dnd-discussion

[umbral girder]

Great for hitting hard and making a run for it

[hot marlin]

I would take literally any other use of my action rather than get one more HP.

Like, for example, dashing. If I need 1 HP, it means I am losing. Time to retreat

[humble cairn]

Good thing 2024 changed it to a Bonus.

[rough basalt]

There is no retreat

That's bad player etiquette /j

[hot marlin]

What?

[tawdry sentinel]

Goodberry is for out of combat healing or if DM allows it, competitive whackamole stopping people from being unconscious.

[umbral girder]

This character is 2014 notably

[jovial shadow]

It's bonus action to take a potion too

[rough basalt]

I've found a lot of people don't consider running away to be a viable option

[hot marlin]

Those people should die, as is proper

[rough basalt]

Or rather even consider its existence at all

[umbral girder]

death before dishonor! /jk

[hot marlin]

Note: It only works if the DM specifically allows it, RAW goodberries cannot be administered to someone else

[umbral girder]

You stay and die fighting that Lich just like Jabal! /jk

[olive wasp]

Because running away is uncool. I feel like most people go in with the presumption that it’s winnable even if it doesn’t seem like it

[hot marlin]

Which means that they cannot actually be used to save someone from being unconscious

[woven flint]

Hey, friends, is Bane Orcish?
His art makes him look like it kinda lol

[umbral girder]

He isn’t

[woven flint]

Oh?
He's "human"?

[umbral girder]

Wait until you find out Orcus isn’t Orcish either

[hot marlin]

He's supposed to be a former human, like the other two.

[olive wasp]

Stolen valor

[woven flint]

Well, I knew that lol

[umbral girder]

Despite the pig shape and the Orc in his name Orcus is not Orcish

[hot marlin]

My guess is that other people named the orcs that because they believed they were spawn of Orcus

[umbral girder]

angry Gruumsh noises

[hot marlin]

Making "orc" an exonym. They probably use another word to refer to themselves

[jovial shadow]

Pretty sure no one every considered orcs to be relatable to Orcus in any way. The names are just coincidental. Like Russia and Prussia

[rough basalt]

An issue with running away is when you do it too much

[olive wasp]

I just think that most operate under the assumption that the dm wouldn’t throw something at them that’s unwinnable. I mean I’m that kind of dumb. So I kinda need it to be spelled out that they look way to powerful to be taken down

[hot marlin]

Just because something is designed to be winnable does not mean that, in your current situation, you are winning.

And if you are losing, you should be retreating

[rugged hawk]

As someone with decades of D&D experience, there is nearly nothing that can get players to choose to retreat, unless you are entirely willing to turbostomp a few into dead paste in a couple rounds to hammer the morale of the rest.

[hollow stone]

they aren't???????????? i thought they were named russia and prussia because they're in the same east of central europe 😭

[scarlet marsh]

hiyas

ty ❤️

[stoic obsidian]

Unarmed strike barbarian sound like it be fun

[glass granite]

Beast barb

[jovial shadow]

Your damage output would be bad

[stoic obsidian]

Unless you do the fist feats

[glass granite]

A d8 at max is still aight

[jovial shadow]

I assume you mean Tavern Brawler. That's only 1d4

[nimble cypress]

I had one that was a gag character
A gnome barbarian that wore a pointy hat and cloak, he was barely functional in combat
We all had fun tho!

[umbral girder]

The new Berserker Barbarian would do some big damage too

[lavish flame]

"fist feats" I will do no such thing

[umbral girder]

Tasha’s and 2024 have a fighting style (can be from a feat) for 1d8

You also get an automatic d4 to targets that are grappled too

[rugged hawk]

You may be able to tell I've been traumatized (MANY, MANY times) by a DM team that is singularly focused on a lethal environment with often-lethal consequences. Standing your ground... can be a terrible idea a good 50/50 of the time. That said.... they were also rewarding for anyone who could manage to pull off the impossible, so you often had good reasons to attempt what was usually an exceedingly risky objective.

[umbral girder]

I’m guessing the Tasha’s feat specifically since the 2024 PHB doesn’t have a way for Barbarian to get it besides Multiclassing.

[remote wadi]

Just to be sure

[stoic obsidian]

Unarmed fighting for 2024

[remote wadi]

If an enemy spots even one person, they are incapable of being surprised

[rugged hawk]

You'd be surprised. I've seen just as many successes as failures, with both great rewards and permadeath (or arguably worse) for the failures.

[glass granite]

One enemy

[umbral girder]

Doesn’t work

[jovial shadow]

Unarmed fighting is a Fighting Style, which Barbarians don't get

[umbral girder]

In 2024 those feats require the Fighting style class feature which barbarian does not have

[remote wadi]

I'm saying that everyone applicable would need to pass the stealth check. If even one fails, no surprised condition?

[glass granite]

Yes

[umbral girder]

So the Tasha’s Feat can get it for you or Multiclassing

[stoic obsidian]

Tho I can multiclass

[remote wadi]

Yeah, I really do want to get the 3 levels in Rogue. I don't want to get PWT to fix some of my team's bad decisions. Trying to talk them into swapping to medium armor because most still have 14 or so dex

[stoic obsidian]

Barbarian fighter

[umbral girder]

Yeah. I said that. Multiple times

[shy stirrup]

@minor flicker Like I was saying to you earlier in DM chat. Such players do exist 🙂

[stoic obsidian]

Or option two used a species with unarmed strikes options

[glass granite]

What will rogue get you here tho to fix this problem?

[rugged hawk]

Unfortunately, a lot of those successes (in my opinion, at least) came down to a combination of character build, massive stockpiles of consumables, and every bit as importantly, player skill at DnD.

[shy stirrup]

Challenge the player,

not the character

[jovial shadow]

If you choose to fight a Tarrasque, dig two graves: one for you and one for the fool who followed you.

[stoic obsidian]

Honestly the way to do this is let your players fail and remember your players aren’t babies, they are tactical goblins that will find ways to beat your encounters even silly man McGee and over dramatic Twinkle Woodius that are gag and outside of combat guys can do it

Even new players can be like that

[woven flint]

What about the other two fools?

They dont get Graves? 😔

[rugged hawk]

I want to say yes, but at the same time, given the same builds and resources, I could probably not have pulled off some (or most, maybe?) of the crap I've seen. A ton of it came down to mechanical game knowledge and campaign knowledge, like how to obtain tons of gold for the consumables you'll need, but also the necessity of knowing exactly when to use each one and in what order, not to mention how to obtain rare gear and goods in the campaign that'll help the objective.

[stoic obsidian]

Knowledge can be gained over time too

Maybe it the case of happy medium

[olive wasp]

Nuh uh I’ve gained 0 of it

[rugged hawk]

Okay, I hear what you're saying. Counterpoint, I've been at this for literal decades.

[humble cairn]

Correct

[rugged hawk]

Also, in my experience, most of the challenges I saw were almost certainly tailored against the best/strongest players in the campaign, not anything on my tier.

[stoic obsidian]

Counterpoint you started at zero and learn as you go, and remember people can pick things pretty quickly as well, so what I am saying to the fullest no one player or new player will be the same in how well they will interact with the game

[olive wasp]

Objection!

[rugged hawk]

Sure, I could have attempted those things, but as a casual player, I had virtually no chance of actually succeeding at those tasks.

[stoic obsidian]

Overruled!

[empty thicket]

After fighting an owlbear with 100 more hp than a tarrasque (damage test from our dm) and survive.
Im turning on the pan, im trying that Tarrasque steak

Im eating the whole thing, dont leaving any piece of meat left.

[glass granite]

Chill on the full caps

[eager marsh]

you'll still be medium

[stoic obsidian]

And you don’t have to

[iron kiln]

The hell you mean chill??? Ain’t nothing even going on to not be chill at

[glass granite]

It messes with some of the text-to-speech

[empty thicket]

or die at old age too

[humble cairn]

Please don't use all caps, it messes with people using assistive tech to read.

[iron kiln]

Correct : )

[blissful ibex]

Why doesn't sorcerer, the biggest party member, simply eat the other 5? /ref

[iron kiln]

Or die of young age

[rugged hawk]

Well sure, I don't have to... if I'm fine with being essentially a background NPC / movie extra.

[stoic obsidian]

Or you tell the dm to create situations that challenge everyone equally

[woven flint]

If I were a Sorcerer, I'd eat my teammates too

[humble cairn]

It's not just PWT, but you seem determined to do this level progression, so do what you will. Just please don't come back in here and complain for literal days again if you don't do the kind of damage your hoping for.

[woven flint]

My last Sorcerer was an Eldritch Entity of an Aasimar fellow

[glass granite]

Even if you weren’t a sorcerer, would you do that?

[woven flint]

Yeah...
I hungee..

[glass granite]

Nom gaming (gotta love DM’s ruling in favour of Dhampir bite monks)

[woven flint]

I've only had ONE character that eats flesh, he was cursed to do so, but only ate the flesh of the deceased to not harm the living as he was a Druid

[glass granite]

Does he not get a tummy ache

[rugged hawk]

Given the campaign, our DMs, the challenges, the rewards at stake, and the overall intended difficulty / hardcore nature of the game, that was.... probably not going to fly. Obviously you wouldn't just have, say, a Tarrasque hucked at you at level 3 if you took part in a monster fighting tournment.... but you will almost certainly be pitted on something you should almost certainly not be able to reasonably challenge, much less beat. With the loss almost always resulting in DOOOOM.

[woven flint]

Surprisingly, no lol

[glass granite]

Impressive

[woven flint]

He was also the easiest party member to feed, ironically

[iron kiln]

Had a humanoid eater twice

One an insect
Two a hexblood Druid raised by a hag soooo

The first one only ate humanoid once before I decided ehhh bad cahrecter trait

[woven flint]

He didn't enjoy it though, Flesh and even regular food tasted like decay to him 😔

[iron kiln]

Second one was fun though she enjoyed it she liked cooking proper meals from it she was a terrible person and she was fun to play

[woven flint]

He was a Wildfire Druid!
Purely for the Thematics.
His past life was destroyed to birth a new one.

[stoic obsidian]

Fair, and frankly I would tell them straight up you got more options than you think than fight

[iron kiln]

She had the fey lost trinket and one of them was a melody that made goblinoids upset And she taught it to a child as a “ward” against them after destroying their flower stand (another fey lost thing flowers wilted in her presence)

[stoic obsidian]

Tho it depends if it all of them

[iron kiln]

Feylost is a great background so much silly stuff

[woven flint]

When he first conjured his Wildfire Spirit, it appeared as a humanoid before doing a voiceless scream of pain before turning into a beastial form (for more thematics)

[iron kiln]

Sad some of the intersting parts
Of backgrounds are being removed with the 2024 dnd I want my trinket

I want my random pirate ship flag

[woven flint]

I loved him

[empty thicket]

bro literally despawn off the world

[iron kiln]

Give me a mummified goblin hand and a brass ring that never tarnishes

[woven flint]

Ring of the elden...

[iron kiln]

Die of being so tall you fall other on yourself Becuase you never grew in size category so your jsut a 10 foot tall string bean

[rugged hawk]

Some were situations where you didn't have to fight.... but if you didn't, you'd end up becoming something's minion, as one example. Sure, you could try not fighting the beholder.... but you may be forced to serve it, or make a great sacrifice to it, or similar. As an example.

[iron kiln]

Give me a dragon talon which like??? Really that’s one of the options

That’s a fun set up grand or great grand child of a knight who fought with a young dragon who will kill you to get their talon back

[stoic obsidian]

That called a loose loose situation, depends on which option you are more fine with

[woven flint]

I think my most brutal character death was my Earth Genasi Genies Paladin having his mind taken away by a lich, his physical fortitude held up, but as soon as his mind perished, so did he 😔

It's funny to think about, imagine fighting one moment then completely ceasing thought and brain function

[iron kiln]

Not dnd but I had a cahrecter die because I was randomly hard focused by my dm session 3 of the introductory dungeon by a dragon wyrmling

And died of poison

[stoic obsidian]

And their might be a way out of servitude or ways out as well, for the end only happens if you let it

By death or giving up

Or by scheduling

Or red flags

[iron kiln]

Who’d you rather serve a dnd party or a aboleth

[stoic obsidian]

I serve the dnd party

[iron kiln]

Are you gonna risk a mayo situation

[empty thicket]

damn, cant be me. I cant use magic or any
Fighter baby, i will be a non magic warrior that will face the world

[woven flint]

Mayonnaise..

[abstract beacon]

Yo anybody here know about warhammer vermintide 2?

[empty thicket]

using the alchemist jug for making sandwiches safely

[iron kiln]

Alchemy jug

[empty thicket]

yeah, what about it?

[stoic obsidian]

Not gonna happen for the alchemy jug got chugged into the river by accident

[woven flint]

My Yuan-Ti Alchemist Artificers hobby is making alcohol...

The secret ingredient is snakes blood.

[abstract beacon]

Is there any way I can make the outcast engineer class for dnd? I know my closest bet is artificer but idk

[rugged hawk]

Sure, sure. Funny story, been there, tried that. Kayla blew herself up with her own fireballs TWO TIMES. On PURPOSE. While also trying to take whoever was irritating her most down with her in the process. Guess what? She got resurrected TWICE. Once by people who immediately enslaved her (though they figured out that was a terrible idea only once it was too late - you can't threaten a slave who's already proven willing to kill herself), and then by a friend of hers after she blew herself up to prevent him from being forced to sacrifice her to a demon.

[stoic obsidian]

Can he make smoothies, because I don’t like alcohol

[iron kiln]

Mayo jar

[stoic obsidian]

Guess your dm doesn’t care about consent

[woven flint]

He might if he feels like it

[empty thicket]

Like the dwarf class? mmmm.... the artificer artillerist is the closest to it. You have the eldritch cannon that in concept can work like the Gatling.
But beside that, only that class is hte closest to the concept you are using.

[stoic obsidian]

Still dumb that resurrection spells force people to come back to life

[abstract beacon]

Will look into it thanks

[rugged hawk]

Also, that character's life was hell. Kayla got kidnapped no less than EIGHTEEN TIMES during her several months surviving the campaign.

[stoic obsidian]

What kind of campaign did you play, princess peach simulator

[empty thicket]

Dwarf, artificer artillerist.
Force ballista would work like the "shoots" from the gatling.
The making grenades its something you can talk with your DM and idk what else would be added to it

[abstract beacon]

Cheers mate

[blissful ibex]

Alchemist's Supplies proficiency, make Alchemist's Fire in DT

[empty thicket]

Wanted to get an alchemist jug for making poison arrows, teh dumb (describing, not insulting) bard used all his gold and gave it to the artificer and took it from me....
I wont deny that i dont like the sandwiches, hot sauce wings with honey, etc. etc.
But... i wanted to do funnies with it

[rugged hawk]

Lemme think. There was the half-orc who wanted a servant girl for his cave (he died when Kayla killed him with his own frying pan while he slept), the vampire who wanted ... we never found out, since the vampire was killed before he could escape with her, the mages conclave who kidnapped her twice, once to interrogate her, then to resurrect and enslave her, the wild halfling who was attempting to 'save' her from the mage conclave, only to discover she didn't care because they couldn't control her. Then there was the kobolds who attacked her right in the center of the damn town of all places, which worked out really poorly for them since they tried it right in front of the campaign's strongest player char, who trashed them in several rounds....

[empty thicket]

Yeah but htat depend of the dm letting him to make grenades or stuff in general.
Take a blackpowder bomb, put it in a bag with caltrops, there, a x10 more lethal bomb.

or do the same with a bag of Fen....nevermind.

[blissful ibex]

I mean, artillerist gets fireball, just flavor it as tossing a grenade

[stoic obsidian]

Okay yup that the I want to give up, but everyone stopping me

But geez, that just rough

[empty thicket]

yeah, but i said about making bombs because the idea he is basing is a character from another game,
the Dwarf artificer that have a Gatling for special skill, can make grenades and hold 2 in his inventory.

[rugged hawk]

Oh, that was just a few of the kidnappings. It seemed that everyone, including the DMs, made it a running gag to kidnap Kayla.

[stoic obsidian]

Was it fun for you?

[rugged hawk]

I mean, I had a great time dangling a former associate ooze cultist off the edge of the Floating Transcendent Conclave after capturing him with lots of hasted fireballs until he spilled his guts.

[blissful ibex]

can't alwayts have 1:1 mechanics, either have to reflavor existing or have your DM sign off on homebrew

[rugged hawk]

Also had a blast hunting down the ooze cultist leader and disposing of him, too

[stoic obsidian]

Did you get a pet ooze?

[woven flint]

I'm not a Bard, but leave the Cultist with me and they'll beg for mercy (joke)

[empty thicket]

Yep, that is why i said talk it with the dm, if he say reflavor, good. If he say Yes, good

[blissful ibex]

ooh? Juiblex cultists or homebrew campaign stuffs?

[remote wadi]

That's fair enough

But there is good news and bad news
Good news, group stealth checks means that I won't be held back if a person decided to invest in heavy armor

[empty thicket]

Now if for asking he send him a tarrasque ghost every X number of sessions to just stump on him dealing 0 damage but humiliating him, welp, bad.

[rugged hawk]

The underdark one

[remote wadi]

Bad news, it isn't one person... it's 3

[stoic obsidian]

Guess you didn’t

[rugged hawk]

On another char, yes. https://i.imgur.com/Lba0buk.png

Though that one wasn't an ooze cultist or temporary ooze cultist.

[remote wadi]

Yes, they could stay back while I work my magic, but I dread the frustration that 3 of our frontlines would feel when they have to start 60 feet back and need to walk over to the front while encumbered

[stoic obsidian]

I want a pet mimic or golem/construct one day in dnd

[remote wadi]

But honestly, might not care by that point. Probably should have worried about before you became peasants chonk

[remote wadi]

The mimic is mine

[rugged hawk]

ur a mimic

[blissful ibex]

The server is a mimic!

[stoic obsidian]

We are all mimics

[rugged hawk]

WotC is a mimic, can't stop remaking the same books to sell

[scarlet marsh]

Are mimics mimics?

[rugged hawk]

Only when they're mimics

[empty thicket]

my armor might be a mimic....

[iron kiln]

God barbarians are stupid strong early levels espppecislly in 2024

[rugged hawk]

Mimic Symbiote Armor when?

[stoic obsidian]

Yes, you can mimic a mimic, tho would that be mimicry at that point or simply copy and pasting?

[rugged hawk]

I demand playable Mimics

[stoic obsidian]

I want playable golems

[iron kiln]

I want goblin update for 2024

[rugged hawk]

Goblins suck, kobold superiority

[iron kiln]

Turning you into goo

[stoic obsidian]

Kobolds suck, plasmoids are clearly superior

[iron kiln]

Sending you to Michigan on a box

Banishing your bloodline to Minneapolis

[rugged hawk]

As an oft-ooze cultist of Ghaunadur, no, we shall be turning you into goo.

[stoic obsidian]

Post office: why their a person on this box tied up?

[iron kiln]

Never said I’m tying them up

[rugged hawk]

Christmas Play, obviously

[iron kiln]

that might hurt their wrist

[stoic obsidian]

Then how you keeping on the box, super glue?

[stoic obsidian]

Cultured are we

[remote wadi]

Okay, genuine question

Is it okay to invest in person stealth instead of team stealth if more than half of the party is not going to invest in stealth at all? As in, 3 heavy armor Frontline chara

[iron kiln]

I’m gonna persuade them with my incredible charm and this gun I found

[iron kiln]

under dark kobolds who dug to deep

Is a pretty neat idea

[stoic obsidian]

It not human season, it rabbit season

[rugged hawk]

That's just Balrogs with extra steps

[blissful ibex]

Plasmoid is my #1 and kobolds are my #2 XD

[glass granite]

Sure, stealth ain’t just for combat

[iron kiln]

Maybe there jsut a rabbit wearing a erm well human disguise huh

[rugged hawk]

Okay, but counterpoint, KENDER 👀

[blissful ibex]

to the point my plasmoid mimics the body shape of kobolds having been raised by them (she uses the pseudopod as a tail)

[stoic obsidian]

Yet your a rabbit, and I have the gun 🔫

[remote wadi]

For context and a summary:
"Just level up Ranger, PWT good"
"No, most of team has heavy armor. I'm MCing into Rogue"

[glass granite]

I’d still level up Ranger

[remote wadi]

I really don't want to make an investment for the party if the same result is likely

[iron kiln]

Huh???? I don’t think that’s even close to a balrog infact I think your missing a few steps like uhm

Fire whip
Flame sword
Wings
Being on fire
Ohh and the DEMONIC POWER OF THE ABYSS

[blissful ibex]

eeh, just another boring humanoid variant >.> /t

[remote wadi]

At that point, why not invest in myself and be able to work close to the party, but by myself?

[iron kiln]

Ahh ahh ahh but if my fingers in the barrels and you’re the rabbit then whose the gun

[glass granite]

Why not do both?

[rugged hawk]

Because the last thing any DM wants to hear is 'Let's split up!' unless it's a horror campaign, in which case, you deserve everything about to happen to you poor foolishly foolish fools.

[stoic obsidian]

Your heart

Pull the trigger then we both go

[iron kiln]

I do not know the refenece

[remote wadi]

@rugged hawk @glass granite

For clarity, this is a concern of one before the other, not one or the other

[stoic obsidian]

Record of ragnarock

[glass granite]

PWT also helps your stealth

Level 5 also boosts your damage tremendously

[remote wadi]

Don't think tbat I've heard of that reference despite being familiar with the anime

[stoic obsidian]

Just kidding you having a heart attack

[remote wadi]

I already have a +8

[stoic obsidian]

Simon from the manga

[remote wadi]

Soon to be a +11

[glass granite]

Then no need for more investment with rogue. +8 on average clears most passive perception iirc

[remote wadi]

Investment in Rogue is for Sneak attack and the other goodies for the first 3 levels

And I misspoke, it's a +4. Will be +8 after the first level

[glass granite]

Extra 1d6 doesn’t beat double your attacks for an action

[knotty pasture]

The issue is that you aren't opening to other suggestions in a way, are you gonna check out the tabletop builds community

Cuz they can make your uber powerful build with whatever you have currently

[remote wadi]

That explains. Only watched the anime

[glass granite]

That being said, is it really necessary to optimise here?

[stoic obsidian]

Not really

[remote wadi]

Maybe not optimize, per se. Was trying to ask the question if pass without trace was that vital when most of the team isn't going to consider stealth

Feels like a wasted opportunity to level up somewhere else first

[knotty pasture]

I mean sure may as well, depends on the dm

[glass granite]

Pass without trace is important because the team isn’t considering stealth, no?

[remote wadi]

And the team comp. Again, three Frontline heavy armor characters

Not going to get PWT when passing a group stealth check would have been doubtful anyways

[glass granite]

A +10 on any check is gonna make it semi-likely

[oak shoal]

Goated team comp that I just made rn. Shadow monk, shadow sorcerer, death domain cleric, and necromancer wizard

[glass granite]

PWT makes getting the group stealth check possible

[blissful ibex]

It's vital when it's needed, otherwise it's a nice utility to avoid a fight, consider like enlarge/reduce, enhance ability, or warding wind instead

[olive wasp]

The love of your life is on tavernly.scroll, they’re literally on charm.Scroll

[flat monolith]

It effectively moves their passive stealth from disadvantage to advantage which is great

[knotty pasture]

Outside of a full team of light armor/robes based team, disadvantage on stealth can't be avoided

If it bugs you so much go Spike Growth instead

[remote wadi]

That's still 6 dice that needs to be great rolls

[flat monolith]

Assuming heavy/medium armor

[blissful ibex]

I mean a flat +10 is a flat +10

that's big numbers

[oak shoal]

That could turn the paladins 5 into a 15

[glass granite]

Don’t only half need to succeed?

Isn’t that how group checks work?

[oak shoal]

Or the rouges 30 into 40

[knotty pasture]

My real question is, should you have PWT on at all times in general cuz I feel like I don't half the time cuz I wanna save up my concentration for something else, only to not have casted any spells that used concentration anyways

(Referring to Ranger)

[remote wadi]

I just wished they would be more careful about shooting themselves in the foot
If they have 14 dex or higher (more likely than you think, you get only -1 to AC, 35 pounds lighter, and no disadvantage with stealth checks

[undone fable]

What makes rangers... actually a class that needs to be in dnd?

[blissful ibex]

Prepared? Sure, Acutally cast and running? Why would you ever need to do that unless you were actively needing to sneak somewhere?

[flat monolith]

It’s fun to be nature fighter

[glass granite]

I wouldn’t call playing a regular strength based character “shooting themselves in the foot”

[shy stirrup]

Do you know why Rangers were put in the game, originally?

[undone fable]

yay! I love rangers so much.

[remote wadi]

But even that is annoying to explain because I'm immediately labeled a min maxer... this is just a tiny optimization that makes stealth from a "Why do I even bother playing Rogue..." to a "One PWT coming up. Thanks for taking my advice about Stealth."

[blissful ibex]

I do it with my druid multiclass
considering changing her to Druid 15 / Warlock 5

[flat monolith]

Nice

[glass granite]

Imma be honest you are optimising here, to me

Let them play their strength characters

[remote wadi]

Three heavy armors. Three people who is often the majority of the party with disadvantage on stealth checks when 2 is already pushing it a wee bit

[knotty pasture]

It is a 1 hour buff after all, so basically I can just throw it in before entering a dungeon and come out with the buff still mostly there or at least last me for ages

[undone fable]

to be awesome possums? Because theres like ... 3 people actually like nature fighters? WOTC/OG DND creators needed a swiss army knife fighter that is awesome and ranger is what they came up with?

[shy stirrup]

Because people wanted to play Aragorn.

[glass granite]

Three people who are not gonna go down easily. Plus, PWT makes getting stealth not too difficult

[naive cedar]

Am I the only person who likes rangers

[undone fable]

the LOTR character?

[remote wadi]

All right then. I just hope they don't get surprised when I don't bother with things like PWT and just tell them "Stay here until we call for your help"

[shy stirrup]

Yep

[glass granite]

Enid here if a ranger LOVER, you’re not alone

[undone fable]

i love rangers!!!!

[naive cedar]

I don’t get the Ranger hate lol

[glass granite]

Well, I wouldn’t be too surprised if they don’t wanna change their game plan for one person either

[remote wadi]

Because it does get very annoying when they get so dependent on you for things they could doing to sone extent themselves

[naive cedar]

Who doesn’t want to be Aragorn with a cool animal buddy

[keen cave]

If a gnome and an orc… Did the dragons tango, Would it make a human?

[glass granite]

Optimally, they should

But that’s not very fun for many players

[remote wadi]

We also have a full blooded rogue. Besides, we have 1 encumbered player and soon to be 3 if they don't bother with inventory

[undone fable]

ranger hate? who would hate ranger?

[glass granite]

Btw how many players are in the party?

[keen cave]

Melee fighters.

[undone fable]

true

[gaunt mauve]

False

[humble cairn]

Yes, but Stealth is compared to various passive perception DCs

[keen cave]

Believe me, I would know.

[empty thicket]

No.

[remote wadi]

I can say who is in the campaign. But who is in the party varies. It's 4-5, but some people aren't always present

[keen cave]

You’re sure?

[empty thicket]

i hate the gap between fighters and casters, not rangers

[naive cedar]

idk some people hate rangers

[gaunt mauve]

Dude what’s not to hate

[glass granite]

Only one of the heavy armored folks need to succeed the highest DC, technically

[gaunt mauve]

They aren’t even ranger rangers they’re more like park rangers than anything good bro

[naive cedar]

no u

[glass granite]

How so?

[undone fable]

But rangers are so awesome! We got Horizon Walker, Winter Walker, Gloomstalker, beast master, Hunter, and my personal favorite (Swarmkeeper)!

[remote wadi]

I'm not holding out on it. If they are going to be Frontline characters, then they will have Frontline expectations and responsibilities

[jovial shadow]

I wonder if some people just hate Rangers, because there were a lot of Youtubers getting views for dissing Rangers (and Monks previously).

[gray garden]

Why is the new conjure fey so bad

[naive cedar]

OOOH that’s why

[blissful ibex]

Hollow Warden (currently working its way through UA) is also pretty sick

[undone fable]

Swarmkeeper is so amazing for crowd control and attacks!

[glass granite]

and I assume they’re upholding those responsibilities? Are they getting stuff in melee and dealing damage?

[undone fable]

Hollow Warden? Will that be part of an official book soon?

[gaunt mauve]

Because when I think ranger, I think like Aragorn or like yk like characters of that kind of archetype and I feel like the way dnd is structured makes rangers more like druids than actual rangers

[shy stirrup]

Some people like to dunk on classes they feel are sub-optimal

[remote wadi]

So far, it's mostly just Unga Bunga playstyle with most of the decisions to match it

[blissful ibex]

was in the horror subclasses UA

[gray garden]

So many summoning spells got taken about back and shot it feels like dnd 5e lost a lot of its uniqueness

[glass granite]

Sounds fun to me
Monk bonk!

[jovial shadow]

Some people just like to be part of what they think is the "in crowd". Oh Youtube videos say Rangers suck, therefore I should go along with it.

[remote wadi]

Not when they're actively throwing most the time. Remember the vampire incident?

[blissful ibex]

also broke Circle of the Shepherd :c

[rugged hawk]

Feel? Okay, let's be real, Spirit Shaman was never meant to be a serious class ||/s||

[undone fable]

Strahd for '24 rules ft the undying and undead warlock and spirits bard confirmed?

[remote wadi]

People nowadays are taught what to think, not how

[blissful ibex]

the spirits bard rework in there also looked really nice

[gray garden]

I feel like dnd 2024 in there attempt to streamline it too much it’s just lost a lot of its core features and identity

[undone fable]

ranger? or in general?

[knotty pasture]

Gloom Stalker is an art

[gaunt mauve]

I mean i think that’s true but i just genuinely dislike rangers for my own reasons and i feel that they are fairly valid

[gray garden]

In general

[undone fable]

I do wanna try spirits bard

[undone fable]

i agree. I do like the adjustments for a lot of the classes but i feel like they could have buffed Favored terrains and favored enemies

[remote wadi]

Anyways, I'm just worried that they will try to lead the horse to water and try to make it drink. Like being a Frontline class and abandoning stealth... but also not letting others do what they need to. If you are familiar with Payday 2, you know how it feels to try to pass through everything with stealth just to have it ruined by some guy going guns blazing before needed

[knotty pasture]

So go Spike Growth

[gray garden]

Like comparing old conjure fey where it’s you can pick any few cr 6 below and use them as an ally compared to the new one which is just 3d12 and the frightened condition

[blissful ibex]

do like the extra languages, expertise and stuff though c:

[gray garden]

Or conjure elementals

[remote wadi]

I was trying to go a little bit of Rogue first

[knotty pasture]

Then why are you asking about PWT

They're both level 2 spells

[gray garden]

I like some of the new spells like spell fire flare but most of the old spells just are simpled down to more damage

[undone fable]

true, true

[blissful ibex]

it's a level three spell but honnestly Plant Growth > Spiked Growth

[rugged hawk]

Uh, wut? Look, buddy, there's only ONE proper way to raid the DoJ and give them back their bullets, and that's by putting on that RAZORMIND playlist and abusing 60 seconds of infinite gatling ammo as you storm the front door.

[undone fable]

I do like that. I really think it is a buff

[remote wadi]

Because I wanted to spend levels 4-6 getting assassin while some others tried to urge me to get levels 5 and 6 into Ranger before that

[knotty pasture]

And Spike Growth is a level 2 spell like PWT

Also tabletop builds

[gray garden]

I miss the days where you can summon literal demons and elementals to fight along side you instead of “heheh more damage”

[knotty pasture]

I would recite the whole flagship Ranger build here but it'd be rule breaking

[remote wadi]

That is very fun to do. But try doing that when people wanted to go stealth first and watch the obligated support for you drop with your health and ammo count

[gray garden]

Especially the conjure elementals huff where’s it’s just a free divine smite for anybody who’s in the aura every time what could go wrong

like beyond what are we doing

[rugged hawk]

As someone who's never played stealth in Payday 2, cannot confirm

[remote wadi]

But I was just trying to come here and ask if me doing that would be that bad of a thing. PWT is one of the largest reasons to invest in Ranger for 2nd level spells. But if team no Stealth, why not me stealth, sneaky bang, and skills?

[gray garden]

Stealth rocket launcher

[knotty pasture]

You kept convincing yourself its bad

So its bad, next topic now

[gray garden]

Ranger isn’t bad it’s situational

[rugged hawk]

Nah. I use a shotgun / saw / GOLDEN SPOON build with ALL the body armor.

[gray garden]

ONLY A SPOONFUL

[remote wadi]

I'm just hoping that this doesn't backfire. Tired of needing to babysit the team

[knotty pasture]

PWT is a terrible spell

Like seriously don't touch it with a 6 foot pole

[crimson gulch]

Pass without trace is an excellent spell

[humble cairn]

Not in my experience?

[rugged hawk]

Obviously not, any real adventurer carries a TEN foot pole.

[crimson gulch]

It's a level 2 spell that snapps bounded accuracy over its knee

[humble cairn]

Oh, you're being hyperbolic

[knotty pasture]

No I'm not being genuine here, I was saying it to stop Bloodline from convincing himself that PWT is bad, and then asking us if his doubts are true, and then going back to convincing himself PWT is bad

[remote wadi]

I may need to give a little context. Ask me if you need it

[knotty pasture]

So let's just say its a terrible spell now and stop the topic

[crimson gulch]

Oh no theirs no helping bloodline

[remote wadi]

Didn't say it was bad, just that I don't want to invest towards it if team is going to be mostly heavy armor

[crisp hatch]

I just saw the auto dnd bot in a server, had a hill giant crit itself with its own god dang rock

The dm did give the hp back, but man that was funny

[blissful ibex]

PWT is amazing in the scenarios it is useful for, otherwise it's kind of an empty slot, but the same could be said of any utility spell

[rugged hawk]

Tf? Did the boulder it threw roll back downhill and smush the giant at the bottom?

[remote wadi]

If I can't change them away from dumping stealth, I hope that they're good at role-playing a statue

Because if they move an inch towards needing to make a Stealth check, there will be a talk

[crisp hatch]

No but if was funny seeing auto dm do that, and the dm had to command give the hp back. Trust me, it was pretty funny seeing it. And bunga itself into critting itself

[knotty pasture]

So its a bad spell, next

[remote wadi]

*with the party

[humble cairn]

No, I think I remember most of your situation. I honestly think you'd bet better off going Ranger 5 first, but I'm not going to fight you, please just don't come back and make it our problem.

[humble cairn]

PWT makes up for a team that dumps Stealth is what we've all been telling you.

[crimson gulch]

Just stop engaging, he hasent listens to any advice here near as I can tell

[blissful ibex]

i keep reading the PW in PWT as 'Power Word'

[rugged hawk]

Power Word: TERRASQUE!

[glass granite]

Power word Taco!

[hidden spindle]

Power Word Truth!

[glass granite]

Wow holy, duality of man here

[crimson gulch]

Today I learned that there is no a in pass without trace. I have been saying pass without A trace for years

[remote wadi]

Well, I don't want to be stuck babysitting the team all the time, I guess. It's been all "give us rations, give us water, use up your gold, give us your spell slots to bail us out of these consequences"

[empty thicket]

i want to say it but i know that if i do i will get in problems

[glass granite]

-# I…somehow feel as if there’s a seperate issue here

[humble cairn]

So basically you being tired of babysitting them means they will ruin all your chance to actually use your Surprise Attack.

[hidden spindle]

This is why I make a Ranger that dumps WIS for CHA.

Expertise Persuasion

[blissful ibex]

or just run fae wanderer and use wis in addition to cha

[glass granite]

Budget bard lol

[eternal karma]

Is Longstrider better than Jump in 2014?

[idle oar]

🧹 Cleaning up some off-topic and uncivil remarks.

Please follow server rules and keep things appropriate folks.

[remote wadi]

No, Vinnath's kind of right. I did it at first because I'm trying to be patient with them, but then I'm not exactly getting the best support for trying to say "Screw PWT. Stay in the back and let me be a Rogue."

[crimson gulch]

I'm gonna hit buy on my whole wishlist on dms guild tommorow

[hidden spindle]

Go Barbarian Stealth Mode

[remote wadi]

As much of a benefit as it would be, I'm a little too worried that my party wouldn't respect my requests and just sit back and relax

[crimson gulch]

Yeah, it's a team game, no one likes lone wolf players

[hidden spindle]

What does your Ranger like/do for themself?

[blissful ibex]

so what issue are you having with it?

[humble cairn]

If you're worried about them not respecting your requests for that, what makes you think they will respect your request for them to stay back and not ruin your ambush?

[rugged hawk]

I mean, there is a way to certainly solve your issue, but it involves removing yourself. From the sounds of it, your group will TPK and/or OOC collapse the moment you / your character isn't there to hold crap together.

[hidden spindle]

I like Chef Ranger that is just for me and my Companion and whatever's leftover extra for the party.

[blissful ibex]

are they tagging along or something and you don't want them to so you can get ambushes in?
can just not include them in the aura and use your faster movement to keep away from them

or used ranged weapons to set the ambush, espiecially with sharpshooter

[rugged hawk]

This is, bluntly speaking, a group that isn't beneficial for you, either as a character or a player, from what you've said.

[remote wadi]

I guess I have little choice but to trust and hope for the best. I'll be optimistic that they want to be a Frontline class so bad thag they will also accept the responsibilities and expectations of one too

[glass granite]

If you don’t trust your party, idk if I’d recommend staying at the table

[rugged hawk]

And the DM is obviously a part of it too, meaning there's no real solution aside from changing groups.

[humble cairn]

Or you could go for Ranger 5 and just very well make it happen yourself, all while having more conistent damage even when you don't get Surprise.

[remote wadi]

In my defense, I don't trust many people unless given good reasons too. This next session Saturday should give a good idea of where they stand

[raw ocean]

Trust is gained in droplets, but lost in buckets. [Quote - Some random thing I heard on the internet]

[remote wadi]

I guess I just don't want to become the party's vending machine

[raw ocean]

Playing party support / vending machine sucks unless you have a table that actually appreciates your PC

[hidden spindle]

I recall a Cleric whose's healing services were to be paid before the heals

[raw ocean]

Fellas, interact with your party support and make them feel wanted, they give up the crazy final hit moments to do their job

[remote wadi]

Heck, I'm giving up a lot to do what I'm doing

[blissful ibex]

Love playing the support :3
just also build mine to be able to do some okayish damage in between

[raw ocean]

If the PC's don't interact with you and consult you like a regular party member while still expecting your support, let them understand that fact

[remote wadi]

As much as I love playing the medic/support, you risk getting unappreciated and forgotten until needed again

[raw ocean]

Exactly what happens in every game, like marvel rival supports get mistreated

[crimson gulch]

The moment trust is broken the game is over

[raw ocean]

Nobody treats supports right until they are gone

[coarse belfry]

thats why yall should choose chaotic evil

[remote wadi]

But then the DM and party boot me for that

Despite having very valid reasons to do that. And maybe a few irl too /hj

[naive cedar]

I was going to say lol

although support getting treated like dirt has been a thing since the beginning of team games

[raw ocean]

Mhm

[remote wadi]

That's why this choice is bothering me like it does. I don't mind being a support class when people are thinking about their end of the bargain too

[jovial shadow]

D&D isn't really a team game, it mostly co-op. It a difference with a distinction. That and things like healers, support and tank are not D&D terms. Those are videos game terms. Maybe stop trying to treat D&D like a video game?

[naive cedar]

it’s weird because you’d think you’d want to be nice to the person keeping you alive and yet

[hidden spindle]

Thief Rogue with Healer Origin Feat. Field Medic could use 2 GP per usage and is very quick about it and still be effective in Sneak Attack.

[rugged hawk]

They can't, in this case. That group's going to collapse out of game and/or faceplant into a TPK if they stop receiving support.

[naive cedar]

I’m using the term team game loosely lol I’m well aware that dnd isn’t a hero shooter

[raw ocean]

Support is just a blanket term for "person who helps other party members as their main goal"

[humble cairn]

You're letting your resentment make your character less effective. Going Ranger 5 isn't about becoming more support, it's about guaranteeing you doing the things you want to do and do them better.

[naive cedar]

regardless, under appreciating the support type character is a common problem in multiplayer games involving roles or characters

[humble cairn]

Tank and Healer aren't main roles in D&D, but Support definitely is.

[remote wadi]

They could stay afloat for a while because they do have a Cleric, Bard, and other Rogue. But the silver lining is that they would be down an accountant, tactician, and my best attempt at being diplomat

[crimson gulch]

Overthinking combined with under communicating with their party is fermenting resentment

[rugged hawk]

What was that? I'm having a hard time hearing you over Eldritch Chaining all these Vitriolic Blasts on my 'lock

[raw ocean]

I remember one time I played a long-range rogue that constantly supported from the side-lines in D&D, literally stole a belt of frost giant strength for a party member and then it turns out 2 party members wanted me dead

[naive cedar]

dnd roles are more like support, frontline fighter, magic user, and that guy who picks locks

[raw ocean]

No matter how hard you try, people are gonna hate

[hidden spindle]

Just do what you like

[humble cairn]

If you look at the mechanics it would be: Damage, Support, Control, and Utility.

[naive cedar]

yeah that’s a better way of putting it

[remote wadi]

I suppose that extra attack is going to add up faster for when I do get assassin...

Very well. I'll trust in you enough to take levels 4 and 5 in Rangee

[jovial shadow]

There are no roles in D&D.. Each class can do whatever they like.

A Cleric does not have to heal anyone if they don't want to and just fight instead

[scarlet marsh]

Wow this place is super active

[glass granite]

Same with a video game healer tho

[unkempt roost]

It's important to remember at the end of the day you're in a team and your party needs to remember that too

[jovial shadow]

A Cleric is not a healer

[glass granite]

The “roles” we put the classes into are usually the mechanics and skills that the class is most effective at doing
But I agree, they’re a support. Life Cleric would be a healer

[hidden spindle]

Its also important to know, any character in '24 can be a "healer"

[raw ocean]

There's roles in literally everything

IRL or games

[potent crest]

Why’s ts so confusing

[raw ocean]

Im playing a paladin currently that focuses on controlling the field by stopping people from approaching long ranged party members

[unkempt roost]

It's more like clerics don't have to be healers but clerics can make better healers than most other classes

[jovial shadow]

Yes

[raw ocean]

There's roles that can be chosen in D&D, they just don't relate to class

[unkempt roost]

I would say you generally would want to play a class that fits closer to the role you are playing

[raw ocean]

Exactly, different things but they co-inside with eachover

[blissful ibex]

unless that's your whole schtick, but even then it can't get in the way of actually playing the game

[unkempt roost]

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should

[raw ocean]

A barbarian should not be a support 🥀

[unkempt roost]

A barbarian healer is funny but probably would drag the group

[rugged hawk]

Okay, now go back in time and tell that to whoever decided inventing politics was a good idea

[glass granite]

Agree to disagree, support can be done by keeping allies alive, which is the role of ancestral barbarian

[hidden spindle]

Barbarian Doctor: Hold still, we need to stitch you up.

[raw ocean]

I said barbarian, not ancestral barbarian

erm actually

[timber turtle]

Barbarian will the the only class I will ever play

[empty thicket]

Welp, depend of what you mean by support.
Protecting an important DPS or caster is a way to support

[raw ocean]

I will never play barbarian

[jovial shadow]

"erm actually" had me lmao!

[woven flint]

Honestly, I wish Zealot Barbarian had the ability to heal teammates with their healing pool, that'd be so cool

[glass granite]

Last I checked, ancestral barb was a barb :D

[empty thicket]

Chocolate ice cream having chocolate on it, amazing

[raw ocean]

If you eat a hot dog, then stuff a burger into a hole, then throw an axe at a ceiling fan, does it make lemonade?

[woven flint]

Yes

[glass granite]

Why, yes it does! The classic recipe

[jovial shadow]

Mmmm. I cream.... (drool)

[raw ocean]

Checkmate

Sometimes in life, you can't focus on the king, you have to look at the pawns walks off

[empty thicket]

No, it make it into some pasta, duh. No wait, that is if you throw a knife instead of axe, mb

[woven flint]

But, also, Ancestral Barbarian IS a Barbarian subclass 🤔

It's almost like it's called BARBARIAN...
Strange...

Let me ponder the orb on this one

The orb said to leave it alone 😔

Is anyone else's orb mean?!

[raw ocean]

My orb lowkey sold my personal information to corporations 💔

[woven flint]

That's not cool, Orb!

[empty thicket]

Should read the terms and conditions bro, its in every orb you get

[woven flint]

My Orbs name is Frank Sinatra, because I like Frank Sinatra

[raw ocean]

Im getting dragon feet ads in my feed, someone help

[jovial shadow]

If you ever want to play in a Barbarian setting back in Cimmera go find some old AD&D adventure modules of Conan and Red Sonja.

[scarlet marsh]

Wat

[empty thicket]

I would unironically do that someday, give an item with terms and conditions on it and one of the terms would be "now every X days you will turn into a duck for 1 day"

[woven flint]

...
You MIGHT have gotten my orb... mixed up with yours ... [Joke]

[woven flint]

Hello, Deigo, nice pfp :0
Byeah

[empty thicket]

"Where is the forbidden stuff?"
The bartender show me a library hidden full of "how to evade taxes".
"Yeeeeessss!!"

[raw ocean]

Guys, if a new person joined your campaign, would you give them 20 wish rings at level 1?

[woven flint]

No.

[raw ocean]

What if they said pretty please?

[scarlet marsh]

Hi, ty.

[woven flint]

I'd kill the new player to assert dominance, wether as a player or a dm /joke

[empty thicket]

Behind that library there is a full book of Bald dwarfs, hairy elfs and dragonborns and finally a shaved satyr.
(If i say something the bartender is going to curse me for life)

[raw ocean]

The new player getting force cage'd and killed after they thought it was tough to say "What's your AC, I rolled an 18."

[empty thicket]

You know this game, wordle?

[woven flint]

The new player when I obliterate them with the power of the sun (I decided to play a Light Cleric)

[raw ocean]

Yes

[empty thicket]

Good, imagine the fear i got when at my third word, i burned off all the Vowels. A E I O U

[raw ocean]

Players who think sudden PVP is fine when they suddenly get insta-killed by the party caster:

[raw ocean]

Goodness gracious.

[unkempt roost]

and sometimes Y

[empty thicket]

Yes, it was.....i dont have words for explaining, but yes a meme

Wait, there is any place in this server where i can post it? i dont remember

[feral finch]

Guys I got the monster manual for Christmas yay

[jovial shadow]

There used to be a song (not the kid version) of AEIOU and somtimes Y. I think it was pop or R&B

[scarlet marsh]

How is everyone doing?

[woven flint]

Good, hbu? :>

[scarlet marsh]

Tired. Dreading work tomorrow.

[woven flint]

Ah, I hope you had a nice time today, friend :>

[scarlet marsh]

It was alright, tyty.

[humble cairn]

You have Sharpshooter already, right? That actually makes nets not suck, for you.

[ashen grail]

I HAD SO MUCH FUN

immediately I'm addicted to this game. what do you mean i have to wait like a week before i can see what more is happening??? y'all have some resolve, i love this lmao

[glass granite]

Glad to hear you’re enjoying it!

[ashen grail]

it's so much fun getting to like, picture the world, trying to figure out how to approach different situations in character and everything. i spent the whole time peering over my D&DBeyond looking over my abilities like "any of this help me right now?"

[blissful ibex]

never stop doing this , so much more fun when you can find creative, edge-case uses of abilities to solve a problem c:

[harsh hinge]

Knowing what's on your sheet is a very good habit, but don't let that dictate all of your thinking in approaching problems.

Also, dope Catbug profile pic.

[glass granite]

Remember that there are sometimes actions you can use that arent on your sheet too!

[crimson gulch]

That's why I run so many games, no waiting

[knotty pasture]

What I don't get is you insisting on PWT anyways after us telling you to switch spells

[blissful ibex]

AL is nice for having a good spread of scheduled games on a week to week basis without commiting to a recurring timeslot <3

[knotty pasture]

There's other decent level 2 spells

[burnt valley]

Yes, they wouldn't know what to do with it and end up getting Monkey Paw'd at some point, ill let them keep it once they do tho

[glass granite]

For the record, AL is adventurer’s league

[ashen grail]

for sure! it was mostly just like, making sure i was prepared for stuff. like we came across some Umber Hulks shackled to a wall, and I checked my Equipped stuff only to find I was still in a robe, so I very quickly began putting on my armor and everything. kept wanting to cast Shield of Faith in preparation for something, but I didn't have a prayer scroll.

thankfully, I have 10 bits of parchment and we got to a clearing in a forest after a while where I was able to sit and draft one

[blissful ibex]

I like having one or two campaigns going and then a few AL games on the side when I feel like it c:

[glass granite]

Oh they’re already crafting, that’s fast. Most players don’t touch it for a while.

[ashen grail]

I come from MMOs, so if I see things I need to allow me to "push the shiny buttons", I will make sure I acquire such things

[glass granite]

I come from Earth, so I have the innate desire to bonk people. So I play monk.
Yes, those two things are very equivalent.

Well tbf I DM more than I play

[burnt valley]

Do we have someone from Mars

[woven flint]

I play anything anywhere anytime at all

(Down here in the deep blue sea)

[ashen grail]

I can already feel that, the more I play this, the more likely I'm going to become the Forever DM™ out of a desire to want to play more frequently lol

[woven flint]

I could never dm, although I'd like to say I'm a great player lol

At least, I'd hope

[burnt valley]

I barely roleplay tho I had so much fun in combat as a player

[crimson gulch]

This is how it begins

[burnt valley]

Future Forever DM in the making

[glass granite]

Give it a tryyyy

A one shot and/or a module

[woven flint]

I love to roleplay, the parties I'm in are just pretty busy sometimes

[ashen grail]

I'd start DMing now, but the desire to create a whole Mercer-esque universe with geopolitics, fully developed NPCs and unique languages creates a daunting task

[harsh hinge]

Then don't do that! Start smaller.

[blissful ibex]

see, the RP is the part of the game I'm worst at
I let the other party members do most of the RP and then I puzzle gremlin over any roadblocks to see if we can figure out a way over/around them c:

[glass granite]

You don’t need to go anywhere near that far lol

[remote wadi]

That i do. It's part of why I wanted Rogue MC so quickly. Damage so far has been either missing or consistently less than average, but the -5+10 is much more forgiving with advantage

[ashen grail]

i knoooow but it sounds fun particularly the languages bit, but I'm a language person

[crimson gulch]

He did not build that all at once, it was peice by peice

[glass granite]

I tried to do that when I started, and while it was fun it’s quite messy

[woven flint]

My favorite character ever to roleplay with was my Werebear Twilight Shifter Cleric, Phengari Asteri.
He was a Priest of Dol Arrah and mutually worshipped all of the sovereign host.
He often hid his appearance though because shifters aren't taken too kindly to in Eberron and He was raised to be afraid of said prejudice, though, he'd fight it on behalf of other people

[crimson gulch]

Exandria was a one shot where there was a monster in a swamp next to a town

And then they kept playing and building it as they went

[woven flint]

Phengari's brother Ilios was a bit different from him, more outgoing and accepting of what he was

[ashen grail]

My group just started together, and we have plans to do a few one-shots and quick campaigns together to see what system we want to use / get a vibe for how we like to RP stuff. Maybe I'll ask if I can DM one

[remote wadi]

Because aside from Spike Growth which is a liiiittle bit counterintuitive (great for hallways, but hallways means less open space), PWT is basically the only second level spell slot that makes a huge difference

[woven flint]

(Phengari = Fengari, which is moon in Greek, and Ilios is sun in Greek lol)

[glass granite]

Maybe have everyone try DM’ing a one shot!

A cycle around, then the group can see who does and doesn’t like it

[ashen grail]

ooooh that's a fun idea!!

[glass granite]

I should so that with my group actually…

[ashen grail]

it'd be cool to see how other people direct the story, portray their NPCs, draft the lore, etc.

[glass granite]

Everyone has their own styles, and it’s quite interesting to see!

Different strengths too

[woven flint]

I'm never dming >:]
My prowess is for being a creature

[glass granite]

For example, I think my descriptions and story/worldbuilding is decent, but I can’t for the life of me do voices

[woven flint]

All of my characters are creatures and thingamajigs

[ashen grail]

I do wonder about combat balance tho Like from a DMs perspective, how do you make sure you present a challenging fight without accidentally making the enemy too weak, or killing everyone?

I know fairly definitively I don't have any min-maxers in the group to need to stress such details too badly, so I'd just want to present a good, fun challenge

[glass granite]

But I wanna see a certified Goofy campaign!

[woven flint]

Trust me, while I like being a goofy person, I'd make absolutely soul crushing campaigns.

[glass granite]

Your goal is to make the encounter not kill everyone, but hard enough to make it feel as if they’ve earned it

[woven flint]

I don't want you to feel joy or have hope (as a dm)

[crimson gulch]

The exp budget on page 114 of the dmg

[glass granite]

That balance will depends on your table and players, but as Urizt mentioned there are sometimes actions indicators to help you out

[crimson gulch]

Building encounters has solid math to it that you can read in the books

[ashen grail]

oh sweet! sounds like baking that could be helpful

[glass granite]

Even for more experienced players and DM’s tho, balance can be difficult lol

I still struggle with it

[woven flint]

Nah, it's my goal to kill everyone

[potent siren]

cant wait for my first campaign to be nuked because I added 1 too many enemies in an encounter :(

[crimson gulch]

It's my monsters goal to kill everything

[harsh hinge]

Yeah, for all the math under the surface, it's not a perfect formula that ends in the same result every time.

[woven flint]

I just want to destroy all life, ya know? :3

[crimson gulch]

I killed 5 pcs in September, 6 in October, 1 in November and December has been lucky with 0 so far

[glass granite]

Cuz it’s not just math for an encounter, because that’s just dice and numbers. You also want the story to be fulfillingly channeled through the combat to keep players immersed and engaged.

[crimson gulch]

I got 4 sessions left this year so it may still happen

Breathing life into the encounter and adding in wit and banter and taunts is how you make it memorable, doing that with a challenging encounter that puts players on the brink of death makes it unforgettable. The illusion of peril is what folks love

[unkempt roost]

Do you dress like a wizard

[crimson gulch]

No I don't do any costume work

[wispy wing]

How good is this spell?

Find traps
https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/2618883-find-traps

It seems expensive? For a 15 room dungeon it will consume a lot of spellslots?

[unkempt roost]

It depends on how valuable you think your life is

[limber trail]

It’s a very bad spell, arguably famously so

[glass granite]

It’s pathetic!

[potent siren]

it has its uses, but overall its not great

[split flower]

Hi

[unkempt roost]

I think it's great when trying to do a heist

[potent siren]

If you have it prepared when your in a room you know for sure is littered with traps, very noice!

[unkempt roost]

Although I've always had a soft spot for niche spells

[eager marsh]

Find Traps is actually terrible because it only says 'yes there are traps' and will not say where or how many.

[wispy wing]

For a full caster it perhaps makes sense but for a dip or half/third caster it seems too expensive

[limber trail]

As a second level spell it’s already expensive, and its effect is simply not good. It provides no real actionable info beyond a simple “yes there are traps”

[glass granite]

Plus, the definition of “traps” would also include your weapons

[wispy wing]

thanks for the input

[eager marsh]

It would not?

[unkempt roost]

Well it gives you a brief idea of what it may be

[kind rover]

No, you'll end up unable to decide when to actually use it out of worry of wasting it or you'll use them all in the first few rooms. having a detect magic and/or a high perception pc you'll be fine (ex monk or rogue)

[glass granite]

Is a weapon not an object designed to harm?

[eager marsh]

That does not make it a Trap and you know it

[potent siren]

overall if your a high level caster that doesnt use their lower level spell slots too often, its not a terrible pick when your going through a dungeon

[wispy wing]

Good point. I have hi perceptio nand detect magic already on my ranger.

Looking to dip 4 levels in druid

[eager marsh]

Sudden or unexpected effect you would consider harmlful is not 'the weapons carried at your own hip'

[glass granite]

According to the spell description, it’s any object that was designed to cause damage or other danger

[unkempt roost]

If a DM ruled that with an already terrible spell I'd just hand over my character sheet

[wispy wing]

8 lvls ranged gloomstalker and 4 lvls rogue or 4 lvls tropical land druid.

[unkempt roost]

It's very clear what a trap is

[eager marsh]

"anything that would inflict a sudden or unexpected effect you consider harmful or undesirable, which was specifically intended as such by its creator." Weapons don't fall under this definition. And no 'the user can potentially quick draw it unexpectedly' doesn't count

[limber trail]

Either way, in any class you could find an abundance of better ways to expend a second level spell slot

[ashen grail]

So, DMs, did y'all start by like, reading the DMG cover to cover? Or do you just like, start planning your sessions, and use the DMG for reference to help figuring stuff out?

[glass granite]

2024 Find Traps is
“A trap, for the purpose of this spell, includes any object or mechanism that was created to cause damage or other danger.”

[eager marsh]

As a wizard, I'd sooner just take the investigation check to find the traps myself. Intelligence skill and proficiency

[glass granite]

I still don’t own the DMG tbh

[limber trail]

Me personally, I use the DMG as a reference guide and only read specific sections I need

[empty thicket]

Use air bubble in the vein of your enemy and give it a heart attack, instant death

[limber trail]

I didn’t read it cover to cover. I just kinda jumped into DMing based on advice from my past DMs

[crimson gulch]

I started by playing one session and saying I can do this. And starting and learning as I went

[eager marsh]

If you wanna intentionally take the reading of an alreay nearly worthless spell to make it worse, by all means go ahead

[unkempt roost]

Some dms take the rules very seriously and others like myself tend to just use them as a guide a suggestion if you will

[glass granite]

Oh I personally would rule that it’s stupid
I do think it deducts from the worth of the spell tho, as RAW it sucks.

[eager marsh]

It sucks even without that reading don't kid yourself lol

[glass granite]

Touché

[unkempt roost]

I keep to the basic rules of DND but there's quite a few things I think are rather outdated or could be better that I can alter

[ashen grail]

So like, say I wanted to start a short campaign with my friends. Everyone starts at like, level 3. I know I want there to be a quest for them to be able to immediately embark on, and leave the door open to potentially develop a deeper lore / storyline if they want to keep going. Where would you advise a first-timer to start?

[limber trail]

It’s a spell that needs your DM to be very generous and give you way more info that the spell gives you RaW for it to be useful

Plus if you’re in a game that doesn’t do a lot of dungeon crawls you won’t come up against a lot of situations where it’s useful

[knotty pasture]

Less open space is a good thing if the enemy is coming to you, just bomb them with arrows while standing where you are

PWT is a bad spell with your teammates we established that much

[crimson gulch]

A town with a problem, make 5 npcs

[cinder timber]

Hello

[glass granite]

Likely an adventurer’s guild of some kind

But also, these questions sound like #dm-discussion questions

[ashen grail]

oh sweet, thank you!

[cinder timber]

How is yall doing?

[crimson gulch]

Or the heros of the borderlands starter kit that's a great box

[glass granite]

Me is alive

[marble lion]

You could start them on the quest

[cinder timber]

Gr8

[marble lion]

Literally already having accepted it

[glass granite]

Depending on the quest, someone might ask them to do it too

[cinder timber]

Is it normal to miss a session and not want to continue? As DM

[unkempt roost]

That's how 90% of campaigns end

[cinder timber]

Fr?

[unkempt roost]

Yeah burnout

[cinder timber]

I dont even have a reason to burnout tho.

[unkempt roost]

Well I exaggerate but burnout, tpks, and winning the campaign are usually how they go

[cinder timber]

But I barely ran any sessions 😭

[unkempt roost]

Sometimes the vibes just aren't there

[marble lion]

Why was it missed?

[wispy wing]

Dont like to be a DM, dont like the campaign or dont like the group?

[cinder timber]

I was busy

[crimson gulch]

If you have barly gotten started it can be hard to keep going, and any setback can feel like a mountain to cross

[cinder timber]

Idk, thats why im asking

[glass granite]

How are we supposed to know?

[unkempt roost]

Sometimes life gets in the way

[cinder timber]

The vibes seem there from the players

[cinder timber]

Cause I'm just asking if it's normal, that's all

[glass granite]

Do you like how the plot is progressing?

[cinder timber]

Yeah, progressing fine

[glass granite]

Ummm
Are you enjoying the DM’ing process?

[limber trail]

Burnout doesn’t tend to have a reason behind it

[cinder timber]

But it usually comes from exertion.

[limber trail]

It kinda just happens. It can also happen from other things in your life

[woven flint]

Sometimes you can be burnt out without even knowing it

[cinder timber]

Kind of, yeah

[glass granite]

Your motivation just seems to crumple up and burn into ash with burnout

[limber trail]

Overexerting yourself in one area of life can affect other parts of your life instead of the root cause

[cinder timber]

I know bro

[glass granite]

I’ve gotten burnout on my campaign before (fairly recently actually) so I’m just taking a break

[cinder timber]

True that. But im "burnt out" after 4 dang sessions 😂

[glass granite]

Coincides well with the season

[glass granite]

Hey I was only 6 sessions in

[cinder timber]

That's reasonable tho

[glass granite]

That thing just sneaks up on you and jumps ya

[slate lion]

What should i draw today?

[cinder timber]

I have a question for you

[glass granite]

Cookies!

[slate lion]

Cookies?

[glass granite]

Cookies!

[slate lion]

Aight

[severe rampart]

Mimic Cookies

[slate lion]

Mimic cookies? Insane

[cinder timber]

Is prep supposed to be enjoyable? Or is it supposed to be arduous? @glass granite

[severe rampart]

Everyone suspects chests as mimics, they gotta change their strategy

[glass granite]

I’m leaning towards enjoyable. If the prep is feeling arduous, you’re over prepping.

[cinder timber]

Hmm, maybe i prep too much. 🤔

[glass granite]

Even if you’ve barely prepped

[woven flint]

Mimic speck of dust.

[empty thicket]

Making some empanadas with the Cheaf feat and eating them in front of the enemies for annoy them

[cinder timber]

I don't mind playing, but I find prepping tedious

[glass granite]

Different ways of prepping also consume more willpower too

What do you do to prep?

[crimson gulch]

Me too so I prep little

[slate lion]

Done its just a dot

[glass granite]

I find prep fun sometimes

[harsh hinge]

I don't love prep myself as it feels like homework that the rest of the table doesn't really have to do. But I feel too anxious if I go solely on improv.

[cinder timber]

Well

I prep some locations along with a brief history and some facts
Npcs with a brief snippet of their life
Some stories and stuff going on in the world

Then, I just kinda run with it

[woven flint]

Indeed...

I'm actually a Mimic myself :>

[wispy wing]

I could not be a DM. To me even creating a PC is an excruciatingly painful work. I love playing the game and writing backstories but putting together the PC from a game mechanic point of view is... I dont know. Like giving birth or something.

[glass granite]

Well, that’s as much if not more prep than my average sesh

[cinder timber]

Good way to look at

[glass granite]

I think it’s just preference at the end of the day

[cinder timber]

Oh ok! I don't think prep more than that. 🤔

[harsh hinge]

I'm not sure I'd call it a good way. It does serve a use, though, so I do prep, even if I wish I could just play without it.

[glass granite]

I only prep more for character backstory stuff and major plot point

[cinder timber]

Prep what you need, I guess? Idk, im dumb

[glass granite]

Prep what you need, indeed

[cinder timber]

Like npc backstory?

[glass granite]

PC
I rarely do NPC backstories

[harsh hinge]

I do. I would love to do no-prep is what I'm saying, but I don't think that suits my personality.

[glass granite]

Unless they’re very important

[cinder timber]

What is there to prep with pc backstories? It's written already

[empty thicket]

3 mimics in a trenchcoat?

[slate lion]

Should i put stats?

[woven flint]

No, I'm a mimic inside a Mimic, mimicking a mimic.

[empty thicket]

mimception?

[woven flint]

Yup

[naive cedar]

Maybe the real mimics were the friends we made along the way

[glass granite]

Incorporating PC backstories into the story. For example, my paladin just met a fallen knight from his late hero’s divine order that was risen and forced to work under the undead BBEG. So, I prepared a monologue, some information points, references to the backstory (he referenced being there at the PC’s hometown when it was destroyed).

[woven flint]

I'm not even real
I'm a collective hallucination of this server, you all force me to exist, it hurts, wake up wake up wake up /satire

[marble lion]

Oh youre trying to trick the mimic that ate you into thinking its pregnant so it spits you out
Roll deception

[cinder timber]

Should I try prepping differently?

[glass granite]

Couldn’t hurt

[empty thicket]

Damn, knew that runic owlbear stew was weird

[woven flint]

Rood

[cinder timber]

Okay, cuz i wanna cancel again this weekend. I asked, and unfortunately, all the players are free.

[marble lion]

The sheer daring in using /satire as if that comment could in any way be real

[woven flint]

I'm just a bold individual /satire

[glass granite]

Can you pinpoint why you don’t wanna go?

[mossy void]

Should I use Google docs to organize my music into specific groups or should I just make some playlists on youtube?

[knotty pasture]

Why not both

[woven flint]

The third more sinister option: Make a SoundCloud playlist

[cinder timber]

I just feel like my maps and stuff ain't too great. I also have bad writers block, so I cant think of too much to prep.

[knotty pasture]

Why not use an existing campaign

[glass granite]

Try running a module
Tell the players that you’re getting writers blocks don just don’t feel too motivated, and you wanna try out a one shot and/or a module for a bit

[cinder timber]

That's a possibility

[mossy void]

I dont have an account and im probably gonna use mainly video game osts, im just debating. Google docs can help with specific vibes while youtube will get the music up faster

[cinder timber]

How do you resolve the block of writers? Should I just write until it makes sense? Spitball ideas?

[wispy wing]

Try use chatgpt to suggest a few possible ways to go from where the story is now?

[potent siren]

running modules to take a break can be fun, that is a good suggestion

[glass granite]

Go on a walk, run through a bunch of doorways, take your mind off it for a a bit, listen to music, read some books, play dnd as a player, get some exercises, sell your soul, run modules…

[potent siren]

could try with a different TTRPG system as well

[woven flint]

Yesss.. yess.. sow the seeds of early 2000's free music website

I used SoundCloud ALL the time as a youngster lol

[cinder timber]

That penultimate suggestion lol

[glass granite]

You’re right, I should acknowledge many people already sold their soul

[limber trail]

I find that an important part of my preparation and staying motivated between sessions is to find time each week to:

• not play / think about DnD
• play DnD as a player with a different group
• talk to people about my prep and get help with it from week to week
• talk to my players and stay excited with them for the things to come

[marble lion]

Talking with players really gets me fired up

Tricky though because i cant spoil

[jovial shadow]

Soundcloud as a youngster? You must have been in diapers when Napster and Kazaa reigned supreme.

[woven flint]

I have NO idea who those are lol

[jovial shadow]

lol

[cinder timber]

What do you talk to your players about? We just meet at session time and thats it

[hushed mason]

If it is downtime, I rp in a PBP format with my players.

I also tell them about my farm.

[dim sparrow]

guys where can i buy a figurine online if anyone has suggestions???

[limber trail]

I talk to my players just in general as friends, I talk about their theories, their plans, the things they found fun, the things they wanna do in the future, the stuff they’re excited for, all that and more

[remote wadi]

I suppose I should ask, then. What is the advice for a stealthy sniper build when the terrain is more indoors and cramped?

[knotty pasture]

Throw down Spike Growth and just stay where you are and keep shooting

[remote wadi]

Is my lack of effectiveness there just a level 1-2 thing, a Ranger thing, or a me thing?

[knotty pasture]

A you thing

Your expectations are misplaced

[remote wadi]

So what should they be as time goes on?

[knotty pasture]

Honestly just go with the flow, don't rack your brain too hard

You don't need to hard carry your team by making the S tier build (that your build isn't following that route anyways)

[glass granite]

You got some utility, some damage, some range, some support
You’ll be fine

[knotty pasture]

Even I don't remember planning out my Ranger this hard and I'm the team's main ranged dps so far

Monoclass Gloom Stalker as well

[burnt valley]

Oh damn

[remote wadi]

For sure. Carrying the team to victory isn't going to happen. Just trying not to fall into the trap of being the only one helping the team past the obligatory

[knotty pasture]

If you're shooting something you're helping

Ranger isn't complex at all

[remote wadi]

But the convo with the party of being expected to work towards, prepare, and cast PWT while most of the team doesn't make my life easier is loosely akin to shooting yourself in the leg and expecting them to rush over with the medical suppkies

[knotty pasture]

So don't use PWT, we established for the 4th time that PWT sucks

Focusing on how PWT sucks isn't helping your case right

[remote wadi]

You missed the point of that

[knotty pasture]

Its not like PWT is the only spell you can pick

[remote wadi]

I don't mind taking it when the time comes. Just worried this means another reason for the team to mooch off me

[knotty pasture]

So don't pick it

[remote wadi]

Which ironically means that I am now shooting myself in the foot

A tricky situation indeed...

[knotty pasture]

No it really isn't

[knotty pasture]

This

[remote wadi]

I do have 2 2nd level spell slots at level 5

Spike Growth will totally be on there because it's the other spell that is that noteworthy for now

[full cobalt]

When you deep dive D&D Great Wheel Cosmology, you find the entire thing is backed by a single primordial Astral consciousness essentially having a, "Cognito, ergo universum," moment.

[knotty pasture]

Beast Sense, Rope Trick, Spike Growth

[glass granite]

Don’t they also get Aid

[remote wadi]

And if I reach level 5 and have another spell I can prepare, I'm very sure that my team and DM will give some rapid suggestions on what that other spell could be

[glass granite]

Or Magic Weapon

[remote wadi]

If Aid's a spell, I don't see it

[dim sparrow]

guys where should i buy a figurine

online tho

[remote wadi]

Neither it nor Magic Weapon shows up for Ranger's spell list for 2014

[glass granite]

It is a spell tho. They both are

[full cobalt]

And a consequence of this model of cosmology is that essentially, all of reality is itself magic, consciousness becomes entropy, and expands the astral plane like cosmic expansion, eventually causally disconnectining the different shards and Spelljammers eventually become useless in extra-shard travel

[remote wadi]

What i see for the 2nd level is...

[glass granite]

Unless the list I’m looking at is 2024 and they changed it…

[knotty pasture]

Magic Weapon is an optional feature iirc

Same with Aid, so safe to say it was disabled in this campaign

[glass granite]

That checks out

[remote wadi]

Yeah, it's just not really there

[glass granite]

There’s silence, ig

[remote wadi]

I don't see Rope Trick either in 2014 book

[knotty pasture]

Auto learned at Ranger level 5

Otherwise Silence as said, Enhance Ability

[remote wadi]

Enhance Ability?

[knotty pasture]

Yes

[remote wadi]

How do I say this...

I want PWT, but I'm also worried it just gets me swarmed by our team pestering me for it

[glass granite]

How so?

[remote wadi]

Expectations/Obligations, shall we say

[knotty pasture]

So don't pick it

[remote wadi]

You should have seen how often they were pushing me towards preparing and casting Goodberry instead of having the team prepare rations for themselves

[knotty pasture]

Like all decisions in life, between the first and second option, pick the second

Because if you're determined in the first place, the second option wouldn't be considered at all

[remote wadi]

Which is what I was trying to say before about babysitting the team

[cunning solstice]

Hay no fear the iron forge vanguard is here

[remote wadi]

I love supporting people, I love it when I'm appreciated for it, but it really gets hard to when they struggle to function without it

[cunning solstice]

Not to be rude but mind telling me what your on about if you don't mind

[remote wadi]

Sorry, someone already casted fear

[cunning solstice]

I case IRON WILL

[potent siren]

What sort of spells are you interested in?

[cunning solstice]

Iron will. Makes you fear nothing

[knotty pasture]

So don't support them

Play selfishly

[cunning solstice]

Im gona nap.

Night

[keen cave]

I ROLLED A 96 ON STATS

HOLY CRAP

[umbral girder]

Nice

[potent siren]

Uh...

[remote wadi]

To summarize, I've mostly been supporting the team for these first few sessions of the campaign. But instead of working towards a more permanent solution, it feels like it's leading to me needing to permanently give temporary solutions

For example, no one prepares rations with the starting gold. Instead of getting more rations from the store for themselves, I am urged to waste a spell slot to cast Goodberry

[remote wadi]

Oh. Wow.

[umbral girder]

Spike Growth or Silence can be helpful to have

[cunning solstice]

Oh........ Dame

[umbral girder]

Good terrain control

With no saves

[cunning solstice]

Hay when's the next session. Im new

[umbral girder]

We don’t do games on this server

[cunning solstice]

And do we need a character shite

[umbral girder]

You can find people organizing games in #find-a-game

[limber trail]

This is a situation you’re facing as a player, or as a DM?

[cunning solstice]

I might if spelt the last word wrong

[remote wadi]

This is unfortunately the first instance. Those rations were bought for the party, but it had to be from all of my starting gold.
There was a vampire loose from the basement (not on the roof) that they released, but instead of thinking of a quick, safe, and easy way to get hin back down, they all tried to be the Hero, the one who saves the day for everyone, failed, then act like it's my fault for not shooting at the vampire and casting Ensnaring Strike

[remote wadi]

As a player

[cunning solstice]

Wait do we need to pay to play

[knotty pasture]

Oh yeah it was kind of a recurring thing now

[cunning solstice]

So to join a session we need to pay money to join

[knotty pasture]

My whole team sucked, my dm sucked, my dice roll sucked, so I have to make a S tier Ranger build to finally get things going, also I don't want my team mooching off my buffs

[umbral girder]

Pretty sure DnD is about playing hero

[limber trail]

You could maybe talk to the DM and just say, hey, this group isn’t super interested in rations, do we wanna sideline them?

Alternatively, just don’t use spell slots on goodberry. Explain to the group that they need to buy their own rations

[cunning solstice]

Now that's just rudish that we need to pay to join a session

[remote wadi]

That is why I am concerned so much about PWT. I am all for helping the team and helping towards a bit more independence, but not if it just ends with me constantly bailing everyone out of their bad decision making

[limber trail]

You don’t need to pay to join sessions - a vast majority of the games advertised here are completely free

[cunning solstice]

Oh. I miss read it

[hushed mason]

It would be nice if I could get my group to chip in for the roll20 fee...

But yeah, most games are free.

[limber trail]

There’s a channel where players can pay for paid games but that’s only a small amount of games

[cunning solstice]

So. Eny one know when the next session is. Im on school holiday so I'm free for like 3 weeks give or take

[potent siren]

Ain't no sessions

[cunning solstice]

Dame

[umbral girder]

This is not the place to play the game. If you want to join a group you go to #find-a-game to find one usually

[cunning solstice]

Im just asking mate. Im nee

[knotty pasture]

So don't pick PWT +5

Just get Enhance Ability and use Cat's Grace on yourself

[remote wadi]

The DM was also urging me to use Goodberry. In fact, was the main one that did so

And now, he and a few of the others want to have the best of both worlds of me casting PWT on their whims while having no one consider "Maybe i should take Medium Armor instead. A little less AC to be much lighter and no disadvantage is not too bad" (we also have 2 people proficient in smithing kits by the way, so Chain Shirt +1 is pretty likely to get or make)

[cunning solstice]

New I'm new. My gramer is trash

[knotty pasture]

You get advantage on all dex checks (includes stealth)

[umbral girder]

So you actively don’t want a spell that benefits everyone and will help your party?

[cunning solstice]

Dame we need a character shite. I think I got one around here some werr

[knotty pasture]

You don't have to share it with anyone either

[hidden spindle]

I would just go use Find Traps at this point

[knotty pasture]

My personal suggestion is Enhance Ability + Spike Growth here

[remote wadi]

I do, but I'm worried doing so just makes everyone want to pester me more about giving more to them

[hidden spindle]

Did you ever answer what you want your Ranger/character to be?

[knotty pasture]

Was a nova build of some sort iirc

Nuking people really hard with Ranger/Fighter/Rogue multiclasses

[remote wadi]

Imagine giving rations to the entire team and lockpicking all the chests they wanted you to only to case a light source on something other than you... in a dark basement... with you being the only one that doesn't have dark vision... twice...

[remote wadi]

Gloomstalker Assassin

[limber trail]

I’m gonna be honest this is the second time in a few days I’ve seen you complain about this group, it sounds like maybe it’s worth just looking for a different group

[hidden spindle]

Healing Kits + Healer origin feat. Super cheap healing alternative to Spells, easy to craft.

[hushed mason]

This has been suggested many times. It has been more than two days.

Hi @remote wadi . Merry Christmas.

[hidden spindle]

Then just do your thing and let the party go do their thing

Love a good doctor character

[remote wadi]

Well, Alternatively, there is the option to somewhat Monkey Paw getting PWT and just casting it on myself and the Rogue

"Well, you said you didn't want to invest in Stealth, and I respect that. If you don't want to have stealth, I won't give you stealth"

[hidden spindle]

Could start your own fantasy hospital

[limber trail]

This sounds like a very good way to ruin a group for everyone where you could just leave in peace

[hidden spindle]

Characters are super human.

Everyone else (NOC) is not.

[umbral girder]

That’s a red flag

[remote wadi]

I really can't win here. Some people are telling me to do my own thing, but others are yelling me when I do my own thing
Give me a break

Pick a lane

[hidden spindle]

It seems pretty obvious to do your own thing

[remote wadi]

And when I do my own things, it's all "red flag"

[limber trail]

I mean it’s a public server and so you’ll find a range of opinions but the advice I’m seeing way more of is to do your own thing

[remote wadi]

Sheesh...

[fickle heart]

I say this because it's your first campaign (of hopefully many), but I think you need to realize that if you approach all D&D like this, you will never actually enjoy the game and you will push people away. You are seemingly far too focused on aspects of the game that no one else in your campaign likely cares about, and I think you are psyching yourself out to the point that no one can relate to you because you are approaching the game in a way that does not convey maturity.

[hushed mason]

@fickle heart is this the first time you've chatted with this fine man?

Cause, this has been said. Many times.

[fickle heart]

Nopers. I've heard the same qualms at least three times.

[coarse belfry]

hiya

[remote wadi]

All D&D doesn't feature a team that cares about themselves the most. I'm just trying to make do with what I've got

[umbral girder]

Yeah but actively trying to be hostile about a buff spell to your allies is a red flag overall

[remote wadi]

Exactly. So why am I getting shoved into a dumpster for the heinous act of the considerations of not casting PWT on 3 of our heavily armored Frontline classes? It is a good thing to do without a doubt, but maybe I want them to live with their bad choices instead of trying to bail em out of it

[umbral girder]

It’s actively being hostile

[jovial badger]

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/nPYhIPsyN1A

[fickle heart]

Which is absolutely fair, but I hope you recognize that repeating the same qualms over and over again to a public forum with no resolution possible from said public forum makes you, at some point, look like either the problem or that you need to take control of the problem and solve it definitively for yourself. You do not need a public forum's approval, and you should also know that circularly complaining about the group you are intending to have fun with in a game gives the impression that you need to do a bit of self-reflection on this matter. At this point it seems like you have a bit of a fixation with the entire situation, and that's not a good sign, especially as it could spiral and ruin your ability to enjoy the game further.

[hidden spindle]

I would pick up Chef feat, and cook four meals for myself

CON 18!

[remote wadi]

Then I guess I have a question. As much as I want to do my own thing, there's a small part of me worried about the consequences, direct or indirect? Would it be a bad thing to try to consider those consequences, but also attempt to not worry about them?

[hidden spindle]

Look at it this way.

PWT is a 2nd level tax.

[remote wadi]

Thicc boi. Nothing wrong with a fit chef, but you know it's going to be good when it's food from a chonky chef

[remote wadi]

A tax... pfff, that's one way of looking at it?

[hidden spindle]

It is. Its one less 2nd level Spell for you

[knotty pasture]

The funny part is that the campaign's currently at a stage where everyone's level 2?

So we're talking level 11 stuff at level 2 and fretting over it...

[remote wadi]

3 now. Presumably close to 4

[timid current]

ultimately your other players are people not NPCs with some kind of game theoried out behavior

[knotty pasture]

That doesn't make it any better ngl

[timid current]

just talk to them, for your sake and theirs

[knotty pasture]

You're fretting over end game builds when the game just started

[remote wadi]

I did try talking to them about it. Whether they will take that advice will be seen Saturday

[knotty pasture]

You need therapy for the record lol

[timid current]

well part of the issue is your insistence on giving advice instead of talking to them about aligning expectations and goals

[knotty pasture]

All actions have consequences, stop worrying about dealing with consequences

[spark warren]

I made the mistake today... at Christmas brunch, my normal brother asked me about what DnD is and I think I overshared...

[knotty pasture]

Get a grip man

[hidden spindle]

Overshared... what exactly?

[hushed mason]

My nibblings were all chatting about D&D. It was sweet.

(and Christmas dinner today, that is.)

[spark warren]

In retrospect, going out to my car to show him all my DnD stuff may have been more than what he was asking for...

[fickle heart]

You should absolutely consider the consequences, but you definitely don't have to worry about them if you don't think it's fair you do. Create a stance that you think is fair, justified, and reasonable, and proceed with that. If called out about something related to your stance, convey your thoughts and also how it makes you feel.

"I feel as if I am expected to uphold a high standard of play while others are not. I'm not sure why that is, but it doesn't help my enjoyment of the game, and I think everyone fairly wants to enjoy the game."

That type of statement is your best friend, because there's no "attacking" anyone. As soon as you attack someone, you've lost in the public eye.

[woven flint]

Honestly
When I was new I worried about how my characters would function late game and how I'd strategies keeping my allies alive, but then I remembered

Adventurers die sometimes, they go out adventuring accepting tge fact that they're living a dangerous life. A PC dying, honestly, isn't the biggest deal I'm all perspectives, it's a sad event, you could've been fond if that character, but at the end of the day 9 times out of 10, you can make a good one

My point with this rant is just go with the flow, dude

But also, talk out your problems with people

[scenic zinc]

In summary - it's a game.