|
Gharbad the Weak posted:Every two fights, wave your hand and say "Y'all got a short rest" If you've got brand new players another way to handle level 1 is to make level 1 a very explicit babies first D&D session. You run a very small mostly on rails adventure with a high level chaperone along who drops hits where they solve some small mystery and have one pretty easy fight. You end the session by having them level up and walking them through the process.
|
#
¿
Dec 22, 2018 15:48
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 16, 2024 03:44 |
|
|
Gharbad the Weak posted:I'd be way too nervous about sending a really weak monster, and then that monster crits and does enough damage to down a PC. A kobold critting and then rolling well (even if it's a low chance, it's going to happen to someone) would down anyone at or below 12 HP. A d8 hit point class will have, unless there's some trickery involved that I'm unaware of, a maximum of 12 HP, assuming the Rogue decided to floor it on constitution. 2/3rds of level 1 classes have a maximum hit point level of 12 or below. Kobold is a CR 1/8th, and there's at least one 1/8th creature that rolls d8+1 for damage. There are a few CR 0 creatures that can one-shot dudes on a crit. We're talking about sub-kobolds here. Have them roll a 1d2+0 for damage. And the PCs have some level 5-10 NPC helping them. The goal is simply to show them how to fight. It is about the practice of declaring their actions, rolling their dice and doing the math. The mobs should also be dumb and do things like run away so people get chances to use their attacks of opportunity too. Think of Level 1/Session 1 is the tutorial section of a video game. If you're running a campaign with experienced players its fine to skip, but for new players I think it works best to run them through a quick session.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 22, 2018 21:09
|
|
|
That has been one of my problems with the skill system and the background system. I think it would work better to limit full casters to Arcana and Region/History and maybe one more depending on your class and subclass. But anyone can pick a skill intensive background and load up on skills with backgrounds. If you're looking for out of combat extras for fighters I would add a Warfare skill that fighters get expertise in. They could use that in place of history, insight or perception checks if the situation called for it. Also give fighters a "Brother in Arms" type ability that gives them advantage in social situations against military and paramilitary people. They can naturally schmooze up the guards on duty for a bit of info because they can connect easily with guys standing watch all night. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjbna_5eL6s Instead of Honor you get a Military/Martial score and use that for anything military related.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 27, 2018 20:19
|
|
|
GoGoGadget posted:My dude, have you seen the Order of the Ancients Paladin? Pretty much you don't even need a deity, you just live to protect and enjoy life I like the Order of the Ancient Paladin because it is the exact opposite of your typical Holier-than-Thou Paladin. Hes the guy who stays up drinking and partying all night and still wakes up in the morning to kick evils rear end and save the village. Its great for people who want to play a Paladin and don't want to either have a stick up their rear end or a Batman (Oath of Vengeance) fetish.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 27, 2018 23:37
|
|
|
Nehru the Damaja posted:I feel like there's some dissonance between the tenets and "this is the nature /fey/elf Paladin" mechanics. When I first started I wanted to make an Ancients Paladin that I think someone here shorthanded to "beer knight" but the mechanics would take some substantial reskinning to fit. To an Ancient Paladin Nature isn't something to be appreciated like a piece in a museum, it is something to be lived in, shared and enjoyed. And something you have to protect.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 28, 2018 00:07
|
|
|
Re Art: Old art was hit or miss. I remember there being plenty of cringe, even as a teenager reading the 2e book. Re Fighters: Check out the original Monster Hunter from UA for more ideas: https://dnd.wizards.com/sites/default/files/media/upload/articles/UA%20Gothic%20Characters.pdf It allowed the a Fighter to user Superiority Dice to improve saving throws or ability checks, in some situations.
|
|
#
¿
Dec 28, 2018 04:39
|
|
|
Is it that time of the thread where everyone forgets that different people enjoy different things?
|
|
#
¿
Jan 3, 2019 16:27
|
|
|
Azhais posted:But it doesn't even mention awakened dire weasels Corrupted Awakened Fel Frost Dire Weasels. Coming WoW in 2020.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 9, 2019 02:26
|
|
|
PhyrexianLibrarian posted:This is extremely helpful, thanks! I know Land Druid isn't the "best" kind of druid, but hey this is my first real character, and it fits the setting/background better (if you know MTG lore, Simic casters generally morph other creatures/the environment, not themselves). If you're using Ravnica look at the Spore Druid. It is kind of a Land Druid++ as long as you like the theme. You don't use Wild Shape much in combat as a Land Druid. Spore druid lets you turn those wild shape charges into temporary HP and buffs you can apply before the fight. The only real loss is Nature's Recovery.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 9, 2019 04:39
|
|
|
lightrook posted:The bigger issue has to do with the way D&D combat is designed. Damage in MMOs tends to be steady and consistent, but damage in D&D tends to be irregular and spiky, since enemies can only attack and deal damage once per initiative order. If you imagine a very simple ability like "once per turn, if you dealt radiant or necrotic damage, heal any nearby ally for a small flat value," you'll have a hard time getting much value from it, in terms of getting over hits-to-kill thresholds. At low levels, anybody without heavy armor might get completely chunked out by an unlucky hit, and healing them for 1 or 2 hp isn't going to increase the number of Orc Warrior Ax-hits they survive. For small, regular healing to be worthwhile in D&D, the game needs to have small, regular damage as well, and I'm not really sure how to remedy it without up and leaving for another game system. I'd like to see rules that suggest a vaguely bell-shaped expected damage table, for example, but I don't see how that'd be possible without overhauling all the math. That is also what makes combat in MMOs boring and repetitive. Having higher highs and lower lows helps keep the game social. Everyone gets excited over a huge crit and shocked over a miss on something that needs to land. MMOs may involve more button pressing than Everquest, but they're largely still stuck in the rut of slowly grinding down HP bars on fights where the players are assured a victory.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 11, 2019 02:18
|
|
|
inthesto posted:Speaking of "not all thieves are rogues", what are some characters who have "rogue" written on their character sheet but aren't criminals of any kind? Bounty hunters, lawyers, judges, clerks, artisans, merchants, investigators, inventors, investors. Performers, picklers, partisans, plumbers, police, physicians, post workers, prop makers, property managers, prison wardens, publishers, painters, pastry cooks, etc. drat near anything that relies on skill and not finger waggling or brute strength. In theory Rogues are the most flexible for background. You could be anything or anyone. In practice they are the most restrictive, with all of them being street urchins. Xae fucked around with this message at 22:12 on Feb 18, 2019 |
|
#
¿
Feb 18, 2019 22:09
|
|
|
Toshimo posted:This feels like a self-fulfilling prophecy. The biggest problem with level 10+ is scheduling.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 26, 2019 20:36
|
|
|
Gharbad the Weak posted:Higher levels are poorly balanced, because of less focus by developers, because there are fewer games played in those levels, because there's a lack of interest in those levels, because higher levels are poorly balanced. Higher levels are played less because people want to start at low level and most people can't run a regular game for a couple years to get there.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 26, 2019 21:56
|
|
|
Admiral Joeslop posted:Honestly I hate that weapons have individual damage dice anyway. Tie damage dice to class, diversify weapons with more keywords or something. Spears and Halberds get reach, Maces and Warhammers can push creatures 5 feet, whatever. Reduce damage if you're using a shield or two weapons so it's all balanced the same. Just reskin weapons at will. The only place the "visual" matters is head canon. No one gives a poo poo if your halberd ackshully looks like a Beq de Corbin.
|
|
#
¿
Mar 15, 2019 18:57
|
|
|
Narsham posted:The ghost of Gary Gygax now wants to hurl a copy of the 1E Unearthed Arcana at you. The 5e budget for melee weapons is pretty simple. Mace is the base weapon in the game. It requires no special proficiency and has no special abilities. It does 1d6 damage. If it requires Martial proficiency add a "d2". If it is Two handed add a d2. If it is Heavy add a d2. If it is light subtract a d2. If it can be thrown subtract a d2. If it has reach subtract a d2 There is some weirdness with 1d12 vs 2d6, but overall if you follow the above rules you'll get a decently balanced weapon. With this budget Handaxe and Javelin are technically over budget, but who gives a poo poo?
|
|
#
¿
Mar 16, 2019 00:28
|
|
|
Firstborn posted:I hate the idea of making them purely a pet class, but I don't see really see how to make them unique when Fighter is a thing. I've always likened Paladin <> Cleric, Druid <> Ranger... like Ranger is a nature paladin. Pick one to lean more martial, the other more spellcasting. Then Oath of the Ancients came out... Bleah. Steal a bit of design from Warlocks. Rangers should chose subclass and not-a-pact. You have a pet not-a-pact, a melee not-a-pact and a spells not-a-pact.
|
|
#
¿
May 21, 2019 16:46
|
|
|
Razorwired posted:They're dull because everyone plays them like Marisha Ray where they're harmonious little losers who silo themselves off in Nature, which to 90% of them means lush forest from West Europe. Think about how little time your average person spends in nature that isn't a pristine managed park. Druids and Nature in general got Disney Princessed in fantasy. Part of it is mechanic based, but most of it is culture based. People don't want to view nature as the wolf pack ripping into a fawn, they want to view it was Bambi and Thumper playing around all day.
|
|
#
¿
May 22, 2019 20:19
|
|
|
piL posted:Arguments like these are how pathfinders get made. I demand an entire class based around holding, but not wielding a shield! Enough of this bullshit where characters are forced to pick and choose. I demand maximum possible grogness! My base attack bonus is 5 thacos and 2 save vs poison, paralyze and rods past a deactivated dual class and thats how I like it.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 3, 2019 17:05
|
|
|
Is there some reason why the some idiots keep try to start the same version war poo poo?
|
|
#
¿
Jun 7, 2019 20:52
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ May 16, 2024 03:44 |
|
|
Glagha posted:I dunno, why are you starting version war poo poo? Hrm yes. 5ish pages of idiots arguing that $VersionX blows and that $VersionY is really awesome and better is not at all version wars until someone calls it that. Yes. Very good point.
|
|
#
¿
Jun 7, 2019 20:59
|
|