/5eg/ D&D 5th Edition General

Your main job as a cleric is to keep everyone else in the party conscious when their turns come around, so the one spell you should always keep in your arsenal is Healing Word, for when people drop to zero HP and will sit out the rest of the encounter unless you at least throw a bonus action their way. The other spells aren't as important.

You always have your domain spells prepared whether you want them or not, so you may as well learn what they do.

My party also contains a paladin, so I think we're going to be set. Not that it's helped much recently. That said, I do want to be able to play the healer when we can. I'll probably train in medicine ASAP.

Bless, Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, and Inflict Wounds make a pretty good core if you insist on min-maxing your spells.

The fun really comes from your domain and how you play it though. If all you really care about are the spells you're getting Cleric get's boring really fast.

You don't really need to train in Medicine if you have Spare the Dying.

The paladin can heal, but for him it's always an action, so he will be very reluctant to do it, whereas you can heal and do something else useful in the same turn. You can also heal from range. For real, Healing Word, you'll be glad you prepared it.

If you're going Life Cleric, Healing Word is surprisingly fuckin' beefy.

>That Thai Cuisine book tucked away alongside the satanic stuff
Gives me a smile every time.

>That said, Eldritch Blast is the best cantrip in the game so you will be using it quite a lot

>was thinking of not taking EB for my warlock dip
Would I be screwing myself over by not taking it?
Monk 17/Warlock 3
My reasoning is that I'd rather just use hex and punches. If I cast a spell that takes up an action, then I can't take the attack action.

Also question to DMs. How annoyed would you be of a monk casting darkness on himself and being a roving cloud of darkness taking full advantage of the devils sight invocation?
Am I being an asshole? I know its a pretty unoriginal concept for shadow monks.

But it basically just causes whoever that's inside it to be blinded, correct? (assuming they can't see in magical darkness)

Are you a Monk of the Sun Soul? If you are, you've already got ranged damage covered. If not, you might want to reconsider taking EBlast just so you have some form of ranged damage.

>shadow monk
And I will carry a short bow.

Favors wizards user here, playing a spy background death cleric wielding a whip. Variant human for medium armor master, that way can have high AC while still sneakin around. Mainly Dex, Wis and Con. Goal role in the party is to be able to follow the party anywhere and keep them alive, while staying alive myself, and debuffing/throwing undead meatshields into the grinder. Couple things I've eyed so far is Vampiric touch/spirit guardians with the dodge action, as well as Sanctuary+Spiritual Weapon+dodge action. Bless was something I was eyeballing, but had disregarded healing word (which after reading your post was obviously retarded of me, feel silly now). Guiding Bolt looks solid as well. Inflict wounds I plan to have for thematic purposes.

>How annoyed would you be of a monk casting darkness on himself and being a roving cloud of darkness taking full advantage of the devils sight invocation?
Not very. Keep in mind, it's on Concentration, so if you get hit, you have to roll to try and keep it up, and it can be countered with magical light.

Yeah, sorry. EBlast would be 100x better than that shortbow, but it's not necessary.

Tempest

Good to know, thanks

Firstly, no, you'll be fine without Eldritch Blast, you 'll do more damage just by punching the shit out of everything.

Secondly, that doesn't work. Darkness doesn't follow you around, you cast it on a point and it goes around that point and just stays there. It's a good way to blind a group of people, but if they move out of it, you can't move it without recasting the spell.

To be honest, I don't really see what you'll be getting from three Warlock levels aside from flavor stuff. I doubt that a few level two spells is going to be better being able to become invisible every fight using the ki points you get back from Perfect Self

They are "effectively blinded." They don't suffer from the blinded condition, but they can't see anything obscured by the darkness.

>Darkness doesn't follow you around

Um, user...

(I play a drow, so it's important for me to know these things).

>Not very. Keep in mind, it's on Concentration, so if you get hit, you have to roll to try and keep it up, and it can be countered with magical light.
That was my thinking. And what I was planning to tell my DM if he got annoyed by me using it.

>Yeah, sorry. EBlast would be 100x better than that shortbow, but it's not necessary.
What are some clever uses for EB? Part of the reason I prefer the shortbow is for RP purposes and I can think of clever things to do with arrows. Plus, if I happen to catch a special arrow shot at me with deflect missiles my DM will let me put it in my quiver.
Keeping in mind my invocations won't be freed up to soup up my EB. I can see the 120 range being useful - although I might take sharpshooter to not impose dis-adv on long range shots with shortbow.
I just see the 2 attacks with the shortbow as they benefit from my dex to be more consistent damage overall. Not to mention I can attack once with shortbow, run up and punch something.
It's mostly the cast a spell action that EB requires that makes me feel it isn't better.

Both Vampiric Touch and Spirit Guardians are concentration spells, you can't have both at the same time. Bless is stupid good, there's no dice rolls involved on your part, so you will always get the full benefit of the spell

It mostly depends on invocations, so you're right: if you're not going far enough in Warlock to buff it up, there's not much point. Agonizing Blast + Repelling Blast is brutal.

oh, sure. somehow missed that, sorry

You don't need a spell book to cast memorized spells and cantrips, right?

Cantrips no.

Memorized spells I don't think so. But you lose those memorized spells at the end of a long rest, I believe.

Oh my bad, I meant an ether/or type of thing.

Right, that was my intention. I imagine DM will start throwing strong enemies at me later than can dispell my darkness or just see through it (maybe even better because my party members won't be able to).

>Secondly, that doesn't work. Darkness doesn't follow you around, you cast it on a point and it goes around that point and just stays there. It's a good way to blind a group of people, but if they move out of it, you can't move it without recasting the spell.
Other user pointed this out already, but yeah, it does work.

>To be honest, I don't really see what you'll be getting from three Warlock levels aside from flavor stuff.
It is mostly for flavor. However 2 invocations, 3 cantrips, a familiar, hex, and a couple other spells is nothing to sneeze at.
And unless there has been an update, Perfect Self doesn't always give you back ki points, only when you're at zero. (Although as a DM I would houserule this, it's pretty stupid).
Empty body doesn't interest me too much when as a shadow monk I can go invisible in dim light or darkness. Although, I do admit that certainly limits the usage of the invisibility. But I'm okay with that.

Read niggas. You need your spellbook only to change your prepared spells. That's all.

Barbarian?
Splash into Bladelock?

In that case...

Has anyone played CoS long enough to find their Strahd's Enemy? How do they work with the party?

Try 4e.

Does anyone know a good homebrew that helps the Chain Warlock Familiar scale a bit as levels progress?
Alternatively what do you think I could give my Chainlock player later on?

What is the fluff reason for a Blackguard / Death Knight / Otherwise Evil Paladin to exist, in a system where good and evil are not universal absolutes?

Note: I understand DnD may be such a system.

>I understand DnD may be such a system.
It is such a system.

That being said, you can remove the "evil" requirement from the Oathbreaker, and the path simply becomes a Paladin who intentionally broke the tenants of his Oath and sought no redemption for his actions.

> Evil in a world where evil isn't absolute.
Uh.

What kind of familiar does the person use?
If you came up with some magic item to give to their familiar that would buff them up or give them a special ability to increase their survivability.

But honestly familiars are mostly utility. However if your player likes to use them in combat, it likely doesn't do so much damage. They aren't really intended to. What form does their familiar take? I think it really depends on that.
If you just want to increase their familiars survivability you could let their familiar's AC increase by half your proficiency bonus rounded up. I don't think that would be terribly broken. They often aren't targeted anyway - or at least they probably shouldnt be because they're such a small threat - and if they are, it doesn't take much for them to die because of their low HP. So I think making them slightly harder to hit if they are targeted would increase their chance to stay around.

Alternatively, if the familiar is a flying familiar, perhaps you could homebrew something that gives them the flyby ability.
As a chain warlock myself, I usually just keep my sprite far enough in the air shooting little tiny poison arrows.

As DM I just let my party Cleric cast whatever spell off the Cleric list he wants to. Same with the party Wizard. Having the party wait for a long rest to reset a spell list isn't my idea of fun D&D. They're both played by ten-year-olds; there's not a big risk of abuse

Correction: the Wizard can cast from anything in her spellbook. Her character doesn't know all the spells on the Wizard list.

Actually, I have a character idea for a Oathbreaker paly who was part of a Devotion order. Order goes to deathtrap and gets deathed, turns out noble who sent them just didn't want them around. Order leader knew, but believed it was the duty of the Order, and that they would pull through due to their god, who noshowed. Character, who was raised with his brothers in the order, quietly mercs the noble in his sleep, and casts aside his faith in that god. Disgusted with ideals like self sacrifice and duty to help others he falls hard, becoming selfish, bitter and cruel, mocking those ideals. Nevertheless still has a kind streak, and will go around healing folk and sharing food, as long as it doesn't require to much effort on his part, as well as trying to protect ANY allies he has to an almost fanatical degree. I'd play him looking like dirty looking mercenary who would suddenly bust out necro shenanigans.

Sorry for the blog, but trying to think up a Chaotic Evil blackguard who works well with a party has been a thought of mine for a while.

>Nevertheless still has a kind streak, and will go around healing folk and sharing food, as long as it doesn't require to much effort on his part, as well as trying to protect ANY allies he has to an almost fanatical degree.

This part seems kind of weak to me. Why exactly does he have a kind streak if he mocks those ideals?

Two Weapon Fighting seems to be really subpar unless combined with Hunter's Mark or some other on damage proc more damage spell. If the feat made it so a bonus action wasn't needed to attack with the offhand and lost the AC bonus would it be better?

The feat would then be:
-Using the attack action allows for both weapons to attack.
-You can use two weapon fighting even when the weapons do not have the light property.
-Can now draw two weapons when you normally could draw one.
-Can no longer attack with the off hand as a bonus action.

I feel like this could balance it out, maybe adding an 18 stat prerequisite so people have to choose between 18 in the stat or this.

Does this make sense? Or should it not be changed?

Well, for one, you could let them share in that tasty magic resistance
Frankly, warlock familiars are already the best in the game, even better than BM beasts in most cases, but if you must buff them you could give the warlock an invocation that can be taken at level 12-ish that locks their familiar choice but also upgrades
Imp- bearded devil or spined devil
Quasit- hellhound or nightmare
Pseudodragon- dragon wyrmling
Sprite- green hag or fairy dragon?

Nah, twf works well, especially in certain setups where it can go above and beyond good.
What you're suggesting would make it OP

Actually on second thought this is broken as fuck

No scaling, fucking warlock minions are already CR1 anyway while the beastmaster has to do with CR1/4

What kind of set ups? I've played in a few campaigns and people always seem to combine it with hunter's mark or something similar.

Other than rogues and low level combat, when is two weapon fighting ever better than two handed weapons?

Yeah I was about to say.
In my opinion they really don't need any buffs at all. But IF... IF the person really wants to buff the familiar, it needs to be really minimal.

>fucking warlock minions are already CR1 anyway while the beastmaster has to do with CR1/4
Not to mention you can control them directly without needing to use a bonus action to do so. And if they die you don't have to search for a new one. You can just resummon it from wherever it poofed off to when it "died." Where as a beastmaster is fucked if they lose their companion in a place like a crypt or some shit.

Beast masters really do get fuck all.
Warlocks can even take an hour and change their familiar if they want.

There are buff spells available to the warlock

The familiar granting magic resistance is just a massive cherry on top

Pretty much. Considering the BM beastie gets extra stuff from the ranger's proficiency is good, but it's still not as great as the stuff many other classes get

Hence why I tend to give BM rangers a few extra perks, namely death saving throws and ASIs for the beast

>ASIs for the beast
thats a good house rule

Would a Path of the Shark Totem path like this be balanced?

Level 3: Can make an unarmed attack as a bonus action, making a bite at the enemy. (1+Str)

Level 6: Advantage on Wisdom(Survival) Checks to track an injured creature, smelling their blood.

Level 14: Blindsight up to 30 feet of creatures, gaining the electroreception sense of sharks.

I'm not sure between bonus action unarmed attack or bonus action while raging with d4+Str.

Also not sure about the range of the blindsight, could go a little further.

I like it, though I would add some swimming speed buff somewhere

Yeah, maybe in the level 3, and make it a 1+Str while raging.

Add a requirement that the sharkbarian must move at some point during his turn to maintain a rage.

Because we are all in this together user

Nah, the basically kills the effectiveness of the barbarian because then he can't get stuck in.

That seems pretty difficult, that would be constant opportunity attacks when against more than one enemy.

Plus the other paths don't give any downsides so I wouldn't want to make this one that special. I don't want to make it such a risk to get, just an option instead of the Bear path.

Anyone have a screencap of the story of the abusive party member that turned out to be a cleric?

>above and beyond good.
Besides rogues and rangers (where two weapon fighting in melee is practically required for them to fight well), which setups are you talking about?

No but I love that fucking show.
Too damn good

The only fear I have of this set up is the chance of a level 20 fighter with two swords of sharpness. 8 attacks, action surging to 16 attacks, and then the barbarian next to them gives advantage, so that's 32 attack rolls. Weapons that do extra stuff with crits would make them really powerful, not even counting if they are a champion fighter, which triples the chance of crits.

But then again they are level 20, all characters are meant to seem a little overpowered at that point.

Speaking of level 20 characters

How long does a campaign continue to go for after characters have attained level 20?
I don't know many people who ever get to that point, much less what they do when they reach it.
You're all nearly demi-gods at that point. Especially casters.

I rarely see a campaign past level 10. So zero. Zero sessions after level 20.

There are Booms in the DMG, so when you "level up", you get these almost godly abilities. Plus at that point the party is probably hanging out with Demi-gods in the outer planes.

You also need your spellbook to cast ritual spells.
Wizards can't even cast prepared spells as rituals.

Exactly what I mean.
That's why I don't seem to care so much if something seems overpowered at level 20. Level 20 is so unlikely, and when it does happen, I fully expect the PCs to be fighting crazy fucking shit. Otherwise why would a level 20 character concern themselves with petty things. I mean, I guess they could. But it wouldn't be very interesting.

hey fuckcocks, is there anything new announced in the last few months? im a janitor now so im going to delete this faggot thread but i wanted the update before i hit the button, and flush your faggoty hopes and dreams down the shit pipe, your moms are all fat fucking pigs, shout outs to a real nigga

eat a dick

Aw, what's the matter Virt, did your shitty girlfriend finally leave you?

holy shit, I haven't seen virt in agggeess
thought he finally an hero
ey virt!

>hey fuckcocks, is there anything new announced in the last few months? im a janitor now so im going to delete this faggot thread but i wanted the update before i hit the button, and flush your faggoty hopes and dreams down the shit pipe, your moms are all fat fucking pigs, shout outs to a real nigga
>eat a dick

Keep in mind you can't use a shortbow with Martial Arts. You'll only be able to punch once after shooting once.

im not virt, im vocarroo user, and you mother fuckers are gonna get it this time.

>Virt's back
Shit I thought you were dead you thundering faggot.

Getting stuck in doesn't strike me as thematically appropriate for the animal in question.

Right now I'm taking a group through PotA, but there's a good chance that one of the members won't be able to attend for a few weeks, which is a bit vital when there are only 3 players and no good way to drop him out of the story. So, I was considering running Death House for them. I've already warned them that it would be brutal and I've been reading up on setting horror atmospheres in games, but it seems like parts might be insurmountable for them. Where are some areas I could tone it down a bit?
I was thinking maybe have the broom/armor attempt to incapacitate instead of kill them then drag them to the basement. Also, if they disturb the Strahd statue, having 5 lamps in the room flicker on that cast the shadows, and allow them to banish the shadows by breaking their lamps.
Also, considering running Gritty Realism rests and Lingering Injuries, but to give them an edge, I'm taking a cue from something I read a while back about a mechanic similar to Death's Door from Darkest Dungeons. When they drop to 0, instead of falling unconscious they're Dazed, and make and take death saves at the start of their turns. Gives them a bit of a chance to fight back, chug a potion, whatever.

Keep crying Virt.

Going into hibernation in the winter might be thematically appropriate for the bear totem, but you don't see anyone suggesting that. Disclaimer: that may have been an unfair comparison, but you get my point.

Yeah but the same goes for an eagle.

EPIC BOONS NIGGA

I plan my campaign to reach 20

You can't shoot with the bow, run up and punch, then use the bonus action from your punch to deliver another? (or spend a ki point and do flurry of blows)
I understand you can't shoot twice and then gain the bonus action punch.

Do I misunderstand how the level 5 extra attack works?
And actually after reading FoB seems to only care if you take the attack action. So it only applies to martial arts.

>Beginning at 5th leveI, you can attack twice, instead of
once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn

and

>When you use the Attack action with an unarmed
strikc or a monk weapon on your turno you can make
one unarmed strike as a bonus action.

I'd argue that using a non-monk weapon as part of the attack action makes it ineligible for the extra martial arts attack or flurry of blows. Otherwise you could attack with a greatsword, kick someone, and then attack twice more, which doesn't seem in line with the flavor of the class.

The issue is that shortbows aren't monk weapons, and wielding something that is not a monk weapon disables the Martial Arts feature.

That's great! And I know about the other rewards you can give out besides levels.
I'm just curious how long the campaign continues after that point?

Those seem like excellent and considerate ideas. Do consider that if a few enemies will be difficult if not impossible for them, that the alternative solution has multiple checks or methods for detection.

Otherwise, your self-suggestions seem like a great idea to keep them in the game. The Death's Door concept seems like it helps with generating suspense, too. Once you're dazed, you start worrying more about death saves and taking additional damage. I'm just concerned about if you only run it for this one campaign that your players may want it for additional ones where it may not fit in. That could just be a non-concern, though.

If you were proficient with a greatsword I don't see why not?
RAW I don't see a contradiction unless there is some rule about as per the attack action, whatever two attacks you make need to be the same weapon.

For NPCs I already pretty much have a list of standard favorites.

Ah, I see what you mean here.

>You gain the folIowing benefits while you are unarmed or wielding only monk weapons and you aren't wearing armor or wielding a shield:

So take the shot, as a free action drop your weapon then start pummeling?
Or alternatively get in your punches, then draw the bow and shoot?

I don't see that requirement for FoB, however. Am I missing it somewhere?

i gained a benefit, its called "that feeling when you cum inside the op's wife"

As for whether you could combine them, I think it'd be no RAW, but it doesn't seem terribly broken so your DM may allow it.

There is no such requirement for FoB, but then you don't have the Martial Arts buff to your unarmed strikes, so they deal 1+Str.

You know Virt, shitposting won't ever make her love you again.

>So take the shot, as a free action drop your weapon then start pummeling?
>Or alternatively get in your punches, then draw the bow and shoot?

I argue for this as at the point you make those attacks you are no longer wielding a non-monk weapon.
However, I doubt there will be many times as a shadow monk you will be so far away from an enemy you couldn't get within melee. And if there is any reason to stay outside of melee, you wouldn't just shoot twice with the bow.

It probably can just keep going as long as you think of something for them to do. You have to take into account of now that one character could probably wipe out an entire kingdom, what to do with it. Lawful good players could probably make their way through the nine levels of hell maybe to kill the lord of demons. Some Evil characters could probably overthrow the largest kingdoms in the material planes. Or shit maybe the City of Brass at that point. Maybe even Sigil if they are that ambitious.

You'd still be wielding a non-monk weapon when declaring the attack action, barring you from using any benefits from martial arts. Mind you, that would include using dexterity for unarmed attacks, which is a benefit of martial arts and not a general monk class feature.

Generally speaking, monks are just not supposed to use non-monk weapons. It's kind of lame, because zen archers are cool. But you could easily whip up an archetypes that makes shortbows count as monk weapons.

Also this. I have a shadow monk party member and she basically never has a problem with gap-closing.