/5eg/ - Fifth Edition General

File: hong-soonsang-the-seaking-contest-rabbit.jpg (445KB, 1920x1195px) Image search: [Google]

445KB, 1920x1195px

Tell me about the pirates in your setting 5eg

Is there a better hook than "THOSE FUCKERS STOLE YOUR SHIT! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?!?"

>>54326579
Those fuckers are going to steal everyone's shit

>>54326553
>Hold of the Sea Princes in Greyhawk

What do you think, you forgotten realms androgynous faggot?

>>54326553

Mostly orcs in the northern/western sea of not!Europe, as my orcs are a mixture of not!vikings and not!mongols.

In the southern sea of not!Europe, the pirates are mostly dark elves who I've flavored as not!Moors and not!Ottomans.

You can find human pirates in both seas but they're not the dominant pirate forces.

>>54326553
They steal things and live on boats.

So, the revised artificer and mystic, what do you think that'll entail? How will they be changed for better/worse?

>>54326579
>starting a wild west campaign
>going to have 25 fucking banditos rob the party blind in the first session no matter where they go or what they decide to do

In the first round of combat, can a creature use legendary actions before it gets a turn? Has there been an official ruling about this?

>>54326684
In 5e, which race is the Mexicans?

If you answer anything other than Gnome, you're wrong.

>>54326699
Dwarves are Mexican.
Gnomes are Indian (dot, not feather).
Elves are French-Canadian.
Orcs are the Native Americans.
Halflings are Mongolian.
There are no Chinese.

>>54326696
The official ruling is "It's up to your fucking DM."

Suck it up cupcake, its fucking pretend where magic and shape shifting happen. If something has lair options and the DM wanna use them, guess what?

You gon die.

>>54326751
>Elves are French Canadian
No wonder everyone hates elves, Even Canadians don't like French Canadians

>>54326752
I'm the DM in this case tho. Good to know anyway.

>>54326751
I'm going to go with the boring answer
Dwarves are Scottish
Gnomes are Jewish
Elves are magical better than you assholes
Orcs are Mongolians
Halflings are Irish

>>54326579

My first introduction to the world D&D, Baldur's Gate Dark Alliance, started this way.

It really is a good hook, no matter if you're driven by revenge or justice or greed or pretty much fucking anything, you're going to kick down those fucker's door and take back your shit. Fuck those fuckers for stealing my shit.

Does twin spell have to target a different enemy?
For example if I just twin a firebolt can I target the same enemy twice?

>>54326699
Elves are Norwegian
Halflings are English
Tieflings are Mexicans
Humans are French (18th century)
Half-Orcs are French (21st century)
Gnomes are German
Dwarves are Spanish

>Think I'll play a different race next time
>End up making a variant human again

Should Primeval guardians be able to use large weapons in their guardian form? One of my players has been doing 2d10 damage for the past few sessions and I'm not sure if that's how the subclass is supposed to work.

>>54326857
>Hey we have a problem nobody wants to play humans and everyone thinks they're boring
>Dude just give them a free feat
They knew what they were doing

>>54326751
Dwarves are Inuit
Gnomes are Turks
Elves are Central Americans
Orcs are Spaniards
Halflings are Jews
Humans are Negroes

>>54326553
I have a group of Pirate Lords specific to each sea region on the planet. They are widely respected and powerful. Each one had made their own groundbreaking discovery and guaranteed a spot in the history books.

>>54326871
I would consider banning variant human if the non-variant wasn't so shit

>>54326858
I would be down with it. They had to go to the trouble of getting a big weapon, and they only get to use it if they turn into a tree man. Trees probably have a hard time getting through dungeon corridors.

File: PZO8500-LieSpinner.jpg (111KB, 1000x770px) Image search: [Google]

111KB, 1000x770px

Reposting So should I take 3 Levels into GOO Warlock for my Swashbuckler or should I take more or less? I'm going for the Dissonant Whispers + Booming Blade combo.

>>54326890
Just make variant human different.

+1 to a specific stat for that human race, and +1 to two different stats of player choice.

Then lock a specific feat for that human race.

Example:

Human Race A.
+1 Int, +1 to two other stats of players choice
Human Race A begins with the Magic Initiate feat (Wizard)

Does anyone have any suggestions for running Deadstone Clefts from Storm King's Thunder? I'm not used to running large areas where there are so many moving parts and things to keep track of.

>>54326941
There's no way they can get away with different races of humans having inborn differences in 2017

>>54326990
And why the hell not?

>>54326890
>>54326941

Humans should be about versatility and adaptability. Ditch "Variants" and give them +2 to one of their choice and +1 to two others and then give them that advantage granting feat from one of the UAs.

>>54327014
Great, now 99% of campaigns are fucking humans.

>>54327011
Because he's a /pol/lack who's going to strawman about REEEEEE POLITICAL CORRECTNESS RUINS EVERYTHING and start crying about Tumblr

File: Confused High King with Interrogation Marks.png (43KB, 256x256px) Image search: [Google]

43KB, 256x256px

>>54327028

Because they aren't already?

>>54327028
Cool.

>>54327014
With that mindset, dwarves should be about mining and smithing

Elves should be about trees, not magic or drow.

Halflings should be about stealth and nothing else

Gnomes should be for faggots and...wait, no, thats right.

>>54327039
NO, right now they're 97.4%

>>54327028
>tfw every game I've been in so far has been 50% Dwarf, 0% Tiefling and Dragonborn
feels good having good friends

>>54327054

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. The reason they get +1 to everything, or a feat, is because they're supposed to be versatile. The reason they had the most skill points in 3e was because they are supposed to be versatile. The reason they could be every class in 2E is because they are supposed to be versatile.

It's their fucking shtick, but instead of 'forcing' people to play Variant Human for tons of feat heavy builds, just tune up the versatility angle for humans and then give everyone a fucking feat.

>>54326890
>>54326941
Give humans the Human Determination feat (Feats for Races UA) and one skill proficiency and it becomes a viable race without the need of giving them a feat from the PHB.

If anything, remove one skill proficiency from half-elf so they actually feel like a mix of humans and elves (fey ancestry from elf, one skill proficiency from human).

>>54327093
in his defense the versatility of humans doesn't fit every campaign, you know?

>>54327028
>>54327070
>Last game was Human, Dwarf, Elf, Half Elf and tiefling
>current game is Half Elf, Kenku, Genasi, Firbolg and Dwarf
Are humans really that common?

>>54327120
Only in games where the DM is a retard and allows Variant Human.

>>54327120
Yes, outside of basement games, they're the cancer thats everywhere

>>54327120
Only among memesters who can't build a character without GWM/PAM/SS/Warcaster/Magicinitiate.

>>54327084
>>54327028
>>54327039
>My friends are edgelords and there are tief, a black dragonborn, and a deep gnome.
Once a session I call them edgehogs.

>>54327120

Variant Human is played by metagaming power hungry faggots.

>>54327139

Well, so long as they own it.

>>54327147
and volo's guide monster races are for furries or furries in denial. What point are you trying to make?

Tell us about your character, your background, ideals, bonds and all that.

>>54327158

What point are you trying to make? Someone asked if Humans were common and I said yes, among metagaming power hungry faggots. Just because furries play Tabaxi doesn't change that.

Oh right, I see. You play a Variant Human and have hurt feelings. Don't feel too bad.

>>54327158
Lizardfolk are for fun, not for lewd

>>54327196
Lizardfolk don't understand lewd.

Lizardfolk don't understand much.

>>54327158

I thought that one Plane Shift was the really furry release-jackal men, sheep minotaurs, bird men, and nagas.

My table only allows Dragonborn, Tieflings and Gnomes.

>>54327028

>Play a Fighter now
>Can get +1/+1 and a character defining feat for playing a Variant Human

>Play Fighter after these supposed changes
>Can Get +2/+1 and advantage once per long rest
>Or Play Shield Dwarf and get +2/+2, Darkvision and Poison Resistance/Advantage

Doesn't seem that bad to me.

>>54327236
Had you included Kender, your table would be the worst thing to happen to the game since....well that would be the worst thing to happen to the game

File: one bait man.gif (477KB, 500x281px) Image search: [Google]

477KB, 500x281px

>>54327236

>>54327236
What's wrong with gnomes?

>>54327133

I've banned v. humans from my game (everyone gets a free feat at lvl 1 but certain feats [the obvious strong ones] are banned until their first ASI) and my party still turned out to be about 60-70% human.

>>54327236
I'm sure it will find players one day

>>54326908
What combo?

You attack, and then next turn you use your action to cast a spell that does less damage than if you attacked again.

Does anyone use the Planeshift stuff in their games?

File: 1321556068493.gif (603KB, 843x613px) Image search: [Google]

603KB, 843x613px

>>54327247

>Kender

>>54327262
You cast Dissonate Whispers to force the opponent to move and waste their reaction provoking attack of opportunity. Then you booming Blade them.

>>54327257
Well, drop them on fights against creatures with blindsight or in dark caves

>>54327028
That's a good thing
>I can't make an interesting character if they aren't some special snowflake race
Fuck off

how do I use fog cloud effectively?

>Shield

>Casting Time: 1 reaction, which you take when you are hit by an attack or targeted by the magic missile spell

What does this mean? If someone attacks me can I cast shield even if I used my action to Attack last turn? Or do I need to Ready to use Shield in response to being attacked?

>>54327253
There's nothing "wrong" with them but everything special about them is already done by another race.
>intelligent, long-lived, vaguely fey
Elves
>live underground and craft shit
Dwarfs
>small and happy-go-lucky
Halflings

In my opinion the only decently interesting thing about Gnomes is their animosity with kobolds

>>54327325
No need to ready. If someone is going to hit you with an attack or with a magic missile spell, you can use your reaction to cast Shield and gain +5 AC against the attack and all attacks until (the end of?) your next turn.

You use your reaction. You get one reaction per round. Reaction is used for opportunity attacks, some abilities and some spells

>>54327357
for
>>54327325

>>54327351
>>54327357
Interesting. If I used Ready last turn, does casting shield cancel my other ready? For example I say "When the cultist steps on the trapdoor, I pull the lever." But then someone hits me and I use Shield. I cant pull the lever anymore, right? Would it be different if I pulled the lever first?

>>54326699
Mexican dwarves is the greatest thing you will ever experience.

>>54327158
This guy doesn't think lizardfolk are cool. >:^(

>>54327287
Booming Blade is a spell, not an attack. You must use your action to cast a spell to use it; the attack that comes with it is just part of the casting, it is not an attack in and of itself that can be subbed out for any other attack like that provoked by a creature moving out of your threatened range. So you need to take War Caster to Booming Blade as an opportunity attack.

Except you can't, because you cast Dissonant Whispers that turn. Both Dissonant Whispers and Booming Blade would be action casts, even though the latter is provoked by your reaction. You would need to Quickened Dissonant Whispers to get this out, necessitating you also be a Warlock. Note: this is because all of this is happening on your turn. If you cast a spell, end your turn, and then a creature moves away from you on its turn, you can reaction Booming because there is no restriction on what spells you cast in a ROUND, just your TURN.

And even if you were a Swashbuckler GOOlock Sorcerer with War Caster, Dissonant Whispers is forced movement and would not provoke your opportunity attack.

So this whole thing falls apart several different ways. SCAG cantrips are a meme.

>>54327309
What's the problem with elves and dwarves, anon?

>>54326849
>Tieflings are Mexicans
>Humans are French (18th century)
uh...

>>54327378
Doing a readied action and casting shield both use a reaction. Whichever one you do first will use up your reaction

>>54327419
gotcha, thanks!

>>54327393
http://www.sageadvice.eu/2016/05/29/does-the-movement-from-dissonant-whispers-provoke-opportunity-attacks/

From the source anon. I will have Warcaster.

>>54327429
Now all you need is Sorcerer levels.

>>54327402
Elves and dwarves are fine, it's stuff like dragonborn, tieflings - monstrous races that attract people that can't think of an interesting character so they have that race define everything about them

Even if the average dwarf player just makes a shitty gimli ripoff at least their general character could fit on other races

I guarantee every time somebody makes a dragonborn their entire backstory will revolve around being a dragonborn because it's So "unique" and "unusual" even though it's the most generic dragonborn backstory in the world

File: 1490895425793.png (283KB, 649x671px) Image search: [Google]

283KB, 649x671px

>>54327448
Now all you need is to learn how 5e works.

Fortunately, it's not hard!

So do you write out/memorize in advance what your spells' somatic components are and call them out when you cast them?

I just realized I didn't, ever.

>>54327448
Anon you seem confused.

The forced movement from Dissonant Whispers does provoke attack of opportunity due to the target using its reaction to move, this happens immediately. With the Warcaster feat, I am allowed to cast spells that target only one creature and have a casting time of one action as an attack of opportunity, such as Booming Blade.

>>54327535
>what your spells' somatic components are
is there a refrence for this?

>>54327535
>we made all these rules that could possibly maybe potentially rein in casters if anyone ever remembered or followed them

>>54326801
>Dwarves are Scottish
>Gnomes are Jewish
Wrong, dwarves are scottish jews.

>>54327560
Spells just say they have a somatic component. The descriptions never mention what these are, but some spells mention things that would happen AFTER the somatic cast. Fireball, for instance, says that a bead of fire lances out from your pointing finger. One assumes that you have to point to cast Fireball.

>>54327560
No but it's more fun than than just saying 'I'm gonna cast Eldritch Blast at the skellyman/remorhaz/ogre/undead adult white dragon.'
>>54327563
Yeah Silence.

>>54327535

Very few spells have a written out somatic component. They just assume you have to be able to gesture with one hand. Your somatic component can be anything I guess.

Forking the sign of the evil eye, pointing at the guy, snapping your fingers, doing wushu, etc.

>>54327602
>>54327579
Oh shit, i mean VERBAL components.

New dm here running for friends who have never played tabletop before. Just got done with last session and I feel like it was a complete failure. Here's what happened:

> PC's just got done saving a girl from goblins last time
> I thought it would be neat to have a rival party try and steal their quest once they were tired from the dungeon, maybe teach them there are options other than combat.
> Party skips all optional content, and as such decide to start the fight completely rested.
> Bard is reckless, stands in middle of combat, and gets dropped, only healer down
> Give the party a way out, tell them "hand over the girl and we'll leave"
> They refuse, down an enemy all get heavily injured in the process.
> They send the girl out as bait.
> Try and salvage the encounter, say "let's go our separate ways or we kill the girl"
> They take that as GIVE the girl away and agree
> Rival party rides off, tells them they fucked up

They eventually got her back but it was such a mess I feel like I they never want to see the rival party again and I feel like the session was an utter failure.

How bad did I fuck up and how much of this was them making mistakes as new players?

>>54327615
There is likewise no list of verbal components.
Which is why you should rip off Asheron's Call and cruath quasith some bitches.

>>54327626

A rival, equal level party is a horrible fucking idea for new players if you want it to be winnable. In the last oneshot I ran I had the players face off against a rival party mirroring their party composition for their very first encounter. They got trashed, but technically won.

I did it that way because the whole point was to set the stakes: it was a graduation ceremony, and the graduating parties had to square off as part of the ceremonies (but no couping anyone's grace). So it was to help them realize if bad shit can happen in a theoretically friendly setting, way worse shit can happen out in the wilds.

For your players though, the rival party has fucked them over. Beating them will make them feel significantly vindicated.

Maybe nerf them a little next time though? GMs can fudge things for the sake of it.

>>54327579
You just have to be able to make hand gestures and stuff, it's up to the player as to how the spell goes off

>>54326751
>no chinks
I'll take "What are Yuan-Ti" for $500, Alex.

>>54327626
I think its important to teach new parties that

1. Its possible to end combat via negotiation
2. Not all combat is winnable.

Otherwise you get player's who may as well be a broken record saying "I move forward and attack the closest creature" on repeat. When they misunderstood you, you had an opportunity to clarify and say "No, they just want you to retreat and you can keep the girl" but the encounter as a whole sounds fine, fun even.

Thanks to the people that helped me out with my realm management supplement question. Went out and it fell off the board before I could thank you. If there's any other good 3rd party supplements for 5th ed that you know of that would be great.

>>54326766
Even French Canadians don't like French Canadians.

Source:I'm an elf

>>54327626
Never tell the players to give something they worked hard for, unless you want them to refuse. You could have the rival party flee the combat and them comeback with an ambush later or something similar, but never force them to make a decision they won't like. The best way to do this is to make the decision ambiguous, maybe the rival party appears saying they fight some goblins down the path and they are going back to town and could deliver the girl, when in reality they just want the reward for themselves. And hey, the session could have been a mess, but you can do better next time, never quit because something went wrong.

>>54327626
Doesn't sound like you left many non-combat options open.

You just had a bunch of dicks show up and demand something in the middle of a dangerous area which just screams 'fight'

If you wanted negotiations, you'd have to give them some hooks such as 'you recognize this one guy is kinda pissed because you took something from them a while ago' or something, as a crude example.

>>54327805

"Their weapons are incredibly sheathed. So sheathed. Even the wizard's hands are in his pockets."

>>54327817
And you're presented with two obvious options:
Fail the mission or fucking gut them while they're vulnerable.

>>54327844

Well yeah that's what surprise rounds are for

>>54327626
Everyone's going to give you a bunch of shit advice on how to present or run these situations better, but it all ignores one crucial thing:
YOUR PLAYERS

It doesn't matter how you present something if your players think combat is necessary. If they react to an enemy showing up with "let's kill it" every time, it doesn't matter if
>one half-dead goblin
>20 goblins
>200 goblins and their giant robot suit
>an ancient red dragon
>a space aboleth the size of a mountain
shows up, they're going to fight it.

The key to "teaching your players that combat isn't the only way to solve problems" is to TELL THEM, flat-out, like they're fucking retards or 10-year-olds, "You don't have to fight everything you see. Sometimes things just want to talk, sometimes they can be fooled, sometimes they can be bargained with, sometimes creatures are so strong you'd be better off running."
Just tell them that shit straight up at the start of a session.

>>54327817
>Even the wizard's hands are in his pockets.
This would also be a good way to teach about how useful spells with no somatic or material component are.

>>54327920
All spells lack somatic and material components if you and your DM don't remember them.

>>54327578
This kind of delves into the main problem with gnomes that >>54327346 was talking about

>>54327937
"Doesn't that spell require a bunch of diamond dust?"
"Uh...no"

>>54327236
Only partially related to this post, but why do people ban some official races / classes from the game, and why do some people allow home-brewed and UA stuff into their game? IMHO, the only material that should available to the players via character creation should be officially released materials and minor flavor stuff that has no bearing on in-game mechanics (I.E. pets, trinkets, or other backstory / fluff items).

>An arcane focus is a special item designed to channel the power of arcane spells. A sorcerer, warlock, or wizard can use such an item as a spellcasting focus, using it in place of any material component which does not list a cost.

What did they mean by this?

>>54328128
People who realize the game is badly balanced and can tweak things to make it better.

And people who have no fucking idea what they're doing and think they can tweak things to make it better.

>>54328171
Wand, crystal ball, staff, etc.

>>54328128
I'm having a hard time putting a reply together without just saying "Because they aren't as autistic as you". If the DM didn't see some fantasy race as a part of their world, and don't like the aesthetic of them why wouldn't they exclude them? As for homebrew/UA stuff that's also a matter of there being something in their setting that isn't represented otherwise, but otherwise I don't get how it's hard to imagine someone not finding official rules adequate and changing them. A lot of people that use homebrew might not have the best sense of balance or tastes in general by some standards, but that's really only a problem for their group if it's even a problem at all

>>54328171
>What did they mean by this?
It's pretty obvious, anon. What are you having problems with?

>>54327977
Gnomes are pointless, and there's a reason they were excluded from 4e PHB. Nobody actually likes them, and they are kept purely out of tradition.

>>54328220
>"But if a cost is indicated for a component, a character must have that specific component before he or she can cast the spell."
If the spell descriptions lists an item's monetary cost in GP, you must have that specific item, and can't simply use you wizard staff/component pouch for it.

>"lf a spell states that a material component is consumed by the spell, the caster must provide this component For each casting of the spell.
The component you use for casting a spell (rock, water, leaf, etc) goes away in the process of the spell and you need to collect it again before you can cast again.

>>54328322
It took me a while to realize that they didn't mean "material cost" which would be negated by the focus, but if a monetary cost is specifically indicated. Likely what caught him up.

>>54328171
Take a look at these three component lists
>Components: V, S, M (an eyelash encased in gum arabic)
>Components: V, S, M (a diamond worth at least 50 gp)
>Components: V, S, M (a diamond worth at least 1,000 gp, which the spell consumes)

The first spell requires a material component, but no cost is listed. You can use an arcane focus (or component pouch) and not need to actually keep track of whether or not you have an eyelash encased in gum arabic.

The second two spells both specific how much the material costs so you are required to actually purchase the diamond.

File: 871185326381187.jpg (92KB, 1913x779px) Image search: [Google]

92KB, 1913x779px

How would you run a dungeon based on Mario 64?

>>54328375
I always found it funny that component pouch had an arbitrarily high amount of eyelashes, lenses and bat guano in it.

>>54328181
I don't think the official material is badly balanced. It may not be perfect, but from my time of playing D&D (which admittedly is not that long, only started playing in the 3.5 era) it is the most well balanced system to date.

>>54328226
I have a hard time replying to this considering you had to start your response with an autistic insult. With that said, I will give you some merit on personal preference for removing a race from a setting, but only so long as the players agree with that decision. I think a good DM could add any race into any setting as long as it is an officially released race. I suppose the same could be said for home-brewed / UA races, but I oppose them more for balancing reasons.

>>54328442
DMing isn't a democracy. So long as intentions are clear at character creation a player should just not play if something as basic as a rule change or disallowing a race is a problem. It's really only a problem if that stuff comes up mid-campaign

>>54328382
Probably would make the paintings towns within the realm instead of mini-worlds, each with a set of problems the town is facing from the Big Bad's minions that progress in difficulty until the boss of that particular band of minions can be confronted. His defeat would drop some of the Big Bad's magic blocking off sections of the castle through some means.

>>54326751
High Elves are Nazi Chinese
Wood Elves are Finns
Drow are Aztecs
Dwarves are Sumerian/Assyrian
Orcs are Czechs
Gnomes are Swiss
Tieflings are burned at the stake
Halflings are nonexistent

>>54328484
>DMing isn't a democracy
Agreed. I don't really get why it's such a hard thing to understand for some people. You can try to talk things out with your DM - this is how I managed to play both a tiefling paladin, in a setting where tieflings are discriminated against on religious grounds, and a female dwarf, in a setting where dwarfs are patriarchal and a woman's place is in the kitchen. But if a DM says no, it means no.

>>54328484
DMing may not be a democracy but it shouldn't be a dictatorship either. I feel that players should have a say on whether or not RAW / RAI should be changed from the generally accepted norm. Not giving the players that option to voice their opinion and the DM at least consider that opinion is a good way to lose players in the long run.

>>54326699
Tieflings

>>54328581
I never said players shouldn't be allowed to voice their opinion, and a good DM does listen if they had a good argument behind that opinion, but if someone goes through the trouble of making a setting and running a game they should have every right to not include a fantasy race. The play style you're describing is fine for adventures league or whatever, but I would never consider "but it's in the player's handbook" to be a good enough excuse to include something I already took the trouble to exclude when making my own setting

>>54326579
It's great if you "give" them something cool, let them play with it for a few encounters, and then steal it from them.

>>54328647
That is a valid point.

Truth be told I have only really played / DMed in adventurers league games for the past two years, so I suppose my view on how to run a game may have been narrowed from that.

>>54328647
But my meme character build only works if I can be a tiefling and cast darkness for free at 5th level REEEEEEEEEE

>>54328694
When it comes down to it I doubt you could ever make a more ridiculous build with a PHB race than a human. I just don't like dragonborn and gnomes

DMing for the first time. Adapting the starter set adventure to a homebrew setting and doing my best to spice it up some. Enemy variety seems miserably low in the module. What are some fun low level fodder fuel besides the usual kobolds/goblins/orcs/bandits?

>>54328647
My setting has 7 playable races, which includes only 5 from the player's handbook (and not even all the "core" ones).
My players may dislike not being able to play their favorite races (which hasn't happened yet because nobody actually plays gnomes), but they appreciate the cohesive and consistent setting.
Human, elf, half-elf, dwarf, orc, tiefling, and hobgoblin (if the player asks nicely)

>>54329042
Why did we get both gnomes and halflings anyway?

>>54328856
https://astranauta.github.io/bestiary.html#Aarakocra
Sort by CR, but make sure not to use shadows. Those things are absurdly lethal for their low CR.

>>54329042
Do you use Volo's Orc/Hobgoblin or some homebrew?

I often see people suggest that for the update the artificer should have an improved mechanical servant as its own subclass.

But how do you improve alchemist/gunsmith to make up for not being able to rain death from the top of a mount that doesn't use your actions?

>>54329077
Dunno, I cut them both. :^)

>>54329093
Nobody's played a hobgoblin since 4e. And that Volo's out, a homebrew isn't necessary.
As for orcs - my setting doesn't have "half-orcs," so we always used the half-orcs stats for full orcs. It fits the in-setting race better anyhow.

>>54329042
Half-elf but no Mul

>>54329167
Make Alchemist's attacks save or half. Maybe give them a third element too.

Allow Artificer to make any number of Wonderous Items from the list of their level or lower and at a reduced cost and materials needed.

let Infuse Magic last longer than 8 hours.

More spells and make them at least half casters if not full casters.

I'm gonna run Death House this sunday.
I'm not going to follow over with CoS, at least for the time being, so it's just a one shot.
Any tips/recommendations?
Also, if you're a monkey/tuga/portuguese speaker in general, hit me up on discord. Ainda tem vaga.
T. M.#7968

Why do some races have non-biological traits like weapon training? Shouldn't those kinds of traits be determined by background?

>>54329372
Some races are assumed to have some shared background.

>>54329258
WTF is Mul

>>54329372
It's because D&D implicitly supports monolithic races.
ree.

>>54329381
>WTF is Mul

>He doesn't know Dark Sun

Is there a mirror for ForgedAnvil somewhere? I keep getting a 502 error from their downloads page

File: eberron 1.jpg (1MB, 2220x1768px) Image search: [Google]

1MB, 2220x1768px

Tell me about your latest escapades in Eberron.

>>54329279
the middle two wont happen because of the normie pandering massive reduction in player access to magic items being a key tennant of 5e

>>54329372
Race generally covers cultural background as well as genetics.

It's why there are so many sub-races.

File: CV3_Guide_Alucard.jpg (28KB, 360x480px) Image search: [Google]

28KB, 360x480px

So I'm planning on making a dex-based bladelock with the undying patron. My plan is to grab eldritch blast for range, but not pay the invocation tax for it. I was going to grab mage armor and darkvision to pair with darkness and my defensive duelist feat for some added defense. Thoughts? I know it's not the optimized blastlock that 4chan loves so much, but I think it'll be really fun to play.

Is it possible to build a suicide bomber?

>>54329391
In my defense, half-dwarves don't exist in almost any official setting, or at least aren't discussed in setting manuals.
Wouldn't matter to mine, though, since dwarves are essentially an alien species (from a different place in the planar cosmology), and thus unable to breed with other races.

>>54329408
>Not REQUIRING 1-2 magic items per level just to keep up with monsters
>"pandering"
I don't know why you're not just playing 3e/4e.

>>54329453
Wild magic sorc with lots of fire attacks?

Introduction speech for my white dragon boss! How's it?

>Finally found the courage to step forward, did you?
>Foolish smallfolk are not even worth of becoming my prey, but you still keep throwing yourselves into my gullet! *growls*
>You think you can come and hunt me in my own domain... I AM [Dragon's name and alias]. I AM THE HUNTER!

>>54329453
Not from a Jedi.

>>54329455
there's a lot of room between "the monster stats assume you have +2 bracers by now, get fucked if you don't" and the almost pathological extreemes 5E takes to separate people from magic gear or really any sort of material goods at all.

your 3/4e strawman is wack because AD&D fighters got all kinds of shit as they leveled up

>>54329464
>gullet
I shore do hate that word

>>54329470
>AD&D fighters got all kinds of shit as they leveled up
5e can give out just as much. Only reason it wouldn't is the DM (and lack of treasure tables).

>>54329464
For a white dragon I think a breath weapon is all the introduction they need.

File: therideneverends.jpg (27KB, 256x259px) Image search: [Google]

27KB, 256x259px

>>54329416
>it's another episode of "I'm gonna play warlock differently"
You'll regret your decision and pick agonizing blast before lv6. Enjoy your ride.
Pic related, your patron.

>>54329470
>AD&D fighters got all kinds of shit as they leveled up
There are no prices on 2e DMG for magic items, just like in 5e

>>54329453
Zeal Cleric or Phoenix Sorcerer

WotC wouldn't include an ability or spell that requires you to kill yourself. Goes against the spirit of the game.

That said, if your DM is cool with homebrew, then inshallah brother.

>>54329481
Why, anon?

>>54329485
But then it'd feel bland, don't you think?

>>54329464
vore fetish / 10

>>54329464
He should just say "Ice to meet you" and use his breath weapon

>>54329519
THIS

>>54329519
This to be honest

File: 1492406387069.jpg (62KB, 324x484px) Image search: [Google]

62KB, 324x484px

>>54329519
Can't get enough of stuff like this.

>>54329512
Hadn't even considered that. Hopefully none of my players likes it.

>>54329519
Welp, now I might just have to do this.

Okay, well aware it's hardly optimal but I'm making a Moonbow Warlock. Or rather I just unlocked Moonbow. (DM is allowing UA) I'm having trouble deciding which spells to use. Right now I'm trying to decide between AoA and Mirror Image. AoA scales with spell level which is great for a warlock, but Mirror Image is also just obnoxiously good. And I don't want to step on our rogue's toes with invisibility. I also looked at misty step, but it seems very situational and maybe not as great an option?

I'm focusing all my spells on mobility/defense and aiming for spells without DCs because my charisma is shit.

>>54329504
gullet and tummy are just my "no no I don't want to hear em' words".

Maybe it's because it reminds me vore exists.

>>54329090
>shadows
Jesus christ tell me about it. In my first ever dnd campaign I made the terrible choice to use those fuckers, on maybe the 4th session, thinking it'd be ok. Nearly caused a TPK when they just wouldn't fucking die, the group monk was at 2 str on the last turn shit was horrifying.

>>54329464
Villain speeches are dumb. This guy has the right idea >>54329519

>>54329619
Thankfully I'm not as familiar with vore as you are. Those words are still untainted to me.

>>54329090
>group ends up trapped in a tiny room with 4 shadows
>vaguely remember them and prepare for the worst
>DM doesn't use their strength drain

>>54329619
Gnosh and munch are the ones I can't stand. Also swamp

What house rules i can use to make the game harder?

>>54329657
Namaste

>>54329718
just use higher CR enemies

>>54329718
You don't need house rules to make the game harder. If you need to challenge the players, make your enemies more intelligent and plan encounters better.

>>54329718
Monsters fighting intelligently. It's rarely seen at D&D tables but I hear it makes the game more difficult.

>>54329718
Changing the rules for dying/death saves would probably be the first place I'd start with that in mind.

>>54329718
Spell ingredients?

>>54329729
>>54329736
>>54329737
>>54329738
>>54329743
>>54329743
How do you guys hande short/long rest?

>>54329718
Be a better DM. Don't make up new inconvenient rules just to make things harder.

>>54329768
The way the rulebook states they work? When the players want/need to? If they're dumb enough to take a short rest with nobody on watch, or sleep in a dangerous area, send something at them at night.

>>54329665
Buy your DM a beer for noticing he fucked up and didn't make a TPK with it.

>>54329718
DC: 15 Death Saves. More monsters, Smarter monsters, better traps, or make it harder for the party to get rests by making locations harder to sleep in without potential ambush.

ALSO, remember that there are supposed to be some times in which the players should be able to wipe the floor with creatures, gotta let them flex their muscles sometimes. Make it so they can see a visible growth in their characters maybe send a creature that gave them trouble once before and they see how much stronger they have become now.

>>54326844
>Does twin spell have to target a different enemy?
Yes. Obviously, yes. Are you a moron?

>>54329813
Does that cancel the short rest? lets say if they are having a long rest and they are interrupted at 3 hours by a monster , they can use short rest?

>>54326880
would like to know more anon. Sounds awesome sauce.

File: Izek.jpg (38KB, 354x451px) Image search: [Google]

38KB, 354x451px

Anybody ever find a good miniature for Izek Strazni?
Love the guy, but can't for the life of me find a fitting mini.

>>54329919
A random encounter won't invalidate a long rest. A long rest is only "ended" by one hour of strenuous activity (e.g., fighting)

>>54329665
What the hell did he use then? That's ALL a Shadow does...

>>54330048
and a short rest is one hour and lets say the party have been resting for 30 minute and pum encounter, does it gets cancelled?

>>54329919
If they're attacked during the short rest, yes. If they're attacked after a good chunk of a long rest, I'd call that worth the effects of a short rest.

But don't be an ass and constantly ruin short rests, it cripples many classes and your players won't appreciate it. TL;DR force them to keep their guard up, but don't just throw random crap at them. Or you could always incorporate more danger outside of dungeons in the first place. IE in a campaign I'm in a rogue just lost his hand for stealing from the wrong guy 5 sessions ago. And the only reason he wasn't executed on the spot was 3 successful deception checks. You can make your game harder/more dangerous by giving more serious consequences to character's actions as well.

You're only thinking about how to make the given numbers and monsters harder in the most basic of ways.

Does anyone have a kinda standard fantasy map I can use for a local region the players are beginning at? Maybe 2-3 towns, a forest and etc.

File: Map Of Clichéa.jpg (240KB, 1153x692px) Image search: [Google]

240KB, 1153x692px

>>54330106

How many different roles exist in 5e combat? Does Striker, Tank, Leader, and Controller from 4e still apply?

>>54329862
Yeah she's been pulling a lot of punches, like letting normal weapons damage the flesh golem (that still nearly killed our rogue and the NPC anyway), and making the merrow target the person who splashed into the water instead of the 1hp bard. Things have been kept close without destroying the first timers enthusiasm to play.

>>54330051
Just the attack without the drain. We had four squares of wiggle room so even without the drain people got shredded.

The paladin thought removing the light sources would make the shadows disappear since there would be no light to create shadows. When a light source was created, the shadows increased in number. So that was fun.

>>54330153
Not exactly it's far more complicated then that.

>>54330166
>The paladin thought removing the light sources would make the shadows disappear since there would be no light to create shadows.
Now that's an 8 INT fellow.

What kind of wizard is your favorite wizard to have in a party? What about least favorite?

What kind of class in general do you love to have in your party? What class do you least enjoy having in your party/

>>54326684
Just have the campaign start out with them already robbed.

>>54327463
>tieflings
>monstrous race
REEEE

>>54330193
I'm pretty new to 5e, could you elaborate a bit?

>>54330198
loremaster memes incoming

>>54329077
>Why did we get both gnomes and halflings anyway?
That I always wondered myself. Halflings already fill the 'short, nice and curious' role.

>>54330198
I enjoy having any Wizard who can actually not be a hindrance or annoying to the party. So far that's been Evokers, Enchanters and Abjurers. Diviners and Illusionists are by far the worst.

For classes, I enjoy having a Ranger around to handle those nature and scouting parts well. I also like Rogues for their ability to get anywhere and do anything needed in combat. My least favorite are normally Warlocks who try to make the entire game them roleplaying their pact and any Fighter who is a V.Human with a weapon feat at level 1.

>>54329519
Or
"Allow me to break the Ice!"

>>54329416
Defensive Duelist is really bad. You have limited feats, don't waste them.

Take your first level in Fighter. You want that CON save proficiency, shield proficiency, and you want Dueling style for decent damage.

No point in taking Eldritch Blast without Agonizing Blast. Might as well use a Shortbow - 1d6+DEX damage is going to yield better results than flat 1d10, specially if you have higher DEX than CHA. And if you take that fighter level you can just use Longbows instead. But you should take Agonizing Blast, tho. It's good.

>>54330198
I don't know about wizard types, but having a Ranger is fantastic solely for Pass Without Trace. Anything else the class can do is gravy.

File: 1442097147945.jpg (127KB, 975x971px) Image search: [Google]

127KB, 975x971px

>>54330253
>Allow me to break the ice
>Proceeds to encase them in ice
What did he mean by this

>>54330153
Basically?
There are no roles. There's stuff you can do that has an effect, but 5E is not 4E. 4E is kind of the D&D exception, it was trying real hard to lure in that WoW crowd and became a TTRPG trying to be an MMORPG. So it got all these video gamey terms, which D&D before and after 4E just no longer follow, because video games are pretty goddamn rigid in their structure and TTRPGs can be a lot more freeform.

>>54330153
n/a. 4e was the only D&D to explicitly label classes by their intended combat role. In 5e you can play things up differently based on subclass and spell choice.

File: 4851408501.png (163KB, 445x529px) Image search: [Google]

163KB, 445x529px

I want to create an ability similar to favored enemy for a 11th level Monk but that only work in fey and fiend, what can I do to make it more unique and not just a straight copy? Basically something that helps to detect and gather information about them

File: stimulates your neurons.jpg (78KB, 1024x576px) Image search: [Google]

78KB, 1024x576px

>>54327916
>wants to teach his players that talking can solve problems
>doesn't talk to them

>>54330334
>Advanced Ki sense
>Your mastery of Ki allows you to sense living creatures up to X distance. In addition you can discern the subtle differences between the Ki of mortals, fey and fiend

Something like that?

>>54329970
Oh seriously? I thought my Pirate Lord thing was passé. Let me lead with my game takes place in my own ideal of Golarion from Pathfinder.

Let's see...

I have a Triton who is the Pirate Lord of the Inner Sea District. The Inner Sea district is an especially heavy trade route that leads to one of the planets most fruitful market metropolis, the seas around that location are full of Aboleths and powerful sea creatures like it. He adores travel and his crew respects him to no end. His big claim to fame was finding a very small but extremely well-hidden island that held ancient and very territorial barbarians. He and his crew destroyed the island's inhabitants in a beautiful battle of glory that his first mate Anlow always sings praises about. Funny thing about this guy though.... he quit, the trading life around him took hold of him and he felt he found all that he needed to in the Inner Sea District, so he turned to trading. People still respect him (royalty included) heavily for his findings and charisma most still referring to him as a Lord.

This is the one I have the most work on at the moment, I have 3 others. One that is the Pirate Lord of the most dangerous sea district on the planet that is littered with other pirates,Krakens ,demons, ghost, and unending storms (This guy is a vampire and feared greatly.), another who is the Pirate Lord/Lady of the Dirt Sea who rides around on a Sandship and has found unimaginable amounts of wealth (She is a Tabaxi), and lastly a Halfling who's specific sea district I'm still working on making.

>>54330378
That's more like divine sense, it isn't? Favored enemy give you advantage in rolls and one language.

Hey guys, can you use shove with reach weapons at range? RAW is pretty ambiguous but seems to allow it

>>54330439
I can't find a Sage Advice ruling on it but I'd allow it. It gets kind of weird with shoving away with a whip, but shoving prone with reach weapons is pretty easy to fluff.

File: 1434764991899.jpg (35KB, 460x345px) Image search: [Google]

35KB, 460x345px

>>54330439
Do you even shove with your weapon?

>>54330395
Well they don't exactly need languages in the long run. Maybe just giving either proficiency or expertise if they already have proficiency on int skills relating to demons and fey?

Can you dispel a Conjure Animals/Elemental/etc?

>>54330503
>Can Dispel Magic dispel magic?

>>54330489
I comvinced my DM to allow pulling with a whip
>>54330490
Well since you can shove with no free hand and you can def RAW shove with a shield you can assume it is with a weapon. Tripping someone with a whip around their ankle seems perfectly logical. I suppose the crux of the whole thing is whether or not you use a weapon to shove and the rules are silent on the subject

>>54330490
I don't know, but if you get Shield Master you CAN shove with your shield.

>>54330703
>you CAN shove with your shield as a bonus action
FTFY
I think we can assume, considering 5e's design philosophy, that anyone can shove with a shield. It would just be their Attack action, or part of it.

>>54330490
I don't see why not. The only one that's a bit iffy is the whip, and you could fluff it as wrapping around their ankle and tripping them, which works for the 5ft shove as them stumbling back rather than being knocked on their ass.

>>54330439
RAW fuck knows. Logically though i'd say using their reach is fine but only for knocking prone. Think of it as using a whip to trip someone or scything someones legs out from under them with a pikes shaft or something. But pushing a dude away with a pike at range is just you stabbing the cunt, or alternatively jabbing them with the blunt end which I guess would fall under a quarterstaff attack, and probably wouldn't have the same reach unless you shifted your grip to practically holding the blade which doesn't really make any sense.

Although as >>54330902 says if you think of it as them stumbling back after you nearly took their legs out from under them it works fine I guess.

>>54326527
Are there official spells anywhere that isn't the PHB or Swordcoast?

>>54330915
>Although as >>54330902 says if you think of it as them stumbling back after you nearly took their legs out from under them it works fine I guess.
Or maybe you swung so violently and relentlessly that they were forced to step back and give way in order to not get hit.

I have a question towards all the dms in here: do you every give your pcs a bad ending?

For example say they had to stop a summoning or prevent a nation from taking over their nation and they fail and end up dying, do you end the campaign there, continue, or never even let it get that far gone?

>>54327393
Only bonus action spells have the limitation. Action and reaction spells don't interfere.

File: Gywn_using_sunlight_spear.jpg (132KB, 1280x720px) Image search: [Google]

132KB, 1280x720px

What is the closest spell to Sunlight Spear?

>>54330976
Great question, my party is trying to stop a summoning of an Archdevil. If they fail to stop the cultist from summoning it, I'm going to try and continue it. There are always ways of stopping evil like this, gods and divine favors exist after all.

I will let it continue till the bitter end.

File: Capture.png (250KB, 1479x486px) Image search: [Google]

250KB, 1479x486px

>>54330999

>>54330999
Don't really know what that is, but I'd guess Sunbeam or Lightning Bolt.

>>54330999
Do you want it to real radiant, lightning, or fire damage?

>>54331033
I'm looking for all my options at this point.

New DM here, can I get some general advice on loot and rewards?

I really dislike classes that know their entire spell list. Would giving Paladin, Druid and Cleric a wizards spells-known-progression break them?

>>54330929
Elemental Evil Player's Companion, and the Starter Spells UA.

>>54326844

Word of Crawford is that it must be a different creature. Key words are "second creature."

>>54327120

Not in OTB play, they're not.

>>54327563

I don't think 5eg has fully understood that "it's up to you" is corporate-ese for "thanks for buying our books but we're sure as fuck not going to drive over to your house and save you from yourselves."

>>54327690

It's very hard for players to win a mirror-match to begin with. DMs will always have an easier time coordinating actions with themselves than players will coordinating with each other.

>>54328382

Find or make overhead maps, make a flow chart of room connections, pre-stock with enemies and treasures, find or write any needed new sub-systems, and then run it.

What are some neat effects to put on Uncommon ranged weapons?

In this case Darts, but any ranged weapon really.

Maybe
>Whirlwind [weapon(s)]
>You can replace weapon attacks made with this weapon with a shove attempt. On a hit, instead of dealing damage the [weapon] pushes the target back 10 feet.

>>54329701

*Nosh. Gnosh is a food company.

>>54329718

Don't. Once you've hit the book-suggested XP/adventuring day CR is your difficulty dial.

>>54330114

Does anyone else actually use this map? If you don't use the actual names it's actually a pretty good emergency continent map.

>>54327537
>With the Warcaster feat, I am allowed to cast spells that target only one creature and have a casting time of one action as a reaction when a creature provokes an attack of opportunity, such as Booming Blade.
FTFY.
>>54327690
>Maybe nerf them a little next time though? GMs can fudge things for the sake of it.
Maybe the rivals have some strife or tension in their party and the heroes can use teamwork to take them down piece by piece.
>>54328414
It just needs to have one. The component isn't consumed, or else it has to be provided.
>>54329464
I think if you're going to talk about cowardice, prey, and hunting, you should call the party turtles instead of smallfolk. That's more a giant's term. But then I feel no white dragon can be as awesome as the leader. I'm just glad Rak is back.
>>54330153
If you're familiar with 4e and Essentials, 5e's classes are more like the supertypes, so your overall build plays more in determining your role and you're allowed to fuck off/fuck up and make a warlock without eldritch blast, for example. If you aren't familiar with Essentials, they made fighter the overclass with PHB fighters being Weapon Masters(defender) and Essentials' fighters being Knights(defender) or Slayers(striker).

>>54330153

5e doesn't have named roles anymore, but some of the underlying tactics do apply. Outside of a not-so-beloved UA there's no threat mechanics but positional tactics got way deeper.

The tricky part of 5e is that outside of a very few builds nobody can just build for one thing anymore. So a character might be designed to protect the back row DPR and cover choke points but if that's not what the fight demands they may have to move up and melee DPR themselves, or a character built for battlefield control/debuff may have to pull back and ranged DPR. So it's all a lot more fluid and un-obvious than earlier versions.

>>54330048
Sadly this is true.

I however houserule it that a random encounter does interrupt a long rest and the players can't benefit from a long rest again for another 24 hours as per the rules. I will let it count as a short rest if the encounter happens after the one hour mark of rest. They then either have to hole themselves up for a day somehow (which will invite even more random encounters) or press on.

Otherwise long rest spamming is the only strategy worth doing. Defeat an encounter. Long rest. Defeat the next one. Long rest.

Sure you can add time limits to quests but it becomes arbitrary to make every single thing the players do in game against some clock. Sure you can have monsters reinforce themselves but that doesn't always make sense in every situation and a long rested party is so powerful anyway that killing a bunch of reinforced enemies won't matter either. They'll just long rest after after all.

And yes sure you can say 'please don't do that guys' but then the game devolved into arbitrary mother may I where the players have to question the metagame every time they want to do something rather than interact with the world.

>>54330439

"Shoving a Creature: Using the Attack action...The target must be no more than one size larger than you and must be within your reach."

"Reach: This weapon adds 5 feet to your reach when you attack with it, as well as when determining your reach for opportunity attacks with it."

Looks good from here.

>tfw usually play as human

I regret nothing you lesser races.

Newfriend here, can you incorporate something like your character having to spin around a couple of times before casting magic(which is more powerful) mechanically or can you only do something like low speed high intel with this? I want to mimick a sufi saint

>>54330153

Defender, not Tank. It's an area 5e doesn't really have anything that does it.

>>54331557

You can make him spin for his spell. In combat each action of a person is 6 seconds. So whatever goes with your boat.

>>54331596
Can you also do something like the spinning raising composture instead/also

>>54330282
Well, first there was no ice, so he can't break the ice
He creates ice that just so happens to contain adventurers (This is ideal)
He then proceeds to break the ice

>>54326699
Halflings. Short, sneaky, and often fight dirty.
Gnomes are Asians: short, with a tendency for quirky culture and magical invention.

>>54326696
>>54326752
It says how to handle those in the stat block nigga. Lair actions are on a separate initiative count, legendary are at the end of some other creature's turn.

>>54331557
Fluff whatever you want, however you want, as long as it doesn't break rules.

If you feel you NEED to break rules, ask your dm and be willing to compromise.

Yes, your bard can dance for all their spells and abilities. Your DM will probably let you use some sort of dancing prop instead of a musical instrument. You should still be willing to have one hand occupied and make sound.

File: sean-kyle-manaloto-the-dead-sighed.jpg (660KB, 1920x1357px) Image search: [Google]

660KB, 1920x1357px

Was wondering if any DMs have done exploration in initiative order? My current DM is doing it and then he wonders why the sessions take forever just to explore some ruins. When I DM I have never done this to my players.

File: printable_heroes.jpg (391KB, 1280x898px) Image search: [Google]

391KB, 1280x898px

So I'm making some paper minis for my party of 6 players (using chess pieces isn't as fun).
In your opinions what would be a decent amount and type of minis that will have solid use?

For example I'm thinking 10 generic guards, 5 guard captains and 3 guard commanders. Similar setup with rogue/bandits. Reasonable?

Any advice on a good number/types of undead or even other monsters?

>>54331696
thanks. btw the sufis DO use their hands in the dance a bit so it could work but could you >>54331657 ?

>>54331707
No. What the hell, why does he use initiative for exploration?

>>54331707
I could see asking for initiative rolls at the beginning of a dungeon, especially if you plan a large number of weak encounters, to save time.

If you mean
>i walk 30 feet ahead and attempt to check for traps
once for each party member out of combat, no that's fucking retarded.

>>54331717
How are you making them?

>>54327028
first campaign I DMed was Elf rogue, Half-elf monk, tiefling warlock, and halfling fighter

Next I played one that was dragonborn paladin, basically that exact same elf character but now a fighter who decided to later multiclass druid, and then myself as a warlock human child, because gullible and eager hands walking a path paved with good intentions seemed like an enjoyable time bomb to add to the story. I did go variant human, but chose Lucky, because children in stories tend to have plot armor, at least until such point that something very horrible happens, in which case the absence of that armor adds contrast.

Upcoming campaign I'm DMing is 4 genasi, one of each element.

So... probably depends on your group, but nah. Basically only chosen by people who are munchkins, or who don't want race to interfere with their character's story arc.

>>54331744
Was thinking of doing the A-Frame style and using binder clips for stands.
Maybe even buy some Pathfinder pawns bases in the future.

>>54326890
Fuck you. I want muh shield master straight off the bat.

>>54331717
Armored and unarmored humanoids are a solid bet, they can be re-used for anything.

Wolves are a good call, again because there is a large variety of them.

I recommend a black and white Dragon of each size, preferably with colored bases for the different types.

Beholders are iconic, although harder to re-use.

A couple plants can represent a number of monsters, as well as being terrain features. Several large trees at a minimum.

Chests/mimics, because who doesn't love the mimic, and you can use it as a chest whenever it ISN'T a mimic.

Whatever your favorite monsters are too, of course. Especially if it isn't a fantasy staple, having a visual identifier can really immerse players.

>>54327120
there are two kinds of players.

Cool first
Plan first

Cool Firsts never choose human, it's vanilla, its "boring." It doesn't come with neat strings attached. They have no flashy powers. No inherent quirky personality or troubled backstory stereotypes to latch onto. They are made of purely whatever ideas you bring to the table.

Plan Firsts almost exclusively choose human, because whether that plan is for story or stats, having something they can mold as they please without the "cool" baggage getting in the way is just better to them 9 times out of ten.

And, in good game design, Wizards made each cater to the needs fo each quite well. The non-humans are all very iconic and flashy and well inform all of the tropes to fall back on. And (variant) humans are very, very moldable.
Not quite sure what they were trying to accomplish with non-variant though. I guess just to have something with no extra buttons and no inherent weaknesses, for that new player you hand a mostly made human fighter and say "in combat you'll just attack every round, so focus on learning the basics and RP"?

>>54331717
Anything else that can play double duty as terrain features/hazards also works. A fire elemental can just as easily be fire, an earth elemental a boulder.
Horses can see use everywhere, as can wagons and even just boxes.

An ooze and/or cube can be used with colored bases, again, to represent different oozes.

>>54327158
>not playing an Aarakocra Sun Cleric of Ra

File: 1497082857508.jpg (501KB, 1720x1000px) Image search: [Google]

501KB, 1720x1000px

>>54331720
literally like >>54331739 said.
>i walk 30 feet ahead and attempt to check for traps
I tried to tell him but he said it lets each player have time to shine. but now there tends to be a player who never gets to do anything before the other players already check most things in their turns.

>>54331846
Fuckin this

>>54331846
What if I mix it up and play a steady mix of Human and more exotic races? I normally build story first, then mechanics second though.

>>54326553
They founded a city called Pyrate City.

It was going to be called Pirate city but someone said it was a stupid idea but didn't have a better one.

Naming things that don't float on water isn't a pirate strong point.

>>54332003
You should have called it Libertalia after the mythical pirate utopia

>>54331846

Normal Humans are literally designed for MAD builds, it's just that MAD builds are unpopular on the net atm. Any race that can get by with [14, 14, 14, 14, 14, 11], [14, 14, 14, 14, 13, 12], or [16, 16, 16, 9, 9,9] without forcing a CHA >= 10 is capable of class design and multiclassing that others aren't.

I just use a caller for non-combat situations, that handles this problem quite well.

>>54327247
Nonsense. All of those work if you frame them right.

Oldschool (pre-4e) Dragonborn were people "blessed" by the dragon gods Baphomet and Tiamat for good service. "I'm a dragon, being a dragon is the best, ergo, I will make all my human servants part dragon without asking, as a surprise reward, because I am a dragon and a god, so all my decisions are eternally wise"
Don't touch that 4e-5e "a continent warped in" stuff.

Tieflings are a race of people whose nobles were conmanned into becoming Asmodeus' stepchildren, because they were so worried about winning an arms race they never stopped to think, "hey how exactly is he going to give us this additional power anyway?" His answer: give them devil heritage; His heritage. Now they mistrust higher powers in general, and people mistrust them because what kind of bloodthirsty madman signs a deal with Asmodeus without reading the fine print just so they can murder an opposing nation better?
Seems fine to me if anything Aasimars are the snowflakes. Tiefling just seems like Half-orc but replacing all instances of "hot-headed brute" with "dangerous psychopath."

Kender, kender fall into place fine if you realize that 4-5th age Krynn is basically a crapsack world in an abusive relationship with its creators where everybody pretends we're happy and it's gonna be fine and please stop abandoning us gods we're gonna die.
Of course private property-less, secret-exposing, 'smile at everything' propaganda-spreading nuisance midgets exist in what is essentially an authoritarian dystopia, and of course everyone grits their teeth, smiles, and begrudgingly puts up with them. They're afraid not to. And it's even canon that most things do generally want to stab all the blood out of their body, and will do so given an excuse .Like Klingons and tribbles. It's why they have a taunt. They are canonically so annoying they send things into frothing bloodlust the moment they can stop holding back.
They exist to add insult to injury.

>>54332257
>Don't touch that 4e-5e "a continent warped in" stuff.
>My fetishbait dragonborn is better than FR lore
I suppose, but you're setting the bar pretty damn low.

File: BaconAndNecktieMoralityGraph_6986[1].png (19KB, 350x330px) Image search: [Google]

19KB, 350x330px

>>54327346
>intelligent, long-lived, and VERY alien and fey-ish
>live underground and craft mostly ill-advised prototypes, that range from "why would you ever want that" to "potentially very effective but hazardous is an understatement."
>small, capricious, and literally manic, prone to obsessions.
FTFY

If anything, their world role is closer to good-aligned pathfinder goblins, the main difference being that goblins behave the way they do because they don't think first, gnomes behave the way they do because they were bored, or their logic is not necessarily our logic, their reason not our reason.

In a bad player's hands this comes off as "lolsorandumb" which is why I understand how it has gained such a poor reputation.
But played right it is an unsettling, slightly incomprehensible but typically friendly presence that gets you out of scrapes with out-of-the-box approaches, provides comedic relief, and comments on overlooked curiosities we daily take for granted. Which is why I feel the need to defend it.
The difference is simple. You do things that make the party 'sensible one' go "WHY?" but then also have an actual, thought out, self-coherent answer. Not necessarily something that designated stick-in-the-mud will then agree makes sense, but something that does at least make sense with itself. A worldview, askew.

Honestly, kind of similar to how I expect AIs to integrate into society once they become people. Speaking of, they also make good mad scientist and "greater good zealot" villains.

>>54327579
Pretty much what >>54327694 said. A good example is burning hands, I've seen it flavoured as fire breath more times than I've seen it used from their hands.

>>54327463
>I guarantee every time somebody makes a dragonborn their entire backstory will revolve around being a dragonborn because it's So "unique" and "unusual" even though it's the most generic dragonborn backstory in the world
I had a player who did not do this. His backstory was about growing up on an uninhabited island as a young goku-esque wilderness child who became a folk hero by happenstance-illy killing some sea monsters who were terrorizing some nearby fishing villages. It really only factored into his character in terms of "I am a 7ft+ ox of a man, covered in thick scales, and occasionally spew lightning, and people recognize that and go, 'wow he looks tough.'"

Tieflings, tieflings are the ones who are only ever the same 3 characters. I can't blame them, it's very specific, there's pretty much only 3 ways to go with it: Embrace, reject, apathy. You follow your ancestors path, refuse it and join the other side, or decide they both suck and just stop caring about theology altogether. It's too narrow.

>>54332695
I'm now imagining bowtie is the neutral of that alignment.

>>54326751
hobgobs are china

>>54328550
>this is how I managed to play both a tiefling paladin, in a setting where tieflings are discriminated against on religious grounds, and a female dwarf, in a setting where dwarfs are patriarchal and a woman's place is in the kitchen.
Since paladins don't need to be ordained, i'd say if anything those are both good reason to BECOME an adventurer.

>>54329453
one of the events for Wild Magic Sorceror is a Fireball centered on yourself.

>>54329464
did you read the bestiary entry on white dragons?
this is not a white dragons speech. I would not even expect a speech out of a white dragon.

>>54332980
How do you know he didn't introduce changes to white dragons in his game/setting?

>>54329483
>(and lack of treasure tables)
they're in the DMG, and, in fact, here have an automated version.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1hKx8ETYD-dF6L5hOME2Abh-cTvUgyLdECwMPySx8li8/edit?usp=drive_web

>>54326553
>>54326553
In my current adventure, there are kobold pirates. A dragon led (as in forced) a kobold tribe to a abandoned fortress on a small rock within the sea. He tasked them to defend from anyone approaching. Since the kobolds don't have to maintain a lair, they have a lot of spare time. One intelligent kobold read the books within the library of the fortress and therefore read a lot about pirates. He decided to become a pirate himself. Wears an eyepatch, though he doesn't know why, an has a badly carved wooden parrot on his shoulder, which he secretly named after his dragon master.

>>54330999
ARGANAZZAR'S SCORCHER

This is a reminder that the Ranger only finds extra food, not extra water.

>>54333037
>has a badly carved wooden parrot on his shoulder, which he secretly named after his dragon master.
I hope you have the opportunity to use this fact for a riddle or something.

File: bandit chieftain 2.jpg (13KB, 236x298px) Image search: [Google]

13KB, 236x298px

>>54326553
They're not fucking pansy twinks, that's for sure. Look at this guy, he looks like a 14 year old cum dumpster that the others would pass around for fun. He's not at all threatening. How can he call himself a pirate? How can he command the respect of, let's face it, a bunch of cutthroat thugs and bullies? How can he pull up next to a merchant vessel, say "arrggh, gimme your shit" and expect to be taken seriously?

Pirates, as thugs and thieves, need to be intimidating. This guy isn't. It doesn't mean pirates need to be straight or even men, but they need to be scary.

>>54331559
paladin has compelled duel

>>54331707
only if you set off a trap.

>>54331978
it's about your reasons. why do you do what you do?

>>54333061
Yeah, currently there are two rivaling kobold groups fighting for the dragons approval. The fact that the parrot is named after a cute, shortened version of the dragon, is one step of the way to discritize the pirate kobold and his followers. I couldn't come up with something else yet.

Would you allow plane shift Naga as a race?

>>54333222
As a Refluffed Yuan Ti, maybe

>>54331559
UA Ancestral Guardian Barbarian with the Sentinel feat is almost a dead ringer for a 4e Defender.

>>54332257
>Aasimars are the snowflakes
I desperately try to play my Aasimar Light Cleric of Nepotism like this, but my group can get so asinine that I'm always finding myself as reluctant voice of authority

>>54331718
anyone?

File: 1370914378776.png (370KB, 720x544px) Image search: [Google]

370KB, 720x544px

I hope you don't allow Insight checks in your games.

Rolling a dice to see if someone is lying is for bad DMs and poor roleplay.

>>54330153
Roles in 5e are weird because, essentially, you don't want a front line.

You have 'firing line' styles of roles that help keep enemies away while still firing (i.e. repelling blastlock) and they work better amongst others of the same role.
You then have non-combat roles such as ritual utility and skill utility.
The wizard then is kind of a 'improvised action monkey' as their cantrip damage sucks so they might as well use their actions for silly stuff like making illusionary firing boxes.
You then have raw single-target damage such as from SS/CBE fighter. They get a bit of push, though.
You then get the people who can fight at range but need to be in melee to use resources (paladins/monks/barbarians) and often provide different forms of team support.

>>54333299
>Player playing an incredibly wise old man who has seen and heard it all
>But they're dumb
>'No, you don't know if anyone is lying you dumbo'

It's also useful for other things that might have deception applied such as feints.

>>54331718
I just realized that I typed composture instead of 'constitution' I'm an idiot

File: 1333015432385.jpg (18KB, 396x403px) Image search: [Google]

18KB, 396x403px

>>54333320
>feints
>I'd like to insight check his sword swing to see if its a feint

>>54332517
Its not "better" than the lore, it WAS the lore, then they decided to change it because muh dragon australia replaces half the world.

>>54333299
Rolling insight to see if someone's lying implies the DM is rolling charisma (deception) against a PC and you really shouldn't be doing that carelessly. Insight is used to discern what makes an NPC tick. Their hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Or their ideals, flaws, and bonds, if you will.

File: Unwrapping+the+Father's+Day+Bacon+Tie[1].jpg (333KB, 1000x667px) Image search: [Google]

333KB, 1000x667px

>>54332824
And those dratted gray areas you end up having to debate.

>>54332995
then he should mention them before saying "does this sound good coming out of a white dragon's mouth?"

>>54333387
No it isn't

>Your Wisdom (Insight) check decides whether you can determine the true intentions of a creature, such as when searching out a lie or predicting someone’s next move. Doing so involves gleaning clues from body language, speech habits, and changes in mannerisms.

Its used to literally tell you if the shifty barman is sweating nervously or doing weird hand movements.

>>54326527
How do you quickly manage encounters if your player count varies? I usually prepare all encounters for my adventures. Our core group is 8 players. However, sometimes a lot of people can't attend, so that from 8 planned players, 4 are at the table. Obviously, an easy encounter for 8 players will become guaranteed death for 4.

For encounters with large amounts of monsters it is fairly simple, drop some. For other encounters it is difficult. The aboleth my players faced would have been a minor annoyance for 8 players of level 5, there was no way they could beat it using 4 players.

Currently, i simply reduce the strength of monsters ad hoc. The problem here is, that it is hard to discern how much reducing the difficulty is too much.

>>54333454
http://kobold.club/fight/

>>54333386
It was fetishbait. Then they changed it because that's awful, but the FR version is also awful, because isn't it always? Dragonborn weren't that retarded for any other setting.

>>54333299
Insight tells you if they're acting strangely.
It doesn't say "they is lying, gettim!"

It's for noticing behavior and getting hunches, not interpreting those hunches. Interpreting is for RP.

>>54333471
Yeah, we usually play without any electricity at the table, therefore ad hoc encounter creation is not an option. Probably I will just invest a little more time an always plan an emergency encounter

>>54333373
>I think he's gonna juke me
>yo, he tried to juke me, good thing I didn't fall for it and open my guard trying to block an attack from the angle he was faking.

Same way it's always worked bucko.

>>54333373
>Implying
No, some skills call for deception versus insight such as a feint.
You can't with a 'no rolling insight' system say 'I think he might have feinted'.


As a general thing I agree people should drop hints instead of shit like 'please roll for perception on every single floor tile to check for traps' and also drop hints if someone might be lying, but insight is just like investigation to give clues.

Giving your players information is good.

File: 1346304490736.jpg (75KB, 720x960px) Image search: [Google]

75KB, 720x960px

>>54333486
And players will abuse it in every conversation.

>NPC doesn't want to instantly open up and spill their life story to PC
>Roll an insight check, oh no he's hiding something

The real question is do you allow insight checks for complete strangers? How can the PC know what the typical behavior for Sarah the prostitute is.

>>54333523
I've no idea what system you're describing anon, but it isn't D&D.

>>54333440
>Doing so involves gleaning clues from body language, speech habits, and changes in mannerisms.
Right. And then what do you do with all that information you're gathering about his behavior? You compile a profile.

>>54333523
Design encounters for 4 and 8 players, then it won't be hard to adjust inbetween based on how many players there are.

>>54333541
>How can the PC know what the typical behavior for Sarah the prostitute is.
They can guess. Using insight.

>>54333454
Eh, I have a constant player count, but if I do need to adjust difficulty, I usually do it via reinforcements. I frequently have new enemies join mid-fight, so if it's too hard I'll just make one group not come, if it's too easy then I'll add extras.

File: 1332207831413.jpg (23KB, 569x428px) Image search: [Google]

23KB, 569x428px

>>54333545
>Some players can't remember what happened last week or the name of that Dragon they just killed
>"Its not my fault I have a bad memory"
>That same player wants to compile a profile of behaviours because they have a +2 to WIS

>>54333550
You've misunderstood anon. To see that something is out of the ordinary with a person, one must have a baseline for that person.

>>54333558
Personally I'd rather use this approach sparingly.

Instead, provide optional extra encounters on the sidelines for players to track down if they don't feel challenged.

When players get into a fight and it's not an ambush, they should know what they're getting in for, not 'actually this is too easy I'm giving you even more enemies'
On the other side when it makes sense it's great. You corner three helpless goblins and they shout out for the rest of the goblins whereever to come along, and then the party has to decide if they want to bother killing these goblins while more come along or if they just want to leave them here.

>>54333454
8 at a table is kind of high.
And if they're not able to come regularly, might I suggest reorganizing into a Westmarches style campaign?

If your game is less player-driven, more villain of the week, Justice League Unlimited was still West Marches-y.

>>54333558
Yeah probably that is the better idea. Design an encounter in a way that 4 players might have a chance and insert additional foes if the full shebang is there.

Thanks

>>54333541
>I've no idea what system you're describing anon, but it isn't D&D.
Bluff checks to feint, and sense motive to resist.
That's DnD. Nothing else even uses those terms, except a few things like M&M2 that are 3.5 clones.

>>54333576
>>Some players can't remember what happened last week or the name of that Dragon they just killed
>>"Its not my fault I have a bad memory"
>>That same player wants to compile a profile of behaviours because they have a +2 to WIS
THEN YOU BE FLIPPING ECSTATIC THAT PLAYER OAF IS FINALLY TAKING NOTES, AND HECK, MIGHT REMEMBER SOME OF THIS WEEK'S GAME NEXT WEEK BECAUSE OF IT.

>>54333576
>You've misunderstood anon. To see that something is out of the ordinary with a person, one must have a baseline for that person.
Okay, but people as a whole have a baseline you can expect to see. It's why autistics have trouble. They have an abnormal baseline, and as such, everyone else's baseline seems abnormal.

And okay, sure,your insight check might say, "is avoiding eye contact, seems nervous, tripping over sentences" and then you the player have to decide, 'okay do I assume that she's normal but acting shady, or that she's an autistic hooker?'

>>54333595
>8 at a table is kind of high.
Yeah, I know, but those were the people interested within our group of friends. I haven't had the heart reject them.

Thanks for the info. I never heard of "west marches" style for campaigns before. I will have to stick to the monthly appointment otherwise we won't get to play ever. The other ideas i've quickly red upon googling the term sound promising. Especially since the core team of four players is almost always available.

File: Astral_Sea_3.jpg (196KB, 1024x1024px) Image search: [Google]

196KB, 1024x1024px

>>54328382
>>54328518
>It's a planar adventures game
>Portraits start easy with places on the material plane, then the inner planes, then finally the outer planes
>Portrait of the underdark, Barovia, some island in the plane of water, one of the City of Brass, another of the Feywild
>Later ones are things like the infinite staircase, Arborea, or the river Styx
Holy crap, I think this could fix my game. How do I continue expanding this? Read up on some planescape?

>>54333807
>I will have to stick to the monthly appointment otherwise we won't get to play ever.

The whole point of westmarches is that it allows flexibility of schedule for players.
They come to you and say "Hey, I want to go explore X. We want players A and C for this because they're good at dungeons, we want D along as muscle, and E wants to come because it's the only day off they'll have in a while. Are you available to run on such and such a day?"

Then you have time to prepare what they'll be up to, and have a good idea on who exactly will be there.

If you're worried about your core 4 getting too far ahead, another benefit of westmarches is that players can have multiple "accounts" per say, one for their high-level stuff, one as a smurf for playing with lower level groups.

A third benefit is that it can have multiple GMs sharing the burden. So if you have any players you'd trust to run your world for a session, you don't even necessarily have to be available if they want to go explore X on such and such a date. Maybe trusted player can run it, if they're okay with that. Heck, you might even get to play.