/5eg/ - Fifth Edition General

So I gave my players one uncommon magic item to start with and one of them wants a sword that can absorb the power of other magic weapons after he fights them and wins. In truth, what he wants is a sword that will grow with him. What can I do about this? How can I do it? How do I make sure his sword is viable without making it overpowered?

Don't do it, because that will slowly break the game

Don't. Slap his shit down and give him a cursed sword.

Weapon that changes with the growth of the one who wields it. Like literally write a quest or some fluff around that idea, a weapon that's power is tyed to the heroism of the heroes itself.

Some people just aren't as into rp as others, or they are shy and not sure how to do so. Give it time, another thing to keep in mind is they could not be having as much fun and prefer a little more combat. Just something to keep you up at night

What said, don't give him the thing he wants because as others said that will get broken really fast. Make it part of their story, they need certain things to put back on/in it to make it whole, or it's a sentient sword and only unlocks it's power to those it deems worthy.

Kenku can copy almost perfectly right? If so, I think I will open a kenku press. I don't know on delivery yet.

As a holdover from last thread.
Would airbending monk be more fun if you could use your air punch to send enemies in any direction?

You are correct in that there is no rule stating that "away from you" means in a straight line from the center of your square through the center of the target's and onward.

One assumes that a push is always "directly away" from characters, but exactly what that means in tiles would depend on where the characters are in their tiles. Since creatures don't take up their 5x5x5 cube entirely and instead move around, and must be able to enter the enemy's to strike them, it's a safe bet that you could realistically get almost around to a creature's side and push them at a 45' angle or so.

And since you can obviously uppercut enemies, "away" in the direction of your fist would be upwards, popping the enemy into the air and having you inhabit their now-vacated square as they ascend into the next Z plane. Now, once they're up there, since they don't fall on your own turn, you can use the rest of your attacks to stack more movement. This is most easily done with a Battlemaster who blows Action Surge and all of his superiority die on Pushing Attack to launch an enemy 60 feet into the air, then vacates. You could also have a friendly Warlock (or Sorlock) step in with a readied action and use a bunch of Repelling Blast beams to keep the flight going, or get the whole combo started with their at-will Levitate.

Once you've sent your enemy flying 100 feet into the sky, it's time to evacuate the landing site, but make sure someone leaves a spear stuck in the ground for the baddy to land on.

>not a fantasy Kinko's named Kenku's

>airbending
wat?

>he thinks you can just walk up and destroy some god's hypermagical artifact by smashing it with a hammer or even cutting a rope after you've made some mechanical contrivance to drop a rock on it
Shit, what this black and white printing fails to show is that these guys are probably using green-tinted arrows because that's also part of the wackass requirement to break this fucking divine tchotchke.

Wot4E monk would be more fun period if Wizards would officially fixed them

Wot4e. I just said airbending because the lack of elemental attunements you get to choose, most people in my experience pick one elemental theme.
If you pick water whip I'd probably call it a waterbender.

>tfw no real earth bender option

Preach, my nigga.

>take existing options for the other elements and replace their spells with the earth-themed shit from the Elemental Evil Player's Companion
very hard

>Had players plan something out like this once
>Wasn't sure if it worked RAW but damn was it fun that they pulled it off

>implying all DMs will just let you do whatever the fuck you want
Not everyone has a fun DM.

EASY MODE
>take existing option for the other elements and replace the words "fire", "lightning", "water", "ice", and/or "wind" in their spell descriptions with "dirt", "rock", "earth", "gravel", or "sand"

Wouldn't the slabs themselves be required to be the magical component (if one was required)? The rope and arrows are just a contrivance to smash the thing with the slabs.

Just invoke the caster's magical phrase:
>but I'm expending a limited resource
OH WELL IN THAT CASE THIS FIREBALL THAT DOES NO CONCUSSIVE DAMAGE AND IN FACT EXPLICITLY SPREADS AROUND CORNERS INSTEAD DETONATES AND BLOWS THE DOOR OFF ITS HINGES AND THEN TURNS IT INTO SPLINTERS WHICH OBLITERATE THE GOBLIN ON THE OTHER SIDE

I'd allow away from to fit anything that doesn't include "towards you." Because that's literally all pushing someone away from you is.

Grids are also an optional rule, iirc, right?
I see no fucking reason why not.

Yeah but how can I represent it mechanically? HOW does it grow?

This shit's probably something like
>the Sacred Figma of Lizardlips can only be destroyed by the mountains of Morkoth at the end of days when the Triune Destroyer sunders the world with his Jade Arrows
so these guys decided to drop a stone hewn from said mountains on it at dusk by firing three arrowheads carved from jade at it at the same time

Make it a quest and or give it RP reasons for upgrading, don't just make it based on levels give the item some history to make it tough to upgrade.

I made these with some rules as to how to upgrade them. I also make it a mystery to the players dropping subtle hints when they arise.

Not likely, that's how goofy some of this shit got, what they are doing is probably exactly what is required to smash that, arrows height/race differences and all.

Good point.

...

Becomes +1 when appropriate? Maybe they get a bonus effect in line with the items personality, if you go that route, or who ever empowers it to hat level. Hell if you make it work for him no matter what you can just give him little boosts that reflect his character development.

Advance features on the item, you don't have to give it a base +1 or whatever bonus just make it unique and fit the weapons original purpose and theme.

What ways could you explain a high level adventurer having to 'start over' level wise?

just copy vestiges, the idea is basic enough.

magic.

See these.

Kill them. Optional: botch the revival of their character, if the player is super attached.

They're old and it's been a long time since their last adventure. They need to get back into the swing of things.
Amnesia, a nice tried and true trope. It's kinda shit though for that reason.
Some sort of major injury, the loss of a limb or something. Or could even be magical in nature (fantasy stroke).
They were reincarnated (either as their origin or through the literal spell) and they need to get used to their new form.

Those are probably the most obvious ones off the top of my head.

What's the context? Were they a young power adventurer that's gotten old?

Just sit around and watch what the character does with it and tailor new abilities to it when appropriate.
>guy uses his magical mace and mauls the shit outta like five fire elementals in a single fight
>okay that was pretty cool, the mace ate them or something and now it can blow up and deal 1d6 fire damage X times per Y rest
>guy keeps using the mage to batter down doors and smash shields and otherwise clobber straight through defenses of any variety
>so now it's got some hardness-ignoring property or can cast Shatter or some shit

His skill is rusty.

He lost his memory.

A god make him restart as a way of redemption.

Isekai and lost all his power but kept knowledge of the previous world.

He is a neet and will have to familiarize himself with adventure again.

Like this user?

I'm planning a one shot for next week, first time doing it. I know I shouldn't be planning too much and what I have is somewhat linear but hopefully it doesn't feel railroady.

Basically what I want to do is introduce the players to a fancy gauntlet. If (read: when) any of them tries it on, the gauntlet will gain control of the player's hand. Through signals or writing (or plain pulling them towards the right direction), it'll take them to the museum, where the rest of the armor and a rapier are.

The armor and rapier, the museum curator explains, belonged to Ser Durant the Immortal, a master fencer and adventurer known to wander the land for gold and adventure (long before guilds and adventurers were common) before he died in a dungeon. Most of his armor were recovered, save for his left gauntlet and helmet.

Depending on what happens, they'll either get the rapier (wielded by the gauntlet as a separate character) but may also get the armor (and get a Dullahan companion) and set out for the dungeon where his helmet is supposedly still in.

Dungeon ensues.

Eventually, they'll find the helmet (which has a mask that conveniently bears resemblance Ser Durant's face in life) that grants him the power of speech once more.

I don't know how to close it. Most likely it'll just end with Ser Durant thanking them and saying fareweel before resuming his life as a wandering knight. I may throw in the monster that killed him as a "final boss" of sorts to give Ser Durant's quest closure.

All in all, does this seem interesting/entertaining? I'm new to the whole DMing thing.

>naked rock man.jpg

not actually naked

Not bad

Thanks, this is sort of along the lines of what I was thinking. I want to play a character who was formerly a high-ish level adventurer. My DM and I were thinking either he was injured and retired previously but is now looking to get back into things, or that maybe they were a caster who somehow lost their ability to cast magic and ended up seeking out a pact to try and reclaim at least some of that power. My DM is pretty cool with it so long as I have an interesting reason why.

Thank you, I worked hard on those and I'm still working on them as balancing is always needed.

Did it with an older monk once, explained it away as having sat around too long and not had actual training to keep his skills sharp.

>my character was turned into a chair by an evil sorcerer and was freed from this polymorph by the party
>you now hate sitting down and constantly feel the need to stretch your legs

WHEN MALGRIMOR THE DESTRUCTOR BATHED THE WORLD IN DARKNESS AND USHERED FORTH THE APOCALYPSE, OUR BRAVE HEROES STEPPED FORTH TO OPPOSE HIM
IN THE TITANIC FINAL BATTLE, UPON THE CLIMAX OF HIS DARK WORK, THE HEROES STRUCK DOWN MALGRIMOR BUT COULD NOT PUT AN END TO THE EVIL HE HAD SET IN MOTION
USING THE WHOLE OF THEIR VERY SOUL AND BEING AS REAGENTS, THE HEROES SACRIFICED THEMSELVES TO SLOW THE CATACLYSMIC CATALYSIS OF MALGRIMOR'S BLACK RITUAL
FOR A THOUSAND YEARS THE DESTRUCTIVE ENERGIES LEAKING FROM THE SHATTERED REMAINS OF THE DESTRUCTOR'S GRIM FORTRESS HAVE WREAKED HAVOC UPON THE LAND
THE SEAL WAVERS ON THE BRINK OF ANNIHILATION, AND WITH IT, THE WORLD, UNLESS THE HEROES OF OLD--RESCUED UPON THEIR FALL BY THEIR ALLIES, LAYING DORMANT ALL THESE CENTURIES--CAN BE REVIVED TO FIND A SOLUTION TO MALGRIMOR'S FINAL REVENGE

One of the characters at my table was petrified by a basilisk hundreds of years ago and only recently revived. He doesn't know he used to be level 15 and a different class.

So, wizards can't cast spells without preparing them, and they need to have their spellbook on hand at all times.

I have some annoying newfag questions about all this.

Are the arcane forces rigged to be forgotten by anyone who wields them, so that they have to re-learn how to cast spells, or something?

And what, exactly, does a wizard write down in his spellbook when he's learned a spell? Are they just instructions to perform the spells, which he is magically compelled to forget?

>and they need to have their spellbook on hand at all times.
Not really. You just don't want to lose it.

Gunsmith Artificer, subclass for the Gunsmith.

They use a bigass rifle called the Thunder Cannon. 2d6 magical piercing damage, normal range 150, max range 500. Once fired, you HAVE to use a bonus action to reload it.

Also, "At 3rd level, you learn to channel thunder energy into your Thunder Cannon. As an action, you can make a special attack with your Thunder Cannon that deals an extra 1d6 thunder damage on a hit.

This extra damage increases by 1d6 when you reach certain levels in this class: 5th level (2d6), 7th level (3d6), 9th level (4d6), 11th level (5d6), 13th level (6d6), 15th level (7d6), 17th level (8d6), and 19th level (9d6)."

Oh, that's better.

Subclass for the ARTIFICER I'm stupid

>And what, exactly, does a wizard write down in his spellbook when he's learned a spell? Are they just instructions to perform the spells, which he is magically compelled to forget?
I think it's more like for a wizard they're just quite complex, since their approach to magic is learned. Presumably, wizards are all common-folk as far as innate magical ability is concerned (in contrast to sorcerers, druids, and the like). Anyone can be a wizard with enough intelligence and practice.

You are prepared to cast a certain number of spells because it's hard keeping all those hand motions in your brain at once, those magic words and shit.
As you progress you get a better memory and can also cast more complex spells more times per day.
Probably the most important reason, however, is because it's a fucking game.

I believe without it they can't change the spells known with any others from the wizard spell list until they get a new one back

Spells are complex, user. But the best wizards get so damn good at casting the spells they've learned, they can eventually do some of them at will.

What the fuck? Is this what comic book "art" has devolved to?

I'm making a Warlock with the Raven Queen patron. What are some things she'd want/expect out of a pact?

If you ever lose your spellbook, you better take keen mind asap and write all that shit down.
Otherwise you just lost all the spells you didn't prepare.
Best to make copies as well.
Sometimes the party gets fucked over and they lose a lot of their shit.

I never thought of it that way, that makes a lot of sense.

I just save some images, I don't even know what it's from

Could command surpass fear?

Basically fuck anyone that creates undead. Especially evil undead.

I think she fucking hates orcus.

The Raven Queen is an omnicidal whore who takes fleshcocks every hour

It really isn't fair that Sorcerers can just do this shit without any work.

It's also weird that all Harry Potter wizards are actually sorcerers by D&D rules.

Kill undead
Kill necromancers
Kill people trying to avoid natural death

Basically, naturally everyone dies, make sure you keep it that way

Death is to be overcome at all costs. You don't really love someone if you can accept that they will die one day.

>Sorcerers can just do this shit without any work

I mean, considering they have probably the most gimped spell list of any caster in the entire game, it balances out.

Question about Horizon Walkers cool little Distant Strike feature, does this work with Swift Quiver? Or do the attacks granted by Swift Quiver not count as an attack action?

>they are sorcerer's by dnd rules
Sort of. I mean, I'd say they're still definitely closer to wizards. And low level wizards at that.
But they do have the caveat that they must contain some sort of magical blood, which is like sorcerers.

They're definitely a bit of a mix.

>sorcerers can do this shit without any work
yeah, but then you remember that sorcerers are essentially worse wizards in almost every way.
Even the one thing they had going for them, blasting things with fire, got taken away from them with the errata.
Meanwhile wizards can be better evokers and also not blow up their party members due to sculpt spell.

That's literally the opposite of what followers of the raven queen should be doing

>Hold no pity for those who suffer and die, for death is the natural end of life.
>Bring down the proud who try to cast off the chains of fate. As the instrument of the Raven Queen, you must punish hubris where you find it.
>Watch for the cults of Orcus and stamp them out whenever they arise. The Demon Prince of the Undead seeks to claim the Raven Queen's throne

How does she feel about people who obtain immortality like the monk?
What stopping a sorceress from learning spell without multiclass

How would the raven queen react to someone trying to save their friend from undeath?

I know, I'm speaking out against the Raven Queen, anyone who would follow her is fucked in the head.

>Turn Undead
>doesn't turn you undead

>What stopping a sorceress from learning spell without multiclass
Despite your mangled english, the answer is their spell list.

The fact that they don't learn their spells like Wizards and aren't given their spells like Warlocks and Clerics. Sorcerers are born with the power they have, and while they can get better with it through practice, they never get any more of it.

A strict reading says no; the teleports are part of attacks made with the Attack action and its Extra Attack + Distant Strike's weird third attack thing, while Swift Quiver is part of a bonus action.

Swift Quiver is also Attack action agnostic, unlike, say, dual-wielding. To make your bonus action attack while two weapon fighting, you need to have made the Attack action first; someone under the effects of Swift Quiver could use their action to drink a potion, but still shoot two arrows with their bonus via Swift Quiver.

Personally, I wouldn't rule that way at my table because, but it doesn't seem to be supported RAW.

>otto's irresistable dance
>can be resisted

>Burning Hands
>doesn't burn your hands

Warlock is my favorite caster type.

Are there any known lich characters in related media who were warlocks in life?

>aren't given their spells like Warlocks
Warlocks are given their features. They aren't given their spells. Warlocks LEARN arcane magic just like a Wizard, through study; the difference is that the Patron is essentially dropping off the Cliff's Notes in their fucking brain every night or having some fucked up alien bird deliver a stack of lore to their doorstep. Warlocks still go out and try to find new knowledge on their own instead of relying entirely on their Patron for info. But Warlocks don't need a book to memorize all of their spells because they know so fucking few to begin with.

>immortality
The only thing I'm seeing about Monk is the one that simply halts physical aging, but still die of old age. Is there something else I'm missing?

Because she'd be fine with this, you're still dying at the end of the day. The Raven Queen even "uses" a form of undead going by 4e lore called revenants, who are given some sort of task by her and the moment that task is finished they immediately die and return to her. She's fine with this because they still die

not if you've got the Bop Gun
youtube.com/watch?v=UFalZJ5eEwY

where is xanthar's guide, its been out for a few hours hasn't it

Monks were able to attain immortality by level up in 3.5 iirc.

I would say no.
"When you use the Attack action, you can teleport up to 10 feet before each attack" (granted by this action).

Too bad because I'm planning on making one. Seems fun.

Got it, so follow-up to this does Two weapon fighting function with this feature? Giving these guys a potential 40 feet of teleporting for attacking dudes?