/5eg/ - Fifth Edition General

Just grabbed the .zip file from the Pastebin, gonna start looking through those now.

Quick! Which cleric domain is the best?

life or war

Fire and War. Unless you *don't* want to be a battle cleric.

Death

As always depends on what you want to do. Classic heals is life. If you want to be more blasty then Tempest and Light are great choices. If you want to have toolbox versatility then I really like Arcana from SCAG (btw this can also be built to to Trickery domain stuff better than the pretty garbage tier Trickery archetype itself). There are some people who like war in multiclass builds though I feel it's weak solo

Grave is somewhat good since you can use spare the dying a bonus action on allies and when you heal them from 0 you do it with the maximum amount of healing possible with said spell.

>Could you share details about list of level restricted feats?
Not the full list, but among others:
>Master feats requires level 8
Great weapon master/polearm Master or something, as well as sharpshooter etc.
>expert feats require level 4
Crossbow expert and spell sniper along with a few other of that calibre. I think shield master falls under here as well.

I cant remember the list exactly - I rarely use feats, and then usually as pure flavour (Magic Initiate for an Eldritch Knight, Actor for Rogue infiltrator, etc. ) so it rarely matters to me.

Forge.

>ok now where's every undead for a mile

Too bad it's torture for the DM

What's so good about forge, and does it work with a dex build?

>dming curse of strahd
>"where are all the undead in a mile radius?"
Everywhere, it's Barovia. Fuck you. You're an undead too.

Thanks. I am considering limiting feats in similar fashion in my next game, so i was looking out of ideas.

forge has got great offense, defense, and excellent utility.
Is it good for a dex build? Oh fuck no.

>Everywhere, it's Barovia. Fuck you. You're an undead too.
I would have done the same thing. Undead above you, below you, that tree over there pings as undead, the mist, that's undead, your rations are undead.

How would you lot run Curse of Strahd if the setting that the players are being pulled from into Strahd's realm is already fairly Victorian/Gothic inspired?

Light or Tempest

Is there anyway to increase the maximun spell slot?

Multiclassing

really freak them out, make everything bright, colorful, and cheerful. Make it twilight zone creepy.

This sounds breddy good actually

OK but as a warlock will the spell be boosted up the the level restrictions?

Forever DM, want to play a necromancer that loves what they do and carries the animated skeleton of his child around in a casket. I barely get to play, and the actual corpse-raising isn't available til a handful of levels in, so it's gonna be a while.

You know what gets on my pet peeves? Players who don't change their voices, intonation or mannerisms when in character. Like is this person literally just you with pointy ears and a warhammer?

Dude, I had this already in my mind and then I saw your post. Land of the Living from Grim Fandango gives the best kind of creepy/twilight zone feel

Holy shit, this. I just want to play a necromancer that fits the stereotype in a world of snowflakes. "But it's for the greater good!!!", "I only raise corpses that give me consent!!!". Whatever happened to good old-fashioned world domination through the medium of undead hordes?

Don't. Run a Feywild adventure instead, it's creepy and cheerful at the same time.

My showerthought for the day: I can go longer without sex than I can without d&d

Good thing I have a session starting in 2 hours!

>Played a gruff, chain smoking pirate, and did the voice with that in mind
>Threw my voice out the second game

So I made an Arcane Focus roll table for this Harry Potter esque campaign I ran. Went with the "wand chooses its wizard" idea so I wanted to have plenty of unique choices until we got a good focus for each character. Its not perfect but I though you guys might get some use out of it.

Be warned, it is Harry Potter 'inspired' so...there's that. Not so much that it isn't viable for normal play but I felt I should warn you.

Cheers

I really want to play one that wants to be left alone, but adventurers keep coming to kill him, so he's forced into taking over the world via undead hordes of slain adventurers. That or play a Necromancer just to have waves of skelly bros weaken the enemy before I show up to mop up.

Honestly, that sounds pretty great. Although I don't think I'd be the GM for that.
My strengths lie in my base of Dark Heresy and Hunter: The Vigil, I've never been very good at turning things on their head like that.

This sounds good too, but I doubt my imagination up to the task of completely redoing the module into such a different form.

I just want to play a warforged man, but nobody lets me

>I've never been very good at turning things on their head like that.
just have all the soulless Barovians unreasonably cheerful about all things. Unshakably polite. Those Barovians with souls, you can see the terror behind their smiles, the fear that if they let their facade waver for even a moment, horrible divine retribution will be upon them.

This will actually play well into several plot points, such as the hag cookies and the Baron of Vallaki

You, sir, sicken me to my very core

What would I do with important characters like Strahd, Izek, Lysaga?
Characters whose demeanor being somewhat unreasonably negative is an important point?

if you want to be a walking fortress, forge.

Would Oath of Vengeance fit a Paladin of Gruumsh or Ilneval?

>Hm, I wonder who that could be knocking at this late hour?
>NOT ANOTHER FUCKING ADVENTURER
>THAT'S NOT LOOT! IT'S A FAMILY HEIRLOOM!
WHAT THE HELL DID THOSE ZOMBIES EVER DO TO YOU?
>DON'T GO DOWN THERE, IT'S WHERE I KEEP MY EXPERIMENTAL SPIKE TRA-
>...
>Screw it. Grab your best femur Mr Bones, the world needs ending prematurely

>Playing Lizardman Barbarian right now
>Dat Biting
>Dat Hold Breath
>Dat Nat Armor

Your group dun goofed. If you play 5e again, you must be a Lizard Barb.

>Hold breath
Y_tho.jpeg

Yes. Pretty much exactly that. He just wanted eternal life so he could read ALL the books, travel ALL the world, and be a chill dude. But no, adventurers always muck about.

> the rest of the party are his generals in his army that he gave free will for shits and giggles.

Strahd is overcome with grief, so much so that he does not tolerate the grief of others, any sign of unhappiness is a reminder of his own unhappiness. Remember that Strahd is the master of Barovia and everything must bend to his will.
Izek is soulless and incapable of sadness or remorse. He will happily seek out "dissidents" and murder them for not being "happy" enough
Lysaga's traits also fit well into this, I mean, hell: "Baba Lysaga's unhealthy attachment to the baby Strahd did not go unnoticed. After she received several disturbing reports, Queen Ravenovia was forced to banish the midwife from the kingdom. Lysaga never saw Strahd again, but she has succeeded in staying alive to witness the triumphs of her beloved boy, who, in her mind, is eternally blessed. Despite the horrors Strahd has wrought, Lysaga still envisions him as the perfect child she delivered into the world. Strahd is the only thing in her life that matters to her."

In the filth-ridden depths of her heart, Lysaga knows that Strahd would never accept her as his true mother, nor could she bear his rejection. As a result, she has never confronted him. She would rather exist in perpetual denial, whiling away the days, months, and years practicing fell magic and looking for ways to help her "son." that all fits the theme quite nicely

What? Why? It's not like I was actually smoking at the table

My best player was a Necromancer in my first campaign. I let him use the Necromancer spellbooks from the DMs Guild, and he came up with some truly brilliant tactics. Makes me wanna play one...

>Y_tho.jpeg
so you can be a true ambush predator.

>playing barb lizardman
>brawny and tavern brawler
>flavored to be bigger than normal
>going around grappling and throwing niggas all over the place
>pick up a cart and throw it at the bandits
I'll probably end up being useless as we level up but for now this shit is mad fun

Naval campaign. Useful when island-hopping.

Autists can't do any of that.

Hmm, I guess that whole theme would fit really well with the whole malicious unhappiness thing in Vallaki.
I'll think on it, it seems like a nice twist, although I'm still drawn to your usual Gothic Horror tones and themes.

Autists totally can, actually.
It's called "trying harder". Trust me on this.

It would have been better if you were! Did you even think to bring a parrot?

>change their voices, intonation or mannerisms when in character
Cringe

>is this person literally just you with pointy ears and a warhammer?
Yes

I always use Barbarians as the "mobility DPS". Max ranks in swim, climb, jump, etc., just to get him to any fight. Almost always pure STR/CON build, and only good in a fight. Social interaction? Probably going to mess it up to no end, but he'll have a shit ton of fun doing it. Normally derpy and good natured until combat happens. Except the one time I made a Frenzied Berserker. The party literally wheeled him around like Hannibal Lector because they didn't want to risk him opening them up like a fish with his dual axes. Shit was fun as fuck to explain why they keep this dude chained up and no weapons within 10' of him.

> They got ambushed on a road once and he crit a STR check to bust out of his chains and go frenzy mode. Shit terrified the party so much that as soon as he calmed down from the rage they put "hold person" on him like 90% of the time. Nice to be the Ace in the Hole sometimes, kek.

What the fuck is it with everyone believing OoV is a free reign oath to do whatever the fuck you want? Is it the name or people's inability to read the book and understand what they read?

I'd kick you first session tbqh

Well I'm trying to find something that fits, man, and none of the others do. Except Domination, but that's...

Talk to your DM about playing an oathbreaker, also a conquest can easily be made to fit that idea.

it is 100% this line "By Any Means Necessary. My qualms can't get in the way of exterminating my foes."

Been pretty out of loop for a few weeks. How's ToA then?

...

That's what I've thought but the other points all talk about a sworn enemy, those are your foes. Only your sworn foes can receive that treatment other wise you act like a Paladin

>The Oath of Vengeance is a solemn commitment to punish those who have committed a grievous sin.
First line of the OoV. OoV Paladins have greater reign over how they smite evil, but the oath isn't an excuse to be evil or do evil things let alone serving an evil god.

Whats a good underdark refluff for the barbarian bear totem?

Bulete, Umber Hulk

>That's what I've thought but the other points all talk about a sworn enemy, those are your foes. Only your sworn foes can receive that treatment other wise you act like a Paladin
yeah but retards use that line to supersede the other lines

>First line of the OoV. OoV Paladins have greater reign over how they smite evil, but the oath isn't an excuse to be evil or do evil things let alone serving an evil god
I'm not saying they are right, I'm saying that is WHY people think it. They get to that line and think "Sweet! I can do whatever I want!"

I've been writing a rules supplement I'm looking for feedback on, and suggestions for what you guys might like to see in it.

At the moment I'm calling them "Paragon Mantles," and they're inspired by 4e's Paragon Paths and Themes, and Pathfinder's Mythic Levels. They give a flavorful and thematic edge to player ability that strengthens a player character substantively without pushing you too far past expectations with its early features, though there will also be suggestions to take it to the point where you're fully prying the game apart with a crowbar if that's the sort of thing you want to do--and who doesn't want to do that from time to time?

The 'default' is that they're keyed off of your "Tier of Play" as they're outlined in the PHB and DMG, so you pick one at first level and gain another cluster of specialty at levels 5, 11, and 17. There will be variable options to customize how powerful they are and how your table uses them, such as by slowing mantle adoption (picking one at 5th level instead of 1st, for example), slowing growth rate, limiting the tier the players can reach, or making advancement key off of milestone events or achievements--they attempt a truly heroic act or pass through a crucible and come out of it having realized some strength they never even knew they had.

At the moment I've finished "Archmage" (attached) and mostly finished "Paragon of Strength" (which I'll attach in a reply) aside from refining the language a bit. It's cumbersome. It could do with a little fat-trimming.
Other mantles I'm putting together are Marked, for things like dragonmarks, runic tattoos, or some of the star-marked warlock concepts that were in 4e; Divine Champion; Warlord; Spymaster; and Legendary Marksman.

They have prerequisites that are meant to be broad, but I'm considering just cutting them and stressing that, like everything else about mantles, it's per GM allowance.

I hope kenders come back, mainly because they can be used as target practice.

Why not just use kobolds or goblins in their place?

Both Warlord and Spymaster will have a bit of the "Authority as a Class Feature" bent to it that Fighters and Thieves had in AD&D, probably at Tier III.

we need kender so we can have three different point values:
1 for Kobold
3 for Goblin
5 for Kender

Use Halflings or Gnomes

the gnomes and kobolds end up fighting each other and ruining the sport.

I just read an article about traps from The Angry GM.

If you can suffer through his verbosity, he makes some interesting point about traps. He suggests a "click" technique where a DM asks a player "What do you do?" when they have somehow activated a trap. Then they can jump/roll/whatever and, depending on the trap, either help or hurt themselves.

I might try it tomorrow when I'm running a one-shot for some players. It always did seem underwhelming to me that traps are either impossible for the players to anticipate and ultimately are just random damage, or else found by perception checks and easily dismantled or avoided. I feel like traps are an essential part of dungeons, and have more potential than combat (see Tomb of Horrors), but it has to be done right.

How do you guys handle traps?

I think D&D streams carry some potential, and I'd be interested in seeing a group play Tomb of Annihilation, but goddamn me if every group doesn't have a bunch of annoying nu-males and SJW-template females with weird-colored hair and all that dumb shit. It's horrid for me to watch. Why are girls so unfunny?

Lots of jungles, monsters, and random encounters.

Let me guess, you got triggered watching the D&D channel game of ToA because there's a trans playing;

No, I haven't watched that but I'd be interested if the stream is worth watching. Do you have a link? I haven't found anything that seems worth the time, but I suppose ToA is still quite new.

The thought of seeing a stream where an entire table of fa/tg/uys playing D&D (or any other game) is hilarious.

Kind of reminds me of the premise of We Happy Few. Sure the game had its flaws, but the whole creepy happy vibe was certainly a selling point. youtube.com/watch?v=rp0M5Y6JMbQ
I'd imagine the creepily happy Barovians referring to Strahd like a sort of watchful family member rather than a tyrant in these circumstances.
>"If Uncle Strahd is happy, we are happy."
>"If someone is unhappy, then Uncle Strahd is unhappy."
>"If Uncle Strahd is unhappy then NOBODY is happy."

I don't get what the aim is desu, other than to break the game

every episode is 10 minutes of playing 190 minutes of rules arguing and cheeto-induced rage.

D&D channel Roll20 game: youtube.com/watch?v=YkWb7wQMiQU

Dice, Camera, Action with Chris Perkins, the lead writer of the adventure: youtube.com/watch?v=TWS-WqYkELg

Encounter Roleplay, british channel with some great players: youtube.com/watch?v=RwRwVP-_Cio

>yfw in the most popular D&D stream, none of the women are SJWs, making jokes about consensually going inside monsters, and of the men, maybe one could be counted as whatever the fuck a nu-male is supposed to be

Thanks dude, I'll check 'em out.

>Dice, Camera, Action
Do the two on the left do stuff? I feel like I've seen those names before.

Well, they are both youtubers.

Ah. Makes sense.

To add another layer of player choice, to add a different sort of dial for GMs to adjust to steer player ability and campaign concepts, and more importantly to give something to build off of to allow for more in the vein of legendary exploits you see in myth. Magnify more usual/baked-in character concepts to make them larger than life, that sort of thing.

All of them but I'm particularly partial to Protection.