FAQ/OOC

[SMARTAgentKC]

Got questions, want to know something specific about the lab or just want to say hello, have at it. This is the topic for it

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

'Ello!

Out of curiosity, if we don't have homebrew to test, would it be okay to join anyways and try out different builds canon to the D&D 5e rules?

[SMARTAgentKC]

Yes it would be okay, people are even welcome to join even if they just want to observe stuff going on

I have general access to most offical 5e stuff so don't worry about providing a link

[Guardian Angel Haruki]

4 hours ago, SMARTAgentKC said:

Yes it would be okay, people are even welcome to join even if they just want to observe stuff going on

I have general access to most offical 5e stuff so don't worry about providing a link

Awesome! Glad to hear.

I'm looking forward to playing. ^_^

[PixCO]

Thank you for the add. I used to be a regular on the old site and am only now finding my way to here. A little help adjusting would be very much appreciated.

 

More than that, I haven't played D&D since 3.5. 5th Edition looks very promising, but also a bit confusing. I could also use some help getting into the rhythm gameplay.

 

I'm looking at Gloom Stalker currently. Detection/analysis spells, tracking, and lurking in the dark? Add Urban Bounty Hunter and that feels pretty coherent. Would anyone like to help me develop the concept and learn the ropes?

[BobtheWizard]

12 hours ago, PixCO said:

Thank you for the add. I used to be a regular on the old site and am only now finding my way to here. A little help adjusting would be very much appreciated.

 

More than that, I haven't played D&D since 3.5. 5th Edition looks very promising, but also a bit confusing. I could also use some help getting into the rhythm gameplay.

 

I'm looking at Gloom Stalker currently. Detection/analysis spells, tracking, and lurking in the dark? Add Urban Bounty Hunter and that feels pretty coherent. Would anyone like to help me develop the concept and learn the ropes?

Gloomstalkers are great. Some people say rangers fall off after level 11 or so, but I think Gloomstalkers hold their own even at high levels. And at low/mid levels they are outstanding. Here are some races that work well.

Elf / Half-elf for an elven accuracy/sharpshooter archer.

Variant Human for either pole arm master feat or crossbow expert to get a bonus action attack at level 1

Bugbear for an extra 2d6 damage on first round attacks

Goblin for bonus action disengage

Shadar Kai / Eladrin / Astral elf for bonus action teleport a few times per day

Herengon for bonus action leap

Deep Gnome or Drow for longer darkvision

Owlin / Aarakocra / Winged Tiefling / Fairy for flight, but many DMs son't want to deal with this

[PixCO]

17 minutes ago, BobtheWizard said:

Gloomstalkers are great. Some people say rangers fall off after level 11 or so, but I think Gloomstalkers hold their own even at high levels. And at low/mid levels they are outstanding. Here are some races that work well.

Elf / Half-elf for an elven accuracy/sharpshooter archer.

Variant Human for either pole arm master feat or crossbow expert to get a bonus action attack at level 1

Bugbear for an extra 2d6 damage on first round attacks

Goblin for bonus action disengage

Shadar Kai / Eladrin / Astral elf for bonus action teleport a few times per day

Herengon for bonus action leap

Deep Gnome or Drow for longer darkvision

Owlin / Aarakocra / Winged Tiefling / Fairy for flight, but many DMs son't want to deal with this

Shooting for a "World's Greatest Detective" Batman type over "Dark Knight" or "Caped Crusader", so combat capability is a must but not the primary focus. Deep Gnome and Harengon are looking really good for that. The Hare for perception and parkour, the Svirf' for the extra spycraft magic. Let's go with Deep Gnome Urban Bounty Hunter Gloom Stalker for now.

 

Personality Trait: "I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong."

Ideals: Redemption (She's a reformed Criminal Enforcer making up for past mistakes)

Bond: "Someone I loved died because of I mistake I made. That will never happen again." (Think Nacho Varga from Better Call Saul)

Flaw: "If there's a plan, I'll forget it. If I don't forget it, I'll ignore it." (No, I didn't just abandon my own carefully thought-out plan and just start winging it. It's still my plan. I just didn't tell you about this part, that's all.)

I'll have to source some female Deep Gnome names. I always suck at naming my chars. As for being useful after 11, that's going to depend on what magic items she can accumulate along the way. Let the fighters and wizards take out the dragon. She'll be the one to find the agent it sneaked onto the city council AND the funds that agent embezzled on the way out.

How does balancing work now? I was expecting to have to purchase an Exotic or Monstrous background somehow. Either through increased XP requirements or some other point-buy system. That's how D&D has done it in the past. But if Dragonborn is considered Common, the only difference between the three really does seem to be what the DM wants to deal with?

[BobtheWizard]

59 minutes ago, PixCO said:

Shooting for a "World's Greatest Detective" Batman type over "Dark Knight" or "Caped Crusader", so combat capability is a must but not the primary focus. Deep Gnome and Harengon are looking really good for that. The Hare for perception and parkour, the Svirf' for the extra spycraft magic. Let's go with Deep Gnome Urban Bounty Hunter Gloom Stalker for now.

 

Personality Trait: "I always have a plan for what to do when things go wrong."

Ideals: Redemption (She's a reformed Criminal Enforcer making up for past mistakes)

Bond: "Someone I loved died because of I mistake I made. That will never happen again." (Think Nacho Varga from Better Call Saul)

Flaw: "If there's a plan, I'll forget it. If I don't forget it, I'll ignore it." (No, I didn't just abandon my own carefully thought-out plan and just start winging it. It's still my plan. I just didn't tell you about this part, that's all.)

I'll have to source some female Deep Gnome names. I always suck at naming my chars. As for being useful after 11, that's going to depend on what magic items she can accumulate along the way. Let the fighters and wizards take out the dragon. She'll be the one to find the agent it sneaked onto the city council AND the funds that agent embezzled on the way out.

How does balancing work now? I was expecting to have to purchase an Exotic or Monstrous background somehow. Either through increased XP requirements or some other point-buy system. That's how D&D has done it in the past. But if Dragonborn is considered Common, the only difference between the three really does seem to be what the DM wants to deal with?

Deep Gnome Gloomstalker sounds very cool. You will need to help take out the dragon, though, and Gloomstalkers are very good at it. Just get yourself a shortbow and take the sharpshooter feat and you'll be fine.

There's no purchasing races or backgrounds. They are all equal, but some DMs will disallow some. 5e is pretty well balanced, so you don't have to think too hard about being effective, and it's hard to overshadow others. You'll want to start with 16 or 17 in DEX, and 14s in CON and WIS.

I wouldn't worry about high level stuff yet. If this is your first time playing 5e, you'll want to start no higher than level 3, peferably at level 1.

[PixCO]

20 hours ago, BobtheWizard said:

Deep Gnome Gloomstalker sounds very cool. You will need to help take out the dragon, though, and Gloomstalkers are very good at it. Just get yourself a shortbow and take the sharpshooter feat and you'll be fine.

There's no purchasing races or backgrounds. They are all equal, but some DMs will disallow some. 5e is pretty well balanced, so you don't have to think too hard about being effective, and it's hard to overshadow others. You'll want to start with 16 or 17 in DEX, and 14s in CON and WIS.

I wouldn't worry about high level stuff yet. If this is your first time playing 5e, you'll want to start no higher than level 3, peferably at level 1.

The more I read on 5e Deep Gnomes the more I like them. Forgotten Realms Wiki states that the Underdark has open borders and it's generally accepted that Drow and other deepers will be around. So I don't have to Drizzt her, which is nice. I'm also not seeing any daylight penalties for Underdark races. So she doesn't have to invent sunglasses again, which is also nice.

It also states that Svirfneblin mothers tend to spoil their children due to small family sizes (usually less than 4 kids), combined with the high Underdark mortality rate. SO...

 

They moved above ground when Yopine's father was sick of eating moss and being bossed around by Mind Flayers. So he changed their name to a properly Gnomish one, Quietclock, and went into a properly Gnomish profession, clock-making. He was not the most imaginative of Gnomes, but at least he'd put all of that darkness behind them.

Her mother stayed at home reading tea leaves for coppers and spoiling the children. Quite badly. To the point that when Yopine wanted to start working at the young age of only 30, there was no objection. She always got what she wanted, no questions asked. Nor were they asked when that job turned out to be skulking around in the dark, carving deadbeats for the local Thieves Guild. Or when she managed to drag her younger brother into a life of crime as well. There certainly wasn't time for questions when after a couple of years the guild decided to use her father's shop for smuggling and she said 'no'.

Suddenly her mother was dead, her brother was blaming her for not going along, and her father was last seen fleeing into the night with her baby sister. So now she fights back against criminal predators for those who can't fight on their own. This puts her at odds with her brother, who stayed with the guild, but she prioritizes violent and dangerous crimes over common burglary. So at least they're not actively trying to kill each other.

 

Well, okay. For coming in here with nothing more than "Kind of like Batman, only less punchy", Yopine is shaping up nicely. 1st level is generally best for laying down groundwork, I agree. Her background is justification for getting a couple of levels of Enforcer in prior to turning Urban Bounty Hunter. I would like to game with one or two other players if possible. 3rd seems like it'd have wider appeal.

 

EDIT: Oof, and I just noticed that the first Conclave isn't chosen until 3rd level as well. That meshes nicely with when she'd turn against the guild and definitely sets 3rd as the desired starting level. Hopefully that'll be okay.

Edited October 9, 2023 by PixCO
Conclave Realization (see edit history)

[SMARTAgentKC]

@PixCO

Starting at 3rd level is fine especially if you want to start getting into the niche of class things, most marital classes don't even choose their subclass until level 3 and I believe both @BobtheWizard and @BlackFinch are about to start a level 3 game themselves (soon as I find time to get them fully setup) so I think you'll fit in perfectly with them, if they will have you.

 

[SMARTAgentKC]

hey all just a heads up to all,

I've recently been transferred to a new site due to a contract ending with the security company I work for. Thankfully they managed to get me setup and are putting me through training... during the day... (I normally work Graveyard and my shifts are set for Graveyard) so my work/life schedule is currently being adjusted and hopefully I'll get back into the flow by say next Wednesday, I'll try and do stuff on Thursday (aka Tomorrow) to get people setup but I'm falling behind elsewhere so I ask for patience and if someone wants to help others setup their character or guide them through 5e they are more than welcome to.

[PixCO]

57 minutes ago, SMARTAgentKC said:

@PixCO

Starting at 3rd level is fine especially if you want to start getting into the niche of class things, most marital classes don't even choose their subclass until level 3 and I believe both @BobtheWizard and @BlackFinch are about to start a level 3 game themselves (soon as I find time to get them fully setup) so I think you'll fit in perfectly with them, if they will have you.

 

Thank you. Looking forward to gaming with both, if they will have me.

[BobtheWizard]

2 hours ago, SMARTAgentKC said:

@PixCO

Starting at 3rd level is fine especially if you want to start getting into the niche of class things, most marital classes don't even choose their subclass until level 3 and I believe both @BobtheWizard and @BlackFinch are about to start a level 3 game themselves (soon as I find time to get them fully setup) so I think you'll fit in perfectly with them, if they will have you.

 

1 hour ago, PixCO said:

Thank you. Looking forward to gaming with both, if they will have me.

I'd be happy to have PixCo join. A paladin, ranger and druid sounds like a fun party. Although we haven't heard from Blackfinch in a week, so it might just be the two of us.

Edited October 10, 2023 by BobtheWizard (see edit history)

[PixCO]

32 minutes ago, BobtheWizard said:

I'd be happy to have PixCo join. A paladin, ranger and druid sounds like a fun party. Although we haven't heard from Blackfinch in a week, so it might just be the two of us.

Thank you. Hopefully Blackfinch will be back soon. I've been thinking about your "You will need to help with the dragon" comment. From The Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide:

 

"As a member of an adventuring party, you might find it more difficult to pursue a personal agenda that doesn't fit with the group's objectives – but on the other hand, you can take down much more formidable targets with the help of your companions."

 

Being told "Help us with the dragon or next time just stay home" sounds like a conflict that was deliberately built into Urban Bounty Hunters. Meaning I just accidentally experienced an in-character exchange before Yopine's even finished. Very intuitive, and it feels like a legit 5e feature that character creation is this natural. Nice.

Yonpine's ranged combat -- are you still backing bows? I haven't gone through the equipment stuff yet, but if 5e still scales damage with size, then she might be better off taking Thrown Weapons and whipping various potions, glues, or other utility weapons rather than d4 damage. It's hard to make a good call without knowing how it plays out in practice.

 

EDIT: Wait, I think I know this one. Archery Fighting Style with Crossbow Expert? Having a clockmaking father who was forced to support your murderous career choice by your mother could have some nice bonuses there.

Edited October 10, 2023 by PixCO
Crossbow Expert! (see edit history)

[Fat1Princess]

Hi everyone!

 

Sorry for the lack of details in this post. I’m new to the site and was wondering if there was any way I could get in on this? I have a few ideas and I’d love to make a sheet and join in!
 

I’m read about peoples ideas thus far and they seem sick! Love the diversity.