|
Schadenboner posted:Are the PHB/DMG/MM still worth it or is there talk of 5.5? WoTC just released updated Dragonborn unearthed arcanas but from what people keep hammering home in this thread, there's no reason they'd release a new edition anytime soon. Though, you can totally run a full campaign without the DMG, it was the only book I left out when I started. There's some stuff on items and gods etc but it's not necessary.
|
#
?
May 21, 2021 16:56
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 5, 2024 00:09 |
|
|
Schadenboner posted:Are the PHB/DMG/MM still worth it or is there talk of 5.5? 5.5 is unlikely to happen. 6 will probably be next, but they are like... at least 5 years from that happening.
|
|
#
?
May 21, 2021 17:12
|
|
|
Toshimo posted:5.5 is unlikely to happen. 6 will probably be next, but they are like... at least 5 years from that happening. I think we'll see something, either revised core rulebooks or a new edition, to go with the release of the movie, if that copyright notice is right. That's still 2023, plenty of time.
|
|
#
?
May 21, 2021 17:28
|
|
|
Toshimo posted:5.5 is unlikely to happen. 6 will probably be next, but they are like... at least 5 years from that happening. I'd put money on 6E announcement or a 5.5 type release in 2024 for the 50th Anniversary. If we're lucky, it'll be as rushed as Shadowrun 6th.
|
|
#
?
May 21, 2021 17:56
|
|
|
Arivia posted:i saw the jeremy irons one in theatres, made my whole family go with me, then got the DVD at Christmas Seems like a pretty great low-level troll on their part, tbh?
|
|
#
?
May 21, 2021 20:21
|
|
|
Devorum posted:Holy poo poo I've been trying to remember the name of this series for nearly 30 years. You didn't miss much. It didn't get better.
|
|
#
?
May 21, 2021 20:26
|
|
|
We're almost done with Lost Mines and about to roll into Storm King's Thunder, but the only problem is that while I like my bard, that class isn't really meshing with my playstyle. So I want to swap but can't decide which character to switch to. The options are: - Half-elf/human/custom lineage old woman, a refined criminal who plays at being sweet but is secretly running blackmail schemes back at home. Would be a black dragon sorcerer with a heavy emphasis on changing spell types to acid - Or, the half-orc astral self monk I mentioned earlier who was secretly sired by an oni and wants to travel the world and beat the poo poo out of ogres and giants with her bare fists The rest of the party contains a forest circle druid, fiend warlock, and samurai fighter, so we're pretty evenly balanced no matter what I choose.
|
|
#
?
May 22, 2021 02:36
|
|
|
change my name posted:We're almost done with Lost Mines and about to roll into Storm King's Thunder, but the only problem is that while I like my bard, that class isn't really meshing with my playstyle. So I want to swap but can't decide which character to switch to. The first option would give you plenty of opportunities to do stuff the rest of your party is otherwise ill-equipped for; choosing a half-elf and an interesting background would net you a bunch of skill and tool proficiencies your party might not otherwise have, especially since there's no rogue and you're ditching the party's bard. I don't know much about druids but the warlock and samurai should have some social skills between them, which means you could focus on what skills would make you a great criminal conniver. OTOH being a human variant or custom lineage would mean you start with a feat and that means you could take the metamagic adept feat earlier, giving you extra sorcerer points for using the transmutation metamagic for those acid spell conversions.
|
|
#
?
May 22, 2021 04:30
|
|
|
Filthy Hans posted:I don't know much about druids Druids are kind of an odd full-caster that can do direct damage, battlefield control, buffing, and healing, but not typically as well as other full casters. They also get some very powerful but very niche spells. Call Lightning is great for big outdoor battles, for example, but can't even be used in smaller arenas. Moon druids are halfway decent melee characters, too. In short: it really depends on what kind of druid the player feels like being. I feel like "orcish monk" is a concept that appeals to me more than "little old lady dragon soul sorcerer", but that's just my personal distaste for sorcerers, I think.
|
|
#
?
May 22, 2021 04:40
|
|
|
Finally starting a Strahd campaign as a player, a lizardfolk necromancy wizard. Can’t wait to build the skeletal horde
|
|
#
?
May 22, 2021 12:32
|
|
|
How annoying is it that samurai abilities refresh on a long rest instead of a short rest like the Battlemaster? I played one for two sessions because I didn't notice and then as soon as I did my DM and I immediately agreed to let me switch because it was a timed campaign.
|
|
#
?
May 22, 2021 16:38
|
|
|
spider bethlehem posted:How annoying is it that samurai abilities refresh on a long rest instead of a short rest like the Battlemaster? I played one for two sessions because I didn't notice and then as soon as I did my DM and I immediately agreed to let me switch because it was a timed campaign. Only until level 10, then you get it every fight, rest or no rest. It's unfortunate that most games probably don't go to 10.
|
|
#
?
May 22, 2021 16:40
|
|
|
Lucas Archer posted:The oldest media I can think of, of "kids playing RPG transported to RPG world" is Joel Rosenberg's terrible Guardians of the Flame book series. I think that Andre Norton published a title in the late 70s ("Quag Keep" or a similar name) that had this premise. I don't recall it being a particularly good book, however.
|
|
#
?
May 22, 2021 23:38
|
|
|
Going back a few pages, I always have charm type spells leave the person with the memory of what they did and the feeling they had no control over their actions. Unless you can mind blank someone, they will know you charmed them and what they did In 2e game crows say in the flavor in the MM that they poke foes eyes out. So as DM I roll a 20 and a player losses an eye. I think I just gave him a general minus one to hit and plus one difficulty to proficiencies. He for sure hated it at first but it gave him something unique. Also he was a wizard so not as big of a penalty. In another 2e game a dragon surprised the party with a roar and dragon fear. Not fleeing, the thief thought it was a good idea to run up and stab the dragon in it's open mouth on the tongue. The thief rolls a natural one and I declare the dragon bite your hand off. So I didn't give any minus or any like that. This poor one handed thief had to go the rest of his adventure life not duel weilding, not holding a torch and dagger, having to stow said dagger to lock pick. Just having one hand was very painful but that friend still enjoyed being the "one handed bandit" for 10 levels or so In a 5e game a player wanted to be a runaway drow. We got to like level 7 and it never came up. But if a player wants a penalty, give it to them. And if players cant take a bit of hard ship, just have a druid come along a regenerate them a new hand or eye D&D as story can handle disabilities better than D&D as combat game
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2021 00:40
|
|
|
Pasha posted:I think that Andre Norton published a title in the late 70s ("Quag Keep" or a similar name) that had this premise. I don't recall it being a particularly good book, however. It was the first officially licensed D&D novel though, set in an early version of Greyhawk and everything! Arivia fucked around with this message at 02:06 on May 23, 2021 |
|
#
?
May 23, 2021 02:03
|
|
|
Arivia posted:It was the first officially licensed D&D novel though, set in an early version of Greyhawk and everything! I did not realize that, that is kind of interesting. Maybe I should re-read the novel again ... I wonder how many of the "old school" science fiction/fantasy authors were big into rpgs ...
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2021 02:25
|
|
|
I just got some WizKid Warlock tiles and they look passable but take me forever to put together and I feel like I'm going to break them - by the time I was done putting a simple hallway with a couple of rooms together my thumbs were about to fall off. Is that normal or am I being a baby?
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2021 02:32
|
|
|
Pasha posted:I did not realize that, that is kind of interesting. Maybe I should re-read the novel again ... I wouldn't bother, even among the old-school greyhawk fans it's only interesting for archaeology reasons (since it predates the actual publishing of Greyhawk itself).
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2021 02:42
|
|
|
No Luck Needed posted:Going back a few pages, I always have charm type spells leave the person with the memory of what they did and the feeling they had no control over their actions. Unless you can mind blank someone, they will know you charmed them and what they did Yeah I mean I think it comes down to ensuring that players are able to control what their characters look and act like. You wouldn't arbitrarily decide that a player must take a class level, and forcing them to appear a certain way is even more fundamental than that.
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2021 03:29
|
|
|
Kaal posted:You wouldn't arbitrarily decide that a player must take a class level In a game a friend of mine ran, a player who thought he was very funny was playing a standard-build fighter, and once declared that his action would be to cast Eldritch Blast. The DM told him to roll it. He rolled a natural 20. "A voice that you somehow know only you can hear says, 'Okay!' Take a level of Warlock, right now." That player learned to stop tempting fate very quickly - as for harm to the player or character, he was never penalized for being a level 'ahead' and continued to receive milestone levels with everyone else. Campaign also ended well before 20, like virtually all campaigns, so no harm there.
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2021 05:58
|
|
|
Glimm posted:I just got some WizKid Warlock tiles and they look passable but take me forever to put together and I feel like I'm going to break them - by the time I was done putting a simple hallway with a couple of rooms together my thumbs were about to fall off. Is that normal or am I being a baby? The first version of the clips were incredibly stiff, so much so that they did a pack of EZ Warlock clips that were a lot less punishing to clip together.
|
|
#
?
May 23, 2021 14:09
|
|
|
I have a couple of questions about support software. 1. Is DungeonDraft solid/relatively easy to use? The last campaign I DMed featured functional but MS Paint-esque encounter maps in roll20, so if it's relatively easy to use, I think it'd be worth 20 bucks to have a massive increase in map quality. 2. Is Foundry VTT a major upgrade over roll20 if I don't own any roll20 sourcebooks or D&D Beyond sourcebooks? I'm enough of a D&D Luddite where I had plenty of things written down in a notebook just because it was easier to track during battles when I only had access to a single laptop screen, so if Foundry has a steep learning curve compared to roll20, I'm probably not going to want to deal with it.
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2021 00:20
|
|
|
Quixzlizx posted:I have a couple of questions about support software. I have DungeonDraft and WonderDraft and enjoy 'em both. Dungeondraft is relatively easy to use as far as I've experienced, and there's a bunch of youtube tutorials.
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2021 00:31
|
|
|
Quixzlizx posted:I have a couple of questions about support software. 2. So two answers. Yes, it's better, but it has a pretty steep learning curve. On both the player and GM side. It's easy once you get used to it but it might not be worth the financial and time investment. But imo the user interface and tools in Foundry for a one time 50 dollar fee(only the GM has to pay) is absurdly better than R20's paid service. But it sounds like you are pretty straightforward and simple with your requirements. Which means; No I would probably recommend staying with R20. Once my internet is back up tomorrow afternoon I can spin up a foundry instance for you to play around in if you want to try it out. Dexo fucked around with this message at 01:00 on May 24, 2021 |
|
#
?
May 24, 2021 00:57
|
|
|
Quixzlizx posted:I have a couple of questions about support software. dungeondraft is so easy to use that i made a map live in the middle of a session so that i would have a battlemap ready to go, and i had made and uploaded it before the fight started
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2021 02:21
|
|
|
Dungeondraft is very good. For maps, there's also Dungeon Scrawl, Dungeon Map Doodler and my favorite option, building the encounter around a free map I grabbed from https://www.reddit.com/r/battlemaps
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2021 11:15
|
|
|
I think I asked this before but didn't get any answers, are there any good 3rd party classes you'd recommend?
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2021 11:22
|
|
|
Azran posted:I think I asked this before but didn't get any answers, are there any good 3rd party classes you'd recommend? My group has been using Kibblestasty's Psion class in our current campaign, and I feel it's both reasonably well balanced and hits pretty much exactly how I feel psionics should work, as a sort of hybrid monk/warlock that combines a points system with invocations. They also have a Warlord class which I'd like one of my players to try since it seems really cool, but nobody was keen this campaign. I've also had someone playing as a Soul Binder, which I'm a bit more mixed on. It doesn't feel unbalanced, but I'm just not super into pet classes, and the player's choice of a Blood Demon as their companion has caused some RP weirdness that I have to expend additional brainpower as the DM to consider cause it's a guaranteed "freak the gently caress out" response any time it comes up, and I keep forgetting. Special mentions to the Commoner, which I think is the best comedy class but would never actually use in a campaign.
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2021 12:24
|
|
|
Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I think DungeonDraft is a no-brainer, at least. Dexo, thanks for the kind offer to look around in Foundry. I probably won't be available until later tonight, but I do have PMs.
|
|
#
?
May 24, 2021 13:35
|
|
|
A suggestion a player of my game has put to me is that Hiding Rogues should be allowed to step out of cover and remain hidden (despite being normally 'clearly seen'), and, if they pass an opposed Stealth v Perception (Specifically not Passive Perception) before an attack is made, they can attack with advantage against someone with melee (wherein they'd lose the Hiding status like normal). Their argument is that whilst not RAW, stealth archering is typically allowed, and not only is this more risky, but also stops rogues getting typecast into range sniping for sneak attack wherein an ally isn't adjacent. Is there anything that particularly gets mucked up if I went for something like this? It does slightly devalue the 'Search' action and the Swashbuckler's Sneak Attack on lone target feature,, but I do agree that it feels silly to allow people to do ranged sniping and potentially get sneak attack, and then not allow people to do the same thing but for melee.
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2021 00:40
|
|
|
SkySteak posted:A suggestion a player of my game has put to me is that Hiding Rogues should be allowed to step out of cover and remain hidden (despite being normally 'clearly seen'), and, if they pass an opposed Stealth v Perception (Specifically not Passive Perception) before an attack is made, they can attack with advantage against someone with melee (wherein they'd lose the Hiding status like normal). Their argument is that whilst not RAW, stealth archering is typically allowed, and not only is this more risky, but also stops rogues getting typecast into range sniping for sneak attack wherein an ally isn't adjacent. why not? to be hidden one needs to be able to hide, which means the rogue player is limited by their ability to find some sort of meaningful cover. then they have to move out to avoid being seen (you can even give disadvantage here if the situation is particularly open) and move in for a sneak attack. in this case, passive perception makes supreme sense as presenting a fixed DC for the player to overcome. it seems like an interesting gameplay loop for your rogue player if you can keep designing maps with that in mind. it may very well devalue the swashbuckler sneak attack on lone target feature to a small extent, so if you also have a swashbuckler in your game i advise against it. but otherwise it seems reasonable enough, gives you a lot of levers to control this extra feature, and will make your rogue have a better time. a cool thing you can do for your player is have them encounter some sort of thieves or assassins who have perfected a technique called "ghost walk" and they teach it to your rogue player and from there on out they can use this ability
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2021 01:15
|
|
|
This sounds like a double skill check to me, in that you first have the stealth check to hide successfully, then an additional check to sneak up on someone. It feels unnecessary, especially since rogues really need to be able to get their sneak attacks to be able to keep up with other martials. In a fight there's a lot going on, so it's easy to imagine that someone would lose track of the rogue once said rogue has hidden, unless that person is using their action to actively search for the rogue. So I don't see any problem with ruling it as "once you've hidden, you get sneak attack on your next attack, as long as that attack is made in the same turn that you come out of cover". Thus: hide on turn one, on turn two emerge from hiding and attack. But if it's hide on turn one, on turn two come out and stabilize a friend, then turn three attack, you don't get the sneak attack, because you broke cover for too long.
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2021 03:00
|
|
|
SkySteak posted:A suggestion a player of my game has put to me is that Hiding Rogues should be allowed to step out of cover and remain hidden (despite being normally 'clearly seen'), and, if they pass an opposed Stealth v Perception (Specifically not Passive Perception) before an attack is made, they can attack with advantage against someone with melee (wherein they'd lose the Hiding status like normal). Their argument is that whilst not RAW, stealth archering is typically allowed, and not only is this more risky, but also stops rogues getting typecast into range sniping for sneak attack wherein an ally isn't adjacent. I'm not sure if my DM would go for that, but if they DID I bet it would be from the perspective that turns are abstracted into sequential six second chunks but more "realistically" happening all at once. Getting the sneak attack off could represent lunging from cover in the split-second their back was turned mid-combat.
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2021 04:59
|
|
|
Tomb of Annihilation's recurring motif is a bit "yeah we get it you were really proud of this back in the day" but the punchline was hilarious. Mainly because I didn't fall for it a second before my brother was going to.
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2021 06:18
|
|
|
I dunno if people here may be interested, but can't hurt to post. Over on some other sites I'm writing up ways of integrating the Spheres of Power/Might books into various popular campaign settings. I'm doing official and third party, and as of this post have entries up for Forgotten Realms & Dragonlance. For the unknowing, there’s an OGL friendly online wiki! In between my Let’s Read projects I’ve been working on another. As a long-time fan of Spheres of Power, I really enjoy the converted version of 5th Edition. Much like the original system, it too is open-ended without being overpowered, with many options to emulate all kinds of character concepts. As many gamers are fond of using existing settings with their own peculiar foundations of magical law, power levels, and themes, I figured it’d be best to write on how Spheres of Power & Might can be best utilized in some of the more well-known ones. I’ll be covering both official and third party material. Each post has appropriate sections. Major Traditions covers the Casting and Martial Traditions most known and appropriate to the setting. Advanced/Legendary Talents illustrates if such talents are appropriate for the world, and which ones in certain cases. Technology Level is self-explanatory and discusses how certain choices in the Equipment and Tinkerer spheres may or may not be appropriate. New Rules & Subsystems covers a wide gamut of options indicative appropriate to the Sphere-ified setting. Finally, Popular Archetypes tells you how to best build certain concepts, classes, and character options iconic to the setting!  Forgotten Spheres: the Sphere System for Faerûn A land of meddling gods and high magic, the world of Toril is perhaps the best-known setting of Dungeons & Dragons. Technically many settings in one, this post primarily covers the continent of Faerûn, with suggestions for alternate eras. As of 5th Edition the continent has gone through many changes before settling back into a post-Spellplague pseudo-retcon. The world as a whole is thus not well-detailed beyond the Northern realms of the Sword Coast, Neverwinter, Silver Marches, and nearby regions. Major Traditions: Just about every martial and casting tradition can be found in the Realms, although the ones that lean towards a “high-tech” style such as Inventor and Machinist are mostly limited to the Island of Lantan and Gond’s priesthood. Those with Wild Magic (as both a drawback and Universal sphere package) became common after the Time of Troubles due to the study of damaged areas of the Weave. Such scholars learned how to exploit its otherwise unpredictable effects. Advanced/Legendary Talents: Faerûn is brimming with world-altering magic from innumerable fallen civilizations, god-gifted artifacts, and the knowledge of illithids, dragons, and other races of great power. Practically every Advanced and Legendary talent can be found in the Realms in some shape or form, with the higher-level ones being linked in some way to esoteric and powerful magical traditions such as Netherese arcana and Elven High Magic. Technology Level: The Realms remains at a pseudo-medieval/renaissance level of technology, with little in the way of gunpowder, steampower, and other “modern” innovations. While gunpowder exists, it doesn’t work as well as it does on Earth, so there’s little demand for its use. An alternative known as smokepowder is more popular and performs many of the same functions, albeit is magical and its circulation is more or less controlled by Gond’s faithful. Possessors of the Tinkerer sphere are often reflavored magitech priests of Gond, some forms of old Netherese magic, and gnomish artificers. Modern and Futuristic technology is so rare they may as well be treated as unique magic items unto their own.  New Rules & Subsystems The foundations of Toril that enable magic to work are known as the Weave, maintained by the Goddess of Magic. While its underpinnings and laws have changed over time (often with the release of a new D&D Edition), at its heart the Weave’s core rules have more or less been recognizable by mages regardless of era. Wild Magic: Certain areas where the Weave is damaged are known as Wild Magic Zones. All magic cast within gains a base chance of wild magic typically ranging from 10% to 50% depending on the overall strength of the zone’s discordance. Those with the Wild Magic Drawback add 10% to their chance, albeit those who have at least one Wild Magic talent gain advantage on any saving throws and impose disadvantage on any attack rolls from potentially hostile effects. Dead Magic Zones are rarer and deadlier, representing areas where the Weave has been torn asunder. The area is considered to be within a permanent Antimagic Field. For those rare few knowledgeable of the greatest secrets of Mystra’s church, this new Advanced Talent allows one to summon magic even where there is none. Initiate of Mystra (Metasphere) Prerequisite: Universal sphere, 5th level or higher. Augment 2 sp: You are capable of using magical sphere abilities even within a dead magic zone or an antimagic field. You must first roll a spellcasting ability check against the caster’s spell DC; in the case of dead magic zones, the DC typically ranges from 12 to 20 based on the age and scope of said zone. A successful result allows the sphere effect to function normally, but a failed result causes the consumables (spell points, material components, etc) to be wasted. Rune Magic: The Dwarven alphabet contains secret letters known only to a learned few divine casters. Practitioners of this magical discipline are known as runecasters, and are only ever found among the dwarven and giant races. In terms of rules, Rune Magic can be best reflected via the Runist Casting Tradition, but with Wisdom instead of Intelligence as the Key Ability. The Calligrapher’s Supplies tool proficiency can be replaced with others that make sense, such as Smith’s Tools for stone carving. The Glyph Metasphere talent is another necessary component, for it is how runecasters instill their magic into the world. While Diagram Magic and Marking Magic drawbacks may seem appropriate, in the original rules Rune Magic was a feat that allowed an alternative method of casting rather than a primary replacement, so runecasters by canon could still use magic normally like other divine casters. Circle Magic: The traditions of the Witches of Rashemen and Red Wizards of Thay make use of a collective ritual where auxiliary spellcasters enhance the power of a primary caster or ‘circle leader.’ With their efforts combined they can achieve feats impossible on an individual level. In 3rd Edition terms Circle Magic allowed the expenditure of spell slots to increase the circle leader’s Caster Level as well as the addition of metamagic feats for casting, taking up to an hour to cast. The closest approximation in the Spheres system is the use of the Flow and Knowledge manabound talents by circle members being used to channel Spell Points and talent capabilities to the circle leader. Spellfire: This incredibly rare talent is bestowed directly by Mystra to her Chosen and other individuals she feels can best further her aims. People cannot learn Spellfire, and to most mortals it appears to manifest ‘randomly’ as the ability to control and manipulate raw magic. Spellfire wielders do not have to be technical spellcasters, although it is commonly emulated as a Casting Tradition. The Dispel package of the Universal sphere with the Counterspell talent represents a Spellfire wielder’s ability to absorb incoming magic, with Greater Dispel on top of that to allow them to counter multiple magical assaults at once. Spellfire can be manifested offensively as a long-range fiery burst, best emulated as the Destruction Sphere with the Fire blast type and Ray blast shape talents. As it is long-range, the Reaching metasphere talent taken 3 times boosts the range from 30 to 300 feet. Last but not least, Spellfire wielders can convert their power into energy that can heal wounds. As it traditionally applied to hit point damage and not the curing of curses, disease, and revivification, the base Life sphere is enough to simulate this. Silver Fire, the more powerful and refined use of spellfire by the Chosen of Mystra, is most likely not going to see use in the hands of Player Characters barring high-level campaigns. Silver Fire has a broader variety of processes beyond the base outlined above, including protection from environmental maladies (Protection sphere talents), mental assaults (Mind’s Mind Shield talent), banishing external magical compulsions (Life’s Break Enchantment talent), and great blasts of flame and dispelling cones (Universal’s Widen & Shaped Dispel talents).  Popular Archetypes Faerûn’s diverse faiths means that clerics can be as different from each other as from arcane spellcasters and other magical traditions. As such, the sample Divine Petitioner Casting Tradition is hardly a holistic option for clerics, and having custom traditions tailored specifically to the deity is encouraged. Below are a few kits and prestige classes from former editions with conversion guidelines for the modern spheres system. Archmage: As a simple term, an Archmage can reflect anyone who knows at least one Advanced Talent with a prerequisite of at least 11th level. This reflects a level of mastery in magical workings most spellcasters cannot hope to learn in their lifetimes. Such people are most often dedicated to the Art to such an extent that “pure mage” classes such as Incanter and Soul Weaver are the most common over hybrid/gish types, although this isn’t always the case; Elminster himself is ridiculously multi-talented! For the 3.5 Prestige Class proper, the various High Arcana can be simulated by certain talents. Universal’s Reaching and Extreme Reach metasphere talents allow for a high range on all spells, perfect for Arcane Fire (best simulated as Disintegration or another force-damage Destruction blast type) and Arcane Reach. Mastery of Counterspelling can be simulated via the Counterspell talent and Spellthief dispel talent, while Mastery of Shaping is best simulated as the Sculpt metasphere talent combined with the Protection sphere’s Friendship aegis to avoid friendly fire. Mastery of Elements can be simulated by the Energy Shift wild magic talent. Spell Power +1 to +3 is too powerful for a straight conversion, but imposing disadvantage on saving throws via the Overpower Resistance wild magic talent is a good way to simulate this at the expense of some side effects. Finally, Spell-like Ability has no easy conversion, in that the use of material components is now a drawback for Casting Traditions and no longer a necessity. Removing the drawback in some manner via GM permission is the best way, with the trade-off of losing the bonus spell points or boons gained from the drawback. Bladesinger (multi-edition): Bladesingers are best emulated via the various “gish” classes and subclasses. The Skilled Casting drawback and Aptitude boon focusing on Performance is a common option, as is the Easy Focus boon. Enhancement sphere talents best capable of simulating a Bladesong’s prowess in agility are Physical Enhancement and Speed Control with the Personal Magics variant. The Equipment sphere’s Unarmoured Training or the Protection sphere’s basic aegis can both simulate a Bladesinger’s nimble evasion, while Equipmnent’s Gallowglass Training grants proficiency in a wide variety of blades. The Bulwark talent of the Protection sphere can emulate the damage-reducing Song of Defence. For the 3rd Edition version’s features, Universal’s Quicken metasphere talent emulates Song of Celerity, while the Time Sphere’s Adjusted Frequency in the use of Haste simulates Song of Fury’s extra attack. Gnome Artificer/Techsmith (3e): The Equipment sphere’s Renaissance Voyager grants proficiency in firearms and bombs, and said sphere’s Artificer and Craftsman talent allow for faster creation of gear and the handling of unknown devices. Summoner Incanters and Armorist Mageknights are good thematic choices for classes and subclasses. The Artificery and Alchemy Casting Traditions can grant access to the Alchemy or Tinkerer spheres, while the creation of a Gondsman construct is best represented as a Conjuration sphere companion with the Construct (base) talent. Incantatrix (3e): Emphasis on the Universal sphere, particularly the manabond and metasphere talents, is nigh-essential. Cooperative Metamagic is best expressed as granting said metasphere talents to others via the Knowledge manabound talent, while Glyph is good at simulating Metamagic Spell Trigger, and Snatch Spell is best simulated by the Soulmate manabond talent. Purple Dragon Knight (multi-edition): The Knight martial tradition with the Warleader sphere option is highly appropriate, as is the Commander class. For the 5th Edition version, Shout talents are preferred over tactics, particularly Rallying Speech and Rousing Claxon for morale-boosting, and the Leadership sphere’s Improved Leadership talent for the proficiency doubling on Persuasion checks. The tactics talents of Coordinated Reflexes, Fortifying Phalanx, and Militant Will are the best at emulating the “ally rerolls a saving throw” of Bulwark. Inspiring Surge is best emulated via the Commander class’ Direct Ally class feature. For the 3rd Edition prestige class abilities, the Frightful Roar shout emulates the Fear ability, and the Guardian sphere’s basic challenge package emulates the Oath of Wrath quite well. The Courier’s Dash tactic talent represents the speed enhancement of Rallying Cry, and the Shieldbrothers tactic emulates Heroic Shield. Other features of the prestige class can be emulated via the earlier 5th Edition suggestions. Sun Soul Monk (multi-edition): The Ascetic Martial Tradition is an ideal choice given its granting of the Equipment sphere’s Unarmed and Unarmored Training talents, although any talents that grant Unarmored Training and a bonus Equipment sphere choice can be just as feasible if Unarmed Training is taken. For 5th Edition, the Destruction sphere with blast type talents that deal fire and radiant damage along the Ray and Sculpt blast shapes emulate Radiant Sun Bolt and Searing Arc Strike. Searing Sunburst can be emulated via the Explosive Orb blast shape and the Reaching metasphere talent, while Sun Shield can be emulated via the Retribution blast shape. The Light sphere and its damaging effects (particularly Flare and Searing Light) are also appropriate thematically even if not a straight conversion. The Sun Soul Monk’s 3rd Edition options are best emulated by the Light sphere and paradoxically by the Dark sphere’s basic meld talent of Darkvision. The Blade blast shape to infuse one’s melee attacks with fire and light much like Flaming Fists. The “classic monk” abilities of Abundant Step and Tongue of the Sun and Moon can be replicated by the Warp sphere and the Fate sphere’s Logos consecration talent respectively. Sword-Dancer (3e): A class with Blended Training or with equal access to magical and martial spheres is ideal. The Equipment sphere’s Gallowglass Training and Unarmoured Training best simulate the nimble swordswoman archetype. The Athletics sphere’s Mobility and Rapid Motion talents emulate the ability to easily maneuver through enemy spaces. The Enhancement Sphere’s Animate Objects emulates the “dancing sword” abilities, and Enhance Equipment is reflective of the magical bonding process where they attune to a signature sword. Last but not least, the Light Sphere and Dancing Lights talent emulates their ability to conjure motes of moonlight. Swordmage (4e): I will confess that I am not well-read in 4th Edition, so this may be not as faithful in conversion. From what I’ve read, the Mageknight class fits this to a T. The Warp sphere is a good emulation of the class’ summoning, with Emergency Teleport’s reaction-based trigger a good means of countering enemy actions. The Destruction sphere’s various secondary effects combined with the Blade blast shape talent is a good means of simulating the various special attack spells. Defensive-minded spells are best simulated via the Protection sphere. Swordmages who derive their spells from a primordial source are best reflected by the Weather sphere, particularly shroud talents and the Backlash and Hostile mantle talents. War Wizard of Cormyr (multi-edition): Investment in the Destruction sphere and Universal sphere’s Widen metasphere talent reflects the War Wizard’s world-famous battle magic. The fact that they’re more likely to be frontline combatants means that the Easy Focus boon for Casting Traditions is a common choice. Elementalists of various stripes and Spellblade Mageknights are ideal class and subclass choices.
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2021 07:22
|
|
|
Filthy Hans posted:The first option would give you plenty of opportunities to do stuff the rest of your party is otherwise ill-equipped for; choosing a half-elf and an interesting background would net you a bunch of skill and tool proficiencies your party might not otherwise have, especially since there's no rogue and you're ditching the party's bard. I don't know much about druids but the warlock and samurai should have some social skills between them, which means you could focus on what skills would make you a great criminal conniver. OTOH being a human variant or custom lineage would mean you start with a feat and that means you could take the metamagic adept feat earlier, giving you extra sorcerer points for using the transmutation metamagic for those acid spell conversions. TooMuchAbstraction posted:Druids are kind of an odd full-caster that can do direct damage, battlefield control, buffing, and healing, but not typically as well as other full casters. They also get some very powerful but very niche spells. Call Lightning is great for big outdoor battles, for example, but can't even be used in smaller arenas. Moon druids are halfway decent melee characters, too. In short: it really depends on what kind of druid the player feels like being. Decided to split the difference on this: Sorcerer will be for SKT and the monk will replace my druid at the end of our Frostmaiden campaign. We're reaching the last chapter and our DM wants to continue on through a higher-level DMs Guild adventure where you end up fighting CR20 eldritch horrors.
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2021 16:55
|
|
|
Libertad! I am unlikely to ever use spheres of power/might (if I did it'd be the Pathfinder 1e versions), but I really appreciate all the detail and effort you obviously put into that post and all the great work in there. Thank you!
|
|
#
?
May 25, 2021 21:55
|
|
|
Arivia posted:Libertad! I am unlikely to ever use spheres of power/might (if I did it'd be the Pathfinder 1e versions), but I really appreciate all the detail and effort you obviously put into that post and all the great work in there. Thank you! Thank you for the kind words. I personally have moved on from Pathfinder so doing write-ups under that system is beyond me atm, but there are some similarities here and there that I figure some readers can still have a baseline from which to work. I recently completed a write-up for Dragonlance. I'm aware that's a rather 'love it or hate it' setting, but that's where my font of inspiration took me at the moment. I'll try to write up Ravenloft sometime in the next few days if possible.    Spheres of the Lance: the Sphere System for Dragonlance A world rent asunder, abandoned by the gods. The rise of a dark empire and dragon-mounted knights on both sides. This is the world of Krynn, where the harried forces of Good prevailed over Evil at great cost thanks to the return of the gods and the discovery of the fabled Dragonlances. Major Traditions: Magic in Krynn is divided between divine magic, granted by the gods directly (clericism) or empowered by faith in oneself and the soul (mysticism), and sorcery which is either powered by the three moons (High Sorcery) and studied or an innate aspect of one’s being (Primal Sorcery). As of the Age of Despair, Primal Sorcery is only possessed by dragons, fey, and other innately magical beings and out of the hands of typical PC races. After Chaos’ unleashing into the world, primal sorcerers and mystics start springing up among mortals. Casting Traditions should be in line with these aspects. Before the unleashing of Chaos into the world, mortal magic had to come from the gods either as divine magic or wizardry, and thus had to spend prayer or research in choosing what spells to be gifted every day. Additionally, commonly required specific combinations of words, gestures, and in some cases materials in order to use. Prepared Caster, Somatic Casting, and Verbal Casting are extremely common drawbacks for casting traditions. Notably, healing magic was the sole province of divine spellcasters. Arcanists who attempted to emulate such miracles often did so at a price, such as draining the life force from another soul. The Life sphere and ‘no strings attached’ magical healing should be similarly restricted. Advanced/Legendary Talents: Barring a few notable exceptions, the world of Krynn is more down to earth than other campaign settings. The most powerful mages and warriors were often from the long-dead Age of Might or significant figures often acting behind the scenes such as the Masters of the Orders of High Sorcery or Emperor Ariakas of the Dragonarmies. The Heroes of the Lance and other figures of the novels were capable adventurers but not oft-possessed of world-breaking powers, Raistlin excepted. Even so, Advanced and Legendary talents may be allowed depending on how unique the PCs are in the grand scheme of things. Raistlin’s power made him a threat even to the gods, and the modules suggested for Goldmoon to use her newly-granted powers to resurrect a PC that may have been killed by a dragon’s acidic breath weapon in the first adventure. Characters with such talents most certainly exist, but are often important figures destined to shape the history of Krynn. Technology Level: The majority of Ansalon is pre-Industrial, with the notable exception of the gnomes of Mount Nevermind who effectively have access to technology far beyond that of everyone else. Renaissance, Modern, and even Futuristic Technology can be found among Mount Nevermind’s experimental labs and guilds, albeit of dubious reliability in gnomish hands and almost incomprehensible to other races.  New Rules & Subsystems Dragon Riding: The setting’s major claim to fame was the romantic ideal of heroes astride majestic winged beasts, jousting with polearm and fiery breath in aerial dogfights against other dragons and their riders. Any Dragonlance campaign worth its salt will give characters this opportunity. A PC who wishes to be a dragonrider is best off making use of the Conjuration sphere, with the Dragon base form and the Altered Size talent taken at least twice to ensure a rideable mount. Aerial Creature is necessary in granting them a fly speed, as is Draconic Creature for that classic breath weapon. One of these is granted automatically with the Dragon base form, so taking the other costs just 1 talent slot. Further talents can be added based on the dragon’s species and capabilities. But what of characters who do not wish to be a spherecaster? Well then things get a bit harder. Beastmastery is only applicable to unintelligent creatures, and Leadership’s sidekick rules specify a stat block of CR ½ or less, and true dragons most certainly do not count! So let’s make a new legendary talent for just that purpose! Dragon Friend (sidekick) Prerequisites: Leadership sphere (sidekick package), 5th level. You learn the Draconic language if you don’t already know it. Additionally in lieu of a normal sidekick you may gain a dragon companion. The dragon uses the stats of a Dragon base form via the Conjuration sphere talent, save that it is Large size, can also speak and understand the languages you speak, and can act independently of your actions in combat. Additional talents may be spent on this sphere to apply Conjuration sphere talents to the dragon. At 9th, 13th, and 17th level the dragon adds +2 to its Strength score (maximum 20), and at 9th and 13th it also grows an additional size category. Design Notes: I have yet to playtest it, but I wanted something in line with the Conjuration sphere’s Draconic base talent while also understanding that in comparison to a Leadership sidekick they may have less versatility, talents, and hit points. Thus my decision to grant it size and strength increases when the PC gains a proficiency bonus, as well as independent actions in combat. As I presume the dragon will be used as a flying mount this seemed like a good way of allowing PCs to be dragonriders without having a potential overpowered companion tagging along.  Moon Magic: In the world of Krynn, wizards who join one of the three Orders become attuned to their patron moon, their power affected by its phases. During the High Sanction phase of their patron moon, Wizards of High Sorcery gain advantage on spell attack rolls and impose disadvantage on opposed attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws to resist the magic of their Order-chosen spheres (see Wizards of High Sorcery under Popular Archetypes). During Low Sanction the opposite occurs, where they suffer disadvantage on spell attack rolls and targets gain advantage on rolls to resist their magic. The exception to the above is when at least two moons’ phases are in conjunction, in which case Wizards of the appropriate Order treat their moon as being in High Sanction. During the momentous event of the Night of the Eye (occurs only once every 504 days), wizards of all Orders are empowered. In addition to the former benefits they gain a number of bonus Spell Points equal to their proficiency bonus.  Popular Archetypes Gnomish Inventors: Much of what has been said for Gnomish Artificers/Techsmiths in the Forgotten Realms post can be applied here. However, gnomish artisanship is explicitly nonmagical and often bulky and unpredictable, so Krynnish gnomes are more likely to be Armigers, Artisans with the Technician subclass, Conscripts with the Mechanic subclass, and Scholars. For those who wish to go with a spherecasting class, the Wild Magic drawback is reflective of gnomish technology’s unpredictable effects. Knights of Solamnia: The three Orders of Knighthood and their skills are altered slightly based on whether or not the campaign is set in an era where the gods returned to Krynn. This matters more for the Knights of the Sword and Rose, as the Knights of the Crown don’t gain spellcasting by default. All three Orders are well-reflected by the Knight Martial Tradition or any that grant appropriate proficiencies in knightly gear: armor, blades, polearms, mounted combat, and morale-boosting. Knights of the Crown focus on obedience and loyalty. Proficiency in Wisdom saving throws is quite common to ensure they don’t fall victim to charm and fear effects. The Guardian sphere’s resilience talents are appropriate, particularly Cold Iron Call and Durable which can delay the onset of negative effects. The Berserker sphere’s Deathless talent and Guardian’s Indomitable Advanced Talent can prevent an early death and/or unconsciousness. Knights of the Sword embody courage and faithfulness and are quite commonly warrior-priests. Classwise they are most commonly Paladin Spherecasters with the Divine Petitioner or Divine Crusader Casting Traditions. They’re most known for their magical talents and given that they are commonly promoted from ranks of the Crown they often share the same martial talents. For magical talents they most commonly have spells of the Enhancement and Light spheres, and Destruction sphere talents which deal radiant damage. Unfortunately they don’t have much to make them stand out non-magically, meaning that in eras absent of the gods they are the hardest-hit of the orders. Knights of the Rose are the highest tier of the orders, almost always in vaunted leadership positions. Like Knights of the Sword they are spellcasters, but derive their magic from Paladine. They are more likely to have talents from the Leadership and Warleader spheres, focusing on ones that grant boons to their allies. They can be represented via the Commander class, particularly during eras where the gods abandoned Krynn, but otherwise are best emulated via the Paladin Spherecaster. Knights of Takhisis/Neraka: Specific to the Age of Mortals, the Knights of Takhisis are the Knights Solamnia’s evil counterpart, pledged to the Dark Queen and then to their country after her death. Much like Solamnia they have similar Martial Traditions, emphasizing armor and heavy weapons. The major difference is that they aren’t necessarily pledged to the gods, and thus most of them are Mystics and Primal Sorcerers (see below). Additionally they are more focused on demoralizing enemies than rallying their own forces, represented as the Gladiator sphere’s various demoralize and fear talents. Knights of the Skull are spellcasters who make for skilled ambassadors and secret police, while the Knights of the Thorn are seers without peer. Both orders’ aptitudes are reflective of the Divination sphere’s various talents, especially Detect Thoughts for Skull, while Augury and the Advanced Talents of Read Omens and Delve for Knowledge for Thorn. Mysticism: Also known as the Power of the Heart, mysticism is a form of primal magic powered by an individual’s soul and faith in oneself. The Citadel of Light, the most renowned academy of mysticism, divides common types of mysticism into (conveniently) spheres. Spheres that enhance and manipulate other creatures and material are the most common, such as the Alteration, Creation, Enhancement, Life, Mind, and Nature spheres. But Mystics who are “sensitives” have the Divination sphere with the Limited Divination (divine) variant, specializing in reading the auras of others. Some mystics can manipulate dead bodies and spirits, representing the Death sphere. Primal Sorcerers: Also known as Wild Sorcery, this is a caster’s natural talent in shaping the elemental building blocks of creation. Although it comes naturally to people and is commonly possessed by all manner of ‘natural spellcasters’ such as dragons and fey, the Academy of Sorcery in the Fifth Age managed to divide the magic into various schools. Primal Sorcerers are most commonly Elementalists, preferring the Destruction, Nature, and Weather spheres, although Conjuration, Enhancement, and Illusion are also recognized schools. They ‘cast spontaneously,’ representing the lack of the Prepared Caster drawback of god and moon-granted magic. Their most common Casting Traditions are Natural and Sorcerous Blood. Wizards of High Sorcery: Dragonlance’s wizards are very much the prototypical D&D spellcasters, and easily reflected with both the Traditional Magic Casting Tradition, but with the Ritualist and/or Spellbook boons. The above rules for Moon Magic are for those formally pledged to one of the three Orders. Wizards in Dragonlance are incredibly versatile and their class, subclass, and sphere choice can vary wildly. For members of the Orders of High Sorcery, they may choose one sphere to be their favored sphere, whose overall power corresponds to the phases of the relevant moon. The spheres favored by White Robes include Divination, Fate, Protection, & Universal. Red Robes favor Alteration, Enhancement, Illusion, Nature, Telekinesis, Time, and Weather. Black Robes favor Enhancement, Death, Life, and Mind. Furthermore, Wizards of High Sorcery gain access to safehouses, resources, and the goodwill of their Order. This can be expressed in making an exception by allowing them access to the Leadership sphere as though they had Blended Training, gaining allies and apprentices in the form of Sidekicks and Followers. In such a case the only allowable Sidekick class is Spherecaster, whose Casting Tradition and spheres are in line with the PC’s order. Libertad! fucked around with this message at 05:15 on May 30, 2021 |
|
#
?
May 26, 2021 00:57
|
|
|
Libertad! posted:I recently completed a write-up for Dragonlance.  
|
|
#
?
May 26, 2021 01:40
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 5, 2024 00:09 |
|
|
Dexo posted:2. So two answers. Yes, it's better, but it has a pretty steep learning curve. On both the player and GM side. Emphasis on the steep. Don't go in expecting to just tinker around and figure things out like I did, use tutorials. These are really good: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aHlApa1nUA He even goes into really advanced stuff like setting up your own chat server.
|
|
#
?
May 27, 2021 06:25
|
|
