/5eg/ - Fifth Edition General

I know the mystic is old news but I'm finally getting around to trying one out. Any quick rundowns or primers for which disciplines are trap picks? Are there any that are especially cool or any that have less than obvious uses?

A Netflix show.

80s style kid adventure mixed with 80s style horror and 80s conspiracy theories.

All done with modern special effects.

The kids all play D&D together and refer to the main monster of the series as a Demogorgon.

>Do you use Facing in your games?

No, just because the action economy makes it easy to overwhelm enemies enough as it is.

Also because it inevitably results in "nuh-uh, I was actually facing this way"

Definitely a fighter. Battlemaster is best in the core books, I don't know a ton about UA stuff but there might be a different one better for archers.

What are some of the interesting ways your characters have left the party? Be it via death, separation by getting sucked into a portal to another dimension, etc.

>Half-orc druid in my group that was one of the original lvl 1 characters in the campaign
>Got separated from his clan of orcs and decided to go looking for them
>Eventually finds one of his kin when we wait in ambush along the side of the road for a hobgoblin caravan and goblins have said orc pulling the cart as a slave.
>Jump the caravan and free the orcs, one orc dies while other goes full blood rage and proceeds to steal the hobgoblin's longsword and slaughter them with it.
>Proceed to assault a hobgoblin fortress where more orcs are being held via secret passage and wizard arms all the orcs with the armory of weapons they hoarded in their bag of holding.
>Hobgoblins with bows on watchtowers get orced while the rest in the fortress are picked off easily by the rest of the group.
>Half-orc druid finally reunites with kin and bids farewell to party through the front gate of the fortress and a mutual respect is formed between the party and orc band.

Maneuver: Trip Attack on arrows does sound hilarious. I would consider your advice. Would multo classing help or do I end up with hot garbage

Nomad is really good with its defensive teleport spam, group teleports and skill whoring along with a ranged combat discipline. As for trap options, the soul knife looks like complete and utter garbage, but I haven't played one yet so I don't know for sure.

Kensei UA monk seems alright.

So some friends want to start up a new campaign that will lead into the new stuff coming out in a few months. I wanted to roll druid, and was kind of looking over some of the UA stuff. Twilight seemed cool, and looked to fit well into a campaign about death/undeath being fucked around with. Only issue I see is that the d10s are necrotic damage which seems really weird if we are going to be fighting a lot of undead. Has anyone played a twilight druid? Any issues I should be aware of?

do you prefer several medium encounters, a few hard encounters, or a couple deadly encounters?

it seems near fucking impossible to do so many medium encounters in a day/session.

Sharpshooter fighter has the most damage output in the game. Revised arcane archer is actually really good, with magic arrows functioning a lot like maneuvers and they get a couple of other very powerful abilities in addition. Valor bard is probably the strongest because he is also a full caster.

Nuclear druid meme for 'most broken build in 5e'.

Nomad seemed like a good choice to me as well. I am between that and Wu Jen which has a different set of defenses. Taking shield, mirror image, energy absorption as the three spells known seems pretty solid too.

That is:
A solo twilight druid can use those d10s to one-shot tiamat if they so please. No saves, no to-hit rolls, it just fucking happens. Requires a high level though.

Basically as long as you don't multiclass with UA content, you're fine.

>it seems near fucking impossible to do so many medium encounters in a day/session.

I like to stagger it when I can. Maybe 3 medium encounters, 2 hard ones, then a real deadly one.

Short rests are a big deal in my campaign; players really have to earn their long rests.

uh oh, got a session tomorrow and i just realized i didn't really flesh out this noble party/ball

fuck, what sort of stuff could the player's find fun here? or better yet, interesting plot hooks i can build upon?

It depends. Why did the party go there? Give us something to go on.

Liar's dice / Gwent game for smth
Also, some dueling until the first blood. If it's not a ball, ofc.
Maybe the best (dancing) couple contest
Gossip
what said

yeah sorry i should've elaborated.

they did a military mission for a duke as a band of mercenaries. this ball is made as a celebration of the duke's coronation and also to celebrate the party's victory.

alright yeah probably won't be multiclassing. so should I just take a bunch of aoe spells and add d10s for damage output then?

Can I throw a spear with two hands to get versatile damage?

Speaking of Gossip, keep in mind that social occasions like balls are one of the rare times where large numbers of nobles or VIPs can meet without attracting unnecessary attention. If there are any major conspiracies, they will likely be flitting around somewhere.

Wives love discussing lurid gossip, to each other and about others. Lurid rumors about nobles that are probably exaggerated but might have some kernel of truth.

You could also lure your players outside to where the nobles' retainers and guards will be eating. Tensions between certain nobles will be more obvious here, and the common soldiers will be playing/drinking/swapping tales too.

yes. but it depends on the weapon. from a rationale point of view, you aren't using something in your other hand, so the extra damage is justified. but have you ever seen someone throw a spear with two hands? maybe it'd work for an axe, but a spear?

Yeah that's kinda why I'm asking. I'm trying to think of how it would even work.

Make the duke a rakshasa. Drop a small hint or two before he sends you off on another adventure.

>Two of duke's vassals are interested in hiring the party to settle a dispute. As in, a war.
>Amongst the aristocrats, there's a raving lunatic who everybody is tolerating only because of his family's high status. The party, however, soon notices that there's more to his rants than it first appears.
>Another social pariah is a tiefling raised to nobility. Scandalous - yet exotic. Before the party even meets it, they hear a dozen different rumors, one more unbelievable than another. One of them, however, is true.

I guess if you really wanted to go for it you could do it as a sort of tossing the caber thing? Except with a spear instead of a log, and you're throwing it at someone.

I'm running a one-shot soon and I want it to be a race/battle between the players to reach the prize in a dungeon setting, in a kind of wacky races type way.

Any thoughts on PC levels and restrictions? I'm a little worried that the casters will be in too much of an easy position to fuck over the non-casters.

level 10 is about the level that casters overtake martials, so level 9 would be good at an about even keel.

Tharizdun, obviously!
Oblivion for everyone, equally!

wow, you think so? I was thinking much lower depending on the availability of spells to restrict or compel others, but I don't play caster

I think it will partly be a case of being clever with my dungeon design to balance things out

Standard array stats
Fighters only
No magic items
Ethereal plane

AoE spells are the most effective use of those d10s, yes.
Magic missiles is thus the most powerful way to use that but you have to multiclass for that beyond casting it as a level 1 spell or with a wand, hence the 'don't multiclass'.

which class is the most fun?

After three campaigns, I assure you that cleric is the most fun class of all.

that sounds a little too restricted, standard array is a good call though

what's your reasoning? do you really think the classes are that unbalanced?

depends on how you RP them

>that sounds a little too restricted
I think he's making a "Fox only" joke

What is the point of shilllelagh?

Human Fighter

Instant magical weapon, more powerful attacks (in all likelihood)

Lets you ignore taking points in other classes to attack.

>PCs must find a replacement musician/instrument after some unpleasant accident happened
>This noblewoman is acting suspicious, sneaking into places she doesn't belong. Turns out she and her accomplices plan to smuggle the host's most valuable wine bottles out of her cellar...
>A local religious leader gets into heated debate with this foreign dignitary, it look like they'll be coming to blows soon. Will the PCs take sides? Separate them and earn their shared anger, along with the host's respect?
>A noble's pet artist is here to immortalize the ball with a painting. What no one knows is the artist is actually a spy, here to collect information about the building and ask innocent questions about the host's valuable works of art. He is either going to meet his contact somewhere at the party, or encode information in the painting.
>The son of a local merchant (who's a friend of the party, or a useful contact) is involved in a cult. When the party must bring something from the storeroom, it turns out there's some spooky, bloody ritual going on in here... and it would be very bad for the merchant if word got out.
>From a distance, the PCs see Duke X dropping a platter of food on Noble Y's amazing costume. They can obviously tell Duke X did it on purpose. Later, a humiliated Noble Y drinks himself into a near-coma in some random bedroom. Some courier hands the PCs a letter meant for Noble B, and guess who notices this, approaches the party, and pretends he'll take it and deliver it to his "good friend"? Fucking Duke X. What do the PCs do?
>The guest of honor cannot stand the party. He begs the PCs to engineer an excuse for him to leave, and in exchange he'll pay them a nice amount of money.

Use your casting modifier to make full-power attacks of opportunity, for one thing.

Warlock, I've been playing one for two years already

For warlock/bard to steal for charisma shillelagh.
For cleric to steal for wisdom melee fighting.

For a druid? I don't fucking know.

>classes
Attack stats. I'm tired.

I knew what you meant.

Barbarian. It's not just hitting people really hard, it's protecting your friends from getting hit really hard, and taking mere scratches when you get hit really hard yourself.

Just read the Mystic pdf.

I'm comparing Energy Beam and Mind Thrust.

With Psionic Assault, Mind Thrust dishes 1d10+2 on a failed INT save (I suppose the focus' +2 doesn't apply to the disciplines themselves, only Mind Thrust, the only talent with psychic damage). 120ft
EB deals 1d8 on a failed DEX save and I get to choose between all elemental damage. 90ft

Seems like Mind Thrust is a clear winner, especially given how psychic damage resistance is likely to never ever come up.

Gonna second Cleric, they can do a bit of everything depending on how they're built.

Within Cleric, Arcana is the most fun. You get access to unique spells that will help you out while still being flavorful, much better at-will damage then other Clerics, can be a pure-WIS melee build and has Channel Divinity turning for a wide range of enemies.

Can dispel magic for free with Healing Word as well.

They're pretty good.

Battlemaster

You're essentially a muscle wizard, complete with a "spell" save DC that uses your Strength (or dexterity if you're GAY)

The only martial class that actually has options and choices and utility

How does Battlemaster have utility? Monster Hunter and Scout do it much better.

>Monster Hunter
I really liked this subclass, hope it's on Xanathar's

Someone redpill me on why this statement is retarded please

I have an npc set up, she's a sort of lightly armored assassin-ish character (think peacekeeper in for honor) so I figure she'd have access to cunning action and sneak attack.

She's a high elf, and her racial feature gives her a single wizard cantrip. What would be a good cantrip for her? I'm sort of considering true strike

Combat utility. You have choices beyond "make an attack"
Because pretty much everything a Battlemaster can do doesn't REPLACE an attack, but rather adds extra damage and a unique effect to your attack.

Shove while making an attack
Intimidate while making an attack
Goad while making an attack
Disarm while making an attack
Feinting attack
Give yourself free AC while moving
Give your attack to someone else
Attack while also giving any teammate free movement during your turn
Decide to hit even if you miss
Hell you can even give temp HP

The issue is there's a handful that are much better then others. The main ones that will see any use are Tripping Attack, the Riposte and Precision Attack. They're just so much better then other options.

Also in combat Rouges, Rangers and Paladins all have a wide range of options. Barbarians can do some amazing shit with their ability to grapple and Monks even have a wide range of options that are effective depending on the fight. For Fighter, Eldritch Knight gets more options both in and out of combat.

The only martial Battlemaster is that much better for in combat utility then, is a Champion Fighter and some UA options like Samurai. I agree Battlemasters are cool and fun, but they're not the be all, end all of martial combat when they don't even have that many options.

True Strike is horrible.
>Use an action to cast true strike, hit with advantage next turn
Versus
>Attack this turn, attack next turn
You have a higher chance of doing more damage with the two attacks.

Houserule it as bonus?

>Strike with advantage every turn

Becomes pretty OP on any players who take it. Arcane Tricksters especially.

Just give the NPC an ability like:

>After casting a spell X can make a single attack with their Rapier

True Strike should be "Make an attack with advantage"

...

That's silly.
>Attack with advantage as a cantrip
>Meanwhile, barbarian's advantage skill gives anyone who attacks them advantage

Barbarians can attack twice

Yeah that was my main issue with it. I figured it would be some way to naturally allow her to trigger sneak attack but there isn't a ton of single wizard cantrips that would work on the npc, might use message I don't know

Maybe I'll just take some class feature from arcane trickster and give it to her and ignore the high elf cantrip

What classes are the least fun?

For me it's druids and sorcerers

Why is there no references for creating mechanical constructs in 5E? Does anyone know if there are any resources for that?

>Druid
>Not fun

Working on an end of adventure scenario. Party is level 4. Let me know when it gets to be too much or general suggestions.
1. Party goes to cultist pirate boat to finish them off after other stuff. Cult leader is under the top deck, and has killed all the slaves to erect a maze of dead bodies with barbed wire between them. Leader is a level 8 warlock, and will be running away and chipping them down during the battle. He knows Repelling Blast and Ray of Frost as cantrips, and has a quasit familiar that will be able to move through the barbed wire.
2. The entrance to the lower deck is locked and sealed by a shadow demon. The torches are all out. There is a magic circle on the floor that will bind all who dies in it to go to Pandemonium when they die.
3. The warlock has the invocation that will let him use polymorph. He will turn into a giant ape once he's almost down, if he gets the chance to.

Maybe if you could hit with advantage this turn, and give up an action next turn?

There's certainly a point in doing high damage during a turn where the situation favors you, if you expect the next round to be less in your favor.

Why don't we have /5eg/ roll20 games?

>Boring spell list
>Boring class features other than shapeshifting
>Boring subclasses
>People expect you to play a hippy tree hugger

Because everyone will play Bladelocks.

>not playing an edgy Child of Winter

>Be Air Genasi Druid
>The Elements Guide Me.mp3
>Transforms into Elementals by 10th level
>Boring

>by 10th level
Never gonna happen

What is this meme

Help my autism please. I like rules to be very specific and reflect what is happening in the campaign world and what would make sense naturally.

>Running a wilderness game
>Day starts at dawn 6 a.m
>Party travels for 8 hours which is their maximum.
>It's now 2 p.m, middle of the day, party camp to sleep.
>wake up at 10 p.m for next adventuring day.

???

So the party are routinely setting up camp for a long rest in the middle of the day then awaking at night to adventure.

This obviously doesn't make sense. How can I change it? I don't want to just abstract away time.

I thought letting them travel for 12 hours would at least mean they'd have to stop close to dusk but that does mean. I suppose I could abstract 4 hours into their travel as additional but again I like to be specific.

They could declare they're just going to wait around till morning or set out at night but it feels unsatisfactory that they'd waste the time.

It's not a meme, if my group stop playing for one month or more, they all want to create new PCs or the DM starts a new campaign with new PCs. At first level.

>your campeign
You really are retarded senpai

that is you senpai

i'm in a 3 year long campaign right now, we're level 12.

to be fair though, we had a few character swaps here and there.

cause people like to play different kinds of adventures, some care about being powerful, some want more roleplay and more importantly who the fuck would want to dm/coordinate that hell hole?

youtube.com/watch?v=KoTtfm0XK_U
How far have your groups gone to earn the favour of a nation anons?

I'd love to play HotDQ and RoT, if anyone wants to host them, I'd be game.

>Boring spell list
What, you don't like not being able to fireball everything?
>Other stuff
I mean, I guess you're right. Most of druid is 'You must be a shapeshifting tree-hugger and also moon druid is the only vaild choice.'
Land druid has nice flavour to it in a way. Being an arctic or desert druid sounds fun. But it's still forced into a constrained druid archetype.

Ranger and druid should be merged.

Realise that they can take breaks during their 8 hour walk.
>walk for an hour
>wait for an hour
>walk for an hour
>wait for an hour
etc until 16 hours have passed, then sleep for 8 hours.
If 8 hours of breaktime sounds like too much, let them walk for longer.

>soul knife looks like complete and utter garbage, but I haven't played one yet so I don't know for sure.
I play one the Order of Knife is fine.

>not playing your druids as old conservative types reluctant to give up their old ways and embrace how things are now

Why are they only walking for eight hours instead of until the sun starts to set?