PS to mods: I recreated the post to remove all copyrighted art
#Radabard's Archive of Everything
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fading gulch
as a tip/request - throw up the PDF here too, GM binder can do weird artifacts for some folk (me included) on different browsers / PCs.
robust scroll
I'll try. It's 80+ pages and constantly updated, so even if its a small enough file it will be a snapshot of the document but will become out of date quickly
fading gulch
ah - index is for complete projects.
Did you mean for #1079871987867996210 instead?
robust scroll
It is a complete project, but it receives new content too. By the time any new content is released it is already tested.
fading gulch
mk
robust scroll
Yeah, file size is too large. After maximum compression it is 753mb, and max for Discord is 25 (500 with Nitro I think so not even Nitro would help lol) Sorry about that. I have had issues with GMBinder files myself so I tested this one from as many setups as I could. It displays correctly on my Samsung S10 (as long as its in a browser app and not a browser embedded in another app) so I was pretty confident I fixed the "GMBinder syndrome." Are you having issues with it right now, or are you helping anticipate issues others might have?
fading gulch
oof - gotta do some optimisation.
80 pages shouldn't be 750 xD
Like, I could PDF download, and run an optimisation pass but it'd likely be screwy cos it isn't going to render from GMB right.
Or if you can get yourself a copy of Acrobat X you can do it yourself 😉
robust scroll
There's like 3 images per page, could that be why?
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Not much I can do about that, they're already a little lower resolution than I'd like them to be. But if you know of any tools that automatically convert PDFs to text only I might be able to upload that?
robust scroll
It's 20.9mb, but there is a whole lot of issues in the PDF. I'm guessing the same issues you saw on your downloaded PDF. I gotta figure out why this is happening...
fierce ruin
Wow, that's a lot of new classes
robust scroll
Wow, that's a lot of new classes
I didn't even notice when it grew as large as it did. I just sat down to write a subclass that gave barbarians a lil bit of magic when raging, and next thing I know here's all this lol
fierce ruin
I was feeling pretty good about my output but you're far and above my quantities hahaha
Ohhhh I misread, I thought all that below slayer was new classes
Still
That's a lot of subclasses
What's your testing and review process like?
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I play a Witchblade in my Monday group, an Arachne in my Thursday group, and a friend is playing a Rimewight in the campaign I run on Tuesdays. We also take frequent breaks and do one-shots. Whenever we do, I test the things I wrote and some of my buddies who love playing Slayer do as well. It's a very versatile class so you can have a pretty competent team made up of just different Slayers lmfao
A lot of the subclasses for the core classes I also wrote for friends who use them in games. Order of the Wildguard was written for a player in the last campaign I ran, for example.
I also have a bunch of veteran DM / homebrewer buddies who like to run through the numbers in their heads and see if they can think of any exploits, etc.
fierce ruin
Ah
I'm jealous
My games aren't that frequent, and literally none of my regulars are interested in homebrew
And neither are my friends
robust scroll
We've been playing a while so we get bored lol
It also depends on the kind of homebrew you write. If you're fulfilling a specific player want, then you're essentially presenting them with a solution to a problem they themselves complained about. If you write homebrew that's cool to you but not doing something a player wants to play, it will be a much harder sell
fierce ruin
It also depends on the kind of homebrew you write. If you're fulfilling a specif...
Well
My friend very specifically wanted to play a psionic class
No interaction LOL
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I wrote Slayer because combat maneuvers are more fun than action surge, so it was an easy sell. Then I wrote Spiritblade because a buddy wanted to project their soul into a weapon that eventually became sentient like in Bleach, so that subclass was an easy sell. Same thing for Witchblade for playing a Witcher, or Iron Mimic for playing a transformer. It's almost like product design, you gotta design with the consumer in mind.
What did your friend want from the class that they couldn't get from other classes?
fierce ruin
If I'm remembering right, he wished Psi Warrior was its own class, and wanted a way to build a Jedi in 5e
Hence, Paragon (#1173739968192053248 message)
That's a wise tactic, though
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What did they end up playing instead?
fierce ruin
What did they end up playing instead?
Soul Knife rogue
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Does it do everything they wish the class/subclass did? Or are there things that are missing?
fierce ruin
Hard to say
They're one of two that are almost specifically anti-homebrew
I have one that specifically doesn't want anything to do with homebrew ever
And then the one we're talking about, who sees it as too much work or something
On Slayer:
I think I'm missing why you would want whips to be a monk weapon for you
robust scroll
In my experience players will typically prefer to reflavor things that already exist over the effort it takes to read homebrew and risk having a bad experience if it's not well-tested. Players will go for homebrew when that homebrew has a core mechanic that's not represented by 1st-party content.
I only wrote Slayer because there was no other way to remove boring abilities like action surge and indomitable to promote combat superiority to a core mechanic and make space for subclass abilities, but I wouldn't have if there was any other way.
It's also why I am struggling to come up with a good reason to write a full caster class. Full spell progression replaces the majority of features a class normally gets. Sorcerer already does spell modification, wizard already does recovering spell slots and free casts, and warlock already does permanent passive modifiers. I am at a loss for a different core mechanic that would fit, so any time I have a caster idea I write it as a subclass.
In fact, I'm struggling to come up with any other ideas for classes besides Slayer precisely because there are so many "you get ki/superiority dice/psi dice/blood curses/etc to do special moves" classes that it just makes more sense to make subclasses that use those resources in new ways instead
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On Slayer:
I think I'm missing why you would want whips to be a monk weapon for ...
Monk has a precedent of reflavoring existing weapons as far eastern weapons. Swords into hook swords, clubs into nunchucks, etc. I figured meteor hammers and rope darts desperately need some representation
fierce ruin
https://tenor.com/view/shang-chi-take-that-kick-gif-23029980
Right, yeah
I get the flavor
It's not providing anything mechanically though
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You get a reach weapon that increases damage along with your other monk weapons
Mechanically, it's mathematically equivalent to getting reach on your quarterstaff, shortsword, or any other monk weapon.
fierce ruin
You get a reach weapon that increases damage along with your other monk weapons
Slayers aren't monks
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There are several slayer subclasses that refer to monk weapons as defined by the monk class 🙂
Chimera Fist is a great example
And someone might want to multiclass monk, or use one of the fighting styles from the Archive with a non-Slayer class
fierce ruin
Oh
So, like the fighting styles you've included that reference spellcasting, 2 is effectively a dead level for you if you choose that option, unless you're multiclassing?
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Yeah. If you take Hex Fighting without a spellcasting ability, it does nothing for you
The Fighting Style has always been a way to flavor your martial combat independently of your class abilities, so I wanted to create fighting styles that allow that kind of customization without having to give up your level progression to multiclass
fierce ruin
That feels pretty bad, right?
You don't get spellcasting from the class until the next level unless you're already multiclassing or you have it from your race/background
fierce ruin
The Fighting Style has always been a way to flavor your martial combat independe...
I'm fully in support of this
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You can change fighting styles when you ASI, martial versatility
Campaigns that start at level 3+ also skip this little issue entirely
fierce ruin
That's a bit of an awkward solution
It honestly seems like you'd be served by flipping the subclass and fighting style here, for elegance
fierce ruin
Campaigns that start at level 3+ also skip this little issue entirely
Sure, and many do, but you can't assume they all will when designing
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It would be, unfortunately there simply is no space for it. I very much want combat superiority to be introduced at level 1 so players immediately get choices to make on each turn of combat instead of getting passive abilities, and I'd have to scale down the power level of all 1st subclass abilities to make them on par with what other martials get at level 2 if I bring them down from level 3.
fierce ruin
Ah. Wrote yourself into a bit of a corner there then
robust scroll
Design is all about choosing what you sacrifice lol
fierce ruin
In my experience players will typically prefer to reflavor things that already e...
Back to this —
The only time I've written a full caster class, I did it as a design challenge
You're right that a lot of things are already covered by what exists
I did take the Psionic energy dice and develop that into a whole system that I've based 4 classes on, though, so I do think there's room for experimentation
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I've been apprehensive. I've read the UA, but it seems like OG psionic mechanics have a very hard time making it out of UA
But it is a great opportunity for homebrewers to fill the gap
fierce ruin
I've been apprehensive. I've read the UA, but it seems like OG psionic mechanics...
I specifically didn't read it knowing that, so that it wouldn't influence me
robust scroll
Lol nice
I once tried to write an alternative magic system that gave d4s, d6s, d8s, d10s, d12s, and d20s as spell slots. Each spell would have a minimum dice size you'd have to use to cast it. But:
- It meant writing a whole new library of spells for this system.
- No one in their right mind would want to read a whole new library of spells.
- Upcasting made no sense ever since the different in using a larger dice was minimal, and their primary purpose was for casting higher level spells you can't cast with smaller dice.
Then I tried to write a full caster class that used spell points instead of spell slots, but also had metamagic. It became some kind of long-rest superwarlock. Any player testing it at higher levels would abandon all their lower level spells and used their spell points to spam 9th levels. Removing metamagic didn't help, the whole spell points optional rule is just ridiculously broken and unusable.
fierce ruin
I once tried to write an alternative magic system that gave d4s, d6s, d8s, d10s,...
That's what I did lol
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HOWEVER it works if you never gain access to spell slots above 4th level, which is how the Magus subclass came about.
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That's what I did lol
Ah I misread yours I thought ||successes upgraded your dice and failures downgraded your dice,|| like OG psionics.
fierce ruin
Ah I misread yours I thought ||successes upgraded your dice and failures downgra...
No, I'm unfamiliar with that system
robust scroll
It's not very good IMO, you're doing yourself a favor by not spoiling yourself with their bad ideas. It's very win-more / losing-spiral
fierce ruin
Makes sense
I just really wanted psionics to feel different mechanically and not just be "spells but you do it different"
robust scroll
Hmmm I just had an idea
You know grapple checks?
What if that but mental
Feel free to steal as long as you don't mind it potentially coming up in the Archive down the line too lmfao
fierce ruin
Eh I did make a post asking for Talent brainstorming
I think I already did that for a subclass though haha
robust scroll
Lmao nice
fierce ruin
🤞 some of my friends might playtest with me as a Christmas present
My husband is going to print off my psionics stuff as a little handbook
He was going to surprise me but he was missing access to one of the docs so he had to ask
fierce ruin
I play a Witchblade in my Monday group, an Arachne in my Thursday group, and a f...
Do you ever worry about this flexibility meaning it steps on toes?
robust scroll
Nah, this class is meant to be flexible like Fighter. You can be a dex fighter, str fighter, eldritch knight, etc. and Slayer is meant to do all that, but with even more options. And it's also meant to be a replacement for people who want to play something like a paladin, rogue, monk, etc. but with a lot more superiority dice in their kit instead of less fun abilities. You probably wouldn't want both a slayer templar and a paladin in one party, for example
fierce ruin
Ah. So it's a bit of a replacement for Fighter
What do you see as un-fun from rogue and paladin?
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What do you see as un-fun from rogue and paladin?
They each have some incredibly fun mechanics, but they also have some less fun mechanics. And a lot of those less-fun mechanics are strong, but they're also non-interactive. Paladin gets channel divinity and spells so there's a lot more choice involved there, but rogues just make their single attack and bonus action hide.
Slayer Assassin doesn't give nearly as much single-attack damage as Rogue, but its a phenomenal option for anyone who wants to get expertise to stealth and thieves' tools while also having different attacks to choose from on each round of combat. The damage output is about the same as rogue, but it comes from a lot of smaller attacks rather than one massive attack per turn.
Paladin gives a lot more choice, but it also gives a lot of passive abilities like auras and such which are very strong but don't offer choices to make on each round of combat. Slayer Templar removes a lot of passive abilities to make room for maneuvers, and the end experience is that you're channeling divinity but you're also pushing and grabbing and tripping and all that fun stuff.
I wrote two subclasses for Rogue because, despite maneuvers being more fun, there are power fantasies that work better with single huge-damage attacks than with different maneuvers. Chainrider is inspired by Attack on Titan and its all about using your Motorized Climber's Kit to zoom into an enemy and deliver a massive blow. Blood Dancer is about recovering pact magic spell slots on kills, so it also works best with a class like rogue.
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That feels pretty bad, right?
You don't get spellcasting from the class until th...
I updated Hex Fighting based on your feedback. Thank you!
fierce ruin
I updated Hex Fighting based on your feedback. Thank you!
Oh, that's awesome! Glad I could help. I think that will definitely feel better.
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NEW CLASS!!! The witch is a spellcaster class that learns spells by copying scrolls into their spellbook, like a wizard, but it gets metamagic instead of getting arcane recovery. Your subclass is your choice of familiar, and each familiar teaches you different things. So far I wrote two: the hound and the toad. The hound is better at attacking than other familiars and can eventually make two attacks, instead of one, when following up after your spells. The toad teaches you to store your spells as potions that you can give to your allies and, eventually, how to make poisons that can coat weapons too.
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Two new subclasses for the witch: the crow and the rat! The crow gives you mastery of curses, upgrading concentration spells cast on hostile creatures. The rat gives you power over undeath, upgrading your spells that create undead 🙂
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Update! I created a Discord for Radabard's Archive of Everything. It is the best place to post balance issue reports, requests for future content, find games that allow RAoE, friends, and more! https://discord.gg/ukpAqn6FXe
robust scroll
Huh, so it looks like there is an optional rule for monks called Dedicated Weapon that lets most weapons (including whips) already be a monk weapon (and makes Kensei completely pointless). Deleting the fighting style that does it
fierce ruin
Huh, so it looks like there is an optional rule for monks called Dedicated Weapo...
Aww. Poor Kensei
fading gulch
Huh, so it looks like there is an optional rule for monks called Dedicated Weapo...
it doesn't really make kensei pointless
Kensei gets 1 ranged, 1 melee, +3 either over time weapons that isn't heavy/special permanently.
You also don't have to be proficient with the weapon.
They also get you know... 7 or so other features. xD
And kensei features work with kensei weapons.
Dedicated Weapon is 1 weapon you are proficient with, that isn't heavy or special
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Kensei gets 1 ranged, 1 melee, +3 either over time weapons that isn't heavy/spec...
That is true I may have been hyperbolic lmao
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GMBinder has made me lose progress for the last time so I decided to build a website for Radabard's Archive of Everything! So far, only the base Slayer class and the Assassin subclass are up there, but I will be moving the rest of the content over soon! If anyone has a chance to test the website I'd really appreciate it https://bit.ly/radabardstower
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NEW CLASS ON MY WEBSITE!!! The Witch is a mix of old ideas and missed opportunities to create something new: a Wisdom caster that can store spells as potions and has a deeper relationship with their familiar. In fact, your familiar choice determines your subclass; the first subclass, the Crow, expands your knowledge of curses 🙂 check it out at https://radabard.com
swift frigate
I love the idea and would love to play it but to me it seems like access to spells such as fly and haste without concentration immediately at 5th level as well as access to casting self spells like fire shield on others seems a little powerful. I’m not very experienced at balancing so am happy to be overridden but I think it would be worth considering having another look over the spells accessible as concoctions or giving access to more powerful potions at higher levels.