/r/dndnext

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A place to discuss Dungeons & Dragons.

For more D&D discussion:

Discord: https://discord.gg/dndnext

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What is /r/DNDNext?

A place to discuss the latest version of Dungeons & Dragons, the fifth edition, known during the playtest as D&D Next.

Please join us on our discord, and our new Lemmy server:


Rules

  1. Be civil to one another - Unacceptable behavior includes name calling, taunting, baiting, flaming, etc. Please respect the opinions of people who play differently than you do.

  2. Do not suggest piracy - Any non-fair use posts containing closed content from WotC or any third party will be removed. Do not suggest ways for such material to be obtained.

  3. Use clear, concise title names - Titles must be clear, concise, and not worded in a misleading fashion.

  4. Do not post memes or joke posts - Meme images should be posted on /r/dndmemes. Text memes should be relevant to discussion.

  5. Limit self-promotional links - Any self-promotional external links (such as blogs, storefronts or Kickstarters) must be related to D&D and posted no more than once every 14 days. Affiliate links are never allowed.

  6. Limit Homebrew - You may only post one new homebrew thread per day.

  7. All posts must be flaired - Submissions should be flaired with an appropriate flair. For more information on which flair to use check here. For info on how to filter by flair on various apps and sites click here.

  8. No D&D Beyond content sharing posts - DDB Content sharing is restricted to the weekly thread which you can find here

  9. No low-effort/OC/image posts - Official sources, homebrew images, and new information/product photos are the exception.

  10. Limit Direct Response Posts - New posts that could reasonably serve as a reply to a different post that is in the top 40 of “Hot” may be removed by the moderators at their discretion. Please instead reply in the ongoing threads rather than making new ones.


Useful Links

Feel free to add to the community resource folder and the resource list.

/r/dndnext

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0

ChatGPT Good or Bad? (for DnD)

I'm new to DnD. I played and loved Baldurs gate, and now im in this rabbit hole. i looked into creating stuff with GPT and im not really sure if its good or not. im not familiar with the rulesets, my knowledge is entirely from baldurs gate and dimension20. I stopped once the 4o ran out, not sure if it would screw up memory. this is the chatGPT brief creation and begining of a solo campaign.

begin and create a solo d&d campaign, i will create a character, and you will be the DM

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

Let’s get started on your solo D&D adventure! To kick things off:

  1. Create Your Character: Share your character's name, class, race, background, and any relevant details like personality traits, ideals, bonds, and flaws. You can reuse your existing half-elf paladin or make someone new!
  2. Setting: Would you prefer a pre-made D&D setting (like Faerûn or Eberron) or something custom?
  3. Style of Adventure: What are you in the mood for? Dungeon crawling, mystery-solving, epic heroics, or something else?

Once I have this info, I'll craft an opening scene and begin narrating your journey!

4o

You said:

  1. Gorbag Griffith. Barbarian. Half-Orc. adopted by human paladins, but rebelled and began to develop rage abilities. Stats STR-15 DEX-13 CON-14 INT-8 WIS-10 CHA-12. He is strong and athletic not very focused on the mind but still cares about the people close to him, he may not have wanted to follow his foster parents to be a paladin but he still loves them for caring for him. 2. i would like to have a "Fantasy High" type of setting, creating new settings within the diverse land of Solace, not necessarily in Elmville. 3. I'm looking for some light mystery solving but with low INT i would want more epic heroics.

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPTMemory updated

Welcome to the world of Solace, Gorbag Griffith.

Opening Scene:

The bustling streets of Duskwatch, a frontier city on the edge of a mysterious expanse called the Ebon Wastes, teem with life. Street vendors shout over one another, peddling exotic wares from distant lands. Adventurers swagger through the market, their gear rattling like wind chimes, and strange creatures flit through the sky, casting shadows over the cobblestone roads.

You find yourself in the middle of Duskwatch Market, holding a hastily scrawled letter from a childhood friend, Elya Wayfinder, a cleric who followed a similar upbringing but remained true to the ideals of your foster parents. Her letter is brief and frantic:

As you approach the inn, the setting sun casts an orange glow across the waters of the harbor. The inn is a weathered building, its sign creaking in the breeze. Inside, a hooded figure sits alone at a corner table.

What does Gorbag do?

4o

You said:

can i roll a perception check on the figure to see if it is Elya? (i will roll and let you know at the end, if i cant roll just notify me and ignore the roll) Roll: 19

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

You can absolutely roll for perception! With your roll of 19, Gorbag focuses his attention on the hooded figure.

The faintly glowing golden pendant peeking out from the figure's cloak—a symbol of the sunburst, an emblem often associated with clerics of Pelor—gives it away. You’re confident this is Elya Wayfinder, your childhood friend and the writer of the letter.

What does Gorbag do next?

4o

You said:

he walks up and whispers "Hey are we okay to talk here? What is going on?"

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

The hooded figure glances up, and you immediately recognize the familiar face of Elya Wayfinder. Her hazel eyes glint with relief and weariness as she pulls her hood back slightly, revealing short-cropped auburn hair.

“Gorbag!” she whispers, her voice tense but grateful. “I was worried you wouldn’t make it in time.” She gestures for you to sit, her eyes darting toward the other patrons of the inn.

Once you’re seated, Elya leans in close. “We’re not safe to talk openly here. Too many ears, and I don’t trust them all. But I can tell you this much—those disappearances? They’re tied to something ancient and foul. I need your strength and courage to see this through.”

She slides a folded map across the table to you. “Meet me at Blackthorn Chapel after sunset. It’s abandoned, but no one will dare follow us there. I’ll explain everything.”

Her eyes lock on yours, filled with urgency. “And Gorbag… whatever you do, don’t trust anyone who claims to know what’s going on. They’re either lying or worse.”

With that, she stands abruptly, tossing a few coins onto the table, and makes her way out of the inn, blending into the growing dusk.

You’re left with the map and the promise of answers to come.

What does Gorbag do now?

4o

You said:

as to not seem suspicious Gorbag goes up to the bar to get a drink and calls for a drink "Bartender a beer please" as he raises his hand

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

The bartender, a burly dwarf with a braided beard and a scar running across his left cheek, gives you a quick glance and nods. “Aye, comin’ right up.” He grabs a tankard, fills it to the brim with frothy amber ale, and slides it across the counter with practiced ease.

“That’ll be three silver,” he says, leaning on the bar. “You new in town, or just passin’ through?”

The nearby patrons seem lost in their own conversations, and nothing about the scene strikes you as unusual—at least, not yet.

What does Gorbag do? Pay for the drink and engage the bartender, keep things short, or something else?

4o

You said:

i pay the bar keep and replies "yea passin through, whats the headline arround here?"

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

The bartender pockets the silver and leans in slightly, lowering his voice. “Oh, plenty of headlines, if you’ve got the ears for it,” he says, his tone laced with skepticism. “But if you’re lookin’ for the talk of the town…”

He glances around the room, then shrugs. “It’s the vanishings, of course. People disappearin’ at night, no rhyme or reason to it. First, it was just the poor folk down by the docks. Then, a merchant’s son. Even a city guard last week.”

The dwarf’s expression darkens. “The city’s scared stiff, but no one’s willin’ to say what they think it is. Not out loud, anyway.” He leans closer. “Some say it’s the work of shadowy cultists. Others blame the creatures out in the Ebon Wastes. Me? I think the guards know more than they’re lettin’ on, but they’re too scared to act.”

He straightens up and smirks, as if to shake off the gloom. “You want my advice, stranger? Stick to the inns after dark. Safer that way.”

The ale is cold and refreshing, but his words leave a chill of their own.

What does Gorbag do?

4o

You said:

gorbag finishes and heads off hoping to make his way to the Blackthorn Chapel before dark, taking the bar keeps advise.

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

As Gorbag steps out of the Sunken Quill Inn, the air feels heavier, the last rays of sunlight sinking beneath the horizon. Shadows stretch across the cobblestone streets of Duskwatch, and the city seems quieter than it should be for this time of evening.

Following the map Elya gave you, you weave through the narrow streets, the buildings around you gradually becoming older and more decrepit. Blackthorn Chapel lies in the Ruinward, a section of the city largely abandoned years ago after a great fire. Few venture here willingly.

The streets grow darker, lit only by a faint crescent moon, and a low mist creeps along the ground. As you near the chapel, the structure comes into view: a crumbling, gothic building with shattered stained-glass windows and ivy creeping along its stone walls.

You reach the heavy wooden doors, slightly ajar, the faint creak of movement from inside breaking the stillness.

What does Gorbag do? Push the doors open and enter, try to look or listen first, or something else?

4o

You said:

can i roll perception to check for unwanted eyes, and try to spot Elya. Roll-11

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

With your roll of 11, Gorbag scans the area as the mist swirls around his feet. You glance toward the nearby alleys and rooftops, but the fog makes it hard to spot anything or anyone lurking in the shadows.

Turning your attention to the chapel, you see no clear sign of Elya from your position outside. However, you do catch the faintest flicker of light—possibly a lantern or candle—coming from within the chapel, illuminating the edges of the broken stained-glass windows.

The area seems eerily quiet, with no immediate sign of watchers.

What does Gorbag do?

4o

You said:

he enters slowly trying to keep stealth while trying to get close enough to scan the area.

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

Gorbag carefully pushes the heavy wooden door open, wincing as it creaks loudly in the silence. The dim light of a single lantern near the altar spills across the chapel’s cracked stone floor, highlighting long-forgotten pews covered in dust and cobwebs.

You step inside, your boots echoing softly despite your efforts to stay quiet. The air is damp and carries a faint metallic tang, as though something old and forgotten lingers here.

As you approach cautiously, you notice movement near the lantern—a familiar figure kneels in front of the altar. It’s Elya, flipping through a large, ancient-looking tome. She doesn’t seem to have noticed you yet.

From your vantage point, the room appears empty aside from Elya, the lantern, and the crumbling remains of the chapel's interior.

What does Gorbag do? Approach Elya directly, call out to her, or investigate the room further?

4o

You said:

i walk up comforted by seeing her, i call out "Elya im here. i talked to the bartender and he said something about shadowy cultists, also the guards know about this but are scared.

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

Elya looks up sharply at the sound of your voice, but her tense expression softens as she recognizes you. She rises from her kneeling position, brushing dust off her robes.

“Shadowy cultists…” she murmurs, her brow furrowing. “I was afraid of that. And the guards knowing but doing nothing? It all lines up too well with what I’ve found.”

She gestures to the tome on the altar, its pages yellowed with age. “This book is from the old chapel archives, back when this place was still active. It talks about a secret order that worshiped something called the Shadowed Flame. They were supposed to have been wiped out centuries ago, but if they’ve resurfaced…”

Elya pauses, her eyes meeting yours. “It would explain the disappearances. This ‘cult’ used sacrifices to summon terrible creatures—or worse, to empower themselves. If they’re back, they must be operating in secret, using fear to keep people silent.”

She steps closer, lowering her voice. “I’ve found an old name connected to this—The Silent Mirror. I don’t know what it is, but it’s tied to the cult’s rituals. And I think I know where we can find it: the Catacombs of Duskwatch, beneath this very chapel.”

Elya places a hand on your arm, her eyes determined. “I can’t do this alone, Gorbag. Will you help me uncover the truth?”

What does Gorbag do? Agree immediately, ask for more details, or something else?

4o

You said:

Gorbag ready to defend his friend he cares for, grabs and readies his battle-axe. "I'm with you all the way."

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

Elya smiles, a mixture of relief and gratitude crossing her features as you ready your battle-axe. "Thank you, Gorbag. I knew I could count on you."

The flickering lantern casts shadows on the walls of the chapel as Elya moves toward a hidden trapdoor in the corner of the room, half-covered by debris and dust. She kneels to push it open, revealing a dark, narrow staircase leading down into the catacombs beneath Duskwatch.

“Stay close. These tunnels haven’t been used in years, and who knows what’s down there now.”

The air grows colder as you descend, the walls of the staircase damp and slick with age. A faint, unsettling noise—like a low hum or whisper—reaches your ears from the depths.

As you reach the bottom, the catacombs open up into a large, vaulted chamber. The walls are lined with old crypts, their lids cracked or broken. Faint torchlight flickers from further down the hall, casting eerie shadows. At the far end of the chamber, you spot a dark, ornate door—different from the others—its edges marked with strange symbols.

Elya’s voice is barely a whisper. “This is it… The Silent Mirror must be beyond that door. Stay alert.”

What does Gorbag do? Approach the door cautiously, check the surroundings, or take another action?

4o mini

You said:

can i roll either perception or investigation to see if someone has been here? check for cleared dust. investigation roll- 11 perception roll-14

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

With your investigation roll of 11 and perception roll of 14, Gorbag scans the catacombs carefully. The dust is thick on the floor, but in some areas near the door and the crypts, the dust has been recently disturbed.

You notice several marks on the ground—scratches from heavy boots—and there’s a faint trail leading toward the door, as if someone has passed through recently. The symbols around the door appear to have been etched into the stone, but some of the markings look newer than the rest, suggesting recent activity.

No signs of immediate danger, but the trail seems fresh. Someone or something has definitely been here recently.

What does Gorbag do next? Approach the door cautiously, check for traps, or something else?

4o mini

You said:

gorbag opens the door carefully

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

Gorbag approaches the dark, ornate door with a steady hand, his battle-axe ready. The door creaks slightly as he carefully turns the handle and pushes it open.

The door reveals a narrow passageway, dimly lit by flickering torches along the walls. The air is thick with a strange, metallic scent that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end. As you step inside, the door closes behind you with a soft thud.

The corridor ahead is lined with stone shelves, some holding ancient artifacts and others containing more cryptic objects—candles, strange statuettes, and small glass jars filled with dark liquids. The whispering sound from earlier grows louder now, almost like a chant echoing from the far end of the passage.

At the end of the corridor, you can see a large chamber with a high ceiling, its floor scattered with broken stone tiles. In the center of the room stands a raised altar, dark and foreboding, surrounded by several hooded figures. They are chanting, their voices low and rhythmic, and they don’t seem to notice your presence yet.

Elya’s hand tightens around your arm. “We’re close. Those figures… they’re the cultists. We have to stop them before they complete whatever ritual they’re planning.”

What does Gorbag do? Approach the cultists, prepare to strike, or take a different course of action?

4o mini

You said:

how many cultists are there? perception roll is a nat 1+2 total: 3

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

With your perception roll of 3, the sight before you is hard to make out clearly, and the shadows in the chamber are thick. The chanting reverberates through the stone walls, making it difficult to focus.

However, you can make out the figures around the altar, though the exact number eludes you. The flickering torchlight casts eerie shadows, and some figures may be partially obscured. You can tell that there are at least three or four figures near the altar, but there could be more lurking in the shadows or hidden from view.

Elya leans in close, whispering urgently. “We can’t risk being spotted. We need a plan.”

What does Gorbag do next? Approach cautiously, ready an attack, or take another action?

26 Comments
2024/12/05
14:31 UTC

1

Looking for a DnD youtube channel

I just can't seem to remember what this channel's called! It's one of those advice for DMing/Worldbuilding channels where it's a guy but we only ever see his hands throwing books on a table/bed as he mentions them in passing. I think he has an ongoing joke of hoping Ginni Di notices him. If this rings a bell for any of you, please let me know. Thanks!

2 Comments
2024/12/05
09:54 UTC

1

Where to get an expanded trade good list?

My party recently stole a ship after winning a fight on it and decided to use the 2024 bastion system on it but heavily modified. Because of that, I'm kinda simulating trading where you buy stuff where its made and cheap and sell it where its high demand, but the default trade goods list is really weak with stuff like that and doesn't include stuff like craft goods, artisan goods and even timber. Is there a better list out there?

5 Comments
2024/12/05
06:48 UTC

5

Burnt Out on Homebrew Games, What Premade Module Should I Run?

So i unexpectedly ran into a brick wall in my homebrew game. I’m just so tired of the effort of creating an entire story and piecing it together. To contrast, I’m running Curse of Strahd as well and it’s going very smoothly and I always have energy for the session.

I’m looking for a campaign to replace my homebrew campaign. They like high stakes and character development. I’m currently a player in Tomb of Annihilation. So that and CoS are out. There are a couple players that are also in CoS so I can’t do CoS twice.

Icewind Dale is looking like the best bet but 1 player read through it all. They’re still down to play, but less excited for this one.

Phandelver and Below. I heard there’s a sudden shift in the story. If I have to a little bit of work that’s fine.

Ghost of Saltmarsh. I’m not crazy about anthologies as they often feel barely connected but I hear this one can be smoothly run as a single campaign.

25 Comments
2024/12/05
06:18 UTC

82

If a druid has a mouse in his pocket and uses Wild Shape to transform, what happens to the mouse?

I know possessions morph into the Wild Shape but the mouse is both a friend and a possession.

62 Comments
2024/12/05
04:12 UTC

20

Equipment: Weapon Properties: Light: "Different Light Weapon" clarification

[The] extra attack must be made with a different Light weapon... For example, you can attack with a Shortsword in one hand and a Dagger in the other...

Source: https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/dnd/free-rules/equipment#Light

I think this means you can attack with a shortsword in one hand and a different shortsword in the other hand. It doesn't have to be a different *type* of light weapon, does it? I think you just need any 2 light weapons.

20 Comments
2024/12/05
03:33 UTC

0

I never realised just how much worse the fighter class is now

Had a discussion with our DM about the fact that dangerous enemies would all just run straight past me and kill the back line, asked exactly how we were supposed to stop it and they said fair enough and let me choose a bunch of 4e fighter abilities. I'm never going back, turns out battle master is actually a hilariously pathetic imitation of what actual fighters can do.

I've now played a couple of sessions with the old fighter abilities and HOLY SHIT it's like Hitchcock and Scully then vs now, what on earth happened? I didn't even realise fighters are a bad class now until I got a taste of what they were like before, I can actually TANK and I'm handing out aoe cleave attacks and massive hits that do stuff like bleed my enemies or pick them up and slam them into each other left and right.

The difference is insane. I've asked and it's not like it was like this with all classes, stuff like bard apparently got better not worse. But for some reason they decided to turn fighter from strategic combat wrecking ball who FORCES enemies to deal with him into dumb thug who hopes saying I take the attack option repeatedly will win and has no other options if it doesn't. Who saw these awesome abilities and said nah, you know what they really need instead? Making a bunch of generic attack rolls every turn for the entire campaign.

54 Comments
2024/12/05
03:32 UTC

0

Need some opinions, to see if my new character is a good one or not. Thanks for any feedback.

Before I start, I know there's going to be a few lore inaccuracies, but please ignore those blemishes as this is mostly me writing down whatever is coming into my mind. Along with the character still being in the PROTOTYPE phase.

UUS is a young intellect devourer that broke free from the elder brain she was bound to, due to being labeled as different and aberrant. Now she travels Faerûn and the planes in search of purpose. UUS is relatively smart but has a somewhat way of thinking mixed in with being naturally subservient by nature. She is very loyal to whoever she considers friend. Because UUS is a rather alien creature she has no true morality doing whatever she needs to survive and only to survive, but is not above self sacrifice for her friends. As an intellect devourer she has a kind of split personality, enabling UUS to perform different actions simultaneously.

Currently, UUS inhabits the body of a high elf named Elenthira. This unusual arrangement began when UUS stumbled upon Elenthira at her own funeral. The moment Elenthira's corpse mysteriously vanished, her family was engulfed in chaos. As an elven princess, her disappearance threw the kingdom into turmoil, with frantic searches launched to locate her body. Miraculously, UUS managed to escape detection, largely due to her psionic powers that created the illusion of a cat for anyone who glanced in her direction. Elenthira was celebrated for her beauty, even among elves, and shared a curious nature with UUS. However, this striking appearance often attracted unwelcome attention. Yet, UUS chose to remain in Elenthira’s body for a compelling reason: Elenthira was an Aberrant Mind Sorcerer. Their unique compatibility greatly enhanced UUS's psionic abilities, allowing her to thrive in this new form. Elenthira, a high elf, tragically died at the tender age of 124, the victim of an unbreakable curse. Many remembered her as a curious intellect with a profound understanding of the arcane. She often mentored young, talented elven children and found success as a businesswoman, owning several magical establishments both within and beyond her kingdom. To her family's dismay, Elenthira had a penchant for reading erotic novels, a hobby so strong that UUS inadvertently inherited this trait. When it comes to social interactions, UUS can come across as socially awkward or strange. Engaging with her feels like interacting with a creature pretending to be a sentient being, along with the fact that her gaze is rather hollow or empty but also at the same time it has a glint of curiosity behind them. Despite her challenges in mimicking a normal civilized creature, UUS is still able to get by and remain undetected. For the most part UUS's preys are mainly sentient beings branded as 'bad' or 'monsters.' Rather than a moral stance, her choice is strategic; by targeting those deemed undesirable, she minimizes the risk of attracting attention to herself, knowing that such individuals are often overlooked. UUS also leverages Elenthira's beauty, albeit in somewhat awkward ways, to entice her victims into isolated or shadowy areas and her victims usually ignores her strange behavior since Elenshira is that beautiful.

42 Comments
2024/12/05
01:37 UTC

0

Need an opinion.

Our wizard looted the Staff of Defence from Glasstaff.

Is it supposed to be an action to use shield, or is it supposed to be used like the actual spell (reaction). Had a lengthy convo about this today and imo, the reaction is more in line with the actual spell thats in the staff (along with mage armor).

10 Comments
2024/12/05
00:42 UTC

11

Is "the witch in the chair" a fun character to play ?

So I have a hex blood fae lock and I wanna have her based around Information gathering and have a much heavier focus on exploration and utility than combat .

And my question is that kinda character who hangs back and scouts out the dungeon and relays the information of where to go and what to do but Is weak in combat even worth doing in 5e

Like does 5e handle the guy in the chair archetype or would just be better adjusting the character to be more combat combat focused?

Edit: hey thanks for all the feedback , I'm still gonna be going forward with this character but only gonna sprinkle in some of this archetype, I'm thinking about having a summoner and debuffer play style in combat

79 Comments
2024/12/05
00:14 UTC

0

Cat-Man Fireman Build advice

I'm trying to build a firefighter character for a 5e game. It will take place in a mageocracy and starting at level 1. The inspiration is the following, minus the very ending. https://www.facebook.com/share/v/wzi7TWZu38dkKzMi/

In short, the character is an actual housecat who survives a fire, but his owner dies. Something happens (he can't remember) and he becomes a big, muscular humanoid cat who works as a firefighter. He is dedicated and loyal to his work, though has haunting dreams about his former owner.

I might make the way he became a man-cat ambiguous and leave it to the DM, though I'd be fine if I, the player, knew.

Mainly, I want advice about a race/class/feat combo to build. He needs to be a straight beefstick, with little or no magic. If he does have magic, ideally it is magic that he may not even recognize as magic (Ex. Shield spell just happens when he needs it. Or he just thinks a smite is a really powerful attack).

Thoughts I've had so far:

Race:

  • Tabaxi. The natural choice, with a built in claw attack (though it overlaps with classes that give natural weapons).
  • Dhampir. Is very ambiguous on actual race and origin, which I like. Has an inescapable craving for milk. Though, it would lock him into an origin story where he is dead, which I haven't decided on.
  • Shifter.
  • Human (reflavor)

Class: Leaning on two-clawed fighting and unarmored, but up for ideas

  • Beast Barbarian - Going for two-clawed fighting here
  • Monk (Drunken Master or Open Hand) - Going for two-clawed fighting here
  • Glory Paladin - Rocking the fireman's axe
  • Fighter (Champion or Rune Knight)
  • Warlock (Hexblade, Undying, or Celestial) - Still a strength build.

I'm going for flavor over function, so fun but mid ideas are acceptable, as long as they make sense.

1 Comment
2024/12/04
21:39 UTC

0

Is there a character size bigger than Huge?

So I saw that there is a giant barbarian subclass and it got me thinking "What if a fairy decided to become a giant barbarian?" just for the whole idea that they can use Enlarge/Reduce to get even bigger.
Is it possible?

25 Comments
2024/12/04
21:32 UTC

0

FLP’s Lord of the Rings Roleplaying question about phases

I picked up the Lord of the Rings Roleplaying set over the weekend wanting to run a game for it in the new year for my group. As I was going through the book really trying to read it and understand it I was a bit confused about the Adventuring Phases section in Chapter 5. They don’t say much at all about the Heroic Ventures i.e. combat since it plays the same, but they don’t specify where within other phases that one might put combat encounters. For example during the Journey phase there is a lot of detail about each type of event that can happen while out adventuring, but never once is there a spot that says “because the party/lore master rolled X, there’s a potential random encounter.” Or something like “because you failed these checks the enemy you were looking for got to you early.” Or something. They go through the whole journeying phase with the intent I guess that combat can’t happen during that time? Is it that once the journeying phase is over and you’ve reached your destination that you are supposed to be met with a combat encounter? Doesn’t that kind of take out elements of surprise or suspense for the party that they might be met with enemies along their way? It feels like because they said that combat happens like it does in regular 5e just put it where you, the Loremaster thinks it makes sense? And if that were true wouldn’t that supersede parts of the journeying phase of when and how to make path finding checks? I guess I just read through all of chapter 5 and never once saw where combat encounters have their place in the entirety of the Adventuring Phases. They certainly aren’t in the Fellowship phase (though combat encounters could definitely happen in big cities/safe havens too.)

2 Comments
2024/12/04
19:05 UTC

0

All point buy calculators available suck, so I created one

Hey everyone,

After getting frustrated with all the confusing point buy calculators out there, I decided to make my own website to help create D&D characters. I'm a regular DM who got tired of my players getting stuck on ability scores during character creation.

What I did was create a really straightforward calculator where you just click up and down arrows to adjust your stats. It shows you how many points you have left to spend and automatically prevents you from going over the limit or below the minimum scores.

I'm not trying to promote anything here - it's completely free and has no ads. I just wanted to share it with other D&D players who might find it useful. If you want to check it out, just let me know and I'll drop the link in the comments.

Has anyone else made their own D&D tools? I'd love to hear what you've created to make your games easier!

Also if you have any feedback to improve it, please let me know!!

60 Comments
2024/12/04
18:45 UTC

1

Bard subclasses?

Hello! I've been playing dnd with my friends for the first time since August. We're a group of 4 and because only the DM and M are experienced players, my friend C and I wanted to find a way to get more used to playing. So we asked the DM if we could create characters from Level 1 (we started at level 5 due to the other characters level and us joining into an already existing homebrew campaign) and have them be separate until they can join into the main party eventually. He agreed, and now we're playing Skaven twins. C is playing a fighter while I chose a bard. My question now - what subclass should I eventually choose? I would love to have her be less of a spellcaster but instead just have the bard aspect be her first form of defense because she's a little thief. So, talking her way out of trouble, distract while her brother steals stuff, getting people to do something for her for free and so on. I would like her to be able to wield weapons and do good damage, then use her spells just for healing or support to her brother. Is there any subclass that comes to mind to help with that? I know of college of swords but only heard "bad" things about it, about it being quite complicated and not as good as other subclasses for what it offers.

19 Comments
2024/12/04
18:20 UTC

0

Grappling with your...rizz?

I was looking at Warlock invocations trying to optimize the Eldritch Adept feat (nothing to do with this) and I read this little gem:

Investment of the Chain Master

Prerequisite: Level 5+ Warlock, Pact of the Chain Invocation

When you cast Find Familiar, you infuse the summoned familiar with a measure of your eldritch power, granting the creature the following benefits.

Aerial or Aquatic. The familiar gains either a Fly Speed or a Swim Speed (your choice) of 40 feet.

Quick Attack. As a Bonus Action, you can command the familiar to take the Attack action.

Necrotic or Radiant Damage. Whenever the familiar deals Bludgeoning, Piercing, or Slashing damage, you can make it deal Necrotic or Radiant damage instead.

Your Save DC. If the familiar forces a creature to make a saving throw, it uses your spell save DC.

Resistance. When the familiar takes damage, you can take a Reaction to grant it Resistance against that damage.

and you already know where I'm going with this.

The text of Investment, whether intentionally or not, declines to specify that that saving throw must be made against a spell. What non-spell action now forces a creature to make a saving throw? Grappling (actually I'm now realizing there are several, but I'm here for the skeleton hug).

Is this RAI? Almost certainly not, but it is technically RAW. Is it cool? Fuck yes it is. Is it useful? Actually, maybe. While the largest familiar warlocks have access to is a Medium creature (so you're never grappling anything larger than yourself without a source of the Enlarge spell) and familiars have abysmal STR scores so the grapple is definitely getting broken immediately, this still wastes a creature's action every turn, and on your turn you can Mind Sliver them so they are less likely to beat your DC. You can also make use of any of the gear that binds a grappled creature without waiting a turn cycle. Additionally, Genie warlocks can make their familiars drag their enemies through their Spike Growth, which is kinda neat.

26 Comments
2024/12/04
18:13 UTC

4

Immunities Question

Sooo I'm designing a monster of sorts for homebrew that can become immune to the Prone condition if it transforms, which it can do as a bonus action. Would this mean that the Prone condition would be cancelled out without expending half movement to get up, or would it just go back to being Prone after changing back, since it isn't immune to the condition by default?

Edit: You all make a pretty good point, the key among them of course being that I'm an idiot for getting myself confused to begin with. Thanks for the advice.

11 Comments
2024/12/04
14:33 UTC

0

I'm coming up with a new campaign

Hey everyone. First time poster on reddit period.
I'm developing a new campaign for 5e and I was looking for some inspiration.

I DMing for a group of four, two completetly new to D&D and two who I've DMed for before. I'll start them in Daggerford from the Forgotton Realms and I'll have a young dragon attack the town and have the players be hired to hunt it down. I'm taking this setup and following it from the adventure "Hunt for Haldraxis" from the questonomicon book by XP to lvl3, though I'm planting it into the Forgotten Realms.

So I've got them covered until lvl 3. However, where I need some help is the following:
Looking through several sourcebooks and the wiki I discovered that the current ruler, lady Morwen Daggerford, has been replaced by a shapeshifting succubus called Pencheska. Pencheska herself is doing this on behalf of lady Wynne Cromm, of the nearby Cromm's hold, who is trying to surplant lady Daggerford as the ruler of the town. The real lady Daggerford is being kept in lady Cromm's dungeon in Cromm's hold.

In her form of Lady Daggerford Pencheska is trying to seem benevolent and kind to the townsfolk to not get uncovered. In Storm King's Thunder it is suggested she has hired zhentarim mercanaries to protect against to threat of stone giants and to gain favor with the merc group.

Now, I need help figuring out

1st) What kind of deal has been struck between the succubus and lady Cromm? What has the succubus to gain from this arrangement? Or was she summoned against her will and is bound by magic to lady Cromm's bidding?

2nd) How is replacing lady daggerford with a succubus going to ensure lady Cromm's acension to duchess of Daggerford?

3rd) What are the Zhentarim's intetions? Are they just here for the guard contract, or do they have other, darker intentions? Do they know of the true identity of Pencheska and/or of the whereabouts of lady daggerford? How will they react to the parties intervention in the town's affairs?

There are some more interested minor parties and npcs who are all local players in Daggrford such as the elf sir Darfin Floshin, who has been advising the lords an ladies of Daggerford since its founding to varying reception.

I am happy for any and all input. Cheers, everyone.

5 Comments
2024/12/04
13:02 UTC

0

WOULD YOU RATHER?

Have a bag of holding that smells like wet socksORHave a ring of invisibility that loudly announces when it's activated?

"You can't see me now!" echoes across the dungeon.

View Poll

16 Comments
2024/12/04
12:36 UTC

46

Can you recommend me some good village/kingdom-running rules for D&D? (2014)

My players managed to get a cool castle all for themselves & dethroned the sham king of a nearby Grung tribe and convinced them all that our Paladin is a fit ruler for the tribe. Therefore, it's only reasonable to assume their next step is putting 2 and 2 together and starting their own little kingdom, now that they have a castle and a populace. They've been talking about it nonstop in the discord since the last session.

I was already planning on running the castle as a base, but now they'll have their own little village/microstate, which is cool ig. It helps that they're doing this, coincidentally, in one of the kingdoms in my setting that is more open to microstates/vassal states within their borders.

What would be the best way to run this scenario? I could take ideas from the Bastion system from 2024 or the Base system from AcqInc, but these seem to be more focused on the base itself— not with a whole village. Besides, being a governor *and* and adventurer on the road might be hard.

Any tips and ideas? Possibly something not too complicated as to not detract my players from their main quest.

20 Comments
2024/12/04
12:35 UTC

0

Feebleminded Archdruid

Hi everyone!

So, last session ended during a combat in which the current enemy of the party, a powerful Archdruid, failed the saving throw against Feeblemind. I have multiple questions that I hope you can help me with!

A very quick summary of the situation: this Archdruid really hates the party. They infiltrated her lair and have stolen and destroyed a powerful artifact that the archdruid was using to bestow energy in the area, at the cost of other distant places. They did not try to talk to her before. When they were running from the lair, she surprised them, having already cast Foresight and changed shape into an Invisible Stalker. The first combat was very quick, since they teleported away. But being able to follow them in her Invisibile Stalker form, the Archdruid tried to ambush them again later. During this combat, one of the PC used Feeblemind on her.

Now come the questions:

  1. She was in her Invisible Stalker shape and was concentrating on Sunbeam. I have seen that there is no clear indication of what Feeblemind does to Concentration, but RAW there is no indication she cannot keep concentration on Sunbeam after Feeblemind. Do you agree on this? I want to have some discussion about this, even if I'm quite conviced about it;

  2. She has changed shape again to become a Mammoth, attacking the closest enemy. Here comes the second one: do you consider bad roleplaying using the action for a sunbeam, since she has already launched the spell? I'm trying to figure out how a creature with Int 1, Wis 20 and Char 1 would behave. On one side, she is an archdruid, she is used to take beasts form, basing more on Wisdom than any other ability. I have seen that a close stat monster could be the Elder Elementals. Does it make sense for her to unleash this sunbeam power? Or would she just go ramping in her mammoth shape? I was also imaging what a dragon would do feebleminded: even with no more spells or tactics, but it would still have tails, claws and breath attacks. Does this make sense to you? Open to discussion;

  3. Feeblemind is becoming a pain in my campaign :P a very high Wis NPC like this Archdruid would flee if she looses too many HP? Or would stay and fight untill defeated?

Thanks in advance for the discussion!

23 Comments
2024/12/04
11:10 UTC

0

Help with a Gloom Stalker Ranger Build

I'm starting a new campaign with 2014 rule set.

We'll start at lvl 3 and the campaing will end at lvl 15.

I never played a Ranger and I want to try the Gloom Stalker because everyone says it's strong.

How should I build it?

I took variant human with sharpshooter feat.

I was thinking of taking 4 level ranger first but I'm not sure if I want to take an ASI or Alert feat.

After Maybe I want to multiclass into 4 level fighter, maybe battlemaster not sure, to get action surge.

12 Comments
2024/12/04
08:35 UTC

0

Undefeatable boss ideas for level 5 characters?

I'm sorry if the title is confusing. I'm planning to DM for the first time by doing a mini-campaign with friends and I'm planning to start it off with an impossible boss fight so that everyone dies only to be resurrected by a powerful homebrew archdevil and sent on a quest to retrieve an artifact. Everyone will start off as level 5 because the campaign won't last long (only like 2-3 sessions?) and I want people to explore higher level spells etc. I want the boss to be undefeatable but I also want the combat to last for a couple of turns because I want to introduce everyone to the combat system (my friends are new players so I think it'll be good exercise for them). Any ideas or tips for the boss or for a first time DM in general?

Edit: Alright folks, I'll listen to you and start with a small cutscene without any combat. I didn't think how frustrating the pointless combat option would be for the players so thanks a lot for your input!!

14 Comments
2024/12/04
08:21 UTC

2

Can u go from one wildshape to another in 1 turn?

as the new druid, u can wildshape as a bonus action. and when wildshaping u get temp hitpoints. now my question is can i use my bonus action to wildshape from one wildshape into another in 1 turn for the free temp hitpoints? or would i have to drop it first and then wildshape again on the next turn?

31 Comments
2024/12/04
08:09 UTC

0

Harengon ninja character idea

Hey guys, i have a Humblewood campaign coming up and im planning on playing a harengon ninja guy from a different continent which we made to be similar to feudal japan with my DM. In short his story is that he's a drunkard son of the lord of a northern clan and while drunk he spilled some military secrets to a rival clan who because of this were able to torch a settlement belonging to his father. He was training as a samurai but because of his actions his father cast him out and branded him a ronin. On the night of this branding he was drinking in a tavern where he met one of the other players. She was looking for the honorable "Lord Konosuke" and my character said he was konosuke and she had a job and needed help for it. (She was looking for his father) So they went to the continent of humblewood by ship. This job will help a lot of people so he does this because he wants to restore his and his family's honor. He is very good at cooking and gets very angry when people touch his ingredients and utensils.

Do you guys have any ideas i could add to his story or any weird quirks? It feels a bit bland for me.

3 Comments
2024/12/04
05:24 UTC

0

New player Aragorn build

Looking to do a Aragorn build for my first character I was thinking a ranger (gloom stalker) but need help building him on the dnd beyond app.

14 Comments
2024/12/04
05:12 UTC

18

DMs: How would you rule Anc. Guardian + Echo Knight?

The Ancestral Guardian Barbarian comes with a taunt that forces the afflicted enemy to have disadvantage on offensive moves that don't include the Barbarian for one turn. They can also use their Reaction to block up to 2d6 damage on an ally while raging.

The Echo Knight can summon echo versions of themselves to attack from. They have 1 HP, have 14+DEX AC, and don't do much other than offer additional mobility, reach, and positioning for opportunity attacks.

Would you allow the AG to block the 2d6 damage against their echo, and would you allow their taunt ability to protect their echo?

25 Comments
2024/12/04
02:06 UTC

0

Does Wish have any limitations?

Are there any limitations on Wish, or can it be literally anything? Is there anything stopping someone from wishing for ‘Make me Emperor of Faerun’?

21 Comments
2024/12/04
01:42 UTC

38

Amazon Prime’s D&D channel.

Just found out Amazon Prime has a live streaming Dungeons and Dragons channel.

Looks like the D&D cartoon, cooking show and actual play

19 Comments
2024/12/04
01:23 UTC

2

Zero Experience Group is looking for help and tips.

I've never played D&D, but I've had the opportunity to consume a lot of content. (Critical Role,Dimension 20, and some podcasts.) I Have read the Player Handbook and DM Guide.

My wife and 2 of her friends said they wanted to play. I'll be their DM, but neither of them (nor I) has any TTRPG experience. They more or less want to experience what D&D is like. I want to experience DMing. I am aware that the people I watch are professionals and our experience will not be the same, I told them that, but they insisted. Our expectations are very “low.(let’s say realistic)” So we will try.

Party: Cleric, Warrior, Rogue (3 Person)

It will be logical to play a one-shot. So we are looking for ;

  • Are there any good apps that can help us track events or stats?
  • Easy One-Shot for newbies.
  • Any tips for greenhorns are also appreciated :)
17 Comments
2024/12/04
00:38 UTC

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