#paladin is also very good

[echotheandroidneko]

I've been thinking a lot about game design in TTRPG's, speciifcally in everyone's favourite dumpster fire 5e, and I've come to the realization that I kinda fucking hate ability scores. Or at least, I hate how 5e does ability scores.

So everyone knows about the martial/caster debate. It's literally been going on since D&D was a thing. Linear Fighter, Quadratic Wizard etc. etc. etc. And sure, spellcasting is incredibly potent. No doubt about that. The fact that you get a class feature that is actuall 16-20 class features in a trenchcoat by the time you're done levelling to 20 while the martials are entirely reliant on their GM for even a modicum of that kind of power by getting magic items is fucking bullshit and everyone knows iot. Buuuut, the thing I see talked about much less in the space is how fucking shafted martials are due to their required ability scores.

Take the skill list in 5e. There are 18 mainline skills in the game. 4 of them use physical ability scores. Three of them are DEX based and one of those is can almost be an outright replacement for the one that uses STR (GM dependant). Add to the fact that martials have a much higher requirement for CON, an ability score that doesn't have any fucking skills attached to it, and you begin to see exactly how fucked martials truley are.

Because the thing is, when I sit down at the table, what I would like for my character to do is have impact. Not just in combat, but on the world as a whole. I'd like from a moment to moment snapshot to have a character that is meaningfully able to contribute in a way that isn't just being a background character granting someone else the help aciton. For spellcasters, they get to do this all of the time. With good spell choices and skills, they're impactful both in and out of combat. They're capable of dishing out comparable damage to a martial and/or controlling the fight to guarentee a strategic victory while also being able to have good chances at succeeding the checks neccessary to progress out of combat (social, information gathering, navigation, etc) but because martials have to invest in STR, DEX and CON in order to be good at the things their class is supposed to be good at, under a standard array/PB they're just much, much worse at everything that doesn't involve hitting things than a spellcaster is.

So, if you're after the fantasy of being a character that uses a sword and doesn't use magic, you're also having to accept the fact that you'll be second fiddle to whatever Bard/Wizard/Sorcerer/Warlock decides to show up if they know even the bare minimum of how to get the most out of their class. Anyway, tl;dr, Rogue is the only non-caster class thats viable for both in and out of combat and Blades in the Dark is a much more elegant solution to how skills work. Or bring back skill ranks, my beloved.

[heybiji]

dande's dying btw

[balleater]

braius being an oath of the ancients paladin brings up a very interesting dynamic going on with its tenets compared to the commandments of asmodeus

[silverskye13]

I'm afraid I don't know much about Sonic; would Knuckles make a decent paladin?

Knuckles would make an amazing paladin oh my gosh! I'm most familiar with Knuckles from the Sonic X show, the IDW comics, and the movies. But I think all three make a good case for Knuckles as paladin?

Granted, Knuckles already fits some of the stereotypes [He is the "strong one", powerhouse character. He is a little on the dense side. He has strong principles/oaths he sticks to] but I think the different series have their own focuses that make the case greater.

Sonic X: Knuckles is a loner whose top priority is protecting the Master Emerald. He will do anything he thinks he needs to in order to uphold that solemn duty -- including fighting the main cast, if he thinks they're endangering it. He has a high sense of honor, and has been tricked by Eggman a few times because that sense of honor and duty is exploited [ie giving Eggman the chaos emeralds because he thinks it's the best way to get back to Angel Island where the Master Emerald is kept -- and leaving the chaos emeralds in his possession, because Eggman claims it will prove they trust each other.] Later in the series, when Knuckles learns to connect to the Master Emerald in order to use its power for good, he is often seen invoking it or praying to it as though it were a relic or deity, sometimes while meditating on his ancestors. He is by far the most religious of the cast in that aspect, and while the main bredth of his strength comes from him being strong, the fact that he is empowered by a "deity" stone in times of need really adds to the paladin idea.

IDW Comics: Knuckles in the comics is a lot like in Sonic X, the main difference being he is much more dedicated to Angel Island and his mission to keep the Master Emerald safe. He has been known to sit out world ending events because keeping the Master Emerald safe is his top priority -- and if it's really that bad, Sonic will drag the problem to his doorstep, where he will defeat it to keep his island safe. He is shown patrolling his island, memorizing every nook and cranny and keeping all the animal inhabitants safe and cared for. And while he sometimes professes he gets a little lonely, his duty to the Island and the Emerald trumps all other personal needs. He keeps all the artifacts from the extinct Echidna tribes safe there, and will do anything possible to get them back if they're stolen. When the Metal Virus finally came to Angel Island [A very, very intense arc. Think Walking Dead but everyone turns into robot zombies] Knuckles sacrifices himself immediately to buy Sonic time to try and destroy the virus, running headlong into the zombie hoard and trying to hold them back from the innocent civilians taking shelter on his island.

Sonic Movies / Knuckles the Echidna: He's a lot younger in the cinematic franchise, and a bit denser. But he is still the resident muscle and he has a lot more to say about the warrior spirit and honor now! He's canonically gone on a quest to kill a demon [which is where his Flames of Destruction come from] and while there is a lot less "religion" in the Master Emerald, there is a lot of religion in how he venerates his ancestors and his lost tribe. He prioritizes making sure other people feel validated when they've done something right according to his personal principles ["You have brought honor to your home this day, hedgehog"] and while he is new to guarding the Master Emerald, he takes its guardianship seriously enough that when Sonic asks for it, they almost battle over it. In the end it's the same principles that he protects the emerald with that stop him ["When we made our oath, I swore to trust you. And I will uphold my oath, even if you've broken yours."] A very, very paladin move.

In short! Knuckles would make a fantastic paladin thank you for asking!!

[dimension-20-every-introduction]

Everyone Introduced in Dimension 20's Fantasy High: Junior Year episode 16

[ratatatastic]

The TNT broadcast won me over a bit with the post-show Bobby interview 😭 I was so charmed by Bobby when he brought up Hank beating him in his last Winter Classic appearance.

Goalies ways of complimenting each other is always so fun to watch. Such strange little creatures.

Not sure exactly who said “What a stud!” At the end of the interview but whoever said it should understand now why the cats will attempt murder on anyone who gets too close to Bob. How could you not honestly.

i was honestly surprised they got bobby to do a postgame interview with them! i thought they were gonna ask maffhew again considering how much they were going on about his shenanigans the entire time im like theyre absolutely gunning for him for the postgame huh? so imagine my suprise when little ole bobby is sat politely on the bench with his headset on... damn near scared my neighbours from the yell i let out...

but so correct of them they started kitty warmies talking about the winter classic and goalies (lu and hank) they should end it talking to goalies yes!

once again increasingly very obvious when hes answering a normal question (🥺) and when hes answering a question about a goalie (😁) like ohhhhh hes smiling so hard bringing up the 2012 winter classic against hank

That was Army who said, "What a stud!" because of course it was lmao who else on the panel would it have been but mr armdog... it tracks extensively

[0-0kappacino0-0]

DnD Character Appearance: Thesilha's Dream World

So the party encountered this really powerful nymph recently while on their journey to some mountains and the only way they could continue is if they completed some trials she set out, one such trial involving having the party members live through a hallucinary dream world molded by their greatest wishes and their deepest fears. Each person had a slightly different world that they lived in but these are the dream versions of people within Ezra's dreamscape. It was very facinating designing these fictious worlds and how significant people within Ezra's life would be shaped by it (Ezra's dream was very wacky and he ended up going a bit mad throughout it all, thanks again @jesuisfinni for playing into his madness for me lolol)

A lot happened throughout this but a quick run down of the changes that happened with characters in this dream world:

Lia was a socially confident and highly respected Top Student at the Deacon College, however while she was intelligent in the ways of the arcane she could not use it or cast any spells

Garren didn't experience any of the Crystaline Curse plot that happened and never lived to be a Military Commander, instead he was just a simple man who was trying to find a job and was quick to grow attached to people (unlike his regular self who takes his sweet sweet time)

Remmy was homeless and fought to survive on the streets everyday ever since his grandparents died and the streets have not been kind to the boy, however he does still have a spark for cooking even if he rarely ever gets to do so

Annabelle (a new backstory npc and long-time friend omg) runs a lively tavern that catered to the monster-kind folks in the high street of the city Ezra grew up in instead of running a secret underground tavern because Teiflings were heavily oppressed and scrutinized

Vince and his twin brother Lee are 2 of Ezra's close friends from his teen years who were unjustly sentenced to death at 15 so in this world they got to live and grow up to be what they always wanted to be (@jesuisfinni really wanted to hammer in the tragic backstory and that's these two I guess)

[bogkeep]

My Original Character Heartsword: sentient sword given a body to control through magical means

T. Kingfisher's novel Swordheart: sword given sentience by having a man bound to it through magical means

[anakinh]

my personal lovm review so far is that I don't mind most of the changes they're doing and I even like a few BUT that they have (so far) done my girl Raishan so dirty. I wanted to see her fight Thordak, goddamn it!

(also Vex was the one who came up with the idea to use Yenk for a vestige and they should've kept her doing that! establish her as a leader! smart! strategic! why is grog doing the planning asjfjsd I made a joke about how it's Travis Willingham breaking through Grog during a typical analysis paralysis section but man I wanted Vex doing it)

[protect-namine]

you know, I think neji would enjoy playing dnd. getting to write stories and play characters with no limitations, and having to improv with the other players because he would never have full control of where the story was headed? it would be a dream come true, and also therapeutic. neji would of course be the dm who would "yes and" anything his players want to do. the story would be something everyone has input on and would help shape. an adventure that neji himself couldn't predict or write on his own. also, just imagine him describing his setting and doing all his character voices, he'd love that so much

I think it would be a good exercise for quartz too, because they'd have to make their own characters and backstories and roleplay in character without a script to direct them. especially to kisa "transparent vessel" tachibana, who can act out any character but is afraid of letting herself be seen through them. similarly, kai as well, since he'd be in charge of his own character instead of propping someone else up

on the flip side, fumi would get to enjoy playing a character but not having the pressure to be the lead/spotlight of a story. he's there to play, not perform

sou would also LOVE dnd. I think he'd be really into the character creation and lore, and is probably the next person I can think of who can try being the dm when neji is sick/tired/wants to be a player. he's the player who takes down notes and remembers one small detail neji mentioned four sessions ago that becomes relevant to the current session. neji loves him because sou is the one who appreciates his world building the most

suzu and fumi would instigate so much in the adventure, which neji would love. suzu makes a character everyone loves (like hachipochi) and always brings snacks to the table

fumi has read all of the player handbook, and mitsuki has read maybe a quarter of it (only the relevant parts to his character and how some dice rolls and combat work). mitsuki is also the one who doesn't put much effort into his character's backstory but unexpectedly gets big character development during the adventure, surprising everyone in the table including both the dm and himself

otori is very good at both roleplaying and combat, has created a compelling character, and tries to go on solo adventures but eventually gets roped into the party because he can't adventure alone in neji's setting

[a-drama-addict]

finally sharing my durge <3 meet freyja (she/her) everyone

[justalittlebluetiefling]

Watching The Unsleeping City again because I missed Ricky. I think he’s my favorite Zac character.

[nyxiemania]

Happy father's day to this undead ruler of Thay!

[svampira]

[jacqcrisis]

I've only had Minthara for a day and a half but if anything happened to her, I would kill everyone in this room and then myself

[bright-cloud]

🖤Midnight Crusader🖤

My newest BG3 character: Artorias! A Paladin of Shar 🖤