/5eg/ D&D Fifth Edition General: Warforged Edition

sageadvice.eu/2017/02/14/ua-warlocks-wizards-questions-answers/

A versatile weapon held in two hands is still allowed with Hex Warrior, keep that in mind.

D&D provides a basic framework. The setting itself is partially tied to the framework, but it's not at all necessary. Creating new settings, original plots, or simply adapting a different setting to D&D can also make for an enjoyable game, provided you know what you're doing.

The gist of it is:
- Normal hexblade (hexlock) can be SAD in melee using shield + longsword with the SCAG cantrips, OR
- A bladelock hexblade (hexbladelock) can be SAD with the standard bladelock layout, extra attack invocation, +1/2/3 weapon invocation, and SCAG cantrips, OR
- A hexbladelock can be MAD (Str + Cha) to get a magic greatsword and huge short-rest nova damage.

Alright, was just building a Hexblade for fun to learn how the class works and all.

Does Curse Bringer simply overshadow the stuff like Mace of Dispater and the Claw of Acamar for melee bladelocks or do they still have their uses?

You still need STR/DEX to hit using SCAG cantrips

You don't with hexblade, unless something obvious is flying above my head.

If you're a bladelock focusing on melee then you absolutely want those special weapon invocations. The damage scaling on those smites lets you more or less insta-gib someone (especially if you crit) once or twice per short rest at the given level.

The only real problem is that non-hexblade bladelocks still end up really MAD (save for archfey) due to only having light armor and being given strength-based weapons as their patron-specific weapon. At the very least, the reach and extra effects and the nova damage make melee with a bladelock a more viable focus.

Hexblades can use Cha for one-handed weapons, so they don't need Str or Dex at all (save for 14 Dex with medium armor).

I don't know if I'd consider Ravenloft a basic framework.

There's tons of awesome fucking settings out there that are just as enjoyable as making your own setting.

Also, most people who make their own settings generally just tend to crib a bunch of shit they like from a variety of other settings someone else made, be it books, movies, etc.

I'm of the opinion that D&D very much has a flavor that runs even into the mechanics. Yes, you can refluff or strip it down to do certain things, but it's still not the same as a simple set of mechanical rules. Elsewise you'd just play GURPS or something.

tl;dr most people don't come to D&D for its mechanics because those are shit.

Mace has force damage and knockdown, Claw has reach.
Both are usable with shields as well, so I'd say they all have their uses.

I have a player whom I allowed to make a temporary character and I needs some ideas on how to deal with him in a combat situation and some suggestions for possible enemies to prove a challenge for him.
>The character is gonna be level six.
>The character will be multiclassing.
>His base class is rogue/assassin while he will at least have one level in Artificer/Gunsmith (from the Unearthed Arcana.)

Their gimmick is to use the thunder cannon and essentially act as a ranger/assassin with a gun that does 2d6 + sneak attack.
So far what I have to counter some their tactics is:
>Adding disadvantage on any attack roles if their is a character that is obscuring the target (assuming the target isn't large or bigger.)
>Making it harder for them to use the hide after firing the thunder cannon as a bonus action in an area with little to no cover. I justify this with the roar the gun will make after being fired.

I've played a ranger before and I know how powerful they are at lower levels. Maybe I'm worrying too much, but I like to design fights so that the party I DM for has individual challenges that they need to over come as well make them feel necessary to counter certain creatures.

Warlocks are better than they were, but they're still shit.

>Rangers
>powerful

Are we playing the same 5E?

Also, don't punish your players with mechanical disadvantages via rule changes that don't exist in the DMG/PHB. Just introduce different terrain, enemies that circumvent their favored strategies, or, worst case scenario, the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach by sending assassin gunsmiths after them in kind.

Part of my issue with using an established setting is that either I don't know enough about it (Grayhawk, Dragonlance), there's too many high-levels running around that eventually they couldn't just solve the problem (Forgotten Realms), or my players aren't a fan of that genre (Eberron).

I'd love to run a game set in Eberron, I would just need to read through the campaign book again and look for campaign start ideas in a few of the areas that interest me.

What would be the best way to take advantage of +prof to damage as a Hexblade? PAM? DOOL WEULD?

>There's tons of awesome fucking settings out there that are just as enjoyable as making your own setting.
That's not something I deny, I'm simply saying that creating your own setting can be part of the fun and not somehow invalid.

The 3.5e Eberron campaign setting book is easy to track down, and it's just dripping with plot hooks. It's one of the reasons I love the setting. There's a ton of different groups right in the base book for it that are easy to derive entire world-spanning campaigns from.

I think I've got a PDF of it, I just would need to re-read it, as the last time I read it I was still in college.

Also, is Relentless Hex any good? Seems like it'd be good for stickiness and mobility but I'm wondering if there's something with higher priority that isn't Curse Bringer and Thirsting Blade

My OotA players are just about to leave the Underdark.

Should I just gloss over overland travel and have a 3 month + timeskip until they get contacted by Bruenor?

Or, seeing as the book suggests coming out at Lurkwood or the Evermoors (I think Evermoors is more interesting), should I make a small adventure set in the Evermoors, perhaps there is a pogrom ordered against the Elk tribe Uthgardt by Yartar using Chill goblinoid mercenaries?

Quarterstaff and shield PAM.
2 x (1d6 + Prof + 2 x Cha) + (1d4 + Prof + 2 x Cha). This is at level 11.

Alternatively go Str/Cha and use the Greatsword with GWM.

Random question: how broken would it be to modify the Heavy Armor Master feat to reduce physical damage from nonmagic weapons by your proficiency bonus, rather than the static +3? I think this would help a bit with scaling the feat up for the later levels, since right now it's super useful early on and drops off later on.

Sun Soul's at will light ball is nice but there's no damage on a failed save.

I think that's actually a really good idea

Another question is going to be regarding whether or not it would be broken to let Sorcerers repick their metamagics per long rest, or, if that's deemed too much, per level. But I need to reread Sorcerer first and make sure I'm remembering the mechanics of it correctly, and right now it's bedtime.

I've already done this myself. Makes it a good pick at any level

Cool, thanks

Learn all metamagics at level 3. Trust me

Speaking of HAM, is the -3 taken before or after other reductions?
For example, if your armour gave you resistance to regular damage would you apply the reduction after halving it?

Personally I think they just need to get a free spell at regular intervals and have it tied into their Sorcerous Origin in some fashion.

If this means WotC needs to make new, Sorcerer-only spells, that's fine with me.

I honestly just let sorcs use all their metamagic options at any time as long as they're not cross-classing. Honestly they're STILL weaker than Wizards, even with that change, but at least now they feel like they can do something that's unique to their class.

What are paladin bonus actions usually used for because I'm thinking of double wielding whip/shortswords for more smites

>Also, don't punish your players with mechanical disadvantages via rule changes that don't exist in the DMG/PHB.

The only counter argument I have is:
>The DM can also decide that circumstances
influence a roll in one direction or the other and grant advantage or impose disadvantage as a result.

I'm just approaching it logically is all. Just a small shift to the left or right would possibly remedy the disadvantage. I like having my PCs think about their actions rather than just standing still spamming the same skill.
I'll keep the terrain in mind as well as the gunsmith assassins. Thanks for the suggestions.

PAM with a quarterstaff would be good.

As a hexblade (all bladelocks, really) you want those +1/2/3 weapon invocations, especially if you take curse bringer. Those invocations make bladelocks far less MAD, since it offsets you from needing higher strength for the good weapons.

Making it difficult to hide after the gunshot is fine, I don't like to go too overboard with "muh realism" but it's pretty hard to ignore just how loud a gun like that would be.

PHB 197, resistance is applied last.

Yeah, probably should have checked the book ay.
Cheers for that. No one in my game actually has that feat, was just curious.

I was under the assumption that letting all non-multiclassed sorcerers get ALL the metamagic options was almost standard practice at this point. Sorcerers are already the weakest pure-casters in the game and inferior to wizards in every way, so you're not going to break or overpower them, trust me.

Will you require to concentrate if the spell is from the Ring of Spell storing?

Yes.

Are you fucking high, you retard?

The UA ranger would like a word with you.

>Sorcerer is someone born with an innate affinity for magic
>wizard is someone who spent years studying and learning how to cast spells
>person born with sorcerer powers who then studied for years as a wizard is somehow not better than both

How is this supposed to work, fluffwise? Seems to me like you can only have talent or hard work, but you can't combine them for some reason

Yes, concentration there is to limit players to one concentration spell at a time and end the whole "buffmania" thing that plagued Pathfinder where wizards would turn themselves into floating invisible death turrets that rained down meteors while surrounded by 4 different kinds of barriers and escorted by a legion of demons.

Good to know, thanks all!

>Lore Wizard
>1 mile far Radiant Smiteball

who needs to be a fucking Paladin?

I kinda assumed a sorcerer learning to use their born powers better DID require study and hard work, like any class levelling up.

The problem is a Sorcerer gets stuck with 15 spells totally by level 20 and no way to learn more, and their spell list is a strictly inferior version of the wizard spell list with no rituals or any of the REALLY good stuff.

Meanwhile Wizards have 40+ spells by level 20 and can freely learn more just pilfering enemy spellbooks or paying other wizards for spells, and their spell list is the most versatile in the game and covers everything except healing magic (which Theurge and Lore Wizard can bullshit their way into getting anyway).

Sorcerers really need to get an assload of free spells from their origins to keep up with wizards, or a way to learn spells besides levelling up, because right now Meta-magic in no way balances out well when compared against a wizards Arcane Traditions and far superior spell access.

The lore tradition can only be taken by sorcerers.
What do you think?

Alternatively
>dip 2 levels of Loremaster Wizard into any dragon sorcerer build
>never have to worry about taking an element with a shittier selection of spells again

Some guy merged Loremaster with wild magic a few days ago. I also thought of giving the Loremaster's Spell Secrets to every Sorcerer at level 1 regardless of bloodline

Still doesn't prevent it from being blatantly overpowered bullshit. "Hurrdurr I hit you from a mile away with a strength-save Feeblemind spell, lelz"

That class got banned from my games faster than Theurge, holy fuck.

Casting smite spells, casting shield of faith

I already let my players change the elements on spells when they learn them. Ice-Type Fireball for an Ice-Themed caster, sure thing? It's not going to light things on fire with the spell obviously, but you can still use it for the same attack pattern and such.

Being able to switch elements on a whim is sorta overpowered when it comes to exploiting enemy weaknesses though. Once you learn a spell it's stuck in that element forever.

Is there any mega for pdfs and stuff from dms guild?

must have magic items for monk?
Armbands of Defense?
Staff of Striking?
Cloak of Displacement?
Ring of Spell Storig with Haste spell on it?

I do this as well somewhat

Also just noticed that the Undying patron didn't get a single new invocation in the last UA

Like they're trying to distance themselves from it because they know how bad it was

Amulet of Punching Gooder

I have an idea for a BBEG sort of thing and was wondering if anyone would have a pic that could help. Basically a large, demonic tadpole/frog that has been slumbering in the bottom of a dungeon for a millenium, and who desires to turn the whole world into a giant fetid swampland.

Does anyone have some art that could go with that? Or is there a monster in 5e that already kind of matches that description?

The ranger in my group's duel wielding and it brought up a rules issue.

We spotted a group of goblins and me and him were sneaking up on them. Can he use his Hunter's Mark outside of combat so he can use his bonus action attack during the first round?

What if we're talking to someone and he decides to initiate the fight. Can he place it on someone?

I figured a pure sorcerer is someone who maybe practiced but never studied. It's just kind of weird though, some pleb who put in a bunch of time and effort studying has a way higher ceiling than if someone with inborn talent decided to study just as hard

So, is Hexblade Bladepact Warlock 5/Stone Sorcerer 15 viable? Looks like it would make a decent gish.

Take a Froghemoth and fudge with it a bit.

Official lore is that they are aliens but you can do whatever with them or do the scifi if you want

Take a Froghemoth, make it tougher and give it levels in Monk.

*dual wielding

Guess it'd be however your DM handles the situation, with surprise rounds or straight initiative and all. Regardless that extra 1d6 isn't going to shatter the game balance in the long run.

I'd rule it that the person that gets hit by the Hunter's Mark has to make a Perception check to notice they've been tagged by a spell, versus the caster's Stealth check (if they're hidden) or the caster's spell save DC (if they're out in the open but open hostilities haven't occurred yet).

In a way I could see it actually being HARDER to learn new magic when your magical potential comes from something like a bloodline. It's already geared to do a specific thing, and trying to do things besides that specific thing would be difficult or maybe even impossible.

That being said, if a sorcerer's originas are geared to be able to do a specific thing, they should get free spells as they level up that match the theme of what their bloodline is supposed to do. Phoenix Sorcerers should like... get Fireball for free as soon as they're able to cast it, ect.

Then again you can be a Divination Wizard and not know a single Divination spell, so what the fuck do I know?

Mystic take 3 better be fucking next before they go back to barbarian.

Been trying to brew up new spells as of late, mainly for the Sorcerer, aimed at the discussion about them getting either more spells, or spells that tie into their Sorcerous Origin in some fashion.

Tried to balance them as best I could, looking for more balancing and some errors to get squashed. Got tired of fluffing the description of the spells halfway though, so I just listed their effects instead. Will probably add more fluff after I get feedback.

This

I've never ran or played in an official setting for more than a one shot or a published adventure.

Froghemoth, brah.

Rolled 10, 12, 3, 1, 14, 1, 3, 17, 8, 2, 10, 3, 16, 6, 3, 11, 2, 13, 18, 9, 3, 10, 12, 19, 19 = 225 (25d20)

Friendly reminder that the average of 5d20 in order is the superior stat rolling method.

Rolled 1, 10, 14, 13, 4 = 42 (5d20)

I need more d20s.

Rolled 1, 15, 15, 16, 12 = 59 (5d20)

So, 8 6 7 10 12 8. Looks great for my realistic no-magic historical campaign.

>new sorcerer only spells
>Lore Bards and Lore Wizards can just take them anyways

Hahahahah

AHAHAHAHA

Fuck Sorcerers

>Le Lore Bard God Meme
>Lore bards wasting their any-spells on these instead of higher-level wizard/cleric stuff.
>Allowing Lore Wizards in your games

Valor Bard with Shield master? Is it a good idea? They have expertise afterall...

Can anyone just confirm for me if Kensei Monk's ability "Sharpen the Blade" can be used on a magical weapon?
Say if I had a +3 longsword, then used sharpen the blade, could I make it effectively +6? It doesn't mention any restriction on the weapon you boost like similar abilities do, so I just wanna be sure.

Alright so my Tabaxi has a huge burst speed but what can I do with it? It's not like I went out of my way but I can get 320 feet in a round by giving up my action and bonus action. So far I managed to run all the way outside a small dungeon in one round and lure people into an ambush.

I'm pretty sure it can. I've been wondering how to build a greatsword kensei actually, I guess GWM would be a good choice but that's all I can figure out.

Sonic Tabaxi

>allowing homebrew spells in your games
>somehow less retarded than allowing UA

Yeah I know I could do that but I'm playing a single class Thief and moving 9960 feet's great and all but it doesn't really do much. I just need ideas how to benefit from it.

Could work if you actually attack often. But you could also just go lore bard and take the moderately armoured feat and then shield master. But I guess valor bard gets an extra attack that makes it more worth it, especially since each attack is a potential grapple.

Eh, sure. Just don't try to be the frontliner all the time.

If you were a swashbuckler or got the mobile feat or got booming blade you've got good hit and run tactics going.

For a thief, you might as well use it to climb somewhere really high up (Climb 320ft?) and snipe everyone.

Or just run.

The speed of sound is 767 mph. You'd be traveling almost double that.

Any DM that

A) Lets your travel faster than the speed of sound and
B) Doesn't let you create sonic booms (which you literally would)

is a fucking tool.

I'd let the monk fucking murder people for travelling at that speed. Anything you punched would literally be turned into a jar of ragu.

Is variant human assassin rogue 6 ua ranger deepstalker 6 a decent plan for storm king's thunder?
I want to make a fucker who snipes from 600 feet away, and I feel like storm kings thunder might have the most open areas to accomplish this with.

>you would be punched and feel the pain an entire round before hearing the sound barrier break from the run-punch up with you and then taking additional sonic damage

Been taking a break from DMing in general user. Eberron is my favorite setting but ever since my 4e group blew up right in the middle of a huge plot reveal in paragon tier I haven't been able to gather any coherent thought to even begin putting together another Eberron game. I need help anons. Anyone got any good eberron modules I could run to maybe get me back in the swing?

Insignia of Claws

Wouldn't you literally disintegrate as well?

Naw. Planes don't disintegrate from breaking the sound barrier.

I'd agree that if you took a normal common man and flung him fast enough to break the sound barrier he'd probably tear apart (G's would probably make him unable to breathe/burst his eyes/give him an aneurysm so all his blood shoots out of his ears, nose and mouth maybe) and die, but PCs in D&D, especially 5E are definitely not normal by any means. Especially monks that have fists harder than diamond and can punch lava and stuff.

Favored Soul is the first answer, but could be any of them. Just fluff it.

Run some light stuff, let them have some fun and enjoy the time overland, so when they get asked to go back they're like "oh boy, here we go again"

Fuck, that's true. Do you think it was an oversight?

There was. It's ded. I'll admit I have it downloaded, but imo there's not much good stuff in it.

This. Using your sonic punch in a BBEG would be quite the way to go out with a bang tho'.

But even if you can survive going at the speed of sound, if you punch someone..

You also take the same force back, as per Newton's third law. 'For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.'

Not at all what I said, but I'm glad you have to project your retardation in all your replies :^)