dnd-discussion

[empty thicket]

Flanking is nice for me ngl, feel good to be with the paladin around the enemy and obliterating it

But its understandable if isnt nice when 4 small enemies flank you and obliterate you

[glad ferry]

It goes both ways

[empty thicket]

i think is nice too because give martials another way to get advantage, something not so common

[ancient siren]

True

[glad ferry]

If players can do it so can the enemies

[empty thicket]

Oh and help to the rogue to dont doing all its shanenigans for the sneak strike

[empty thicket]

Yep, that rule is okey until some points

sometimes is nicer to let the players have that "advantage" for being the protagonists

[ancient siren]

Gotta give them plot armor/jk

[glad ferry]

Scenario based for it

[empty thicket]

but at the same time sometimes letting some enemy have that "advantages" is a reminder that they arent soooo special

[glad ferry]

Goblin flanking groups

[still relic]

im trying to name my character by stealing names from different media but i cant find a good last name ive never done this before

all i got is first name richter

[glad ferry]

Whats the story for the character and other info

[ancient siren]

What's their class and name?

[empty thicket]

call it that the players can disarm the enemies to make them surrender
So there is a group of bandits that they tend to disarm people. There

[ancient siren]

And do you have a specific dialect/country of origin your basing it off?

[empty thicket]

i sometimes just smash 2 words together and find some way it sound good

[ancient siren]

Oh and race is important

[empty thicket]

Last time was Harood (Hard wood), a fighter half orc

[ancient siren]

Tbh for my Dwarf, (my profile pic and favorite dnd character I have made by far)
His name is just Grumpfth

[still relic]

echo knight human fighter whose family was killed by rogue mercenaries who he unknowingly joined and later got booted from after finding out and then spent like 50 years fruitlessly chasing them

old man revenge stuff

[ancient siren]

I think after 2 years of playing him I gave him the last name Coindrinker to run as a high house in a city

[still relic]

my friend whos dming has his whole personal world and lore in which echo knights are sort of a subclass of earth magic users who summon fragile sand copies of themselves

[empty thicket]

A paladin, fighter, bard, cleric who are seeking revenge against a group of ruin people (BBEG's) who harmed//destroyed something important for each one of the players

[still relic]

the rogue mercenaries were earth magic users who use that magic to siege cities for money and stuff

so he learned that from them

idk how much story a character is supposed to have lol

[ancient siren]

Enough to have a reason to go out adventuring and give the dm plot points to sprinkle into the campaign to connect to your character

[still relic]

i think hes got that

the whole backstory was basically written in messages with him

i was gonna use maxson as a last name but for some reason "richter maxson" just sounds awkward and idk why

[ancient siren]

Despite my guy being my favorite, he has the least written backstory I have ever made

[ancient siren]

I was gonna say Richter Venge :)

[still relic]

possibly a bit on the nose but maybe

[ancient siren]

That's the point

[glad ferry]

Blutrache

[still relic]

oh thats cool

german for blood feud

i think his parents also migrated from a different area of the world thats supposed to be based on greek and german culture

[errant crag]

I wanna make a really harsh and brutal dungeon

[ancient siren]

Idk if links are allowed but I got a world anvil page on my guy

[ancient siren]

Nice, what lvl party?

[glad ferry]

How brutal pink?

[ancient siren]

We talking ToA

[errant crag]

Not sure yet probably gonna make the dungeon first and try to gauge that after

[glad ferry]

And what kind of brutal? Mental or physical

[still relic]

23 kobolds in a narrow hallway with an amulet of fireball

[errant crag]

Difficulty wise

[ancient siren]

500 Chickens with disintegrate

[glad ferry]

A pit of chickens all attacking

[empty thicket]

400 baboons

[glad ferry]

Surprise attack

[errant crag]

I mean I could be like "You walk into the antechamber to find 12 Beholders battling to the death over who is superior" but that wouldn't be super fun

[ancient siren]

Hmmm, what theme of the dungeon you have

I think a snake/Naga theme would be cool

[glad ferry]

There are very rare occasions of colonies of beholders

[errant crag]

Beholders don't cooperate

[empty thicket]

its the birthday party of one beholder, he invited his whole family

[errant crag]

They hate eachother

[empty thicket]

they are celebrating, even if they hate each other

[still relic]

400 individual baboons each with their own turn

[errant crag]

Beholders will kill each other over the slightest differences

[glad ferry]

Thats why a hive of beholders is rare. It is a thing though

And would be cataclysmic

[errant crag]

I should put a beholder in this dungeon

[empty thicket]

If not a classic 6 layers dungeon
Each layer getting more rooms and kind of enemies//puzzles

but riskiest rooms get better rewards so

and some secret corridors

[glad ferry]

Make it so once they enter a room they cant leave or if party is split the other side cant go in

[errant crag]

I could randomly generate the layout with the tables in the 2014 DMG

[glad ferry]

That ruins the fun of building

[empty thicket]

or play an enter the gungeon run nad get hte 6 layers with map /jk

[errant crag]

It really doesn't

[still relic]

playing a human is so peak because you can just use random stuff like elden ring to design your characters face

[empty thicket]

a human raised between orcs so he made for himself a tusks prosthesis that he can take off for fitting

same could be said of one raised between elfs and other many races

[still relic]

oh yeah i did also end up deciding my guy has a prosthetic arm made of rocks

because every dnd character has to have a missing limb and a dead family

[glad ferry]

Or abandoned

[still relic]

somehow both

[glad ferry]

Who has the cringiest character backstory

[empty thicket]

meh, a warlock that sacrificed his arms for power of its patron so its patron rewarded him with new arms. It can fit some backstory//origin

[still relic]

raven ebony dementia darkness way

[empty thicket]

but the dead family yeah, its a cliche

[still relic]

revenge or redemption are the best motivations

[empty thicket]

No one expect a guy that got a nice family, got raised in a nice house go to adventures because yes

[still relic]

how is someone supposed to end up on a grueling adventure when nothing has ever gone wrong

[karmic heath]

Some nights aren’t dark because of the sky, but because of the space around you

[glad ferry]

Would be interesting in how they'd use hand motions to cast their spells

Oath of vengeance is one of my favorite paladins

[empty thicket]

when he need to rebuild its arm he just put his elbow in the ground and pull out a new made rock arm

[hard finch]

hello

[empty thicket]

and if he feel fancy he can do that in a mine of crystals and get a crystal rock arm

[still relic]

but i figured what would make my character more interesting is that theyve spent nearly 50 years chasing the people responsible and by the point the campaign starts hes basically given up

him joining the adventure is basically trying to get out of it

[empty thicket]

find him nice too, someone driven by just pure revenge is okey for me

[still relic]

exactly

i think me and the dm even decided itd give some combat bonuses as long as i maintain concentration on it

but then debuffs when that concentration breaks because of literally missing an arm

[empty thicket]

oh that, yeah

see how to balance it because holding conc is giga important sometimes

[still relic]

yeah i did have a look

[empty thicket]

lose the arm but can hold conc in another spell

[still relic]

hes an echo knight and they dont usually need concentration for their gimmick

[empty thicket]

if not, someday after some character development, made him have a metal arm

[still relic]

probably a non-combat regular prosthetic

that would fit the character development that will probably happen

[glad ferry]

And different materials would be different buffs

Arms made of mythril

[still relic]

that would probably be a bit much

[glad ferry]

That would be late game high DC to do so

[still relic]

also the reason my character makes fragile sand copies of himself and doesnt genuinely just throw boulders is because he kinda sucks at the earth magic thing

[glad ferry]

Just make materials used for DC rating

[empty thicket]

I imagine some sort of "Rock isnt hard enough, i need to improve, i need an upgrade that go with my evolution through this times"
And after some time in a forge with raw materials and other many things. Make the new arm out of pure struggle
"Reforged in the flames of hatred, hardened in the waters of discipline and compassion. An Arm made for fight wars or for protect those that need help"

[empty thicket]

it happen, he cant be good at everything so having a "im not so good at this" is nice

make it feel more real

[still relic]

hes very much a "swing sword really hard and hopefully win" character

i need to actually write everything about my character down

this is all kinda just floating in my brain

[glad ferry]

And depending on the types of arms if impact is enough see if the arms are maintained or destroyed or maybe even different degrees of cracked until gone

[still relic]

yeah thats why its concentration

i feel like a chance to just lose it every time i get hit is a reasonable enough simulation of that

it does also give +1 ac as part of its bonuses

because its rock

[glad ferry]

So blocking eith it thpe of thing

[still relic]

dm said i could recast it for free with a bonus action which i felt was a bit easy but hes the one responsible for balance

[glad ferry]

Set an amount of times you csn use the spell if you think so

Your allowed to bounce ideas back and forth to balance it out

[still relic]

i think we did ill have to search the chat

[dark goblet]

does anyone know where to find a dnd group?

[glad ferry]

Theres a page for that

Dunno how to do the posting the group. Its under find dnd group in the tabs

[errant crag]

Read the instructions in #find-a-game to look for games on the server

[glad ferry]

Technology ain't my area of expertise

[empty thicket]

you at the end of the day still be a Martial so...

i would say thanks with more htan open arms

[still relic]

yes but the bonuses while its up are pretty significant

+1 to ac, damage rolls, and attack rolls

but then without it its -1 to those things

so a difference of 2 between them

[glad ferry]

And have a roll if you use them against something harder see if it adds a -1 to its endurance or something

[still relic]

dm seems to like the different materials having different properties thing

[glad ferry]

That would make sense to

[still relic]

like a metal arm having an extra +2 ac but whenever i take fire damage i also take heat metal damage

[glad ferry]

Its a fair balance is all that matters

[still relic]

wait heat metal is 2d8 so maybe not

[glad ferry]

Someone could use heat metal on the arms and you'd have to take the damage and drop the arms or keep them on and the soell on em

[still relic]

heat metal would be good on me anyway ill always have a sword but yeah

[glad ferry]

Drawbacks to whatever element is present

Hands made of sand dry drown

The person

My mind is dark with different implementations of stuff like this

And uses

[empty thicket]

oh yeah, heat metal would be a problem

and i guess some anti magic stuff would nullify it too

[glad ferry]

Depends on property of material or even an item that gives resistance to an element

[still relic]

i think without the arm i get -1 ac, attack rolls, and damage rolls

so if i lose it im a lot weaker but not out of the fight

[glad ferry]

At least reduce damage

And if you go prone without arms its gonna be disadvantage getting up

[empty thicket]

Bronze would be able to withstand the fire but wont add damage
Silver would do more damage against X kind of enemies
Platinum arm would give you always advantage on attack rolls

[still relic]

i think we're doing a one shot before the campaign involving vampires so silver would be insane there

but i dont know if its even the same characters

[glad ferry]

Its a different world from actual campaign. What happens there will be different fromm the campaign. If you and dm agree it can be a part of backstory

[still relic]

no its in the same world just in a different place and i think a bit earlier on

probably not same characters though theyd have no reason to be in a different continent

[knotty vine]

GUYS

[empty thicket]

sad, i made my principal fighter in a oneshot and re used him for the campaign im in now

[knotty vine]

I have used my future reading powers

It seems that

[empty thicket]

Won the lottery with it?

[still relic]

yes but i did also have another cool idea for a one shot character

[glad ferry]

Whats your future reading powers say?

[knotty vine]

Cluthlu isnt gonna be all that good

[still relic]

a soulknife rogue for throwing based on bullseye

[empty thicket]

how so? its going to be giga hard to fight or good in the way its going to "help"?

[knotty vine]

its kinda meh

[glad ferry]

What do you think the most powerful party of 4 would be?

[knotty vine]

wizard wizard wizard cleric

[empty thicket]

Cleric, wizard, paladin and Fighter

[glad ferry]

Circle whatever the fireball cantrip

Chant

[knotty vine]

Necklace of fireballs allows you to cast a 8th level fireball

[still relic]

four gnome barbarians

[knotty vine]

gnome barb is alright

[empty thicket]

Cleric sustain the whole party
Wizard do the whole AOE
Paladin and fighter can take care of any hard enemy
Paladin is general useful and have good stuff
Fighter can use 3 kind of ranges Short (reach or any other martial weapon), medium (javelins) and long (Longbow)

[glad ferry]

Four half orc zealot/berserker barbarians

[knotty vine]

mind blast:

[empty thicket]

And if i could add a 5ft, would be artificer.

[glad ferry]

How to make ranger good. Start as fighter till action surge then the rest ranger

[knotty vine]

arent you better of fjsut doing a dex fighter

[glad ferry]

Give them the feats durable, savage attacker, and mage slayer

Prolly

[still relic]

yeah but ranger means you can larp as aragorn

[glad ferry]

You can larp as him without the rsnger class. Just do fighter/monk dex build

[empty thicket]

or can go weapons with nick and dual wielding so you proc tons of time HM

[glad ferry]

Just throw the enemies stuff back at em

Reckless attack great weapon master

[empty thicket]

maybe

[glad ferry]

Dual wilding reckless attack

With savage attacker and if berserker thats 3 attacks of 6?

[empty thicket]

I see ranger like a DPS//Utility class
Almost like paladin but instead of being burst//util its just dps//util

[glad ferry]

Rangers hunter mark and pass without a trace are nice to

[empty thicket]

yeah, but ranger compel a thing that most campaigns dont take too seriously, exploring

almost like rogue

[glad ferry]

Favorite terrain and enemy

Advantage

[empty thicket]

kinda hated it that feature, but wont deny its Okey.

[forest bramble]

oh Ranger how i wish you were fun at most tables...

[glad ferry]

Is it as fun as hexblade warlock just hexing and using eldritch blast

[woven flint]

My Fighter now has a Polar Bear for a mount with Scale Mail armor

[forest bramble]

rangers just attack and hunters mark i see no difference

[glad ferry]

Wasn't polearm master and one other an annoying combo

[forest bramble]

sentinel?

[glad ferry]

Beleive thats the one

[forest bramble]

idk if that's the case anymore with feat reworks i forget what polearm master does now

[stray atlas]

so bit of a random question, what oath would fit a paladin who vowed to get revenge against a group attacking the kingdom they lived in?

crown or vengeance?

[glad ferry]

Vengeance id say

[forest bramble]

vengeance more than crown

[glad ferry]

Plus you get the enmity spell which gives advantage agaisnt the enemy its cast on. So say you have fear of them it would turn it into a normal roll

[forest bramble]

Maybe flavor it as they re-swore their oath after the attack, and used to be an oath of the crown

[stray atlas]

gotcha thanks

that does answer another question of mine

was wondering if an oath could be changed from conquest to crown

[glad ferry]

Vengeance is a great paladin

Oaths change depending on scenario and as the character grows. If there'd a reason then its possible. If its just because then id say no

[forest bramble]

^^ also ask ur dm

[glad ferry]

Exactly

[forest bramble]

i think that would be fun flavor wise too

[glad ferry]

It would be

Though just know if its ever starting as oathbreaker then making a new oath and you break it you remain unholy after that

[stray atlas]

this is for my own campaign thing

[forest bramble]

oh ok do whatever then lol as long as it fits ur character

or the character

[stray atlas]

character was formerly a conquest paladin, later became a crown paladin after becoming something similar to a king

[hazy flume]

Hey peeps. I have some homebrew material i'm slinging. Anyone want a curveball to throw at their party?

[raw crypt]

there's a channel for that

[forest bramble]

oh that's fun i like

[hazy flume]

guide a blind man

[raw crypt]

#homebrew

[limber trail]

(Vow of enmity isn’t a spell, it’s a subclass feature. You don’t cast it)

[glad ferry]

Ah

[broken imp]

what about (this isn't homebrew jut a puzzle so i'm gonna post it here) getting them to track someone and they have to actually describe what they want to do instead of just rolling for checks, or just give them 1 less coin so 1 person won't have a coin

i did this once and they almost killed one another for it

[livid stone]

Anyone know how to find DND groups in person

Every time I try to get my friends to do it, nothing ever comes of it, and I can't really pay for it rn

[forest bramble]

Game stores possibly, also if you go to school or uni there's probably a club of some kind

[raw crypt]

could try hitting up your local game store

ah, a tad too slow

[livid stone]

Local game stores near me are pay to play, and there's no club at my school

🫩

[harsh hinge]

A library—and if they don't have D&D, make a suggestion! Also, you can search locally using the likes of Reddit, Facebook, Nextdoor, and MeetUp.

[livid stone]

Library is a great idea, and I'll look at those 2 other apps bc I'm not entirely trustworthy of most people on reddit and I've tried Facebook already

Thanks

[harsh hinge]

Good luck!

[rough basalt]

tpk time

[raw crypt]

have fun~

[rough basalt]

when you immediately recharge breath attack for 2 53 damage breath weapons in 2 rouns

[raw crypt]

ok but 53 damage in what context

mainly what party level and how many PCs it hit, to be more specific

[rough basalt]

2 pcs and a polar bear each time, one same pc and polar bear each time, level 6 cold damage

[forest bramble]

poor polar bears

[humble cairn]

Have you tried doing the recharge at the end of a monster's turn so the players know it's coming. Allows them to strategize, but also builds up the tension.

[vivid pelican]

Hello guys

Guys and gals and non-binary pals

[rough basalt]

Nah i do normal

[lavish flame]

possible game changer here woah

[meager fractal]

Did you kill that player you were talking about earlier?

[past blaze]

The character, right?

[meager fractal]

yeah

[errant crag]

Please don't kill your players

[vast saddle]

Only half of us, but will ruin the moods of other players really soon

[woven flint]

HOLY SHIT

We..a Level 6 party...
Killed an Adult White Dragon!

We almost DIED..
but we all pulled it off!

[cobalt owl]

First time?

[errant crag]

My level 6 players did this with an Adult Green Dragon and also all almost died

[woven flint]

I mean, the dragon was immune to our wizards best damaging spells
I was the only frontliner lol
EVERYONE almost died

[cobalt owl]

So, first time?

[rough basalt]

I also cheated (accidentally)

[raw crypt]

first time we fought a dragon, rogue went down, druid went down, cleric (me) barely survived, fighter just kept whaling on the lizard until it died

seems like a pretty consistent experience

[rough basalt]

I thought frightful presence didnt need conc, but good to know for the next dragon

Was my first time running a Dragon as a combatant.

[forest bramble]

did everyone die

[rough basalt]

Almost

If the dragon passed the bards spirit guardians they probably wouldve

[forest bramble]

every time I have fought dragons I've died

[raw crypt]

old frightful presence was its own ability, new one uses the spell fear, so it may have been that

why they change it, iunno, but the fear spell requires conc

oh, on that note frightful presence can be counterspelled

that's wack

[forest bramble]

one more use of counterspell in 5.5e is a win for me

[raw crypt]

but 5e or 5.5e CS

[forest bramble]

5.5

[woven flint]

Closest a dragons ever come to killing me in my career lol

[forest bramble]

i usually don't mix rulesets

[raw crypt]

interesting, people are pretty split on which CS they prefer

makes sense

[forest bramble]

oh I prefer 5e

i just use 5.5e for consistency

[raw crypt]

fair enough

[abstract plover]

About to join a campaign, is kobold a good race??

[raw crypt]

fun for flavor, and the abilities are pretty good

[forest bramble]

i like 5.5 more overall but cs should work more like magic resistance and be able to target enemy effects that act like spells imo... but whatever

[forest bramble]

one version has pack tactics which is deranged

and probably won't be allowed at most tables

[raw crypt]

Yea I generally use morden's version of the kobold, which is more flexible and less busted

draconic cry is still really good, don't get me wrong, and the other perks are pretty good

I like taking blade ward on my combat kobolds, and then convincing another martial (or telekinetic) to throw me at the enemy

[timber turtle]

I gave this idea of the party getting a curse that makes a spectral follow them around inflicting a curse on them until it's dispelled in the Intended ways,
I just don't know what would be a good effect for the curse to have

[rough basalt]

My cheating plans were foiled by my players (I feel bad for accidentally cheating)

[timber turtle]

They told your wife?

[raw crypt]

effects of hex or bestow curse, perhaps?

[forest bramble]

hex would be weird bc of the extra dmg

[rough basalt]

I'm single. I used an ability wrong and overbuffed it

[raw crypt]

true, was mainly thinking of the targeted ability disadv

[forest bramble]

yea that would be fun

bane maybe

tho that would be pretty mean

[rough basalt]

Overall they managed to win which saved my skin and I'm glad

[raw crypt]

I think giving the rogue dex disadv or the party face cha disadv would be mean as it is lol

[rough basalt]

I'm not in a place where I could handle the pain of accidentally tpking cause of mistakes

[forest bramble]

yea i don't like tpks either

almost had one in like my second session

[rough basalt]

I don't mind them when they're fair

[forest bramble]

3 giant ants+ giant ant queen vs 4 lv 2 characters

[lavish flame]

goated choices

[rough basalt]

Tho I'm my own worst enemy

[forest bramble]

oops not lv 4

[timber turtle]

If you want to reverse the tpk send an Asimaar npc to resurrect them all because of their destiny or something

[raw crypt]

though tbf the first several levels are easily the most deadly

[forest bramble]

i also didn't balance the encounter very well

[raw crypt]

that doesn't help either :P

[forest bramble]

they only survived because one of them had gotten winged boots beforehand

[meager fractal]

Kobolds are a powerful race

[forest bramble]

my party is friends with the prophet of the god of death so she helps them out sometimes

i don't get tpks ever (my PCs are insanely cracked and it's mostly my fault) but she's there just in case

[rough basalt]

Nah id probably rewind a bit

Or put in the players hands

[timber turtle]

Idk if that would lower or raise the stakes to players

[rough basalt]

Well "random npc" just feels dumb to me. Rewinding is accepting my mistake.

Also they're out on the ice in no mans land basically

[forest bramble]

Deus ex Machina 100% lowers stakes

[rough basalt]

I'd give players probably two options other than new party or new campaign

Rewind a bit or Scorched Earth

Scorched Earth being time for a reverse dantes inferno or something else thats really wild

[timber turtle]

You just gaslight your players into believing they were Intended to die and it was for the narrative 🧠

[rough basalt]

They got a level up and some good rewards out of it too

Since a loot box fell off the Dragon and they paid the 9.99 to open ir.

[flint ledge]

I'd be very careful with that sort of that sort of thing. I don't imagine everyone responds well to that

[rough basalt]

Reminds me, I kinda wanna give my world a Wandering merchant that's just a loot box npc like Pacrooti from ESO just to see what happens to them.

[timber turtle]

Make it a funny sicophic gremlin and they would love it

[rough basalt]

I have a module in foundry that makes shops interactable and it let's me set price alterations with a slider.

So I had one merchant who was a Kobold who had all his goods at 200% the cost

Like a telescope was 2k gold

[agile jungle]

are there any accessories you all recommend for play

either from wotc or otherwise

[rough basalt]

Do you play or intend to play irl or online.

[zinc hare]

What isa good cleric subclass?

[flint ledge]

I'd say most are at least good. But if you're looking for good good then like peace and twilight domain

[zinc hare]

Cool beans

Are those two similar ?

I'm looking for a fun support subclass

[onyx haven]

Not in the slightest lol

Knowledge Domain is a good one for being a support build. You can kinda fill in whatever the group needs

[flint ledge]

That's certainly a choice...

[zinc hare]

cool beand

[paper portal]

twilight is by far the strongest if thats what you want but any of them will do fine at a normal table, personally i think nature is the coolest

[zinc hare]

How does twighlight play?

[paper portal]

same as any other cleric mostly, they just have a thing where they can give your whole team passive healing thats really good

[past blaze]

I feel like every class has a "John" subclass
like how Champion is "John Fighter"

[onyx haven]

It's good to have an option that's not adding a gimmick and just be a straight upgrade to the class

[cobalt owl]

"Keep it simple stupid"

[agile jungle]

looking to play in person

have a dice tower in shipment, dice, books

but I suppose keeping my character sheet easily updated, etc

our rogue had this zip up binder thing that held dice and the phb

another player (i think the ranger) used a binder/trapper keeper with a wet/dry erase to track hp over top of a character sheet using the plastic protector

left me mildly inspired to level up my gameplay

[past blaze]

Side note
Maxwell pfp! I love maxwell

[agile jungle]

oop embed failure

laugh at this user

[celest sail]

twilight has beautiful flavor

[errant crag]

I tend to really like subclasses like this tbh

[agile jungle]

when do i get to take war caster for my paladin

need to be able to keep up bless if i get hit

🥹👍

[errant crag]

Stack AC and don't get hit

[agile jungle]

unfortunately dm rolls hot

[flint ledge]

Whenever can take a feat so level 4,8, 12, 16

[agile jungle]

i noticed reading through 2024 phb that more seems to happen on each levelup

but maybe that's just me, i haven't gotten to actually play really much before

[past blaze]

It's not a feat every level up, but typically the martials do get a class feature just about every level

[errant crag]

Neither does Bless at those levels

So it'll even out

[agile jungle]

someone will hit because of my bless

and it will feel nice to be appreciated

✨

[flint ledge]

I mean if you're at level 4 bless is definitely worth it

[agile jungle]

though i don't know if paladin is going to concentrate much toward level 8-12

[errant crag]

So is high AC

[agile jungle]

i don't know when made in abyss stops

(not quite the name but you know what i mean)

out of the abyss i think the book is

[errant crag]

It would be wild to act like having a 23-25 AC doesn't mean anything by level 4.

That would be wild.

[agile jungle]

how da helly am i getting 25 ac at level 4

[flint ledge]

I don't believe I said that

[agile jungle]

that sounds busted

[errant crag]

Its really not

It might scare your DM but it's ultimately fine

[flint ledge]

If you're getting that much AC by that level you can prepare to get targeted by a lot of saves

[agile jungle]

i spread my point buy evenly

to hell with getting caught by random weird int saves

[signal basalt]

whats the best story to go for when everyone is new including the DM i want a fun story for me and my friends

what are some good options to look at for beginner friendly

[umbral girder]

Lost Mines of Phandelvar is peak

There is the short 1 Page adventures in Adventures in Faerun and the 2024 DMG has 4 as well

[tough sandal]

Today was a relaxing session for me.
I communicated that to my players, and it turns out my party was silently suffering in existential dread. :3

[tough sandal]

I suppose that's what happens when I utilize my players' backstories to the fullest? o-o
We didn't even do combat today lolololol

[inner silo]

I'm running it as my first rn and ngl it's especially great that there's so much resources online to help with running it and adapting and changing some stuff to better fit your style

[errant crag]

Our CoS party has a PC who is always very afraid and cowardly and I brought Herosim solely to cast it on him and watch the player roleplay him as suddenly being brave and courageous

But I haven't got the chance to do that yet

[tough sandal]

... oh my god.

That sounds like a cool moment in the making.

[inner silo]

Cast it only in the most dramatic moment

And don't let that player know you have it if they don't already for maximum effect

[glad ferry]

What class are you playing to get 25 ac at lvl4

[errant crag]

They already know I have it

We got huge value out of it last session so I had to use it

Had enemies that inflicted frightened on us when they hit us with an attack

So upcasting heroism came in clutch

[glad ferry]

Why is there no taunt spell for tanks?

[errant crag]

There is

It's called Compelled Duel, the only problem is that 5e's usual method of "taunting" doesn't actually force the target to attack you

Just discourages them from attacking others

[glad ferry]

Weird

[inner silo]

Ah that's fire then tbh

[errant crag]

And I have 20 charisma so we got the 5 THP every round

[inner silo]

Ngl adding an aoe spell that on a failed save forces the enemies to attack the caster could be pretty cool, even if kind of broken

[errant crag]

It would be super broken

They don't have spells like that for good reason

[umbral girder]

It’s generally why there are abilities that encourage attacking Martials than forcing it

[inner silo]

They could do something like "the enemy can't move away from you but if you move away from them for more then 40 or something meters the spell stops working

[lavish flame]

it would also be a pretty guaranteed way to take your own life in many circumstances

[umbral girder]

Protection, Interception, 5.5e Grapple, and all them subclass abilities for disadvantage on attacking someone that isn’t you

[inner silo]

I guess so

[signal basalt]

something that really has all aspects of the game in terms of fighting and talking to npc not too long though just to like dip there toes in the water really feel the game to see if they wanna play longer

scary too

[agile jungle]

trying to make my character sheet on dndbeyond

why is hermit not available as a background to select

i picked it on page 182 of my 5.5 phb

but it isnt in the dropdown

[lavish flame]

If you don't own the PHB on DNDBeyond, then you can't access the contents within it. Hermit might not be in the Basic Rules, so you'd need the Player's Handbook on DDB.

[limber trail]

Do you have access to the phb on dndbeyond? DnD beyond only gives free access to a few backgrounds, not all 16. You'll need access to a digital copy of the phb to create characters with all the options.

Alternatively, use the PDF printout to make your character sheet

[agile jungle]

can i register the books i bought at my Friendly Local Game Store™

[lavish flame]

unfortunately no

[limber trail]

I wish 😭

[inner silo]

Sadly not

[agile jungle]

why da helly am i being charged twice

i spent like 300 dollars on these already

[lavish flame]

closest u get is buying both a digital and physical copy at once via DDB

[limber trail]

(my advice would be, just don't use DnDbeyond. Physical PDF character sheets are better

[agile jungle]

ok... where do i go fill one of those out

[lavish flame]

Use the character sheet PDF from the Basic Rules, yeah

[limber trail]

Can just google "DnD character sheet" and you'll find a pdf link to download and print one out

[agile jungle]

using the book i paid an already annoying amount of money for 😒

[limber trail]

Yeah it's annoying

[lavish flame]

https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/br-2024

Its the last page under "Players" titled "Download Character Sheet"

[limber trail]

I honestly wouldn't use DnDBeyond unless the campaign is being hosted out of there by the DM, in which case they'll probably be sharing the PHB anyways

If you're playing IRL you don't need it

[agile jungle]

What sections should I type on and subsequently print out

[errant crag]

They'll never be able to get me to use D&D beyond

[agile jungle]

[and which ones should I leave blank since they'll change frequently]

I'm not above handwriting but there's only so much room

[lavish flame]

lowk bruh, print out a blank copy of the sheet for "I typed something I shouldn't have, and its been burned in" reasons.

On the first page, the Character name, Background, Species, Class, Subclass, and Size fields are unlikely to change (maybe also Armor Training and Weapon Proficiencies but idk your life).

On the second page, your Spellcasting Ability, Appearance, Backstory & Personality, and Languages are unlikely to be changed.

[signal basalt]

sick thank you

[agile jungle]

when leveling up, are all resources refilled like in a video game

[still plover]

No. Characters need rest for that.

[agile jungle]

If resources are unlocked, do those get their charges immediately

[hot marlin]

No, you need rest. As Mr Smith mentioned

[lavish flame]

Traditionally, you don't just level up when you hit the XP threshold. Often you have to take a Long Rest for the level up to actually happen.

[hollow lance]

Do the new rules specify that you can't have below 1 max health?

[minor cargo]

Of course, DMs can also rule it how they want. I have, in the past, designed a dungeon so that the party levelled up right before the "boss" - that way they felt like they're brand new and ready to go. Very video game-y, but it hit well in that particular campaign.

[still plover]

Fair call.

[lavish flame]

You can have exactly 0 max health, but you cannot have below 0 health. If your Hit Point Maximum hits 0, you die as per 2024 Instant Death rules.

[reef tundra]

Hmmm, maybe I should try that. I’ve always had the level up after the boss, but maybe levelling up before the boss could be a refreshing new thing to do

[agile jungle]

hmm. i wonder if dm would let me change from cleric initiate to druid initiate

[paper portal]

what ways other than silvery barbs are there to make enemies reroll an attack

[agile jungle]

is that too wild of an ask

[reef tundra]

Well, the magic initiate feat does let you pick between wizard, cleric, and Druid. Is this from your background?

[reef tundra]

Not really. I’d allow it

[agile jungle]

character building generally has been a pretty overwhelming process

and i didn't have the hour beforehand to cook since dm ran late that day

i believe i picked magic initiate as the feat i got for being human

[reef tundra]

Ah, in that case I believe it should be alright for you to just swap it to Druid, but yeah just ask your DM

[agile jungle]

for sure

i saw oath of the ancients as one of the specialization options and thought that seemed neat

[reef tundra]

It is a pretty cool subclass

[minor cargo]

Mmm hmm. If it helps, I designed the dungeon around "self discovery", so it also made narrative sense why they would "level up" by the end. This was back in the 3.5E days so I forget if I tied it to getting a "prestige class" (similar to subclasses in 5E) or a feat.

But yeah, if I did it in 5E, I would tie it to their subclass (level 3) - so they find out something about themselves and then they fight the boss with their new toys. Good luck!

[reef tundra]

Oh hey I’ve done that!

[still plover]

Divination wizard?

[reef tundra]

Would you count the protection fighting style making them roll with disadvantage?

[silk hare]

the lucky feat

[still plover]

There's a battlemaster move that gives a defensive feature, if we're talking about just not getting hit.

[silk hare]

• what is advantage if not getting a free reroll (or the same for enemies with disadvantage)

also the whole "re-rolling" itself is more rare, but theres plenty of stuff that manipulates the outcome if you are interested in that

[errant crag]

I've had combats where the combat was a whole big ordeal that took most of, if not the entire session

And this has yet to ruin one of said sessions

My players are usually fairly satisfied with these combats

[silk hare]

yeah tbh I really like combat

[errant crag]

Usually if this happens it's a combat I've put a lot of thought into

When making the environment and adding external elements to the fight

[errant crag]

I think i need to get a bigger dry erase battlemat

[knotty vine]

I think its interesting that classes in lore can be total opposites but can still get along just fine in a party

Warlocks and Clerics being the most obivous

[past blaze]

well, not even total opposites.

It's not like clerics are innately good and warlocks are innately evil

[knotty vine]

I mean at base

[past blaze]

A warlock could just siphon energy and knowledge from an eldritch entity and not be evil for it, while a cleric could just place their faith in a domain of "murder people"

Not even at base

warlock is "pact magic" and cleric is "faith in a domain"
whether that's from a good or evil source

[knotty vine]

Clerics who claim there power from the divine using it to exert that beings will on the material plane

Versus Warlocks who do the exact same thing but usually with more tentacles

Its pretty much usually benevolence vs malevolence

when it comes to otherworldly gifts I mean

[past blaze]

fiends and celestials aren't typically associated with tentacles

and warlocks could have a pact made of benevolence, and clerics could have their faith in a domain based on malevolence (pestilence, death)

[errant crag]

Rolling up a random dungeon with the random dungeon tables and its giving me a bunch of big rooms

[knotty vine]

It doesnt have to be fiends and celestials

the famothless for example

[past blaze]

a Warlock could make a pact with them, or with a fey, or a fathomless being, or a great old one

[knotty vine]

Tentacle of the Deep

[errant crag]

Like what am i gonna put in these rooms

am I crazy or is 30ft by 40ft a big room

I guess not tbh

[steady zephyr]

Just wanted to share progress on my project hehe

sprites are in arts channel!

[errant crag]

These are NOT big rooms

[humble cairn]

Think of a theme first and then develop it from there? Also I think #dm-world-building is a good channel for helping with this.

[errant crag]

These are the size of most noteworthy AoE spells

[reef tundra]

Yes irl, no in gameplay

[errant crag]

I actually rolled for that in the random dungeon purpose tables!

[lethal bobcat]

Sounds huge tbh

[still plover]

And what did it suggest?

Is this a dungeon that was made to be such, or was it something else originally that's become a dungeon?

[errant crag]

It was supposedly a Death Trap

Made by evil human rogues

[still plover]

Ahh! How about some traps? Also pits and walkways, pillars, internal walls.

[errant crag]

These rooms just feel like they're big with how they're fitting into the battle mat

[lethal bobcat]

If you don't get enough help, one solution is to just put a combat encounter there anyway

Chickening out on the dice to make for an easier story

[shut relic]

the champion doesnt feel exciting ig as a new player

except for his busted level 10 ability

[still plover]

The Rope Room
This large chamber has balconies at either end where the entrances are. The ceiling is festooned with a collection of ropes, some forming loops and others hanging slack towards the deep floor. It may have been used for training purposes. It may also house a roper.

[lethal bobcat]

(Also having a big rectangle taking up 10% of paper is big, and irl D&D rooms including standard inn rooms are bigger than most homes they're building irl)

[errant crag]

This could actually be pretty cool

[wise dew]

What’s yalls favorite race?
☝️

[errant crag]

I like the sound of a big open room with no floor and a bottomless pit instead of a floor

[errant crag]

Duergar

[lethal bobcat]

Human

Any race without nightvision gets bonus points

[still plover]

Inproved crits, remarkable athlete? They're solid. You're fast and dangerous.

[wise dew]

What was your duergar character named?

[wise dew]

Why’s that? 🤔

[errant crag]

Hargrim

[wise dew]

What class were they?

[errant crag]

He was a Wild Magic Barbarian

[errant crag]

I'm taking it

I'm also putting a secret door on the wall concealed by a 5ft stone cube that can only be opened if they tie one end of one of the ropes to it and then pull down on another rope on the other side of the room

[lethal bobcat]

20 questions time? o3o

Any form of encumbrance you can give the players is a free handle you can pull to reuse any assets you want but unique feeling and higher stakes. It's also much simpler to balance combat encounters without fudging dice. It's free real estate

[errant crag]

Pulling the stone cube out and letting it fall to the ground

[lethal bobcat]

Break a lantern when the character is grappled or knocked prone. Give the Great Axe user a torch

People can lose 5 HP and a spell slot combined and it still feels tense

[wise dew]

Ah I see so it’s like kinda more immersive and gives you more to work with

[lethal bobcat]

Yes

[wise dew]

Are you usually a DM?

[lethal bobcat]

So-so

[still plover]

Interesting twist. Gotta think about a couple of clues for it.

[past blaze]

cracked corners on the bottom of the cube, scrapes going up the nearby wall

[wise dew]

It’s a pretty DM way to look at it

[errant crag]

One of the clues will be that if they grab and hang onto the rope they need to tie to the block, the rope will suddenly lower 20ft and prompt them to make a strength saving throw or lose grip of the rope

[lethal bobcat]

A freebie is marks of rust scratched into the wall

[errant crag]

And then if somebody who sees this has a high enough passive perception they'll notice a rope on the other side of the room raise

[wise dew]

How long have yall been playing? 🤔

[lethal bobcat]

Bro is doing a field survey

[wise dew]

Just bored and can’t sleep

[rotund shell]

seriously playing, 12 years. dabbling and reading books? 20 years.

(now I feel old)

[wise dew]

You’re not old you’re experienced

[wise dew]

You play mostly with a set group or play with randoms from time to time?

[rotund shell]

Off and on for years. I mostly play play-by-post so I sought out servers with which to play in most of the time.

I do have an irl group right now consisting of my roommates and fiancee at the moment though.

[wise dew]

That’s awesome

I’ve been kinda playing off and on for like 2 years and still haven’t finished a campaign bc my friends who DM end up cutting it short 😢

[rotund shell]

I at least managed to get a campaign to completion under my belt with an irl group a few years ago

group rapidly dissolved after that though.

[wise dew]

How many have you completed?

[rotund shell]

officially completed: one 5e game, one game that I'm a developer for.

the servers I played in are West March servers so there's no real "end" to the campaign cause it's a hang out spot with occasional quests to go out and do stuff combat-wise

...pretty sure I also completed a 4e game, but frankly, I don't remember if it actually "completed" or just went so far off the rails that I called it early.

[wise dew]

I’ve heard west march before but idk what that means

[rotund shell]

West Marches are basically pick-up games. You get together with some randoms to go out and do a quest or two, and the cast can rotate out.

[past blaze]

Instead of one group it's more like a community and groups are made for an adventure before returning to the "hub"

so you might go on adventures with someone a bunch of times or one time and never line up again, etc

[minor cargo]

22 years, I think. Plus or minus maybe 1. 🐣

[wise dew]

So if a dnd game is like a co op game a west march is an online game with randoms?

[wise dew]

A bunch of DnD veterans in here

[rotund shell]

More or less. Most West March servers include areas to hang out in in-character so you can have lil story arcs going in between quests

It's great fun, if you manage to find a community that suits you.

[wise dew]

I’m not very good at the actual gameplay mechanics of DnD or even making character sheets. I basically gave up making them since the games I did never lasted 😭
I’d need to find a laid back kinda group

[rotund shell]

quite a few west marches are very chill about it.

could be something to look into. #looking-for-community is a decent place to start, if you wanted to go looking.

[errant crag]

I'm getting so many 30ft x 40ft rooms from these random dungeon tables

[minor cargo]

In my experience (which isn't super in-depth), yeah, West Marches should be on the more chill side - mostly because they're already signing up for groups that can change with pretty much no notice.

[wise dew]

Appreciate that

I do wanna do something more focused and maybe long term though.

[rotund shell]

oh hey Steve. long time no see

[rotund shell]

could always try #looking-for-players instead.

[crystal star]

are you open to paid games? good way to get something consistent

[sleek fox]

Started in 1978, married one of the people I taught it to, except for a bit of a lull whdn the children were very young I have always played. Now probably more then ever before.

[wise dew]

That’s awesome as hell

[wise dew]

Are they really that much better? I wouldn’t wanna go and do something where it is basically just a job rather than passion. Plus I’m poor 😭

[sleek fox]

Thanks. Its a great lifelong hobby, has so many aspects that keep me learning and growing and thus feeling young.

[hot marlin]

An experience that brings generations together: Playing regularly while having young children is almost impossible

[crystal star]

its a great game to get into. paid games are usually better. you can expect a good level of quality from them. but of course, exceptions to every rule

[hot marlin]

I've got a campaign that has dropped to once a month because the toddler keeps scratching his parent's eyes.

His dad's the DM.

Seriously, that kid has scratched his parents' eyes so often that we nicknamed him Freddy Krueger. And I'm still not convinced he did not perform his own C-section with his fiendish claws

[wise dew]

I don’t think I could afford that stuff especially since they are paid for each session like a live membership

[sleek fox]

True, but we did start them playing as soon as they could be trusted to not eat the dice. All three sons play in my campaigns allthough they are grown and also have their own. One has too travel quite a bit to do so. So it can gather generations and bring them together.

[crystal star]

understandable. there are a ton of great free games out there though!

[cobalt owl]

I run free games

Paid DMing feels weird to me, but I understand its a legitimate job

[flint ledge]

Paid DMing definitely isn't for everyone

[cobalt owl]

Its definitely not for me I do know that

[flint ledge]

Not for me for sure either.

[errant crag]

Now I got a 50ft diameter circular room

[cobalt owl]

I don't like the idea of turning DMing for friends into a job personally, as theres a whole new tier of things I gotta do and quality I have to uphold, or consistency I gotta do to justify the cost, which my style generally doesn't bode well to.

[sleek fox]

If your campaigns never last because your friends drop them when their DMing the answer is obvious: Become a DM and run the game for them.

[cobalt owl]

I am the gromit building the train but DMing

[limber trail]

I definitely understand the instinct as a DM to do it for money. I like to think that even though my games are free, I run at a quality that people would pay for. I don't think I'd wanna play with some of the restrictions that occasionally come from being a paid DM. That said, I actually don't understand fully paying to be a player. that might be more because I prefer to be a player with friends.

[wise dew]

I’d probably be decent at it I just gotta learn the other stuff aside from just like the roleplay aspects. Though there are also differences in preference in our group bc some of them prefer whimsy and the others prefer grim dark

[wise dew]

How long have you been DMing?

[cobalt owl]

A couple years

I do my best and do what I do. My players at least enjoy my games so clearly I'm doing something right

[limber trail]

I do think a lot of people overestimate how hard DMing can be. It's pretty easy to start, especially if you're willing to learn and ask for help

tons of great resources online to learn too

[sleek fox]

You have the important thing: "Know what your players want/need" already. Just do it. The new starter sets are pretty good for a first time DM. Or just do your own thing and learn as you play.

[cobalt owl]

Part of the problem is a comparison complex

[limber trail]

I have to say, the fact that I finish my DnD sessions and then the next day go and watch Brennan Lee Mulligan DM for some of the most talented and experienced players around weekly, definitely doesn't help with the comparison complex

[wise dew]

“Comparison is the thief of joy”

[limber trail]

100%

[cobalt owl]

It is unfortunately human nature

[sleek fox]

You have to watch them with a diffrent eye. More a "Hey that is something I can use!" Or "no, that doesnt suit me/my group". And always remember that they are that good only because everybody at that table is doing this as a job they get paid for, many of them are actors, and all have an interest in creating a fun to watch show. Its not a realistic table play simulation.

[limber trail]

I try and be productive about it and use it to inspire my own games at the very least. I run games in a decently similar genre to the critical role style of campaign (especially recent campaign 4 which is very political intriguey) so it's a ton of fun and I get plenty of good ideas out of it.

[wise dew]

I love roleplay in games which is like my main draw and political themes in stories are my favorite

[limber trail]

There's legitimately a lot of good stuff in there, be it inspiration for encounters/situations/etc, or even just encouragement that you can have a super engaging time while bending the rules of what DnD might traditionally be expected to be

Just steer clear of the matthew mercer effect...

[wise dew]

What’s that?

[limber trail]

Antje (I hope I picked the right amount of that name to say) described it really well. It's a trap that a lot of newer DnD players run into where they see players like matthew mercer and the CR cast as their main exposure to DnD, and they then immediately assume all groups are like that and try to run their games in that style. A lot of folks fall flat because they expect to run a game as well as CR, without realizing that those are trained professionals who are paid a lot of money to play DnD really well. Your average group doesn't work like that and isn't as good as them, and that's fine and normal

[wise dew]

Ah ok thank you

One campaign idea I wanted to do that interested me after playing bg3 recently was a trio of players who are evil and trying to usurp the dead three

Thoughts? 🤔

[errant crag]

Well my random dungeon layout is done

I oughta call it a random dumbgeon layout

Because it's kinda odd tbh

[sleek fox]

Could be something with the right players. This is just the background idea though, now you have to start them doing level appropriate challenges, kind of like you have the theme of a series and now you have to figure out what the episodes will be about. And be ready for the players to deviate from your plans.

[humble cairn]

TTRPGs in general since maybe '95-6, D&D specifically since 2017 or so?

[humble cairn]

Honestly it could work. There's a clear goal with clear opponents.

[somber plume]

Hi.. (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠)

[still plover]

Ah, that's fine. It was made by someone else, someone who probably had to argue and compromise with others, there could have been problems with the money, the labour, questions of intent, complications of construction ("did this giant pit not get noted in the surveyor's report?"), all sorts of things.

[errant crag]

Is there a defined distance that players fall per round?

Like if they fell nonstop how many feet would they fall per round?

[rotund shell]

at base: instantly to the ground

if you use Xanathar's rules, 500 feet per round

[feral fulcrum]

XGE is vastly more sane

[hot gate]

In most cases, instant is indistinguishable from 500 feet, but I've definitely run into it once or twice.

[limber trail]

I believe an errata did clarify it's 500ft anyways (or maybe a tweet from crawford..)

[errant crag]

I'll go with 500 per round

[limber trail]

500/round is way better

[feral fulcrum]

I'm pretty sure it wasn't in the base rules, purely because it was kind of rushed out.

[atomic kayak]

Yea the scenarios tend to be few and far between where theres a meaningful difference

[feral fulcrum]

2014 Rules were sloppy in odd places.

[errant crag]

I'm thinking a pit in my dungeon thousands of feet deep

[limber trail]

I've got some airship combat coming up where that fall speed might matter

[errant crag]

Maybe 3000ft deep

Crazy deep pit

[flint ledge]

Can't wait to make a pit 501 feet deep

[errant crag]

That would actually be hilarious

[hot gate]

In one of my games, we had an entire fight during a fall, since the party (and the bbeg) fell through a portal a couple thousand feet up in the air. Was pretty fun.

They cast feather fall on the last stretch, after defeating the bbeg.

[feral fulcrum]

I've done something like that as well, wasn't the BBEG, by we did fight a big scary demon werewolf a few thousand feet up. I forget the cause for the teleport though.

[errant crag]

If a player was falling hundreds of feet and there were various ropes hanging about that far down and they tried to grab that rope, would it be unreasonable to have them make a save of some sort to avoid taking that amount of falling damage in Slashing damage when they grab onto the rope and get wild rope burn?

[feral fulcrum]

Rope burn would entirely depend on what they're wearing.

[errant crag]

That's true I suppose

[feral fulcrum]

Captain Full Plate isn't going to notice a bit of friction through their armored gloves

[errant crag]

That's such a subjective thing that I may as well just not do it lowkey

Or like really specifically ask them at the start of the dungeon what they're wearing on their hands

[glad ferry]

I'd do the latter, or just have them explain what they all look like so that it low key shouldn't set off any warning bells

[unkempt iris]

I just finished creating my first character last night

[glad ferry]

I have so many characters made. Most i won't ever use

[unkempt iris]

I only have the one

[glad ferry]

First ones very memorable

What are they?

[fair plinth]

Relatable

[glad ferry]

Love the picture sandman

[wicked mulch]

D&D Question of the Day (D&D Beyond: Playing the Game):

Why might the DM ask for Insight (WIS) instead of Influence here: “I size up the guard’s mood before I say anything”?

[rough basalt]

Cause they're trying to interpret the mood through body language and whatnot rather than ask them how they're doing.

[feral fulcrum]

You mean Persuasion, rather then Influence?

And that would be an Insight check by default.

Because you're trying to get someone's measure.

[uncut zenith]

iirc Influence is an Action in 2024 that allows you to make a Deception, Intimidation, or Persuasion roll

[atomic kayak]

Yea Influence is (one of) the collective actions that replaced all of the individual skill actions

[errant crag]

I like the more clearly defined actions

The Hellfire Club set came with cards that have all of the different actions defined on them and I hand them out to my players and it's nice seeing my newer players do stuff like taking a Study action to try and learn more about a creature they're fighting

[uncut zenith]

Yeah, I like them being more clearly defined for initiative/turn-based scenarios, even if they’re not combat

[atomic kayak]

I just like them because while they didn't actually change any mechanics at large (since by default any skill check has always been an action, but the DM has always been able to make it "less" than an action if they wanted), what it does do is some very nice future proofing

Way easier to say "this applies to the influence action" than needing to list every skill individually

[uncut zenith]

I think it also is nice because in certain cases, it can give the player the opportunity to have some control over what they roll.

Like in theory, the player can state they want to take an Influence action at some point as opposed to waiting for the DM to ask for a skill check.

[limber trail]

They’re not actually trying to influence the creature yet. Persuasion is only applicable in the context of the influence action. (Usually)

[uncut zenith]

The DM can obviously deny an action roll, but since the players dictate what actions they take in initiative, that gives them more control as opposed to asking if they can make a skill check.

[woven flint]

Knemesis...!

[limber trail]

Foe

I might miss you this week :(

[slender mason]

would letting allies drop Prone as a reaction to you shooting (so they stop being cover for an enemy) be a viable subclass theme? sorta lots of warnings and stuff

[limber trail]

Gotta see but I really gotta catch up with a friend and the only day we’re close to free is Waterdeep day

[woven flint]

:[

It'll just be 4 Menaces, then, alas

[limber trail]

I don’t even know if I’d have it be a reaction, that’s already pretty rough

[woven flint]

We won't go after Xanathar or Manshoon without ya lol

[slender mason]

maybe use your reaction to let any number of allies do it at the same time or something

could just be a use of something I guess

[lyric idol]

Sounds like a maneuver tbh. Recovering Strike or something.

[slender mason]

I could see it being Battlemaster kinda

Lordly Resolve can tell people to get up

[umbral girder]

That’s because they will be coming to you. /jk

[umbral girder]

Purple Dragon Knight moment

[slender mason]

I feel it would be a mix between PDK and Battlemaster overall yeah

slightly lends itself to archery and warning

less Arcane Archer and more like, War Archer

[umbral girder]

Or just 4e Warlord of course

Since that was the entire class

[glad ferry]

Whats the hardest enemy your players have struggled with?

I mean depending on the character and situation if they're mostly ranged going prone gives them automatic disadvantage

[atomic kayak]

Too variable. But often its not been the enemies i expected any real level of difficulty with

[umbral girder]

Not really a single enemy but a group of enemies

It was a Dragonborn of Tiamat with 4 Helmed Horrors against a level 6 party

[still plover]

Bunch of goblins, at range, with bushes and rocks for cover using fire and movement. Really tied the party up.

[tawdry sentinel]

The most surprising combat I have had was a group of permanently invisible sprites beating the stuffing out of a level 9 party.

After one shotting the first one I think they tried too hard to save their aoe and just got ruined by the perma advantage/ disadvantage.

[glad ferry]

Its funny goblins still give so much trouble as basic as they are

Did they not bring faery fire?

[umbral girder]

Cover still helps against it

[glad ferry]

And sprites are savage little things despite their low hp

[umbral girder]

Also Goblins are known for their dex

Sprites too I think.

[atomic kayak]

Its a common scenario, even in more "optimized" groups

The "I don't want to waste things" which in turn makes something way more difficult

[glad ferry]

Another interesting enemy i found was a little orb that moved so fast that an arrow shooting was slow motion so they're hard to hit. I think it was from fey or shadowfell

[atomic kayak]

Ive seen many a people do silly stuff just so they wouldn't lose concentration on something they had "pre cast"

[glad ferry]

Though tjey only live for 15 years at most

Horned rabbits or some others seem fun to

Cr0 creatures are really fun to look through

[umbral girder]

That’s the fun part of a Glabrezu. Just get rid of the spell.

[glad ferry]

Glabrezu?

[umbral girder]

A demon with at will Dispel Magic

Can also cast spells as part of it’s Multiattack

A nice Cr9

[atomic kayak]

Oh no I'm perfectly ok with my party making bad decisions to hold onto a spell that (often) is not providing them any benefit

[vagrant notch]

Yall know any app that can produce background/ambient music specifically for dnd

[glossy zenith]

Wdym

[glad ferry]

Can't remember currently lol. Been up since really early. No idea for background ambient music

[still plover]

I like tabletopaudio.com myself.

[glad ferry]

Ive been looking for ambient sound ones. Though it seems theres some that let you layer or add onto music as time goes

[glossy zenith]

Early mornings really mess with your brain. Honestly I thought you were talking about an artist for character art,
But background ambient music sounds really interesting too what kind of vibe are you going for?

[glad ferry]

An artist i wouldn't mind either

[tawdry sentinel]

It was basically a puzzle with a combat slapped on it.

Anything blue (including the sprites) was invisible while illuminated by the torches in this dungeon. This had been established a few rooms ago as the wizard just became a floating head when they walked in. They detect magic, work out it's the torches, put them out wizard reappears. They think huh that's neat and move on with their lives.

Then when initiative is rolled like two rooms later they've completely forgotten that was a thing despite the wizard being back to just a floating head being mentioned every round. 😅

[glad ferry]

One of the puzzles I had to solve with others it was a characater that triggered the rooms as soon as they entered them

[rough basalt]

Puzzles are fun but definitely hard to pull off without being too frustrating.

[glad ferry]

Very much so

[humble cairn]

Sometimes players just need to be outright told things like, "You figure out that blue colored things are invisible while illuminated by torches and that's what's going on here."

[umbral girder]

A fun thing to say before today’s session.

[rough basalt]

Oh yeah

[umbral girder]

I’m sure Tax evading Liches aren’t known for their puzzles

[humble cairn]

There's nothing wrong with just telling players things. Sometimes not being actually in the world means things that should be obvious might not be and the PCs have basic logical faculties (passive Investigation) that would just make things obvious even if the players themselves have forgotten.

[rough basalt]

I usually do puzzles with visual aids that realistically the PCs could notice.

[humble cairn]

I don't like making puzzles for the players to solve. I prefer puzzles for their characters.

[rough basalt]

That's where I get lost.

[humble cairn]

You can describe something as an intricate and delicate puzzle box and how clever the character was in solving it (investigation roll) without actually making the player themselves do the thing.

[glad ferry]

One thing I have enjoyed is different layers that certain players have the advantage if they can help othe others or someone who is specific to the puzzle

[rough basalt]

Throw a Rubix Cube at the player.

[humble cairn]

You could, but I don't like to do that, it actually detracts from immersion for me.

[umbral girder]

The secret is they need to break it open

[slender mason]

I think riddles can often be a weird middle ground because they can stay in character to solve them, but at a certain point they'll get stumped enough to just start going at it above table

[umbral girder]

The answer is in the cube

[glad ferry]

Another good method is just giving little hints in different chambers or floors

[humble cairn]

I am not my character, my character has more holistic information about any situation due to actually being there and often are probably smarter than I am, anyway.

[umbral girder]

Or just make it a Skill challenge

[slender mason]

+5 INT/WIS can translate to "the character only needs a minute to figure out what took the player 15+"

but sometimes just letting them roll is fine too

[umbral girder]

A good 3-4 skill checks

[slender mason]

yeah it does become weird when you have to start asking the DM what your character does know and they then have to all but give you the answer

[glad ferry]

Luci that's my favorite character from rwby

[slender mason]

puzzles in a video game are fine because I can try something and immediately see the result, whereas with a DM there's enough of a delay to make each attempt slightly annoying

[glad ferry]

Miss the original. Remake is bad since rooster teeth went away. Dnd is fun for its puzzles

[humble cairn]

The PC's skills are what exist in the world, not mine. And don't get even get me started with 4th wall breaking solutions. Like solutions that depend on pop culture knowledge. It's not wrong, just not my cup of tea.

[glad ferry]

Especially rolling history checks. Nat 1. You dont remember anything

[slender mason]

Nat 1 could just be remembering the wrong thing too

[humble cairn]

I use the Passive version of Skills as a floor.

[safe thistle]

2014: is it me, or does Durable seem weak? i know some might say the first part getting +1 to con is good, but what about the second part?

[slender mason]

mixing up information with something else someone told you

[humble cairn]

Also Nat 1, doesn't mean autofailure.

[rough basalt]

Thing with puzzles is if you want them to be wholly immersive they can't actually be puzzles.

[slender mason]

you can kinda get away with it if you let the players make up their own solutions too

[humble cairn]

Not for the players, no.

[slender mason]

like anything that sounds reasonable is the answer

[humble cairn]

For the characters, yes.

[slender mason]

how X Character solves it might tell you something about them

[rough basalt]

Well if it's a puzzle for the characters then it's just an autosuccess roll narratively.

Not really a puzzle.

[humble cairn]

It was a puzzle in the reality of the game world. It was not a puzzle for the players.

[rough basalt]

Yeah at that point it just feels like you're adding rolls for fluff.

[slender mason]

I mean sometimes a roll indicates time rather than success or not

can the Rogue open the puzzle box to get the prize before the guards come?

[humble cairn]

Something which could also apply to like the whole world?

[safe thistle]

When you roll a Hit Die to regain hit points, the minimum number of hit points you regain from the roll equals twice your Constitution modifier (minimum of 2). it sounds like to me that when healed, if you have a 20 con, you would at minimum, heal 5 or more

[rough basalt]

Eh whole world has stuff that needs checks

[humble cairn]

To begin with, I think the idea of a deliberately set puzzle to be something pretty unlikely, and thus stressful to my suspension of disbelief, because what rational being sets an obstacle to something but deliberately programs a tricky hole in the defenses in order for someone to solve and bypass their obstacle? Not many people.

If you want to defend something, most reasonable people would try and make their defenses without a tricky loophole that requires strange measures to bypass. You want your defenses to be impassable except for authorized people and for them you want it to be easy.

[slender mason]

that's not true

[humble cairn]

There are probably two cases in which I could see a deliberately set puzzle:

• Some sort of ritual test, perhaps to demonstrate traditional values. Probably religious, but certainly observed by an authority and thus at least partly a social test.
• Involvement with irrational beings or beings with alternate modes of rationality like the Fey (most likely culprit), Fiends, or other extraplanar beings. And honestly, who knows what they’re thinking most of the time

[slender mason]

the minimum is CON+1

or is that half of a feat

[lavish flame]

yeah, most people probably aren't making puzzles. They're probably making traps with a secret command word that'll shut off the trap. Puzzles are not very realistic, but they're usually pretty fun

[humble cairn]

In my games things that serve as puzzles will more likely be:

• Natural Hazards, set up in a way that bypassing them requires some problem solving. Magical environments contribute greatly to these.
• Traps, which are not meant to be bypassed. Their creator wants interlopers to fail the trap and suffer or be deterred.
• Malfunctioning Systems, maybe defenses or other processes which have broken down. Formerly impenetrable defenses which have developed a tricky workaround, or formerly helpful systems which now pose a tricky obstacle.

[tawdry sentinel]

Obnoxious wizards who like to be smarter than everyone else.

[rough basalt]

I just think if there's a "puzzle box" that's just solved by God doing it then should just be narrative.

[peak pecan]

You’re forgetting the third option: “Wizard Did It”. Some egotistical or otherwise self-preserving spellcaster wants only people they think are worthy to have whatever lies within

[humble cairn]

I'd classify that under "irrational being" personally.

[safe thistle]

oops sorry, i realize it says twice my con mod, so a 20 con, they would heal for 10 at minimum. meaning cure light wounds would start to be better i think?

[slender mason]

Morality Traps can be fun too, a door that can only be opened by someone willing to be evil, to keep out Paladins

[humble cairn]

Why would God solve your puzzle box for you?

[slender mason]

what Feature are you describing?

[glad ferry]

Puzzles can have many solutions depending on how you set it up

[rough basalt]

Well the DM is God in this scenario, and they possess your PC to answer the box.

[safe thistle]

its the feat durable

[peak pecan]

Better question: what does God want with a puzzle box?

[slender mason]

oh 2014 Durable

[tawdry sentinel]

Love of the game.

[safe thistle]

bordom XD

[slender mason]

if the player rolls well enough, you can ask them to describe how they successfully open it

creating a moment to show character

[humble cairn]

I don't understand, attempting to solve the box is still a player choice and then the DM narrates the result just like every other roll in the game? Does that mean that God is also making your attack rolls?

[grim fjord]

Something to do

[rough basalt]

Yes /j

I just think there's no reason to call something a puzzle if it doesn't need to be solved.

[peak pecan]

Could God make a puzzle box he could not solve?

[grim fjord]

No

[humble cairn]

The trick is to have an interesting result for both failure and success and therefore the game progresses in an interesting manner even if the players never open the box.

[grim fjord]

But he may make himself unable to solve it

Just to do something

[rough basalt]

Why wouldn't they not be able to open the box tho?

[humble cairn]

If you make it a roll, there's a chance they fail the roll.

[safe thistle]

i approve, gods can get bored

[rough basalt]

You can just spam rolls till it opens.

[humble cairn]

Nah, DM calls for rolls not players.

I don't allow infinite roll spamming on something.

[grim fjord]

Because he'd make himself unable to

[peak pecan]

Or they could’ve been prevented from solving it. Imagine a dead god who’s last act was giving his followers an unsolvable mystic riddle

[grim fjord]

So he's a jerk

[humble cairn]

If I allow a roll the result will be both interesting and impactful whether it is a success or a failure. A failure isn't going to leave the world in the same state it was at the beginning and just allow you to try again.

[rough basalt]

I don't really get it.

[humble cairn]

If I need the result to be one way or the other for the game to progress, I'm not going to call for a roll at all. That's when it's just a narrative.

[glad ferry]

Just like when the character gets the killing blow they can describe how they do it

[peak pecan]

Think more unfinished business: if I’m working on a cool riddle and get killed before anyone hears the answer, I’m not a jerk

[grim fjord]

Eh fair

[humble cairn]

I only want to call for a roll when both a failure or a success are interesting and good for the story.

[rough basalt]

I thought you meant that characters should see the box then immediately know how to open it and do it.

[humble cairn]

... what?

[rough basalt]

Wasn't that what you meant initially? Since it's a puzzle for the characters, we roll a check and they know how to open it already cause "papa made one of these" or something.

[glad ferry]

Whats fun is the multiple checks on an item

[rough basalt]

Actually that kinda sounds sensible.

Idk I like using my brain in tabletop games sometimes

[grim fjord]

Based DM

[rough basalt]

I just wouldn't call it a puzzle if I did it that way.

Just a narrative room or something

[humble cairn]

No? That's not what I meant. I meant that they roll to solve it in character.

[glad ferry]

You can give hints if anything on the puzzle to see what they notice and have their brain solve it if thats what they want

Mechanisms without full answer

[rough basalt]

Might just be better to make everything combat

[peak pecan]

For instance; if the players cannot open the puzzle, perhaps a sage or rival faction can have some secret solution they have to barter for or steal

Always have some way to move forward, even if the players have to backtrack

[rough basalt]

Like would it be a puzzle for the players or characters if a door requires two keys and there's paths on the left and right side of the room.

[humble cairn]

As described, neither? That's not enough to be a puzzle.

[peak pecan]

That’s more of a challenge; find the keys and open the door. That could certainly involve puzzles on either route

[rough basalt]

I just can't understand it.

[glad ferry]

Or have npc or enemy have the key and have a way to get it with or without combat conditions or ways to open up to get to the room, maybe they surprise you how they get in

[rough basalt]

Cause the character is nothing without someone controlling them.

It's just a piece on a proverbial chess board.

[glad ferry]

And their personalities are quite fun when people give them their individuality. Only time chsracters bother me is when people make the same character every time. Just different race and class

[humble cairn]

But the character is supposed to be someone other than the player. With their own mind and knowledge and personality.

[peak pecan]

Puzzles are typically small scale and are logic based for your players. A challenge is what I call the bigger issue their characters are facing by solving the puzzle; the reason why

[rough basalt]

But when their knowledge is told by the dm the player knows it now too

[humble cairn]

But it doesn't work the other way. Player knowledge isn't character knowledge.

And skill level should be separate, too.

[rough basalt]

So if a character is looking at a statue of a bird with lines to push it on the floor to a symbol of a bird on the floor, the character wouldn't be able to think "maybe I should push it over to the bird?"

[vast saddle]

I'm kinda regretting playing as a fighter with new people

I think the need for a cleric is definitely undeniable if I wanna play with someone new

Or maybe Rogue if they wanna sneak supports

[rough basalt]

Just ends up opening a can of worms.

Cause a character would know better as a Wizard to not stay within range of a 7ft tall Berserkers Axe, but if the player just stands there, the character just stands there trying to dodge axe swings rather than run.

[humble cairn]

If they have the skill to see something this obvious, which i would say anyone with a non negative modifier to their passive investigation would, then yeah they should.

[rough basalt]

So wait but that's a visual puzzle that the player would see.

[humble cairn]

Not if you just described it. The player wouldn't see it, they would have to rely on their characters senses.

[rough basalt]

I put my puzzles on maps so both usually see them.

[humble cairn]

Sure and if something is supposed to be obvious enough for everyone to figure it out I would just outright tell the players.

[rough basalt]

Then I wonder why I even made it in the first place.

[humble cairn]

I dunno? I do hope you realize that this is me talking about my preferences, right?

I, personally, don't like puzzles that the players have to solve because it personally detracts from the immersion for me. Personally.

[rough basalt]

I missed that.

I like them cause DnD is just so much combat and even as a combat lover I like a break from it.

But the only thing you're meant to do thats any sort of time consuming is combat.

[humble cairn]

I do like puzzles that the characters have to solve.

[still plover]

The old, "Ragnar the Sage, INT 20 wizard, gets stumped by a simple puzzle because their player Dave just got off an unscheduled double shift and just wants to cast fireball."

[humble cairn]

And not the players

[rough basalt]

I guess the point is those 2 minutes of non-combat are a hyper cleanse.

[still plover]

This? I'd tap passive Investigation if the players take more than a moment to call it.

[valid geyser]

I do remember feeling really silly when I had a barbarian who failed a religion check to recognize the symbol of their own god, but it was in an AL module so not the DMs fault

[still plover]

Squints, disagrees.

[humble cairn]

Right, you can give them a second to realize the obvious, but if they don't, which players often don't, then you just tell them.

[rough basalt]

I just like Dungeons having something different in them rather than every room is either a combat encounter or 80 traps

[glad ferry]

The funniest ones are the rooms that seem they would have a ton of traps and players are very cautious when its really just 1 or 2 minor ones

[humble cairn]

No disagreement from me.

[glad ferry]

I want to do this - nothing haopens- anxiety snd intensity go up even though it isn't here

There

[reef tundra]

Some dungeon masters make players roll for stuff they definitely shouldn’t roll for. I think we should encourage dungeon masters to just in the moment say information that they want the players to know and that the character would know

[rough basalt]

Ig I don't see the point of a puzzle room either if there's no puzzle

Unless there's like walls closing in unless the players roll a DC:?? Investigation to solve the puzzle globe in the center they get crushed.

[reef tundra]

I’ve recently stopped making players roll history to remember stuff about the city the whole campaign has been in and instead just say stuff I know their characters would know just from living in the city

[humble cairn]

Just be careful that you don't kill the momentum of the game. They're really nothing worse for the game than having the players just staring blankly at you while you sit there thinking something should be obvious.

[slender mason]

I like to let my players make things up about places too tbh

I trust them not to break immersion

[glad ferry]

Here's my devils advocate to that. Some players who have been through the city multiple times yet dont take good notes. Dm shouldn't have to remember everything for them

[humble cairn]

Good stuff!!

[rough basalt]

Ig I could just make every dungeon room combat or instakill traps from now on.

[reef tundra]

I’m talking about stuff that the players don’t yet know

And also even if players forget stuff, I’m not about to punish them for it, as someone who has memory problems irl, I wouldn’t punish it unless they forgot something very important and that I have made a plan for if they don’t remember, like if it was a puzzle where they need to remember something

I run mostly casual games and while I encourage note taking, if players don’t want to take notes, then I’m fine with that

[rough basalt]

Nah I'm still gonna run puzzles now and then. There's not enough to really break the combat monotony not to use certain tools.

[reef tundra]

Puzzles are fun.
-# When done right

[still plover]

Meant to say earlier: a hall with a spiral path and those automatic hitting things. These are triggered by sound. The switch for the exit is in the centre. The room is well lit by hanging lamps, possibly magical.

[rough basalt]

That's the issue.
"Done right"
People have differing ideas for what the done right is

[reef tundra]

That is very true. I should adjust my wording

[rough basalt]

Since a puzzle is something that you confuse or misunderstand so if there is no confusion or misunderstanding then it's not a puzzle.

[reef tundra]

Puzzles have very low lows, but very high highs, in my experience

[woven flint]

How much Aura does a Dragonborn Fighter riding atop an Armored Polar Bear have in concept? 🧐

[reef tundra]

Lots. It’s badass af

[woven flint]

Oh, add on wielding a Lance made of light

[reef tundra]

Even more badass

[humble cairn]

There was a book series that featured Panzerbjorn and they were pretty darn cool.

[umbral girder]

2

[woven flint]

Noted, noted

[rough basalt]

Might just be that I don't like it when words used don't mean what they actually mean.

[glad ferry]

I love it when they solve it in ways you didnt expect or shouldn't have yet it worked

[umbral girder]

Oh boy I gotta roll for tonight’s treasure

[humble cairn]

Something can confuse the character and not the player.

[umbral girder]

Gonna be magic items for Tokii mainly

[woven flint]

Now.. How much Aura does an entire party rolling up on Polar Bears led by a Dragonborn Fighter wielding a Lance made of light riding an Armored Polar Bear have?

[rough basalt]

How can the character be confused if the player isn't unless they know ahead of time to act confused.

[umbral girder]

How many party members?

[woven flint]

3 other than the Dragonborn

[umbral girder]

The answer is nine.

[humble cairn]

"You look at the puzzle and are confused abot how to bypass it." voila

[woven flint]

9 Aura...

[glad ferry]

The mighty nein

[still plover]

-# I got that reference.

[umbral girder]

1 for each player and bear with bonus point

[rough basalt]

Doesn't that step over the line of "dm shouldn't tell you how your character feels"?

[woven flint]

Sora! You've given us 9 Aura as a party

[humble cairn]

There is no such line?

[woven flint]

We also killed an Adult White Dragon at level 6 without losing anyone, but it was a struggle to survive, we used everything we had lol

[humble cairn]

The DM tells the player how their character feels all the time.

You feel cold, you feel pain, you cannot figure out how that thing works and are thus confused by it.

[umbral girder]

Sounds like Adult White Dragons

[reef tundra]

I have that as a loose line. I don’t often like doing it but in some cases I do it

[rough basalt]

I feel like being told the last feels like being told "your character is too stupid"

[umbral girder]

Only time I tell my players what their character feelings if it’s charmed or frightened. Or if they ask me to.

[reef tundra]

Well mostly with external forces that would affect a PC’s emotions in a way I wish it to, but most of the time I leave it up to the player to determine what emotional response they have to something

My favourite line as a DM is “How does your character feel about that?” Because it encourages them to think as their character

[reef tundra]

Oh I mean emotion wise

[glad ferry]

That i do like for sure amity

[humble cairn]

You (barbarian who has -1 Int modifier) cannot follow the lines of that pattern drawn in the sand, it's all just wiggles to you, but you (Wizard with +5 Int and Investigation expertise) can read the patterns as the remnants of the ritual sand dance of the local tribe.

[reef tundra]

Obviously I will sometimes say “your character feels fear” or “a sense of dread” when I want an emotion to be felt

[humble cairn]

There are stats for how observant and how deductive characters are. I use them.

[reef tundra]

-# I get a scam vibe

[glad ferry]

Or a creature is obviously placing that emotion on someone, maybe a place that you know how it would effect the character

[rough basalt]

I feel like it just kinda sucks in those situations cause it means that the barbarian can never participate in such stuff.

[atomic kayak]

This. 100% this.

[still plover]

I'm fine with being told what my character feels and replying along the lines of, "a normal person might feel that, but De Vor does that thing with her fingers. They start to crackle with power as she ponders where to put the lightning bolt."