#they also have a Wisdom score of *checks notes* 8

[outeremissary]

🚬 for Balthazar and Kas, ⛄ for Carmen and Ismene

Thank you Nix!! I think some unintentional parallels(?) slipped into two of these...

[prompt list]

🚬 for a headcanon about a bad habit

Balthazar If something is in the morning, Balthazar will be late to it. This is an immutable law of the universe. He’s not a morning person, he never will be, and even when he’s really, truly trying to make the accursed before noon hours adhere to shape and structure, somehow things will still slip little by little and he’ll be five minutes late. And there is some personal frustration he feels with this- it’s the lack of control he seems to have even when it counts. It’s one thing to indulge in the slow start and let it draw out at his leisure while everyone else has to adapt, but it’s another to be unable to rally when he wants to be seen as perfectly, precisely put together. Because of this, he avoids scheduling important meetings in the morning- the best way to claw back that control is to just keep the situations where he needs it far away from when he knows he won’t have it.

Kas God, we already did the leading people on one recently, didn’t we… Well, here’s a different one. Kasander is an intensely earnest idealist while also being a natural born (and very defensive) liar, and a worrying number of their choices are made on split second impulse guided by a vague sense of what people “deserve” to hear. They are honest to active detriment and dishonest to self-destruction- a rare talent for splitting the difference between painful earnesty and chronic lying. And that of course means an array of rare talents for openly confessing to murders, unsustainable fabrications, telling people the worst news they’ve ever heard, concealing personal misery, and just generally escalating delicate situations. It can and does wrap back around to things working out Fine, but playing Kasander Morality Roulette can be pretty fucking stressful for everyone else in a situation.

⛄ for a season-themed headcanon

Carmen Carmen dislikes fall. She doesn’t have any real issue with the weather or the natural motion of the season, but as a girl she always disliked the amount of work that went into getting ready for winter. The final harvests are a pain. Organizing stores is a pain. Preserving things is a pain, even if it’s not like the task has changed from how it was the whole rest of the year. All the wrapping up and tying off loose ends and anticipating the dim, inactive season never sat well with Carmen as a restless lass. Her habits and lifestyle have changed to the point of being nearly unrecognizable over the years, but that old frustration is burned deep into her. Her mood is always just a little bit worse during the season.

Ismene When Ismene was a girl, Gorion sometimes took her to the top of the walls during the long dark of evening and morning in the winter to show her the stars. He drew out constellations and spelled their histories, and mapped their movement across the heavens between sunset and sunrise. It gave the sky depth and wonder. Of course, all wonder fades with time- over the years she and Gorion spent less and less time up on those winter walls and she came to know the stories well enough to finish them from his first word. The stars that once gave the sky such a sense of enormity outside the confines of Candlekeep kept turning the same year after year, night after night, and they became just another part of the ceaseless circle of library life. Still, here and there she still went stargazing with other denizens of the keep, and some of the monks took to addressing her as their master astrologer thanks to the readiness with which she could supply trivia. And despite the fading of these old joys, there’s still a comfort that lingers in the cold season- even if she can’t always put a finger anymore on why.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #282: Kijyo Koyo

I don't think I have to do much to sell this one. Berserker T. Rex. That enough for ya?

Today on Fate and Phantasms we're building Kijyo Koyo, a fire-breathing T. Rex oni. She's a Storm Herald Barbarian to spit hot fire even as a dinosaur, and a Circle of the Moon Druid to be a dinosaur even while she spits hot fire.

Check out her build breakdown below the cut, or her character sheet over here!

Next up: The end of the line. For now.

Race And Background

I know most of the oni up til this point were Tieflings, but Koyo's a bit beastlier than they are, so we're making her a Wildhunt Shifter instead. That gives her +2 Constitution and +1 Strength, as well as 60' of Darkvision. She also becomes a Natural Tracker for proficiency in Survival checks. Tyrannosaurs are pretty good hunters, after all. Most importantly once a short rest you can Shift into a more reptilian form for a minute, gaining some temporary HP and advantage on wisdom checks. Also, nobody within 30' of you can have advantage against you for the duration. It's not enough to have 0% lizard and 100%, we need shades too.

We're also taking the Hermit background for Religion and Medicine proficiency. The T Rex is surprisingly spiritual, and also she's the one that reveals the big twist of the Requiem event. I don't think will give you a secret as big as "the whole world is a representation of a teenager's repressed feelings" (tho that is an accurate description of most D&D games), but I'm sure you'll get something juicy regardless.

Ability Scores

Your highest score is Constitution, I mean I know HP isn't just meat points, but you have a lot of meat to get through regardless. Number 2 is Strength. Tyrannosauruses can weigh up to 8 tons, so if you want to be able to lift yourself and stand we'll need to get that score up to... 500??? Third up is Wisdom. Rexes have massive sniffers, and your this is also where your fire comes from. Your Dexterity isn't that high, though to be fair it's pretty easy to hit something the size of a barn. Your Charisma's also low, though that makes sense given how you can't even speak most of the time. Your intimidation score's great though. Finally, dump Intelligence. Somehow I doubt you'd sit still enough to stay in a classroom.

Class Levels

1. Barbarian 1: We're mostly starting off as a barbarian for the extra health, but there's some cool stuff we get too, like proficiency in Strength and Constitution saves, plus Athletics and Nature checks. Dinosaurs are strong, oni are strong, a dinosaur oni is very, very strong.

You can also Rage off the bat a couple times a day, giving you resistance to physical damage, advantage on strength checks and saves, and extra damage you deal with strength-based attacks.

If you want to fight in a wedding dress you should also check out Unarmored Defense, giving you an AC of 10 plus your dexterity and constitution modifiers. Right now that's 14, which is still better than most light armors.

2. Druid 1: Now we'll switch over to druid to grab what everyone clicked for. Later, anyway. Right now you learn some Spellcasting, and now is a good time to point out how you can't cast spells and rage at the same time, and you'll drop concentration on spells if you start raging. It's a good thing to note, but by waiting to rage you can cast cantrips like Produce Flame for our first embers and Shillelagh so you can still basically carry a sword even though you're a druid. Carve up a quarterstaff and it's pretty much the same thing, right?

Starting off as something other than a tiefling means we don't get fire resistance. Unless we use Absorb Elements, of course. That gives us resistance against one elemental type, and even adds that damage to our next weapon attack. You can also use some medicine to Cure Wounds, and once you get a little chonkier you can stomp down to cause an Earth Tremor, dealing damage and turning ground into difficult terrain.

3. Druid 2: Second level druids get the Big Deal Wild Shape, and since you're a Moon druid we'll go over the whole thing in one go. Twice a short rest you can transform into a beast with a CR less than or equal to 1 or 1/3 your druid level, whichever is larger. You can't swim 'til level 4, and you can't fly 'til level 8. While transformed, your stuff either disappears, hits the ground, or stays on you, your choice. Your stuff doesn't fit you though, unless you've made major modifications to that wedding dress. Your physical stats (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, and HP) are based on your shape, but you keep everything else. After the transformation ends, you have the same amount of HP you went into the form with. Also, you can use class and race bonuses if they're physically possible to use in this form. For once I'd understand if Shifting doesn't carry over, but all of the barbarian stuff should be fine. Also, you can't use your darkvision unless that form also has darkvision. You can transform for a number of hours per use equal to your druid level, and you transform as a bonus action. Plus, since these are Combat Wild Shapes you can spend bonus actions to heal them by spending spell slots. You can't cast spells while shaped, but you can concentrate on them.

We can't reach a T Rex yet, but a Deinonychus is a decent replacement until we get something beefier.

4. Druid 3: Third level druids can cast second level spells. If you want to spit fire while transformed, Flaming Sphere has your back. For some more healing, Lesser Restoration gives you a way to negate minor status effects for a proper Rope of Life.

5. Druid 4: Fourth level druids can swim, bus you can also use your first Ability Score Improvement to round up your Constitution and Wisdom for more HP and stronger flames. You can also use Mending to patch up your dress, since something tells me it's going to get a lot of wear and tear.

6. Druid 5: Fifth level druids get third level spells. Use Elemental Weapon for a fiery sword, or Revivify for the last part of your Rope of Life. I know the skill says "Death Immune", but bringing them back is almost as good, right?

7. Druid 6: When a sixth level moon druid attacks, it's a Primal Strike, meaning your claws and teeth are magical weapons. You can also transform into CR 2 creatures, like the mighty... Allosaurus. Still not a T Rex, but it'll take time to get there.

8. Druid 7: At seventh level, we get there. Thanks to your fourth level slots you can cast Polymorph, letting you fully transform into a beast with a CR equal to or less than your level. Another good reason for that level of barbarian- a T Rex is CR 8, so we'd have to wait a level to turn into a T Rex regardless. It's important to note this isn't wild shape, so your soft stats also transform, and obviously you can't concentrate on something else since you'd be concentrating on this. Also, all your gear disappears with this one.

If you want a fiery upgrade anyways, check out Fire Shield, which lasts for 10 minutes, no concentration required. You can make a cold shield to protect against fire damage, or a fire shield to protect against cold. Plus, if a creature hits you with a melee attack the shield will hit back with their respective damage types! I was going to make a joke about whether dinos are cold- or warm-blooded, but it turns out they figured that one out.. yesterday, wow. Yeah, they're warm-blooded. Go science!

9. Druid 8: We'll stick in druid for one last level so you can fly and pick up one more ASI. Both Allosaurus and Tyrannosaurus use piercing damage for their teeth, so pick up the Piercer feat for +1 Strength and the ability to re-roll a piercing damage die once a turn. On top of that, critting with piercing damage deals an extra die of damage for bigger chomps.

10. Barbarian 2: This is about as good as we can get a T-Rex with just Druid levels, so let's get a little beefier in general. As a second level barbarian, you have a Danger Sense giving you advantage on dex saves you can see coming. You can also make Reckless Attacks, giving you advantage on all your melee attacks at the cost of giving advantage to anyone hitting you for the rest of the round. Unless you're using that shifting we talked about at the start of this build. That'll prevent that advantage entirely, giving you free reign to go on a rampage.

Yeah this build's fun.

11. Barbarian 3: You know what's funner though? Setting things on fire. You can do that as a Storm Herald, giving you a 10' radius of fiery death if you pick the Desert option, which we are. When you start raging, and as a bonus action each turn, you can deal a bit of fire damage to everything in the area except yourself, no saves! And yes, this works with wild shape too. At least, it's no less possible as an Allosaurus than it is as a person.

You also gain some Primal Knowledge, making you proficient in Intimidation. Turns out fire-breathing dinosaurs are scary!

12. Barbarian 4: Use this ASI to bump up your Strength so your attacks are solid even when you're not a dino.

13. Barbarian 5: Fifth level barbarians get an Extra Attack each action, and while that doesn't stack with the T Rex I'm sure the Allosaurus form is greatful for the power boost. All your forms also get a speed boost thanks to Fast Movement, add 10' to all movement speeds.

14. Barbarian 6: Sixth level barbarians have a Storm Soul, so even while you aren't raging you have permanent resistance to fire damage, immunity to extreme heat, and you can set stuff on fire by touching it. Now you're starting to look more "dragon" than "lizard".

15. barbarian 7: seventh level barbarians have a feral instinct, giving you advantage on initiative rolls, and you can't be surprised if you rage on your first turn! speaking of, you can use an instinctive pounce as part of your rage, moving up to half your speed!

with fast movement and being a t rex, you can cover 105 feet in a single turn, with an action left over for chompin! a t rex's top speed is 17 mph, so if you dash you'll actually be a little bit faster than a real one!

16. Barbarian 8: Use this ASI to bump up your Wisdom for stronger tracking instincts and more powerful fire breath. I like melee builds, they make these levels waay faster!

17. Barbarian 9: ninth level barbarians can make a brutal critical, adding an extra die to critical hit damage. kinda like piercer, but not type-dependent.

18. Barbarian 10: At tenth level storm heralds command a shielding storm, giving creatures you choose fire resistance while within your storm aura. which is good, since if they're in your storm aura they're getting hit by your storm aura.

you also get another primal knowledge for perception proficiency! y'know that whole "they can't see you if you don't move" bit? completely made up. nothing can save you from the kijyo.

19. Barbarian 11: eleventh level barbarians have a relentless rage. the first time you'd drop to 0 HP while raging, you can try a dc 10 constitution save. if you succeed, you drop to 1 HP instead and the dc goes up by 5 each time you use it between rests. if the meteor didn't kill you I don't think some dude with a sword's gonna do the job.

20. Barbarian 12: use your last asi to bump up your wisdom again. the one downside to this multiclass is it kinda makes boosting your physical stats feel like a waste since they'll get replaced when you transform anyway, right?

Pros and Cons

Pros:

You have a lot of health. with over 200 as a human, an extra 100 from two allosaurs, and another 280 from two t rexes, that's almost 600 hp. plus half of that can be protected by rage for even longer life, plus you can heal yourself, plus you have a +10 to constitution saves so you probably won't die the first time you die. so you won't die.

and this isn't a defensive build either! even in your "weaker" allosaurus form you've got teeth that are stronger than a greatsword, dealing 2d10+4 damage each hit. also you have free reckless attacks for a minute per rest, and some brutal criticals means you'll deal 6d10 on a nat 20. On a t rex that's 4d12+7 piercing, or 10d12 on a crit. ya chomp good, is what i'm saying.

you would think on a build like this solid in offense and defense you'd at least move slowly, right? wrong. fast movement in a beast form is great, you can move over 100 feet in a single turn and you straight up can't get surprised, that just makes you angry.

Cons:

You have very low AC. For a tank, anyway. your humanoid AC is actually better than your T Rex AC thanks to unarmored defense but even that isn't that great. you still have tons of HP to fall back on, but it's not ideal.

you know this song and dance already. rage and casting don't mix. also, casting and casting don't mix, so you can't be at full power and be a T Rex at the same time. You can be a fire-breathing allosaurus, or a big scary T Rex, but not both.

While you do have some ranged options, most of the time you're a lizard, and they don't. If you end up fighting Quetzalcoatlus, you might get piledrived.

[letsnotandsaywewantedto]

Because I was curious, I crunched some numbers on EXU character stats.

Conclusions: Liam rolled really well. Aimee rolled REALLY poorly. Single braincell confirmed. They also share half a muscle among them.

The fighter & druid are the party’s “tanks” with 20 & 17 hp respectively (party average is 15.4).

The average of averages for ability scores is 12.8. Liam (Orym)’s average is 13.7! Next highest average is Matt (Dariax) with 12.7. Both characters get a +2 to a single stat. (Orym is a halfling with a +2 to Dex, and Dariax is a dwarf with a +2 to Con).

The remaining three party members are tied with 12.5 averages. Robbie’s Dorian (genasi?) gets +2 for Con, Ashley’s faun (satyr) Fearne gets +2 Cha and +1 Dex (+3 total), while Aimee’s human Opal gets +6 (+1 to all ability scores)! Aimee is tied for “worst” despite her massive human bonuses. Impressive!

The party’s best stat is Dex (average 15), with fighter Orym’s 18 accounting for much of that. Warlock Opal is average at 15, and the rest of the party ties for “worst” at 14 Dex each.

It’s been noted that the party is Charismatic AF, and indeed, the average is 14.4 for the party. The warlock Opal leads the way with a whopping 17 Cha, and sorcerer Dariax is close on her heels with 16. Fearne & Orym are the least charismatic at 13 & 11 respectively.

Strength is almost everyone’s dump stat, averaging 10.8 across the board. The strongest characters are Dorian and Dariax at 14 each, and the weakest are Opal & Fearne at 8 each.

Intelligence barely edges out strength, averaging 11 altogether, thanks to Orym’s absolute genius at 13. Dariax’s 8 Int makes him just as smart as a Giant Eagle, which is two better than Grog. 

The party’s combined Wisdom average is 12.6, in part because Dariax lacks sense as well as smarts at 9 Wis. Fearne picks up some slack at 16 Wis and Orym’s share of the group’s single neuron extends to his 15 Wis.

The final stat is Constitution, which averages out to 12.8. The fighter (Orym) & dwarf (Dariax) both have 15, which I guess checks out. The genasi (Dorian) & human (Opal) eek by with a mere 10 Con each.

[genshin-impact-updates]

"Beneath the Light of Jadeite" Version 1.5 Update Notice

Dear Travelers,

To ensure all Travelers have the best-possible Genshin Impact experience, our developers will soon begin performing update maintenance. After this is complete, the game will update to a new version.

After Travelers install the new game client, they will be able to continue playing. It is recommended to install the update over a Wi-Fi connection owing to the large file size.

While the update maintenance is in progress, Travelers will be unable to log in to the game. Please take note of the update time and schedule your game time accordingly to avoid losing your progress. We hope Travelers will bear with us during the disruption. > <

〓Update Schedule〓

Update maintenance begins 2021/04/28 06:00 (UTC+8) and is estimated to take 5 hours.

(Note: Precise timings are subject to change. Players may also experience disruption outside of this period.)

〓How to Update Game Client〓

PC: Close the game, open the Genshin Impact Launcher, and click Update.

iOS: Open the App Store and tap Update.

Android: Open the game and follow the directions on-screen. (Alternatively, you may open Google Play and tap Update.)

PS4: Highlight Genshin Impact from the PS4 Home Screen and press the OPTIONS button > Check for Update.

Please do not hesitate to contact Customer Service if you encounter any issues installing the new version. We will do our very best to resolve the issue.

〓Compensation〓

Maintenance Compensation: Primogems ×300

(60 Primogems for every hour the servers are down. No change to compensation amount if the update is completed early.)

〓Eligibility〓

All Travelers who have reached Adventure Rank 5 or above by 2021/04/28 06:00 (UTC+8)

Our developers will distribute compensation to Travelers via in-game mail within 5 hours after the update maintenance is finished. Please log in and claim it before Version 1.5 ends. The mail will expire after 30 days, so don't forget to claim the attached compensation in time.

〓Update Details〓

I. New System

New System: Serenitea Pot

◇ Adepti use Serenitea Pots as media through which they can channel their adeptal power and create realms and abodes.

As the owner of this realm, you may decorate it however you wish and turn it into a home away from home.

After using and summoning the Serenitea Pot, you can interact with it and enter the abode within.

Teapot Spirit

A spirit that lives inside the teapot. It is said that she was created by the adepti themselves. She looks after many matters within the realm, serving as a butler of sorts.

Trust Rank

As you place more furnishings and increase the level of Adeptal Energy within the realm, the teapot spirit will become more trustful of you.

Adeptal Energy

The amount of Adeptal Energy within the realm will gradually increase along with the number of furnishings placed.

Creating

You can obtain the materials required to create furnishings in many different ways, all around Teyvat. For example, you can obtain wood for making Furnishings by cutting down trees.

Realm Depot

You can use Realm Currency in the Serenitea Pot to exchange for items of your choice.

II. New Characters

5-Star Character "Dance of the Shimmering Wave" Eula (Cryo)

◇ Vision: Cryo

◇ Weapon: Claymore

◇ The Spindrift Knight, a scion of the old aristocracy, and the Captain of the Knights of Favonius Reconnaissance Company. The reason for which a descendant of the ancient nobles might join the Knights remains a great mystery in Mondstadt to this very day.

4-Star Character "Wise Innocence" Yanfei

◇ Vision: Pyro

◇ Weapon: Catalyst

◇ A well-known legal adviser active in Liyue Harbor. A brilliant young lady in whose veins runs the blood of an illuminated beast.

III. New Equipment

▌ New Weapon

Song of Broken Pines (5-Star Claymore)

▌ New Artifacts

Tenacity of the Millelith (4-Star and 5-Star)

Pale Flame (4-Star and 5-Star)

◆ Obtain artifacts in the above sets from Ridge Watch, the new Domain of Blessing at Bishui Plain.

IV. New Domains

New Domain: Ridge Watch

◆ Obtain artifacts in the "Tenacity of the Millelith" and "Pale Flame" sets from Ridge Watch, the new Domain of Blessing at Bishui Plain.

New Trounce Domain: Beneath the Dragon-Queller

The new Trounce Domain, Beneath the Dragon-Queller, has been added to the Nantianmen area.

◆ Unlocked after completing Zhongli's Story Quest "Historia Antiqua Chapter: Act II - No Mere Stone."

After updating to Version 1.5, there will be three opportunities to halve the Original Resin cost when claiming rewards from Trounce Blossoms in Trounce Domains and the "Lupus Boreas, Dominator of Wolves" challenge (after the V1.5 update – 2021/05/03 04:00). The number of opportunities resets every Monday at 04:00 (Server time).

Travelers should complete the update to V1.5 first before completing the relevant challenges for the week April 26 – May 2.

V. New Monsters

1. Cryo Hypostasis

◇ Elemental creatures who protect themselves from incoming attack with their durable shell.

2. Azhdaha

◇ An enormous dragon as ancient as the mountains themselves.

3. New Elite Monster: Abyss Lector - Violet Lightning

◇ A creature of the Abyss Order that calls upon thunder and lightning in praise of the darkness.

VI. New Event: Energy Amplifier Initiation - Take part and exchange for "Kätzlein Cocktail" Diona (Cryo)!

◇ In an effort to gather and research Irminsul Fruit Fragments, Sumeru researcher Hosseini has entrusted a mysterious ancient relic to you for a time: the Energy Amplifier. Help Hosseini to gather Irminsul Fruit Fragments and unleash their power with the Energy Amplifier.

◆ Event Gameplay Duration: 2021/04/30 10:00 – 2021/05/17 03:59

◆ Eligibility: Adventure Rank 20 or above

▌ Places of Interest

During the event period, go to Places of Interest and defeat the opponents there to gather Irminsul Fruit Fragments and obtain Fractured Fruit Data.

▌ Domains

During the event period, successfully challenge Domains to obtain Fractured Fruit Data.

▌ Twisted Realm

During the event period, challenge the Twisted Realm and get as high a score as you can. Reach a combined score of certain amounts to claim Fractured Fruit Data.

◆ Even more events will subsequently become available. Stay tuned, Travelers.

VII. New Quests

1. New Story Quests

Zhongli's Story Quest: Historia Antiqua Chapter - Act II "No Mere Stone"

◆Eula's Story Quest "Aphros Delos Chapter: Act I" will become available at a later date.

2. New Hangout Events

Hangout Event: Diona - Act I "The Cat and the Cocktail"

◇ They say that there's a popular bartender at The Cat's Tail.

Hangout Event: Noelle - Act II "Knightly Exam Prep"

◇ Noelle reveals to you that she is very anxious about the Knights of Favonius selection exam. At your suggestion, she decides to emulate the knights she knows in an attempt to overcome her sense of unease.

3. New World Quests

◆ Adds World Quests related to the Serenitea Pot: "A Teapot to Call Home: Part I" and "A Teapot to Call Home: Part II"

◆ Quest Unlock Criteria:

• Adventure Rank 35 or above

• Completed the Archon Quest "Chapter I: Act III - A New Star Approaches"

◆ New World Quests: "A Timeless Classic" and "When the Trail Goes Cold"

*Other new World Quests will be added at a later date, including "Mr. Melancholy" and "Mimi Tomo"

VIII. Other Additions

●Gameplay

New Gadget: Serenitea Pot

New Recipes: Stormcrest Pie, "My Way," Crab Roe Tofu, Stir-Fried Fish Noodles, Cured Pork Dry Hotpot

New Inventory Category: Furnishings

New Precious Items: Dream Solvent, Transient Resin, Vial of Adeptal Speed, Sanctifying Unction, Sanctifying Essence

New Achievements: "A Realm Beyond: Series I," "Memories of the Heart," etc.

New Namecards: "Celebration: Fruit of Wisdom," "Celebration: Peekaboo!," "Yanfei: Impartial," "Eula: Ice-Sealed," "Travel Notes: Sub-Space Recreation," "Achievement: Tea Time"

Spiral Abyss:

○ Floor 11 Ley Line Disorders changed to:

• Your character will be periodically inflicted with Slowing Water, greatly increasing your skills' CD duration until the inflicted Hydro element is removed.

• Physical DMG dealt by all party members increased by 75%.

○ Updates the monster lineup on Floor 11 of the Spiral Abyss.

○ Updates the monster lineup on Floor 12 of the Spiral Abyss.

Starting from the first time that the Lunar Phase refreshes after updating to Version 1.5, the three Lunar Phases will be as follows:

○ Phase 1: Blade-Dance Moon

When a character scores consecutive hits on an opponent with Normal Attacks within 2s, this character's Physical DMG is increased by 5% for 10s. This effect stacks up to 5 times, and only 1 stack is added at a time regardless of how many enemies are hit in one strike. When 5 stacks have been obtained, further hits on opponents will unleash shockwaves that deal AoE DMG. A shockwave can be created in this manner once every 1s.

○ Phase 2: Thorny Moon

A backlash will occur when opponents hit a character protected by a shield, unleashing a shockwave that deals AoE DMG. Can occur once every 6s.

○ Phase 3: Rebellious Moon

When a character scores Normal, Charged, and Plunging Attack hits that deal Physical DMG to opponents, this character's CRIT Rate is increased by 3% for 10s. This effect stacks up to 5 times, and only 1 stack is added at a time regardless of how many enemies are hit in one strike. When 5 stacks have been obtained, CRIT Hits on opponents will unleash shockwaves that deal AoE DMG. A shockwave can be created in this manner once every 1s.

●System

The new Mail Pins function has been added. Pinned mail will be placed at the top of your mail list and will not be deleted when pressing Delete Read. However, pinned mail will still expire as normal.

●Audio

Adds voiced interactions for characters in the open world.

Adds a Compatibility Mode option for the audio API on Android devices. Try switching to this mode if you experience any of the following issues:

Distorted sound (electrical noise) from your device, failure to switch between left and right audio channels, screen recordings do not capture audio, screen recordings feature distorted audio, difficulty switching to and from earphones when plugged in/removed, electrical noise through Bluetooth earphones.

Adds Japanese voice-over for certain characters.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, in English, the voice of Diona in Diona's Hangout Event is temporarily provided by Jackie Lastra.

IX. Optimizations

●System

Three opportunities will arise every week to halve the Original Resin cost of revitalizing the Trounce Blossoms at the Trounce Domains and Dominator of Wolves challenges.

In Co-Op Mode, when there are two or less characters in the team that can be controlled per player, the Companionship EXP obtained is doubled.

New Voice-Over Files Management function added to PC and mobile: You can uninstall voice-over files by going to Settings > Language > Manage Voice-Over Files. (In Version 1.5, you must first update the voice-over files under Settings > Language > Voice-Over Language before you can uninstall them.)

Optimizations to some controls when using a controller:

• When moving the left joystick up and down to select who you want to chat with, the right side of the screen will switch to the corresponding chat information without needing to first press the Confirm button.

• Move the left joystick to the right to enter the selected chat.

• The Sort Rule button on the Weapons screen (in Inventory), Artifacts screen (in Inventory), and Character Selection screen (in the Character Menu) has been changed from the up button to the down button.

• The left joystick can now be used to switch between sections of the interface in Settings and Achievements.

• Optimizes the display design of the Controller screen: When a button status changes from usable to unusable, the button icon will be hidden.

• On the Report screen, the default button for text editing has been made consistent with the controls of other in-game interface: for PlayStation controllers, this has been changed from the circle button to the square button; for Xbox controllers, this has been changed from the B button to the X button.

• The controls to skip the Battle Pass animation, Wish animation, and animation of claiming rewards in Domains has been changed for controller users: now, hold the circle/B button to skip; the confirmation pop-up window has been removed.

• The button layout display of different controllers has been made consistent.

• The controls for closing the pop-up menus for Artifact Enhancement, Weapon Enhancement, Artifact Filter, and Character Selection has been changed: the Back button previously closed the entire screen, but it now only closes the pop-up menu.

Optimizes the default text and display status in the text entry box:

• Unsent text in the text entry box will be saved as a draft in the current chat's text entry box.

• When the text entry box in the current chat is empty, the draft (if any have been saved) will be displayed.

• The text entry box will be cleared after a draft is completed and sent, if the chat is deleted from the chat list, or after exiting the game.

Optimizes some displays of chat boxes on PC and PlayStation®4:

• After deleting the other player in the chat, the chat content on the main chat screen will be deleted.

• After going offline, chat content on the main chat screen will be cleared. It will only display new messages received after the last time you went offline (including messages received while offline).

Optimizes aiming on mobile:

• On mobile, three additional adjustment levels have been added under Settings > Camera Sensitivity (Aimed Shot Mode). It has been increased from the original levels 1 to 5 (which now correspond with the new levels 4 to 8) to the new adjustment levels 1 to 8.

• On mobile, the Acceleration Slider (Aimed Mode) setting has been added. With this setting enabled, the camera movement speed will change dynamically with the speed of your finger. Sliding faster causes the camera angle to rotate more.

The amount of Condensed Resin has been added above the button to claim rewards for Domains and Ley Line Blossoms (if you have no Condensed Resin, it will not be displayed).

Optimizes the anti-aliasing effect on the avatar in one's profile.

Optimizes the animation performance of Zhongli's Plunging Attack.

●Co-Op

Optimizes the animation performance of nearby monsters and objects in Co-Op Mode when the visiting player is far from the host player.

●Other

Optimizes the aesthetics of lighting effects of certain weapons after ascension.

Adjusts some missions in Battle Pass > Weekly Missions (the total BEP that can be earned remains unchanged by the adjustment).

Deleted BP Missions:

• Collect 100 Mondstadt local specialties

• Collect 100 Liyue local specialties

• Complete the Wolf of the North Challenge

• Complete the Stormterror Domain Challenge

• Complete the Golden House Challenge

New BP Missions:

• Complete Trounce Domains or the Dominator of Wolves challenge 3 times

• Obtain a total of 1,000 Realm Currency

• Create a total of 10 furnishings

• Purchase 2 items from the Teapot Traveling Salesman in another player's Serenitea Pot

The Stellar Reunion event is amended as follows:

a. Deletes the following quests:

• Forge 3 items

• Defeat boss enemy 1 time

b. Adds the following quests:

• Level up a character once using any quantity of Character EXP Materials

• Enhance a weapon once

• Enhance an artifact once

c. For the Original Resin consumption quests, decreases the quantity of Original Resin that Travelers at Adventure Rank 10–50 are required to consume

No change has been made to the total points that can be obtained in one day.

Applies to: Travelers who activate the Stellar Reunion event after the V1.5 update

*For details on other bug fixes, please see the Version Update Details notice to be posted at 2021/04/28 07:00 (UTC+8)

[ask-fantasy-sanders-sides]

What's nightmare rot again?

Flaw: Nightmare Rot

(Prerequisite: Drow, background including time in the Underdark)

      You experience frequent, strange nightmares, called Dream Traps. They all run along the same theme; the comfort of submission to the Colony, and the hopeless chaos of individuality. These dream traps cause you to wallow in loneliness and strife for the duration of the nightmare, with intent to make you feel purposeless without Lolth. 

Effect: ...

      Whenever you take a Long Rest (or ever find yourself asleep/otherwise unconscious), make a DC10 charisma saving throw, increasing by 1 for each consecutive night you have had a nightmare. If you fail, you experience a Dream Trap. For a duration of time even after you wake, you feel isolated and aimless: For 1d6 hours, you behave as if you had the Poisoned condition.

      If you enter a Reverie state while under the influence of a dream trap, you are locked into a memory of some point in your life before you left your Lolthite Colony. As such, you do not initially recognize anyone or anything around you.

      While in this Dream Trap Reverie, roll a Charisma saving throw (minus the number of recurring days, if any)

1-3 = Incapacitating Terror

You are consumed by the worst of your memories. You are effectively Stunned. If you are approached by another creature, you immediately respond as if Frightened; flee immediately, fighting to escape if you are grappled or trapped in any way, until the other creature leaves your range of sight. At which point you are Stunned again, and remain this way until you wake up. Take 1 point of Exhaustion upon waking, and do not take any benefits of a rest.

4-8 = House War

You are intensely hostile to every creature you encounter, believing yourself to be in a life-threatening combat scenario. If you notice any creatures around you, you will not hesitate to kill them.

9-13 = Perimeter Check

You are somewhat hostile to every creature you encounter, believing yourself to be unsafe, but not in dire straits. If you notice any creatures around you, you will not hesitate to incapacitate them, but won’t escalate combat further unless provoked.

14-17 = Far from Home

You believe yourself to be lost. You begin to search for a safe base, like your Colony, House, or some small cave. You will not stop looking until you find a defendable base or a trusted ally.

18-20 = Silent Night

You are not in any particular distress. Your mind simply does not register any differences between your current physical location and your old home as strange; You remember the layout of places you are in, and you are not particularly hostile towards other creatures around you, ignoring them as if they were scenery. But, you still act in ways more suited to your old station under Lolth than an adventurer.

(*Note: These are the same ‘traps’ you would be experiencing in a nightmare! You are just playing them out in real time, if you enter a Reverie state. You do not have to roll for what kind of nightmare you had if your body remains dormant, but you can for RP flavor if you like.) 

.

      To recognize an ally you met/befriended after the point in which your nightmare is taking place, they must make a Charisma check. The DC is determined by the Bond Tier between you: (the symbol of the bond does not matter)

A bond score from 1 to 5 = DC 20

6 to 8 = DC 18

9 to 11 = DC 16

12 to 14 = DC 14

15 to 17 = DC 12

18 to 20 = DC 10

.

Recognition affects different Dream Traps in different ways:

Incapacitating Terror: If you are able to recognize a creature, make a Wisdom Saving Throw at the same bond DC, also adding the companion’s Charisma modifier (it is a collaborative effort). If you succeed, you are no longer Frightened of that person. They cannot cure you of the Stun effect, but you are no longer compelled to run from them.

If any additional creature attempts to approach you, the process must be repeated: one person cannot roll for the entire party).

House War: If you are able to recognize a creature, you are no longer compelled to attack them, unless they are attacking you. They may attempt another Charisma check at the same bond DC to persuade you against harming other creatures, as well.

Perimeter Check: If you are able to recognize a creature, you are no longer hostile towards them. You do not let your guard down entirely, though, and protect your ally as you are currently protecting yourself.

Far from Home: If you are able to recognize a creature, you may consider them to be the ally you are looking for. If not, you will drag them along with you as you look for a safe base.

Silent Night: If you are able to recognize a creature, you regard them as you would usually, though under the same personality shift as described above.

[millenniumblog]

[ID: A chart describing the core values of each of the nine Enneagram personality types with YuGiOh characters correlated to each of the types.]

YuGiOh Enneagram Analysis, Part #1

Please note that this is the “boring” informational post about Enneagram with the Types listed and explained as well as a few other things. The next post is what has the actual, in-depth character profiles promised!

Introduction & Motivation

Over the past several months, I have been trying to analyze my strengths and weaknesses as a writer and learn more. I have been writing fanfiction since I was a little kid, making my first FF.net account in 2003 when I would have been twelve years old. Even before that, I was a lurker and wrote fics to share with my childhood best friend on paper or floppy discs.

YuGiOh came into my life at some point shortly thereafter. I know this, because I spent my thirteenth birthday in a comic book shop, mostly watching some of my male friends play the trading card game. I had some of the cards, but I was never much of a player, unable to keep up with the seemingly rapid rule changes. Besides that, I was always way more interested in the story and characters than I was in the card game. I remember I even wanted to call “YuGiOh cards” “Duel Monsters” instead to make it seem a little closer to tween-y LARPing.

Eventually, I gave up on collecting cards or trying to ply the game. I felt that while my male friends didn’t mind me being around when they played, they weren’t extremely interested in helping me learn or keep up. I felt I had other strengths, so I started carrying around a notebook even more than I already did. I started my fledgling forays into online fandom. And YuGiOh was a big part of the beginning of that.

I can’t remember posting any YuGiOh fic in particular, and I’m sure that if I had it would make me cringe now. What I do remember is reading some and also spending a lot of time lying on my bed, headphones plugged into a small purple stereo, listening to the first of the two American-released CDs with YuGiOh-inspired music on them. In particular, the last three tracks were pieces of music from the original score composed for the 4Kids dub, which is - for some reason - different from the original Japanese music.

During that time, I would fantasize and conjure my own YuGiOh plots in my head, most of which were focused on the Ancient Egyptian and more spooky, spiritual, and horror themes in the show. I was really fascinated with the reincarnation angle, though my understanding of and opinions on how that works have grown with time.

Years went by, and I didn’t think about YuGiOh much at all. Then, something happened in 2018. I don’t know what got in my head, but it was like all the joy I once found in thinking about the YuGiOh characters came back in a giddy conversation with my childhood best friend. Then, for a little while, it wouldn’t leave me alone.

I started writing for the fandom then, and after several detours, I’m trying to get back in the groove of it.

My approach to the tone of YuGiOh-fanning is that it’s a bit serious, but it’s also with a tongue placed in my cheek because of how incomprehensible or silly the plot can be on a meta level. Sometimes, it almost brings tears to my eyes by being so over-the-top about something that, in the real world, would make no sense at all. But the drama, in the context of the universe, somehow rings true.

I think that’s all owing to how most of the primary characters are just... really freaking great characters.

It has often puzzled me. Like, did Takahashi do all this layering on purpose? Is it really there, or did earnest fanon just make it seem like it? And, as a person, I am always here for a good fan-and-canon symbiosis.

This post is going to be, from here on, an effort to match the YuGiOh characters to the 9 Enneagram Personality Types. I am writing this for my own benefit as I continue to work on my pet YuGiOh fanfiction project, It’s Always Sunny in Domino City, which is a mixture of YGOTAS-vibes-and-concepts taken seriously and a sincere take on fanfiction for the actual canon. It’s dramedy about a sizeable chunk of the main cast a few years post-canon with some canon divergence such as the Memory World arc not yet and possibly never-happening. If that sounds like something you’d like, I would humbly request you check it out!

Either way, this will be an in-depth character analysis cheatsheet for all of the characters above, based on my observations, opinions, and feelings. I invite discussion, but it’s fine if we need to agree to totally disagree!

If you are interested and enjoy what’s below the Read More and in the coming second post, then you are welcome to utilize the character analyses to aid you in your own fanwork!

Enneagram

What is Enneagram, and why am I using it?

Enneagram is a personality categorization system that one might compare to the somewhat better-known MBTI. However, in the words of excellent writing-advice YouTuber, Abbie Emmons:

MBTI shows us how we behave.

Enneagram shows us what we believe.

I will be referencing Abbie’s video Using The ENNEAGRAM To Write CONFLICTED CHARACTERS and her free Enneagram-cheatsheet, available in the description of the linked video. Whether it’s before you continue reading or after, if you’re interested in writing, I would highly recommend you check out her channel!

The Enneagram system has nine basic personality types that overlap and interact in really interesting ways. It is not a hard science, and it’s not a horoscope. Instead, it’s supposed to be “based on conventional wisdom and modern psychology.” All I can say is that with every set of characters I’ve tried it with, it works! Once you get the hang of it, it feels kind of like ~✰~magic~✰~!

Below, I will list Abbie’s simplified definitions of each of the personality types, in order:

Type 1: The Reformer

The Rational, Idealistic Type:

Principled, Purposeful, Self-Controlled, and Perfectionistic

Basic Fear: Of being corrupt/evil, defective

Basic Desire: To be good, to have integrity, to be balanced

Key Motivations: Want to be right, to strive higher and improve everything, to be consistent with their ideals, to justify themselves, to be beyond criticism so as not to be condemned by anyone.

Type 2: The Helper

The Caring, Interpersonal Type:

Generous, Demonstrative, People-Pleasing, and Possessive

Basic Fear: Of being unwanted, unworthy of being loved

Basic Desire: To feel loved

Key Motivations: Want to be loved, to express their feelings for others, to be needed and appreciated, to get others to respond to them, to vindicate their claims about themselves.

Type 3: The Achiever

The Success-Oriented, Pragmatic Type:

Adaptable, Excelling, Driven, and Image-Conscious

Basic Fear: Of being worthless

Basic Desire: To feel valuable and worthwhile

Key Motivations: Want to be affirmed, to distinguish themselves from others, to have attention, to be admired, and to impress others.

Type 4: The Individualist

The Sensitive, Introspective Type:

Expressive, Dramatic, Self-Absorbed, and Temperamental

Basic Fear: That they have no identity or personal significance

Basic Desire: To find themselves and their significance (to create an identity)

Key Motivations: Want to express themselves and their individuality, to create and surround themselves with beauty, to maintain certain moods and feelings, to withdraw to protect their self-image, to take care of emotional needs before attending to anything else, to attract a "rescuer."

Type 5: The Investigator

The Intense, Cerebral Type:

Perceptive, Innovative, Secretive, and Isolated

Basic Fear: Being useless, helpless, or incapable

Basic Desire: To be capable and competent

Key Motivations: Want to possess knowledge, to understand the environment, to have everything figured out as a way of defending the self from threats from the environment.

Type 6: The Loyalist

The Committed, Security-Oriented Type:

Engaging, Responsible, Anxious, and Suspicious

Basic Fear: Of being without support and guidance

Basic Desire: To have security and support

Key Motivations: Want to have security, to feel supported by others, to have certitude and reassurance, to test the attitudes of others toward them, to fight against anxiety and insecurity.

Type 7: The Enthusiast

The Busy, Variety-Seeking Type:

Spontaneous, Versatile, Acquisitive, and Scattered

Basic Fear: Of being deprived and in pain

Basic Desire: To be satisfied and content—to have their needs fulfilled

Key Motivations: Want to maintain their freedom and happiness, to avoid missing out on worthwhile experiences, to keep themselves excited and occupied, to avoid and discharge pain.

Type 8: The Challenger

The Powerful, Dominating Type:

Self-Confident, Decisive, Willful, and Confrontational

Basic Fear: Of being harmed or controlled by others

Basic Desire: To protect themselves (to be in control of their own life and destiny)

Key Motivations: Want to be self-reliant, to prove their strength and resist weakness, to be important in their world, to dominate the environment, and to stay in control of their situation.

Type 9: The Peacemaker

The Easygoing, Self-Effacing Type:

Receptive, Reassuring, Agreeable, and Complacent

Basic Fear: Of loss and separation

Basic Desire: To have inner stability, "peace of mind"

Key Motivations: Want to create harmony in their environment, to avoid conflicts and tension, to preserve things as they are, to resist whatever would upset or disturb them.

Now that you’ve seen all those, what do you think your favorite character is? In YuGiOh or anything else! It works great for original characters and even yourself and your loved ones.

The actual Character Profiles will be in coming post(s), but continue reading if you want me to explain more about how and why the Enneagram is a great personality typing system. #nonspon, or whatever.

The Enneagram Chart

Now, you could just go to the Enneagram Institute’s page on How the System Works, but below I’ll cut it down to only the parts I’m interested in and explain those in a way that helps me.

Unlike in astrology or MBTI, which are both more restrictive in different ways, the relative position of each type matters a bit on the Enneagram chart, because it can be used to visualize a lot of things about a person!

The Basic Chart

The Types are shown in a clockwise fashion with “1″ in the 1 o’clock position on an analog clock. The interior lines mean things, but I have trouble reading it without further delineation.

Centers of Response

Below are two small charts, displayed side-by-side. (If it’s too small, try right-click, open in new tab!)

The chart on the left shows the three “centers.” The “centers” indicate the first ‘processing language’ a person would use to respond to stimuli.

Type 8, Type 9, and Type 1 respond first based on instinct (primal, gut-feeling). If you want to go Freudian, this is from the id.

Type 2, Type 3, and Type 4 respond first based on feelings (social or personal desires, the heart). If you want to go Freudian, this is from the ego.

Type 5, Type 6, and Type 7 respond first based on thoughts (analytical rather than emotional, the head). If you want to go Freudian, this is from the superego.

Remember that, of course, every single type and person engages their instincts, their emotions, and their thoughts at different times and to different degrees, and some of these are learned or changed behaviors. This is about what their innate drive toward that would be.

Likewise, the same “centers” can also be used for the chart on the right. You will notice that all three of these are defined by what is typically considered a negative emotion. This is because this is about a person’s instinctive, not particularly conscious emotional response when they are backed into a corner and deprived of something that is core to the needs of their personality type.

Type 8, Type 9, and Type 1 tend to respond to a threat to their psychic well-being with anger/rage.

Type 2, Type 3, and Type 4 tend to respond to a threat to their psychic well-being with shame.

Type 5, Type 6, and Type 7 tend to respond to a threat to their psychic well-being with fear.

Stress vs. Growth

We all know that there are times when a person isn’t acting like themselves, for better or for worse. Usually, “You’re not acting like yourself,” means that a person is behaving badly. Of course, it’s way easier to withdraw and bristle and defend rather than growing in the midst of adversity. However, it is certainly possible to experience character growth in response to experiences, good and bad. Unlike a lot of other personality typing schemes, the Enneagram has a way to display and predict what stress and growth do to a person.

The Enneagram never suggests that any Type is an island unto itself. Every person contains multitudes, but a person’s Type is likely to remain relatively stable throughout their lives, once they have had a chance to develop any personality at all. This means that when a person is stressed or growing that they do not become the type they emulate. Rather, they are more highly expressing that aspects of their personality that reflect those drives and desires but in a way that is either fraught, sickly, or unwell (in the case of stress), or aspirational, flying-high, and incorporating the hard-lessons into who a person is going to be going forward (in the case of growth). The latter, especially, isn’t a sustainable mode, while a stressed person can become more entrenched in their bad habits and defensive coping mechanisms.

Stress

Note the white, directional arrows. Each number has an arrow point pointing to it and an arrow leading away from it. The point indicates that this is the stress manifestation for the Type at the origin of that arrow. The origin of each arrow indicates the Type being described.

Confused? Let me finally give you a YuGiOh example.

When I was trying to identify the Types of the characters, defining Marik was difficult, because he has a “Yami,” or Dark Side, which has its own personality and will but which is not its own separate soul or person than Marik himself. Rather, it’s a kind of fantasy/magic-assisted personality splintering where Yami Marik is a full manifestation of the negative traits Marik needed to embody to survive.

So, for reference:

When stressed, Type 1 behaves more like Type 4. 

When stressed, Type 2 behaves more like Type 8.

When stressed, Type 3 behaves more like Type 9.

When stressed, Type 4 behaves more like Type 2.

When stressed, Type 5 behaves more like Type 7.

When stressed, Type 6 behaves more like Type 3.

When stressed, Type 7 behaves more like Type 1.

When stressed, Type 8 behaves more like Type 5.

When stressed, Type 9 behaves more like Type 6.

Alternatively, you can use these sequences to follow the stress lines:

1-4-2-8-5-7-1

9-6-3-9

Growth

Think of the above-explanation in reverse.

The sequence:

1-7-5-8-2-4-1

9-3-6-9

As a Type 1 grows, they incorporate more positive traits of Type 7.

As a Type 2 grows, they incorporate more positive traits of Type 4.

As a Type 3 grows, they incorporate more positive traits of Type 6.

As a Type 4 grows, they incorporate more positive traits of Type 1.

As a Type 5 grows, they incorporate more positive traits of Type 8.

As a Type 6 grows, they incorporate more positive traits of Type 9.

As a Type 7 grows, they incorporate more positive traits of Type 5.

As a Type 8 grows, they incorporate more positive traits of Type 2.

As a Type 9 grows, they incorporate more positive traits of Type 3.

Wings

The final thing to know about the Enneagram chart for my purposes is about wings. The wing of your personality traits accounts for the complementary and contradictory aspects of your personality. They are the inconsistencies that make you human, predicted and jumped in. Typically, a person is not thought to have both possible wings but one or the other. A wing is one of the two adjacent Types to yours, the number before, or the number after, and it is annotated, for example:

Type 1, Wing 2: 1w2

Type 1, Wing 9: 1w9

Link to Part 2 Here!

[nerdythebard]

#13: Doctor Strange [Marvel]

By the Eternal Vishanti, I welcome you back!

Today we're making the Sorcerer Supreme of the Marvel Universe-616, Doctor Strange. This spell-slinging master of the mystic arts has been my favourite superhero for quite some time now, and I'm always excited whenever we get something related to him. Now, just a quick note – this build is going to be based on the comic book version of Strange, not the MCU one. We're having real spells and incantations, not some thinly-veiled Clarke's Third Law. #LetMagicBeMagic.

Next Time: The Gods call for us again. The Dragon King blesses us with his presence.

Now then, let's examine what we need to become the mightiest mystic of the Multiverse:

Arcane Artillery: Doctor Strange holds enough mystic knowledge to give Mind Flayers an indigestion. What he doesn't know, he can look up in his Sanctum Sanctorum's library. We need to be prepared to have a spell for almost any situation.

Mystic Fists of Fury: Before opening his Third Eye fully, Strange spent some time in Kamar-Taj under the tutelage of the Ancient One, practising his combat skills in case he was ever in a situation where magic would fail him.

The Old Favourites: Whatever incarnation of the character we encounter, Doctor Strange is almost always certain to have the following items on him: the Eye of Agamotto, the Cloak of Levitation, and occasionally the Book of the Vishanti. After the Last Days of Magic event, Strange found a likeness for weapons like shortswords, staffs, and axes.

---

Stephen Strange was an ordinary human, but due to the years of exposure to otherworldly mystic forces, his biology changed to not accept regular human food anymore. This sounds like a good excuse to make him Variant Human. We get a +1 to two abilities of our choice (Intelligence and Constitution), we know how to speak Common and one other language of our choice, we get to pick one skill to be proficient in (Investigation), and we get to pick a feat. The Medic feat gives us a +1 to Wisdom, proficiency with the Medicine skill, and the ability to tend to our party members' wounds on short rests (Medicine check [DC 15], if successful - the player can use the maximum value of their Hit Dice to regain Hit Points).

Although he started as a simple physician, the turning point of Strange's life was his training in Kamar-Taj. He gained skills and knowledge, vast enough to call himself a Sage. From this background, we gain proficiency in Arcana and History, we learn two more languages, and we gain the Researcher feature; when we're to recall a piece of lore, and we don't know it, we usually can figure out where to find the information (be it a library, a temple, or somebody's private collection).

ABILITY SCORES

Intelligence is our primary stat, serving as our casting ability and our pride. Next is Constitution, all casters need to keep it high. We follow that up with Wisdom, lessons of the Ancient One granted us both humility and broadened our horizons.

Dexterity is a little low, but we'll take care of that later. Charisma is next, even after his training was complete Stephen can be a bit of a jerk and refusing to hear anyone but himself. Finally, we'll dump Strength.

CLASS

Assigning a D&D class to Doctor Strange was a very (and I mean very) difficult task. Starting off, I had to disregard his Sorcerer Supreme title, because in D&D sorcerers are born with the ability to wield magic. Strange had to study and practice to get his powers, so that makes him a Wizard. Kamar-Taj is also dedicated to studying the teachings of the Vishanti, a trinity of god-like beings who give the Sorcerer Supreme their powers, so that would make Strange a Cleric. Finally, he also draws powers from deals he made with otherworldly entities (such as Cyttorak, the Faltine, Munnopor, Watoomb, sometimes even Dormammu himself), which screams 'Warlock', except there's no way to incorporate multiple patrons without homebrewing. It wasn't easy, but I am satisfied with what I've created. Hopefully, you'll be, too.

Level 1 - Monk: We start just as Strange started, by honing our body first. Monks get the d8 Hit Dice, [8 + Constitution modifier] initial Hit Points, proficiencies with simple weapons and shortswords, and proficiency in one set of artisan's tools or a musical instrument (I'd go with alchemist's supplies). Our saving throws are Strength and Dexterity, and we get to pick two class skills (Insight and Religion).

Monks start with Unarmoured Defence. When we're not wearing armour, or holding a shield, our AC equals [10 + our Dexterity modifier + our Wisdom modifier]. We also get Martial Arts, which gives our unarmed strikes some more power. We can now use Dexterity instead of Strength for our unarmed strikes attack and damage rolls, we replace our Strength modifier with a d4 for damage of our unarmed strikes, and if we use the unarmed strike (or a monk weapon) on our turn as an Attack, we can use a bonus action to make an extra unarmed strike.

Level 2 - Monk: We get more mobile with Unarmoured Movement. Our ground speed increases by 10 feet if we're not wearing armour or holding a shield.

We also get access to the Monk's signature feature, the Ki energy. We start with 2 Ki Points, which we can spend on the following abilities:

Flurry of Blows: Spending 1 Ki Point after making an attack, lets us make two unarmed strikes as a bonus action;

Patient Defence: Spending 1 Ki Point lets us take a Dodge action as a bonus action on our turn;

Step of the Wind: Spending 1 Ki Point doubles our jump distance for the turn, and we can take the Dash or Disengage actions as a bonus action.

Level 3 - Wizard: We finally begin our study of spells and arcane arts.

Unfortunately, multiclassing into Wizard does not give us any additional benefits. We do, however, get Arcane Recovery. Once per day, during a short rest, we can choose a number of expended spell slots and refill them. The number must be equal to half of our Wizard level (rounded up), and the recovered spell slots cannot be 6th-level or higher.

Wizards also start with Spellcasting at their 1st level, and they know both cantrips and ritual spells. Our spellcasting ability is Intelligence, but unlike many other casting classes we do not get a full access to our spell list. Instead, we start with six spells in our spellbook and get two more each time we level up. Then, we can only prepare and use [Our Intelligence modifier + our Wizard level] spells at once. Describing all of those spells we pick would make this post over a mile long, and I've made that mistake with Sypha. To not make this a chore for you guys, I decided that from now on whenever I make a Wizard (or, a build where Wizard is a majority), I will simply list the spells we pick without descriptions. Let's be honest, if not here, you'll certainly find those in a different build. Alright, let's begin! First, we get to pick three cantrips:

Fire Bolt

Mage Hand

Minor Illusion

When it comes to our starting spells, let's take these six. Remember, we can only prepare a certain number, and we start with only two 1st-level spell slots.

Alarm

Detect Magic

Fog Cloud (to represent the Mists of Munnopor from the comics)

Shield (of the Seraphim)

Magic Missile (as a stand-in for the Daggers of Daveroth)

Sleep

Level 4 - Wizard: We get to pick our subclass, our Arcane Tradition. For Strange, who can be any combination of Wizard, Cleric, and Warlock, the best choice is to pick Theurgy from 2017 Unearthed Arcana. Theurgists are religious magic-users, who focus more on the arcane research rather than prayer and worship.

With Divine Inspiration, we get to select a Cleric Domain and a deity we wish to follow. Ask your DM if it's possible for you to worship three gods as a collective, a magical triumvirate. For your own Vishanti I suggest Mystra, Mother of All Magic, Azuth, the Lord of Spells, and Savras, the All-Seeing. For a Wizard, I'd say there's no better choice than Knowledge Domain.

We also get Arcane Initiate, which lets us replace spells we learn as we level up with the cleric spells of our chosen domain. What's cool about that feature is, other wizards cannot copy those spells from our spellbook. If we get all of our chosen domain's spells, we can keep replacing spells we learn with spells from the Cleric spell list.

Finally, we gain the Cleric's unique skill - Channel Divinity - except in our case it becomes Channel Arcana. We start with two effects: Divine Arcana and the effect granted by the chosen domain. Unlike Clerics, we can use the Channel Arcana once per short or long rest.

Divine Arcana lets us use a bonus action to control the flow of magic in the area. The next spell we cast gets a +2 to its attack roll or saving throw DC.

Knowledge of the Ages grants us quick insight into a skill we're not familiar with. For the next 10 minutes, we're proficient with one tool set of our choice or proficient in one skill we choose.

We gain one more 1st-level spell slot, and for this level's two spells let's get Feather Fall, and Command from the domain list.

Level 5 - Wizard: At this level we unlock 2nd-level spell slots, and we can access 2nd-level spells. Let's get Hold Person (for Strange's famous Crimson Bands of Cyttorak) and Icingdeath's Frost from 2021 Unearthed Arcana: Draconic Options (for the Icy Tendrils of Ikthalon).

Level 6 - Wizard: Time for our first Ability Score Improvement! As is the rule of thumb with all Wizards, boosting our Intelligence is a priority. That's what we shall put the 2 points into.

For this level's spells, we get another cantrip (Light), and let's take Locate Object and Mirror Image (to represent the Images of Ikonn).

Level 7 - Wizard: We unlock 3rd-level spell slots. Let's get Dispel Magic, and we can get Fly to finally get a representation for our Cloak of Levitation.

Level 8 - Wizard: We get our first subclass upgrade. Arcane Acolyte grants us the 1st-level benefits of our chosen domain. For Knowledge domain, it's Blessings of Knowledge; we learn two languages of our choice and get proficiency in two skills... which we pretty much are proficient in already. To not waste a feature, ask your DM if you can double your proficiency bonus for those two skills instead. If you get a 'yes', pick Arcana and Insight.

For this level's spells, let's get Counterspell and Magic Circle.

Level 9 - Wizard: From here, we get access to 4th-level spell slots. Banishment and Dimension Door seems like exactly what we need to keep enemies at bay and have fun with portals.

Level 10 - Wizard: Halfway through the build, and we get an ASI. Let's cap our Intelligence at 20, with those two points.

For this level's spells, let's grab Arcane Eye and turn back a little and get Speak with Dead from our domain list, as it is one of few spells not available to Wizards.

Level 11 - Wizard: We get access to 5th-level spells. With Contact Other Plane and Legend Lore, we become an even bigger magical know-it-all to aid our party.

Level 12 - Wizard: For our subclass upgrade, we get Arcane Priest, which grants us the Knowledge Domain's 6th-level benefit - Channel Divinity: Read Thoughts. One creature within 60 feet of us must make a Wisdom saving throw, or grant us access to its surface thoughts (emotions and active thoughts, no deep secrets or hidden motives) for 1 minute. During that time, we can also use our action to cast the Suggestion spell on the target; they fail their saving throw automatically.

We also get our final cantrip for this build (Sword Burst), and we get two more 5th-level spells: Planar Binding and Wall of Force.

Level 13 - Wizard: We unlock 6th-level spells. With Globe of Invulnerability and True Seeing, we upgrade our Shield of the Seraphim and give our Eye of Agamotto even more mystic abilities (as it should have had!)

Level 14 - Wizard: Time for another ASI! Let's put one point into Constitution for better HP chance, and one into Dexterity.

Arcane Gate finally gives us a proper yellow sparkly portal thingy, and let's get Chain Lightning for some much needed offensive capabilities.

Level 15 - Wizard: We're getting into 7th-level spells at this level. Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion allows us to recreate our very own Sanctum Sanctorum, and with Project Image we can get Strange's Astral Projection.

Level 16 - Wizard: At this level, we get our final subclass upgrade (and we cross the 100 HP mark, yay!). Arcane High Priest grants us the Knowledge Domain's 17th-level benefits. Visions of the Past lets us spend at least 1 minute of meditation to receive information about a specific object we're holding, or our immediate surroundings:

Object Reading - we learn of the object's previous owner. We know how the person came into contact with the object, how they lost it, and a significant even in their life tied to the object.

Area Reading - we see the events that transpired in the specific location (up to 50-foot cube), going back a number of days equal to our Wisdom modifier.

For this level's spells, let's get Plane Shift and Teleport to double-down on Strange's interdimensional travels.

Level 17 - Wizard: Time for 8th-level spells.

Illusory Dragon is a nice nod to the great "Doctor Strange and the Sorcerers Supreme" series (go check it out, it's awesome!), and Maze is another good banishment-type spell to have. Just don't use it on minotaurs.

Level 18 - Wizard: For our final ASI, let's put two points into Dexterity, leaving us unfortunately with an odd number (hopefully, you'll manage to find some ability-increasing item or benefit in your adventure).

For this level's spells, let's grab Power Word: Stun and Demiplane is a good combo to immobilize a foe and send it to the Shadow Realm Mirror Dimension.

Level 19 - Wizard: We unlock the pinnacle of D&D arcane, the 9th-level spells... that is, unless your DM introduces High Magic, which is... whew, a league of its own.

Time Stop and Foresight give us those Time Stone abilities (for all you MCU degenerates. Yes, I know what I said, but Strange was given the Time Stone in his new run, so I did not lie!)

Level 20 - Wizard: Our capstone is Wizard 18, which gives us the Spell Mastery feature. We get to choose one 1st-level spell and one 2nd-level spell from our spellbook and make them our signature moves; we can now cast them at will, without expending a spell slot. Shield and Hold Person seems like a good choice here.

For our final spells of this build, we cannot go without Astral Projection, and let's get Imprisonment a chance.

---

And there we go! Doctor Strange, Master of the Mystic Arts. Let's see what we've created:

First of all, we're the epitome of Wizard, we're a great utility caster and a pretty good support, with Internet-like capability of finding information. We're don't have a lot of damage-dealing abilities, like Sypha did, but remember - Wizards also get spell by finding them in the world and copying them in their spellbook. This here is only what we get automatically. Go and roam the world in search for that Fireball!

We have AC of 14, but with Shield (and later making it pretty much permanent) it can get up to 19, and we have 130 Hit Points on average. Our speed is also a little better, with 40 feet of movement (plus flying thanks to the Fly spell).

Unfortunately, our Charisma and Wisdom are not great, so those saving throws might be difficult. Our Strength is also not the greatest, so we're pretty much forced to fight with magic.

---

And that is it! Next time, we return to SMITE for a few builds, as I absorbs information about Fire Emblem: Three Heroes. Also, the game devs just released a teaser for Morgana le Fay, and my first reaction was 'Hexblade Warlock'. Do you agree?

Anyway, hope you enjoyed it and your day is going great. I'll see you next time!

- Nerdy out!

[monstersdownthepath]

Spiritual Spotlight: Hanspur, the Water Rat (and Ashkaelae)

Chaotic Neutral God of Rivers, River Travel, and Smugglers

Domains: Chaos, Death, Travel, Water Subdomains: Exploration, Murder, Rivers, Trade

Inner Sea Faiths, pg. 58~63

Obedience: With the assistance of another priest of Hanspur or by yourself, simulate the act of drowning. You can do this by fully submerging yourself in a body of water, exhaling all of your breath, and painfully inhaling water instead of air. Alternatively, you can lie on your back with your head at a lower elevation than your legs while water is slowly poured on your face and up your nose. If you choose the latter method, you must cover your face with a cloth while the water is poured. When you conclude this simulated drowning, contemplate your life and how your goals coincide with the teachings of Hanspur and the Six River Freedoms. Benefit: You gain a +4 sacred or profane bonus on Survival checks attempted while on or near rivers.

Just reading this makes my sinuses burn and my lungs itch, and not just because it’s springtime and I have allergies! As anyone who’s ever been in a body of water large enough to slap their face with a wave can attest to, inhaling large amounts of water sucks. While this Obedience requires only one wet breath, some... well, some pretty severe complications can arise from it, if your DM ponders even slightly what doing this to yourself every day would do. Dry drowning and secondary drowning are both real dangers from brief immersion, let alone concentrated efforts at simulating one of the worst fates someone can experience (I say this a lot but basically anything that deprives you of air is pretty terrible). The ‘simulation’ will likely only last a few seconds while the rest of the hour is spent recovering from your experience and meditating, but even that may not be enough to offset the fluid likely building up in your lungs. Priests of Hanspur must sound atrocious, coughing themselves ragged every day! No wonder it’s recommended your ritual is overseen by another priest, either, because they’d likely be skilled in helping you manage your symptoms.

Dangers of daily drownings aside, keeping up with the demands of this ritual is pretty easy so long as you’re somewhere with easy access to water. In Hanspur’s homelands, the River Kingdoms, this is pathetically simple! Everywhere else? It’s a lot harder! While I do appreciate that there’s a secondary ritual you can do if total immersion is impossible, but what happens if you’re stuck somewhere with no easy water access? Your waterskins won’t carry you for very long, even if you pilfer them from your party as well. Better invest in a Decanter of Endless Water! Or do something ridiculous like fill the party’s Bag of Holding up so you can just hop in and out whenever you need to.

That benefit is also the weakest I’ve seen in a long time, granting a bonus to only a single skill type and only while near rivers. Survival checks aren’t even all that commonly made, unless your DM is kind enough to let you use Survival to navigate with river rafts rather than Profession or Ride checks. Hanspur really doesn’t want his faithful straying too far from the River Kingdoms, which is only further exacerbated by how his Boons work, so if you’re not the type to linger near rivers you may just want to skip him entirely.

Boons are gathered slowly, typically obtained when a given character has 12, 16, and 20 hit dice. Unlike fiend-worshipers, servants of the Eldest, and devoted of the Empyreal Lords, characters worshiping Neutral gods do not have catch-all classes… but Neutral-aligned characters can enter the Evangelist, Sentinel, and Exalted Prestige Classes earlier than Evil characters, classing in as early as level 6 (they need +5 BAB, 5 ranks in a single skill, or the ability to cast lvl 3 spells); entered ASAP, one can gain the Boons at levels 8, 11, and 14. 

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EVANGELIST

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Boon 1: River Sage. Gain Hydraulic Push 3/day, River Whip 2/day, or Hydraulic Torrent 1/day.

Hydraulic Push and Hydraulic Torrent live in the same niche of “giant water spouts what push stuff around,” with Torrent being obviously an order of magnitude more powerful than Push. While Push has a range of Close and can target only a single creature or square, Torrent is a 60ft line that Bull Rushes or attempts to destroy everything it encounters, so it really depends on if you’re thinking you’ll need three small streams or one really, really big one. Notably, Torrent can Bull Rush targets of any size, unrestricted by the limits of your pathetic frame, while Push contains no such limiter removal and thus likely means you can only blast creatures up to a size larger than you.

Also of note, Torrent attempts to shatter everything it comes into contact with until it runs into something or someone it cannot destroy or push past. The Strength score the Torrent uses is equal to your caster level plus your casting ability modifier, meaning it will start out barely stronger than you are but will eventually be able to punch holes in iron and shatter stone. Hell, with a lucky roll, it may be able to do that anyway. Your choice on which two to take wholly depends on if you want to push three Medium critters around or launch one Colossal one.

What? River Whip? I don’t see any spell like that here! Lets move on! (alright alright; i just don’t like it. it’s good as an emergency weapon but more or less anything else is better in any scenario)

Boon 2: River Scion. As a free action you can breathe underwater, as if affected by Water Breathing, for a number of hours per day equal to the number of Hit Dice you possess. These hours need not be used consecutively, but must be used in 1-hour increments.

A disappointingly weak Boon. Really, what else is there to see or say? If you need to go underwater, this ability is great and has zero downsides. If you don’t, this Boon doesn’t exist. It’s a very binary Boon that relies on your environment, which means that if you’re overjoyed if you’ve remained in the River Kingdoms, but in a desert or jungle or mountain peak, you’re going to be extremely disappointed upon hitting level 11.

Boon 3: River’s Embodiment. 1/day as a standard action, you can transform yourself into a Huge water elemental, as per Elemental Body IV. You can stay in this form for 1 minute per Hit Die you possess, and can dismiss this effect as a free action.

Finally, a transformation ability that doesn’t suck! What does suck is that this is a level 7 spell being granted to you 1/day, when other Boons are equivalent to level 9 spells in power. Hanspur could have at least given you a little bonus on top of it, or made it 2/day, but it’s hard to complain about the force you become under Elemental Body IV. You become immune to bleed, critical hits, Sneak Attacks, and on top of it all get insurmountable DR 5, and the stack of stats you get? Mmmm-mm! Chef’s kiss!

+6 AC, +8 Con, +4 Str, all for the price of -2 Dex (more than made up for with the +AC). And, of course, a swim speed and the power to collapse yourself into a destructive Vortex, but those are only useful if you’re in water, while the rest of the stat buffs are far more universally useful. You’re not exactly the destructive and terrifying Fire Elemental or the deceptively sneaky Earth Elemental, but a wall of surging water can still wreak all manner of havoc on your enemies, your new dual slams able to smash ships (and bones) to pieces, and since Water Elementals are capable of speech and gesture, you can merely bask in your new tank stats while still casting spells.

There’s also the much more amusing but niche use of transforming while already polymorphed by a hostile effect, as having a new polymorph effect used on you while you’re already changed can end the first automatically.

While I wish the effect was usable more often, or at least broken into 1-minute increments, I can’t call it a bad Boon by any means.

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EXALTED

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Boon 1: River Guide. Gain Obscuring Mist 3/day, Haunting Mists2/day, or Aqueous Orb 1/day.

I love the name of this ability because two of the three spells do the opposite of guiding people. Now I’m a big fan of Obscuring Mist; it’s a simple staple in my list for almost every caster I make just because of how versatile it is! But now that I know there’s an alternative, it may have competition. Both Obscuring Mist and Haunting Mists do roughly the same thing, but one could argue that Haunting Mists does it better; in addition to granting concealment and shutting off an enemy’s eyes, it deals 1d2 Wisdom damage and shakes up anyone starting their turn inside the mist... But as a Figment spell with the Fear descriptor, there are a great many creatures immune to its unique power, and True Seeing allows one to see through it perfectly, whereas Obscuring Mist remains impenetrable to the apex predator of the Illusion school.

While it cannot be dispelled by wind or motion like a tangible fog, it’s important to note that there’s no way to protect specific creatures from the sanity-damaging effects of Haunting Mists, and its casting distance of 20ft and 20ft spread means that you will likely always be caught in its radius. The range means using it offensively is painfully limited, unless you want to cast it from invisibility after sneaking into the middle of an enemy formation, which... you probably, definitely don’t want to make a habit of.

It’s great for covering your retreat, but not your advance or setup like the normal Mist is.

Aqueous Orb is a good choice if your party is getting screwed over by the mist more than the enemy, creating a big ol’ 10ft ball of water that intercepts and engulfs anything that moves into it, or which it moves into. It deals 2d6 nonlethal damage whenever it rams into a creature and a further 2d6 to everything it has engulfed each round, but the damage isn’t so much the main draw as the fact it’s a massive, roving Sphere of Grappling, snaring and drowning any creature it manages to get ahold of if they fail the Reflex save. It’s a fun little spell that’s great for mopping up and controlling minions, especially ones you don’t actually want to kill, and even at its worst it can become a makeshift barrier in a narrow hallway since there’s no written way to actually move through it beyond wasting 2, 3, or more rounds by slamming into it and swimming through to the other side while your party books it in the other direction.

Boon 2: River Traveler. As a free action, you can grant yourself and any allies within 30 feet of you a swim speed of 60 feet. This effect lasts for 1 round per Hit Die you possess or until you dismiss it as a free action, whichever comes first. Your allies must remain within 30 feet of you or lose this benefit. In addition, you gain a +2 profane or sacred bonus on saves against spells with the Water descriptor.

See, this should have been added to River Scion as a bonus. River Scion and River Traveler feel like they could have combined into a single Boon to make something decent, but as it is they both fall into the same niche: Solves the encounter they’re meant to solve, useless otherwise. This ability is noteworthy for having no restrictions about how many times it can be used, essentially letting you switch swimming off and on at will. The fact it doesn’t take an action is incredibly important, because using the massive 60ft swim speed the ability grants actually removes the bonus, as getting further than 30ft from you makes it fizzle.

I don’t really understand why it would grant 60ft of movespeed if they’re restricted to a 30ft bubble, nor do I understand the purpose of the bubble in the first place. It makes exploration a slog, and escape scenarios more finicky than they should be. Since it can be activated whenever you need to as a free action, the duration feels unneeded. There’s so much about this ability that conflicts with itself that it bugs me too much to say much in the way of positives. The +2 to saves vs Water spells is a fun little ribbon, though most Water spells tend to be harmless utility spells rather than ones you’d need to make a save against.

Boon 3: River’s Depths. 1/day as a standard action, you can cause one creature within 30 feet to begin drowning, filling its lungs with water. The target of this ability can attempt a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + 1/2 your HD + your Wis mod) to negate the effect. If the target succeeds, it is staggered for 1 round. If it fails, the target immediately begins to suffocate. On the target’s next turn, it falls unconscious and is reduced to 0 hit points. One round later, the target drops to –1 hit points and is dying. One round after that, the target dies. Each round, the target can attempt a Fortitude save to end the effect. This ability affects only living creatures that must breathe and cannot breathe underwater. This is a curse effect.

Now this one’s just insulting, being a technically weaker version of a level 5 spell, Suffocation. It’s weaker in four ways: 1) It fails against creatures which are amphibious which, if you’re in the River Kingdoms, is many. 2) It’s curse effect, which can mean some creatures are resistant or immune to it. 3) It has a 30ft range, unlike Suffocation’s range of Close (25ft + 5ft/level). And, finally, 4) Just ONE successful save ends the effect entirely, while Suffocation continues to torment and stagger the victim for 3 rounds until its effects finally expire.

It’s hard to ignore fact that it’s a basically a Save-Or-Die with excellent DC scaling, but I can’t get over it being weaker than an existing level 5 spell! ... Granted, Suffocation could probably get away with being bumped an extra level or two higher given how frighteningly effective it is at shutting down any creature who needs to breathe even if they succeed their save. I’m probably slamming down too hard on an ability that, again, is a Save-Or-Die at best and an unavoidable stagger at worst (good for making some emergency repairs against a powerful full-attacker), and for extra fun can be used without any components involved, so you can just drop it on someone out of the blue and they’ll have no idea who just tried to kill them. While I am disappointed it doesn’t meet the power of other Boons, it’s undeniably effective against a large portion of the creatures you’ll be fighting, even at 1/day.

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SENTINEL

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Boon 1: River Warden. Gain Wave Shield 3/day, Masterwork Transformation 2/day, or Quench 1/day.

Wave Shield is one of those rare spells that are amazing to have, but not especially good to prepare or to waste a precious Spells Known slot on. It’s an immediate action spell that grants insurmountable DR and Fire Resistance equal to half your caster level in response to a single incoming attack, which isn’t stupendous at low levels but is a generous equivalent to immediate, on-demand temporary HP as you get higher and higher level. If a creature relies on a lot of little hits rather than a few big ones, blocking even one of them can save you in the long run, and if your DR cancels out the damage from a poisoned or diseased attack, all the better!

It’s not an especially strong spell given how it only works once before fading away, but it’s better than the other two options by a country mile. Masterwork Transformation is something you’ll rarely need more than a few times in a campaign before masterwork items fall into your laps (or you can simply buy them), and by the time you gain this ability it will likely no longer matter. That being said, if you’re in a low-wealth campaign or have been forced to scavenge for your gear, Masterwork Transformation will save you THOUSANDS of gp over the course of your life, because as a spell-like, the material components are ignored and thus you can slowly upgrade your entire party’s armaments for free. Given its ability to affect a generous 50 pieces of ammunition per casting as well means the Ranger and Gunslinger will adore you, and you can work in tandem with a mystic craftsman (PC or otherwise) to get all of your favorite gear enchanted without discarding your precious family heirloom sword for that masterwork one you looted.

Not to mention the simple joy in taking all the gear off a bandit clan, Masterworking all of it, and selling it for a tidy profit.

Compared to the combat utility of Wave Shield and noncombat utility of Masterwork Transformation, it’s hard to make a case for Quench, which falls into the category of ‘niche spell’ like Water Breathing and Water Walking in that it will instantly solve a handful of scenarios and be utterly useless in the rest. Yes, you may need to put out a forest fire or stop a building you’re in from burning to a crisp, but you’ll have to decide if it’s worth giving up three emergency DR 4/-- and Fire Resistance 4 bandages... as the martial-focused Sentinel. If you plan on fighting a fire that day or encountering a magic item that can generate fires (which Quench shuts off for 1d4 hours) and no one else in your party bothered learning Quench, by all means, but as the Sentinel having the DR is probably better in most cases.

Boon 2: River Champion. 3/day as a standard action, you can sculpt water into the form of a melee weapon that you are proficient with. You must have enough water to form the weapon, an amount equal to the weapon’s normal weight. Once formed, the weapon behaves as a weapon of its type with an enhancement bonus of +1, which increases by 1 for every 5 additional HD you have beyond 5 (max +4). This weapon deals double damage to creatures with the Fire subtype. The weapon dissolves into ordinary water after a number of rounds equal to your HD or as soon as it leaves your hand, whichever happens first.

Boons which call weapons to your hand are alright in cases where your signature weapon has been taken from you, and by the time you receive this ability you will have a signature weapon, but such times tend to come few and far between. This one also has the additional caveat that you don’t actually create the weapon from nowhere, there must already be water around to make it, at least enough water to match the weapon’s typical weight. The good news is that a gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds, and a trident--Hanspur’s holy weapon--weighs only 4, with most other weapons barely ever approaching 10, so you can reasonably carry around an emergency weapon in a waterskin or in your backpack... And you know, now that I think about it, it’s kind of cool to be able to turn a glass of water into a dagger.

But when will you need to? How often do you find yourself bereft of a usable weapon often enough to need an emergency armament like this? I can see the niche in front of me, making a new weapon as-needed against creatures whose DR makes them difficult to damage with your normal gear or taking advantage of that delicious little tidbit about doing double-damage to fire-based creatures, but they take your whole standard action to make and last for only a single combat (if that), and you can’t even shuffle around the +1 bonuses for additional effects!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s by no means bad (unless you’re both in a waterless area and haven’t filled your waterskin), especially at 3/day, but I can’t help but wonder when you’d actually need it at level 11+ when you likely already have a primary weapon and several backups. 

Boon 3: River’s Renewal. When completely submerged in water, you gain Fast Healing 2. You can recover a total number of hit points equal to twice your HD in this manner each day. At 20 HD, if you fall below 0 hit points and your body is fully submerged in a river, you automatically stabilize.

As a final Boon, I wish the Fast Healing had a higher threshold than just 28 points a day (+2 per level). In combat it likely won’t matter, and while out of combat it’s a decent amount of healing, usually enough to spare a couple spell slots from your healers or some potions, it’s just not all that impressive for a third and final Boon. Sentinels are the only followers of Hanspur who don’t get some method to easily navigate the seas, so taking advantage of this Boon to its fullest extent relies on an outside method of gaining water breathing or a swim speed.

Funnily enough, you can carry around a Bag of Holding filled with water and use it as a recuperative pod in case you don’t have access to a deep puddle, which is dubiously useful but not entirely terrible. HOWEVER, the little addition at the end is also a kick in the teeth; why does that only happen at level 20? Why can’t that be a base part of the Boon? It’s just insul--Wait, it only works if you’re submerged in a river, too? You can’t stabilize with some good old pond water? The mighty ocean? Can’t take a dip in a bathtub to stop bleeding out? Come on, Hanspur!!! Be a little more generous to your worshipers!

I dunno, maybe I’m underselling the out-of-combat healing this Boon offers, but it just doesn’t feel worth it to put up with the Water Rat for your entire adventuring career just for an extra 1/8th of an HP bar.

You can read more about him here.

[thatboomerkid]

Giff -- SpellJammer Race for Pathfinder

Giff -- SpellJammer Race [19 RACE POINTS] for First Edition Pathfinder

Known to the gnomes of Markovia as the nilski konj vojnici, to the Hin plantation-owners of Covington Farms as los mercenarios gigantes del río, and to the human field-workers laboring near New Arvoreen most-often simply as “those big goddamn bastards,” the giff -- as they are called in their own guttural, roaring language -- represent a recently-contacted species of huge, violent, powerfully-built, terrifyingly-focused, and dangerously cagey combatants.

In the little-over-a-century since their discovery by the Hin, platoons of giff have already carved a bloody name for themselves across the wilds of Verdura -- and far beyond -- as unparalleled river-guides, rowdies, strike-breakers, mob debt-collectors, private enforcers, heavy-weapons units, siege engines, bodyguards, and elite soldiers of fortune.

Brought to you absolutely free to enjoy, to test & to share – as always – by the fine folks of my Patreon.

original image by the incredible Claudio Pozas, here

Type: Monstrous Humanoid (3 RP)

Ability Score Modifiers: Mixed Weakness (-2 RP)

+2 Strength, -4 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -4 Intelligence, +2 Wisdom

Size: Large (7 RP)

Giff gain a +2 size bonus to Strength and a -2 size penalty to Dexterity (already included above). Giff also suffer a -1 size penalty to their AC and a -1 size penalty on all attack rolls; they gain a +1 bonus on combat maneuver checks and to their CMD, and suffer a -4 size penalty on Stealth checks.

A giff takes up a space that is 10 feet by 10 feet and has a reach of 5 feet.

Base Speed: Normal speed (0 RP)

Languages: Standard (0 RP); giff speak their own eponymous, curiously poetic language, and most are -- in the modern day -- also conversant in Low Kozah-Talosii (usually spoken with a thick, pompous Verduran accent).

This bastardized dialect, the so-called “Common tongue” favored across Pyrespace for use in international, intercultural, and interplanetary trade, is a degraded mongrel variant of High Kozah-Talosii: the ancient root-tongue of both Arvorean and Brandobarin, still employed by the Church of Yondalla for use in sermons, hymns, and in all official records.

Big Damn Guns: Giff are treated as gnomes for purposes of the Experimental Gunsmith Archetype. (0 RP)

Darkvision: Giff have 60 ft. darkvision (0 RP); giff have relatively poor eyesight while out of water, which is easily corrected with simple lenses -- such as a monocle -- for use while reading. This vision is not poor enough to impart a mechanical penalty on Perception checks or attack rolls made by the giff.

Natural Armor: Giff have +3 natural armor (4 RP)

Natural Attack (Headbutt): Giff receive one natural attack, which is treated as a gore attack that deals 1d8 bludgeoning damage. (1 RP)

Natural Swimmers: Giff have a swim speed of 30 feet and gain the +8 racial bonus on Swim checks that a swim speed normally grants. (1 RP)

Powerful Charge (Headbutt): Whenever a giff charges, it deals twice the standard number of damage dice with its headbutt plus 1-1/2 times its Strength bonus. (2 RP)

River-Sense: Giff can sense vibrations in water, granting them blindsense 30 feet against creatures that are touching the same body of water. (1 RP)

Slow On Land: Giff often select the Clumsy, Easy Target, Magically Inept, Nearsighted, and Slow Reflexes Major Drawbacks (0 RP)

Spell Resistance (Greater): Giff have spell resistance equal to 11 + their character level. (3 RP)

Sporting: The species-wide love of warfare exhibited by the giff draws a sharp line of distinction between “sporting” and “unsporting” combat (see below). (-1 RP)

Sporting combat includes arm-wrestling, fisticuffs, darts, cards, dice, checkers, chess, billiards, cricket, rugby, skeet shooting, tennis, and golf, alongside tests of boasting, carousing, headbutting, toast-giving, swimming, push-ups, and a complex, ritualized sort of thunderous, unarmed mixed martial-art performed solely while stripped down to breeches & undergarments, usually in ankle-deep to waist-deep water, ending in pin or submission, which -- up to a point -- also serves as a type of flirting.

The military mentality of the giff even makes special allowances for a variety of “sporting” duels to the death. Establishing a proper duel requires a huge number of complex ritual elements that -- in the end -- mostly boils down to both giff formally acknowledging that:

Both giff are armed with approximately the same quality of weapons & armor (warhammer, combat knife, pistol, full plate, etc.)

Both giff have equal access to military support, including healing

Both giff have a grievance, no matter how petty

Both giff are suffering approximately the same level of injuries

Both giff have made arrangements for their estate, and for the treatment of their body after death

Once a “sporting” challenge to the death has been agreed-to by both parties, anything up to and including outright murder of one’s opponent is considered fair game.

Several major holidays each year celebrated by the giff include a “violent dueling festival” as part of their celebration; to outsiders, these events have a very bizarre, genteel, 1800s-Victorian-Teddy-Roosevelt-meets-The-Purge sort of feel to them:

“Happy holidays, friend; best of health this year to you and to your kin. And I say, old chap, don’t suppose it’s high time for a kukri-duel, eh, wot wot? Seeing as you got drunk on my finest brandy, made a pass at the missus, wiped your prodigious buttocks with my table linens, and micturated in my hedge-row as of Christmas last, well ... in lieu of an apology, what say I have Jenkins fetch the carving blades, eh? See which of has the moxie, shall we? Cheerio and have at thee then, old sport?”

If this formal challenge to a lethal sporting-duel is declined, the challenger must make all possible accommodations to guarantee the immediate physical safety of the giff she just challenged (at least until such time as the two giff part ways once more): providing the giff with weapons, armor, food, water, medicine, reading materials, a place to sleep, liquor, smoking tobacco, and anything else a gentleman or lady of high breeding could reasonably expect to have access to (even while imprisoned).

In short: if the challenged giff dies immediately after declining a duel, it is considered very embarrassing for the challenger.

For his own part, the declining giff must treat her challenger with the very utmost level of respect ... or risk being guilty of unsporting conduct, a fate far worse than mere death.

Any giff who finds herself about to violate the terms of properly “sporting” conduct instantly becomes aware of the error, just as if she were wearing a phylactery of faithfulness and, at all times, actively contemplating the thought of doing bodily harm to another giff: this behavioral limitation is not built as a trap for players to accidentally stumble into, but -- instead -- as an interesting roadblock to navigate around.

If two or more giff find themselves forced into a position of armed conflict against one another on a battlefield, both groups traditionally retire for at least a day of drinking and sorting-out ranks; on rare occasion, one platoon will join the other; more likely, all giff involved in any part of the operation will quit their current hirings and look for work elsewhere.

Any giff who engages another member of her own species in any type of unsporting combat -- attacking another giff with a weapon, for example, or with magic -- immediately suffers a -2 penalty on all skill checks, ability checks, attack rolls and saves; she continues to suffer this penalty until such time as she is able to make amends: presenting her victim with a formal written apology, or seeking our her victim’s family to beg their public pardon.

Each month, this penalty increases by 2. Guilt is a poison that grows by degrees, after all: ever-gnawing.

While she is suffering penalties in this way, if the giff is presented with the chance to punish herself – or a non-giff opponent! – while presented with something that reminds the giff of her betrayal, she may find herself compelled to do so regardless of the consequences:

Any time her betrayal is directly brought to her attention, the giff must make a Will save (DC = 10 + her character level + the Charisma modifier of the wronged giff). Failure means that the giff falls into a rage of abject self-loathing, completely focused on her own guilt for a number of rounds equal to the DC, above. Until she has finished with this exercise in hate, the giff can take no action other than to harm the reminder of her failure or enable herself to harm it: grappling a human shipmate who mentioned her old friend so that she might headbutt the human while strangling them, for example, or calmly loading a shotgun so that she might shoot the human dead in cold blood.

Note that the giff, while wracked with guilt & grief, is not required to do anything or harm anyone: she may simply stare at an old photograph and feel sad, for example, ignoring everyone around her.

During the fury of this black tempest, the giff suffers a -2 penalty to her AC.

Once the giff successfully makes amends, either with the wronged party or with the victim’s next-of-kin, all of the above penalties are removed. Entire subsets of giff society -- mediators, arbitrators, and negotiators -- are explicitly adapted to making absolutely certain that any errors in sporting conduct among giff are resolved quickly, and to the satisfaction of all parties. 

Should she fail to make amends before her death, any giff who has harmed another giff in an unsporting way invariably rises again as an undead horror of some kind (often a blood knight or graveknight): reborn as a rotting, lurching mountainside of infinitely destructive hated.

Note that the Sporting Racial Trait is not purely social, but rather acts as a species-wide ingrained psychological virtue: two giff living on Fenris who never expect to see the wide rivers of Verdura again are still bound by the rules of “sporting” conflict; neither could shoot the other in the back any more than either of them could grow wings and fly to the moon.

Undead giff do not possess the Sporting Trait, which is seen -- by living giff -- as the most abhorrent and disturbing quality imaginable.

Note, also, that the desire to behave in a sporting manner extends only to fellow giff: Chaotic Evil giff will routinely massacre unarmed non-giff by the thousands, bellowing with laughter as they do so, and even a Lawful Good giff will rarely think twice before sucker-punching a crude human making drunken threats and impolite remarks at the bar.

-------

Giff Timeline:

1603 A.D. (118 years ago): The colony of New Arvoreen is established on Verdura; giff make contact with Hin (and their human servants) for the first time.

1620 A.D.: First generation of giff who have always known about the existence of Hin, humans, and -- most importantly! -- firearms fully comes of age.

1636 A.D.: New Arvoreen is significantly expanded.

1667 A.D.: Nation of Markovia -- the technological-marvel nation named for its Founder, Monarch and Supreme Leader, Dr. Adlai Markovitch -- founded on Verdua; diplomatic trade established with New Arvoreen.

1669 A.D.: City of New Arvoreen significantly expanded.

1702 A.D.: New Arvoreen significantly expanded; land officially cleared for Covington Farms, soon to be the largest agricultural facility in the system; rates of forcible immigration of indentured humans to New Arvoreen tripled.

1721 A.D.: (current year)

original image here

Giff Ranks: Lieutenant, General, Colonel, Major General, Lieutenant General, Lieutenant Colonel, Captain General, Brigadier General, Field Marshall, Major, Captain, Sergeant Major, Commandant General, Wing General, Lieutenant Colonel General, Staff Sergent, Master Sergent, Master General, Grenadier General; note that “Lord” may be added to any military rank, alongside the designations of “First” and “First Class” (for example, “First Lord Brigadier General First Class”)

Giff military ranks are, effectively, meaningless noise to everyone except the giff themselves: every member of the species is a decorated officer of some complex rank within some elite military company or another, but such ranks are largely ceremonial and may be inherited, purchased, or passed through elaborate, bombastic ritual.

Further, the only thing preventing a young giff from forming an entirely new military organization & immediately naming herself -- of example -- Supreme Acting Field Commander and Secretary General of the Armies and Navies at Wartime is -- up to a point -- her own willingness to do so.

Male Giff Names: Any invented male Hin name.

Female Giff Names: Any invented female Hin name.

Giff Family Names: Any invented male Hin first name

Society

The giff are military-minded, and organize themselves into squads, platoons, companies, corps, and larger groups. The number of giff in a platoon varies according to the season, situation, and level of danger involved.

A giff "platoon" hired to protect a gambling operation may number only a single soldier, while a platoon hired to invade an illithid stronghold may number well over a hundred.

The giff pride themselves on their weapon-skills, and any giff carries a number of swords, daggers, maces, and similar tools on hand to deal with troublemakers.

A giff's true love, however, is the gun. A misfiring weapon matters little to the giff (occasional fatalities amongst soldiery are simply to expected); it is the flash, the noise, and the damage that most impress them.

Even unarmed, the giff are powerful opponents. Against non-giff, they’ll often wade into a brawl just for the pure fun of it, tossing various combatants on both sides around to prove themselves the victors.

Once a weapon is bared, however, and the challenge becomes “unsporting,” the giff consider all restrictions off: the challenge is now to the death.

The giff prize themselves as top-quality mercenaries, and to that end take great pride in owning -- if not always wearing -- elaborate suits of full-plate armor. These suits usually include massive helms featuring hyper-detailed, semi-realistic images of exotic monsters on the crests, inlaid with ivory and bone along the largest plates.

Armor repair is a major hobby among the giff, although great skill at the craft is surprisingly rare.

The giff are deeply suspicious of magic, magicians, and magical devices; their legendary foes, the Five Tiger Princes, are despised for their esoteric abilities as much for their wicked deviltry.

image here

Family

The giff are, for the most part, happiest among fellow members their own race, intermingling broadly with the Ghoran -- whom the giff utilize as an edible, inexhaustible workforce -- and the Tengu: another unofficial “servitor race” of the giff, most often used as messengers and household servants.

Ghoran living on giff lands are stoic: dutifully tending the fields of the giff in exchange for protection from ten-thousand other, vastly more predatory dangers. For all that giff treat the ghoran as disposable -- a ghoran living on Verdura produces one seed each year, and can grow a new member of the species in a single month -- the giff do not want the ghoran hunted to total extermination. That, for the ghoran, is saying something,

Tengu, on the other hand, are deeply prized by the giff as staff, usually in the roles of personal assistants, groomers, decorators, butlers, bartenders, man-servants, attaches, major domos, and maids. Since all giff are “wealthy land owners,” to one degree or another, the true power & prestige of a giff can be accurately measured by the number of tengu he employs.

Giff otherwise consider anything larger than them deeply threatening, yet also complain bitterly -- in private -- about the fragility of the smaller races. Outside their own platoons, the giff are happiest among military organizations with a strong chain of command.

For this reason, giff hold the Church of Yondalla in exceptionally high regard.

Giff especially despise the catfolk: although they don’t speak of it to outsiders, a century ago the giff were on the verge of extinction: hunted for sport and trophy by servants of the Five Tiger Princes, their people nearly cut to nothing and their lands held by only a few remaining families. Since their acquisition of firearms -- and the arrival of the Hin -- the catfolk have broadly retreated.

Every giff -- male, female, and giffling -- has a rank within their greater society, which can only be changed by a giff of higher rank. Within these ranks are sub-ranks, and within those sub-ranks are color-markings and badges. The highest-ranking giff gives the orders, the others obey. It does not matter if the orders are foolish or even suicidal: following them is the purpose of the giff in the universe. A quasi-mystical faith among the giff -- who claim to worship, in a vague way, the Golden General Bahamut, who was killed and eaten by the cowardly Five Tiger Princes in order to steal his strength -- confirms that all things have their place, and the place of the giff to follow orders.

This makes the giff very happy.

Giff platoons can be hired from their sprawling, palatial riverside plantations and mountain hunting-lodges by anyone looking for muscle. The social leaders among the giff are contractors: these specially-trained giff review prospective employers according to ability to pay, then make a recommendation to powerful warlords and famous adventurers among the giff. The leaders, in turn, consider the danger of the job, and whether taking it will enhance their giffdom.

Giff jobs are usually paid in firearms & gunpowder, though they often will accept other weapons and armor. Aboard ship, the giff require their own quarters, and will often request to bring on their own large weapons. They favor fire-projectors and bombards for ground work, and will happily blaze away at opponents regardless of the tactical situation.

The giff require the ships of others because they have -- for the most part -- no spellcasting abilities among them.

Giff of both sexes serve in their platoons, and both fight equally well. Giff young are raised tenderly until they are old enough to survive an exploding arquebus, then are inducted fully into the platoon.

The giff practice equality among the sexes in battle and in childrearing. They live about 70 years, but do not take aging gracefully. As a giff grows older and begins to slow down, he is possessed with the idea of proving himself still young and vital, usually in battle.

As a result, there are very, very few old giff.

[candyradium]

Finally got around to typing up my Technoblade D&D build!!! I’ve been working on making these for a lot of the Dream SMP characters, and I thought it would be fun to have him in stat block format, so you too can throw c!Technoblade at your players as a final boss! (Disclaimer: I don’t know how accurate the CR level is, I just set it to 8 since the build is a lv8 build PC build.)

Image description and explanation/rambling below the cut!

[Image ID: A D&D stat block for Technoblade. It reads:

Technoblade

Medium humanoid (firbolg), Lawful Neutral

Armor Class: 18 (Half plate, defense fighting style)

Hit Points: 72 (8d12+24)

Speed: 40 ft.

STR: 18 (+4)

DEX: 14 (+2)

CON: 16 (+3)

INT: 14 (+2)

WIS: 13 (+1)

CHA: 6 (-2)

Saving Throws: Str +7, Con +6

Skills: Athletics +7, Intimidation +1, Perception +4, Survival +4

Damage Resistances: bludgeoning, piercing, slashing

Senses: passive Perception 14

Languages: Common, Elvish, Giant, Goblin

Challenge: 8 (3,900 XP)

Innate spellcasting. Technoblade's innate spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12). He can innately cast the following spells, requiring no material components:

1/short rest each: detect magic, disguise self

Speech of beast and leaf. Technoblade has the ability to communicate in a limited manner with beasts and plants. They can understand the meaning of his words, though he has no special ability to understand them in return. He has advantage on all Charisma checks he makes to influence them.

Powerful build. Technoblade counts as one size larger when determining his carrying capacity and the weight he can push, drag, or lift.

Unarmoured defense. When not wearing any armour, Technoblade's defense equals 15. He can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Reckless. At the start of his turn, Technoblade can gain advantage on all melee weapon attack rolls he makes during that turn, but attack rolls against him have advantage until the start of his next turn.

Great weapon master. When Technoblade scores a critical hit with a melee weapon or reduces a creature to 0 hit points with one, he can make one melee weapon attack as a bonus action. Additionally, before Technoblade makes a melee weapon attack with a heavy weapon that he is proficient with, he can choose to take a -5 penalty to the attack roll. If the attack hits, he adds +10 to the attack's damage.

Warrior of the Gods. If a spell, such as Raise Dead, has the sole effect of restoring Technoblade to life (but not undeath), the caster doesn't need material components to cast the spell on Technoblade.

Divine fury. While Technoblade is raging, the first creature he hits on each of his turns with a weapon attack takes extra necrotic damage equal to 1d6 + 3.

Action surge (1/rest). Technoblade takes one additional action on his turn.

Combat superiority (4/rest). Technoblade can apply the following maneuvers using his four superiority die (d8s):

Feinting attack: Technoblade expends one superiority die and uses a bonus action on his turn to feint, choosing one creature within 5 feet of his as his target. He has advantage on his next attack roll against that creature before the end of his turn. If that attack hits, add the superiority die to the attack's damage roll.

Menacing attack: When Technoblade hits a creature with a weapon attack, he can expend one superiority die to attempt to frighten the target. He adds the superiority die to the attack's damage roll, and the target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it is frightened of him until the end of his next turn.

Trip attack: When Technoblade hits a creature with a weapon attack, he can expend one superiority die to attempt to knock the target down. He adds the superiority die to the attack's damage roll, and if the target is Large or smaller, it must make a Strength saving throw (DC 15). On a failed save, he knocks the target prone.ActionsHidden step (1/rest).

As a bonus action, Technoblade can magically turn invisible until the start of his next turn or until he attacks, makes a damage roll, or forces someone to make a saving throw.

Greatsword. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) slashing damage.

Heavy Crossbow. Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 100/400 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d10 + 2) piercing damage.

Multiattack. Technoblade can make 2 weapon attacks.

Rage (4/day). As a bonus action, Technoblade enters a rage that lasts for 1 minute, ending early if knocked unconscious or if Technoblade's turn ends and he hasn't attacked a hostile creature since his last turn or taken damage since then. He can also end his rage on his turn as a bonus action. While raging, Technoblade deals +2 damage, has advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws, and has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. Technoblade cannot cast spells during a rage.

End ID.]

Okay. Rambling time.

Holy SHIT I loved making this. I tend to play spellcasters or dex based characters, so it was a lot of fun to make a str character for once.

Stats first. As a barbarian/fighter and also as a force of nature, str is his highest stat. I could have made it 20, but I have a weird aversion to writing up characters with maxed out stats for some reason? Anyway, that’s what he has. He can always boost it if he takes another level in fighter. I also decided to give him pretty high intelligence and wisdom, which are rare in barbarian characters, since, y’know, their main point is to hit things very hard. But Techno is so, SO resourceful, and one of the main reasons that he’s so good at fighting is because he does his research and acquires the best items for it and puts himself in the right place at the right time. Hence the high-ish int. I feel a little bad making his charisma so low, but cha represents several things, most notably the ability to talk to people and force of personality. Also known as: how hard it is to be swayed or controlled, magically or otherwise. Remember what happened at the festival? That’s low charisma. Also I had to give him a low stat to balance the fact that he’s insanely good at so many fucking things. Why.

As a side note, when picking his proficiencies, I was using the homebrew rule that you can use your strength modifier when you roll for intimidation. So his Strength (Intimidation) check would actually have a +7, which is MUCH better than the Charisma (Intimidation) check of +1. Big strong characters are absolutely scary, damnit, and I will die on that hill.

Next up: race. I HAD to make him a firbolg. They’re connected with nature and are often portrayed with animalistic features (e.g. Caduceus Clay from Critical Role), and it means we can have both pig Techno and anime Techno, since firbolgs naturally have the disguise self spell. I just think that’s neat. They also get the ability to turn invisible! Which Techno has been doing a LOT recently! Sure, firbolgs can only do it for a turn, but it still fits.

Onto classes. Barbarian was a dead certain for Techno, honestly - his battle prowess, how he acts when he fights, it just fits so well. Even his use of potions - he gets a lot of buffs from them, increased damage and damage resistance being the two most notable and the two that best translate to D&D rage. Even speed potions - barbarians get +10ft movement speed at level 5. And barbarians are made for two-handed weapons, so obviously I HAD to give him a greatsword. The Orphan Obliterator is a deadly weapon. He also still favours swords even when axes are better in the newest version, so a greatsword was a must. Also I just really like greatswords.

I wavered a bit when picking a subclass, to be honest. I’m not really a big fan of any of the official subclasses (they don’t really fir my playstyle, which is why I homebrewed an entire new subclass for my barbarian character, but that’s a post for another day), but looking through, there were a few that could work. Originally, I picked Juggernaut - this was because of how he fought during the Dream battle, moving Dream around the arena into a more advantageous position for Techno, which is the Juggernaut’s 3rd level ability in a nutshell. They also can’t be knocked prone, and both of these things work INCREDIBLY well for skywars/bedwars style combat - staying put on this island and knocking off your opponents.

However, in the end, I decided to go with Zealot. It was inevitable after he REALLY started building his character on the Dream SMP, which is what this is mostly based on. Zealots have two main points: they follow a God, and it’s very, VERY hard to kill them.

Sound familiar?

Techno isn’t just a barbarian - he also has three levels of Battlemaster fighter. The barbarian/fighter combo is one of the best there is for sheer combat power (bested only, in my opinion, by barbarian/moon druid - those characters are actually unkillable) and the choice of Battlemaster specifically opened up so many options in combat. I had debated going with champion, just for the crit probability boost, but ultimately decided that Battlemaster was infinitely more fun. The three maneuvers were picked for a combination of reasons - they’re all incredibly useful in combat, but I also just thought they were thematically accurate and/or funny. I just had to give him Menacing Attack, because one of the few constants in Technoblade’s combat is people running the hell away from him during competitions. Feinting is for pure combat ability, and Trip is just. Really funny to me. It worked better when he was Juggernaut and literally couldn’t be knocked prone, but I just like the idea of someone using their full action to try and knock over this eight foot tall firbolg (they’re so fucking tall! This bitch is massive!) Technoblade just. Looking down at them before knocking them clean off of their feet with one swing of his Greatsword.

And finally, weapons and magical items. The magic ones didn’t actually make it onto the stat block, because I wanted it to be purely basic character building, but I absolutely had some ideas. Some of these were rolled on loot tables, some were completely homebrewed to fit Techno’s canon weapons. Guess which ones lmao.

magical heavy crossbow (use charge to fire 3 bolts simultaneously, using only one arrow, rolling an attack for each. Each target must be within 10ft of each other. 7 charges per day)

explosive bolts (10ft radius, double dice of the weapon it’s fired from, dex save)

mithral half-plate

ring of feather falling

trident of flight (attunement) (30ft swim and flight speed, 120ft flight speed when its raining)

upgraded cape of the mountebank (8 charges, 2 for misty step, 4 for dimension door) (yes it looks like his normal cape)

bag of holding

sword of life-stealing (attunement) (I don’t know why I added this except Techno’s canon sword would be VERY hard to homebrew and also he can do enough damage with a normal one so he could literally just have like a +2 or something. Do what you want)

[masterweaverx]

Ilia Amitola has captured the mind and heart of certain parts of the internet. She certainly seems well suited for adventure, given her storied backstory and her usage with the White Fang. But if we’re going to set her Dungeoning and Dragoning, we’ve got to come up with a good series of goals for her.

Fortunately for us, while Ilia may be a complicated character emotionally she’s relatively simple from a mechanical perspective. Sneakery and agility is our primary objective with this young lady, accompanied and abetted by her crafty skinshifting. Oh, and there’s the whip--an electric stunning swordywhip thing that needs to be able to zap and stop. Personally I’d also say she needs to dominate the dance floor--not anything strictly canon, but just a headcanon of mine. All that said, let’s get to it.

Point arrays are standard for good reasons, so we’ll take the standard option and put a 15 in Dexterity--very good at the hopping and the hiding. Wisdom will be next with 14 points, Ilia has a very good internal compass even if she supresses it sometimes. Intelligence and Charisma are at 13 and 12 respectively--she’s had an education, and she can be a good speaker when she doesn’t get emotionally tongue-tied. Constitution has ten points, because she looks pretty healthy all things considered, but strength is at eight--Ilia’s kind of small, which is good for sneaking but bad for lobbing boulders at peeps.

For any 5E aficionado, you’re probably thinking we’re going to make Ilia a Changeling. And... you’d be right! This gives her +2 to her Charisma (upping it to 14) and +1 to her Dexterity (upping it to 16). She also gets two skill proficiencies out of a list of four; I picked Insight and Persuasion, since she’s not really that good at Intimidating people and she’ll be getting Deception from somewhere else. Changelings are good at language, automatically knowing Common and two other languages of their choice; I’m guess that stint in Atlas taught Ilia the esoteric languages of Legalese and Technobabble. And then there’s the big reason we picked Changeling...

Okay, quick side note here: When I construct these things, I look for ‘closest fit,’ not ‘one-hundred percent exact.’ Ilia Amitola can change her skin color, hair color, and eye color. Changelings are full-on shapeshifters--sex, size, apparent species, if they see you they can mimic you to a hundred percent. Doesn’t affect clothes, mind, but the point is D&D Ilia is going to be a touch more potent than RWBY Ilia, if you decide to use her that way. This is a role-playing game, not a rule-playing game. Mmkay? Mmkay.

For Background, I dug around a bit and found the Secret Identity background from the Adventurer’s League. And frankly it’s practically built for Ilia: pretending to be an Ordinary Human in the land of Racist Humans Who Hate Nonhumans. She gets proficiency with Deception, Stealth, Forgery Kits, and Disguise Kits, as well as the feature ‘Secret Identity.’ Meet Aili Alotima, a definitely totally normal human who does not, we assure you, have any skill at forging legal documents she has seen before, and has a totally real history you can absolutely check if you’re curious. (And if you believed that sentence, Ilia is going to be wondering exactly why she needed to go to the effort to trick the laws in the first place.)

And now we get to classes. I’m sure you were all expecting twelve levels in Thief Rogue, but I’m pretty certain you’ll all be surprised by the eight levels in Kensei Monk. Well, most of you, anyway. Some of you? Look, Monks are a pretty agile class, and Kensei monks specifically come with a few things that will be crucial to Ilia’s build.

But before we get to that, we have to get to Ilia’s Ability Score Improvements. Twelve Rogue levels and eight Monk levels give her a total of six. Every ASI can be used to either get two ability points or burned to get a feat; we’ll be using half of them to add two points to Wisdom and three to Intelligence (upping them both to sixteen) and one to Dexterity (making it 17--don’t worry, that’ll get patched soon). The remaining three points will be burned for feats--Acrobat, Skulker, and Magic Initiate.

Acrobats gain proficiency in the Acrobatic skill, and +1 to their Dexterity--so now Ilia has a full Dexterity of 18. And, as a bonus action, she can make a DC 15 acrobatics check to ignore difficult terrain till the end of the turn. Skulkers are extra good at sneaking, being able to hide when lightly obscured, suffer no sight penalties in dim light, and their location isn’t revealed even when they miss with a ranged weapon. Not that Ilia uses a gun, mind, but she’s pretty good at the whole shadow-hopping thing, so that’s nifty.

Magic initiates, though, choose a caster class and pick two cantrips and a first level spell from their list. They can only cast the spell once per long rest, but we’re really only here for the cantrips (which can be cast at any time and scale based on total character level). Lightning Lure drags a target from fifteen feet away up to ten feet closer and does some shocking damage if they wind up within five feet--perfect for some zappery dragging. And Sword Burst is great if you want to knock back enemies right up next to you--they have to roll a Dexterity save or take a hit from Ilia twirling a sharp metal rope around herself. As to the first-level spell... well, Longstrider increases a target’s speed by ten feet for an hour, and it can be cast on self. Ilia is really, really mobile, so...

Rogues get proficiencies with Dexterity and Intelligence saving throws, Thieves’ Tools, Light Armor, Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbows, Rapiers, Short Swords, and Long Swords. They also get four skill proficiencies--Athletics, Perception, Performance, and Sleight of Hand fit Ilia the most. And with twelve levels of Rogue, she’s really benefiting from a life of skullduggery--Expertise in four skills (Acrobatics, Deception, Persuasion, and Stealth), Reliable Talent in every other skill she’s trained in, and Thieves’ Cant for reading and writing secret messages to those who don’t want to be seen. And of course Sneak Attack, which means she deals an extra 6d6 damage on ranged or finesse attacks, as long as she either has advantage or her target is being flanked.

And then there’s all the mobility options being a Rogue, and a Thief Rogue specifically, gives Ilia. Uncanny Dodge to half damage on an incoming attack as a reaction, Evasion to possibly neutralize damage from any Dexterity-Save based attack, Second-Story work that makes her climb speed equal to her land speed (as well as adding her Dex bonus to her jump distance), and Supreme Sneak gives advantage on Stealth checks if she moves only half her speed (which, with her Monk levels, is going to be pretty fast).

And of course, there’s Cunning Action. As a bonus action, Ilia can Dash (take an extra movement action), Disengage (avoid attacks of opportunity for the round), Hide (make a stealth check to, well, hide), and Aim (give herself advantage on her next attack if she hasn’t moved this turn). Being a Thief Rogue gives her Fast Hands, which means she can also use her cunning action to Use An Object, use her Thieves’ tools, or make a Sleight of Hand check. Mobile and able to exploit that mobility? It’s no surprise the Belladonna’s need better security.

But all that is defensive mobility and sneakery. If we want to talk about Ilia’s attack capability, we need to talk about her eight levels in Kensei Monk. Sure, being a Monk in general does give her some bonus mobility--her Unarmored Defense means her AC is ten plus her Dexterity and Wisdom modifiers while not wearing armor (so 17), her Unarmored movement gives her a bonus to her base speed while not wearing armor (+15 at level 8), her Slow Fall allows her to reduce falling damage by a total of five times her monk level as a reaction (that’d be 40 points), and her Evasion... is actually exactly the same as her evasion she’d get as a rogue, so that doesn’t stack.

Martial Arts gives Ilia a few benefits: she can choose to use Dexterity instead of Strength for unarmed attacks or attacks with monk weapons, the attacks do 1d6 base damage instead of their standard form, and if she takes an attack action she can make one unarmed attack as a bonus action. Speaking of which, Extra Attack lets her make two attacks per attack action, Ki-Empowered Strikes mean her unarmed attacks count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagic damage, and Stillness of mind allows her to use an action to shake off being Charmed or Frightened.  And that’s all before we talk about Ki features or anything regarding Kensei Monks specifically.

Monks get Ki points equal to their monk level, which regenerate on a short or long rest, and can be spent for various actions. Options are added as the Monk levels up, both from standard sources and from their path; Flurry of Blows allows a Monk to make two unarmed attacks as a bonus action immediately after an attack, Patient Defense lets them take the Dodge action as a bonus action, and Step of the Wind doubles Jump distance and allows the monk to take the Dash or Disengage action as a bonus action. Then there’s Deflect Missiles--technically a free reaction to any incoming ranged attack that reduces the damage by 1d10+Dexterity Modifier+Monk Level (so 1d10+12 for Ilia), but if that reduces the damage to zero, a monk can spend a ki point to throw the projectile back as a ranged attack immediately. Stunning Strike can be used to try to Stun a character with a melee weapon attack, which lasts to the end of the next turn, and Deft Strike (the only Kensei-related Ki skill we’re getting) allows a monk to add an additional 1d6 damage to an attack with a weapon.

Which leads us to the whole reason I picked Kensei monk. See, Monk Weapons are specifically shortswords and any simple melee weapons that don't have the two-handed or heavy property. Which doesn’t include whips. But Kensei Monks have, as the foundation of the whole class, the choice to pick other weapons as Monk Weapons--as long as they lack the Heavy or Special properties. At eight levels, Kensei Monks have a total of three Kensei weapons--one melee, one ranged, and one that can be either. So going for Whip and Scimitar for Ilia’s weapon, and Hand Crossbow to satisfy requirements, is a pretty good option.

Of course that’s not the only benefit. Agile Parry gives Ilia +2 AC if she makes an unarmed strike as part of her Attack action, Kensei’s Shot means she can take a bonus action to make her Hand Crossbow deal an additional 1d4 worth of damage, and Magic Kensei Weapons mean her weapons count as magical for purposes of overcoming resistances and immunities to nonmagical damage. And of course there’s Way Of The Brush, which gives Ilia proficiency in Calligrapher’s supplies--perfect for planting secret messages, forging documents, or writing hidden notes in her diary about how hot various ladies around her are... although that last one isn’t strictly canon, but you know, shippers gonna ship.

If we tally all this up, we have a woman with a base 45 running and climbing speed that can jump 12 feet forward and 7 feet up without effort, with Acrobatics and Slow Fall meaning she’s able to handle unusual terrain, and she can up that to 55 speed for an hour once a day with longstrider, as well as double the jump distance up to eight times before needing a rest. That makes Ilia fast, and she’s also hard to hit--unarmored defense gives her an AC of 17, plus 2 with Agile Parry, she can Dash or Disengage or Dodge at will, and even if you get past all that she’s got Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, and Deflecting Missles to reduce damage. Of course that’s assuming you spot her at all--Supreme Sneak lets her remain hidden at 22 feet speed--27 if she’s got Long Strider up--Skulker means she can hide when lightly obscured, such as by shadow, and combining her expertise in stealth with her shapeshifting ability means Ilia can slip in and out of scenes unnoticed.

And for those of you that want some damage, allow me to direct your attention to this combinatorial explosion: Martial Arts Whip, Extra Attack, Deft Strike, Flurry of Blows. That’s 1d6+7d6+1d4+4, then 1d6+4 , then 1d6+4 , then 1d6+4 , for a cost of two ki points. Even without Deft Strike and Flurry of Blows Ilia can hypothetically pull 1d6+7d6+4, then 1d6+4 , then 1d6+4, per round--or sacrifice that last 1d6+4 for a different bonus action. And Ilia can give herself advantage either with Aim or Stunning Strike; Aim only lasts for the current turn, but Stunning Strike lasts till her next turn and renders a target stunned for her allies to deal with. Throw in Lightning Lure for 4d8 damage to any target she draws to herself, Sword Burst for 4d6 damage to ALL targets surrounding her, and the fact the whip has the Reach property, and we wind up with a fighter built to manuver and manipulate her opponents around the battlefield.

So yeah, that’s Ilia.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #234

Today on Fate and Phantasms we're building the proprietor of Hell's Kitchen herself, Beni-Enma! This old bird's a Samurai Fighter to cut people's tongues off as well as a Life Cleric to make her meals extra special with help from your demon boss. This build might not sound too complicated, but trust me it gets real convoluted under that cut.

Check out her build breakdown below, or her character sheet over here!

Next up: Deja vu!

(and on a slightly unrelated note: my god, it feels weird to finally be making a servant build for a servant that came out this year. I had an april fools joke in mind about what we'll do after we run out, but at this rate there's a semi-decent chance we'll be out of NA servants before we even reach that.)

Race and Background

Beni-Enma's a sparrow with her tongue cut out, but thankfully D&D already has a mute bird race ready to go with the Kenku! That means she gets +2 Dexterity and +1 Wisdom, as well as Expert Forgery to perfectly copy a creature's writing or craft. Line cooks have to make every meal come out the same, after all. This means you have advantage on copying existing writing or objects. You also get Kenku Training in Acrobatics and Deception. "Pick the smaller gift" is one of the oldest tropes out there, but people keep falling for it for some reason. You can also use Mimicry to copy sounds you've heard, though we'll get a better way to throw your voice later. We're also grabbing the Dimir Operative background, mostly for the spells, but you are an agent of a larger bureaucracy that works in secret to test the souls that come through, so... *shrug*. You get proficiency with Performance (because we already grabbed deception) and Stealth. A good host doesn't get in the way of their guests, and sometimes you have to keep the "good host" facade up when dealing with rude people.

Ability Scores

Your highest stat should be Wisdom to help you detect lies and cook pies. You also have great Dexterity- turns out cutting tongues out of mouths need a whole lotta skill. Third is Charisma- happy guests = well-funded inn. Your Constitution is pretty good too- never trust a thin chef. This means your Intelligence isn't super high. You're probably smart, but we don't need it. Finally, dump Strength. You are a tiny tiny birb. Not literally, since kenku are medium. (I'd say ask your DM if you'd like to play a small kenku, but then you might get accused of copying from CR.)

Class Levels

Fighter 1: Starting as a fighter is good. You get more health, plus proficiency with Strength and Constitution saves and Animal Handling for your assistants, plus Survival for your own cooking. You also get the Dueling fighting style so your short sword can deal long cuts with a +2 to damage, and a Second Wind. Take a sec, spend a bonus action drinking some tea for a bit of healing.

Fighter 2: Second level fighters get an Action Surge, letting you make a second action in the same turn once per short rest. Running an inn means sometimes you have to be in two places at once. Maybe we should've made this an echo knight build...

Fighter 3: At third level you don't become an echo knight no matter how sick that would be, and instead you're a Samurai. You get proficiency in Insight to tell when people are lying, and you can spend a bonus action to activate your Fighting Spirit, giving you temporary HP and advantage on all your attacks for the turn. Called shots are tough to make, this'll help.

Fighter 4: Fourth level fighters get their first Ability Score Improvement, and we're using yours to grab the Chef feat. Bump up your Constitution (I know it's an odd number, hold on), and get proficiency with cook's utensils. Also, as part of your short rest you can make food for up to six creatures (up to 10 as you level up), adding 1d8 to their healing over the short rest. On top of that, after a long rest (or by spending an hour), you can cook your proficiency in treats, which last 8 hours. A creature can eat one as a bonus action to gain your proficiency in temporary HP.

Fighter 5: Fifth level fighters get an Extra Attack each action. Now you can cut out two tongues a turn, or four with your action surge!

Cleric 1: Bouncing over to cleric means you have to pick a domain, and being a Life cleric means your meals even healthier, and now they're served to go. As a life cleric you're a Disciple of Life. Whenever you cast a healing spell your customer also heals extra hp, equal to 2 plus the spell's level. You also get Spells that you cast and prepare using your Wisdom. Since you can change these up every long rest there's not a whole lot of pressure to get it right, but healing spells are great for meals on wheels. For cantrips, I'm not sure if resisting the urge to eat at that house was a save or check, so pick up Resistance and Guidance to play it safe. You also get Mending to patch up small things around the Enma Tei. For leveled spells, you get Bless and Cure Wounds for free. People feel good on a full stomach, that's just facts. Also, since you're a dimir operative, you get even more spells on your spell list. You'll still have to prepare most of them, so we'll bring up the relevant ones. You get Encode Thoughts and Mage Hand as free cantrips, but the first level spells aren't really what we want. Also, neither is Encode Thoughts. We're mostly here for mage hand for your first sparrow assistant. You can also use Create or Destroy Water to fill your guests' glasses and/or fix up a leak, Purify Food and Drink to keep your meals flesh, and Inflict Wounds for a more magical sword attack. We don't get magical weapons normally, but this spell does a lot when its upcast.

Cleric 2: At second level clerics can Channel Divinity once per short rest in two different flavors. I'm sure Beni-Enma isn't a huge fan of zombies in her line of work, so Turn Undead is probably helpful. Force a wisdom save on nearby zombies, if they fail they have to run away for a minute, nice stuff. Alternatively, you can Preserve Life, creating a hearty meal that'll heal a total of five times your cleric level to any nearby creatures you choose. Give your party most of it, then give your enemies a point or two. That's the Beni-Enma way! (Don't actually do this, your party will not like it)

Cleric 3: Third level clerics get second level spells like Lesser Restoration and Spiritual Weapon from your subclass, plus Detect Thoughts and Pass Without Trace from your background. Detect Thoughts is mostly what we're here for, turning you into a living lie detector. If your DM isn't cool with Ravnica backgrounds, feel free to make your Enma a Githzerai or Dispater Tiefling. Anyways, Lesser Restoration is another good meal, spiritual weapon can be more sparrows helping you fight, and pass without trace just helps you keep out of your guest's way unless you're helping them. Like a little hospitable ninja.

Cleric 4: At fourth level of cleric we finally get another ASI, and we're using this one to become a Magic Initiate. This gives you two cantrips and a first level spell from any full caster class, with the leveled spell only working once per day. Since we're picking spells from the wizard list they technically use your intelligence, but it's not like that matters for the ones we're picking. Prestidigitation lets you make minor effects happen, most notably lighting small fires for starting a burner. You also get Minor Illusion, which means you can finally speak in your own voice, and even throw it like a regular ventriloquist. Also, as a cleric you learn Spare the Dying, but that's bad, just actually heal them instead. It's good.

Fighter 6: Bouncing back to fighter gets you another ASI, and our last feat. The Skill Expert feat adds 1 to your Dexterity (I know it's getting worse before it gets better, hold on), and you get proficiency in Religion checks. You work with the guys, you'd better know their name. You also get Expertise in Insight, adding double your proficiency to checks. With this plus your literal mind reading, it's almost impossible for anyone to escape your lie detection skills.

Fighter 7: Seventh level samurai are Elegant Courtiers, adding their wisdom modifier to their persuasion rolls and getting proficiency with wisdom saves. You're really courteous, and your customers will appreciate that.

Fighter 8: Our last level in fighter for a bit is one more ASI, and we're finally done with feats! That means we can round up our Dexterity and Constitution for more health, AC, and weapon damage. Remember, HP changes retroactively, so you get an extra 12 HP this level.

Cleric 5: At fifth level you can Destroy Undead with Turn Undead, instakilling CR 1/2 or lower zambos. You also get third level spells, like Beacon of Hope, Revivify, and Nondetection. The first gives creatures in its range advantage on wisdom and death saves, and they regain max hp from all healing. This is one of those buffs you could give to friend and foe alike, since odds are those goblins don't have a dedicated healer. The second brings a creature back from the dead. You make a really good souffle. The third spell hides a target from divination magic for eight hours. Your inn is all about relaxation, and some people can't do that if the paparazzi is spying on them. For other spells, Create Food and Water creates food, that's kind of your jam. You can also Speak with Dead. Your hotel is in hell, after all.

Cleric 6: At sixth level you can channel divinity twice per rest, and you become a Blessed Healer. When you dish out dishes to your allies and heal them, you also gain the benefit of Disciple of Life, even though the spell isn't targeting you.

Cleric 7: Seventh level clerics get fourth level spells, like Death Ward, Guardian of Faith, and Arcane Eye. The subclass spells aren't super in character, but I guess giving a character guts makes as much sense as bringing them back from the dead. Also, that last one lets you make another Sparrow to watch your guests for you. Not in a creepy way, more like a "watch the front desk while I'm gone" kind of way. It can fly around wherever you want, and you can see through the sparrow for up to an hour with concentration. You can also use Banishment to throw sinners into hell yourself (though it won't stick unless they're already from there, but it'll get them out of your hair for a bit).

Cleric 8: Our last cleric level nets us one last ASI for a maxed out Dexterity. Cutting someone's tongue out has never been so easy! Destroy Undead hits CR 1 creatures now, and you can mix in Divine Strikes with your attacks. Once per turn you can add radiant damage to your attack when you hit someone with your sword. You're a healer, but...

Fighter 9: Ninth level fighters are Indomitable, letting you re-roll a failed save once per long rest. I'd save it for death saves. You've already been to hell once.

Fighter 10: Tenth level samurai have a Tireless Spirit, so if you start initiative without any fighting spirit you get one back, free of charge. Working an inn full of sparrows means you'll have some long nights ahead of you. (Also, the amount of THP you get from each spirit use increases.)

Fighter 11: Eleventh level fighters get another Extra Attack. Hit stuff! Three times per action even!

Fighter 12: Our last level is one last ASI, so pick up some more Wisdom for stronger spells and insight checks.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

You've got pretty good AC, and with 150 HP plus extra healing from your spells and spirits you'll be hard to take down. And you make the whole party harder to take down too.

Making you good at detecting other peoples' schemes made you really good at schemes as well. With high stealth, ways to pry secrets from even the tightest lips, and spells all about staying out of people's way, you're well on your way to becoming an information broker in your own right.

Just being a healer isn't great, but you're a bunch of things at once. You're the smart guy, getting the plot figured out. You're the fighter, taking down baddies with a sword. You're the party support, healing and cooking up a storm. You got a lot going for you.

Cons:

Doing all those things means you're not focusing on one. You'd hit harder with a bigger sword. You'd heal better with higher spell slots. You'd sneak better if the build was built around it.

A lot of your feats aren't super powerful later on, and they choke your progression big time. Like, your first noticeable stat boost is at level 12. A weakened song of rest and six THP isn't really worth it on higher levels, and we pretty much only took magic initiate so you could talk.

Also, your intelligence ain't that high. There aren't a lot of intelligence saves, but feeblemind is a really bad spell for your healer to get hit with.

[hellyeahheroes]

Building Gwen Poole in D&D 5e

Hey, guess who just got told my company is not working next week. Well, let’s celebrate by doing another D&D build, I had lately few ideas, including a character that makes me smile, unless she is making me feel bad for her

Let me quickly list the Goals for this build. First of all, we need to be able to enter Whitespace, cross beyond panel borders and then back. Second, we need to have knowledge only someone from real world entering a fantasy one could have. Finally, we need to summon Gwens from previous books to aid us. And one more for me is to not make this identical to Tulok the Barbarian’s Deadpool build, since the man already been an inspiration so much for these posts. Which will be hard since Gwen does lend herself well to similiar combination of two classes, spoiler alert.

As always, Ability Scores will be determiend by Standard points Array of 15, 14, 13, 12, 10 and 8, if you or your DM prefer point buy or rolls, go ahead and treat these as guidelines.

Strength: 10, we really don’t need it but Gwen carries a lot of weapons around so I cannot give this an 8

Dexterity: 14, despite the big boots I really doubt your suit is a medium armor, what with those bare legs and all.

Constitution: 13, hit points aren’t meat points and you survive in dangerous situations just fine.

Intelligence: 12, you are well-read in world of your heroes

Wisdom: 8,  you let Ms. Marvel convince you you’re an enteirly different species and your life is a lie and you also tried dating Quentin freaking Quire.

Charisma: 15, people like you and even if they don’t believe your claams of being from another world, they’ll likely dismiss them with a heartfelt laughter than trying to book you a psychologist appointment.

Now for Race, I hinted I don’t believe the “Gwen is a mutant” retcon so I’m going with Variant Human. If you think everything must be a mutant now, then go with any Aasimar or Half-Elf. Variant Humans get to be bitter about X-Men, add +1 to two Ability Scores, go with Charisma and Constitution, gain one free language and one free Skill, pick History since you know it because you’re a human from our world, and a feat. Crossbow Expert lets you ignore loading quality of crossbows, let’s you shoot creatures within 5 feet of you without a disadvantage and make an attack with a loaded crossbow as a bonus action after you hit a foe with a one-handed weapon attack. Crossbows are easy to reskin as guns but be warned that this does not turn a crossbow into an automated gun - you still need a hand to reload the crossbow after every shot, which now counts as a part of your attack, but requires a free hand. Which means you cannot wield two crossbows or fire more than one shot in a single round without a free hand. It could be fixed with some Artificer levels but we’re not doing that here, so make sure you’re on good terms with Riri Williams if you want to shoot two guns or use gun and a blade in an accord.

For Background, Far Traveller is someone who came from far, far away and you are literally from real world. You get Insight and Perception proficiency, can pick any free language of choice and one musical instrument or gaming tool and world has All Eyes On You - people notice you’re not from around and take interest in you.

Time to go with Class Levels

1st Level: We’ll kick things off as a Bard, letting gets to be proficient in any 3 skills, let’s go with Persuasion, Deception and Acrobatics. You are also proficient with Dexterity and Charisma saving throws, light armor, shields, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords and three musical instruments of your choice. 

You also get Bardic Inspiration, giving you a number of d6 dices equal to your Charisma modifier per long rest that you can hand over to someone that they can add to any ability check, attack roll, or saving throw that they make in the next 10 minutes. They can do it after they roll but before DM declares result of the roll. So you can now cheer on your heroes while fighting alongside them.

Bards are also spellcasters. You get to know a number of spells and have a number of spell slots per long rest that you can spend to cast them and if you cast one from higher level spell slot, it will be stronger. You learn more spells as you advance but cannot know a spell of level higher than highest spell slot you can use. You also get Cantrips which you can cast always and scale with your level, getting stronger at 5th, 11th and 17th character level. If a spell requires you to make an attack roll you sum up your Proficiency Bonus and your Charisma modifier to add to the roll. And if you add 8 to those two values you get your Save Difficulty, which a creature has to beat if your spell forces them to make a saving throws.

A Bard starts with two Cantrips and 4 known spells

Vicious Mockery is a staple for Bards, it lets you mock someone so bad, they must make a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d4 psychic damage and have a distadvantage on next attack roll they make before end of its next turn.

Message is a spell functioning as a magic phone, letting you send a short message to someone within the range and then can make a short reply.

Identify lets you see if you recognize an item as something you once read in a comic book - it tells you if the item is magical, magic-imbued, what magical properties it has or what spells are affecting it, how to use it, if it requires attunment and how many charges it has.

Tasha’s Hideous Laughter makes you tell a joke that forces the target to make a Wisdom Saving Throw or fall prone and be incapitated and unable to stand up due to overwhelming laughter. Target gets another save at end of each of its turns or a save with an advantage whenever someone deals damage to it.

2nd Level: We stick to Bard to gain 2nd-Level feature Jack of All Trades, letting you add half of your Proficiency modifier to all skills you are not proficient with. You also gain Song of Rest, letting you play some music when your team is resting and rolling hit dice to regain hitpoints, letting everyone roll an additional 1d6. I don’t think it is a power per se that Gwen has, but could totally see her try to cheer up her friends and heroes.

And speaking of cheering up, you get one new spell - Heroism let’s you instill the bravery in one willing creature, making it immune to being frightened and on each of its turns letting them gain temporary hit points equal your Charisma modifier. Again, Hit Points can represent someone’s luck or will to fight so if you see Batroc having a hard time against Captain America, you can cheer him up to keep fighting. I mean, you would but you like Cap too, so maybe hope Batroc fights Taskmaster or something?

3rd Level: And it’s still a Bard, on 3rd Level gaining admission to something Gwen never got in real life - a college. Bardic College, to be more specific. I was thinking of College of Satire but really, College of Lore fits our needs much better. You gain profficiency with three more skills, I’d go with Athletics, Stealth and Sleight of Hand. Since all bards also gain Expertise, letting you choose two skills for which your Proficiency Bonus is doubled, use it on Athletics and Perception which depend on two lowest Ability Scores you have.

Your spell for the level is Invisibility, which lets you skip through eniemies you don’t feel like fighting, we can refluff this as early “slipping out” to the whitespace, but some creatures can still see you and you are “pulled back” (read: made visible) if you try to interact with something or attack anyone. 

College of Lore also gets Cutting Words, which lets you say something that spooks or confuses a creature. Mechanically it lets you use your Inspiration die the opposite way they are normally used, letting you roll to subtract from attack roll, saving throw or an ability check.

I mean, that’s basically how it works

4th Level: Still sticking with the Bard for an Ability Score Improvement, go for your Charisma, since not only your spells but also Bardic Inspiration relies on it.

You also get a new spell and a new Cantrip

Prestidigitation lets you make a number of smaller effects you can play as you messing around with Whitespace. Knock let’s you unlock one nonmagical lock on door or an object. Maybe play it as you “skipping” the door through Whitespace or cutting out to when the object is already unlocked?

5th Level: Surprise, surprise, it is still Bard. 5th Level mostly improves Bardic Inspriation - now it uses d8s and you regain them on a short rest as well. You also gain the access to 3rd level spell - Nondetection can make you or someone else immune on being spied by magical means for 8 hours. Situational? Yes. But something Gwen can do as a person capable of walking out of the reality where people like Doctor Strange or Professor X cannot find her? Very. You can also use it on objects. 

6th Level: Bar...oh hey, we’re doing Fighter now. 1st Level fighter gains proficiencies with light and medium armor and martial weapons as well as Second Wind, letting you once per short rest as a bonus action regain 1d10+your Fighter level hit points. You also get to choose a Fighting Style - Archery grants Gwen +2 to ranged weapon attacks.

ALTERNATIVES: As you can see, I decided to do Gwen as someone gun-toting, if you’d rather her use a sword then picking Defensive Duelist at first level and Dueling style now. Mind you, you need to have a free hand for spellcasting so unless you take a War Caster feat (which is also an option) you cannot duel-wield either sword and crossbow (which would also require sacrificing your Ability Score Improvement for Crossbow Expert) or two swords and use many of your abilitties. On a side note, Gwen is also profficient now with heavy Crossbow, so you can use that as a shotgun.

7th level: 2nd Level Fighter gets Action Surge, letting you once per Short rest gain an extra Standard Action

8th Level: 3d Level Fighter gains a Martial Achertype. I was thinking which one Gwen would choose. Wade went with a Champion but we don’t want Gwen to be exactly like him even if we’re already mixing two of the same classes Tulok did. I have a better pick. Gwen is suppsoed to represent the modern fandom that jumped into comics during New 10s, right? If that’s the case then, without streotyping here, we should ask ourselves what would likely be her possible gateway to D&D.

Echo Knight has been introduced in Explorer’s Guide to Wildemount, the world designed by Matt Mercer for his Critical Role games. You can use your bonus action to Manifest Echo, letting you pull an echo of yourself from another timeline or, in your case, another book you were in. This Gwen has AC 14+ your Proficiency modifier, 1 hit point and immunity to all conditions, uses your saving throws and you command her to moves on your turn. She vanishes if she dies, you’re incapitated, you dismiss her, summon another Gwen or find yourself more than 30 feet away from her. 

As a bonus action you can  sacrifice 15 feet of your movement to swap places with other Gwen, you can choose if your attacks originate from your position or her and you can use your reaction to have her make an opportunitty attack if an opponnent would trigger one. And a number of times equal your Constitution Modifier per Long rest you can make her take an extra attack as a part of your attack action with Unleash Incarnation.

Now, to get third Gwen we would need 18 levels of Echo Knight, but we would lose or all other abilitties about Whitespace then. Instead I suggest you circle through Gwens, as it seems that Echo Knight can summon an Echo as many times as they feel like, just not at once. 

9th Level: 4th Level Fighter gets an Ability Score Improvement, Round up your Charisma

10th Level: 5th Level Fighter gains an Extra Attack, letting you attack twice as a part of the same action. Meaning you can make up to seven attacks with Action Surge, two uses of Unleash Incarnation and Crossbow Expert, provided you’re having a free hand. Unless DM allows it I do not think you can have other Gwen reload your guns, so all problems of Crossbow Expert still apply. Dual Wielding meele or mixed meele and ranged Gwen would get to the same level of attacks.

11th Level: 6th Level Fighter gets another Ability Score Improvement, start focusing on your Dexterity - even a meele Gwen is better off using finesse weapons and it adds to your AC.

12th Level: The Bard returns! 6th level Bard learns Countercharm, letting you use your action to give everyone you consider friendly an advantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed - I guess it’s Gwen cheering other heroes up more or warning them she read about the baddie they’re facing and he has mind altering powers

You also get one more spell. It is sad we are behind with the spells...or are we? College of Lore Bard can gain Magical Secrets - a Bardic feature we will gain later as well, but this is an additional one and early. It lets you add two spells from any spell list to your spells known, as long as they’re on a level you can cast. Unlike the standard Bard version we will get later, the two spells we get now do not count to our maximum of spells know. Meaning we get three new spells

Tongues will let you read world baloons translated to English for the American readers and apparently let you add translation to  your own dialogues for an hour.

Blink lets you roll at the end of each of your turns and if you get 11 or higher you slip into Whitespace a.k.a. Etheral Plane and reappear in space no more than 10 feet away from where you were at the beginning of your next turn. When you are in whitespace you cannot be attacked or interacted with creatures on material plane. It is not as powerful as in Pathfinder but still - don’t cheat on this, don’t be an asshole and if you are pray you never see a spider.

Fireball is your grenade/rocket launcher. Creatures within range are dealt 8d6 fire damage, half on a succesful Dexterity saving throw.

13th and 14th level: 7th level Bard gains an acess to 4th level spells and 8th Level bard gains an Ability Score Improvement, invest in Dexterity again. I’m doing the two together since each gives you one more spell too add:

Dimension Door lets you teleport anywhere with range of 500 feet, as long as you can see, visualize or know the area. You can bring anything up to your carrying capacity and one creature also carrying no more than its maximum with you. However, if another creature occupies the selected space, you run into it and get knocked back through Whitespace, taking 4d6 force damage.

Greater Invisibility works like Invisibility, but now you can take things with you or attack until it ends naturally. Play it as you slipping in and out of Whitespace.

15th Level: 9th Level Bard gets to improve Song of Rest, now using a 1d8 instead of 1d6. And you gain access to 5th level spells. Legend Lore is a spell seemingly tailor-made for a fangirl - you can gain (or in your case, recall that you’ve read) knowledge about specific person, object or location. It may be vague, the more you already know the better results. This lets you put fun in your fangirl...wait.

16th Level: 10th Level Bard improves Bardic Inspriation dice to d10s, gains Expertise in two more Skills, I’d go with History and Persuasion, and learns one more cantrip and Magical Secrets - this works like before but these spells count to your maximum of spells know.

Blade Wards grants you until end of your next turn resistance agaisnt bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage from weapon attacks. Your armor is at best light, this may help if you want to go into meele.

Banishment let’s you force a creature to make a Charisma saving throw or let you send them into Whitespace. They get to come back like Paste Pot Pete did after it ends, but if they’re not from this plane and if you don’t break your concentration for one minute, they’re banished for good.

Banishing Smite is similiar - next time you hit a creature with a weapon attack, and it does not specify it must be a meele attack, you deal it extra 5d10 force damage and if you reduce it to 50 or less hit points, you send them to the Whitespace. There is no save, but there is no chance to keep target permamently out. Either spell still can save lives against tough enemies.

17th Level: 11th Level Bard learns to cast 6th level Spells, but I don’t see any so we will grab one more from 5th level - Scrying let’s you poke through Whitespace to find a person and observe them and their activities. They get a Wisdom saving throw to resist being spied on, I guess trying to reassert that their current narrative place is off-page. The better you know them and better materials connecting to them you have, the harder resisting your prying eyes gets. Just please don’t use it to stalk your friends, okay?

18th Level: 12th Level Bard gets last Ability Score Improvement, round up your Dexterity.

19th Level: 13th Level Bard improves Song of Rest to 1d10 and gains access to 7th level Spells. Etherialness lets you just hop to the Whitespace...I mean, Etherial Plane, for up to 8 hours, effectively saving you from an encounter if you would die othertwise. It let’s you regroup, regain your strength, plan ahead, move away or even bypass whole area, effectively skipping to different pages, and doesn’t require concentration to do it.

20th Level: And we wrap things up with 14th Level of Bard. College of Lore grants you Pearless Skill, letting you now use Bardic Inspiration on your own rolls. You also get two more Magical Secrets

Delayed Blast Fireball is a bomb - you put on a fireball in a place. Any creature that touches it must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw to be able to throw it in a different place. Whenever they suceed or not, it explodes anyway, same if your spell ends or you break concentration. It deals 12d6 fire damage plus an extra 1d6 for each of your turn that ended without it detonating, half on a succesful Dexterity Saving Throw.

Plane Shift lets you and up to 8 creatures move to a different plane of existence, meaning you can now team-up with Squirrel Girl to kick Mephisto’s butt. Teleport could be more useful as it let’s you move within a single plane, but then you don’t get to freak Squirrel Girl out by pointing there is no reason someone isn’t punching the devil in the face at all times.

Overview: So this is how I’d do Gwenpool - College of Lore Bard 14/Echo Knight Fighter 6. Let’s see how valid this build is

Pros: You have a pretty decent amount of hit points, somewhere around 160 on average, while having multiple ways to avoid damage. You are a good utility caster with multiple ways to gather information or scout ahead and you have a pretty good array of skills on top of that, making you a good use for non-combat situations. You also have pretty good mobility options, letting you move as you wish across the battlefield. Finally, whenever you picked meele or ranged options, you can dish out a lot of attacks if needed, or even blast out some foes.

Cons: Your Constitution is mediocre, meaning your Concentration and use of Unleash Incarnation could be better. Second, your spell selection is somewhat situational, some of the options we took may not always be useful, even if they are in character. Third, your Wisdom saving throw is horrible so charming, frightening or just Hold Person will be your bane. Finally, you do not have any ways of dealing magical damage, unless your DM throws a magic rapier and/or crossbow your way and your fireballs deal fire damage, which many creatures are resistant or even immune to.

However overall you are able to fill or support in multiple roles, from scout to party face to damage dealer to information gatherer, which makes you great to have. Remember, however, that this is not one-person show and you work better as a part of a team.

For example

-Admin

[breaks-soulgem]

Magireco D&D builds

Character-Sana Futaba

Class-Fighter/Barbarian

Race-Human(variant)

Ability score(shown with +1 racial bonus in CON and in STR)

Strength-14 Dexterity-14 Constitution-16 Intelligence-10 Wisdom-12 Charisma-8

Proficiencies-Stealth,slight of hand,animal handling, history

Starting gear-Flail(stat block for her shield attacks), Shield,hand axes (stat block for the projectiles from her shield)

Variant feat:

Tough-Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your level when you gain this feat. Whenever you gain a level thereafter, your hit point maximum increases by an additional 2 hit points

Fighter 1st lvl

Fighting style:

Protection(guard chance)-When a creature you can see attacks a target other than you that is within 5 feet of you, you can use your reaction to impose disadvantage on the attack roll.

Second wind-On your turn, you can use a bonus action to regain hit points equal to 1d10 + your fighter level. Once you use this feature, you must finish a short or long rest before you can use it again.

Switch to Barbarian for the rest of the levels

1st lvl

Unarmored defense-While you are not wearing any armor, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your Constitution modifier. You can use a shield and still gain this benefit.

Rage-You have advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.

You have resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

If you are able to cast spells, you can’t cast them or concentrate on them while raging.

Your rage lasts for 1 minute. It ends early if you are knocked unconscious or if your turn ends and you haven’t attacked a hostile creature since your last turn or taken damage since then. You can also end your rage on your turn as a bonus action.

Rage bonus damage +2

Rages per long rest,two

2nd lvl

Reckless attack-When you make your first attack on your turn, you can decide to attack recklessly. Doing so gives you advantage on melee weapon attack rolls using Strength during this turn, but attack rolls against you have advantage until your next turn.

Danger sense-You have advantage on Dexterity saving throws against effects that you can see, such as traps and spells. To gain this benefit, you can’t be blinded, deafened, or incapacitated.

3rd lvl

Primal path-Path of the ancestral guardian

Ancestral protectors (Taunt)-While you’re raging, the first creature you hit with an attack on your turn becomes hindered. Until the start of your next turn, that target has disadvantage on any attack roll that isn't against you, and when the target hits a creature other than you with an attack, that creature has resistance to the damage of the target’s attacks.

Rages per long rest,three

4th lvl

Feat:

Shield master-If you take the Attack action on your turn, you can use a bonus action to try to shove a creature within 5 feet of you with your shield.

If you aren't incapacitated, you can add your shield's AC bonus to any Dexterity saving throw you make against a spell or other harmful effect that targets only you.

If you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you can use your reaction to take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, interposing your shield between yourself and the source of the effect.

5th lvl

Extra attack-you can attack twice, instead of once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.

Fast movement-your speed increases by 10 feet while you aren’t wearing heavy armor.

6th lvl

Spirit shield-If you are raging and a creature you can see within 30 feet of you takes damage, you can use your reaction to reduce that damage by 2d6.

Rages per long rest,four

7th lvl

Feral instinct-advantage on initiative rolls.

If you are surprised at the beginning of combat and aren’t incapacitated, you can act normally on your first turn, but only if you enter your rage before doing anything else on that turn.

8th lvl

Ability score improvement-two points into CON

9th lvl

you can roll one additional weapon damage die when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.

Bonus rage damage, +3

10th lvl

Spirit shield damage reduction now 3d6

11th lvl

Relentless rage-If you drop to 0 hit points while you’re raging and don’t die outright, you can make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. If you succeed, you drop to 1 hit point instead.Each time you use this feature after the first, the DC increases by 5. When you finish a short or long rest, the DC resets to 10.

12th lvl

Ability score improvement-Two points into STR

Rages per long rest,five

13th lvl

Brutal critical-you can roll two additional weapon damage dice when determining the extra damage for a critical hit with a melee attack.

14th lvl

Vengeful spirits-When you use your Spirit Shield to reduce the damage of an attack, the attacker takes an amount of force damage that your Spirit Shield prevents.

spirit shield damage reduction now 4d6

End notes:

Appropriately to Sana, this build will be lacking a bit in damage but she definitely won't be going down easily

10th lvl gets consult the spirits but i didnt feel like it fit in anyway

[uberguber89]

Custom Rule for D&D and Pahtfinder: Morale Points

Using morale points:

    Every character has a maximum morale point pool equal to the sum of their constitution, wisdom, and charisma scores (typically leading to 24-54 points). players cannot gain morale points above this maximum. 

   After rolling any type and any number of dice, but before the result is revealed, you may spend any number of morale points you have to increase the result, up to the maximum achievable on the die type. for example, when rolling a D20 for an attack roll or skill check, with a result of 15 on the die, and a +4 modifier, you may spend 1 point to achieve a final result of 20,  insuring success at that DC, or if you suspect the DC might be higher, you may spend up to 5, for a final result of 24 if you think the task is more difficult, but you may not buy any higher than that since the maximum die result is 20. OR if you use a Cure Wounds spell and roll a 2 and a 5, you may spend up to 9 morale points to ensure the maximum result on those two dice combined (16), before any spell-casting modifiers.

Why morale points?:

 "isn't this stuff already covered in the rules?" short answer; "yes, technically," but let's take a closer look at those rules;

"FOOD: A character needs one pound of food per day. A character can go without food for a number of days equal to 3 + (their) Constitution modifier (minimum 1). At the end of each day beyond that limit, a character automatically suffers one level of exhaustion. A normal day of eating resets the count of days without food to zero. " - pg 185 PHB.

 So, according to rules-as-written a character could have one single meal every 3 days, or up to a week with a high enough Con modifier, and suffer no penalties. Zero. none. Not even a headache. your adventurer is not a python!!! this is not how food and water work in real life! It should NOT be how it works in-game. while, yes, you can argue that this is the biological response, anyone who's gone a day (or more) without food knows that this doesn't represent the mental toll these obstacles can take.

    Even if we ignore the incongruities already mentioned, it has always stuck out to me while reading novels like Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings or just about every fantasy novel involving travel, that they tend to spend a lot of time describing the mental and emotional fatigue of living away from the creature-comforts of home and/or on the road. Sure! Frodo and Sam can eat Lembas bread all day, every day, until the elf finishes reciting his poetry, but it's not gonna raise anyone's spirits. sure, you've got piles and piles of fresh bear-meat to keep you fed, but it doesn't go down easy if you can't afford the time to start a campfire to cook it. there's a reason they only give bread & water when you're in medieval prison, and it's because it sucks. even if you have all your biological needs met, your brain needs flavor as much as your stomach needs calories. We've all experience that feeling of doing something you're not necessarily "bad" at, but optimal performance requires more mental resources than something you have a higher skill bonus in you are more familiar with, and while you are perfectly capable of the task in ideal conditions, (i.e. well-rested, hydrated, nourished, etc,), it becomes disproportionately difficult in non-ideal conditions (think about "hangry" or all those posts about existential dread turning out to be dehydration). It should be noted, you can experience all this without the "exhaustion" described by the core handbook, and that needs to be represented somehow.  It also stuck out to me that these challenges are almost never included in rpg's in a way that is both meaningful AND fun. In every case I've ever experienced, it is either hand-waved and ignored, or examined in excruciating detail, halting every other aspect of play. With this in mind, I set out to design a set of rules that are substantial enough to affect the story and be worth tracking, while staying abstract enough to maintain a game's pacing. I want these rules to elicit the same “gods! I need a beer” or “I’d kill for a home-cooked meal right now,” sentiment you see from characters in most traditional media, with the same desperation the players think, “I’m out of hit points/spell slots, I need a long rest”. Thus, morale points. It should be said, that all of these rules are in addition to the rules-as-written, not a replacement.

     regaining and losing morale points:

  sleep: A minimum of 4 hours sleep in a relatively safe location (i.e. camping with an ally keeping watch, or in a barn or secluded alleyway) is required to avoid losing morale points. getting 8 hours of solid rest in a safe location will restore 1 morale point, and doing so on a bed will restore 2. for every night without sleep, or sleep in an unsafe or uncomfortable area, your character will lose one morale point.

  food: while 1 pound of food will keep 1 character fed for the day, such as trail rations or a simple tavern meal, each GP spent on food will restore 1 morale point. your character will lose 1 morale point for every 24 (twenty-four) hours without sitting down for a meal. (Even a meal at half-rations can serve this purpose if it’s treated as a relaxing sit-down)

   drink: every GP spent on wine, ale, or other good drink of your character's choice will restore 1 morale point. This can include smoking herbs, or other recreational substances like coffee or other drugs (fantasy or real), however, the 1gp per morale point exchange rate remains the same. a character will lose 1 morale point for every 6 hours without water.

random happenstance: rolling a natural 20 will restore 1 point, and a natural 1 will lose you a point. No “critical hits” or “critical failures” on skills or saving throws, only the auto succeed/fail and the morale point change.

good company: during a rest, 1 character may make a performance check. with a 10 or higher, each other member of the group may regain 1 morale point. on a result of 20 or higher, the group gets 2 each. 30 or higher gets 3, and so on. the performer can only regain 1 point on a 20 or higher (performing can be fun, but hard work) A result of 9 or less causes everyone involved to lose 1 morale point.

Going hunting: jerky, nuts, and dried berries in your rations may meet your daily protein requirements, but nothing beats fresh. During a rest, a character may make a survival check. With a 10 or higher, you may gain 1 morale point to allocate to any character, including yourself. on a result of 20 or higher, you may allocate 2 as you choose. 30 or higher gets 3, and so on. A result of 9 or less causes everyone involved to lose 1 morale point.

Going foraging: Spice is the variety of life - as a wise man once said, "a man can live on nutrient blocks from here to Judgement Day, if he's got enough rosemary". Any number of wild herbs and natural substances can be used to flavor your food or for recreational purposes. During a rest, a character may make a nature check. with a 10 or higher, you may gain 1 morale point to give to any one character, including yourself. on a result of 20 or higher, you may allocate 2 as you choose. 30 or higher gets 3, and so on. A result of 9 or less causes everyone involved to lose 1 morale point.

Emotional labor: during a rest, a character may make an insight check. with a 10 or higher, you can aid another character’s check to restore morale, giving them advantage on their roll.  A result of 9 or less causes you to misread the situation. You grant disadvantage, and lose 1 morale point.

Pep talk: flattery and pretty words may not win battles, but they sure can brighten someone’s day, and isn’t that an encouraging thought? It isn’t? Ok, well, in any case, during a rest, a character may make a persuasion or deception check. with a 10 or higher, one other member of the group may regain 1 morale point. on a result of 20 or higher, the character gets 2. 30 or higher gets 3, and so on. The speaker can only regain 1 point on a 20 or higher. A result of 9 or less causes everyone involved to lose 1 morale point.

Minor treatments: Not every injury or ailment causes hit point damage or noticeable stat changes. It may be a minor allergy that makes you cranky, or a joint that gets just stiff enough to be annoying “but it’s fine i’m totally fine guys”, or that ringing in your ears that won’t go away unless someone rubs your jaw the right way. You’re not performing medical miracles, just the observations that can come with medical training. during a rest, a character may make a medicine check. With a 10 or higher, one member of the group may regain 1 morale point. on a result of 20 or higher, the group gets 2 each. 30 or higher gets 3, and so on. the care provider can only regain 1 point on a 20 or higher. A result of 9 or less causes everyone involved to lose 1 morale point.

Situational: 

   Ideals: seeing, experiencing, or doing somethingthat reinforces your ideals can gain you one morale point. Conversely, an extreme event, as determined by the GM, that causes you to question your ideals causes 1 morale point loss

   bonds: you can regain 1 morale point by spending an hour or more with one of your bonds. If one of your bonds are injured or damaged, you must make a wisdom saving throw equal to 15+ the damage they suffered, or lose morale points equal to the damage they suffered. If one of your bonds is killed or destroyed, you lose all of your morale points when you learn about the loss.

   Flaws: you can gain morale opints by acting on one of your flaws, at the risk of another character losing morale points. During a rest, you may choose another player character, describe how your flaw manifests, and choose a DC. then, the GM will assign a skill or saving throw for each of you (these may be the same roll or different) based on the situation. If you both succeed, you gain 1 morale point and the other character gains 0. If you succeed and the other character fails, you gain 2 points, and they lose 1. If you both fail the roll, you both lose 1 morale point.

hobbies: during a rest, a character may make a roll with a gaming set they are proficient in. with a 10 or higher, each other member of the group may regain 1 morale point. on a result of 20 or higher, the group gets 2 each. 30 or higher gets 3, and so on. If two or more characters are proficient in the same game, each participant can make this roll with advantage. A result of 9 or less causes everyone involved to lose 1 morale point.

Travel pace: traveling at Fast pace causes you to lose 1 morale point for each hour at this pace (think about running a marathon). Traveling at Normal pace causes no morale point loss, but no actions can be taken to restore points. Traveling at slow pace, stops for food, rest, and hobbies can be assumed as part of the travel time, but you cannot make stealth checks at the same time as checks to improve morale. You move at half speed in difficult terrain, and you lose an additional morale point per hour.

  How many morale points should the players start with?:

 if they're professionals hired for a daring assignment, they may understandably have full points. However, if they're independent agents, with no employment to speak of other than turning to adventuring, or starting out escaping from captivity, it would be understandable (though perhaps less fun) to start at 0. In most other, less-extreme circumstances, you may want to consult with your players, and choose a middle-ground such as half-maximum, or a percentage based on a wis or con saving throw (player’s choice).

[majingojira]

Buffy Summers for 5e

Inspired by boredom and Tulok the Barbarian on Youtube, I thought I’d give a go to one of my favorite characters. 

Who could easily be written up for 5e as a PC.  

Godzilla’s my main, but PC in D&D?  Not so much. 

Note: Edited for a small correction. 

Goals:  Buffy Summers, as a character, has a lot of things going for her.  

Goal 1: Monster Mashing - Buffy has to be really, really good at Slaying.  She is the Slayer after all. 

Goal 2: Quipping.  Buffy has a sharp mouth on her, so we got to reflect that somehow mechanically. 

Goal 3: PTSD.  Buffy’s seen things that no one should see and it shows. 

Of course, we’ll be using the Standard Point Array.  There is no multiclassing in this build, but she does have certain requirements.  Our top 3 stats are going to be physical ones.  Because of the mechanics of D&D, certain things will be prioritized. 

Our top is Strength (15).  She’s super-strong, but this is as close as we can get to that for now.  Next is Dexterity (14).  Buffy is a very agile fighter, avoiding hits whenever she can and usually doesn’t wear much armor (She does when she needs to, especially in the comics, so don’t feel bad about giving her a breastplate.  Constitution next (13), she’s taken massive beatings and keeps on ticking. Wisdom is next (12), I’d have liked it higher, but she does make some epic mistakes.  Next is Charisma (10). We’ll be shoring this up in a bit, but Buffy did ruin her reputation with one burned down gymnasium. We’ll be dumping Intelligence (8).  To quote her, “When am I ever going to need math, history, or...the English language...”

Point Array:  STR: 15 DEX: 14 CON: 13 INT: 8 WIS: 12 CHA: 10

Buffy is a Vampire Slayer, chosen to defend the world from the forces of darkness. To me, that screams variant human Scourge Aasimar.  Scourge Aasimar gain a +2 to Charisma and a +1 Constitution.  They have 60ft of Darkvision and Celestial Resistance, meaning she can resist Necrotic and Radiant damage. She also has the Healing Hands ability and is able to heal HP equal to her level with a touch as an action.  This can be done once per long rest.  She can also cast the Light cantrip because even she sometimes needs a flashlight.  She can also read and write Common and Celestial.

For Backgrounds, Buffy is a Haunted One. Buffy’s Harrowing Events are many and varied, mostly stemming from her calling.  She’s chosen to embrace it and is stronger for it, but it still hurts. Because the hardest thing to do in the world is live in it. 

Example traumas to call upon include: Her cousin having her life drained out of her right in front of her eyes by an invisible monster (Der Kindestod), dying at the hands of the master, Angel, dying to save your little sister, battling her own manifested fears of dying/being buried alive/becoming a vampire, and that’s just by the time she was 17 years old. 

From this, she gains two skills.  Pick Investigation and Arcana.  She also gets a bonus language.  Pick Abyssal, because she slays a LOT of demons. 

She also gains the feature Heart of Darkness, which is great character stuff in that people have seen that she has gone through hell and it can garner either sympathy or fear depending on how it is played, up to and including creating her own Scooby gang. 

This also comes with a Monster Hunter’s Pack and 33gp.  Why a Monster Hunter’s pack?  Because it comes with stakes. 

Now it’s time for Class.  Buffy fights the forces of evil, so she’s obviously a Fighter. Her hit die is a d10, her saving throughs are Strength and Constitution.  For classes, go with Acrobatics and Athletics.  She was a cheerleader after all. 

From her class, she gains a Fighting Style.  Go with Dueling for +2 damage from a one-handed weapon as long as one of your hands doesn’t also hold a weapon.  Note, fists do not count as weapons for this ability, so it makes a wooden stake to the heart really hurt in her hands.  

She also gains the Second Wind ability.  This allows her to recover 1d10+ her Fighter level HP as a bonus action. 

Level 2 Fighters gain Action Surge, allowing her to take one additional action once per short rest.  

Level 3 is when she can choose her archetype.  Buffy is all about hunting monsters, so the Monster Slayer Monster Hunter is perfect for her. It’s Unearthed Arcana for the Fighter, so ask your GM for approval. This grants her one bonus proficiency (go with Perception), Tool Proficiency (go with Weavers tools, so she can make some killer outfits),  a bonus language (Infernal), but those aren’t the reasons we’re going for this class. 

First, it grants Superiority Die. Buffy is a smart fighter and uses things to her advantage.  This starts as 4d8 and has many uses including Precision Attack (Add one to attack roll), Sharpened Attack (add one to a damage roll), Sharpened Senses (add to Wisdom (perceptioN) to find creatures or objects, or Insight to check if people are lying to her), and Superior Willpower.  These dice are regained after a short or long rest. 

Second, it grants Hunter’s Mysticism. This allows her to cast Detect Magic as a Ritual, and Protection from Good and Evil once per long rest, using Wisdom as her spellcasting ability.  

She also gains another Aasimar ability: Radiant Consumption.  Once per long rest she can transform and glow with light across a 10ft area.  Creatures within 10ft of her take 1/2 her level (rounded down) in radiant damage at the end of her turn and add radiant damage to one of her attacks equal to her level.  Buffy doesn't really glow but is definitely known for turning the tide and kicking butt unexpectedly. 

Level 4 fighters gain a Feat.  Go with Tavern Brawler.  Buffy punches and kicks most of the time, and uses any weapon she wants otherwise, be it a magical ax or a shard of glass.  It also provides a +1 to Strength or Con, go with STR.  

Level 5 fighters have an Extra attack. Which means she can attack 3 times per round with an action surge.  

Level 6 grants another feat, this time grab the Magic Initiate Feat.  She’s not much of a spell caster, but she has cast before.  We’ll be going with the Bard spell list for her for primarily one spell.  Or, rather, Cantrip: Vicious Mockery.  Now she can wound people’s pride and HP with her wit.  From the same list, grab Message (”If the apocalypse comes, beep me”) and also grab Healing Word.  Because her pep talks are short but very effective. 

7th level fighters gain class feature bonuses.  Which in this case means an extra Superiority die (5d8), and the Monster Slayer ability. Whenever she adds a superiority die for damage, she adds 2 dice instead of one.  Meaning, that is she uses an action surge, she can attack 3 times with a battleax (1d8 when one-handed) for 1d8+2 per attack +2d8 from Sharpened Attack, for a total of 5d8+6+ her strength mod for each (another +6).  

8th level fighters gain another feat. Grab Alert. Buffy is rarely caught off guard, which is how she’s stayed alive for so long. 

Level 9 fighters gain Indomitable. Once per long rest, she can re-roll a failed save.  Paired with Superiority Dice, this is very useful. 

10th level fighters see their superiority dice turn into d10s.  So now that combo super attack I described can hurt even more. 

11th level fighters gain a second extra attack.  Now, with an action surge, she can hit 4 times with her ax.  Or fists.  Or a chair.  Or anything else that’s convenient. 

Level 12 fighters gain another feat/ability score improvement.  We’re all up on the feats we need, so let’s start pumping up her stats.  Starting with Strength (18).

Level 13 fighters can use Indomitable twice a day. 

14th level fighters gain another Ability Score Improvement.  Let’s boost her Constitution (16).  

15th level fighters see their next archetype feature.  Here, her Superiority dice increase to 6.  And when she rolls for Initiative and has no Superiority dice remaining, she regains one.  

The 16th level sees another Ability Score improvement.  Cap Strenght again (20).  

17th Level fighters gain 2 uses of Action Surge and 3 uses of Indomitable per long rest. 

18th level Monster Hunters see their Superiority dice become d12s.  

19th level Fighters see their last Ability score Improvement.  Boost Con one last time (18). 

Our capstone is the 20th level of Fighter, gaining a third extra attack.  

Pros: 

A fighter with some decent social bonuses to hold her up, so she has some use outside of combat. 

She can attack in a variety of ways, and with all the weapons, and her wide variety of hits makes it very versatile.  Aside from Bludgeoning, Slashing, and Piercing, she can strike with Radiant and Psychic damage, but the former group is more impactful.  

Above-average healing for a non-caster. She starts with (assuming averages)  184 HP (Assuming averages) with +20 healing from Healing Hands, a 1d4+1 from Healing Word, and second wind healing 1d10+20 on top of that.  She can soak up a lot of hits.  

Cons: 

Low AC.  She’s going to need a shield to really bring her up to snuff. 

Casting saves are very low.   Casting with two different ability scores can hold her back quite a bit.  You may want to move a Stat boost to Charisma or Wisdom as you see fit. 

Limited Superiority use and pool.   

Despite her catching arrows and being very much a kung fu fighter, I felt this covered her a lot better and made an overall more viable character than could be done otherwise.  

But what do you think?