#new spells 5e

[brewerssupplies]

A necromancer finds a variety of uses for the remains of the dead, even those they can't raise to their command.

Classes: Cleric, Sorcerer, Warlock, Wizard

[fantastictalesofadventure]

Oooooo...I like this!

JeromyTV does something like this on SpellShots but since my character has amnesia we learn a little bit more about Key's past whenever they're near death (which ends up being quite a bit)!

[localghostgorl]

I recently compiled all the RPGs that I have on my computer into a google drive. If anyone wants to peruse, here's the link! I have a bunch of the D&D 5e stuff, as well as a few other systems (including but not limited to Blades in the Dark, 13th Age, and Vampire: The Masquarade 5e). Go forth and have fun :)

[n1ghtwarden]

i need to do minth's pre tadpole stats and levels just bc i know she was beefy.

[mrkapao]

HEY!!!

New Age Geeks been nominated for the CRiT Awards for the "Best Upcoming YouTube Channel" category which includes the 'SpellShots' D&D Actual Play Series (the show I'm on)!

Please vote for us and support the TTRPG Community!

[nite0304]

Now, the Domini! These five monsters are the embodiment of each of the layers of phyrexia, but they were so similar that I didn't feel like making a full statblock for each of them was warranted.

So instead, I made a single statblock, and certain abilities change between them, as shown in the table. That also opens the possibility as a sort of tempalte if YOU want to make a dominus of your own!

Check Plane Shift: New Phyrexia on my patreon! Click here!

[nikkisticki]

You're a little silly goober, but you're entirely right and sexy

I've long since pointed out that Counterspell is overbalanced towards the player while also being entirely unfair towards them.a Players are actually bound to the garbage rest system, so anytime a counterspell happens it's either you waste a second slot trying to counter counter spell (a thing that may or may not be permitted at table, I do as it's giving agency to players) or just get fucked and lose your big moment in combat.

In comparison, the players can have any number of counter spells (with multiple valid casters you can easily reach 20 of them if you're level 12) and can disassemble most spells cast by enemies, allowing them to be entirely dethorned and render them nothing more then an easy kill.

In short, having it cast on you is the worst but not having and casting it yourself is also the worst.

it's dogshit design, and it's one of the many broken cogs in 5e's fucked up system that can't be fixed without two pages of homebrew, which isnt an actual answer and will only lead to further problems.

i love counterspell. "i cast fireball!" no you dont

[inserttemptitlehere]

Gosh, D&D people can be so annoying. Why is there this pervasive idea that spell slots are confusing to new people? They are really not that difficult to grasp.

[thydungeongal]

Greenflame blade, a spell introduced into D&D in 4e as a Spellsword at-will, is a really interesting microcosm of how D&D 5e's rules have lots of little interactions that really don't want to cooperate with those types of spells.

The spell effectively allows the caster to make an attack with a melee weapon they are holding that deals fire damage and that also deals fire damage to a secondary target next to the primary target.

Now, of course, in D&D 4e expressing this was simple. All powers, whether martial attacks or arcane spells, used the same formula. You would know that the spell required a weapon due to the Weapon keyword and the fact that the spell had 1[W] in its damage entry.

Fast-forward to D&D 5e and we need to communicate that this spell needs a weapon so it can be cast. If a character were to be holding a weapon, that would mean that they would need their other hand free for making the somatic components of the spell, unless they had an arcane focus in their hand. Could the sword somehow be made to count as an arcane focus? Well, sadly, no, because the types of items a character can use as a spellcasting focus is already prescribed by their class.

Now, it would be possible to introduce a new class that had a bit of text that they could use melee weapons as arcane focuses. Some kind of Swords Mage. But we can't have that. That sounds strange. Instead we need to make this spell work for already established classes somehow.

So the weapon was instead made a material component of the spell.

Now the problem, of course, is that a character with a material component pouch or a spellcasting focus didn't actually need a weapon to cast it now.

A character can use a component pouch or a spellcasting focus (found in “Equipment”) in place of the components specified for a spell.

By a strict reading, a character could whack enemies on the head with their greenflame pouch or focus in lieu of using a weapon.

Which is why they later corrected the spell to state that it requires a weapon of at least 1 sp in value to cast. Because if a price is given for a material component, then it can't be replaced with a spellcasting focus or a material component pouch.

Which is one of the most roundabout ways of having to go about creating a spell that requires a weapon to cast and where the caster can make an attack with said weapon as part of casting the spells. But it's basically because 4e and 5e are pretty much written in completely different languages.

[tanoraqui]

D&D 5e PC free to a good home: Human Bard, Variant Human build wherein they start with a Feat. The Feat is Magic Initiate into the Warlock class. They got it because they defeated a Devil in a crossroads fiddle duel and, when they refused the golden fiddle prize, knowing it to be a trap, the Devil laughed and offered them a straightforward deal instead: three wishes, with a teaser sample of 2 cantrips + a 1 use/day petty spell, and after the fulfillment of the third wish, their soul will come directly to Hell.

The Bard agreed - they're fine so long as they never use the third wish, right? Heck, they'll just never use any of the wishes, and they can escape this very dangerous conversation with a little magical boost and a great story to tell.

How you play them is entirely up to you, except know that 3 times, you can call upon this Devil for a wish...which will manifest, mechanically, as taking a level in Warlock. For the third wish, they will give you that same golden fiddle, which will act as a Pact of the Blade Pact Weapon, mechanically modified to function primarily as a spellcasting focus rather than a literal weapon.

Your relationship with the Devil is also up to you and the DM. Personally, I'd go for slowburn romance with a College of Creation Bard, to really fascinate a properly Lucifer-coded Devil, fulfilling the final term of the deal by straight-up moving to Hell with your new sugar mommy (after defeating the Big Bad of the campaign, which is what you needed the third wish for). Or the Devil could be the Big Bad of the campaign! Or you can never make a wish and multiclass into Warlock, if you're very strong of will! It's your story to tell.

[girlbob-boypants]

The sheer level of customization in pathfinder really shallows out dnd 5e huh

[nykloss]

Ditching D&D Beyond or never got it in the first place? Here's some free/pwyw resources.

Dicecloud. This online app allows you to make and track character sheets for free! It does a lot of the calculations for you, just like dnd beyond would. Best overall replacement. (Thank you, @chryslerisdead)

PWYW Class Character Sheets by Emmet Byrne. These character sheets in my opinion, are easier to fill out and harder to mess up, with class-specific features built-in. You can easily edit them digitally, and there's even multiclass/homebrew options. Slap em on Google drive or something, share with your DM, lots of options.

Point-Buy Calculator. Easily automates character stat creation if you're using the Point-Buy system.

5e Level Up Tool. Select your class, select your level, get a digestible checklist of everything you need to do to level up. This one is SO GOOD and so slept on.

5e Spellbook. A quick way to reference your spells and build a Spellbook with a ton of filters.

Encounter Calculator. I know challenge rating isn't everything, but this is a good/fast way to see how balanced your encounters are, at a glance, at least in the eyes of the source books.

RPGbot. Lots of resources for DMs and players: encounter builders, dpr calculators, and lists of player options with sample builds and optimization suggestions, which may be helpful to folks new to the game.

Bonus: Online Tools (System Agnostic)

Here.fm. This is the alternative I use instead of roll20, because it's faster/easier. Drag and drop in maps and tokens in seconds, built-in library of stickers you can use for effects, draw right on the virtual tabletop, use temporary drawings to map out moves, built-in dice rollers, and options for proximity chat. I use it in combination with discord (just have players join your here room muted), but it could be used entirely on it's own, I imagine. Not built for ttrpgs, but works incredibly well for them.

Kenku.fm. A PWYW mini browser focused on mixing and sharing music to your dnd games through whatever app you use, with helpful discord support. This app also LEGALLY bypasses the issue that got all the YouTube discord bots shut down, so you can share YouTube audio worry-free.

Additional Resources (Aka, stuff I found out about after I originally posted this):

flapkan. Holy shit, this might be the BEST character sheet option on this list! Form-fillable pdfs with fully automated built-in prompts to auto fill features and spells, built-in Point-Buy and other automated calculations, and it generates a lot for you. Can be used digitally or you can print!

[littjara-mirrorlake]

From my in-progress homebrew D&D 5e supplement, Plane Shift: Mirrodin/New Phyrexia: playable Myr!

They've been beloved in playtesting, with no fewer than three myr PCs appearing in the party over the course of a 3-year campaign. They are one of two new playable races in Plane Shift: New Phyrexia, along with the core-born Phyrexian.

Constructed Resilience and Sentry's Rest are abilities that previously appeared on the Warforged in Eberron: Rising from the Last War, and Regenerative Repair is a less restricting version of the ability Healing Machine from Astral Adventurer's Guide.

Text from the image under the cut!

Metallic, beak-headed myr inhabit Mirrodin, scampering at the feet of larger humanoids and largely considered below their attention. Few know of their true origin as creations of the mad wizard Memnarch, designed to be mechanized servants and his eyes across the plane. Following Memnarch’s fall, the myr found themselves with sapience and free will, though their core values of duty, community, and knowledge remain.

Myr Traits

Type. You are a Construct. You are also considered a myr for any prerequisite or effect that requires you to be a myr.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2, and your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Age. As constructed creatures, myr don’t grow old in the traditional sense, and they are able to live indefinitely if well-maintained. You are immune to magical aging effects.

Size. Myr average about 3 feet tall. Your size is Small.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.

Constructed Resilience. You have resistance to poison damage and immunity to disease, and you have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned. You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe. You also don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Darkvision. Your constructed senses grant you superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Bonus Proficiencies. You gain proficiency in one skill and one tool of your choice. The tool you chose is integrated into your body and cannot be removed while you live.

Networked Minds. You can communicate telepathically with other myr within 120 feet of you.

Sentry’s Rest. When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you appear inert, but it doesn’t render you unconscious, and you can see and hear as normal.

Regenerative Repair. If the mending spell is cast on you, you can expend a hit die, roll it, and regain a number of hit points equal to the roll plus your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 hit point). Spells such as cure wounds and spare the dying which restore hit points or preserve life, and normally don’t affect constructs, function as if you were a humanoid.

Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.

[intiredtea]

Breaking a bargain for...?

As always, click for better quality.

More Bluejay origins!

(Context: He gave up his ability to sing as payment to a powerful crone who promised him protection and a new life. Bluejay casts spells using "Subtle Spell," a D&D 5e sorcery ability, which means you don't have perform somatic or verbal components of a spell. But without sorcery points, he had to make a decision to watch Gale die, or use his voice to save him).

This is super scrappy and I'm sorry. Almost scrapped this whole comic, but with some gentle encouragement from my wife and brother, I decided to just finish it the best I could and get my claws off of it.

As always, thanks for reading.

[flightyquinn]

thinking about how cursed objects work in most fantasy RPGs.

typically, they wind up just kind of being a big middle finger from the game master - a kind of "whelp, you should have been more paranoid, so now you get hosed" sort of deal. which includes the somewhat game-y trope of objects that you can't get rid of. it's kind of an un-fun mechanic, when you think about it, which is why in most games I've been a part of cursed items often don't see much play, unless it's as a "punishment", or part of a story arc.

...which naturally leads me to think about how to do it better. in the past, I've tried using a curse as a kind of limiter. restrictions or drawbacks to a mostly functional item that is still worth using despite being "cursed". that's good, but it doesn't let you draw on truly nasty curses, because the item needs to be worth using, but also still needs to be balanced.

so, I'm drawing from a lot of sources here, like the cursed shield in Final Fantasy VI, and especially the comics by @foldingfittedsheets, where curses exist to (literally) teach the recipient a lesson

MEAT OF THE POST STARTS HERE:

what about cursed items that have a way to overcome their curse?

it's actually a fairly common trope in classical literature / fairy tales. every curse has a way to be broken. yet in D&D and Pathfinder, most often the only way to break a curse is to find someone with the specific curse-breaking spell.

so, give each cursed item a condition. perhaps a weapon that fuels a person's anger and causes them to fly into a blind rage in battle waits for them to sincerely forgive a hated enemy. perhaps boots that slow the wearer are actually making them heavy with the weight of past transgressions and a sufficient act of atonement will free them. maybe the perpetually bloody doll that gives its bearer horrible nightmares simply waits for someone to be motivated to action by them, either to right some past wrong, or generally bring a certain number of murderers to proper justice.

...maybe a Bag of Devouring. which is technically actually a creature, not a cursed item (but usually classified with them), can be befriended by figuring out a treat it likes, and will not only carry things for the player if fed and cared for, but even cough up a few things that previous bearers had stuffed inside.

the specifics aren't too important, but the idea is that any item with a curse on it has a reason for that curse, and a way to break it. the players can drop the item at any time, sell it off, give it to someone they hate, whatever, but if they put in the time and energy to actually breaking the curse, it becomes better than it was before, sometimes simply losing a drawback, or sometimes gaining new powers.

for an example, let's look at how that doll idea from earlier could work in D&D 5e;

while the party has the doll in their possession, they will all be afflicted by horrible nightmares, seeing themselves as children being attacked by a group of eight bandits with indistinct features. the details of the dreams change each night, and the players awaken before learning their ultimate fate, but the general gist is always that they are completely helpless, and subjected to harm.

after a long rest, have them roll a Wisdom or Charisma save (challenging DC, but not too difficult), or take a small amount of psychic damage.

if the players bring murderers to justice - meaning deliver them to the proper authorities and see them punished for their crimes - the content of the dreams starts to change. one bandit gets caught or killed by the end of the dream for each real world criminal successfully punished, possibly hinting to the players what they need to do. once eight murderers in total have had their sentences enacted, the next morning the doll will be in pristine condition with a serene expression, emitting a faint glow. thereafter, any player may attune to the doll to gain the ability to cast the Guidance cantrip without components (as thought the doll's ability to project what it wants the players to do into their mind was turned to their benefit.

[mrkapao]

"нєℓℓσ, му ηαмє ιѕ кєу!"

Join the adventure tonight on 'Spellshots: Session 1' via New Age Geeks on TWITCH (/New_Age_Geeks)!

It's Andrew J. Alandy as Kadir the Human Fighter, Jemboree Cosplay as Mira the Elf Sorcerer, Michael Pao as Key the Plasmoid Rogue, Jeromy TV as the DM, and special guest player Mazz as Turk the Goblin Artificer!

Character Art by @ianmcginty