46036304
Hah. I just realized that. Thanks. The bear totem lets them do that outside of rage. I need to revisit the dog totem badly.

I was looking for a way to give the barbarian a "bite and shake" theme, without giving him a bite attack like the giant rat totem has.

>>46036359
Tempest cleric seems thematic. Have him be fairly capricious and worship Umberlee (assuming you're in Forgotten Realms). He can be heal-y and kind, but then turn wrathful.

>>46035554
Is this homebrew shit or actually real? if it's the later, goddamn this race sucks even more than drows.

>>46036156
oh hell yeah people care. especially here because gender roles are like dragons, they're completely imaginary and everyone feels very strongly about what they think is and is not one.

File: 20160315_124846.jpg (3MB, 2988x5312px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 2988x5312px

eta: not today

>>46036359
A fighter has no connection to animals so it's right out

>>46036459
It's homebrew. Just formatted to look in-line with official content.

>>46035914
>and this is my daughter, Damia.
>It's clearly a dude in drag.
Just roll with it. See who breaks first.

>>46036359
Make it Land Druid for maximum irony

>>46036483
How hard is it if like 10 of us do a chapter each to put them into the same PDF?

>>46036483
Ay, give us some quick content drop? like the first 18 pages or whatever the intro is?
Doesn't need to be good quality, just readable.

>>46036512
Easy as hell.

>>46036512
>>46036524
Okay. Any Bros down to do this? I can nab chapter 4, castle ravenloft

>>46036512
pretty sure we did that for the early PH

>>46036359
Why not water genasi with noble background? Outlander at any rate just doesn't fit Aquaman in my opinion.

>>46036444
>I was looking for a way to give the barbarian a "bite and shake" theme
Supposedly the battle rager is the grab and shake barbarian, but I think he's more shaking himself, unfortunately. You could do something that improves OAs.

>>46036576
Does aquaman live away from civilization, with fishies/animals? is that not outlander?

I dunno shit about aquaman.

>>46036483
Could we have the few chapters before you do the rest of the book. I doubt that would take too long

Back when I was in college I loved pirating PDFs of RPG books and running the game out of my laptop.

Now that I have a job, I'd much rather have a physical copy and paper notes/index cards to work with. It's weird seeing a free pirate copy and being like "meh, I'll just get the actual book instead."

Is this what growing up feels like?

>>46036576
Not him but half aquatic elf fits better

>>46036644
>>46036524

would be a few hours before I can post again. I'll drop the first 20 or so pages then.

>>46036614
He is the the king of Atlantis, a civilization with people in it. Outlander would be an odd choice.

>>46036698
Thanks

>>46036648
I think most of us are getting the actual physical copy as well. The pdf is mainly to tide us over and to have a quick resource on the computer.

Well that's my case at least. But I have a feeling it's the same for a lot of other people here.

File: Scan 1.jpg (3MB, 2549x3300px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 2549x3300px

I am willing to do chapter 4.
This is the quality you will get. Deal with it.

>>46036648
Wait what does having a job have to do with needing/preferring to carry around books and paper notes/index cards rather than just a single laptop or even your phone

Are you sure it's not just you becoming an old luddite?

>>46036813
yes ok
nice

File: oh hey look it's fucking 1e.png (959KB, 1366x768px) Image search: [Google]

959KB, 1366x768px

>>46036156
I remember getting in an internet-fight with somebody who was pissed that Corellon Larethian could change genders at will, and thought it was a sign of SJWs taking over the industry.
Pic related.

>>46036648
>wanting physical books
why the fuck would I want to lug that around/dig through it's pages when I can pull it up from the cloud and ctrl+f?
Also, fuck spending money. I got bills.

Any resources for good logic traps/puzzles/non-combat encounters?

I have some ideas on what I want, but no idea how to play them mechanically.

>>46036813
That looks great, everything perfectly legible. If anyone complains about this quality then fuck them

>>46036813

actual last post before heading out this time.
Will do chapter 1-3 if this is becoming a group effort.
Otherwise will scan whole book over the next day or two.

>>46036820
I guess it's because once I got a job I actually bothered buying the books and I preferred using them.

Maybe that does make me a Luddite or hipster or something, I dunno. But I now feel like I don't want to include things in my campaign unless I actually own the book.

I'm not disparaging pirating, because I've been there and I totally see the benefits. But I guess my drive to pirate has gone away now that I can afford gaming stuff without worrying about gas money.

>>46036813
I have nothing to complain about. I can read it.

File: file.png (119KB, 600x600px) Image search: [Google]

119KB, 600x600px

>>46036870
Ever heard of the game Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes?

I made a simplified version of it that works pretty well. Got to use it in a solo quest and the player had a lot of fun.

If you are interested I can provide the defusal instructions pdf as well as the psd I used to generate the bombs

>>46035962
Thank god the put that paragraph, till that paragraph appeared in a manual it was impossible to roll a transgender PC, right?

>>46036897
It really doesn't help me that the 5e books seem, by all reports, the be shitty production quality, to the point where they're basically falling apart.

Also, no bookmarks on chptr 4

>>46036590
Spiked Armor definitely fits my collar-wearing barbarian idea. What's an OA?

>>46036614
See >>46036706.

>>46036688
I'm not familiar with that race.

>>46036982

are there no ebook versions?

>>46034305
>my God, 5e is garbage because there's a duplicate weapon in the equipment section
>>46034321

>>46036085
The spirit ability is a copy paste of the dwarf racial + disease.

What I was saying was instead of creating rules just reflavor existing ones. No need to recreate the wheel.

>>46037289
I didn't realize I copied the dwarf thing.

Ok. I'll give the existing paths a look and play with the flavor. Maybe that will the best thing.

Thanks.

>>46037038
OA = Opportunity Attack.

>>46037520
Haha. Thanks. I see what you were saying.

>>46037278
5e is a glorious callback to the days when all weapons did 1d6 damage. All of them.

>>46037661
Will 6e be the glorious callback to the days of weapon speed where Daggers were the best weapons you could ever hope to use?

>>46037678
no pls

>>46037678
One can only hope.

>>46036648
I think it's called having a lot of disposable income, and maybe too much free time. Definitely not a common feature of growing up.

So, due rolls not mattering in 5e, I'm going to play a fighter with 8 on every physical stat and 15 on every mental and go to melee like any other dude, wish me luck.

>>46034305
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dj5fWYvSx8#t=0m49s

File: this is you.webm (3MB, 1280x720px) Image search: [Google]

3MB, 1280x720px

>>46038520

I need some suggetions. I want to make a barbarian for adventurers league or whatever the fuck they call it now because of the new system.

I keep looking through the benefits and it just seems like barbarians are sub par and can't deal any damage and are supposed to be built like tanks.

Any way to make a damage dealer barbarian?

>>46038520
If the rest of your party is similarly unoptomized, then any decent DM would adjust the difficulty to match, and it won't be any different from munchkining the shit out of it.
If you're the only one doing this, then be prepared to be a non-combat character.

>>46038604
Barbarians get two attacks and deal extra damage per hit when they rage, and can give themselves advantage on attacks while shrugging off hit with their huge hit die and resistance to physical damage.

>>46038640
The extra damage is like mininal. It's only a +2 at lower levels.

I usually only play casters am I going into this with the wrong mentality of expecting to roll a shit load of damage dice?

>>46038612
No, no, I'm the only one, after all doesn't matter if you have an 8 or a 16.

>>46038743
>I usually only play casters am I going into this with the wrong mentality of expecting to roll a shit load of damage dice?
Yes. Martials are more often about consistent at-will damage against single targets.

File: 124135.jpg (34KB, 297x489px) Image search: [Google]

34KB, 297x489px

>>46038777

>>46038604
>>46038743
From my time playing barbarian I can safely say you will be dealing more average damage at low levels than low level casters, and if you sacrifice defense entirely you can go GWM human and at lvl 2 you can literally 1 shot any enemy with less than 17 HP assuming their AC isn't godly high. The biggest problem with this plan is that if your fighting a lot of weak enemies, you will die a lot faster than a tankier fighter or barbarian.

>>46036648

I feel you anon. I've given it some serious thought. I obviously can't speak for you since I am and will always be more massive a faggot than you could manage in seven lifetimes.

But.

In college I was had two shitty jobs, little freetime, and was still very poor. Now I'm not. The physical book is probably just a fetish-totem that embodies, for me, the satisfaction of knowing how far I've come. It is a luxury because I get to have those now, it is nicer than a .pdf because it represents something in purely sentimental terms.

Not the case for everyone, obviously, but the tactile nature of a book tends to better act a reservoir for those kinds of affections more than a .pdf ever could.

>>46036965

Yes please.

File: delivery.jpg (55KB, 918x294px) Image search: [Google]

55KB, 918x294px

>mfw being European

>>46039033
ah ha ha ha ha ha

no but that sucks bro

>>46039095
Literally woke up to an email saying "We are pleased to report that the following item will dispatch sooner than expected:"
Oh well, hopefully we'll have a scan in the next few days. Was hoping to DM this Saturday.

>>46039095
Mine is likely to take even longer as it still has not shipped.

>>46038604
Great Weapon Master with Reckless Attacks.

>>46038915
Will post them when I get home.

Do you have photoshop for making them on your own (with my template psd) or do you want me to just post the pngs for the ones I used?

>>46038604
Played barb before, you aint going to outdamage battlemasters, paladins or rangers, but you still can do serious damage while beign the toughest motherfucker ever, if your GM isn't a cunt.

>>46035551
>I would think a strength check would make more sense
Athletics is strength.

>>46039436
I misread Athletics as Acrobatics, sorry.

>>46035629
>I don't care, wanting to be part vampire is for Mary Sue faggots.
this to be honest

File: Vampire.pdf (1B, 486x500px)

1B, 486x500px

Anybody seen or used this themselves? A player of mine wants to use this on our upcomming CoS game. Seeing as he's the one that bought the book for the group I wana say yes, but am not 100% is kosher.

My DM is trying to move our campaign over to pathfinder after he "accidentally" spent £70 on books and modules for it. I much prefer 5e. How do I convince him to stick with 5e / exploit the pathfinder system to force him to change the campaign back?

>>46039633
>Base Class
>Vampire
"No."

>CoS
>Vampire
"Fuck no."

>>46039651
Convince him to sell them on ebay. Seriously, pathfinder is the worst.

>>46039677
Whats so bad about it?
I'm really happy with 5e, but I need some arguments against the opposition..

>>46039675
What's wrong with Vampire as a class? As far as I know "class" is vague undefined concept involving a set of skills/powers that an individual can learn/gain over time?

>>46039694
Essentially, it's 3.5 but worse. Fighters actually got nerfed. if you can believe that.

>>46039709
I don't like the idea of an affliction being a base class. Vampire's more of a race thing in my mind anyway, and the only example of it not being a race that I've thought was a good way to implement it was the homebrew Prestige Class.

However, that class specifically seems kind of garbage. 12 hour Long Rest that has restriction on where 8 of those hours are spent, lack of hit dice gained as part of your vampire levels, vampiric healing only coming into play during a short rest, proficiency in jack shit until 3rd level, etc.

>>46039798
Ah, if its underpowered, i dont mind him using it,

>>46039633
>Heart Strike
>You can use your reaction to make a weapon attack

Doesn't state what triggers the reaction. I don't need to read more. It's complete shite.

>>46039760
I literally don't believe that

>>46039908
Not to mention you make the attack roll with a d12 instead of a d20.

Because the man who wrote this is retarded.

>>46039965
>Because the man who wrote this is retarded.
Hear, hear.

How do I run a 5e campaign where combat is not the focus of the game? For some reason my players want to play a game that doesn't revolve around combat, but they also all want to use 5e for it.

Am I better off pushing them to another system, or can it truly be done?

>>46039709
The other people have already brought up their points. But the biggest thing is that a vampire character is a horrible fit for Curse of Strahd. Like it does not fit at all.

>>46040060
It totally can be done. That doesn't mean it'll be easy.

>>46039965
>>46039908
>>46039893
>>46039798

>This much teeth gnashing with no reason why... aside from the first guy.

>>46039893
Guy, skimming it, nothing about it seems overtly broken. Some mechanics are wonky (read: inane), but it does allow a lot of apparent options. Do what I do in my games, allow its use, but warn the player that anything over the top subject to change

>>46040060
It can be done, but there are better systems. The biggest problem with using 5e for a game where combat doesn't happen often is that character's don't get more skill and tool proficiencies unless they class into Rogue or take the Skilled feat.

That, however, is assuming by "combat not being the focus", you mean "there will be a minority of combat."

>>46033452
>>46033630
When this example happens in my group I just say "Well go ahead then."

>>46040060
It can easily be done. Just don't feature combat as much. A city setting is probably the best fit for it.

>>46040060
>>46040060
>my players want to play a game that doesn't revolve around combat, but they also all want to use 5e for it.

Man I hate when my players do dumb shit like that.

There is just so much better systems for this kind of crap. Good luck anon.

>>46032944

A question for you lot. I've been running a campaign for a party of 5 in my setting (Elenquelia, if anyone cares to remember and roll their eyes) and players are having fun by all accunts, roleplaying and playing in equal measure.

However, I've got a character that has a ten foot pole and pokes it everywhere now that they've descended into their first dungeon during the last session. He made sure to note he pokes things with enough pressure to possibly set traps off, but I'm curious if you'd allow it? How far would you let him go with poking about?

Did anyone who got their CoS book today note how shitty the binding of the book is?

Anyone have DDAL4-01 Suits of the Mists?

>>46040268
It cracked pretty loud when I first opened it. Made me very nervous as I was removing the poster map.

>>46040219
Is it in-character for him? Is his PC a particularly curious or cautious sort of fellow?

One of my players has a bad case of sticky fingers. I didn't care when he was stealing from drunk NPCs, but last session he "took" a PCs purse w/o even rolling. I let it go, even though it pissed me off he thought he could do that uncontested like that, with the intent to teach a lesson. I'm predicting he's going to continue this habit as we travel the sword coast, and want to have him fail for a cutpurse sting next time they go to a big city.

Assuming he springs my trap, what kind of justice should be meted out by the authorities? I'm thinking about having them remove his hand and, eventually, allowing some method of restoration in return for a side quest.

>>46040219
I don't really see a huge problem with it. He bought the 10-foot pole and pokes everything he can with it with the intention of setting off traps?

Put a trap in the dungeon that's like a huge blade trap that slams down on the pole and breaks it. It creates a lot of noise and alerts creatures in the dungeon of the party's presence, and it might make him realize that setting off traps isn't a smart thing to do.

If he keeps trying this, have the next trap he activates be something that doesn't cover the area he poked, but instead works as a trigger (ie, step on this tile, walls begin to cave in, or a huge alarm is sounded throughout the area they're in).

>>46040343
what? it pissed you off? then why didnt you roll for it?

>>46040060
I dunno, think about what kinds of skill checks they would be making in addition to all the roleplaying

>>46040343
>but last session he "took" a PCs purse w/o even rolling.
Unless the PC gave him the purse, he can't do this. You should have stepped in and told him, firstly, don't steal from your party members. If that particular player is fine with it, then you ask from opposed rolls from both (probably sleight of hand vs. perception).

Keep in mind that if he gets caught, it should be because he rolled badly, not because he just does. And sure, if he gets caught, they threaten to cut off his hand unless he does a public service, sounds fine to me.

>>46040219
You could easily have a roof collapse trap that breaks the pole. Or a magical trap that triggers only when humanoid flesh is detected. There are some workarounds.

Also assuming he isn't a very strong/large race, exerting X lbs of pressure on the other end won't be that easy, especially without breaking the stick. Make a trap that triggers on 40 or 50 lbs of pressure.

>>46036698
>>46036813

How is progress on these?

>>46040343
You could do that, piss him off, and make the game less fun for everyone (because he will bitch and start drama), or you could talk to him like an adult and let him know that hindering the party to help himself seems like fun to him, but it takes away from everybody else's fun, and that he needs to be an adult and cut that shit out.

Also make it clear that if you as the GM say he has to roll, he has to roll, and he doesn't get to just decide the outcome of things. That's the GM's job.

>>46040382

I saw a long term teaching opportunity from it. I don't have to stop the flow of the game and retcon something in that second to let people know they shouldn't do things.

>>46040286
You're braver than I am. I haven't even removed the poster map yet.

>>46040412
>I don't have to stop the flow of the game and retcon something in that second to let people know they shouldn't do things.
No, you don't. But when a player says they do something, and there's a chance of failure, you have to tell him to roll. Otherwise, there's no point in ever rolling.

>>46040412
you literally got mad about a thing and are now plotting to get vengeance on a PC because you let him do this thing without any sort of opposition and HOW DARE HE.
and presumably you haven't even slightly talked to the player about any of this.
ok

>>46040328
>>46040359

His PC is a "folk hero" from backwater village Longdong in Wenlan Kingdom. His name's Mongo and he suffers from delusions of grandeur, using big words even if has no idea what they mean, generally butchering them. It's purely IC for him. Apparently, one of village elders imparted wisdom on him to poke everything with a stick when he's in dungeons.

I already figured I'd throw some trap that'd make the stick not so useful, yeah. He broke the thing already once, but a wizard in the party mended it back together.

>>46040406

That's a good idea, the higher pressure treshold. Thanks anon.

>>46040395

On the contrary, I plan on him getting caught when he rolls high. Some kind of trap on the purse will trigger when it gets cut, triggering a paint explosion or something similar, like they do with stolen money in movies. He hasn't checked a purse for traps yet, and I don't think he's going to get smart enough to start between now and the next big city.

>>46040410

I didn't want to stop the flow, so I never told him to roll. He did it to show the PCs he's an edgy thief with quick fingers, and gave the purse back. The rest of the party already doesn't like him, and will probably enjoy seeing him learn some humility.

IRL, he's a good friend and will probably appreciate it. I've had to call him out a few times for not rolling, and he doesn't seem to be getting the point OOC. I'm thinking some long term, but not permanent, handicap will help him think about his actions.

>>46040446

See >>46040486 . I've talked to him a few times about it, and I would rather handle later than retcon.

On topic, I've seen one person agree with the loss of a hand for a few sessions until he can perform some kind of repentance quest, but I'm open to all suggestions.

File: 1456262149583.jpg (25KB, 480x433px) Image search: [Google]

25KB, 480x433px

So /5eg/ after playing wizard for the first time(level 2) and finding out how amazing Sleep is it seems as though my GM is upset I have trivialized his encounter. He mentioned he is thinking of putting a save nerf on sleep, and if he does I'm gonna ask if I'm allowed to change spells. What 1st level spell should I get to replace Sleep? Grease?

>>46040558
Just ask him to give you bigger encounters instead.

>>46040558
Tell him just to wait until the creatures get a little tougher. Sleep is amazing at low levels, but it falls off really fast.

>>46040516
In terms of punishment, losing a hand is entirely reasonable. However, if he is given a repentance quest to be granted his hand back (through regen or some such), he should also be branded as a thief. Some form of ritual scaring on his face or other area that is always exposed would do nicely.

The reason I would justify that is because if he gets his hand back, the punishment is only half enacted. Losing the hand was not only to prevent the person from stealing again, but also to mark them as a thief (or other such dishonorable person).

>>46040409
About halfway. Unfortunately I won't be able to finish until tomorrow probably noon EST.

>>46040588
>>46040590
I mentioned both of those, and he said he wanted to read through it before actually nerfing it. I'm just preparing for the worst case scenario.

>>46040598

That's a sweet idea. He's a vain elf that will probably mourn the hit to his beauty than the loss of his hand.

I'd keep the hand loss permanent, but he has built for TWF and I don't want to fuck him over that badly for something like this. I want him to learn, not ruin his character.

Thanks, anon.

>>46040558
Pick up Grease ASAP. I use it every fight. My DM is so pissed.

>>46040558
He should be able to adapt his encounters to deal with sleep (while still making it a viable use of a spell slot). Is he throwing closely-packed mobs of low health creatures are you guys? Its radius is fairly large but it shouldn't be able to nullify an outdoors encounter.

>>46040652
The scarring probably wouldn't give him a penalty to Charisma, but I would say it would impose disadvantage if it was visible on Charisma checks to bluff or persuade people that either know what the markings mean or are involved with the law.

>>46040652
I don't see why he can't strap a dagger to the stump and keep rocking twf.

Alternately, there could be a quest for the type of magic needed to restore the hand. Maybe the regents the local cleric/whatever needed were stolen by a light-fingered thief the party must then track down...

>>46040652
Make the scars magical so he can't just get them removed via any old guy. Caster of level 15th or higher (or something similar) would be required to remove them.

>>46039958
It's true. Power attack was nerfed, and most feat trees are longer.

So how do you intend for this ink-trap to go down?

>>46040695

Do you know of FR has any such mark? We're playing HOTDQ with me adding some sidequesty stuff here and there, so I'd like to keep it in-universe if I can.

Agree with what you said, probably won't disfigure his face entirely, just a mark that people will know what he did.

>>46040711

Not a bad idea, either. My concern is that it would hurt his ability to be a rogue later on with traps and such, and don't want the party to be worse off forever because of his impulsiveness.

>>46040765

Smart, will incorporate if I go this route.

>>46040774

Assuming this is for me. Some kind of magic that stores a "pressurized" orb of paint that triggers on a purse being cut. The sting will involve the city guard having a problem with thievery lately, and have groups of men disguised as drunks vulnerable to the types of urchins they suspect of these crimes.

>>46040844
>just a mark that people will know what he did.
Put it on his forehead, like in Snow Crash.

>>46040844
I've read a bit of FR, but Thieves' aren't brought up much aside from them successfully stealing stuff or being executed from what I've read.

You could always just have them scribe "thief" across his forehead.

>>46040664
Grease it is then.

>>46040667
Goblins, because of the terrain they weren't that far away from one another so I used sleep two times in a row to buy time for our melee to get close and start fighting. GM got upset enough to make one of the awake goblins use a trumpet to wake them all up.

>>46040914

Easy enough solution if I can't come up with something else. I was hoping for some kind of symbol, but if a little google-fu doesn't find me anything, I'll just make one up and call it good.

Thanks for the help, anons.

>>46040432

Ditto. The spine of the book feels completely skewed and doesn't look like it's going to last very long.

>Wanting to be anything but a human, dwarf, or robot is mary sue
>Lizards are sometimes acceptable

>>46041034

u mad, twiguy?

>>46041034
I don't get it either, anon.

Ravenloft things are pretty much the only pre-made things I'd want to play, "unfortunately" I have the sort of group that never touches pre-mades.

Does anyone have a scan/summary of the wereravens yet?

>>46040627
Are the chapter 4 anon or the entire scan anon.

>>46041129
I'd help you but it turns out there's no index in this book?

>>46041178
The campaign books generally haven't had indexes.

>>46041178

I think it is on page 242 (from the released Table of Contents

>Level 20 Necromancer Wizard
>Builds most powerful army he can muster
>1 Vampire Spawn, 5 Wights, 17 Ghouls, 36 Zombies
>Encounter Total XP: 10,500 Adjusted XP: 42,000
>Plus a level 20 wizard with no spells above second level

What's the lowest level party that can reliably clear this encounter?
Hard mode: No Cleric.

>>46041328

Open plain? Dungeon? All at once?

>>46041129
Wereravens are secretive and extraordinarily cautious lycanthropes that trust one another but are wary of just about everyone else. Although skilled at blending into society, they keep mostly to themselves, respect local laws, and strive to do good whenever possible.
In their human and hybrid forms, wereravens favor light weapons. They are reluctant to make bite attacks in raven form for fear of spreading their curse to those who don't deserve it or who would abuse it.
*A Kindness of Wereravens*
Wereravens refer to their tightly knight groups as kindnesses. A kindness of wereravens usually numbers between seven and twelve individuals. Not surprisingly, wereravens get along well with ravens and often hide in plain sight among them.
*Charitable Collectors*
Were ravens like to collect shiny trinkets and precious baubles. They are fond of sharing their wealth with those in need and, in their humanoid forms, modestly give money to charity. They take steps to keep magic items out of evil hands by stashing them in secret hiding places.
*Characters as Wereravens*
The Monster Manual has rules for characters afflicted with lycanthropy. The following text applies to wereraven characters specifically.
A character cursed with wereraven lycanthropy gains a Dexterity of 15 if his or her score isn't already higher. Attack and damage rolls for the wereraven's bite are based on whichever is higher of the character's Strength and Dexterity. The bite of a wereraven in raven form deals 1 piercing damage (no ability modifier applies to this damage) and carries the curse of lycanthropy; see the "Player Characters as Lycanthropes" sidebar in the lycanthropes entry in the Monster Manual for details.

>>46041328
500 level 1 sorcerers

>>46041389

Thank you! Do they have any other special traits in the statblock like Multi-attack, Keen Senses, etc?

>>46041473
They've got Shapechanger and Mimicry, Multiattack two weapon attacks in Human or Hybrid form, Beak in Raven or Hybrid form, Shortsword in Humanoid or Hybrid Form, and Hand Crossbow in Humanoid or Hybrid form

>>46038612
If I was GM'ing and my entire party made intentionally retarded anti-optimization builds for the lulz I'd just kill them with a regular encounter against bandits or goblins.

>>46041545

Thanks! I've been so curious about them that I had to check them out :)

>>46041620
>purposefully TPKing as punishment for being unoptimised
Do you just hate the idea of PCs not trying to have the biggest numbers possible, or what?

>>46041667
If a player is trying intentionally to un-optimize, his character deserves to die.

There's a difference between optimizing and min/maxing. You should always be optimizing your character for what he's trying to do.

>>46041667
>a regular encounter

Not him, but clearly that's not his intention. If your party is so poorly anti-optimized that they can't survive a routine encounter, they shouldn't be adventurer's in the first place.

If the party wants to do something like that, they should discuss it with their DM first, and everyone should be on board.

>>46041667
If the whole party consists of crippled fighters and retarded wizards, likely accompanied by joke names, the players aren't taking the game seriously. They're probably fiddling with their phones too.
It's not even like I'd drop a dragon on them, just a regular bandit encounter I'd give any other group.

>>46041620
Normally this would irk me, but if a party actually has trouble with a standard encounter(other than awfultastic rolls) I'd say they deserve it.

>>46041620
Sorry to bother again, but what sizes are the hybrid and raven forms?

Hey guys, I just threw together what I think is a pretty cool character and I want to know your thoughts on it.

So I'm jumping in on a game where people are level four, so I've got right now an elf warlock with the archfey as her patron. The backstory as it is right now is that she's the daughter of some fey noble that sexed up an elf one day (not special snowflake princess here, though, but just the daughter of a member of the royal fey court) and her powers come from the unearthly beauty granted to her thereby.

I've got, like, hecka charm and illusion spells. Enthrall, Silent Image,Suggestion, Friend, and Charm Person, of course. But I also took the Pact of the Blade option and mage armor and true strike. And with a 16 for both dex and cha, I feel like I'd still be combat-viable.

Does this seem like a good idea? I like the image of walking around in a beautiful elven dress with no equipment, and them turning into a terrible and beautiful visage of ruin and blade.

>>46041702
>You should always be optimizing your character for what he's trying to do.
Why?
If the party are all roughly in the same tier, and they're facing encounter appropriate for that tier, then there's no problem. If they're in tiers that are anywhere near each other, and the players are being cool about it and not complaining that they have nothing to do or rubbing it in anybody's face, there's still no problem.
What would make playing in a group that doesn't optimize and faces appropriate DCs and CRs for their characters any less fun than playing in one that does optimize and face appropriate DCs and CRs?
>>46041726
>If the party wants to do something like that, they should discuss it with their DM first, and everyone should be on board
Well yes, the party and DM ought to discuss what the campaign is about in any case, and reach an agreement on expectations before the first session. That's just something that should happen in any campaign for any number of reasons. It's a different type of game, and the DM and party always need to agree on what type of game they're playing before they play, as a basic rule of playing.
What I don't get is a DM who would just never allow any party to play that type of game, under threat of TPK.
>>46041753
>If the whole party consists of crippled fighters and retarded wizards,
8 is the lowest you can go with point-buy or array, and I wouldn't exactly call a -1 modifier crippled or retarded; it's more like slightly below (the general population's) average.
> likely accompanied by joke names,
> the players aren't taking the game seriously
Why can't a ragtag bunch of rejects trying to get by be a serious concept?

>>46041920
>elven dress with no equipment

Is her patron her father? Will he disapprovingly ask her if that's *all* she's going to wear to a dungeon?

>>46041920
Sounds like a neat concept! One idea might be three levels in Rogue (Swashbuckler). Gets you a little more damage from Sneak Attack without having to lobby for advantage, functionally the Mobile feat, and a bonus to initiative based on your Charisma modifier. Plus an extra skill and Expertise to bump up your Persuasion checks!

>Be barb
>Everybody has a magic weapon +2 with extra effects like bonus damage or extra attack on crits
>Except me, I have nothing
>GM "well, is just to be fair with the rest of people, they dont' want to feel useless in combat compared to you"
>Me "Sure, as long as you give me a magic item that makes me as good as them at magic, you know, wouldn't be fair that the Cleric and Wizard outmagic me, right?"
>Gets mad and calls me that guy
This is the shit, I left the game, but I regret not punching him in the balls first

>>46041920

Why not be a swordmage? You can still have the same backstory, just that you aren't pulling power from one of your parents like a teenager begging for money from mom or dad.

>>46033221
Ask the player's what they're planning so you can stay on top of things between sessions. It lets them go where they please but you still get to prepare.

>>46042092
You should have. He's a cunt.

>>46042152
I believe it was stated that "her powers come from the unearthly beauty granted to her thereby."

>>46041977
>why
So your character pulls his weight. If everyone is making wacky, garbage characters, that's a different story, and if the DM's interested in a game where the PCs are terrible, that's fine as well. But in a group of adventurers, your character has a role. If he can't do his roll well, he is not only putting himself at higher risk, but the rest of the party as well.

There are no tiers aside from the tiers by level in the PHB, by the way. That is the only "tier" in D&D 5e, and if the party members are on a completely different tier from one another, they're fucked completely.

It's also a huge disservice to the DM, specifically because it might give him a dilemma of whether to leave the encounters as they are, knowing that one guy might not be up to snuff, or moleycoddle the dumbass who wants to play a wacky character with opposite attributes. Again, this is on the assumption that the entire gaming group isn't on board, and it's either one guy or every player who thinks this is a good idea and the DM is either unaware of this or told the players he wouldn't be pulling punches.

Appropriate DCs and CRs for your character is very straight forward, and does not take into account players purposefully making their highest stat irrelevant to their character's mechanics and trying their best to be awful. CR assumes your player isn't acting retarded and can handle a little bit of punishment and dish out some of his own, so if you as a party cannot deal with appropriate CR for an average party, you should not be adventuring. It makes no sense for your character to attempt something this life threatening when he is absolutely garbage at what he does.

>>46042211

If that's an important detail, stick with what they've and maybe grab that martial feat. I figured a swordmage is similar enough to be considered a viable alternative plus they have a little more defense capabilities.

>>46042287
Not the original poster!

>>46036506
Second this.

>>46042218
>So your character pulls his weight. If everyone is making wacky, garbage characters, that's a different story,
See >>46038612
This entire chain of replies is about having a party of low-AS ratcatchers, not one character.
> and if the DM's interested in a game where the PCs are terrible, that's fine as well.
I'm asking why a DM would always respond to this request by letting the party make their PCs and then TPKing them, as per >>46041620
>There are no tiers aside from the tiers by level in the PHB, by the way. That is the only "tier" in D&D 5e, and if the party members are on a completely different tier from one another, they're fucked completely.
I needed a slang term for getting across the idea of different amounts of optimization. I specifically chose it because it's not a term that shows up in the PHB much, as opposed to something like, "Levels of power," which people are immediately going to associate with character/class level. I figured the long-time ubiquity of, "Tier lists," on /tg/ would make it understandable. I guess I was wrong on that, but there isn't exactly another word for it that I could use multiple times in a paragraph without sounding convoluted.
>t's also a huge disservice to the DM, specifically because it might give him a dilemma of whether to leave the encounters as they are, knowing that one guy might not be up to snuff, or moleycoddle the dumbass who wants to play a wacky character with opposite attributes. Again, this is on the assumption that the entire gaming group isn't on board, and it's either one guy or every player who thinks this is a good idea and the DM is either unaware of this or told the players he wouldn't be pulling punches.
Again, the line that started this entire conversation was
>If the rest of your party is similarly unoptomized, then any decent DM would adjust the difficulty to match, and it won't be any different from munchkining the shit out of it.
We are talking about a party here, not one player.

Are the first 20 pages of Curse of Strahd ready yet?

>>46042461
More context is needed then, I suppose. There's too many "if this, then this" I'm coming up with to meaningfully take party in the conversation. Is the entire group on board or aren't they? Are they bringing characters to the DM or has everyone made their characters together?

I'm projecting too much of myself here into our example DM, but if a player said he wanted to play a Fighter with 8s in every physical stat and 15s in every mental stat, and this wasn't a thing the entire group was deciding to do, I wouldn't want to play with him. If the entire group wanted to do this, I would tell them I didn't want to play entirely because that's not the kind of game I'm interested in DM'ing.

It all depends, in my mind, whether or not the DM knows about the entire party purposefully playing un-optimal characters. It will be very difficult to properly adjust the difficulty to match, though, because of the way CR is calculated. Players don't have CR in 5e (at least, I don't think they do, and it wouldn't be accurate to assign them CR via the method the DMG suggests), which makes lining up appropriate encounters for a party that isn't on par with the average problematic, either in making it too easy or not easy enough.

>I'm asking why a DM would always respond to this request by letting the party make their PCs and then TPKing them, as per
Because the DM, and that poster, are dicks. Again, assuming the DM is aware of everything beforehand.

>>46042628
I guess my core point is this:
Playing in a party of low-ability-score ratcatchers can be a lot of fun. I don't get why a DM would, instead of turning the idea down when it was brought up for discussion (like any idea for a campaign/ party-wide setup should be) let them start the game and then kill them all with encounters designed for optimized characters.

>>46042739
If a DM does something like that after agreeing to that part of the game, he's just an ass or he's trying, very inelegantly, to prove a point (in which case he's stupid).

>>46037678
dartsdartsdartsdartsdarts

>>46042797
Well if a party all agrees to play low-statted characters without telling the DM, they're doing unnecessary work to keep it a secret from somebody who should reasonably know, for no reason I can imagine (even if it's just to be dicks, there are easier, faster, more effective ways to be dicks). What are they going to do, ask him to leave the room before they discuss character creation? Even if it's online, they'd have to create another chat without him, which would be pointless and at least a little time-consuming.

>>46042907
Specfically I imagined the players getting together and thinking it would be funny to bring a bunch of bad characters to the table. Everyone makes their own low-stat character on their own and shows up on game day with said characters. For a laugh.

>>46042966
That just seems like an unreasonable amount of effort (even though it's far from a lot of effort, a small amount can be unreasonable for basically no payout) for 15 minutes of moderately annoying your DM. I guess I don't get where the laugh would be.

>>46042092
One option you could suggest for the future would be getting equivalent rarity Wondrous magic items. +2 puts it at rare and the extra effects would put it at either very rare or legendary. Where everyone else gets extra stuff to put them up to par with you, you should get to have fun items like the Scarab of Protection (advantage on all saving throws against spells), Ring of Spell Turning (same effect, but only for spells targeting you; also reflects it if you roll a natural 20!), Ring of Invisibility (My precious!), Luck Blade, Iron Flask, Cloak of Invisibility, +3 armor, etc. Make the argument that it doesn't increase your damage so his desire is still being met, but that it keeps things fair.

>>46033545
Wizard NPC that has been helping the PCs is actually a rogue (arcane trickster) trying to pass himself off as a powerful wizard while actually being a mage school dropout.

>>46043069
If the GM doesn't understand that classes do different things then I doubt he's stellar in all other departments, and from how he tells it it sounds like a leave-worthy game. Balancing out characters to not just do one thing well and therefore outshine all others in that thing is generally the way to go when rewarding magic items though, I agree there.

>>46043252
Yeah, he did seem like kind of a crap-hole, considering he was basically tossing out legendary weapons like candy...

>>46041977
>What I don't get is a DM who would just never allow any party to play that type of game, under threat of TPK.
Because it's stupid and I don't want to GM for a pack of lolrandum joke builds. If they asked me if they could beforehand I'd say no and if they just suddenly showed up with those characters I'd let them die.

File: CoS_Custom_NPCs.png (443KB, 1392x1335px) Image search: [Google]

443KB, 1392x1335px

I made statblocks for the 3 NPCs that CoS says to modify MM creatures.The wording is a bit strange at some parts due to the monster block creator program and name string handling.

>>46043478
And why does a purposefully weak party need to be a joke?

>>46033188
thats uh

ask if one of them will switch, none of the beatsticks you could play function 100% by themselves, except for maybe a barbarian.

File: The Abbott.png (129KB, 464x1196px) Image search: [Google]

129KB, 464x1196px

>>46043503
Ate The Abbott's alignment.

twice now, fucking program

>>46043526
>hurr durr my wizard has 8 int, he's dumber than a peasant and somehow found a spellbook in the gutter
>oh yeah well my fighter is sickly, slow, can't take even a little pain, has never lifted a weight in his life, and he spent his whole life laying on a hospital bed reading about swords
It's a fucking joke. The entire concept of someone making a weak character on purpose is a joke and this conversation is only happening because of a bait post.

>>46043664
They don't have to be, with 8 strength you can still use the same weapons and you do average 4 less damage and hit a lot less, though I would expect people that do this kind of thing to make them jokes for le fun.

>>46043779
We have a player like this in our group. His last two characters included a homocidal paladin, a homocidal warlock, and a Bard he wanted to be awful at combat while believing he is great. Unfortunately for him, I made his character so the chassis is fairly effective despite his desires ;)

>>46043664
>The entire concept of someone making a weak character on purpose is a joke
I really, genuinely don't understand how a person could believe that. Sorry. Why could a party playing the town's rat-catching guild, or the Watch of a small town not all have shitty ability scores and still have fun playing an actual story (as opposed to just a joke)? Below-average characters have stories too, just like below-average people have lives, and some of those stories are interesting.
> this conversation is only happening because of a bait post.
True enough, although we must not really have anything better to talk about in here, or we'd both be talking about that instead.
Oh and
>he spent his whole life laying on a hospital bed reading about swords
8s aren't really low enough to be permanently convalescent, just a bit below average (for the general populace). If an 8-strength, 8-constitution wizard can be up and about, walking through dungeons (even if somewhat physically weak and sickly), an 8-strength, 8-constitution fighter won't be any more bedridden (just worse in combat, and equally weak and sickly).

>>46036209
But anon

[Spoiler] gypsies aren't people [/spoiler]

>>46044268
I bet a gypsy wouldn't have fucked that spoiler up, though. Knave.

File: 1456637209591.jpg (70KB, 720x720px) Image search: [Google]

70KB, 720x720px

So how have you guys like your first sessions of CoS?

I DM'd and I felt that the beginning is pretty unavoidably rail-roadie. Although, my players decided to follow the hag selling dream pies to Old Bonegrinder and almost get annihilated.

>>46044758
Nah, just true what they say

You can't hide the truth

>>46044769
Haven't gotten to try the adventure yet, but isn't that supposed to be how it starts? Rather than set hard limits, you just get messed up by tough enemies!

>>46044769
>read that as hag selling cream pies
For a second there I thought this adventure was gonna be much more adult that I believed

>>46044855
X-rated official modules when?

>>46044830
Nah, I urged them 3 times in-game to steer clear of it, they managed to sneak inside the building and glimpse the night hag grinding the boy they failed to save. One of my player's annoyingly meta-gamed and said "oh it's a night hag, and we're level 1 wtf let's get out of here." I just came out and said, if they fought them, they'd die.

>>46045038
lol...

I'm looking forward to my players going through this adventure. I can't stop them from going after a CR15 green dragon at level 6 if I even hint as her existing nearby.

>>46044769
Uh unless you doing Death House. Your characters are supposed to be level 3 just to tell you.

>>46042152
Well a swordmage can't summon a weapon from midair, as far as I know. And I'd also have to carry around a spellbook, no? A warlock fits better thematically, too. What I see is someone whose beauty is an inherent weapon of its own, and anything unaffected by that will receive a sword in the face.

>>46036359
>>46036449
>>46036498
Thanks for the input anons. Pretty much debating between Tempest Cleric or Beast Master Ranger. What are some pros and cons to each of the class/archetypes?

>>46045556
Beastmaster Ranger is complete shit. Go Tempest Cleric, which is pretty awesome.

'What the fuck do I do with metallic dragons. They're kinda borning and not as evocative as the chromatic ones.

Also why do they get additional breath weapons and the ability to polymorph? Shouldn't all dragons be able to do that if they deign to?

Currently making a merfolk character as a monk since dm allowed it. Going for way of shadow. Is it any good?

>>46045684
I think chromatics tend to stay in dragon form because they see humanoids as weak/entirely beneath them. Which metallics do too, but not to nearly the same extent.

>>46045288
>Well a swordmage can't summon a weapon from midair
I'll take conjuration for 500, Alex

>>46032944
How big of an effect on CR does adding legendary actions to a monster have?

>>46045765
Depends on the action. They can increase their offensive CR immensely.

>>46045735
I mean statistically chromatic dragons cannot by default polymorph themselves.

File: 1458072533004.gif (2MB, 196x300px) Image search: [Google]

2MB, 196x300px

hey lance
I just drunk drove to the store after drinking a 12 pack
shit was so cash
#fuckthepolice

>>46045789
What about just standard stuff like a normal claw attack or whatnot?

File: xxCardbackxx.png (498KB, 600x840px) Image search: [Google]

498KB, 600x840px

Anyone have a higher res image of the Tarokka card back than pic related? Trying to set up a pdf to print them with aligned backs for reverse side.

File: chrom.png (33KB, 350x56px) Image search: [Google]

33KB, 350x56px

>>46045798
The innate spellcaster variant can easily include polymorph. But very few, if any, chromatics would ever be inclined to polymorph due to pic related.

>>46045825
Formulas in the back of the DMG. Basically, you would include the maximum amount of damage from the legendary actions in the calculation of DPR. So if he can make three claw attacks through legendary actions, he gets his claw damage times three added to the damage of each turn for the three-turn average.

>>46045581
Beast Master is that bad? Would a half aquatic elf tempest cleric work game mechanic wise or should I just go for variant human or a normal half elf?

File: 1458069413502.jpg (42KB, 493x455px) Image search: [Google]

42KB, 493x455px

>>46045891
blah blah blah nerd talk

>>46045684
I tend to use metallic dragons as quest givers or odd NPCs, if I use them at all. My current campaign has one, but it was only there to relay some lore about the setting and a plot hook.

>>46045864
Polymorph the spell is not the same as the Shapechanger trait, Shapechanger retains aspects of the character's stats and is indefinite, whereas polymorph forces the character to take the statistics of the new shape and is only for an hour.

Not the same at all.

>>46045850
on second thought, that would be a shit ton of black ink. not worth it. Those bastards thought of everything

>>46043901
>I really, genuinely don't understand how a person could believe that. Sorry. Why could a party playing the town's rat-catching guild, or the Watch of a small town not all have shitty ability scores and still have fun playing an actual story (as opposed to just a joke)? Below-average characters have stories too, just like below-average people have lives, and some of those stories are interesting.
The point there is to have 27 point buy or whatever, but just have the wrong stats for the class/type of character. It's fine if you have a distribution of 12/10/10/9/8/7 or something and it's basically level 0 stuff (most features are powerful without relying on stats so you would have to change the classes/levels to make it fit for a bunch of scrubs). Going moon druid with 8 wis and high str/dex is a character that could be a really good X, but chose to be a druid instead, which is 99% of the time a joke character. It's like a worse version of reversing tropes, like the geniuses that come up with doing and orc wizard because that's definitely never been done before.

>>46045967
What's the campaign going to be like? I wouldn't go half-aquatic-elf unless there was a good story involved, or it was a pure sea-going campaign (might have missed this above, I tend to skim 4chan while I'm planning sessions).

File: 1369599307046.gif (304KB, 219x119px) Image search: [Google]

304KB, 219x119px

>>46045891
Thanks anon. I'm not good with these CR calculations but I'll try my hand at it

>>46045976
I am extremely familiar with the rules for calculating CR. I intend to one day abuse them to chain True Polymorph my way up to Tiamat ^-^

>>46046039
There is a monster CR calculator somewhere on the web. You can just input the stats into the Excel and it handles all the work for you. Only thing you have to handle is adjusting for traits like Superior Invisibility!

>>46046060
no dm would allow that lance

>>46044769

It's Ravenloft, of course it's railroady. That's how things have been designed ever since the beginning.

"Fuck this, let's get outta here"

"THE MISTS PREVENT YOU FROM LEAVING"

"I bet I know an alternate path to get around this obstacle"

"THE MISTS PREVENT YOU FROM USING THE ALTERNATE PATH"

>>46046099
There is nothing in the rules that prevents it based on the DMG. It just becomes a nightmare because the fastest path I've found is getting up to level 17 once as a humanoid, then having to re-train from level 1 in the new form all the way to level 20. Considering most games don't make it to 20 the first time, it is unlikely to ever occur ;)

>>46046081
Oh my lord I'd love a link to a good or updated version. I found a link quickly on Reddit but it's 404'd.

Also, there was a monster in the MM that was some kind of fire wolf with a breath attack but I can't recall it's name. Does anyone remember what it is?

>>46045996
If you're the DM you can do it however you want.

>>46046184
Just shove the calculated numbers in here. http://1-dot-encounter-planner.appspot.com/quick-monster-stats.html

Also you're thinking of a hell hound.

File: hellhound.png (803KB, 801x553px) Image search: [Google]

803KB, 801x553px

>>46046184
pg 182

>>46046032
Not a sea-going campaign. Just trying to make a PC Aquaman (half aquatic elf beast master) but due to you all's input, it became a whole new character.

Was thinking of making it a half aquatic elf who patron is Valkur (is he in 5e?)

Or a human sailor who survived a great storm and warns humanity of Umberlee

>>46046005
>Going moon druid with 8 wis and high str/dex is a character that could be a really good X, but chose to be a druid instead, which is 99% of the time a joke character.
I'm sorry if you've had bad experiences with that type of thing, but I can't see anybody in my party thinking that, "Joke," would be funny enough to be worth filling out the sheet for. I guess my friends have a different sense of humor than yours?
As for the fact that he could have been decent at something else, can you not see why a character might fall into a job/class that's not right for them for story reasons? Maybe the fighter with 8 in all his physical stats didn't have anybody in his town who could teach him to be a wizard, and wasn't chosen by a god to be a cleric, but he used to hang around the old retired soldiers as a kid, and they taught him things growing up. Maybe the rogue with shitty dex grew up in circumstances where he had to become a thief or starve, and he got away all the times he got caught because he talked his way out of it with charisma? There are plenty of in-story reasons why a character might end up in a class that doesn't fit their ability scores, and the only out-of-story reason you need is that the group talked about it and thought it might be a nice break from routine.
>like the geniuses that come up with doing and orc wizard because that's definitely never been done before.
There's nothing that's never been done before, but an orc wizard might be a welcome break from what a particular player usually plays, and there's no real reason not to do it. Orcs presumably do have some wizards in their society, if the class is available to them by RAW, even if they are all kind of shitty at it.

>>46046227
Thanks anon

>>46046205
Found the Excel spreadsheet. This webpage is helpful too. Thanks

>>46045737
What spell though?

>>46046184
http://www.enworld.org/forum/rpgdownloads.php?do=download&downloadid=1189

I like having it as an Excel because then I can save drafts for different creatures and tweak CRs as needed.

>>46046254
I'm saying joke character as a detrimental thing, I'd never want to do that even for a silly humor game and have never had anyone play anything close to it.

With the orc wizard thing, I was referring to those players who may do that thinking that it is in fact unique and weird and funny. Of course orc wizards can be a thing, but it's like the furry thing where no one gives a shit until you focus on it and give it spotlight.

>>46046312
reminds me, did that anon ever finish his guide for creating monsters?

>>46046312
This is the one I'm using, but how the hell do you use it? When I go to enter the monster's stats it just starts popping up with errors

File: Making a Monster.pdf (1B, 486x500px)

1B, 486x500px

>>46046348
The CR guide in the back half is complete but I've been too busy to finish the up-front design advice part.

>>46046315
Joke characters are fine as long as they are effective. Working on a concept called Spider-Gnome; it's a svirnefblin who fights crime by becoming a ridiculously fast, jumping spider. It seems rather silly except for the fact that he is still a full spellcaster and his speed is such that only Solars can outrun him. Lethal Joke Character, indeed ;)

>>46046237
Hm.......

Since its part-and-parcel of the character, half-aquatic-elf is the way to go--or, alternatively, a water genasi might work even better.

I like the idea of a cleric of Valkur (assuming you're playing in FR); from the northlands, a notViking; tempest domain, with a trident and net, why not.

If cleric isn't up to your cup of tea, paladin could also work, or even fighter (with the acolyte background). I find myself disliking the cleric spell list for no reason I can really identify, so the alternatives are other options.

Be warned, paladin doesn't pick up much until 3rd level; before that, you're basically a fighter with some extra shenanigans.

>>46046374
I hope you keep at it. You and charsheet anon are making america great again

>>46046421
On further checking, a water genasi is better; swimming speed and waterbreathing, plus some extra spells.

>>46046428
>You and charsheet anon are making america great again
hi charsheet anon

>>46046351
Really? Can you talk me through what you were trying to do?

Did you get the 2003 or the regular file?

>>46034381
huh, just read that book like a week ago

>>46046315
>I'd never want to do that even for a silly humor game and have never had anyone play anything close to it.
Then why do you think somebody would do it as a joke? If a player is a dick, then he's a dick no matter how optimized his character is. If somebody in my group comes up with a PC with those stats, I can trust that they have a backstory that makes sense with them, and they want to play that out, partly because we've been playing together for ages, so we can trust each other in general.
All of which is kind of moot anyway, because the conversation is about a party wanting to play a group of characters like that, and I can't see why a group would stay together if the whole party wanted to fuck with the DM like that (completely aside from the fact that there are much better ways they could).
If the party says they want to play precisely unoptimized characters, I believe them because I only game with people I like and trust. I would recommend you adopt the same policy instead of worrying that the players are out to get you.
> I was referring to those players who may do that thinking that it is in fact unique and weird and funny
I've never had a player do that, but one of the first campaigns we did was using PCs made with the 2e Book of Humanoids, so I guess maybe my players know that orc/goblin/ what-have-you spellcasters are a thing, and have been for ages.

>>46039262
Bombdefusalanon here.

Couldn't post it today. Will try to post tomorrow.

Am I understanding Lair Actions correctly?

>fixed initiative number, separate from creature
>action has its own place in initiative order
>when it becomes the actions turn it can do a lair action
>repeat every round until end of combat

>>46046509
Basically. Strong monsters are especially strong on their home turf.