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DressCodeBlue posted:Do y'all have any tips, guidance, and/or resources on encounter building with the presence of friendly NPCs? My players are coming up against a dragon fight that's been built up for months and have expressed interest in directly controlling the allies they've recruited. The dragon is established as having a ton of minions and I want this to be a tough-but-not-impossible battle. If they're going directly into the dragon lair, as well as what's been suggested about having the NPCs fight the minions off to the side, consider if during the assault on the dragon it might make sense to peel the NPCs off to handle things. Like, say it's a red dragon's lair, as the players are fighting/sneaking their way in, they find a mechanism by which the dragon's main chamber can be flooded with lava, which will kill the PCs if activated. NPCs can then volunteer to defend the lava gate while the PCs proceed to the dragon. If you have a bunch of these it might proceed in different ways; maybe as the fight is drawing to a close, the lava starts pouring in...
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May 27, 2020 17:01
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The next adventure my group is going on will be to retrieve a powerful soothsaying stone ring thing (that's highly compulsive) from a drow priestess while fighting off a competing adventuring party. I caught a couple of episodes of that Demon Slayer anime and wanted to steal the idea of the priestess using spider strings to control corpses/unfortunate adventurers to attack them, culminating in a fight with a hydra "puppet"... but how should I deal with players just attacking the strings? Give them an AC of 20 like an Ioun stone because they'd be pretty hard to actually hit in the heat of combat? Seems like an easy way to cheese the encounters.
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May 27, 2020 17:44
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You can sever a string pretty easily with an attack -- they're easy to hit (just swing your weapon through a fairly wide area) and have little HP. I wouldn't even bother with rolling for melee attacks so long as the player can get to the right area; ranged is a different matter. Severing a string reduces the abilities of the puppet -- losing attacks, speed, etc. There's multiple strings per puppet, though, so you can't just one-shot the puppets by going for the strings. But the severed string remains useful to the priestess even after it's been severed -- she can attempt to grapple players with it and turn their own limbs against them. Severing the string a second time (after it's connected to something -- you can't attack it if it's not in use, because the priestess retracts it) will destroy it completely. At that point you've spent two actions on the string, which seems more than fair to me for the advantage you've gotten. The hydra's strings are harder to reach, and there's one for each head, but the same principle applies. The priestess can make a DEX save vs. AOE damage to protect the strings. Success preserves them, failure damages some of them depending on how much damage is dealt. You might give her a lair action to regrow damaged strings, depending on how things go.
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May 27, 2020 17:57
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TooMuchAbstraction posted:You can sever a string pretty easily with an attack -- they're easy to hit (just swing your weapon through a fairly wide area) and have little HP. I wouldn't even bother with rolling for melee attacks so long as the player can get to the right area; ranged is a different matter. Severing a string reduces the abilities of the puppet -- losing attacks, speed, etc. There's multiple strings per puppet, though, so you can't just one-shot the puppets by going for the strings. I think I'll go with this, thanks!
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May 27, 2020 19:25
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Athanatos posted:It's also important to have some encounters they just absolutely destroy. Give them a easy win that makes them feel powerful as hell sometimes. Not every fight has to be some perfectly balanced and tense. I don't necessarily agree that there should be "easy" fights, just "challenging" and "more challenging." There's enough in just about any edition of D&D that turns out to be easier to deal with than it's rated that a DM doesn't need to intentionally add more. That and if for some reason the level 15 wizard has to handle an army of goblins or something, I would rather deal with that narratively/abstractly than go through the trouble of rolling initiative for a bunch of sacrificial lambs.
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May 27, 2020 19:25
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Running lmop. A player has a backstory about their former guard regiment getting wrecked by a mindflayer. Since there's no reason Nezznar has to be what he is, I was thinking of changing him to a wounded flayer with some intellect devourers. Any thoughts on how to keep this doable for a squad of new level 5s?
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May 27, 2020 20:00
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Nehru the Damaja posted:Running lmop. A player has a backstory about their former guard regiment getting wrecked by a mindflayer. Have them find some item that gives them advantage on intelligence saves 
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May 27, 2020 20:02
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Makes sense. I figure Nezznar himself is just reskinned and has some non spider things going rather than being an actual mindflayer stat sheet. Maybe cranium rats instead of intellect devourers. The other thought I had was having him possessed by the fungus in the cave and make the whole thing a weird fungoid fight.
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May 27, 2020 20:25
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For ability score increases - if you have two primary abilities which are odd, is it better to boost each by one for the mod increase, or to boost the primary damage attribute by two to try and max that one out sooner? As an example, I'm thinking of a Halfling Wizard (yes, I'm thinking of a lot of characters, I'd like to have several possible options to go into a party configuration). Which direction is best to go for the following stat lines? (Halfling: DEX +2, Stout: CON + 1) 1) Higher DEX STR: 8 DEX: 17 (15+2) CON: 14 (13+1) INT: 15 WIS: 12 CHA: 8 At level 4, I'd increase DEX to 18 to have a +4 mod and increase my armor class by 1 and INT to 16 to have a +3 mod. 2) Higher CON STR: 8 DEX: 16 (14+2) CON: 15 (14+1) INT: 15 WIS: 12 CHA: 8 At level 4, I'd increase INT to 17 to have a +3 mod. 3) Higher WIS STR: 8 DEX: 15 (13+2) CON: 14 (13+1) INT: 15 WIS: 14 CHA: 9 At level 4, I'd increase INT to 17 to have a +3 mod. The extra point into CHA doesn't do anything much, but it's the only place I can put the last point.
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May 27, 2020 20:37
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Are you planning on taking any half-score feats? If no, then this is your best allocation:  Then take +2 INT for your first 2 ASIs.
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May 27, 2020 20:45
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Toshimo posted:Are you planning on taking any half-score feats? No half-score feats immediately for this character, the only ones which raise INT are ones I'm more interested in using on other characters. The only half-score feat which came to mind was Resilient (Dexterity) to get the proficiency in DEX saves to go with my already high DEX, but even that would be something I'd take late or not at all. (And I suppose most people would say to take Resilient (Constitution) instead.) I hadn't really considered going 14 int. I suppose there's no difference between 14 and 15. My character's backstory before being taken in as an wizard's apprentice had them as a gardener, and being told things like "Wizardry isn't a proper sort of profession for Halflings" by his fellow Halflings, so not having high INT does fit. It's just that there's something about starting with the primary stat as only third-highest that feels a little wrong. But mechanics-wise, it probably does make sense. He's definitely more than a little bit of a coward, so having high CON and DEX and specializing in Abjuration will probably give a semi-decent effective HP pool. The real question then would be if +1 HP per level starting from level 1 or +1 AC starting from level 4 would be better for survival. ...Nope, that isn't even a question at all. Higher AC means more attacks will miss and therefore do no damage at all. nelson posted:The only thing that matters is the modifier. Two +1s is better than one +1. That was my first instinct as well. Stabbey_the_Clown fucked around with this message at 21:56 on May 27, 2020 |
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May 27, 2020 21:19
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Stabbey_the_Clown posted:For ability score increases - if you have two primary abilities which are odd, is it better to boost each by one for the mod increase, or to boost the primary damage attribute by two to try and max that one out sooner? The only thing that matters is the modifier. Two +1s is better than one +1.
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May 27, 2020 21:22
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So far as I'm aware, the only reasons to have an odd score in a stat are a) if you plan to take a feat for that stat, or b) if you have two odd scores that you plan to both boost to even by splitting your ASI. If neither of those apply, you may as well drop down to the even number below it to save yourself points during character generation.
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May 27, 2020 21:23
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Toshimo posted:Are you planning on taking any half-score feats? What is that little app / website?
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May 27, 2020 23:07
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Syrinxx posted:What is that little app / website? http://chicken-dinner.com/5e/5e-point-buy.html
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May 27, 2020 23:08
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I'm playing a pact of the chain warlock and my DM let me take a hell hound as my new familiar with a once a day breath weapon. Very nice and it was more of putting the soul of my familiar into a new container, allowing for possible upgrades later. It would be cool if she could attack and I could also attack on the same turn, or if I could cast spells through her though
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May 28, 2020 06:12
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RC Cola posted:I'm playing a pact of the chain warlock and my DM let me take a hell hound as my new familiar with a once a day breath weapon. Very nice and it was more of putting the soul of my familiar into a new container, allowing for possible upgrades later. Ask about the UA, or ask to use the same feature that the artificer has with their pet. quote:In combat, the steel defender shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take one of the actions in its stat block or the Dash, Disengage, Help, Hide, or Search action. The UA one is quote:Chain Master's Fury also adds quote:Investment of the Chain Master I would probably move the 9th level requirement down to like 5 or remove it all together. But Ask the DM.
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May 28, 2020 08:36
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Dexo posted:Ask about the UA, or ask to use the same feature that the artificer has with their pet. Thank you for this! I didn't know this was a thing, I just sent it to my DM. Hopefully he lets me do it. I'm flavoring my familiar as my dead dog's soul. I made my pact to bring my dog back. Also she now looks like a Growlithe when not in combat, and a Houndor when in combat. I love playing make believe.
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May 28, 2020 17:59
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I've got this Gloom Stalker who's about to hit level 5, and that's kind of the level at which (in my opinion) the ranger class stops really... giving out goodies pretty much entirely. I'm thinking about going fighter to get action surge while staying a capable skirmisher/frontliner, but I'm not really sure just yet. Characterwise, the martial direction (fighter/rogue/barbarian??) are the best fit, but a foray into magic could be neat as well. Am I a fool for not considering the hexblade's added utility? Is there any other class anyone really wants to sell me on?
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May 28, 2020 18:10
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please knock Mom! posted:I've got this Gloom Stalker who's about to hit level 5, and that's kind of the level at which (in my opinion) the ranger class stops really... giving out goodies pretty much entirely. I'm thinking about going fighter to get action surge while staying a capable skirmisher/frontliner, but I'm not really sure just yet. Characterwise, the martial direction (fighter/rogue/barbarian??) are the best fit, but a foray into magic could be neat as well. Am I a fool for not considering the hexblade's added utility? Is there any other class anyone really wants to sell me on? cleric out of ranger 5 is a good multiclass because cleric gets that immediate rush of power at level 1 and you get big spells at the endgame so you never really fall off or stop being relevant, plus cleric spells are just good. the attributes are going to be nice as wel
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May 28, 2020 19:47
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Anyone know a source of good random encounters for when a group is camping in the wilderness? I'm ideally looking for not just combat, but the occasional weird moment, etc.
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May 28, 2020 21:43
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Nehru the Damaja posted:Anyone know a source of good random encounters for when a group is camping in the wilderness? I'm ideally looking for not just combat, but the occasional weird moment, etc. Have an NPC tell a ghost story, and then tell the player's they heard something in the woods, just like in said ghost story.
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May 28, 2020 22:00
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Ranger does get some cool-rear end spells later, like Swiftquiver
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May 28, 2020 22:31
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pog boyfriend posted:cleric out of ranger 5 is a good multiclass because cleric gets that immediate rush of power at level 1 and you get big spells at the endgame so you never really fall off or stop being relevant, plus cleric spells are just good. the attributes are going to be nice as wel Thanks, definitely keeping cleric in mind. Frankly, cleric 5 would have been good from the get-go (lizardfolk get the wisdom anyway) but I wanted to play a gloom stalker. No. 1 Apartheid Fan posted:Ranger does get some cool-rear end spells later, like Swiftquiver Melee, so the class really stops doing much after 5 for me. Compared to multiclassing at least (action surge, cleric spells, hell I even considered going spore druid for the spells and chunk of temp HP). I considered spore druid/death cleric for another build, a melee minion master necromancer who leads from the front, but that's not really feasible in the system as things are now. Orange DeviI fucked around with this message at 22:48 on May 28, 2020 |
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May 28, 2020 22:46
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please knock Mom! posted:I've got this Gloom Stalker who's about to hit level 5, and that's kind of the level at which (in my opinion) the ranger class stops really... giving out goodies pretty much entirely. I'm thinking about going fighter to get action surge while staying a capable skirmisher/frontliner, but I'm not really sure just yet. Characterwise, the martial direction (fighter/rogue/barbarian??) are the best fit, but a foray into magic could be neat as well. Am I a fool for not considering the hexblade's added utility? Is there any other class anyone really wants to sell me on? Hexblade only has utility if you are a Charisma character, since it lets you basically single-ability. Since you're already committed either Str/Dex with Wis secondary it doesn't do anything for you. Fighter is a decent idea and is just basically +#s, could also dip both Fighter and Rogue. Cleric if you want to spellcast. I can possibly sell you on Monk if you've gone Dex/Wis already, because your Flurry of Blows triggers Hunter's Mark and is a fairly low-hanging fruit for adding an attack to your blender. Note Monk entirely replaces the benefits of TWF Style so if you've committed to that already then Fighter or Rogue might make more sense. 5 to 8 levels of some flavor of Monk, slight downside is you're wasting the Extra Attack feature come Level 5 but you still want Stunning Strike, I can see arguments to stopping at all of the levels from 5-8. If I was making this character from ground up I'd probably only do 4 levels of Ranger since you'll get your extra attack from Monk but that sounds like a Monk-first build while leveling.
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May 28, 2020 23:41
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I'm stuck with Str just because I strongly prefer the idea of using big weapons as a gloom stalker with the extra attacks (and polearm master sounds amazing). I know it's probably the worst choice ever on a ranger, but I think that dipping cleric/fighter afterwards might at least salvage it a little by allowing the usage of heavy armor? Which, you know, kind of ruins the entire sneaking around aspect of the gloom stalker, but whatever. If the fighter had any archetypes as cool and interesting as the gloom stalker I wouldn't be struggling like this, that's all I'm gonna say.
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May 29, 2020 00:01
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please knock Mom! posted:I'm stuck with Str just because I strongly prefer the idea of using big weapons as a gloom stalker with the extra attacks (and polearm master sounds amazing). I know it's probably the worst choice ever on a ranger, but I think that dipping cleric/fighter afterwards might at least salvage it a little by allowing the usage of heavy armor? Which, you know, kind of ruins the entire sneaking around aspect of the gloom stalker, but whatever. This sounds like a job for Echo Knight. I think the echoes even help with Dread Ambush.
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May 29, 2020 01:22
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Destrado posted:This sounds like a job for Echo Knight. I think the echoes even help with Dread Ambush. Holy poo poo, thank you. I completely forgot about the echo knight. I'm going gloom stalker/echo knight maybe, that sounds amazing. Battlemaster is good, but the mobility here is neat. Plus I can probably reflavor the echo as being animated lizard shedding. Orange DeviI fucked around with this message at 02:14 on May 29, 2020 |
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May 29, 2020 02:10
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The one problem is simply multiclassing Fighter doesn't get you heavy armor, since multiclassing in 5e awards reduced proficiencies. A 1-level dip of certain Cleric domains could do it, but otherwise if you mainline Fighter you'll have to spend one of the Fighter ASIs for proficiency.
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May 29, 2020 04:34
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Eh, lizards get 13+dex AC, I think I値l just stick to medium armor and figure out whether heavy armor is even worth it if this campaign survives. Having no disadvantage on stealth is useful so far.
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May 29, 2020 05:19
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please knock Mom! posted:Eh, lizards get 13+dex AC, I think I値l just stick to medium armor and figure out whether heavy armor is even worth it if this campaign survives. Having no disadvantage on stealth is useful so far. Eh, stealth disadvantage for a ranger isn't too bad if you prep Pass Without Trace, which you should have access to at level 5 already. I played a strength ranger in a one-off and that +10 handily let me sneak around without an issue.
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May 29, 2020 13:46
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True, and my wisdom sucks anyway (comparatively) so those no-save spells are all I have. I should've gone fighter 5 gloom stalker 3.
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May 29, 2020 18:59
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An Echo Knight with Polearm Master and Hunter's Mark is going to absolutely blend people with 4 attacks and bonus damage. I would look for ways to add more flat damage or damage rolls to these attacks and just specialize in being the best blender you can be.
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May 29, 2020 19:32
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My group has a couple weeks before our next campaign starts so I volunteered to show them one of the worst dungeons ever made: tomb of horrors. Two of the players want to be surprised with the characters they値l play so everyone give me your silliest character ideas.
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May 29, 2020 22:28
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Mr. Humalong posted:My group has a couple weeks before our next campaign starts so I volunteered to show them one of the worst dungeons ever made: tomb of horrors. Two of the players want to be surprised with the characters they’ll play so everyone give me your silliest character ideas. Kobold warlock with mask of many faces who is always disguised as a halfling to live amongst the more common races
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May 29, 2020 22:56
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Mr. Humalong posted:My group has a couple weeks before our next campaign starts so I volunteered to show them one of the worst dungeons ever made: tomb of horrors. Two of the players want to be surprised with the characters they値l play so everyone give me your silliest character ideas. Swarmkeeper ranger warforged with a beehive in their chest change my name fucked around with this message at 23:07 on May 29, 2020 |
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May 29, 2020 23:01
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A sorcerer that is absolutely convinced they're a cleric of Mystra. Low wisdom score, but thinks they're wise because that's what they were taught and is always expected when they tell people they're a cleric. Always misreading situations, people and making the wrong decisions but absolutely convinced they're right and, because of their high charisma score, they can constantly convince those around them to trust their judgment, leading to shenanigans. They insist on prayers and rituals in the name of Mystra before they do their magic, never realizing it's coming from their own abilities instead of being bestowed from above. They don't really keep track of their spell slots, instead when they try to cast a spell without a spell slot and it doesn't work they become downtrodden, convinced Mystra has abandoned them, or they lost her favor somehow until they get the opportunity (during a long rest) to pray for forgiveness or whatever. drat, now I want to play this character myself when I get the chance. I'm definitely making this an NPC in my current campaign.
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May 29, 2020 23:06
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All three of those are beautiful and definitely better than my idea of a dwarf construction worker who carries around and throws a bunch of tools and construction materials in combat And insists on repairing anything the party destroys before they leave
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May 30, 2020 00:33
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Mr. Humalong posted:Two of the players want to be surprised with the characters they値l play so everyone give me your silliest character ideas. tortle fighter with tavern brawler that you give a bunch of random musical instruments to and stat them up like regular weapons but are improvised, the tortle introduces himself as a "one of a kind bard extraordinaire" to everyone including monsters before hitting them with a varied and wide arsenal of improvised weapons
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May 30, 2020 01:04
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pog boyfriend posted:tortle fighter with tavern brawler that you give a bunch of random musical instruments to and stat them up like regular weapons but are improvised, the tortle introduces himself as a "one of a kind bard extraordinaire" to everyone including monsters before hitting them with a varied and wide arsenal of improvised weapons Along similar lines, a warforged barbarian with a built-in fotoplayer that makes silly cartoon sound effects every time they attack (with whooshes, dings, splats, etc. as appropriate).
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May 30, 2020 01:13
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