Ryuujin posted:

If it was 10 months ago it was probably the old one. In my opinion the base class was improved slightly, only in regard to what items they can make as they level. But the actual archetypes for the new version are garbage. All in all I definitely improved the previous version of Artificer.

The new version no longer has anything interesting that sets it apart, but is instead just another, inferior, caster. It now has cantrips and most of the archetypes give them bonus damage on either certain spell types, or a single cantrip that they load into a wand.

Now if homebrewed contents are allowed I would suggest Kibbles Alternative Artificer, once called the Revised Artificer but changed the name after the new version of the Artificer came out. I haven't checked it out in awhile, didn't really remember it having spells before but the newest version has some, also newest version looks like it can get some cross archetype stuff which is nice.

Kibbles Alternative Artificer is here if you want to take a look at it.

As a bit of a breakdown of the Alternative Artificer archetypes.

The Gadgetsmith is Batman. Gets things like grappling hooks, smoke grenades, multi hit boomerangs, gravity switches, impact gauntlets, and all kinds of interesting gadgets. With other gadgets available at higher level upgrades.

The Golemsmith is the guy with a robot companion who does the fighting for him. Used to focus on getting a Warforged companion, but newest version could instead get a winged companion, a quadrupedal companion, or even a mobile turret. As you level you can get upgrades to improve your companion.

The Infusionsmith is the guy who has floating weapons attacking for them. Actually it sounds like the folded the Wandsmith from previous versions into it as well to give it more options/variety. At the start of the day they can either Animate a Weapon which makes a melee spell attack at range when you attack with it, imbue a Blasting Rod which works kind of like the Artillerist in the official Artificer in that you pick a cantrip and put it in there and 1/round when casting it add your Int mod to the damage, or Infuse a Weapon which lets you use your Int in place of Str or Dex for it and if the weapon damage die is below a d12 it increases one size. As they level they gain the ability to animate two weapons, make the Blasting Rod attack as a Bonus Action when casting another spell used from an earlier archetype ability, or getting Extra Attack with the Imbued Weapon. And they have upgrades to improve one of the styles as the level.

The Potionsmith is the class Alchemist from the old playtest, kind of. All about throwing alchemical items or "bombs", and various concoctions, healing, buffing, etc. Much more thematic, and fun, than the newest official Artificer version of the Alchemist.

The Thundersmith, used to be called Cannonsmith, is the old Cannonsmith from the first playtest Artificer. Kind of. It focuses on one special weapon, it might be a big two handed gun that shoots "thunder" or a "lightning" sword. Used to be just a gun, with a sidebar talking about other things you could have your weapon be and how that would change, now it specifically calls out being one of four weapons. As you level you get upgrades to your weapon. And as you level you get thunder damage 1/round when you hit with your weapon.

The Warsmith is fantasy Iron Man. You build a gauntlet, then an armor. You upgrade it as you level, increasing speed, connecting a weapon, getting repulsor blasts, flight, a size increase, or being able to collapse it into a briefcase. Used to be just Plate armor, with upgrades that could make it lighter for dex and stuff. Now you specifically pick the type of armor from a list of 3.

The Fleshsmith wasn't in the older Revised Artificer document, seems to be all about either being a Mad Doctor, or experimenting with your own body. Picking up things like natural attacks, healing people, or mutating your body, or creating a flesh golem like companion.

Basically each archetype really feels different, with their own upgrades they can take. Instead of the archetypes being practically indistinguishable like the current UA Artificer.

Remora posted:

Advantage and temp HP on demand 3x/long is lovely?

I mean, Kensai Monk or Hexblade also seem to fit, but...

Marathanes posted:

A katana in 5e is just a longsword, so that's not a problem for most classes. Kensai Monk is probably the closest you'll get to that overall archetype. However, you have some options: an Eldritch Knight skinned that way could also work, as would a Hexadin for gishy goodness with some spells and smiting. A Battle Smith Artificer might work? If you want more spell side stuff, a straight Hexblade, a Bladesinger or a Stone Sorc might work? It all depends on what facets of the weeb samurai swordsman are most important to you.

Edit: to elaborate,

If going completely armorless is important, then Kensai Monk is your go-to. You might could also reskin a Barbarian this way, but honestly most Barbarians are better off wearing medium armor anyways. Stone Sorc has some of the sorts of abilities you're looking for here as well, but the flavor might not fit.

If you're willing to go light armor, the EK works well with a dex based build (reskin a rapier to katana or some such), as would a Bladesinger, but that might be leaning way more into spellcasting than you wanted.

If you're willing to go to medium armor EK still works, while letting you go with a longsword, and this also opens up the Hexblade and Hexadin. Battle Smith also falls into this category.

If having the magic blade stuff is important, the Kensai doesn't offer a lot of that. You might want to try to pick one of the suggestions above that offers the melee cantrips (Warlock/Wizard/Sorc) and/or has access to smite spells (Paladin/Battle Smith/Hexblade). My go-to thought if this is the more important factor would be a Hexadin who wears the lightest armor possible / just wears a haori over his armor so nobody can tell.

vv good call - really any Sorc can gish pretty well that way if you build that way. I'm currently playing a Fighter 1 / Divine Soul Sorc 5 that has the capacity to explode for like 6 attacks a round? if all goes right and I'm willing to burn Sorc points like they're going out of style.

lightrook posted:

Paladin and hexblade can both be magical sword fighters. If you go for a spell heavy build with sorcerer, you'll also have magic to do all the cool weeb swordsman stunts. Most importantly, with sorcerer in the mix, you blow through your sorcery points and spell slots and tell your party, "forgive me sensei, but I must go all out just this once" and drop two Blade cantrips and two big smites in one turn.

Remora posted:

My bad, yo, in response to Raenir.

quote:

Generally your combat rounds are best spent on 2 attacks with your katana and a bonus action attack with your unarmed strike. Stunning Strike the most threatening person in the room on the first hit and your remaining hits are at advantage! And you can apply Stunning Strike with each successive hit in the event they resist it. If you're feeling grossly outnumbered or are the only one in melee, that's when I recommend taking advantage of Kensei's Agile Parry and Step of the Wind's Dodge bonus action.

Ryuujin posted:

Okay I didn't go into it last time. But this is at least the second time you have posted this ridiculous amount of AC.

So how do you have 24 AC? Let alone 26. The max I see is 19 if you hold a kensei weapon and make an unarmed strike every round, or 23 against a single attack a round if you do the same and spend your reaction.

I am assuming this is a home game and not an Adventure League game, I suspect there may be homebrew, but clearly they are using Unearthed Arcana as the Dragon Wings feat was never made official.

Also Dragonhide DOES NOT GIVE +1 AC. Just have to get that out there. Dragon Hide is terrible on a Monk who has at least 16 Wisdom. It sets your AC to 13+Dex mod.

You have 17 AC, unless I am missing something. If you hold a Kensei Weapon and make at least one Unarmed Strike then you get +2 AC until the start of your next turn. That puts you to 19. And Defensive Duelist lets you add your Proficiency modifier to AC against a single attack as a Reaction. This is a Reaction so you only get one per round, and you might have other things to use your Reaction on. Also it is only against a single attack so if they are using a multiattack against you, or if something else attacks you before the start of your next turn, you don't get the +4 bonus to AC against the other attacks.

Katana doesn't really exist in 5e, except maybe in some suggestion somewhere where it might be "just use a longsword for stats" kind of thing. And it certainly wouldn't be a 2d8, which is probably the most powerful nonmagical weapon in the game. A Greatsword, which has certain limitations, only does 2d6. Also many DMs would not allow Aarakocra, or other flying races, in their games. And certainly Adventure League would not allow it, before 5th level and even then probably only with a certificate granting permission to use.

quote:

"Unearthed Arcana:Feats for Races":
Your scales harden; you gain a +1 bonus to AC while you aren’t wearing armor

No. 1 Apartheid Fan posted:

Just to address this part bc I dunno what the hell with the AC stuff either: it is indeed canon per a table in the 5E DMG that a katana in 5E is a reskinned longsword. Crawford said those were AL legal with DM approval. Who the hell would care if a player described his Fighter's longsword as a katana? There's literally a Samurai spec.

Raenir said "special drow katana" or something, so presumably it's just a magic item or special material one that's a base 2d8 instead of 1d8 with no other special properties. That's a good weapon, and a great one for a Kensei if it's nonmagical and they can then jam a to-hit bonus on it, but it's really not insane or anything. A Flametongue longsword straight from the DMG does 1d8+2d6.

Malpais Legate posted:

With the D&D 5e stuff on Roll20, it's basically a little jankier Beyond. But the good news is that your half-drunk players don't have to remember what dice to use with what attack/spell/ability. It's just one click and it rolls it.

The bad news is that, even with my sober players, I get to hear them going "Uuuuuhhhh one second" as they alt-tab from whatever the gently caress they were doing instead of paying attention and spend thirty seconds combing through their character sheet to find the same button they loving click every turn.

pseudodragon posted:

A gimmick party where no one is what they present as would be fun. Especially if you can convince each of them that it’s a secret fun thing just for them that they should keep quiet about as long as possible.

quote:

Red Dragon Mask
Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)
This mask of glossy crimson has swept-back horns and spiked cheek ridges. The mask reshapes to fit a wearer attuned to it. While you are wearing the mask and attuned to it, you can access the following properties.

Damage Absorption. You have resistance against fire damage. If you already have resistance to fire damage from another source, you instead have immunity to fire damage. If you already have immunity to fire damage from another source, whenever you are subjected to fire damage, you take none of that damage and regain a number of hit points equal to half the damage dealt of that type.
Draconic Majesty. While you are wearing no armor, you can add your Charisma bonus to your Armor Class.
Dragon Breath. If you have a breath weapon that requires rest to recharge, it gains a recharge of 6.
Dragon Sight. You gain darkvision out to 60 feet, or to an additional 60 feet if you already have that sense. Once per day, you can gain blindsight out to 30 feet for 5 minutes.
Dragon Tongue. You can speak and understand Draconic. You also have advantage on any Charisma check you make against Red Dragons.
Legendary Resistance. (1/Day) If you fail a saving throw, you can choose to succeed instead.
Dragon Fire. If you deal fire damage to a creature or flammable object, it starts burning. At the start of each of its turns, a creature burning in this way takes 1d6 fire damage. A creature that can reach the burning target can use an action to extinguish the fire

Terratina posted:

Do tell the secret how to!

quote:

Masterwork Blacksteel Longsword (X2)
+2 to hit, Versatile
Description: A Blade made from the Blackened, It's warm to the touch and holds its edge with an almost unnatural quality.

quote:

Masterwork Ebony Longbow
+2 to Hit, Ammunition, Heavy, Range, Two-Handed

quote:

Drinking Horn of Norris Nathram
Requires Attunment, Artifact, Wonderous Item

The Drinking Horn can produce up to two gallons of any sort of Beverage consumed by its user after it has been attuned. The Amount of Liquid the Horn Can Produce resets at the dawn of each day. Liquid cannot be poured out of the Horn, Only Drunk from it.

You no longer gains disadvantage from Poisoned Conditions inflicted by nonmagical sources (Such as being drunk)

Whenever you are Poisoned, as an action you may activate the Horn to remove the Poisoned condition, If you choose to do so, enemies have disadvantage on attack rolls against you and you have advantage on attack rolls until the end of your next turn, at which point the Horn Empties and cannot be used in such a way again until the next dawn

quote:

Cloak of the Crow
Requires Attunement, Legendary, Wonderous Item

This elegant garment is made from fine black feathers and blackened silk of an unknown origin, It produces no sound and is soft to the touch
You gain these benefits while wearing and attuned to the cloak:

You have advantage on stealth checks to hide and remain hidden so long and enemies have disadvantage to perceive you so long as you are in dim light or darker
You have perfect Darkvision
You may speak with Birds and Kenku as much as their intelligence allows
Once per day you may as an action surround yourself in the cloak and transform into a Giant Raven (Giant Eagle Statblock) if you are reduced to 0 Health as a Raven you immediately transform back.
You Gain +1 AC

quote:

Magical Golden Ring
Wonderous Item, Requires Attunment

A Golden Ring with soft engraving on the interior and exterior depicting Thorns and waves

When you place the Ring on your finger and you are attuned to it you become Invisible
While you are invisible, living beings glow colors based on their alignment while everything else can only be seen in shades of grey.
Performing any action or interacting with anyone or anything in a substantial way causes you to immediately reappear, this includes being damaged by an effect, attack or ability

quote:

An Unassuming Deck of Cards

An Unassuming deck of about 22 Cards.

Bobo the Red posted:

I mean, if they're a CHA caster, hard to blame them for wanting +5 AC

Eraflure posted:

Fun fact: they won't need their fancy new item anymore if you coup de grâce them in their sleep

Kaal posted:

Challenge them to a "Dragon Off". May the best dragon win!

Nephthys posted:

Is becoming a dragon really a curse? Seems like an upside to me.

Moreau posted:

Does cosmic horror work within dnd? Are there any good splat books or sites that delve into that area? Thinking about some fun ways to flavour an Ancients Paladin order

BigRed0427 posted:

SO i've been listening to a lot of DnD Horror stories on youtube and came across this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxHT1KXdrfk

With some tweaking, you could make a cult-horror campaign around a adventuring company that travels around in an airship that hires new people and it turns out it's basically a cult and the PCs are set to be sacrificed once their powerful enough? Something like that.

Infinite Karma posted:

BattleMaster posted:

I would like to hear the gory details of what prompted this in particular

Sodomy Hussein posted:

Child heroes are an enormously popular trope in all fiction, let alone fantasy, and this weird new thread groove where actually that's bad is not a good take.

Like if someone makes playing a child at the table weird, that's on them and maybe you, not the concept.

Ignite Memories posted:

My child-char is a 15-year old warlock named Agnès Mystagogicon-Kaplan. She was arranged-married to a book with a demon trapped in it (long story)

Just recently she defeated the plane's Baba Yaga analogue in single combat when her allies were thrown from a moving house. When her allies found her, they were like "Where's the witch?" and she was like "I'm the witch now."

Kaal posted:

Yeah, agreed. Background features should always be usable, though circumstances might affect how they are implemented. Rustic Hospitality in a city might mean resting at an out-of-the-way tavern, or a caravan of rural travellers, or a houseboat owned by salty fishermen, or a suburban fieldworkers hut, or a supportive homeless camp, or a friendly factory workshop.