/5eg/ D&D Fifth Edition General

Might a GOOlock have a pact with a beholder? They're from the far realm, right?

>>50632034
>>50636416
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAHExJE53gs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I_ESNuLwGA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5Ov_FEcXJ8
In order to wrap around something properly, you NEED to crack it.
Apparently it doesn't even hurt, based off that last video.

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What are some good lesser minions, greater minions, and pets for a cabal of Alhoon?

Reposting from end of last thread
Trying to make a cursed item from a bone collective (tome of beasts), I'm thinking of the cloak with either cast raise dead 1 per day or summon two skeletons from thin air once per day. What downside could I give this item? Not particularly looking to fuck my players over just want some sort of neat downside to using things taken from evil sources. Double points if it's a downside that, with clever use could be an upside/negated

>>50641357
While worn, you take on the appearance of a skeleton, you have to unattune and have it off for 24 hours to return to normal.

>>50641357
It requires blood sacrifice.

It doesn't have to be their blood though, they could stab a guy and then spawn skeletons.

DMing Curse of Strahd, let one of my players play a revenant paladin. He's cosplaying Dark Souls really, really hard, complete with calling his character the Chosen Undead.
He died in the very second combat, and is now back in a woman's body. I think I'll try to kill him as much as possible, as a joke.

>>50641369
I was thinking more along the lines of a cursed item that can't be taken off, though I like this. Skeletal face, disadvantage on persuasion, possibly advantage on intimidation if used right?
>>50641385
Ngl I don't want my neutral party to go full murder hobo evil necromancers, so I'll probably go with summon 2 skeletons for 1 minute once a day or something

>>50641408
Remember to apply some indefinite madnesses for dying in Barovia.

That is some way to start a new thread, OP.

So we, as players, know that the success of our characters depends a lot on luck (d20) but how much lucks affects a character's action?

I'm asking because for the last 4 sessions I've been almost every hit (even though I have the same bonus as the other PCs) and getting hit almost everytime, I've been falling unconcious in every combat encounter ever, etc.

I know this is a bad luck streak, but what's the deal for my PC? is he inept? should I RP him as the useless comic relief?

>>50641460
What's your level? I remember that during the first four, my character was in the state of dying nearly all the time, with the paladin bringing him back with 1 HP with lay on hands, and the goblins dropping me back to zeroes and trying to finish me off while I'm defenseless.
It was known as "corpse tanking".

>>50641471
5th level

>>50641480
Well, to be exact we started at 3rd level, and this bad luck streak started as I reached 4th level till we reached 5th level (current level).

Why would a Far Realm entity drag people into a demiplane?
This is for a campaign that might go all the way up to 20th level.

>>50641516
For some sweet, Far Realm lovin'

>>50641412
How about giving the clock some sentience? Sort of like Dr Strange's cloak. If your party does anything benevolent it tries to hamper them, tripping them as they try to run and save innocents etc. Flipwise if they do things that the cloak likes then it's extra helpful. Gives them an AC boost as it flies up to block attacks.

>>50641516
To show them such sights they'd see.

Can sorcerer ignore Charisma and just Booming Blade?

>>50641608
*cloak. Typing on mobile is a pain.

>>50641621
You can, you shouldn't though.

>>50641412
Have it occasionally summon hostile skeletons at inappropriate times.

>>50641460
When life gives you lemons, reroll

>>50641659
What does BoomBlade Sorc lack, and can multiclass dipping fix that lack?

>>50641727
Sorcerer doesn't do as well in melee, generally. If you're going to BB everywhere there's better ways to do it. At least do some multiclassing.

I actually die in 5e a lot. Mainly due to Coup-de-Grace because I'm sure my DM hates me, sometimes because of my own stupidity.
What do I play so I don't die?

I'm making my first warlock. I'd like to be good alignment, fiend, blade pact.

Can anybody suggest some story/lore ways to explain this? I don't know anything about warlock RPing or fiends.

>>50641801
bear barbarian, take the tough feat

my barb could literally, actually, be dropped from orbit and still walk away

all of my comrades have died but me

Anyone know some published adventures (any edition) that have to do with the "city on top of a dungeon" and/or "archeological gold rush" tropes?

>>50641727
I only wade into melee as a sorcerer when I add two levels of paladin and advance as a favored soul for extra attack smiting. Note this isn't a BB build, but quickening that has a similar effect... as long as you can keep up the costs.

i forget, how does one get pushing attack?

>>50641824
Fiend patrons are nearly always the "Make a deal for your soul" contractors. There's quite a few examples in literature where the protagonist makes a deal with the devil to do good, however at what price.
You get to do good, but your Patron now has a favor to call in, maybe keeping loved ones as collateral.
Or perhaps you did the deal, and your Patron is entirely absent, content to wait for your demise.

>>50641801
Your DM shouldn't be attacking downed characters so much, unless somebody in the party keeps reviving them, and then you shouldn't be attacked if you petend to be dying after being healed.

It's just dickish unless the monsters know that they have to do it to prevent the character from just getting back up again.

If you're at range, it takes three attacks at neither advantage nor disadvantage to kill you rather than in 5ft taking only two with advantage.

If you want to be tanky, go barbarianrogue, barbarian or moon druid. Failing that, paladin or fighter with a level of barbarian or hill dwarf abjuration wizard with a level of fighter.

Cleric is also good, or having a cleric on the team who can cast revivify.

>>50641881
If you're going to mulitclass, I'd rather not bother with favoured soul and instead get extra attack from paladin, alongside aura of protection before levelling up sorcerer.

But, eh, I guess I just like aura of protection over the spell progression there and the point of the original build was to be as much of a sorcerer as possible while dishing out damage, which smites were facilitating.

>>50641621
And, as has been said, you can if you go favoured soul sorcerer. You'll still have low health and I'd say it'd seem suboptimal, but it's better than bladelock so go ahead.

>>50642125
>>50641881
Oh, I guess I missed the original 'dump chairsma' thing, which wouldn't work with aura of protection.

Thing is, fire dragon + a level of undying light warlock to buff up GFB seems like it might be preferrable if you're going to get levels of paladin for armour anyway.

>>50642125
Yeah that notion was a red mage concept, so I wanted it caster heavy. If I already put five levels into paladin I really can't imagining just keeping at it.

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>>50642149

My idea for a red mage included five levels of Arcana Cleric and five levels of Battlemaster Fighter. Didn't think beyond level ten.

>>50642164
why not just get the feat that grants you a maneuver and call it a day?

>>50641516
>Why would a Far Realm entity __________
You're already going about this the wrong way if you have to ask this question.

It literally doesn't matter. Their machinations are beyond comprehension; the characters' AND yours. The Far Realm is an excuse to do WHATEVER THE FUCK YOU WANT, and it's honestly better if it's never explained--because it CAN'T be explained.

>>50641998
Fighter level 3, take the Battlemaster archetype and pick Pushing Attack as one of your maneuvers.

>leveling up every couple of sessions
>playing a publishing campaign
>multiclassing
>custom race/classes

there are people in this thread right now that think these things are fun

>>50642250

Because I think Red Mages should be fairly good at hitting things, and you don't get better than that than a Fighter. It's just I think, of the Fighter options, Battlemaster would be the most appropriate.

>>50642099
>>50641801
Yeah, what the fuck enemies are you fighting that are so spiteful they'd rather omega-kill a character than continue to beat back the guys who are actively still a threat?

It'd have to be an extremely intelligent creature with more loyalty to a group than self-preservation (who has been harmed by your party repeatedly) who realizes, "Well, we're all well and truly fucked and are going to lose this fight, but instead of running away and attempting to save my skin, I'm going to make sure this guy never gets up again." Your standard bandits, soldiers, and especially monstrous races or beasts just aren't going to do this.

"Kick 'em while they're down" is the behavior of the BBEG's lieutenants or something.

>>50642294

I do all but the last one. Homebrew can fuck off.

>>50642294
>leveling up every couple of sessions
>playing a publishing campaign
>multiclassing
Gonna be doing all of these tonight and I guarantee I'm having more fun than you especially given that you probably don't even have a game

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Monk's Arcana is out tomorrow, and we'll get at least two of his subclasses. What can we expect? Honestly, I have no idea. With fighter, there are a lot of possible options, but to me monk already has pretty much everything there is to imagine.
What about paladin? What sort of new oaths can he get?

>>50642294
lol im doing ALL of these!

especially the last one
:3

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>>50642329
FEY MONK
UNDEAD MONK

>>50642365
There already is an undead monk.

>>50642301
So you get the extra attack, a couple more maneuvers and.... thats it? May as well play as an elf to pick up the gish cantrips to make your regular attack a little better and keep your casting progression instead of having that second attack.

>>50642329
magicy monk that's partially overlapping with the wot4e but actually miles better
evil poison monk
teleporting DBZ monk

>>50642398
>magicy monk that's partially overlapping with the wot4e but actually miles better
You mean, like sun soul?

>>50642164
That kinda works. Part of the appeal of my build was in grabbing life domain as a favored soul along with evocations and abusing twin and quicken for that x-magic feel.

>>50638409
Just don't give it any mechanical advantage. It's just a damn good axe. Maybe have it made of something that's stronger then steel and holds an edge better.

Instead, have NPCs occasionally recognize it as "Bad Guy's Axe, holy shit that means they actually killed him, better run away/not mess with them/thank them for getting rid of him".

>>50642420
Sun soul can't fly, and is fire themed.

>>50642398
>poison monk
Dear lord how infernal is your hatred of monks?

>>50642323
we actually tell stories at my games rather than trying to kill as many make believe enemies we can, loser. if you want to just kill shit go play a video game. also playing a published campaign and not using your own setting proves youre an unimaginative cunt

>>50642329
Shitty monk
Even more shitty monk

They all will have awesome fluff and lore to trick players though, like with any monk so far, they made a mistake with wot4e making it obviously shit though, but they improved the cover up in subsequential subclasses

Did a quick little update on my homebrew to clear up some confusion regarding the arcanum abilities.

Getting some feedback that the 10th level ability on the archetypes might be too powerful. I'm not sure if I agree. Dodging as a reaction seems fine at that level, as is basically a better bestow curse. Thoughts?

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B19uU8nZ0XVVV1RCeHVrS0pFbFE/view?usp=sharing

>>50642498
>a story about adventurers
>not killing a whole lot of shit

>>50641315

that'd probably make sense, considering that a fey lock can make a pact with a hag

Speaking of published adventures. What's the best official adventure published for 5e, in your opinion?

>>50642550
Curse of Strahd.

>>50642550
>>50642564
idk... out of the abyss is pretty good too..

>>50642550
Hoard of the Dragon Queen, is the most balanced, you can start as a weak character without problems and still have a blast.

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>>50642588

Should there be more half caster classes (like Paladin or Ranger)?

Shadow Sorc seems like it'd be a damn good 1 level dip for a Shadow Monk/Rogue.

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>>50642773
forgot the UA

>>50642608
There's a perfectly fine number of classes right now. Rather, I'd rather see each class diversify and balance out.

Martials need better utility.

All characters could do with more options, like invocations or battlemaster manoeuvres but without as many sucky options.

... And some classes need to be brought up to speed, such as sorcerer needs to suck a bit less without multiclass and barbarian's later levels need to suck less without multiclass.

>>50642773
>>50642786
Shadow sorc is ok, but is too good if you multiclass from a barb, paladin or any melee char with Con save.

>>50642773
>gee, shadow sorcerer looks like it'd be a good 1 level dip for ANYONE
A wild slowpoke has appeared!

>>50642832
I didn't actually know it was even a released UA until just now when I decided to see if there was any official Paladin stuff. I just assumed /5eg/ was babbling about some shitty shadow sorc Homebrew with how everyone was bitching.

At 11th level everymonk can spend 1 ki to add 1d6 damage to every melee attack done with unarmed or monk weapons for 1 minute. Yes or no?

Why would you ever take just one level of shadow sorcerer? You can't cast the darkness without the sorcery points you get at level 2.

>>50642853
Honestly it might as well be shitty homebrew.
>edge, check
>completely unbalanced for multiclass, check
>steal gimmicks (devil's sight + darkness from warlock and half-orc/barbarian's stand up again, modified), check
>unbalanced, check
>a feature that has an intended purpose (summon hound) that is actually better for something different (summon as bonus action, use action to cast a save spell on hound's target), check
>capstone feature is overpowered, check
>not understanding resource values and giving darkness as a 1 sorcerery point spell, check

Only thing missing is misunderstanding 5e's format.

>>50642888
Free "you don't die" saves and Darkvision if you lack it, plus the cantrips 'n shit of a normal level 1 sorc.

>>50642894
is not unbalanced by itself though, it has big problems due multiclass. I good fix is move the 1st level feature to a later level that makes multiclass a bigger investment that most people will reject.

>>50642894
Oh, don't forget
>not putting in any non-combat focused abilities
Check.

>>50642894
whats up with edge being a cardinal sin?

>>50642916
It's unbalanced with regards to normal sorcerer.

Too tanky, they get a much improved version of heightened spell (3 sorcery points to use heightened spell? I'm just going to use those points to summon a HOUND that doesn't use concentration and will run around biting and proning the target and gauranteeing further disadvantage on saving throws, all for the same cost! .. And then I can also use metamagic on the save spell, such as twinned spell.). They then get one of shadow monk's main features (but slightly different), except its range is DOUBLED.
And then, their capstone feature is essentially BEAR barbarian's rage for a minute for 3 sorcerery points WITHOUT concentration, AND lets them move through objects.

When you consider that giving shadow sorcerer resistance to everything halves the damage and thus halves the added DC to their level 1 feature, it's even more ridiculous.
All they need is diadvantage to give enemies a 1/400 crit chance and enemies generally don't use radiant.

>>50642920
It's not bad in the right dosages, but it's a red flag.

>>50642916
A pile of shit that isn't underpowered or overpowered is still a pile of shit.

>>50642888
Why would you ever be a multiclassing munchkin autist, anyway?

>>50642966
This reminds me, how much is heightened spell "worth" when you apply it to a damaging spell? I guess it varies by spell level and relative accuracy? I'm just wondering what the average numbers look like.

Are any of the SCAG archetypes good? I mean on par or better than PHB ones, not just viable

>>50643011
Are you kidding? The bladesinger is the best class in the game

>>50643011
Arcana cleric, Sun soul monk, Crown paladin and Storm sorcerers are all pretty good.

>>50643011
Sun soul, probably. Swashbuckler is good too, I think?

Arcana cleric doesn't have great features but wizard spells can be very good

>>50643002
I guess it's dependent on target and their save, as you'd expect.

I'd say it's kind of a big deal if you're trying to hit an important enemy with a save-or-die spell, however.

But, disadvantage hound applies not only to one spell's first save, but all spells on all saves. Contagion would have disadvantage on every single save throw and be really trying to fuck up the enemy's legendary resistances.

Could probably do calculations if you want to do is based on fireball.

>>50643026
>best class
Eh, I wouldn't say that. It's certainly up there if you want a wizard that doesn't hide away the entire time, though, and it's certainly top-tier.

>>50643011
Sun Soul monk is good. Better than 4elements, probably as good as shadow.

Bladesinger is really good, but you don't do much blading, it just gives you good AC and the option to hit stuff when it's useful. (In a silence spell, or an anti-magic zone, say)

Storm Sorcerer, Swashbuckler, Crown pally are all good.

Arcana cleric is my favourite, but I really love clerics. It's probably just "good" but I like being able to nick some wizard spells.

>>50642294
The games I am playing in currently are AL games so they have to be the pop published campaign books, but just because you use the book does not mean you lack creativity. My DM's are really good at bringing both the world and it's characters to life in a unique way.

Also, the groups I'm playing in have leveled up fairly frequently as of late, but that's because one group is fighting giants and small armies of orcs and goblins, and the other is fighting demon lords. There is a lot of experience to be had.

>>50643026
If it was a bard archetype maybe.

>>50641408
You fool! It will only make him stronger.

If I make a paladin who only wields a one handed weapon and no shield how badly am I crippling myself?

Also on a related tangent, on a cursory glance over Feats and stuff it seems like PoleArm Master is the ideal way to go for an offensive Paladin. Is this true?

Apologies for newfag questions, never played 5e beyond a few dicking around sessions to get a handle of the basic rules.

>>50643186
2 ac.

>>50643200
Yeah but is that 2 AC going to be a difference between being a face tank and being a punching bag?

>>50643186
Might as well have two one-handed light weapons for more chance to smite on 20s, no?

>>50642329
A better rendition of the Wo4E is all I want.

>>50643211
I would but I've already got a theme I'm going for.
I'll probably just use something like a Greatsword and ask the DM to just say its a normal size sword, still using two hands to swing it.

>>50643207
Not at all. It will be like playing a two handed paladin, which is quite good. Singe hand longsword or rapier does 6,5 average with duelist.

You will be perfectly fine.

>>50643246
Oh, you're going for STR? Yeah, just use a 2H sword but explain that it's more like a real-world longsword than an over-the-top Berserker/buster sword.

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>>50643246
Is that theme sodomy?

>>50641351
From the Monster Manual:
Quaggoth - standard and Thonot version
Any humanoid turned into a thrall
Skeletons
Zombies
Shield Guardian
Slaad if you can justify the alhoons having access to the control crystal

From Volo's:
Warlock of the Great Old One
Mindwitness
Any humanoid turned into a thrall

>>50643207
You won't have the invincibility of a 19-21 AC paladin using chain or plate+shield+fighting style, but you should be able to take a few hits

>>50642864
I think it's good if you allow feats this way monk can stay relevant on damage at those levels

>>50642864
That's a long time. According to the guidelines they released a single ki point should either be used for a movement bonus or the equivalent of a single unarmed strike's worth of damage.

>>50642310
Usually when I do this as a DM, it's because the creature in question still has attacks left, the player dropped on the first one, but the creature cannot get to anything else. Is the creature going to hold back when the attacks would otherwise be wasted?

The last time I did it, the player went in solo against a nearly immobile creature that was really hungry. It dropped the player and then swallowed his body, and that player died before anyone else's character could get to the scene.

>>50643354
Back in the play tests they still made 4 attacks and got 1d8 extra damage on each attack for 1 ki for 1 minute.

Also monk is behind everybody else in damage.

>>50643392
It's pretty strange that everybody got buffed from the last playtest and the monks got nerfed taking into account everybody and even wotc acknowledged them as weak in the playtests, their damage went down, their HPs were supposed to be d10 (according to wotc) but stayed on d8, their ki went up though but they lost a lot of powerful features.

The fact that it doesn't have a clear role also doesn't help, it's like a mix of a rogue and a fighter but dealing less damage than both, less mobile than rogue and less "tanky" than fighter.

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I been wanting to make a special "thing" for my homebrew setting, like how say some archetypes and whatnot are setting specific. I thought to myself that I really remember loving the warden class, and being my setting is very points-of-light-esque like 4e's ideology was, which means few points light (civilization) surrounded by a shit ton of wilderness of all types, jungles, tundras, steppes, deserts, a very primeval sort of place.

I been thinking about it for a while, and I think I just had an epiphany on possibly how to do it and convert the warden to 5e.

>>50643392
>Also monk is behind everybody else in damage.
But monk has stunning attack, which is an amazing offensive and defensive feature.

>in before no one plays past level 12
High level monks are near-invincible between Diamond Soul and Empty Body.

>>50643186
For a paladin, PAM is the best way to go if you wish to deal damage and get lots of chances to critically smite.
GWM isn't as good usually I'd say, but it's not too bad until level 11 where it drops off.
Two-weapon-fighting is good if you don't want to invest a feat, though really if you want to do damage you should invest a feat.

I wouldn't recommend combining GWM and PAM together, but it can be done and it's not bad as PAM gives you more attacks to use GWM on, but you won't benefit from GWM's bonus attacks much at all and you HAVE to spend a precious ASI on that even if you're a variant human. And, again, GWM drops off at level 11.

Rapier+shield is good if you want to focus charisma and be party support, likely as an ancients paladin. You can also go two-weapon-fighting, but you'll lose 2 AC.

>>50643436
>The fact that it doesn't have a clear role also doesn't help
But it has, his sole purpose of existance is being the Barbarian/Fighter/Paladin own stun gun. Don't you dare waste your ki points on other shit.

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>>50643304
Sounds cool. I'm working up an enormous, ancient subterranean city that was formerly a prison built by ancient wizard-kings, and now houses rival factions of strange powerful creatures and their minions, vying for supremacy.
I'm putting together a wizened old Beholder and a cabal of three Alhoons as the Most Important players down there, each with a whole host of minions and such.

>>50643516
Between the beholder and alhoons, pretty much anything that can be mind-raped will be a decent minion if you roleplay the fact that it no longer has a complete mind or much of a will of its own.

>>50643516
Neogi have a mind control thing too.

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>>50643557
Part of me wants a third big player just to give me more quest options and give the players more NPC options.
What's a good Big-ish guy or gal to throw in the mix with Beholder and some Alhoon? I'd like to avoid another undead if I can, since I'm using the Alhoon and some other undead in another area, and I'd like to avoid Aboleth since I'm using them in yet another area, but anything else is fair game.

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>>50643581
Could a population of formerly imprisoned Neogi sustain itself for centuries underground, without access to Space Shit?

>>50642864
I'd up the cost a bit if it's for a full minute, but it'd put monk on paladin's level of damage, granted the paladin sacrifices use of a shield and has to take a feat.

The idea is that if the monk wants to deal more damage, they have to sacrifice more stunning strikes.

I'd suggest either 'As a bonus action, the monk can up their damage until the end of their next turn by 1d6 per hit' or 'As an action, the monk enters a state where they consume 1 ki point at the start of every turn unless the monk refuses to pay the cost, in which case the effect ends. The effect is giving them a 1d6 damage increase on all weapon attacks and the ability to use 'step of the wind' or 'patient defence' for free.

Eh, maybe slightly underpowered, but no matter what it's a straight buff to monk.

>>50642608
I remember seeing an Int based half caster that was like an arcane spin on the Paladin, but I can't find it. The things I do remember was that its version of Divine Smite needed a bonus action to activate, and affected all melee weapon attacks that turn, so replacing on demand flexibility with more power when planned. The other thing was instead of Improved Divine Smite, spells that said you made a melee weapon attack let you get an extra attack.

I give out RP experience at the end of each session. One of my players is starting to fall behind though, because he doesn't try to RP, and I can tell that he's starting to get annoyed.

He's really not a bad player outside of that, so I feel kind of bad. What should I do?

>>50643441
>You need to be 14th level or higher to survive in melee as a melee only class

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>>50643438
And it is...?

>>50643774
give him chances to roleplay or put them in situations where his character will be able to shine.

otherwise don't use an exp system that penalizes people who are weaker at roleplay.

>>50643599
Most likely, as long as they had access to slave races.
Neogi are physically weak, so they need other races to do most of their dirty work.

>>50643791
>Invincible = survive

>>50643438
Well don't leave us hanging, share!

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Hey /5eg/, I'm relatively new to traditional games in general and I got together with a few friends to play the curse of strahd campaign and I was looking for a few pointers.

Here are my questions:

1. If you're a DM how do you get your players to be organised and remember to keep track of the things they're doing. personally I find myself having to make loads of phone calls and rushing around trying to find a date that people can make because no one else can be bothered to do any of the organising. Is this common with players or am I just being a whiny bitch for having to organise everything.

2. Because I'm sticking to the Curse Of Strahd book closely, I find myself running out of things to tell the players when I'm roleplaying as NPC's. Either that or they ask questions that I can't really tell them without getting ahead of the story. Do you guys have any tips/ideas on how I cna give interesting NPC interaction without having to give too much information relevant to the story?

3. If you're playing online using roll20, how much prep work do you usually put into each session? I try to have music and a relevant image/tactical map for every part of the session and I find it gets kinda distracting sometimes so should I simplify it?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read my long-ass questions.

>>50644051
>Is this common with players
Yes, it's fucking annoying that as a DM who already has to do the most prepwork for the game you also end up having to organize the dates. Try to use Doodle or a similar calendar thing (though that site is fucking hell to use on a mobile browser). I don't have a good solution for this other than somehow finding motivated players, or maybe culling the less motivated ones from the story and play even if they can't come.

>Do you guys have any tips/ideas on how I cna give interesting NPC interaction without having to give too much information relevant to the story?
Yeah, elongated roleplaying can be tough. I haven't read the adventures, do you have any specific examples? Maybe the NPC doesn't know the answers to their questions, or maybe they have motivations not to tell them? Maybe if the players start bombarding them with questions, they want something in return? You can also zoom out from in-character acting to explain narratively that the character doesn't seem to know any more, or implies the discussion is over, or whatever.

>>50644051
>I try to have music and a relevant image/tactical map for every part of the session and I find it gets kinda distracting sometimes so should I simplify it?
Music is nice, but it can also become a distraction having to control it. Maybe have a couple nice loopable themes or just some ambient soundscapes. Tactical maps are not a requirement for every encounter, maybe just the most important/intricate ones, and roll20 makes it extremely easy to just sketch a rough map on the go. Try to keep it abstract instead of drawing every single chair and carpet.

>>50644051
1. This is normal. Helps if everybody can agree on a regular date (Say, once every two weeks on saturday). Also helps if you follow similar schedules (Same uni course, work).

2. I suppose get a feel for each NPC and ensure they can talk about normal things and hold a normal conversation as well, and get a rough idea of what they would know. Feel free to reward players with extra information if they talk enough, though, if you feel that character actually has a reason to know what they do. Honestly, not too sure about this.

3. I don't know, that sounds about right, though some DMs will even go so far as to prepare maps for various possible locations rather than 'Okay, the players will be here' being a 'the players could be here or here or almost anywhere so I'll prepare a general 'forest map' and random encounter table, along with more specific maps for where they'll probably be'.

>>50644051
We just play a game every week on the same day. If you can't make it, we just run the game without you. Probably helps that there are 6 players though, so the games never really have too little players

If you timestop and then target a creature with a spell requiring a saving throw, does the timestop ends for that creature only on a fail or does it end anyway ?

>>50644371
>cast fireball on a creature with evasion
>time is stopped for it
>it succeeds
>somehow this doesn't break timestop
No, you've just affected it, even if nothing happened.

>>50644371
No targeting time stopped creatures

>>50641801
Revenant?
>>50642807
Admittedly I'm a new player, what's so bad about sorcerers by default?
Current character is a blue dragon sorc and admittedly I can see the drawbacks in not picking Red.

>>50644661
>Admittedly I'm a new player, what's so bad about sorcerers by default?

Nothing, they're just worse than wizards due to less spells known and less spellslots

>>50642498
>this guy doesn't know about milestone experience

Just theorycrafting here.

Player casters Magic Circle, Fae.
Player summons a Fae creature inside the circle.
Player immediately attempts planar binding, GM does not punish him for the 0.2 second overlay as reccommended by Jellyman Crawfish.
Fae is bound to the player for X days.
Summon Fae is Extended to X days.

What happens if he loses concentration on Summon Fae? Does the Fae vanish? Does it turn hostile? It is still bound to him so does he need to focus on keeping it around. It says the creature will turn hostile but it is enslaved by Planar Binding so already as hostile as a summoned minion can be. What happen.

>>50644682
Them only having like, two of the higher-level spells is going to annoy the hell out of me, isn't it?

>>50644661
As said above, they're overall fine but compared to a wizard, a wizard will overshadow and outdo a sorcerer unless the sorcerer makes good use of metamagic (E.g. multiple cantrips a turn or twinning concentration buffs such as haste).

>>50644724
You can nova like fuck, but try not to read the wizard's features or you might realize he actually gets more casts per day, and get annoyed. Also, you probably won't get to those top level spells... but if you do, thesis spells!

Yeah, sorcs are fun but the company isn't called Sorcerers of the Coast.

>>50644661
Wizards have better abilities, more spells known, better spell selection, more spells avaliable, more spells to cast.

Sorcerers have Metamagic, which is mostly useless. It has one substantial advantage, Twinned.

Twinned lets you double-cast those vital buff spells, Haste is a spell every martial loves, and Twinned-Haste makes two martials love you substantially. Want to make your GM fucking hate you? Twin-Polymorph and double-ape-rape. Want to mind control a punk with dominate person? Why not him and his buddy?

>>50644661
Ask your GM to let you flavour up some custom lighting spells for 1st or 2nd level because witch bolt sucks kobold anus.

>>50641516
Lol youll never make it to 20
But that makes me curious, whats the highest level everyone has made it to?
Starting at 1, no level milestones, actual XP

>>50644916
5 with actual exp, 11 with milestones.

>>50644916
We're starting at 10.

>>50644661
>>50644833
Chromatic Orb?

Tbh I don't think there would be anything wrong with modifying Acid Splash to Electric Orb or something that does lightning damage.

>>50644916
17. But I'm not actually sure if our DM did exp or just levelled us up because he felt we should at that point

>>50644916

Level 9 by the end of Curse of Strahd. Played all the way from death house to the final battle.

RAW wise... can I polymorph myself into a Half-dragon Giant ape? It's still a beast and it's within the CR requirement...

>>50644833
Admittedly I did take Witch Bolt, and I've only casted it twice, I just don't see what's so horrible about it.
Then again I also have Thunderclap and Thunderwave

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Describe the engaging encounters you'd build for my group. Dark Sun setting. Level 9.

Criminal Thri-kreen Arcane Trickster (Instigator)

Sage Half-elf Illusionist (Storyteller)

Noble Mul Battle Master (Fighter)

Entertainer Mul Berserker (Actor)

>>50642588
Ha, good joke

>>50645043
apparently so

>>50644051
Scheduling is way, way easier to do with email. Having a public written record makes things more organized for everyone.

>>50645051
1d12 damage with tons of restriction and cost you a spell slot.

Firebolt can do 1d10 at a much better range as a cantrip. At level 5, Firebolt do 2d10, so it out damage Witch bolt.

>>50645062
Criminal/merchant intrigue shit
The fighter seems the odd one out, desu

>>50645114

Every band of rogues needs some muscle.

So on the topic of Sorcerers, how bad of an idea would it be to play one focused on using the claw option from Alter Self to go full melee dragon and slash people?

Does the spellpoint variant for Sorcerer's make them more competitive in comparison to Wizards?

>>50645192
Yes, it makes Sorcerers a lot more versatile which is supposed to be their thing anyway

>>50645192
Not really, just means at higher levels they can nova or they can metamagic every fucking spell

>>50645192
Yeah, it's a good and flavorful fix.

>>50642498
Our DM runs published adventures but changes everything around.

Our main impetus for stopping the giant fuckery in the Sword Coast is to rescue a sweet dwarf.
There's also tie-ins to our previous PotA campaign, which is assumed to be running concurrently in-universe, so we occasionally arrive at places our PotA party did before / after them.

>>50645103
Huh. I hadn't thought of that. Well, shit.

>>50645179
Umm, fucking shit?
>1d6+1+STR weapon
Congrats, you're now spending a spell slot to hit like a dueling martial. Once per turn (natural weapons aren't light, are they?). When you could just be shocking grasping them.
You have high AC and HP from draconic bloodline, but Alter Self is concentration, so if you get hit too much you lose your shitty weapon. And if you used one of your spell slots to cast shield or something? Well now you can cast alter self once a day, and don't have your shitty weapon the rest of the time.

>>50645179

If you want to do that, you'd probably want to do a Tabbaxi or Lizardman so you just straight up have natural weapons and can use your concentration on something else.

>>50642294
I've played in funnish published campaigns, at least before it fizzled out due to scheduling differences. It wasn't so bad.
I ran one recently for my first time as DM and it was definitely fun for parts, but it was also definitely tedious or confusing for others. I was too panicked to improvise anything because I didn't want to contradict what was published. Hopefully playing my next campaign in a custom setting will ameliorate that.

With that in mind, I'm about to start a game in a custom setting. What sort of details should I let my players know about beforehand? Should I ideally tell them at character gen, or beforehand somehow?

>>50642365
holy shit this is awesome

Say, how often do you play?
Our group plays every week but I hear lot of people saying they play every other week.
Is that just simply scheduling reasons or are we risking a burnout by playing too much?

>>50645251
I don't think it's that bad of a weapon. It's a Kingswood with a better chance to hit. I think with Greenflame or Booming Blade it'd be quite nice. Being strength based is the main thing I think brings it down, and there's no way to really fix that outside a level in Monk.

>>50645284
Yeah. Might just do that or use daggers instead. Maybe still have Alter Self for the utility or in case I really need a magical weapon.

>>50645396
I think once a week is a good amount. Once every 2 weeks just isnt enough for me.
We played twice a week for a while and the biggest issue was that the DM (me) had to work pretty hard to keep up with the groups progress

>>50645114
The noble fighter is rich and lives alone, except for his butler and a freed slave boy who is now his ward.

>>50644051

Sarevok, Bodhi, Morte, Irenicus, and Amelyssan.

Damn it feels good to know this shit off the top of my head.

>>50645396
i don't see a problem if you guys are having fun and your dnd can invest the time to prep every session.

in general my roll20 group plays every week, and my table top groups plays once every 2-3 weeks.

What would be a good system for heavily cursed areas?
I have three tiers of curses prepared with different effects, most of them detrimental but some of them almost beneficial to the victim.
Roll a d20 every day for curses, on a 1 you get a curse and then roll again for specifics? Allow saving throws? Should I allow the players to know they have been cursed and give them time to remove the curse before it takes hold and manifests?
And if you know any good books and whatnot with curses please recommend.

>>50644682
>more spell slots
All full casters have the same amount of spell slots in this edition

>>50645532
Wizards get some back on a short rest though, Sorcerers don't unless they sacrifice sorcery points

>>50645542
Ah, fair point. I thought you meant as standard.

>>50644051
1) People are shit. Start a Facebook/Whatsapp group, it's easier than constant phonecalls and you don't have to be a middle man.

2) Don't be afraid to make a campaign your own. Think of the premade campaigns as guidelines not strict rulesets.Make shit up if you think it fits. As for asking too many questions It's unlikely some tavern wench knows story crucial info, so if they ask her questions just say she doesn't know. NPCs who do know might just be too afraid to say or distrusting of the party. If they pass a high persuasion roll give them the info anyway. They've earned it.

3) You only really need a detailed map for combat scenes. You can draw it on the spot if you're lazy it isn't too hard. It's nice to have a big map of the general area but it just needs the names of key locations, not the names of every street in the city. Less is better because it gives you more room to come up with stuff on the fly. You want to deny your party resources? Now you can say there's no shops in the area, if you made the map you've already committed. Likewise if you think they're struggling and need a magic item, tada here's a wizard university.

>>50645396
Main group: sometimes a week between sessions, sometimes a month, I think it averages out to every 2 weeks which is pretty good. Personally, I'd like to play slightly more often, but in different campaigns (I'm also DMing occasionally for another group) - otherwise it gets too stressing on the DM.

>>50645523
It'd be better if you had to do something to get curses. Say, roll for curse every time you smash something important, drink something that originated from inside the area, etc.

For a curse, it might be an effect that automatically curses them but then requires the victim to make save throws that might result in the curse doing nothing and fading away.

Also, if there's a cleric or someone else with remove curse and you tell them who's cursed, they'll just be able to remove curse everyone and nobody will really care. Just saying 'But it's a curse... That can't be removed by remove curse!' is lame, so keep it secret and try to make people figure if they're cursed or not themselves.

>>50645421
Or play an elf favoured soul and use shortswords

>>50645623
>It'd be better if you had to do something to get curses.
I think that might be the best approach. And we do have a cleric so I think I'll just roll the curses in secret and tell the victim when they start to actually feel the curse taking hold.

>>50645630
Variant half elf with elven weapon training would be the perfect favored soul if you weren't mcing paladin

Otherwise you know. You get all ya shit from pally

Would anti magic field cancel a glyph of warding spell set to cast anti magic field when the previous field expires?

>>50645710
Once the anti-magic field expires the glyph can be activated

>>50645203
>>50645214
Thanks. I'm deciding between a Shadow Sorcerer or a Bladesinger Wizard....or a Warlock. This is becoming difficult. which works best for multiclassing? Which has the best multiclass? I'm indecisive.

>>50645764
All of them are good for multiclassing a few levels. Shadow sorc is straight broken with its never die mechanic and super cheap darkness that it can see through. Warlock is good for 2 levels for agonizing blast if you mainclass sorcerer or bard. Bladesinger is good if you want to bladesing and still be martial later.

>>50645664
I'd say rather than just telling, you could do it where odd things seem to happen.

Say, a curse might make it so the party sometimes encounters weak, annoying ghosts that seem to particularly be aiming for the cursed individual.

As long as you don't make it an overly complex detective story to work out who's cursed, you can probably play it like that since the Cleric won't be able to remove curse on everybody every day if they have the spell and may want to conserve spell slots.

A warlock with remove curse could easily cover the whole party if given a couple of hours, however.

Mix it up with a spooky atmosphere that makes people double-guess. A curse might make a player frequently get static shocks of 1d4 damage from pieces of metal that were left idle, but players might not assume straight away they're cursed. They might think that perhaps the spooky objects are being angry at them instead until they notice a pattern.

>>50645192
It buffs things that are actually good such as sorlock, as sorlock no longer has to transfer to metamagic points unless you have a system that still requires them to use bonus points to turn spell points into sorcerery points. Even then, still a buff to sorlock. What wouldn't buff sorlock much is stuff like a wider range of spells or access to new spells that have sorcerery-themed effects.

>>50643588
A devil in disguise

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>>50645838
Time to write some curses then. Thanks for the advice.

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I wish to make the tankiest fighter, using pic related as inspiration. What is the best way to do this?

>>50645900
Yeah. I love that sort of thing, though sometimes it's a bit hard to do in an enjoyable way.

Don't make it too obscure, don't be afraid if it looks a bit obvious what's happening. You'd be surprised what sorts of things you can fly by the players without them noticing and it's better to have them go 'Oh, we've been cursed again, joy' than 'why does bad stuff keep happening all the time I don't understand'. Though somewhere inbetween is obviously better.

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Starting a campaign, need house rules pls
Here's what I have so far, I haven't tested any of these so I'd appreciate feedback
>Medicine is an Intelligence check
>4d6 drop lowest char gen
>Elves and Half-Elves don't have darkvision

>>50645945
Defense fighting style with full plate and shield and heavy armor master feat and likely other stuff depending on what fits "tanky." (like does the Sentinel + Polearm Master feat combo as ""tanking"" here?)

>>50645945
Paladin with a level in wizard for the shield spell.

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>>50646012
>rolling for stats

>>50645945
Either variety of Dorf for superior stats and health, or variant Human for the later feats; wear full plate + shield, take Defense Fighting Style from any class that grants it--probably Fighter so you can go Battlemaster and get Parry. Maybe grab Shield Master and/or Heavy Armor Master. If you really want to be a shit and don't care about higher level Fighter stuff, take some Monk levels for the bonus action Dodge (ki-limited).

>>50646018
I'd say sentinel does sure.

>>50646022
Har har.

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>>50646036
>rolling for stats

>>50646056
>take some Monk levels for the bonus action Dodge (ki-limited).
Go Rogue if that's all you want.

>>50646012
Rolling for stats? I'm sure the guy with all 12s will have so much fun next to the guy with three 16's!

>>50646012
>rolling for stats
i highly regret letting my players do this.

>>50646101
Sorry no, I'm dumb. Forgot Cunning Action doesn't have Dodge.

>>50646101
>implying rogues can bonus action dodge

>>50646036
>>50646104
>>50646111
My only reason for doing so is that it feels weird not to, honestly. Arrays seem to give everybody very same-y stats as well, which just rubs me the wrong way. I usually also allow players to raise one stat by reducing another stat by two afterwards. This usually nets them very good stats so I've been reconsidering how I run character gen but I haven't got any solid alternatives yet.

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>>50646116

We can always dream...

>>50646012
>rolling for stats

Only ever roll if you expect to kill PCs frequently / one-shot campaigns, and you get bonus points in such a situation for rolling in order instead, and perhaps for 3d6.

Otherwise, if you want a consistent, fair campaign where players don't arbitrarily have higher numbers than other players, use standard array / choice of arrays.

>>50646136
30 point buy, dont allow 15-15-15-10-9-8
It's engaging, it's unique, it's above the curve.

>>50646136
The problem is you lose hardly anything by dumping certain stats. Dumping int for almost everybody is completely fine in all aspects other than roleplay, and people frequently get away with roleplaying low intellect characters as normal.

The problem is, stats don't really define a character. They just define how high a character rolls / how much damage the character deals, etc.

If you really want players to have different stats, give them a choice of a few different arrays, or allow players to take notable flaws (Going GURPS style here, but be careful) to change their stats rather than just 'I reduce my dump stat further'.

>>50646136
that's what PBuy is for.

I've had interest in playing a campaign where you roll 3d6 in order, but sadly nobody else shares my enthusiasm for this.

>>50646194
>not sharing enthusiasm for 3d6 in order
Scrubs.

Is there any custom class that has rules for multiple reaction per turn? Just curious if that even a thing.

>>50646218
>3d6 in order

I hope you have people pick their race and class before rolling

Did they change the way Detect Evil and Good works in 5E? I've always read stories about the Paladin or Cleric using it to find the badguy, or to see if the person they just met in sketchy situation X is actually on the up and up.

Currently playing CoS, we had just hit the first town, our Sorcerer player didn't like the class, wanted to switch. He rolled up twenty characters, DM and everybody agreed on his next wild surge he'd disappear, replaced by the new one (determined by dice roll.) Poof, it happens, cool. My cleric, being in 2spooky Barovia and seeing fucked up shit, obviously thinks this is Strahd fuckery, casts the spell to see if he's bad or not. Being all new players (Myself included) everybody looked up the spell. I'm told that "We'll let you do this this time, but that's not what this spell is for. It only works on monsters."

Is my group aspergers?

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>>50646152
>>50646191
This sounds like a good plan conceptually, but on the other hand having there be no randomness in character gen just feels weird to me.
Maybe I could have a set of balanced arrays, and have them roll for which array they'll use? But that seems more convoluted than necessary.

>>50646190
>>50646194
I've never tried point buy, what kind of characters does 30pts result in? Do you have any examples? I have noticed that my players do tend to favor the 15-15-15-10-9-8 pattern. 3d6 in order sounds like so much fun for a more lethal campaign to be honest but I've already got a different sort of game planned that I need a plan for.

>>50646236
Multiple reactions per turn is stupid and you should never do it
Multiple reactions per ROUND, however, exists in the Fighter UA on the Knight archetype

>>50646240
In 5E it just tells you if there's is an angel or demon within 30 feet of you. It doesn't tell you peoples intent.

>>50646245
27 is the standard amount of point buy, it's detailed in the PHB and there's a calculator you can easily google. it's pretty standard, you can add or subtract from that value if you want stronger or weaker characters respectively.

>>50646282
Per Round what I meant. Thanks

0 point buy, you can only raise stats by lowering others

Good idea?

>>50646239
now that's just cruel

Does anyone have these Ravenloft maps? Otherwise, I'll buy it and send it to the community trove.

http://www.dmsguild.com/product/185990/Castle-Ravenloft-hires-colour-jpg-maps

>>50646245
You can have fighters who can talk and barbarians that aren't braindead. Helps if you give INT mod tools and actually come up with situations to use them.

>>50646309
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSxPTlJ1nOA

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>>50642099
>Your DM shouldn't be attacking downed characters so much

>t. doesn't know how mortal combat works

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>>50646322
Yes, I'm interested in that as well. My original question was about house rules in general, not just character gen.

Could you go into more detail about these "INT mod tools," please?

>>50646245
>balanced arrays

Different arrays are technically not balanced.
15/15/15/8/8/8 is simply much better for all but ULTRA-MAD classes (Dex paladins wearing heavy armour, for example, or really funky multiclasses)

So, generally, a munchkin player would rather have the array that has the highest first two or three stats and then doesn't care about the rest.

Honestly, you're not dooming your campaign or anything if rolled stats happened. It's more quirky, but the problem is the quirkiness is just some players getting better characters than others. No matter what, if you don't roll in order you'll still get everybody putting a decent stat on con, probably a decent stat in dex and then most likely dumping int and/or str if they can.

>>50646300
It feels a bit unfair to say 'stronger or weaker', because it matters more to some characters than others. Say, if you try to 'weaken characters' by giving them only 20 points, you'll make all the people who wanted to play monk cry or they go monk anyway and become ultra-shit.

>>50646363
Pretty sure mortal combat was mostly one-on-one fights.

>>50642550
The best? Storm King's Thunder, hands down.

Honorable mentions:
Out of the Abyss
Princes of the Apocalypse

Meh tier:
Curse of Strahd
Lost Mines of Phandelver

Trash tier:
the rest

>>50646240
>Did they change the way Detect Evil and Good works in 5E?
Yes, they removed most alignment mechanics, so it doesn't tell you people's alignment now, just their type (celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, undead)

So it does work on the sorcerer, too, and your cleric is at least confident that he's not an undead or fiend in disguise.

>For the duration, you know if there is an aberration,
>celestial, elemental, fey, fiend, or undead within 30
>feet of you, as well as where the creature is located.
>Similarly, you know if there is a place or object within
>30 feet of you that has been magically consecrated
>or desecrated.

>>50646240
>It only works on monsters.
If they mean what I think they mean by this, they're a bunch of retards.

>>50646554

What's your all verdict on this?
Worthless or usable?

http://thelifecast.net/index.php/2016/08/15/tlcs-dd-5e-homebrew-samurai-class/

Holy shit are charisma paladins powerful. Especially devotion. Even if you dump Dex, you can still have a +4 to Dex saves at some point. What's the weakness of paladins, when they get both high AC and high saves?

>>50646603
Didn't fighter literally just get a UA for samurai archetype?

>>50646657
Their weakness is they ruin the rest of the fun for the party.

>>50646603
Stances are overpowered.
>+2 AC forever in a class that's one feat away from Heavy Armor
>upgrades to let you reduce damage taken from melee attacks by 1d6+Dex+Wis with no usage limitation

This is just a Battlemaster on crack with no Heavy Armor and better saves.

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>>50646664
Yup.

>>50646657
They get eaten by dragon turtles, fail their death saving throws, and are later resurrected as a dark knight by a necromancer holed up in some tower in the Sumber Hills.
rip claude
we avenged you like three times

>>50646368
Tools don't come into play as often as they could.
It's just something to help fleshing out a character I think. So the fighter who used to build stuff before he was conscripted helps to strengthen the wall in preparation for a giant's raid, the war cleric writes some treatises on battlefield tactics on his spare time and the barbarian really knows how to make some booze. Stuff like that, I guess.

>>50646603
>saving throws: dexterity + wisdom
>breastplate in starting equipment
>'free action'
>'martial arts' feature is described wrong. You cannot take a feature using the exact same name and give it a different mechanical use.
>'stance mastery' or 'let's kill any diversity and use the same stance 24/7'
>overall it's just a weaker fighter stealing some of fighter's core abilities, why didn't they just make a fucking fighter archetype?

Pretty much only useful to multiclass for +2 AC alongside a shield and heavy armour from a real class like fighter.

Yes, this says 'first draft' but they clearly fail to understand 5e.

>>50646724
It has a reaction use, so it's basically just a more powerful uncanny dodge.

>>50646603
>Saving Throws: Dexterity, Wisdom

Stopped right there, to be honest. So blatantly unaware of the basic designs of 5e, the rest of it's probably terrible and out of design.

For the unaware: These are 2 "strong saves". The other strong save would be constitution. The rest (Int/Cha/Str) are "weak saves". Every class has 1 of each at level 1.

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>not inking in your own dice

>>50646887
When I was in highschool I played AD&D with a guy who had these. They were the topic of much discussion and fascination. The numbers were hand-drawn and looked like it. They were hard to read even after he'd inked them in, and the edges of the dice felt sharp and unfriendly. When he rolled them, they clattered to a mechanical stop faster than anybody else's.

The coolest part of that set were the d3 and the d5, mostly for the novelty factor. The d5 was cut like the rest, but watching it roll and seeing that it really was balanced was intriguing. The d3 had very flat faces with curious, gentle curves in between. Nobody knew what to do with those, though. I think we wound up using the d3 for ongoing fire damage a couple of times but that's it.

>>50646603
author knows precisely dick about 5e.

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Our DM introduced the first real magical item into our game last session.

It is a eyeball that is darting around looking everywhere, and an eye-patch. If you put on the eye-patch, you can see out of the eye as if it was your own.

What are some neat applications to this? We had some ideas like our Druid turning into a hawk or eagle, taking the eye and using our Barbarian spot around with 1 mile vision and do UAV drone strikes.

>>50647038
They do stop rolling faster, but I have no trouble reading the numbers at least on my white ones. Probably because I inked them in with a water-soluble ink that I can just rub off if it goes outside the grooves. The sharpness of the edges is nice, they feel more luxurious than the blurry spheroid chessex.

I want to tell a story about a game I just had not too long ago, and ask if I was in the wrong.

>Be DM
>Been playing with 3 of the 4 guys for a long time. The 4th is new and we like him.
>While playing, he wants to cast levitate and move infinitely upward. At first I tell him no, up to 20 feet.
>He wines and calls a rules as written.
>We halt the story to figure out what he means, the 3 and I agree that the spell is worded funky, but it doesn't make since.
>He continues to wine.
>I decide to look up on google what others are saying, one of the game designers agree with the levitate to infinitely.
>Dispite this, the three others agree that it sounds dumb and doesn't make since.
>I rule that if he wishes to play RAR, he needs the components to cast the spell.
>He wines.

Two of my players and him all left to get drinks and he simmered down and he took the "Up to 20 feet ruling". Was I in the wrong for doing this?

I understand on-the-fly rulings can be annoying, and I don't like doing them, but I also don't know every spell's capabilities.

>>50646240
Detect evil doesn't ping someone's alignment but tells you if there is a being made of magic nearby (fiends, fey, celestials, elementals, and undead). I believe it was to stop the "ping and smite" paladin that walked into town, detected evil, then unilaterally smited everyone who pinged because nobody can actually agree on alignments' meanings ever.

>>50647123
>Probably because I inked them in with a water-soluble ink that I can just rub off if it goes outside the grooves.
To be fair, I'm pretty sure he just used a fountain pen to ink his in, and they were transparent.

The sharper edges were uncomfortable to me. If you were to really grasp one of those d6s you would actually hurt your hand. As for rolling, my personal favorite dice are chessex speckled dice: they're translucent, so they're weighted well enough, and their edges are quite round so they roll and roll and roll. It's amusing and/or suspenseful depending on the situation. I also have regular transparent dice too in case I don't feel like screwing around.

>>50647166
levitate literally says you can eventually rise up on subsequent turns, for however long you can concentrate on the spell.

>>50647166
>he needs the components to cast the spell.
Nope, RAW says that any materials that don't list a gold cost can be replaced by a component pouch or spellcasting focus

Did you read the spell? >If you are the target, you can move up or down as part of your move.
If you're unclear on a spell's capabilities, have the player read it out loud word for word.

>>50647166

Did you bother to read the damn spell? It literally does exactly what the guy said. On each of your turns, you can go up or two an additional twenty feet. Why the Hell would you say he can't do exactly what the spell says? Do you also keep Fighters from using their Second Wind because spontaneous regeneration is stupid? Not only are you in the wrong, but you and your players sound like assholes.

>>50647166
>I rule that if he wishes to play RAR, he needs the components to cast the spell.

You're a shitty DM

>>50647166
>RAR

>>50642498
Yeah i'm sure all your real actual friends that you definitely have just love playing your "story" instead of actually playing a game.

>>50647166
There isn't anything confusing about the way levitate is written, and I'd whine too later, anonymously on 4chan if I was playing with a retarded dm.

>>50646363
>Dur, Ima use my turn attacking a non-threat target...

>>50647166
>rises indefinitely
>has to deal with strongwinds
>freezing cold
>rarefaction of air
>flocks of birds migrating
>burning sun rays
Eventually the fag will fail the concentration check.
Also, many people go levitate without feather fall. Make him fall, and make him fall good.

>>50647339
>responding to that
>7 hrs later
anon please

>>50647370
Levitate gives you slow fall after the spell ends.

>>50642294
What is a publishing campaign? Would it be like playing a party of Lutherans spreading Germanic Bibles across the land while on the run from the church?

>>50647370
>>has to deal with strongwinds
>>freezing cold
>>rarefaction of air
>>burning sun rays

Says who? He's not on Earth

>>50647386
Just checked, it also only lasts ten minutes, so he would go up to 2000ft tops.

>>50647416
What isn't explicitated is assumed to be like real life. Your kind is the worst. Who said it isn't earth? Do you also think people don't have dicks and pussies unless the DM tells you? Kill yourself.

>>50647373
im still here, it was not bait

>>50647339
i play with my direct family only, and yes we do all enjoy it because its how we have done it for over 20 years

>>50647166
>>50647370
>>50647416
>rise 20 feet/round * 100 rounds = 2000 feet
>spell ends
>fall 2000 feet
>take 20d6 damage

>>50647533
elves in my world are all futa and dwarves are made of poop

>>50647561

>>50647386
Fuck

>>50647561
>When the spell ends, the target lIoats gently to the ground if it is still aloft

Again, you're a shitty DM

>>50647572
I take issue with half of that

>>50647561
>When the spell ends, the target floats gently to the ground if it is still aloft.
Maybe you should read the spell

>>50642310
Yeah, grunts and beasts might not coup-de-grace, beasts might eat you if they had enough of an opportunity, but I could totally see a dragon chomp on a fallen foe. Even better if the dragon manipulates you - do his bidding or your friend dies.

>>50647586

This annon >>50647561 is not the "Shitty GM"

Levitate
2nd-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S, M (either a small leather loop or a piece
golden wire bent into a cup shape with a
long shank on one end)
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
One creature or object of your choice that you can see within range rises vertically, up to 20 feet, and remains suspended there for the duration. The spell can levitate a target that weighs up to 500 pounds. An unwilling creature that succeeds on a Constitution saving throw is unaffected.

The target can move only by pushing or pulling against a fixed object or surface within reach (such as a wall or a ceiling), which allows it to move as if it were climbing. You can change the target’s altitude by up to 20 feet in either direction on your turn. If you are the target, you can move up or down as part of your move. Otherwise, you can use your action to move the target, which must remain within the spell’s range.

When the spell ends, the target floats gently to the ground if it is still aloft.
Fuck all of you.

>>50647640
I never asked for this

>>50647602
>>50647586
>>50647561
>>50647582
>>50647386
Hmm, I can see how it might be kind of annoying now. I'mma fly up in the sky - without being able to move horizontally, you guys wait here while I float back.

I guess that's one way to get a vantage point to scout the region when you're exploring the wilderness

>>50647640
I can't tell if you're trying to prove a point but misreading the spell, or know how the spell works and somehow think the majority of people don't.

Elaborate please.

>>50647722
I'm not any of you, but I'm citing the fucking evidence.

>>50647655
You can move up or down 20ft per turn. Float up 40, look around, float down 40. That is less than 30 seconds of time.

>>50647640
>You can change the target’s altitude by up to 20 feet in either direction on your turn. If you are the target, you can move up or down as part of your move.

So it's +20ft if you use your action on the spell

But you can also move your movement speed. So super fast builds can rocket themselves much higher

>>50647771
>as part of your move

Learn to read, fucking moron.

>>50647771
No, your move speed does not allow you to move in the air. 20ft of vertical movement only.

>>50647166
Yeah you were definitely in the wrong.

I keep that spellviewing app up at all times in case there's ever a spell dispute and just read the damn spell.

Anyway, unless your player is clearly trying to cheese and ruin encounters for the sake of ruining them, try to lean on the side of ruling in player's favor in order to not halt the game, with the caveat that you reserve the right to reverse your ruling after you've had more time to think about it.

It keeps the game going and is generally more fun. Plus, the player will be happy, and if they later get an unfavorable rule from you, they'll have more time to prepare under the new circumstance.

>>50647091
Mostly for keeping track of somebody else over long distances if that works. Otherwise, poking through tight spaces.

Or, you can find some way to move it autonomously.

Overall, it sounds like your DM is pretty neat an understands that magic items in 5e shouldn't be showering the players with +1 items.

>>50647810
>spellviewing app
there's such a thing that hasn't been taken down by wizards?

>>50647166
Man up and tell the player you admit you made a mistake.

It's only vertical movement and requires concentration, anyway.

Are there any images of Iymrith (the dragon from SKT) in human form anywhere?

>>50647972
Page 10

>>50647810
i make a habit out of having the book open to the page with the spell for reference and always read it before casting it (even if i know it by heart)

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>>50647897
>Here are 10 archetypes for you to look at and judge. No, you can't comment directly on the file. I know better than that ;)
>In here you'll find archetypes for barbarians, bards, druids, fighters, monks, rangers, rogues, and warlocks.
>Collection 1:
>https://docs.google.com/document/d/1na9rG3n7R5KBzJ1kCMrKyCezG-tUVKA5tm01gAbxTo8/edit?usp=sharing
>Collection 2:
>https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F5TO8ICqLDs9YTigLVNaoYd1QTgHWUHw4HB5bFSTYMo/edit?usp=sharing

>>50648087
upload pdfs fagit

How do you kick a player who is also a friend.

>>50648136
Conspire with the DM to kill him with a trap

>>50646748
You know I like the samurai. But I was hoping for a murder hobo variant. Hoping to get a replacement skill for Elegant Courtier

>>50648136
That's tough. But if you're friends, can't you have a frank and adult 1on1 to resolve whatever is causing the problems?

>>50648109
But wouldn't it make more sense for things to get fixed first before bothering to draw up a PDF for them?

>>50648167
>a frank and adult 1on1 to resolve whatever is causing the problems?
you have to be in your low 20s or younger to be buying this meme. only in fiction does that happen my friend, only in fiction.

>>50648145
I am the DM

>>50648167
I dunno man, it makes me feel lik a fucking dick to kick him out but the constant bitching about not getting enough shit drains me and i think it makes my DMing worse.

>>50648152
ask to use K n o w Y o u r E n e m y from BM

>>50648167
It's amazing how many people are not able to do this, just based on posts I see on /5eg/ and Reddit

>>50648185
You know you can make a PDF with just text, right?

>>50648220
I know many things but it isn't my post.

Changing and reuploading the entire PDF seems like a bit slow.

>>50648200
>constant bitching about not getting enough shit

Explain?
Does he want more treasure in game?

If that's the case just explain your reasoning for why you don't toss a bunch of shit in their faces. Because if you do, any reward they do get is devalued.

I'm a forever DM, but on the off-chance I get to be a player I always assume I won't get any magical items and plan accordingly.

>>50648251
For you. Less clicks for the rest of us to read your crap.

>>50648337
It isn't mine though.

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Why would a warlock ever adventure with a party? They seem like a weird class for players.

>>50648200
Don't go into the conversation assuming you're gonna have to kick him from the group.

Just talk to him about what he's doing that is throwing you off your game. If the entire party feels the same way as him, "not getting enough shit," then consider asking players what their expectations are concerning this and explain your point of view.

Personally when I DM I don't like my players asking me for specific items or loot to "conveniently drop." But if they have the means to craft something they'd love to have, I am more than willing to work with them. Establish a price, and likely formulate some sort of quest they could go on to acquire what they need to craft it. In a homebrew game that's a free plot hook the player is promising to eat up.

>>50648360
Because literally any reason.
>want to be hero, but shit at studies
>make pact selling soul so I can save lives
>hello fellow people who want to save lives and be heroes

Warlocks are just ordinary people who used a shortcut for power.

>>50648360
Their patron says "yo nerd, go hang out with Chad the fighter over there, he's doing something that interests me"

>>50648360
Because their patron told them to.
Because they have some kind of goal in mind, and adventuring might help them achieve it.
They were granted powers and want to use them for x,y, or z.

I don't know, anon. Why would a sorcerer want to adventure with a party?

>>50648360
Because someone's gonna run up and stab them in the gut because they're a squishy little faggot and then they'll bleed everywhere and die.

They want A) someone who can get stabbed instead and B) someone who can heal said stabbings.

>>50648329
The guy's got the one officail magic item i've given out (wand of magic missles) and i threw him a bone and let him tame a hippogrif, he keeps saying that i pick on him if any harm coes to him or i don't have enemies dart through his area control spells when they have perfectly viable bows, just generally annoying whining when he's far better off than the rest of the party who have gotten incredibly mild stuff like gloves that can cast light once a day.

>>50648360
despite common belief, not all warlocks are 2edge5me xXdArKDragoNSlaYerXx

Hey guys, I have an encounter designing question. This is my first time DMing and I wanna create a cool boss fight for my players.

If I have 4 players at level 3 and I want my boss to basically be a human monk with some weird gimmicks, what level should I make the Monk?

Also, if the Monk was going to have some sort of aura, say, that made it harder to use weapons around him, should I do some sort of attack roll modifier or just straight disadvantage?

Thanks in advance!

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>>50643829
>>50644026
Sorry I been busy today (yes i been working on a sunday, it's actually the first sunday I ever worked) so I don't have a lot of time, in fact I'll be leaving again soon.

The main theatrical power of the Warden is his transformations. The warden will know a number of them with some having a class level requirement, sort of like the warlock with invocations.

Then mechanically they will work like barbarian rage. Starting at maybe 2 per long rest just like barb, lasting for 1 minute. Getting more uses as you level and then maybe infinite number in the late teen levels, not sure. However, unlike the barbarian rage that has constants like +2 damage, strength check advantage, and so forth that has more tacked on with totem warrior, the Warden's transformations are all different with no constant, as all the forms are different. And perhaps it gives you a 1-use attack along with it, though that is still up in the air.

transforming costs a bonus action

For example, let's take the level 1 daily power Form of Winter's Herald

Frost forms over your body and around you, while transformed, gain +1 bonus to AC, cold resistance, and you permeate an aura of frost that creates difficult terrain within 10 feet of you.

now, if we add the possible 1-use special attack.. (again, not sure)

Freezing Blow
Declare this as one of your attacks, on a hit, the target's speed becomes zero until end of next turn
again, all of this can be tweaked, and of course other class abilities added and modified, like a reduced option fighting styles like rangers and paladins get possibly.

>>50648645
lvl 5 monk sounds about right, might be on the higher end of power but itll definitely be a memorable encounter.

both an attack roll modifier and disadvantage really screws up the party's chances of hitting him. why not just give him good AC and call it a day. its effectively the same thing, except you wouldnt have to change anything save a few more attribute points.

>>50648517
Ah, I see.

I had a player like this once before.
Can I ask what levels the party are?

I've been able to drop hints to players before about what they can expect in my games through NPC interaction.
For example, on the topic of intelligent enemies targeting spellcasters. Had an NPC advise the party archer to "focus the mage" and let the barbarian handle the big guys with swords.

Then later they weren't so surprised when their wizard was getting hailed with arrows.

Some times players just don't take hints well though and you need to be direct with them. Take inventory yourself though, and try to evaluate if you've ever let his player really have their moment despite tossing him a magic item and a hippogriff. Sometimes rewards don't feel like much of a reward if they don't get to use them in a cool way.

Can I ask what level they are?

>>50648745
Kek, I paused when writing that and forgot I already asked the question at the start. I look like a retard.

TELL ME WHAT LEVELS THEY ARE

>>50648645
Doesn't sound like too good an idea.

A high level PC can nova down a low level PC, yet isn't awfully tough HP-wise themself. They'd be a glass cannon, not really good for a boss.
More importantly, a one-man boss that doesn't have several bullshit countermeasures like 'I failed a save? Well, now I DON'T fail the save.' or 'I'm immune.' can be easily taken down by a party of 4 due to action economy.

They don't need weapons, they just need to grapple him, shove him to the floor then kick the shit out of him.

But, I suppose you didn't say you weren't having lackeys.

Aim on some open-palm-like techniques. A hard to land technique that can potentially one-shot (but will reduce a player to 0 HP and stable), an ability similar to sancturary until they make an attack , being able to push players around and prone them and all of that.

You could give them an aura that repels metal, which would logically likely mean either players have to roll to not be disarmed and have their weapon go flying or they might just get straight up disadvantage with metallic weapons.

>>50648645
Just be sure not to make it a 4 v 1.
Action economy is huuuge.

If you do. Give him more than one turn per round, similar to a legendary action. Explain it as he is "super fucking fast."

Alternatively, build him as a shadow monk. Give him a few mooks. Have his mooks have darkvision, and they spend the first round turning off the lights. Now they get to deal with a "teleports behind u" monk fight.

>>50648645
>>50648715
I would say don't use PC stats for an enemy

>>50648877
I'd say

LOL what are you, a newfriend or something?
giving important enemy PC classes is pretty standard, unless youre dealing with monsters.

>>50648745
Level 4, getting close to level 5, Npc's on the whole have been pretty suspicious of the party due to the dragonborn barbarian and tiefling.
It's also notable that the player in question keeps trying to bring stuff i don't feel comfortable with into the game, constantly trying to fuck other players who say they don't want it, and just randomly pretends to orgasm, it makes me really uncomfortable.

>>50648877
Says 323R/ 29l/ 82P.
R is for replies, the I is for images, what's the P for? Pages?

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>>50648645
This may be what you're looking for. It'll make for a hell of a fight for level 3 PCs. Consider toning it down just a little bit. Or have her fight alone.

>>50648645
martial arts adept, Volo's Guide to Monsters
CR 3

4 CR 1/8 bandits. Instead of short swords they punch for the same damage as a short sword. Their bows are darts instead. These are his students.

>>50648924
In 3e. Not 5e.

LOL

>>50648961
Yeah, 27 damage will straight up KO a 3rd level character

>>50648944
Not sure why I replied to you...

>>50649001
I have 3rd level cleric with 33 HP, started with 18 in con and took dwarf to get 20 in con.

>>50648841
Yeah, my idea was actually that metal weapons wouldn't work, hence a disadvantage, and if they were wearing armor they'd take some sort of disadvantage as well.

The other gimmick is that he was going to cast mass Levitate, knocking everybody up into the air to limit mobility. Initially I was thinking that he'd have an aura of Silence, but I didn't want to make the fight unfun for our Sorcerr.

I kinda wanted this to be a solo fight but I could maybe toss in a few henchmen? I dunno.

>>50648924
Not the guy you're arguing with, but he's not wrong.
PC stats for enemies don't always go over well, ESPECIALLY if they're by themselves. They essentially do become glass cannons.

Look at the standard HP values for most monsters in the MM. Generally pretty high so that they don't go down in a single round.

>>50649014
That's not at all standard.

>>50648933
So that's a pretty good cause for a talk with the player.
How old is he? 12?

>>50649001
That's why she's fighting alone against 4 level 3 characters. She can attack a 2 or 3 at the same time, and then counter as a reaction. As long as they can get back to the fight through magical healing or potions, that just means the monk can just move from PC to PC. Besides, fighting a lone blind monk that can still kick everyone's asses is always cool.

>>50649030
You could make it so it's harder to move towards them if wearing metal armour, as if moving through difficult terrain. Like the 'frightened' effect, extra toned down somewhat.

A sorcerer can still do things if the monk creates an area of silence, but an aura of silence sounds a bit too painful. If it's silence as in the spell, then it won't travel with him.

You can probably make it a solo fight but you'd have to be very careful, it could end up incredibly one-sided if he doesn't have a means to mitigate certain tricks. Maybe one or two uses of legendary resistance, but that might just be annoying when you waste the go of one of the only characters that imparts an important save (say, they try to use 'hold person').

5e is pretty sensible in that fighting solo is a lot more dangerous, and honestly if the players know what they're doing they could very, very easily fuck him over if he doesn't have some bullshit ability. Of course, having some goons would help him there so it's not just 'Grapple/paralyze the boss then kick the shit out of him'.

Also be wary if you have, say, a lone ranger, you might annoy them just a bit too much if you have deflect missiles to nope every single one of their attacks.

>>50649101
18, we only recently got into the game and he's always been pretty fucking weird, hentai for his phone backround, stares at card art for some shitty boobufestu card game, that kinda shit.

whats the best published adventure so far?

>>50649129
Are you sure you want this guy to be your friend?
This might be your opportunity to cut ties.

>>50649139
From what I can gather, people seem to really like both Storm Kings Thunder and Out of the Abyss.

>>50648961
>no legendary resistance
>no saving throw proficiency
>nothing that would save them if a player simply says 'Yeah, I cast hold person, I guess. Do we win?'

I mean, that's fine, but this would be problematic as a solo encounter.

>>50649305
>>50649305
>>50649305

>>50641298
Going into a campaign with a handful of friends next month. I've never played before, anything I should know that's not in the manual?