/5eg/ - Fifth Edition General

It's been posted in the pdf share threads repeatedly. What we NEED is Monsters of the Orient

It's fun as fuck.

Asking again since I I got no response.
We're gonna be starting with one uncommon magical item this time, starting at level 5. Should I go for something obvious like the +1 weapon/fancy armor or something, or something more just flavorful? VHuman Fighter, melee but DEX-based, rolled some ungodly strong stats.

same

>Want to run a magic wild west setting using Eberron tech as a basis
>End up just wanting to do Eberron instead
>Players probably won't read setting documents
Suffering

Sunk time fallacy. I've been playing RPGs for 20 years. When you're that far in, all you can do is keep going and see where the hooker bottoms out.

I posted some initiative variants in the old thread, but I was wondering if anyone had luck with Side Initiative / group initiative or other variants that make combat faster OR more fun in general.

tg, any one know of any cool expansions to add on to Curse of Strahd?

I'm definitely doing the barber of Silverymoon and the Marionette from Adventure League, could use a couple more, preferably an underwater one.

Depends on the backstory of your character. If you're dex focused but still have a shield, use Shield Mastery and get in Immovable Rod. Prone them with SM, then activate the immovable rod on their backs so they can't get up. Get a bag of tricks and use it to have an easy distraction/scout for traps. Get an Eversmoking Bottle and use it like a smoke grenade. Those are all utilities/combat options with uncommons, but I'd honestly suggest picking something more aligned with your character. Paranoid? Amulet of Proof against Detection and Location. Amateur alchemist? Alchemy Jug. Huge Weeaboo? Wind Fan.

Despite all this, it still might probably be a good idea to just grab your +1 weapon and capital M Martial the fuck out of everything if you think that's more applicable.

In what situations can you "choose" to fail a saving throw? Like a Str/dex save makes sense (just choosing to not dodge/resist a knockdown), but what about wis/Con saves? Say for whatever reason you WANTED to fail a save. Can you?

There are cases where it specifically states that sort of thing, I think one of the charmish spells has something along those lines for resisting if you want. Other than that, ask a GM

Winged boots

wisdom and charisma saves, yes, inteligence no

There are no rules about choosing to fail saves other than when specifically mentioned, but there are some conditions that will force you to fail Str or Dex saves.

My group decided to pull something from the turn order system in X-Wing (albeit modified), plus some modifications. Your mileage may vary, but we also play some high lethality games (reduced HP per level, most monsters have lower HP, but spells have lowered damage progression to keep mages from being 1HKO machines after 3rd level).

You pick your Initiative score at the start of combat: Either 10+Dex or 10-Wis. Enemies are grouped and averaged by squads if necessary for initiative. Anything that gives you advantage or disadvantage with Initiative gives you a -5 (if you choose 10+Dex) or +5 (if you chose 10+Wis).

First phase of combat is movement. Everyone picks where they want to move at the same time with a brief timer, then it's down the line with highest initiative going first. For every 10 feet you move, your Initiative increases by 1. If anything gets in your way (say players don't communicate and panic move into a teammate's way, or a quick enemy interrupts the move) your move is terminated, and your initiative drops by 5. If you choose not to move at all, your initiative drops by 10. Negative values are possible.

Second phase is action. You pick your main action for the round at this point when your initiative comes up (instead of planning it ahead) and things come up in Lowest First order. Casting a non-cantrip spell increases your Initiative for the next round by 10, and using your action to move a second time increases your Initiative by 10, but aside from that your Initiative resets at the end of each round. Choosing to not act lets you choose to take +5 or -5 Initiative on the next round (your choice).

Bonus actions and reactions can be taken at any appropriate time regardless of phase and don't affect Initiative. We also use the "if your mage is hit by a damaging effect before his action, he can't cast" rule, though we eventually allowed casting cantrips.

calm emotions was what i was thinking of, there's probly other similar cases

Yeah, theres spells that choose between willing and unwilling, like polymorph and levitate. I'm talking something like dominate person or hold person, or letting thunderwave push you out of the way of something. Say for example, you could reach something your wizard can't, or is too weak for. Could you let him dominate person you and let him use your hands to do something?
What about Con? I'm guessing because thats more of your bodies reaction, ie you can't choose to let poison take effect. Why not Int though?

I think CON is like trying to choke yourself with your own hands
In general, you just can't

So I'm inexperienced and going to be DMing an encounter with some Hobgoblins.

If I want them swap from melee to ranged and have them fire their longbows should I have them spend a round doffing their shield just so they can fire 2 handed at the players? Will I have to reduce AC by 2 then?

How strict should I be enforcing shield rules when running enemies?

Considering martial advantage, yes. Give your players incentive to burn them down first so that they don't get fucking rocked by arrows in the second round.

As strict you are with your players. Hobgoblin are master strategists. Their strength doesn't come from their stats, it comes from how deadly good they are at gaining advantage on the players.

Look on videos about WW1 &2 strategies and have fun watching players struggle to comprehend tactics from an army.

And as for doffing, I think stowing a weapon is an action, but just dropping it and pulling a new one is free, so if you want them to do some rank and file stuff with that it should work

Stowing a weapon is free

stowing is free but any SECOND action relating to that will be an action. Not sure about drop+draw though.

Anybody who thinks that opening your hand shouldn't be free is an idiot.

Let's give an example of this, in case there's question (opportunity attacks, for example).

In pic related, Red, Blue, Green and Pink are players. The orc and goblin teams charge ahead in straight lines; Pink and Red both interrupt the movement of the orc and the goblin in front of them (respectively).

Blue chooses not to move, reducing his Initiative by 10. Pink doesn't move more than 10 feet so his Initiative is the same. Red and Green both move 10 feet, but less than 20 feet, so their Initiatives increase by 1. Both orcs succeed in moving 20 feet, increasing their Initiative by 2, and the goblins split between +0 (because one, while intending to move, was interrupted), +2 (moving 20 feet) and +1 (moving at least 10 feet). The interrupted orc and goblin gain -5 Initiative.

Because of initiative, Red can make opportunity attacks against either the orc or goblin passing by him. Pink can make an opportunity attack against the orc passing by him trying to close into melee, and Green risks opportunity attacks from both goblins he passes by since they beat out his Initiative.

Green's player interrupts the opportunity attack declarations to tell his DM he wants to use Disengage, forsaking his Action to avoid the opportunity attacks. Since neither goblin goes before him in Phase 2, the DM says okay. While the Orcs and Goblins could also Disengage, they choose not to. Red and Pink both make an opportunity attack. Let's assume nobody dies.

In Phase 2, the turn order for actions is:
>Blue
>Green (Disengage)
>Pink and Orc 2 act simultaneously.
>Goblin 1
>Orc 1
>Goblin 3
>Red and Goblin 2 act simultaneously.

Well yeah I agree on the one hand but getting multiple free actions together is something slightly different. As for shields those probly need doffing in some cases.

Free actions are limited. Dropping items doesn't fall under a free action, it's just something you can do as many times as you want.
It leads to weird interactions, for example if a cleric is holding a weapon and shield and wants to cast a spell, the best thing to do is drop the weapon, cast the spell then use a free action to pick it back up

Weirdly enough this is harder to write out than it is to just do, and I accidentally transposed PNK/ORC and Goblin 1.

Makes sense.
Previous DM (when I was player) made don/doff shield a bonus action.
However, when DM moved away and I took over, a few players had a big sook when I tried to change it back to one action. But the +2 AC seems way too good for bonus action.
Might just have to put my foot down and say 1 action to don/doff.

Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, Hallow and Guards and Wards are the only spell that protect an area right? Is there any features or other spell that I'm missing that does something similar?

Depends on your definition of 'protects an area'
Alarm will protect an area for eight hours
Leomund's Tiny Hut as well will give you a 10ft radius impenetrable dome that can only be taken down by dispel magic

Alarm? Glyph of Warding?

Guardian Of Faith, Faithful Hound, there's loads of them

How does one limit the game breaking capabilities of a revised ranger with undead as Favored Enemy in Barovia? Primeval awareness ruins a lot of major encounters

by remembering that there is more than the undead in Barovia.

I wanna throw some mechs and tanks at my players. Straight up boss battles against huge metal monsters, like that old anime I never watched nor know the name of about a guy taking on mechs and other machines in the desert.
How do I do it?

Iron Golem

by reskinning preexisting monsters

The Warforged Titan!!

You don't. He's working with the theme of the campaign and making a classic undead hunter. Be glad he's not like my party where everyone's a lizardfolk barbarian or something else wildly inappropriate.

I kind of want to make a fighter or monk that relies on reaction instead of attack. I think it'd be really cool to use an enemy's attack against them.
Imagine it like this: A bandit is lunging at you with a knife, instead of tanking it or dodging it you take the extended wrist and use their forward momentum to force them into a wall or on the ground.
Mechanically speaking, with fighters you could use multi attack to ready multiple reactions to use against multiple opponents.
It could also be an interesting way to implement strategy during a fight. You could have the entire playstyle be based around reading an opponent and using the right counter attack. I think it could be more interesting and rewarding than just walking up to a creature and hitting it until it dies.

Adhering to both of these is integral to your development as a DM

Worrying about your own health can greatly diminish it. Simply stressing about getting sick can drastically lower your immunity to sickness. I see failing CON saves as more of coming to terms with how you know you're going to be sick/poisoned/injured.

You only get one reaction per round, though I believe you get your full number of attacks if you ready an Attack action. Anyway, there's no good reason to do that unless you're actually in an uncertain situation or don't have a target available. Since it uses your reaction, you give up the chance to make opportunity attacks, and if you're a monk you give up the chance to catch arrows.

>Should I go for something obvious like the +1 weapon/fancy armor or something, or something more just flavorful?
Weapon and armor bonuses are lame as fuck unless they're magical or high level.
Get something fun that can cause Hilarious Antics™

7 13 18 7 14 12 in any stats, what should I make lads

Because my group is excellent and I'm emotionally invested in the characters/story.

Thanks for the inspiration
I made art

I dunno, I'm a DM in one game and I dropped another I was in because I couldn't stand some of the people.

I don't think them starting the game with the ability to know the location of every lich vampire nest, ghast ambush and cultist lair in Barovia is entirely fun conducting.

Anyone have the Animalfolk PDF? Haven't been able to find it since I last saw it here.

As someone who's currently playing the revised ranger, Primeval Awareness is fucking bullshit. I hate using it and avoid it in many situations where it's useful.

You should rule that Primeval Awareness doesn't work in your games, or in Ravenloft, or something. And - this is important - let the player make a new character if he wants to.

Druid. Play as a changeling so you can transform into all the things.

Slight concern Veeky Forums

Joined a new game that I'm assuming is going to be very undead heavy.
Want to be a full support bard since we've got obscene amounts of damage already (literally every other member specced for DPR. Even the Cleric, Wizard, AND sorcerer while completely ignoring utility spells or any spells without damage dice. Two other actual martials in group as well)

But here's the problem: Are undead still absolutely fucking immune to everything in 5e as they were in 3.5e? I know Sleep doesn't work on them at all, but will Tasha's work as long as they have the 4 INT? Are they all immune to charm and thus Cutting Words will do jack? Same for Suggestion, Hold Person, Hypnotic Pattern/Fear etc. What about Psychic damage?

I really don't want every single combat to go 'I cast Faeri Fire' and proceed to shove my thumb up my ass

holy fuck I have that shark dude mini complete with the shark tooth punch dagger

...

Was thinking of making a druid, you have my convinced

First time DMing this weekend. When do you guys usually use passive checks?

Thanks for the laugh

When you REALLY don't want the party to know there's a check involved. Like, when they pass by a secret door, or when a Shadar-Kai assassin is about to shank their asses.

Nobody ever thinks I'm funny

That's a slingshot you mongoloid, not a sling.

Are there any cases where having the party actively roll to detect a secret door or something similar would be preferable?

Shit, you're right.

Only if they're actively looking ("I want to search for secret doors!"). In that case, always make them roll, even if there are no secret doors to be found.

How much of a bad idea is to give a bard the ability of maintain concentration of their spells by doing a Performance check?

No. Just add guns and try them out with different classes. There's a musket wielding ranger in my game and he's really good. No need for a special snowflake class.

Given that a level 5 bard can have like +7 or +8 to performance, I'd say it's probably a bit much.

Extremely bad
It's like giving them a flat +4 at 1st level which only gets higher from then on out.

Can I make an entire class about katanas, though?

I think you're hilarious user.

>Implying you reach level 20

If you take the average time spent across campaigns at level 20, it's likely about 1% at best.

This one?

I'd feel like a dick flying around when nobody else can.
I'll be dual wielding with the Dual Wielder and Martial Adept feats since I rolled ungodly stats and can justify missing out on the ASI.
As a character he's from a once-esteemed, but now exiled clan of professional monster hunters, who's been called back as a chance to earn them their good name back. A bit jaded and cynical and grumpy, but his heart's in the right place, and he won't suffer wanton evil and cruelty, even if he's going to complain about it.
Though, the thing has yet to start, so I am slightly tempted to make a Char clone with Eyes of the Eagle but I'd have no idea what class
I don't even know where to begin with this, the only magical items I ever got in other campaigns were super low magic basically magic for the sake of overcoming resistance only, like "This weapon deals 1 extra fire/cold damage", "this weapon falls up", or "hitting an enemy causes this weapon to gain 1 charge. As a bonus action to can activate it's charges; on the next hit, this weapon deals lightning damage equal to the number of charges stored. You lose all charges when you go 1 round without successfully hitting an enemy with this weapon."

You're my new best friend.

Reposting from last night.

The party were branded by a powerful cultist of the death god. The brands are meant to slowly corrupt the party into joining their side.

I want to have the brands give some sort of unholy power, but at a cost. I was thinking they could maybe spend a hit die and gain additional necrotic damage along with some kind of subtle corruption every time they use it.

Anyone have some ideas?

kinda funny
Lost my shit

Just refluff crossbows, hot damn.

None of the PHB fighters were exclusively archers and that's a good thing. The exclusively archers classes suck, and archers should still have non-ranged abilities.

No. Just add psionics and try them out with different classes. There's a psychic ranger in my game and he's really good. No need for a special snowflake class.

Bitch you a 5E Bard!

Grab you lute tickling ass Thunder Wave and Healing Word. If you're human and they allow feats get yourself Magic Initiate for Booming Blade and whatever else you need from another list for 1st level and a cantrip.

Then be either a Lore Bard or break out UA for College of Satire and be a tumbling fool.

Be the counter mage and get your Jack of All Bonuses on Initiative and counter spells. Pick up whatever awesome other list spells you want from other lists. At level ten you bet your ass no matter what you play you learn Destructive Wave of Paladin List.

If you go Satire, booming blade and Tumble your way to glory and buff your fucking allies.

Who gives a fuck about undead immunities? Not your poofy pantaloon wearing ass is for sure. Pimp smack necromancers and high high your bros. inspire and weave control of the battlefield!

You are versatility! You are ingenuity! You are utility! Now burn the house down you whiny worried ass bardic bitch.

A couple of points:
Primeval awareness requires 1 minute of concentration to use, and while yes, there is no rule saying they CAN'T concentrate on it 24/7, you can remind them that UA's are subject to your approval and can be "rebalanced" at any time.
Only has a range of 5 miles
Barovia is chock full of undead, there are ghosts and spirits all over the place
not all of the undead are outright hostile

and, again, some of the bigger threats in Barovia are NOT undead, imagine their surprise when they bed down for the night, have the ranger check for undead, no pings within the 5 mile radius, and then, BAM! Werewolves all up on their dicks.

A connoisseur of biblical humor, then! I applaud your taste.

You do realize psionics were originally (1e) added as something every character could dabble in, right?

I imagine when they full on Publish the Mystic, Sohei, and the rest of their Psionics content that they will also include a set of rules or a feat for Wild Talents.

Perhaps even wild talents will be a subsystem for Dark Sun.

>Werewolves all up on their dicks.
I think you just gave half of Veeky Forums an erection.

I'm not hopeful, but I'd like both of these to be true.
What is the Sohei? Did I miss something?

No, it was a different one, but thanks for this one as well.

>I think you just gave half of Veeky Forums an erection.
not possible, it wasn't about kobolds.

>Ranger can detect Undead in 5 miles radius
>Paladin can only do it in a 60 foot radius and they have to be in line of sight, on limited casts per day

y tho

because Paladin is already a great class.

...

In the tweet where they complained about having to edit the now written Up 20 level Mystic for playtest along with all the poweres, mention was made of a fighter Martial Archetype. A psionic subclass for the primary martial class, and it would be the Sohei.

The term originates in Japan as being a descriptor for warrior monks who served as temple guardians. Not depicted as hand to hand combatants they were usually flush with arms and armor.

In 3.0/3.5 Oriental Adventures the Sohei were a divine half caster with only medium BAB and anstrange ki rage and flurry attack. An odd hybrid Monk Barbarian Paladin with alighnment restriction.

Much like how elemental caster Wu Jen became the Mystics Subclass focusing on mixing things up with hybrid casting and psionics, the Sohei's involvement with Ki has moved over into Psionics and the divine component is being removed from their power structure but perhaps left in their thematics.

At this time we have not seen what the modern Sohei subclass will look like.

Because nature doesn't give paladins maphack