dnd-discussion

[glad arch]

In favor of vicious mockery 'critting' if its funny enough

[severe rampart]

no it was actually the correct channel since there was no outright "correct" channel for you to ask your initial question

you asked for cool things you could do for dancing lights, that's not really optimization or rules

[severe rampart]

whoa, d4 becomes a 2d4

[faint fog]

Yeah (and the answer was: nothing unless you're lost 😔)

[glad arch]

Vicious mockery has the disadvantage to it though, thats why its a d4

[faint fog]

Dissadvantage more like

[severe rampart]

oh yeah, what subclass are you in Bard? Lore?

[feral fulcrum]

I find it kind of funny how they put so much more weight on disadvantage, over something like Chilling touch's healing negation

[faint fog]

Creation

[severe rampart]

oop, I know zilch about College of Creation

[faint fog]

I feel like I picked all the wrong things now 😭

Based on what you guys are saying

[severe rampart]

There are no correct things to pick.

The only correct picks are The Ones You Find Fun To Play

[glad arch]

Might not have played enough/at high enough levels but how often do enemies heal?

I know theres some enemies that have 'passive' healing

[severe rampart]

if you're having fun, you're winning D&D

[feral fulcrum]

Most monsters don't, but it would not be unbeleivable to Humanoid enemies with a brain to pull out a healing potion, or having healing spells.

[faint fog]

I am having fun! But I just feel like I should use my useless cantrip more, hence my initial question x)

[feral fulcrum]

Healing isn't exactly common, but is substantially more important to shut down, over say, inflicting disdavantge

[severe rampart]

and you can! if you want to, you could take the dancing lights and stick them into somebody's eyes, maybe try to blind them? it's really a matter of how creative you can be!

[vernal vale]

Anyone have a strong build? The almost entire party have beyond busted homebrew classes and I refuse to ask the DM for Homebrew as he uses AI for it, but I still don't want to feel extremely week

[rough basalt]

Oh god

[severe rampart]

oh god

[glad arch]

Fair but disadvantage is always usefull, where as blocking healing is situational

[feral fulcrum]

There seems to be an echo in here. 😛

[severe rampart]

that is like... prime for a D&D horror story

[glad arch]

Then again its also a wis save, odds are half the intelligent creatures pass the save

[rough basalt]

Ye that's a good for for the horror story subreddit

[trim swan]

Having a humanoid enemy use a healing potion is actually a really good way to prolong combat if needed and makes a lot of sense. Finding a healing potion on the corpse of someone you just killed is always weird.

[vernal vale]

Have you not seen the talk about the axe we had in this chat earlier this week 😭

[severe rampart]

If the party can heal, so can the enemies

[rough basalt]

"DM breaks his game cause he can't stop AI generating everything."

[faint fog]

Oh so the lights can do damage?? I thought they could just be used as, well, lights. Kind of like lightbulbs, in terms of heat and damage

[severe rampart]

"DM doesn't balance out his homebrew that he wrote with AI, causing me to feel underpowered in the party"

[glad arch]

How attatched are you to playing in this group?

[trim swan]

Pretty sure I've heard that one before lol

[severe rampart]

it doesn't, but if your DM is cool he might let you make the enemy blind?

[vernal vale]

Very, most groups dont take minors, I adore my character, and I have a lot of my friends in it

[rough basalt]

Ye it's a growing problem story type

[faint fog]

I can try! Thank you!

[glad arch]

Then i suggest the #optimization and hope for your sanity and fun that the dm knows how to balance their stuff and not let ai write their campaign

[severe rampart]

unfortunately if the DM is using AI for homebrew there's a more than likely chance he uses it for his campaign

[rough basalt]

I don't think optimization can help with AI generated nonsense

He probably uses it for everything

[glad arch]

Probably but theyre wanting to play so trying to make the best of it

[severe rampart]

They said that they don't want to use the AI homebrew, so they want a classic DnD build

[normal canyon]

AI sucks at homebrews though

[rough basalt]

It ain't gonna be able to match up to whatever AI nonsense is going on.

[severe rampart]

lmao I know right

[glad arch]

Yeh thats probably the issue

[severe rampart]

an unfortunate truth

[glad arch]

Balance? Why do we need that we want to be strong

[severe rampart]

We want to fulfill the power fantasy that we have

[paper portal]

it absolutely can the issue is that the highest tier optimization needs your party to play the same way which in this case theyre not going to

[rough basalt]

Maybe if you tell him Grok told you the games unfairly balanced he'll change it up.

[paper portal]

but id put an optimized party well over an unoptimized party with broken homebrew tbh

[vernal vale]

He cant balance for shit, he gave the barbarian a +15 to hit axe (we are level 12) it does 3x crit damage, one of the homebrew classes SOMEHOW got +1000 temp HP last combat while Im out here with my death domain cleric doing on average 0 damage a turn because everything has a billion AC to counter the axe

[rough basalt]

That's what I mean.
An optimized single PC following the rules won't match up to "God AI homebrew which gives me +20 to all rolls"

[glad arch]

Still think that?

[paper portal]

yeah lol

[vernal vale]

The fact you aren't even exagerating by a large margin on the +20 hit is so funny/sad 😭🙏

[fossil hollow]

ChatGPT giving a monster Total Magic Immunity be like:

[glad arch]

Magic immunity is a thing though, not fully but i believe theres several monsters immune to spells under x level

[paper portal]

sora is right that optimization cant fix a party imbalance (at least without god exits) but a full optimized party can do crazy things

[fossil hollow]

Thats Limited Magical Immunity. This is Total.

[paper portal]

still loses to psteed longbow kiting, no resources expended even

[fossil hollow]

whats stopping that hallucibot from giving BPS immun

[glad arch]

Atleast the axe can be worked around ig because he could just give you an item increasing your spell attack/dc by +15 as well. But honestly man, this table sounds like it will be more of a headache than its worth

[paper portal]

atp its literally invincible so you might as well godexit

[glad arch]

Full magic immunity and BPS immunity, enjoy

[vernal vale]

Again very difficult to find tables that accept minors and this is my only real opportunity to socialize with some of my friends

[fossil hollow]

I dont count godexit as a win

thats just a retreat

[paper portal]

i dont count invincible monsters as a win

[paper portal]

just wish the monster away gg ez

[glass granite]

Personally I’ve been invited to two games without even looking for them, and I’m a minor. Though I might be the anomaly.

[fossil hollow]

Total Magical Immunity:

[glad arch]

Well then best go with the flow, bring up your difference in power to the dm and hope they somehow bring you up to pace with the rest

[clear goblet]

God doesn't have to be using magic

[glass granite]

Not to mention I have a table irl

[fossil hollow]

Thats how you get hit with the Lady of Pain appearing

[inner silo]

Is boon of fate cool?

[paper portal]

if youre a god who cares

[glass granite]

Ye

[jolly canyon]

God with the akimbo deagles

[vernal nebula]

Can we play d & d

[fossil hollow]

not on here

[vernal nebula]

Where

[paper portal]

#looking-for-players #looking-for-dm

[fossil hollow]

#find-a-game

[inner silo]

Oki, thanks!

[fossil hollow]

LoP killed several gods

[paper portal]

but yeah any broken homebrew can find a counter in equally broken optimization that we never touch because of how broken it is

[fossil hollow]

She cares very much

[inner silo]

Btw @glass granite i finished making my first monk!

[vernal nebula]

I win

[glass granite]

YEEE

[clear goblet]

D&D God and Gods in D&D are two very different things

[fossil hollow]

what

[glass granite]

They are?

[inner silo]

Ik it's a bit basic but decided to go for warrior of the elements

[clear goblet]

In my book anyway

[glad arch]

There a god in dnd?

[fossil hollow]

What the hell is D&D God? Ao?

[glass granite]

My favourite subclass!

[paper portal]

theres not much any monster can do against unlimited and instant teleportation anywhere for example

[clear goblet]

The DM

[fossil hollow]

Luminous Being?

[jolly canyon]

Me when I dm tbh fr icl

[glass granite]

Scheduling

[fossil hollow]

Thats why i open carr-

[burnt grove]

The Dm isn't really a god more like a driving force,

[paper portal]

people just be saying letters these days

[worn lagoon]

This is when you forcecage someone with several demons inside

[jolly canyon]

Fr nl bff

[glad arch]

Indeed, thats how typing works

[paper portal]

:3

[severe rampart]

mn wcm? ts vr ez (I can't do this)

[clear goblet]

The DM very much can be a God if they wanted to tbf

[burnt grove]

@clear goblet The god of what? If No players left

[fossil hollow]

I do have an unabashed seld insert god who i titled: The Dungeon Master

[clear goblet]

Fair point

[severe rampart]

Mmm, built a swords bard, my love for bards has reignited

[fossil hollow]

[[Uravel]]

Title: The Great Weaver, The Blind Fatespinner, The Dungeon Master
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Domains: Arcana, Knowledge
Holy Symbol: A twenty sided die, red thread

He's me without glasses

[inner silo]

They're a dragonborn martial artist who studied fitness and self defense for their entire life, reading every module about them in the local libraries during their youth and eventually became an adventurer to find as many modules as they could and learn every technique to become the best martial artist. No they've written their own module where they combine all the knowledge they've collected throughout their years, massproduced it and now trying to sell it to everyone they save

It's for a level 20 game

[glass granite]

I see

[inner silo]

What do you think of it?

[glass granite]

Not bad, just wondering what they’re doing now

Finding more modules? Selling their book?

[vernal vale]

Sorry for late answer, playing DBD, I just got a magic item... a +2 to AC and 1 lvl 1 spell slot

[glass granite]

Oh that’s pretty neat

[inner silo]

Wandering the world, saving people and selling them books. Sometimes they pick up an apprentice or two if someone they save doesn't have anywhere to go, and train them for a year or two

[glad arch]

Nah you missed the convo, barbarian has a +15 axe which deals 3x crit damage

That very much is not neat

[glass granite]

…
damn

[paper portal]

at what point do you start using RAW stuff that should never reasonably be allowed is the real question

[glass granite]

Just damn

[inner silo]

Someone would say this balances the martial/caster divide

[vernal vale]

What's RAW

[fossil hollow]

that broke bounded accuracy 5 times over

[glass granite]

Rules As Written

[glad arch]

Nah whats that, just pump up all enemy AC

[inner silo]

What's bounded accuracy?

[glad arch]

Theres an expected attack modifiers players can reasonably achieve, enemy AC is balanced around this existing

[paper portal]

Rules As Written, essentially stuff thats allowed according to what the rules say as opposed to what the designers intended them for

[inner silo]

Ah i see, thanks for explaining

[vernal vale]

Uhh idk how to answer that

[glad arch]

Nah most time when raw is broken its people ruling stuff wrong or activly ignoring the rules. Which dont get me wrong theres definitally times and places to ignore RaW just know what youre doing

[vernal vale]

Probably a couple more considering the barbarian has a total +9 that I didn't factor into the axe to hit

[glad arch]

If something is not raw but its the intended method its rai, rules as intended. And usually comes from sage advice

[inner silo]

Is +14 at level 20 a good to hit modifier?

[paper portal]

that's true but there's also a LOT of broken stuff if you know where to look

[glass granite]

Yes

[worn lagoon]

More or less

[paper portal]

(limitless ego)

[inner silo]

Oki, thanks!

[glass granite]

Elephants jumping is a personal fav.

[paper portal]

assuming +5 in a stat you normally have 11 to hit so

[glad arch]

+5 from stat, +6 from proficiency and +3 weapon. Thats about what youd expect

[worn lagoon]

That's a 50% hrate vs tiamat

[glass granite]

Except theyre a monk

[inner silo]

I had to sacrifice the +3 weapon for a different one so that's why i asked

[paper portal]

yeah im more talking about the level 2400 characters and things like that obviously nobody is gonna let you do that though

[glad arch]

Tbh not familar with monks, do they get extra stuff for attack modifier?

[fierce sparrow]

Plus strength belt

[vernal vale]

Ha! Peep our barbarian's +24 to hit at lvl 12

[glass granite]

nope. Likely got it from some other item

[fierce sparrow]

Or plus magic arrows

[inner silo]

Dam, I'm not getting that high. At least my unarmed strikes do decent damage though

[vernal vale]

Dw she can do 100-150 dmg per round

[glad arch]

Dont compare to their party member, they have homebrew beyond regular dnd conventions

[inner silo]

With unarmed strikes?

[vernal vale]

Dont compare theyre using ChatGPT homebrew

[inner silo]

The +15 axe?

[vernal vale]

Yup

[glad arch]

Mhm

[inner silo]

Ah oki

[vernal vale]

+29 BECAUSE I JUST REMEMBERED IT INCREASES HER STR TO 30 IN RAGE

[inner silo]

Tbh i think my monk could beat them

[glad arch]

You should not achieve a +24 in any attack role playing normal dnd

[fossil hollow]

you have like, what? max of + 10 + 6 + 3

[inner silo]

Nah it's totally possible if adding stuff like boon of fate, flash of genius and other buffs

[glass granite]

Maybe with war cleric once in a while, or some other similar resource, but yeah +24 is crazy

[severe rampart]

Yeah but that's the same person who said their DM used AI for their homebrew

[fossil hollow]

yeah, youre max to hit bonus with a(n official) magic item, 30 in a stat, and max PB is just +19

[severe rampart]

so...

[glass granite]

Ig Oath of Devotion could do it?

[glad arch]

Yeh but most of these arent static modifiers

[fierce sparrow]

Man 30 strength in my hands haha the maximum carry weight for that with the right things could be funny

[fossil hollow]

... ur so right, devotion would add another potential +10 for + 29

[trim swan]

Might need to sit down and have a conversation with the DM about balance concerns with their homebrew. I wouldn't play in that group at all, but I admit I'm quite fortunate to have many opportunities to play.

[fossil hollow]

Why are we getting double the echoes in this room

[glass granite]

Second this

[trim swan]

I think I need to change my name lol

[glad arch]

Great minds think alike

[glass granite]

Triple now

[fossil hollow]

nah, just messing with yall

[glass granite]

We have three echoes, two of them have very similar names

[vernal vale]

I've 'jokingly' asked if he read the homebrew properly and he said 'yea, it's fine'

[severe rampart]

Well

[glass granite]

Speaketh of the words, and as a haunting promise it shall echo back

[inner silo]

True

[severe rampart]

I have 5 campaigns as of right now... do I want to try a 6th

I have a valor bard that I really want to play

[glad arch]

As a player or dm?

[glass granite]

Echo is becoming the next Ti wtf

[severe rampart]

4 as a player, 1 as the DM

[inner silo]

Btw @glass granite since elements monk gets a fly speed, can i just grapple a guyz fly up and drop them?

[fossil hollow]

And im trying to ursurp Urizt

[glad arch]

Lots of free time, lots of dnd

[glass granite]

YUP. Then drop yourself on them!

[severe rampart]

Lmao you should see how close they are together

[severe rampart]

12:30 AM, Saturday - Dragonlance
1:30 PM, Saturday - Curse of Strahd
12:00 AM, Monday - Descent into Avernus
4:00 AM, Monday - Settlers of a Dead God
1:00 PM, Monday - Infinite Staircase

[glad arch]

I play like once every 2 weeks and you play 5 games a week

[inner silo]

And take a reaction to reduce the damage you take yourself to 0 unless it's a fall from 170 feet+ and you took the maximum damage possible

[severe rampart]

Sometimes they cancel, it's alright, I have other games to look forward to

[glass granite]

I play like twice a month at BEST (I haven’t played for three weeks miminum now)

[inner silo]

I play almost every week

[severe rampart]

I have a DnD itch that I can't scratch

[vernal vale]

Damn some of those sessions are short

[inner silo]

Sometimes twice/thrice a week

[trim swan]

If this is a genuine concern you have, you might need to just be blunt about it. Like, hey, this is not balanced and it's going to throw off our ability to play. If it's not a big concern, then just try to have fun and only bring it up if it's ruining the game.

[severe rampart]

they're all 3 hours

oh god, there's a chance I know who Bon's DM is

[glass granite]

Oh?

[paper portal]

uh oh

[fossil hollow]

I have:

• Shadow of the Dragon Queen
• Titanic Upheaval
• Waterdeep Menaces (both waterdeep modules)
• Orien Trails
• Tales of Alltheris (Soon)
• The Inferno (Descent + Chains of Asmodeus)

[glass granite]

That’s mildly concerning

[vernal vale]

Are you danish?

[glad arch]

I so wanna play CoS some day, its one of the only modules i strangely seem to love even though i know not that much about it. Probably gonna need to find an online group for it though, my irl dm/friend likes running his homebrew world (and i love playing in it dont get me wrong)

[severe rampart]

Guy had insane homebrew, I think the session lasted for 6 hours, and I felt like he used AI a bit

[severe rampart]

Oh, then no

probably similar DMs then

[vernal vale]

It's a big concern, but I have no other sessions

[severe rampart]

I love running Curse of Strahd

I want to run two CoS campaigns, but nahhh... perhaps... nahh

[inner silo]

It's better to try and make sure it's an enjoyable one then

[glad arch]

I know the barovia vibes and Strahd general trend and the idea just really intrigues me

[glass granite]

Then you just gotta be blunt. No reason to change it if no one speaks up.

[trim swan]

Unfortunately, the lazy DMs who use AI to write everything for them is not a singular occurrence.

[severe rampart]

roleplay heavy session destroyed my voice

[keen kestrel]

I’m in two of them atm

It’s good times here, though I’d be down for a third

[worn crow]

I want to hop into another CoS game. I have one group where we occassionally play it, but not often enough lol

[glad arch]

Youre in 2 different CoS games at the same time?

[keen kestrel]

Yeh

[severe rampart]

God I love my players, not one time have they been late or missed a session

[vernal vale]

The other players are fine with it because they have beyond busted items and classes so I'd be the only one complaining and I don't want to end up having to leave

[glad arch]

That sounds like it would confuse me so much

[worn crow]

No DnD is better than bad DnD, and any DnD with a DM who uses AI slop is going to be bad DnD

[severe rampart]

at most we only waited 10 minutes for someone and they made it

[glass granite]

I personally don’t think it could hurt to have a mature conversation with them

[inner silo]

Do you think you'll be having fun in the game considering those circumstances?

[severe rampart]

Communicate to them then

[shy compass]

Hi I’m new to this channel
Do we do any games

[keen kestrel]

It should, the second one I’m in, my pc is mostly along for the ride (he knows who strahd is and came to barovia to kill him, but isn’t saying much to the rest of the party)

[glad arch]

Not in this server no, you can find games here though

[severe rampart]

You can search for games in #looking-for-players

[fossil hollow]

Not on here. You want #find-a-game

[shy compass]

Thanks guys’s

[vernal vale]

I mean roleplay with the party is still great fun but combat feels so underwhelming :/

[inner silo]

Then you should definitely discuss this issue

[glad arch]

Idk how linear CoS is but how far apart were the starting dates of the 2 campaigns?

[trim swan]

If they get mad about an honest concern respectfully brought up, then you shouldn't be friends with them.

[keen kestrel]

Like the same week lol

[vernal vale]

Not when DND is like the 1 time a week I get to hang out with certain friends who live 30+ min outta town

[inner silo]

If the dm is a good dm they won't kick you just because you're not having fun with unbalanced combat

[glad arch]

Imagine going trough some play with character A then next day you go to the same llace with character B

[keen kestrel]

But my first campaign started at level 3, not in the death house

[river vector]

Going to roleplay the party meeting the vampire spawn that stole their souls for the first time tomorrow. He invited them to his house. He's trying to get them to ally with him in his rebellion (in which he is like a terrorist) This should be fun.

[severe rampart]

from afar I thought your PFP was Strahd

[worn crow]

As someone who tried holding out in a game I was actively dreading and allowing myself to skip sessions when I was sick(I never do this) because I was friends with this group, despite the DM using more and more AI in it.. Trust me. It's not worth it. You'll be better off finding another game that you'll actually have fun in

[river vector]

well second time technically. The first time was when he dropped the disguise he had on (was travelling with them)

[glad arch]

I can see the vision

[inner silo]

Same

[severe rampart]

running CoS has done something to me, I have a cough that just wont leave, I have been bitten numerous times by cats, and now I have to get a rabies shot on monday, so that's fun

[river vector]

it's literally just genderbent strahd doing a meme smile face

[vernal vale]

I'm a minor, alot of groups dont accept minors, the only reason i got in this is because it's in a youth center

[glad arch]

Go roleplay the vampire you were born to be

[severe rampart]

the cat bites do look like vampire bites

[glad arch]

Cats love sunlight though, theyre reverse vampires

[worn crow]

I joined a game on here than includes multiple minors Wish I had known about them before I joined in, but eh from a posting on here, they absolutely exist and are joinable, you just need to scour the postings a few times a day or so

[inner silo]

Still discussing your issues with the dm is the best option you have in my opinion. Though if you don't want to then it's ok, you do you

[worn crow]

The DM actually invited me to an 18+ only campaign he was starting, along with one other player, so now I'm in two games of his lol

[trim swan]

I've actually thought about doing one-shots or mini campaigns for teenagers online. I'm not that old, but I am an adult so I'm not sure how weird it would be. I generally don't privately interact with minors online because I find it weird.

[rough basalt]

It's sandboxy

[glad arch]

Dnd game hunting really is like job hunting huh. A lot more employees then employers. A lot of great jobs but also a lot of shitty jobs either by bad boss or bad coworkers. Once you have connections more options open up to you

[rough basalt]

Barovia is small but it's not very linear.

[jolly canyon]

Luuk is spitting

[glad arch]

Thats good to know

[keen kestrel]

Tbf, there is a lot to do in barovia, plenty of weird side quests you can do

[worn crow]

.

[glass granite]

PREACH

[worn crow]

Argh, my cat smacked her tail on the keyboard

[glass granite]

The kitty strikes again

[rough basalt]

Finding a forever dnd group is like finding a marriage partner but several.

[worn crow]

I've managed to hit the jackpot in DnD games honestly. Joined one game a few years ago, and we're on our third campaign now after completing two!

[rough basalt]

I've yet to complete one.

[jolly canyon]

Legit. My group is friends of 10+ years and it still isn't even a certainty that they'll play with me for even months later let alone years. Only time will tell

[glad arch]

My first game was a oneshot a quick 1.5-2 hour session during my university intro week with a friend of mine and 1 other person we met there. A while later said friend started dming with other friends as the other players. Newish to dming but its a great time

[rough basalt]

Every game I'm in as a player either collapses, goes bad, I get exhausted of dnd or aint it for me.

Other than my current EoR game

It might be the first completion.

[languid laurel]

hey gang, i need help, i'm a forever DM finally playing as a player, and i'm struggling to enjoy my time as a player, partially due to the dm having a wildly different dming style to my own, but also because it feels like im almost too extraverted. i enjoy all the players i'm playing with and the DM, but i just feel so awkward and uncomfortable during the session.

[normal canyon]

Then talk with them about it.

[vernal vale]

Imo it would be really cool and also, talking with people my age online isn't weird if you don't act like a freak lol

[languid laurel]

im trying, but a lot of it is just a ME issue

[rough basalt]

You got foreverdmitus

[normal canyon]

Then maybe leave

[languid laurel]

and its always good to get multiple sources and all that

[rough basalt]

You're too used to being in the master seat that it's hard to adjust.

[languid laurel]

yeah

[livid owl]

It's also possible this just isn't a game style that you enjoy

I've had to leave games where it was just not what I was looking for game wise

[languid laurel]

the thing is, while playing as a DM, im constantly jealous of them, since i always REALLY want to be a player

[languid laurel]

i see

[dark pewter]

It may be that you're not vibing with another table, but it also may just be an adjustment period. If you've been DMing for a long time, the plate of a player is a far smaller one

[rough basalt]

Yeah I sometimes really wanna be a player but I realized I don't like the player seat for 5e all that much.

[trim swan]

Adjusting takes time, so give it some time. Also, you say you are almost too extraverted. Is there not enough interaction for you? Can you try asking the other players what you can do to be able to rp with them more?

[rough basalt]

My EoR game is enough.

[trim swan]

Yeah 5e is really not my favorite system as a player either. I feel that.

[languid laurel]

no no, they interract a lot, its more so that i almost interract so much that its overwhelming to others

[trim swan]

Being a player means sharing a lot more spotlight than the DM who does more talking usually. You might just need to adjust. You could also ask about collaborative play where the players have more say in what's happening, but that may not mesh with the group. I'd just give it some time.

[languid laurel]

i see

[lavish flame]

What are you doing thats causing you to internally cringe? Have any other players expressed that your style of play is awkward/uncomfortable for them? Has the DM made any mention of it?

[languid laurel]

no, not yet, but i'm just super self conscious about it

currently i had to step away from session today because of it

[lavish flame]

Not yet to which question? I had a threepeat

[trim swan]

Yeah, they might not even notice that you think you talk too much. Maybe they like how much you interact.

[inner silo]

Does being a warrior of elements monk have any flavour or ideas for personality traits for a character in it, or is it just doing elemental stuff?

Like i can see how the flavour of other monk subclasses can affect a character but not this one

[severe rampart]

flavor is free, you can do what you want since it is your character

[lavish flame]

None of the Monk subclasses really tell you how your character should act, how do you mean?

[severe rampart]

you can flavor it as you being closer with the elements, more in harmony with it

[languid laurel]

not yet to the players or dm making any mention of it. but basically i'm literally just... overstaying my welcome when it comes to talking or discussing something in game

[inner silo]

Idk, it sometimes makes it easier for me to have a baseline to work off

[trim swan]

You can always base it off of elemental stereotypes as well. Fire is passionate and stubborn, water is calm and emotionally mature, etc.

[languid laurel]

and then the other thing that always happens with me, because me and the DM have such different styles of DMing, i always find something i disagree with or something that i just wouldn't expect to happen, and then my actions and the DM's always become misaligned, and since i'm a wreck, i kinda crash out over it

[trim swan]

Have you asked them if they think that's true though?

[worn crow]

Ask the other players, they might be perfectly fine with how much you interact

[languid laurel]

i'm asking them right now

[inner silo]

Like shadow monks are sneaky, mercy monks can bring health and harm and open hand are purely martial prowess

[inner silo]

That sounds like a pretty cool idea

What are the stereotypes for lightning?

[trim swan]

Do you disagree with decisions to the point where you can't have fun in this game? If so, you may need to respectfully bow out. If not, why are you overreacting so much? Can you just embrace the surprise, even if it's not quite what you want?

[vernal vale]

Energetic maybe?

[lavish flame]

How do you mean? Are you roleplaying too much? Are you roleplaying too "big"? Are you interrupting people? Are you beating dead horses in discussion?

If you can't name any behavior in specific, I think you are just putting yourself under too much scrutiny.

[severe rampart]

Chaotic, Explosive

[lavish flame]

Big temper, short fuse

[trim swan]

Energetic, yeah. Destructive.

[inner silo]

Like chuck from angry birds?

[languid laurel]

@trim swan this describes me well enough i suppose lmao

[lavish flame]

Solid example, yeah. I was thinking of Adam Sandler from Happy Gilmore

[inner silo]

Ah oki

[trim swan]

I imagine someone that is super calm, but when they snap, they go crazy. But that's me personally. Short fuse can also work.

[inner silo]

Tbh this fits my character quite well

[languid laurel]

i think i'm roleplaying too big and beating a dead horse

[inner silo]

Thanks a lot for the help!

[vernal vale]

Twin ✌️😭

[languid laurel]

that's just what i think

but its hard to get a judgement on myself y'know?

[inner silo]

Like you feel like you stick to topics for longer then other players?

[languid laurel]

yeah, definitely

[inner silo]

When i felt that way i just asked the dm

[vernal vale]

I mean yeah, basically no one roleplays regularly at my table lol

[languid laurel]

especially today, i was trying to do a whole "planning/strategy discussion" bit before a fight, but at the same time it felt line i wasn't getting much of a response to it as well, so to me it felt like i went too far into it

[paper portal]

so its a combat heavy table where they broke combat? 💀

[inner silo]

You can ask the other players and the dm about this, imo

[vernal vale]

yeah 💔

[lavish flame]

Lemme ask a loaded question: Do you feel like you are roleplaying more than the other players/ do you feel like the other players are roleplaying at all?

[languid laurel]

okay

[inner silo]

Wish you good luck!

[languid laurel]

[vernal vale]

We have a ratio of 1 RP session to maybe 4-5 Combat

[torpid mesa]

Chat, why is your favorite class your favorite?

[vernal vale]

Death Domain Cleric is just fun because big damage :)

[torpid mesa]

Personally I just really like Hexblade

[worn crow]

Artificers, I like playing nerdy lil fellas that like tinkering. Clerics.. I dunno. I just think they're neat

[paper portal]

if you want dnd for the combat why not just play at optimizer tables atp ngl

[lavish flame]

Wizards just have the most magic and all I want to do ever is cast spells

[jolly canyon]

Druid cause uhh nature and lil guys

[paper portal]

warlocks! i like the unique spell slot system and ebarb is sooo good

[normal canyon]

Homebrew classes because I made them for what I like.

[fossil hollow]

Paladins for me

[vernal vale]

I'm a roleplay guy, but again, only table I really have access too

[fossil hollow]

just love the archetype of holy knights

[vernal vale]

Yeah I really want to play a crusader type paladin for my next character

[odd valley]

monks because i like running around combat and smacking ppl really hard

[lavish flame]

I've got a Paladin idea swimming around in my head that I've needed to get out for a while

Silver Flame-worshipping Oath of Watcher Paladin is a match made in heaven

[fossil hollow]

oh thats a good one for Eberron

[delicate owl]

Sorcerer. Just in case you didnt know.

[fossil hollow]

I know

[delicate owl]

Making sure you knew.

[worn crow]

Oo, yeah, sorcs are another favorite of mine.. I like their magic

[lavish flame]

Once Psion comes out, that'll prolly be the direction of my affection for a while

[rough basalt]

Next PC I play I want to be a paladin I think

[lavish flame]

i like brain magic idk

[rough basalt]

I have no idea when that might be tho.

[jolly canyon]

Everytime I see Eberron said or something about Eberron said I smile

[lavish flame]

I often end up getting paged in discussions I am not part of because they're Eberron related

[rough basalt]

Tho the paladin is tied with a bladesinger

[jolly canyon]

My players are running the Race to the Crab Temple adventure hook tonight. Rewritten to fit my players back stories but still same adventure hook and location names

[fossil hollow]

craaaab

[rough basalt]

It's been ages since I ran a session (5 days)

[jolly canyon]

2 for me. Did a bonus session Thursday cause I had a personal holiday I needed to burn for work

[paper portal]

its been almost a whole week since my last session (next one starts in 30 minutes lol)

[lavish flame]

same, ive seen empires rise and fall since I last played D&D (4 days ago)

[fossil hollow]

a new record for me in the last several months; 6 days

[severe rampart]

it's always painful to wait a whole week for DnD

but I am in 5 campaigns right now

[broken imp]

lol i've seen someone else party rise and fall many many many times

[rough basalt]

My issue is all my games are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

[jolly canyon]

Oh I did my first real session earlier today as player. Got invited here through #find-a-game westmarch. It was lit. I popped off. Got a 5? Zombie turn undead

[rough basalt]

So I have to wait 4 days straight with no tabletop

I'm thinking something fridays

[severe rampart]

yeah I need weekday campaigns

all 5 of my campaigns are Saturday-Monday

[rough basalt]

Fallout Friday for a session or two then onto the next system down the list.

[jolly canyon]

Same but me schedule is cooked for most people. Not even home till 5pm pst. Let alone ready for a sesh by the time others want to be half or mostly done

[rough basalt]

After Fallout Friday, Daggerheart Friday, then Spelljammer Friday

[jolly canyon]

VotM fun? Don't wanna go into detail or we should move to #non-dnd-topics but just curious

[rough basalt]

Sure let's move there.

[vernal vale]

What's VotM??

[meager fractal]

Volo outta the Mansion

[jolly canyon]

Typo. Meant vtm

[feral fulcrum]

Why is Volo out of the Mansion? Was it not Magical enough?

[arctic abyss]

Yall can someone help me play dnd? If so I was wanting to be kinda guided through practice online…… I’m trying to get atleast a little good before Friday

Preferably a teenager……

Ok that sounded wrong

I’m saying that I’m a teenager and I need help playing dnd because I’m trying to get good by Friday

[broken imp]

wdym get good

[crimson gulch]

Get good = learn to play

[arctic abyss]

I just mean like atleast level-4 as that’s the requirement to play with my friends and I’ve had interest in this for a bit I’ve just never been able to get into it

[arctic abyss]

Yea that’s what I meant

[broken imp]

read the basic rules, and the best way to learn is by playing, just know the bare minimum and have references near by while ur playing

[arctic abyss]

Alrighty well I meant if someone would like to play while teaching me a little bit

[broken imp]

if u just want to have a character it's not that hard

[arctic abyss]

Ya I have a character

[broken imp]

#find-a-game

[broken imp]

it's gonna be harder online tho, finding a local dnd group that's inperson is the best

[arctic abyss]

Alright

I just don’t have materials and they supply that at the school

[lavish flame]

Vampire the Masquerade is indeed fun, but its also a #non-dnd-topics topic

[jolly canyon]

Sora and I already going crazy in that chat

[severe rampart]

probably should post in #looking-for-players

[normal canyon]

Oh

[severe rampart]

yeah, of course I am also bored since I have no games right now, let me know if you need an extra player, that's all I'll say about this and let's get back on topic

[paper portal]

i seem to recall there was a feature that can get rid of disadvantage on attacks as opposed to cancelling it out with advantage

anyone remember what it is

[keen kestrel]

That’s rough, I’m sorry’

[normal canyon]

Lucky feat or smth

It gets rid of disadvantage or gives advantage

[paper portal]

lucky kinda does that but im looking for smth that literally gets rid of disadvantage cus i have like a faint memory of it being a thing

[broken imp]

no i don't think so at least not lucky

[broken imp]

i dunno if there such a thing i mean if u count disadvantage as a debuff of some kind i guess

[still plover]

#optimization would know.

[tall forge]

Clockwork soul sorcerer?

[paper portal]

ohh that might have been it ty

[tall forge]

Their 1st feature makes a roll neutral

[river vector]

How would you nerf a revenant for a third level party? Remove multiattack?

I feel perhaps I should remove the paralysis.

[severe rampart]

Less HP probably

It can regenerate so if your party doesn't have easy radiant damage outputs then definitely cut back the hp

[river vector]

They have fire output, they'll figure it out if I describe it doing regen

I don't know how I feel about the paralysis, because revenant explicitly focuses on one member at a time

That's fine for later, but for third level?

[feral fulcrum]

I'd probably lower the HP slightly from it's normal 138

Because a 3rd level party doesn't have the ability to chew that particuarly quickly, especially if the regen isn't shut off

[thick bloom]

gives u super advantage

[river vector]

they recently beat an 80 hp vampire spawn

but I played the spawn kinda off, I messed up and climbed the wall

[thick bloom]

because you can choose which roll to take with lucky it turns your take-lowest-disadvantage roll into choose-any-of-the-three advantage roll

[thick bloom]

is this for curse of strahd

[woven flint]

That's not how advantage really works, no...

[thick bloom]

You have 3 luck points. Whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can spend one luck point to roll an additional d20. You can choose to spend one of your luck points after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined. You choose which of the d20s is used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.

[river vector]

nah it wasn't the curse of strahd spawn they fought at third level

[feral fulcrum]

yeah but that's not really Super Advantage, that's just Lucky being it's usual busted self.

[woven flint]

I'm not even gonna touch that.

Lovely day we're having, huh?

[river vector]

Do I get rid of revenants multiattack or?

[thick bloom]

If you say so chief

You can pick any of the 3 rolls, per the text of lucky. Which is essentially super advantage

[woven flint]

Are we talking 2024 or 2014 lucky?

[feral fulcrum]

If your party is really squishy, yes. If they're not, then it's fine.

[thick bloom]

2014

if this is 2024 i havent read it and have no stake in this argument

[river vector]

I don't think they can handle it, so I'll just remove it

[woven flint]

The problem with 2014 Lucky is that it's worded incredibly poorly.

[river vector]

76 hp is good, I think?

[broken imp]

does anyone know why was circle magic added

it's extremely broken

[feral fulcrum]

I think the wording in 2014 is fairly clear, but overly wordy.

[river vector]

do I keep the paralysis ability if it will focus on one party member?

feels like an easy way to kill a character

[feral fulcrum]

Because it's a thing in the lore? ANd not that busted in general?

[woven flint]

It takes a minute to cast... so like.. 10 rounds of combat..

[feral fulcrum]

And requires multiple spellcasters?

And still often times require spell slots from multiple people IIRC

[woven flint]

You need to pretty much Precast Magic Circle for it to be of any use

[feral fulcrum]

Strong, yes, Broken? Lol now.

[feral fulcrum]

Not Magic Circle, Circle Magic, the thing recently introduced for Faerun

[woven flint]

No, it doesn't

Oh damn, I got mixed up

DAMN YOU Circle Magic and Magic Circle!!!!

[feral fulcrum]

All these Circles make a magic

[woven flint]

They should've called it Friendship Casting smh.

[broken imp]

it is extremely broken in like 100 different ways

[woven flint]

We'll cast with the power of FRIENDSHIP! (Nukes you with an empowered fireball)

[river vector]

removed paralysis, made it just the frightened

[feral fulcrum]

I strongly disagree.

[river vector]

feels more suited for third levels

Lore explanation is that it's a weaker revenant because it was just created

when they get to four or five, then they can face a real revenant

[woven flint]

That works, yeah!
Fear and maybe one attack

[river vector]

What I ultimately decided upon

[woven flint]

Unless you just wanna nerf the damage a bit

[halcyon bison]

I actually just ran a revenant against 4 level 3 party members! Its vengeance wasn't against them though, but I think they could have defeated it if they tried to (they sided with it after hearing it's side of the story)

[river vector]

I nerfed the extra damage for hit on vengeance

[halcyon bison]

If the revenant has vengance against the party it'll definetly be harder

[river vector]

it's 3d6+4 damage in total on target of vengeance

[feral fulcrum]

Revenants are cool. And depending on teh target of their vegeance, easy plot fodder for "Let's go murder a terrible person! Hooray!"

[broken imp]

with distribute u basically can't break concentration ever, prolong mean a multi-day buffs for the entire party, augment turns arcane eye into insane scouting spell, expand breaks spells like creation depending on how much ur dm allows creative usages of spells, safeguard is meh, and supplant is meh but works for spells like clone i guess

[river vector]

because now it's a "newborn revenant" (aka DM doesn't want to TPK)

My players were being murderhobos

[feral fulcrum]

Shrugs

If you think it's broken, that's okay. I still don't.

[halcyon bison]

the revenant will also come back if they can't permanently destroy it yet :3

[broken imp]

my player are trying things like ||i'm not gonna say what because i think it's against the discord tos, and note i am not running a nsfw campaign||

[halcyon bison]

So you can have an unerfed fight when that happens

[river vector]

indeed, I plan on having it return as a stronger, normal version

[river vector]

talk to them about it

[broken imp]

it's funny tho

but i would have to improv a lot

[river vector]

I mean - do you want that in your campaign or not?

You can DM it to me if you want

It would be helpful to know what exactly this is

[thick bloom]

that reminds me doesnt the revenant only get paralysis on its vengance target

[halcyon bison]

my players set a ballroom on fire :>

[river vector]

yes, but I don't want to murder a third level player

even if he murdered my NPC

[halcyon bison]

with 100 people in it
while on a quest that required subtlety

Fortunately it was a masqurade, so no one saw their face :D

[river vector]

my players are about to meet with the BBEG. He invited them to his base.

He wants to get them to side with him

[halcyon bison]

If they agree to help him, does he become the big bad good guy?

[woven flint]

Friends, how do we feel about Firbolg and Goliath Bards that use instruments too small for them?

[river vector]

His first directive will be for them to burn down the starting village, and harvest their souls for him.

[halcyon bison]

I feel very good about it

[river vector]

he needs the souls for his magic. He's an "End justifies the means" villain.

Like a terrorist rebel vampire against the undead kingdom.

[halcyon bison]

gods forbid a vampire have a hobby

[feral fulcrum]

Their hobby can be getting staked by the locals.

[feral fulcrum]

You are correct.

[silver field]

Would you rather be a lich or a vampire?

[halcyon bison]

vampire because I don't have to kill people
It has more downsides but I don't want to eat peoples souls, and it's possible to be an ethical vampire

[river vector]

vampire.

[halcyon bison]

Like just from a power perspective lich is 100x better but I'm not mean enough to be one

[river vector]

even eating "bad peoples" souls is too much

[woven flint]

Vampire :))

[river vector]

what if you had to drain someone dry?

still better

[viral kraken]

oh i would have assumed the argument would have been to be a lich then since a lich never has to take a soul, just if they want to live, where a vampire will eventually succumb to bloodlust and kill people since it is just hunger

[woven flint]

That's the fun part,
Vampires don't have to feed that much on someone

[halcyon bison]

I'll try not to
And also that's a risk of murder rather than a guarantee

[woven flint]

And they can feed on animals blood

Whereas, I think Liches specifically NEED humanoid souls

[river vector]

see this is why I prefer settings and media where vampires have to drain people dry. makes them more monstrous.

[halcyon bison]

Well........
in the D&D world a lich might be able to justify its actions by only consuming evil souls
With the argument that, if their souls weren't destroyed, they would be sent to the lower planes instead and likely become a demon or devil
And destroying demons and devils is perfectly fine, isn't it?

So by consuming evil souls they are actively weakening the evil powers

[woven flint]

They could just feed on multiple people a night to have as much blood as if they've drained an entire person 🤔

[river vector]

wow. New Bs for my lich to say! Thanks!

"I only destroy evil people"

[viral kraken]

if they fail to exsanguinate the human, the human now is cursed with vampirism too right? that seems rough

[river vector]

"That's a nice argument lich, what about proof?"

[halcyon bison]

You're welcome :3

[woven flint]

nope!
I believe they specifically have to kill them

[river vector]

"My source is I made it up!"

[viral kraken]

oh that's the opposite of the lore i am familiar with

[trim swan]

In some settings, they can't control it. Once they start, they have to kill the person. I think those are cool, but I also like the vampires that can choose to not be evil.

[woven flint]

"Like other undead beings, vampires were not a part of a natural world, only existing to spread evil. They did not need to eat mortal food, did not need to breathe, and did not need to sleep apart from when confined to their coffins, resting themselves. When feeding, vampires often attacked swiftly, feeding on unsuspecting victims but leaving them alive. When hunting to kill, vampires made sure to destroy their prey's bodies to stop them from rising as undead. Their evil was so strong it was detectable by sensitive creatures like dogs."

They typically leave victims alive in 5e

[halcyon bison]

I think I already yapped about this but I think it's silly that 2024 lycanthropes need their target to die before they transform
THEY don't need to kill them though
So a person might start transforming after an unrelated death

[feral fulcrum]

That's odd, wonder why they made that change

[viral kraken]

so ya, even that makes it sound like the grimhollow version, where surviving the attack long enough is how you catch vampirism in the first place.
"Vampires are spawned into the world when a mortal contracts the Sanguine Curse, dies, and is reborn undead. There are a variety of ways to contract the curse. [...] More commonly, a Vampire may bite a victim, who survives the attack long enough to contract the Sanguine Curse before perishing and being reborn."

[woven flint]

Vampires ARE Undead for a reason, afterall.

[feral fulcrum]

It makes sense for Vampires, yeah, but not Lycanthropes.

[woven flint]

Vamparism, notably isn't a Disease in 5e.

[viral kraken]

gotta exsanguinate the victims and destroy the body to avoid leaving a trail of cursed folks behind

[woven flint]

Exsanguinating them and leaving their bodies is how they're made by other vampires, but typically they're INTENTIONALLY made from my understanding

[halcyon bison]

Imagine this: A town guard helps fend off some wolves that have been plaguing a town. They get bit, but survive
40 years later, they get in a terrible carriage accident and miraculously survive
And then 15 days later on the next full moon they start transforming into a werewolf

It doesn't make any sense

[viral kraken]

that's why i quoted the thing about how the most common way for vampires to spawn is by accident up there

[limpid mural]

hello

[viral kraken]

hello!

[limpid mural]

im new :3

[halcyon bison]

hai :3

[river vector]

vampires are just cool no matter what

[woven flint]

Its interesting

[feral fulcrum]

Welcome

[halcyon bison]

Vampires are very cool

[viral kraken]

curses are interesting i think

[limpid mural]

Im trying to start a campaign but gots no idea what im doing, and I have to DM because nobody else will

[feral fulcrum]

#dm-discussion can probably give some tips

[viral kraken]

well don't forget to chat with the folks in #dm-discussion if you need tips or help

[thick bloom]

Vampires who kill their prey with their bites cause a vampire spawn to rise the following night. If the vampire spawn then imbibes the blood of the vampire who created it, it becomes a true vampire

[viral kraken]

which lore is that from?

[thick bloom]

standard forgotten realms

[woven flint]

its interesting all the things that become vampires:

"A new vampire was created when another vampire drained the life out of a living creature. A humanoid, a monstrous humanoid, an illithid, a giant, or even a dragon, among others, could become a vampire. This was different for lesser creatures; for example, when a vampire drained a flying snake, it had a chance of being raised as a deathfang."

[thick bloom]

monster manual pg 295

[woven flint]

DRAGONS can become vampires, that's insane

[viral kraken]

forgotten realms has vampires eh? good to know

[halcyon bison]

woah that's very interesting

[woven flint]

... Yes, I think they always have

[viral kraken]

i've never been

[fallen coral]

They've had vampires since the day it was created, lol.

[halcyon bison]

vampire warforged

[woven flint]

Warforged can't become vampires

[fallen coral]

If it's in the Monster Manual, it's in the Forgotten Realms.

[halcyon bison]

but it would be cool

[fallen coral]

Constructs can't be vampires.

[viral kraken]

i thought the monster manual was greyhawk?

[thick bloom]

Warforged arent constructs

[halcyon bison]

aw :<

[thick bloom]

by all rights they should be, but they arent

[gloomy oyster]

Always nice doing DND in person

[woven flint]

In 2024 rules they are

[viral kraken]

tho not like i've been to greyhawk since 3.5 either

[fallen coral]

They've historically been constructs since their inception, though the 5e incarnation - as it usually is - is kind of stupid that it makes them a humanoid.

[feral fulcrum]

Nope, 5E's MOsnter Manual (2014) was Faerun like 90+% of things

[fallen coral]

Since 3.5e, Forgotten Realms has been sort of the "main" setting. Even the transition to 4e, lorewise, was mostly a Realmslore thing.

[viral kraken]

i'll have to check the setting out sometime, i really haven't used official settings since 3.5

[feral fulcrum]

It was pretty much "oops all Faerun. And even more Oops, almost all Sword Coast."

[lavish flame]

the Monster Manual is just for D&D, not any specific setting. Older versions of D&D include setting-specific monsters (like Forgotten Realms' Drow as spider-worshipping enemies), but the 5.5e Monster Manual is somewhat intentionally more agnostic than previous Monster Manuals.

[fallen coral]

Which is why the venn diagram between "fan of the Realms" and "thinks 4e should be illegal worldwide" is nearly a full circle.

[lavish flame]

Yeah they really didn't make the transition easy

[atomic kayak]

the opposite really

They shouldn't be constructs, but they are

(the PC ones at least)

[thick bloom]

even in 3.5e warforged were "living constucts" and obeyed a bunch of rules that affect normal people that normally dont affect constructs. I think its reasonable to say that somehow, a warforged could be subject to vampirism same way it can, canonically, be affected by necromancy

[delicate owl]

Too bad t hey are

[lavish flame]

"We've invented a new problem for the Realms, it will push the timeline forward 100 years and alter everything you've loved." Isn't exactly a selling point for 4e FR

[atomic kayak]

Yea Living Constructs was fine for them when it existed as a type, but with how creature types are in 5e, they should've remained humanoid

[fallen coral]

I mean, the biggest change is that it gave them a CON score and let them take their hit dice and BAB from their class.

[feral fulcrum]

What do you mean retconning lots of things by causing a random apocalypse and killing named charecters and gods left right and center isn't popular? Perish the thought

[thick bloom]

they did that with theros and it was pretty popular

[fallen coral]

*also all of your favorite novels are cancelled and all the characters involved are dead.

[prime basin]

I mean...faerun does suffer from god overbloat

[lavish flame]

I honestly prefer Warforged being Constructs. I honestly don't like that they were Humanoids in 5e

[woven flint]

There are SO many deities in the realms, but I kinda enjoy it

[fallen coral]

Not really. Most of those deities are part of their own pantheons which don't interact with any other pantheon.

Set is a deity in the Realms, but he's never in Faerun except that he appears as his (much weaker) form Zehir.

[limpid mural]

do people ever have like someone else make the campaign story with them

[viral kraken]

the fact that they have so many gods they can have pantheons that don't interact with other pantheons sounds like it might be too many gods

[limpid mural]

I need some to help me comeup with ideas and tell me when my ideas are shit

[woven flint]

I'm sure plenty of people have!
There's no harm in cooperative writing!

[lavish flame]

Yewh, Co-DMing happens, and that can be one of the things you do as part of it

[thick bloom]

Having a very particular and set pantheon helps a lot with cohesion of the setting. Its why I prefer theros to faerun in terms of how it structures its divinity

[fallen coral]

It's just how the deity system works in Realmslore. If you're in Kozakura your gods don't have anything to do with the ones in Waterdeep.

[prime basin]

I feel like a good example of the overbloat I'm talking about is Talos and Umberlee

[limpid mural]

anyone wanna help me write my first campaign

[prime basin]

or other gods that share basically very similar "themes"

[fallen coral]

Talos and Umberlee are both "sea" deities but they affect you in different ways. Talos wants to wreck your shit all the time 100%, while Umberlee will help you if you pay her.

[viral kraken]

that's pretty interesting. i'm really going to have to learn about this setting at some point. it sounds fun. i hear someone did their dissertation on it

[fallen coral]

You pay Umberlee so your ship isn't overturned by Talos.

Or by Umberlee herself.

[limpid mural]

Lowkey perfect timeing for my Creative writing class

[fallen coral]

The reason I like the Realms is that it's such a massive setting that if you want something to exist, it probably already does. At the same time, because it's so massive, changing a few things here and there are perfectly fine to the setting.

[lavish flame]

I've long felt that FR has way too many gods (basically every PC species or monster group has a pantheon), but thats fine by me due to that also happening in real cultures. There's 4 wind gods in Greek Mythology, all of whom have some slight caveat to their Wind God-ness to make them distinct from each other.

[woven flint]

Eh, the Faeraunian Pantheon has a LOT of gods, but there are the Big 12 known as the Circle of Greater Power:
Chauntea, Cyric, Lathander, Mystra, Oghma, Shar, Sune, Talos, Tempus, Tyr, Kelemvor and Silvanus.
Could just run with those fellas

[lavish flame]

All that said, I vastly prefer settings like Exandria and Theros and Eberron who have a core cast of Gods and then various lesser gods

[prime basin]

But a difference like that is so small compared to what they are. The wavemother and talos are both gods of destruction both deal with water in some capacity (seas for umberlee and storms for talos). It just seems like unnecessary overlap

[limpid mural]

😭 I still need to get the monster manual and player handbook

[prime basin]

Much agreed, though i think exandria could do with a few more gods

[lavish flame]

Really? How so?

I could cut like 4 or 5 gods from the Exandrian pantheon and be happy

[thick bloom]

yeah i could but part of the appeal of faerun for others is the mismash of gods. Like, big papa Corellon isn't in here and he's responsible for so much of the setting

a bunch of gods being responsible for a bunch of things to a bunch of races

[woven flint]

Oh, he's in the Pantheon by technicality, he's just considered a lesser member

Well, Corellon was in the Pantheon temporarily, I mean

[lavish flame]

It also bothers me which gods they include on the big Faerunian Pantheon stuff cuz there's always a ton of jobbers there and a bunch of important gods that go unmentioned

[woven flint]

It's because the Circle of Greater Power,
The big 12 I mentioned
Are greater Deities and typically choose their lessers that they share their domains with and associate with the pantheon

[severe rampart]

I wonder if D&D characters would have the same fears as us

[lavish flame]

I'm thinking abt this from a more doyalist perspective. I don't like which gods the writers choose to put in their primary pantheon list, I think there's like 15 that need to get cut and like 10 that need to get mentioned

[woven flint]

I can agree, but, that's also just how its written.. alas

[lavish flame]

They aren't powerless to change the writing, they're the writers

[woven flint]

I'd kill for my main NON-BINARY Molerat God Urdlen to be an important member of the Faeraunian pantheon, but he's a Gnomish deitiy

[candid ember]

So guys... Are we in agreement that all you need in order to play Rath from Ben 10 in the 2014 ruleset is a Tiger flavored Tabaxi Path of the Beast Barbarian? Maybe throw in Skill Expert for Expertise in Athletics?

[dark basin]

The Waterdeep revenue service is out to get me.

[woven flint]

Sure! that sounds about right to me

[buoyant oar]

The Faerûnian pantheon was a very fractious one that fought among themselves and had no overarching goal. This fractious nature was believed to be the source of the pantheon's adaptability and its ability to expand. When it expanded its physical sphere of influence, it usually did so at the expense of other pantheons.

[prime basin]

I think they should cut up a few gods primary titles/areas and create new gods that are more focused on that front. Like for some gods like kord with battle, I feel like they could focus on more specific aspects of battle or like maybe have gods that deal with death like the raven queen but aren't necessarily overlookers of the afterlife (like how bhaal is the lord of murder but doesn't specifically control the entirety of death).

[candid ember]

I love just how simple Rath is to make a DnD character for

[woven flint]

I mean, Shar exists in said pantheon

She's moreso about the sorrow of death, though

[prime basin]

I was talking about exandria

[candid ember]

Raising your voice for roleplay is preferred, but an aggressive tone will do just fine

[woven flint]

.. My bad, I guess?

[candid ember]

Bonus points if your group is fine with both

[prime basin]

Do you know what exandria is?

[woven flint]

The conversation, ultimately was about the Faeraunian pantheon to start with. since we have a problem with how big it is lol

[prime basin]

Yeah and I was replying to a specific person about why I think exandria should expand its gods to add a few more in and how they could do it

[buoyant oar]

While shar has Death Domain Clerics her portfolio is not about death. Her defined power spheres are Darkness, loss, night, secrets, forgetfulness

The Raven Queen is Great Value Shar.

[candid ember]

I don't why, but that last part got me

[woven flint]

Thats disrespectful 💀
But true, the Raven Queen is kinda mid...

[lavish flame]

Ah fair, I've always assumed that "battle" kinda fell into the purview of a handful of the gods (like for me, Bahamut, Kord, and Gruumsh would all have Battle in their portfolio) but including space for it would be nice.

[woven flint]

OH
The Dawn War Pantheon, right?

[lavish flame]

I always felt Sarenrae/Raei was a weird inclusion to a pantheon that already had Pelor, but obv that one got grandfathered in due to a PC from Campaign 1

[buoyant oar]

In religious artwork, Shar was depicted as a darkly beautiful human woman with long raven-black hair and clad all in black, swirling attire.

When she appeared in person, Shar had two avatars that she favored. The first was the Nightsinger, a figure standing over 10 feet (3 meters) or even 12 feet (3.7 meters) tall, shrouded entirely in a vast cowled cloak that disguised her figure and flowed into all shadows and areas of darkness around her. She wore a mask of feathers of every kind, which concealed her face and disappeared into the dark depths of her cowl.

Raven Queen got nothing on this lady who around longer

[prime basin]

No? its critical role's pantheon

[buoyant oar]

Which was inspired by the Dawn War Panethon. At least originally

[woven flint]

Exandria's pantheon is literally called "The Dawn War Pantheon"

[lavish flame]

There is some notable variation with the addition of a major god: Sarenrae/Raei/The Everlight. A god of atonement.

[woven flint]

Frankly, I don't really care much about Crit Role, they were inspired by an actual pantheon though

[prime basin]

Okay, well sure then, I assume that this is pathfinder stuff though (cause i know that is where the everlight came from)

[woven flint]

No, its D&D stuff.

[prime basin]

ah okay

[woven flint]

little bloop to help a bit
https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Dawn_War_pantheon

[lavish flame]

Well no, The Everlight is Pathfinder. Paizo owns that

er, actually. Paizo owns Sarenrae. WOTC owns Raei, CR owns The Everlight

[woven flint]

Dawn War had a CRAZY Set up, I can't comment on the war itself but the god line-up is ACTUALLY insane

[fast latch]

Fun fact: If you have a non-binary final boss, you have a Big Bad Evil Enby, or BBEE

Which I find is a pretty funny acronym

[prime basin]

I do like the line-up but I feel like furthering it to add a few more gods to spread it out more specifically, but they do have a good broad set up with very important gods

[buoyant oar]

I think the Pathfinder god is the only one CR added to the Dawn War set up

[lavish flame]

Yeah, she had to get grandfathered into the setting when they switched from Pathfinder to D&D5e

[prime basin]

Indeed, and it was only because the game was originally played in pathfinder and ashley's character was a cleric of that deity in pathfinder

[woven flint]

Find the path moment

[prime basin]

Torog is my favorite deity of the "Dawn War" pantheon

[severe rampart]

I keep thinking back to that one guy who built a boss who's spells are themed around Elvis songs

[prime basin]

at least with exandria's lore attached

[buoyant oar]

In the Forgotten Realms we know of at least 31 separate pantheons that exist

[severe rampart]

It was genius, and I don't know if I could ever reach those heights

[woven flint]

Obox-Ob, the first lord of the Abyss died in the Dawn War 🤔

[feral fulcrum]

Is that the goopy boy, lord of all things goopy?

[woven flint]

The OG Goopy Lord, yea

[lavish flame]

I just can't love anything more than a 5 headed dragon

[buoyant oar]

My three fav pantheons in FR are probably, The Adama, Rashemaar and Zakharan Pantheons

[lavish flame]

Tiamat is the goat of any setting she is in, she's just the OG

[prime basin]

She's cool but she isn't really as interesting IMO

[woven flint]

Tiamat and Lolth are probably the least interesting Evil deities imo

I feel they're incredibly overhyped is all for the most part

Now, you want an interesting evil deity?
Beshaba, Lady Misfortune herself

[buoyant oar]

There is also Abbathor the Avaricious, Dwarfish lord of greed

[feral fulcrum]

Pale Lady is an interesting Mystery.

Not strictly a Deity, being a Demon, but is basically up there in "What the hell is she?" levels with the Lady of Pain

[keen kestrel]

Shoutout the big three for also being overhyped

[buoyant oar]

Shout out to the first god from Hell, Gargauth. The Tenth Lord of the Nine

[woven flint]

Shot out to Vhaeraun, Lolths son, people don't seem to know him for some reason

He's Lolth if she was Cool/Based

[buoyant oar]

Blessed be Xammux the FR version of Hermaes Mora

[ornate summit]

Hey just a quick question to anyone who used the "find a dm" command, is there any channel specifically where you use the command or is it fine if you just send the command in the "find a game" channel? Asking here since I didn't find any other suitable channel

[lavish flame]

You can use those commands in literally any channel and itll take you where you want to go. Its pretty sweet.

[feral fulcrum]

Nothing but tentacles and eyeballs and fond of cranial perforation?

[ornate summit]

Thank you

[river vector]

Doesn't he still want to invade the surface?

[woven flint]

Not really?
He wants to rule the surface, but through diplomatic means

[river vector]

Must have read it wrong then

[woven flint]

He believes that creating relationships with other species is more beneficial than just killing everyone

[feral fulcrum]

Yeah a Kingdom of corpses is only appealing to the insane

[woven flint]

Yeah, Lolths children are both less insane than she is lol

[rugged hawk]

Nonsense, it's also appealing to anyone who hates being told 'no', or otherwise can't stand other people.

[river vector]

My rebel vampire spawn is basically sane except for one part, where he wants to completely destroy the undead kingdom for revenge, destroying even the non undead.

[hollow estuary]

Killing Mages in Tyraturos is a really good way to get EXP from level 5 onwards.

[plush ermine]

If u were to rework kensei monk, would u allow them to get weapon mastery? Or even a fighting style? Would u expand weapon options to include heavy? And the big question all kensei lovers really wanted, would u allow them to use the weapon in place of unarmed strikes for Flurry of Blows?

[woven flint]

Probably not, personally, monks already get a LOT as is

[hollow estuary]

Monk is already the best class for combat in 2024 rules by far. Rivaled by barbarian at lower levels.

[woven flint]

And I say this as a Monk "main" lol

[hollow estuary]

AYYYYYY

🤝

[plush ermine]

Ngl i feel like yes to all, u just gotta make ur chosen weapon scale to martial arts die (sry heavy users but technically u wouldnt even be allowed to be used, so i feel this evens u out so u can be used.) really with this change all ur doing is allowing monks to use a weapon mastery and/or a fighting style in addition to what is a reflavoring of their unarmed strikes since the weapons automatically shift to match MA dice.

[woven flint]

Ehhh, I still wouldn't give Monk great weapons

If you gave Kensei Monk
Weapon Masteries and the ability to use heavy weapons, AND a fighting style,then you're just making Monk the best martial to play always

Monks are already like, the Second strongest martial in 2024 rules

[plush ermine]

I really want to be able to use a glaive, but i cant find a way to make balance reach

[woven flint]

Scratch that,
THE Strongest up until tier 4 where their hit output can't keep up with fighters 4 attacks for sustained periods of times

[glass granite]

I’d make it similar to 2014 Kensei but with weapon masteries

[lavish flame]

I wouldn't give Kensei weapon masteries tbh

[woven flint]

I still think giving Kensei Monk weapon masteries would be TOO strong.

Unless its VERY specific ones

[glass granite]

I mean, Kensei is the weapon monk, and monks are the only martials without weapon masteries.

[woven flint]

Monk also already has a LOT on its plate anyway

[woven flint]

For a reason.

Monks don't NEED them to be strong or effective

they already are.

[hollow estuary]

monks are SO powerful

they can literally video game style combo you

without multiclass

[glass granite]

Weirdly enough, my suggestion is to reflavour a whip

[fickle heart]

Already did it twice lul.

Mastery honestly did seem most appropriate, despite me normally being against that idea.

[hollow estuary]

yeah.

Monks can stun from distance by throwing a dagger

[woven flint]

As much as a Monk GLAZER and enjoyer I am, I just think giving kensei masteries would make it too strong because then Kensei would just be the Ultra Martial able to do pretty much whatever they want whenever they want

[hollow estuary]

Lets be real they already are.

[fickle heart]

Tokii pls, Hokrun has a weapon mastery.

[lavish flame]

in some fairness, Unarmed Strikes can be used in ways that mime Weapon Mastery effects

[woven flint]

And I'm not gonna lie to you, his Subclass feels PRETTY strong compared to everyone else.
Both Horizon and I have both talked about it

[hollow estuary]

Plus you can lowkey multiclass into rogue to get masteries anyway and it wont really hurt you at higher levels. (it will arguably make you better with a expertise in acrobatics)

[fickle heart]

Das fair. I'm open to chatting about it more in the server, for sure.

[woven flint]

Anyway though, imma eat me some food because I'm shaking and need to eat lmao (I should eat more smh..)

[long cedar]

Is anyone doing a digital D&D campaign with D&D Beyond?

[plush ermine]

I want the true sword saint experience in dnd. Fighters kinda have to wear armor. Sword saints dont wear armor. Kensei is almost perfect, but would need weapon masteries to match other martials. It makes no sense for it not to have it (it also makes no sense for alot of these classes/ half martials subclasses to not get a fighting style)

[feral fulcrum]

Have to is a strong statement

Considering there's ways to get the same effect without armor, if you don't mind attuning to a Barrier Tattoo

Just rolling with Bladesinger also works but probably isn't what you're looking for.

[glass granite]

I like doing ranger too

[glass granite]

I don’t think the sword masteries are good enough for Kensei to not be able to keep up

There’s also barbarians ig

But a monk does seem more fitting

[turbid sand]

and deals like 3d4

[glass granite]

3d6 in 2024, plus 3x Dex

[turbid sand]

thats if you level up further

[glass granite]

No, in 2024 the scaling starts at a d6

[turbid sand]

oh mb

[fickle heart]

I think the big questions with any sort of Kensei rework are:

• Are you restricting all non-Heavy weapons except Longbow in the same vein as Kensei? (Protip: You should.)
• If you are allowing masteries, how many are you allowing? (Probably should only allow 1 or maybe 1 melee/1 ranged.)
• What else are you actually aiming for with the subclass?

[turbid sand]

whats the max ceiling of the damage?

[plush ermine]

Its less about the matching, and more about it not making sense that a person whose entire devotion to a mastering a weapon doesnt allow them to use a function of a weapon that some random lvl 1 fighter could pick up and know how to use

[glass granite]

D12

[glass granite]

That could be from a feat possibly

I do think Kensei should have masteries tho

[scenic zinc]

I don't. That's making one subclass significantly stronger than all others

[plush ermine]

I can see the heavy weapon ban, but glaives are too cool and too fitting. If whips are allowed, then the reach isnt a problem. If the dmg is a problem, maybe forced martial arts dmg for these weapons can fix that.

[scenic zinc]

That's the bear totem barb all over again

[turbid sand]

i mean a fighter is a person thats entire devotion is also mastering a weapon

[glass granite]

Are weapon masteries that strong, as to be stronger than 15ft reach and flight, the ability to get advantage on attacks through Darkness (and screw with casters) and healing, cleansing and extra damage?

[scenic zinc]

Yes.

[glass granite]

How so?

[river vector]

If my newly made vampire spawn player is not subtle, I will have hunters follow the party.

[fickle heart]

If we're allowing nu-Kensei Monks to use all weapons (assumedly with DEX, because glaives are a STR weapon) and all masteries, I would definitely say it's too strong. That's not just allowing masteries, that's allowing Monks to ignore the distinction between STR and DEX for weapons as a whole.

[severe rampart]

do the others know about their situation?

[river vector]

They know they are travelling with a vampire, he was turned in front of them.

[scenic zinc]

Monks with nick given to them by a class feature instead of having to take a feat would eventually be doing d12 dagger damage like 7 times per turn

[severe rampart]

By whom

[glass granite]

7 times a turn? How?

[severe rampart]

is that better than 5d12 + 50

[river vector]

By the vampire spawn BBEG. He used an abnormal method to turn him, more or a scientist approach. So he has no control over him.

[severe rampart]

Ahh I understand

[feral fulcrum]

Depends on if the Dagger is magical and has extra damage dice.

[river vector]

My vampire spawn player when the hunters of the light have a sunblade.

[fickle heart]

I assume azerick means Graze.

[plush ermine]

Ngl i prefer the sword saint to have a chosen weapon, so not all masteries and all weapons, just one weapon. They can prolly make some psuedo attunement long rest whatever to achieve that. Og kensei allowed most martial weapons which are also strength based, so theres a bit of bs for the strength mechanic.

[severe rampart]

Surprise it's Van Richten

[turbid sand]

what? thats not how graze work?

[river vector]

He somehow crossed the multiverse

[scenic zinc]

Attack 1, nick attack, attack 2, flurry of blows

Sorry, 5

[fickle heart]

OG Kensei (assuming you mean OG in 5e) allowed everything that didn't have Heavy or Special, though it did allow Longbows as the exception.

[trim swan]

Nick only goes off once a turn, so that doesn't feel super overpowered.

[river vector]

The regeneration will be quite something to deal with. But I can handle it.

[fickle heart]

I suppose azerick didn't mean Graze lol

[river vector]

It's called "the enemies become aware that there is a vampire among the group, and bring holy water"

[trim swan]

All Nick does is let you dual wield without using a bonus action. Which is good, but not game breaking.

[hollow estuary]

Ranger is AMAZING. Good choice!

[scenic zinc]

Did I say game breaking ever? I said it is better than the other subclasses (for monk) in a similar way that bear totem was.

[hollow estuary]

Nick can chain other masteries.

The bonus action attack from nick/dual weilding does allow you to add modifiers to it, just not the ability score one.

So effectively you also get free damage too if you got a +1 magic weapon or rage bonus / anything else.

[trim swan]

I disagree, but I don't make characters that string combos typically.

[hollow estuary]

Oh so you play solo?

Cool!

[fickle heart]

I will say that I think other Monk subclasses are being slept on for 2024, considering that pretty much all of them have similarly standout features.

[scenic zinc]

Which when a fair amount of people do optimization based on damage numbers, that will cause kensei to be chosen more often than any other subclass.

[glass granite]

Is at most 6.5 extra damage a turn (assuming monoclassing) that major?

[hollow estuary]

I choose open hand because with open hand I can consistently apply five conditions on a single turn and deal upwards of 30 damage.

[glass granite]

Compared to, say, elemental warrior being able to pull enemies off the ground repeatedly for fall damage

[remote wadi]

Had the second session with my monk earlier today

[glass granite]

Oh nice, how’d it go?

[remote wadi]

Recap:

[jolly agate]

Can bards use guns?

[scenic zinc]

That's a pretty interesting interpretation of "away from you" that entirely relies on a dm agreeing with that.

[hollow estuary]

Yeah actually, Creation bards can make antimatter rifles, because they arent magical and it dosent specify your bard needs to have seen it.

[jolly agate]

What abt collage of spirits bard?

[glass granite]

Flying above someone and pulling them 10ft towards you is contentious?

[hollow estuary]

Tough luck dude

[jolly agate]

Dammit 😔

[trim swan]

If there are guns in your game, bards should be able to use them the same as most classes.

[scenic zinc]

Way to add in an additional factor that wasn't mentioned prior.

[hollow estuary]

Open hand monks with flurry of blows can repededly push people 15 feet up.

[glass granite]

Ah yes I forgot to mention that, that is my bad

[trim swan]

But ask your DM because guns are optional and commonly have houserules.

[fickle heart]

Mercy's Hand of Healing is almost always a standout, Shadow's ability to isolate enemies and skew the Advantage/Disadvantage schema can be huge for enabling defensive gameplay, Elements' ability to move stuff around and stay safe lets it be a lot harder to truly reach, and Open Hand's ability to use pseudo-masteries that aren't limited by size kinda speaks for itself.

[remote wadi]

• DM made an oopsie and forgot to level us up
• Upon facing 2 ogres, goblin archers, and lots of rats at level 2, cleric died from getting his head smashed in by a great club
• Bard spent most of her turns either giving others Bardic Inspiration die or crying in a corner so much, she got the Frightened condition. Don't ask why it was a con save initially, bht I helped her out of it

[feral fulcrum]

They're only really optional in 2014, 2024 has them included by default.

[fickle heart]

Admittedly, this does exist entirely within Elements Monk, even when it takes until level 11 to come online because that's when Stride of the Elements is unlocked.

The main issue is that once you pull them upwards and they land, they are Prone and you now have Disadvantage, so the Monk itself needs to move towards the enemy to get the benefit.

[remote wadi]

Especially 2024 for Mercy. The healing isn't too much at the beginning, but dealing extra Necrotic or healing as either Magic or part of an unarmed attack is great, and is for free on using Flurry of Blows

[trim swan]

I just noticed that. Not sure I like that. Most groups I've played with have the assumption of no guns.

[hollow estuary]

Ranger is actually a amazing class.

[glass granite]

It’s neat, I wouldn’t call it amazing.

Only class that’s amazing is monk #totallynotbiased

[hollow estuary]

I mean your basically permanently invisible and shatter action economy as we know it

[remote wadi]

Not to mention it becomes Poisoned condition for necrotic and basically lesser restoration at level 6

[hollow estuary]

Free Hunter's Mark is stealth-busted.

[remote wadi]

And to add on top of both of those things early on, you not only recover that all on a short rest, but also get 3 proficiencies on Insight, Medicine, and Herbalism Kit

[woven flint]

Deneir is a pretty based Deity
He's a God of Literature and Literacy
(Random)

[hollow estuary]

The scaling is insane. The 2024 Ranger doesn't just get Hunter's Mark, the entire class levels up around it. At level 20, Hunter's Mark deals a d10 per hit instead of a d6, meaning a Beast Master can potentially stack up to 7d10 extra damage per round.

so you're rocking a +5 to initiative at minimum. Dread Ambusher now deals 2d6 psychic damage alongside a extra attack

[remote wadi]

So to recap, we had to fight a fight one level lower (level 2 instead of 3), our Cleric bit the dust, and the main thing stopping me from having that happen too was going around the ogres, taking out archers, and plaging defensive with cover and dodge actions

But hey. I'm at level 4 now

[hollow estuary]

Attack 1: d6+mod+d6 (Hunter's Mark) — with advantage
Attack 2: d6+mod+d6 — with advantage
Nick Attack: d6+(bonus)+d6 — with advantage
Bonus action attack: d6+d6+mod
Dread Ambusher: d6+mod+d6+2d6 psychic — with advantage

at level 5 btw

[glass granite]

Wait where’s the advantage coming from?

[hollow estuary]

permanently invisible remember

[remote wadi]

Did you get all that?

[glass granite]

Classic dnd shenanigans

[south sedge]

Do online sessions happen? Does anyone host some?

[hollow estuary]

Yeah I can host one if you want

[glass granite]

I’m slightly confused where that’s from

[south sedge]

I’d love to join a game sometime yeah

[merry sigil]

I honestly need to talk about the crazy session I had. is that correct channel?

[glass granite]

Share or talk about?

[merry sigil]

just talk about it

[hollow estuary]

Natures Veil and Umbral sight

[merry sigil]

not share the whole story

[glass granite]

Natures veil ain’t level 5

[hollow estuary]

ah wait your right sorry

[remote wadi]

Basically. And I don't know if it was our Barbarian or our passed Cleric, but someone was trying to call me "loot hungry" for some reason. I was a bit eager, but I think it was an overreaction tbh

[hollow estuary]

Just umbral sight

[glass granite]

And Umbral sight only works if it’s complete darkness

And the enemy doesn’t have blindsight

[hollow estuary]

Most blindsight ranges are small as hell

[glass granite]

True but you’re in melee here

Cuz Nick

[hollow estuary]

Who decided that.

You can nick with throwing

[merry sigil]

ok so my character's adoptive father died in the last session of prolouge. and I discovered that a robot has my character biological father soul. 😂 I also Inherted a lot of gold from my adoptive father.

[hollow estuary]

You can like throw a dagger as a monk, stun with stunning strike, and then throw again

[glass granite]

Oh yeah true

[hollow estuary]

Works really great at night or indoors or if you multiclass into monk shadow (yep, they work really well togeather)

[glass granite]

Wait then how is it d6?

[stiff rock]

There seem to be a lot of caveats to your 14d6 per turn lol

[hollow estuary]

it drops to d4 if ranged

sorry

[glass granite]

They do?

[hollow estuary]

Darkness 🌑

[glass granite]

What does shadow monk get from Gloomstalker?

[hollow estuary]

Well to start hand crossbows are monk weapons

and shadow monks can cast darkness

and both have really great darkness related abilities

to essentially become scary larry in the alleyway shadow

[glass granite]

No they aren’t

Monk weapons are specifically melee

[meager fractal]

I don't think they are

[feral fulcrum]

Amusingly enough, Shadow Monk can't actually see through the Darkness they've cast (at least the 2014 version can't)

[hollow estuary]

sorry shortbows

[feral fulcrum]

So it doesn't actually help it much

[hollow estuary]

shortbows are

[glass granite]

They can in 2024, and it’s great

[glass granite]

No they aren’t

Your practice of martial arts gives you mastery of combat styles that use your Unarmed Strike and Monk Weapons, which are the following:

Simple Melee weapons
Martial Melee weapons that have the Light property

Emphasis on melee

[feral fulcrum]

It's nice that WOTC actually learned a few things over the years, yeah.

[hollow estuary]

2024 says "Weapon Proficiencies Simple weapons and Martial weapons that have the Light property"

So yes I was right on it

[glass granite]

Yeah so they’re proficient, but it’s not a monk weapon

[hollow estuary]

oh okay well back to the daggers they become d6 then

[glass granite]

Yup and it’s great

I forgot about that

Which is weird cuz my monk/rangers use daggers

[hollow estuary]

Shadow monk, gloomstalker ranger, and Soulknife/swashbuckler rogue can combine togeather to make this insane ultraclass.

[glass granite]

I’m still confused on how Gloomstalker benefits shadow monk

[feral fulcrum]

Dread Ambusher and Umbral Sight are still great passive benefits

[hollow estuary]

So you have two layers of "you can't see me" working simultaneously. In natural darkness, Umbral Sight alone makes you invisible. When things get lit up and natural darkness isn't available, you drop your own Darkness bubble for 1 Focus Point and fight inside it with full vision. Either way, you have permanent advantage on attacks and enemies have permanent disadvantage on you.

Monks are famously hard to multiclass because they're so MAD (Multiple Ability Dependent), they need DEX, WIS, and CON. Ranger also wants DEX and WIS. Building for Dexterity tends to be easier to make an optimal Ranger build as it prevents sacrificing other ability scores. Dungeon Mister There's zero stat waste here. Your WIS powers your Monk AC, Focus Point save DCs, Ranger spell saves, and your Gloom Stalker initiative bonus all at once.

Dread Ambusher now deals 2d6 psychic damage on its bonus attack Wargamer, and you get extra movement speed on your first turn. Stack that on top of the Monk's Flurry of Blows (spend 1 Focus Point for two extra Unarmed Strikes as a bonus action) and Extra Attack, and your first round looks something like:

Attack 1 (with advantage from darkness)
Attack 2 (Extra Attack, with advantage)
Dread Ambusher bonus attack + 2d6 psychic (with advantage)
Flurry of Blows: 2 more Unarmed Strikes (with advantage)

That's 5 attacks, all with advantage, on round one. Each one can trigger Stunning Strike. Each one benefits from Hunter's Mark if you set it up. The target is either dead or stunned before they ever act.

Theirs more I have a whole thing about this.

[silent sleet]

should i lower my player's health if the want to play a character of the small size class in stead of medium , and by how much?

[sacred bone]

keep it the same, size has no bearing on HP for player characters

[feral fulcrum]

Size has nothing to with Health.

[hollow estuary]

*Unless your a monster

[green harness]

How well could a Loxodon artificer work? I haven't really seen or heard anything about that.

[stiff rock]

Size only affects a monster's hit dice

[feral fulcrum]

yeah but they were talking about a Player Charecter so, moot point.

[hollow estuary]

Which hey! If you wanna play a hill giant I dont judge

[coarse ravine]

Skill matters along with size

Watching ufc fights sorry lol

[green harness]

Actually, different but related question.

Is it a bad that I've mostly been figuring character builds out especially in terms of mechanics? Like usually when coming up with characters I try to find what's most "optimal", but I don't know anymore.

[coarse ravine]

No I mean its on you if you want to dump con. But wouldn't recommend it

[hollow estuary]

naw dude I love making mechanically sound characters that are fun to play

[coarse ravine]

I think it would be fun rp for your trunk to grab all the little gizmos and gadgets to pull off artificer stuff

Would help with tinkering as well

[hollow estuary]

I love my no fun death machines haha 😂

[green harness]

The main reason I was considering it was actually because of the trunk.

And since I'm doing a fallout-themed campaign, I thought it would've been cool.

[hollow estuary]

Im sure my dms can relate.

[coarse ravine]

Which artificer btw,

Armorer? For fallout reasons

Would definitely be some flavorful art when ya get the full armor suit at level 10

[green harness]

Haven't fully decided but I was thinking artillerist.

But on second thought that might be better for a Giff, because guns.

[lavish flame]

Yes its absolutely terrible that you've been making character builds with mechanics in mind.

Nah dawg. Make your characters how you want. At the end of the day, they're just bags of health with abilities, make ur abilities cool ones.

[hollow estuary]

Rule #1 of life: Live.

[crimson gulch]

Build first, backstory first, nah
You gotta make the voice first

Then the rest takes care of itself

[coarse ravine]

Loxodon that can fly with one of your magic items would be fun. Flapping his ears

Dumbo concept or not its fun

[green harness]

Basically I try to figure out race/class combo first because to me that's the most important, then everything else like stats and backstory and stuff.

That's the usual process I do when creating characters. What they are and everything mechanically first, then the story.

[lavish flame]

My process is basically exclusively a vibe that turns into a character. I grab a few ideas based on the setting about what would be a cool character and then figure them out from there.

You tell me "these Halflings ride Dinosaurs" and I'll be a Halfling Beastmaster. You tell me "wizards often take the form of the desperado" and I'm making a cowboy wizard. Whatever sounds the most evocative to me gets retrofitted to a character

[severe rampart]

That's... amazing

I have to write down Cowboy Wizard

[livid owl]

I'm ngl I'm very guilty of making a design first and making it Work game-wise

I've found making personalities for characters difficult lately thouh

[woven flint]

I don't care about any of that, personally, I just make fellas I think are neat

I've got so many Death Cleric ideas lined up for example

Two, really, but its happened twice

Minotaur Death Cleric of Baphomet and a Gnome Death Cleric of Urdlen lol