dungeonjster

[dungeonjster]

yoooo that would be awesome!!!! :D thanks!!!

And maybe I'll actually finish more vessel subclasses...

[dungeonjster]

do you have plans for something cosmic horror-y? :0 i know u have the deep one subclass but i have a pc in an upcoming campaign that is going to be infused with horrors of a more yog-sothoth variety than cthulhu, so honestly i was probably gonna attempt to make my own subclass unless u had plans to make one yourself 👀

And maybe I'll actually finish more vessel subclasses...

[dungeonjster]

Random mechanic Idea: Boosted Rolls

It's so weird that pass without trace is one of the only spells or abilities that add flat numbers (and big numbers at that) to rolls, and that great weapon master/sharp shooter are some of the only ones that subtract. While I'm usually all for rolling more dice, I think there's a game design space we can play in where players are able to get more out of their rolls than just shifting advantage in their favor.

What I immediately thought of was research in libraries: far too often in critical role the party will seek out an archive of great learning and Matt will ask them to make a knowledge check as a form of research, but that isn't much different than them doing a knowledge check on their own. Imagine if you would that libraries added an automatic +5 or +10 depending on their size and selection, allowing a player's roll to clear additional hurdles of difficulty that they normally wouldn't.

I could likewise see bonuses to craft checks in well equiped workshops, or benefits to medicine while inside a hospital.

[dungeonjster]

i think reframing 'writing a campaign' or 'writing a plot' as writing beats has dramatically changed the quality of my dming. for me personally, i work best when i have a world with pieces that would be moving (regardless of whether the players would be there but obviously, you put the players in the crosshairs to effect change) and plan each 2-4 sessions as its own small story and i've developed a method that really works for me that i use for oneshots, mini campaigns, and in arcs for longer games.

[ID: a screenshot of a bullet point list with template headers: Location, Framing Plot (subheaders Social, Exploration, and Combat), Key NPCS, World Plot Progression, Player Hooks (subheaders repeating Player to be replaced with a PC's name)]

to further explain:

Location(s) — where the sessions will likely take place, so I have a manageable list of places to develop further in terms of worldbuilding.

Framing Plot �� What is happening, what is the inciting the incident and what are the things the players cannot control. Then the subheaders are the three tiers of play. I think it's important to have an idea to tap into all of them or lean heavier into what your party is interested in but consider all of them for fun and exciting Mechanical gameplay as well as story and roleplay.

Key NPCS — Who are the NPCS that are going to be important to the framing and to the players. This is usually just a handful.

World Plot Progression — How does / how will the events of this scenario push forward what your players are working towards?

Player Hooks — Specific thoughts for how to connect the framing plot to each player character and make each player feel invested and like their choices matter.

and that's what I do to plot out my games. It's never "this is how things will resolve" it is, "this is what the situation is and this is how i want to connect my players to it and see what they do"

[dungeonjster]

Map tutorials by Dyson Logos

[dungeonjster]

5e Otherworldly Patron- The King in Yellow

(Inspired by this though I took a different path obv)

Who knows how you came across it, but you did; the accursed play known as The King In Yellow has claimed your mind. Unable to stop yourself, you’ve read it cover to cover and become obsessed with performing it. To gather the funds, the persons, the power you need to bring this glorious work of art to life, you would do anything, cross any distance, slay any foe.

No, no… Patience is needed in this task. No city was built in a day, and this beautiful work requires time, patience, and care to assemble. Thankfully, the first steps towards assembling your cast have already been taken. Already you feel an inspiration welling up inside you, a strength you never knew you had, and it’s letting you do wonderful things.

Keep reading

[dungeonjster]

Ideas for non-combat encounters/events

For when you want some variety for your tabletop RPG.  These events will also give your players a chance to use character skills they don’t often have opportunities for.

Natural Disaster - Have the town the PCs are in catch on fire and see what they do!  Do they cut their losses and run?  Do they heroically try to save trapped townspeople?  What do they do about the aftermath?  Natural disasters are an interesting challenge because there can be lots of danger and drama without necessarily having a villain.  It may also get your PCs to use skills they don’t commonly have a chance to.  You could also try floods, earthquakes, raging storms while at sea, etc.

Powerful Fortress - Put one of your party’s goals in a location where they won’t be able to prevail through combat alone (Example: a fortress where they are vastly outnumbered).  Your players will have to rely on either stealth or guile (or both) to accomplish their goal.  The pacing of such events can be frustrating to some players, but few sessions are as rewarding as a creatively executed heist or infiltration.

Dangerous Crossing - Give them a dangerous physical obstacle to overcome.  A canyon, or a raging river, or quicksand or an old battleground littered with traps and mines.

Festival - Have the PCs encounter a festival or tournament!  With lots of contests! This could be a good opportunity for them to build their fame and fortune (especially if you allow gambling).  Some of my favorite sessions have involved festivals.

Entertainment - Put the PCs in a situation where they have to entertain someone.  What do they come up with?

Letter - Have one of the PCs receive a letter, either from an NPC they’ve dealt with before or from someone involved with their backstory.  This is a good way to make the consequences of their actions seem more real.  You can also use it to introduce new plotlines/sidequests.

Crafting Challenge - Put the PCs in a situation where they need to craft something in order to accomplish their goal.  Maybe they need to make something in order to fix a mechanism?  Or in order to satisfy some local gift-giving custom?  Or they need a forgery?  Maybe as part of an exchange for something else they need?

Lost and Found - Have your PCs discover someone or something that is clearly lost.  Maybe they find an infant in the wilderness.  Or a key with a strange inscription, or some kind of talisman.  Throw in a clue or two to present your players with a tantalizing mystery.  

Inhospitable Wilderness - Have the PCs go somewhere it’s an effort just to survive.  A barren desert, a treacherous swamp with poison gasses, a forest so dense the ground never sees the sun, or even the bottom of the ocean.  Test their endurance and survival skills!

Dinner Party - Have the PCs be summoned to a formal event!  Test them on the battlegrounds of social grace and etiquette!  Even better if it’s in a dangerous environment or an alien culture.

Thief - Have something important stolen from the PCs.  See how they handle it.

Needle in a Haystack - Give the PCs something very difficult to find.  Like a single specific housecat in a sprawling metropolis, or a legendary weapon of which there are many fakes/copies.  

Really, if you need any more inspiration, look at your player’s character sheets and see if they’ve invested any points in a skill they haven’t gotten to use much.  Then invent a challenge they could feasibly use that skill for.  If you can’t think of a situation that could be helped by an Appraise, Craft: Calligraphy or Handle Animal check, you need to practice your own creative problem solving skills!

[dungeonjster]

Worldbuilding Starts With You!

Made for muns building their own setting, this collection of questions is meant to help muns and their followers further their setting(s) as per their followers’ curiosities.

A: Locations

Are there any notable capital cities? How large are they in comparison to other notable cities?

How many continents exist? How many oceans?

Are there any first-, second- or third-world countries? Or is it an apocalyptic setting?

What are is one of the most dangerous areas in your setting? How so?

Are any locations given great significance whether magical, religious or otherwise?

Are there any places that people actively make pilgrimages to?

Do any ruins exist that are frequently explored, researched or sought after?

Are there any locations that are taboo to visit? If so, why?

Are any areas set aside for magical, religious or cultural reasons? What are they like?

Are there any places that are utterly unlivable? How so?

B: The Living

How many species or races exist thus far? Share a little about them if you’d like!

Does the supernatural exist throughout the world? If so, are they kept hidden from the majority or are they well-known?

What race or species dominates the world? If none, is it an equally-dominated realm between the major races and/or species?

What’s the most dangerous animal life that exists?

What’s the most dangerous plant life that exists?

Are there any insects that don’t mirror our own? What sorts are they?

What sorts of animal-, plant- and insect-life exists that are endangered or extinct?

Are there any major groups that are at odds or at war with one another currently?

Are there any taboos that exist for the major races or species? What are they and what consequences does one suffer for dabbling in them?

What’s the dominant race or species currently?

C: Magic v. Science/Technology v. Religion

Is the world ruled more by magic, technology and science, religion or a mixture of them?

What sorts of magic exists in this world, if any? Are there any severe limitations to magic use?

What methods of transportation are most common?

Is there a prominent religion or several equally practiced religions?

Do any religious figures help govern the lands and people?

Do any magical figures help govern the lands and people?

Do gods exist? Tell us about a god or goddess that resides in the world.

Does religion play a role with how laws are developed or is it geared more toward science/technology or magic in mind? If magic exists, do any laws govern over the use of it?

Is medicine further advanced than our own or is it less so? If magic exists, does it play a part with healing the sick or injured?

How far has technology advanced in this setting? Or has it regressed due to some apocalyptic or cataclysmic event?

D: Culture

Are there any unusual traditions among the people and species that exist?

Is there any supernatural phenomena that coincides with folklore or legend?

Are any plants, animals, or locations given great significant meaning? If so, why?

Is information and education evenly spread or is it more of a privilege?

What’s a well-known myth or legend? Is there any truth to it?

What are marriage ceremonies like? Do they differ between the major groups of races or species?

What are funeral rites consist of? How do they differ between the major groups of races or species?

What sort of holidays exist? Do they mirror our own, or are they vastly different?

What sorts of government or ruling systems exist? Are they independent based on the species or race in questions?

What sort of currency or bartering system exists?

[dungeonjster]

GENASI VARIANTS —genasi’s are one of my favorite race to play and i’m constantly saddened by the discrepancy in balance between fire and the other three elements. So, for a while I’ve been chipping away at adding variants to the existing elemental genasi as well as splinter genasi that still fall under the same elemental banner!

as stated in the note on the actual document itself, a lot of the variants are flavor so they’re not as powerful as some of the others. it’s mainly just for your own customization and inspiration for different takes on a genasi character, i hope y’all enjoy!

feedback is always welcome and if you enjoy my ko-fi is here.

[dungeonjster]

FIRBOLG SUBRACES

Have you ever felt like firbolg deserve a bit more diversity and love? Then hey, this is for you! These are all firbolg subraces for D&D 5e, all based on various animals. Feedback is much appreciated!

[dungeonjster]

Alright folks, I know i’ve been rather absent since the whole Tumblr Apocalypse thing, but here’s some Proof that I haven’t just been sitting on My Ass:

Announcing The Oracle!

A couple Months back, while I was working on the Mutophage, I had the idea stroke me of trying to play DND using a Deck of Tarot Cards in place of dice. Seemed like a silly idea, but as it happens sometimes, it stuck. I had seen a few classes out there that tried to make use of a deck of tarot cards in same way. but in most cases it was something along the lines of “I play this card to cast this spell” and felt more like a TGC than like reading tarot. I wanted to make something more integral. The Oracle is My take on support-centric class. By reading and manipulating fate, they are able to change the tide of battle, granting boons to their allies, and casting certain doom on their foes. This class is built from the ground up with the intent of feeling like an actual tarot reading when played. Having read tarot for almost 15 years, I worked to make sure that everything flows naturally in the same way as an actual reading, and in a way that won’t upset your deck. In fact, I designed the class to work as a great exercise in getting to know a new deck, or just learning the essentials tarot in the first place. If you love DND, and you enjoy Reading Tarot, you should definitely give it a read.

The Previews here are missing several pages of the greater arcana, for the full PDF check out the full class using this handy dropbox link. If you like what I do and want to support me, Check out my Patreon or Ko-Fi pages, or just come say hi on my Discord!

[dungeonjster]

Expanded reincarnation or race table

In the PHB, the Reincarnation spell only lists racial options that were given in the PHB, which makes sense. However, we have since gotten more playable races, so it’s high time to expand it. (This has probably been done already, but now it’s been done by me.)

I tried to give vaguely equal prominence to all races, while also including all subraces. This is mathematically impossible when dealing with one hundred integers, therefore you get this approximation. (Each result within “dragonborn” gives the option of two colours, to avoid being completely ridiculous.)

This includes all races and subraces from the PHB, Volo, Mordenkainen, and Elemental Evil.

1-4: aarakocra

5-9: aasimar

5: fallen

6-7: protector

8-9: scourge

10-14: dragonborn

10: black or copper

11: blue or bronze

12: green or brass

13: red or gold

14: white or silver

15-19: dwarf

15-16: hill

17-18: mountain

19: deep (duergar)

20-27: elf

20: dark (drow)

21: eladrin

22-23: high

24: sea

25: shadar-kai

26-27: wood

28-32: firbolg

33-36: genasi

33: air

34: earth

35: fire

36: water

37-40: gith

37-38: githyanki

39-40: githzerai

41-45: gnome

41-42: forest

43-44: rock

45: svirfneblin (deep)

46-50: goliath

51-57: half-elf

58-64: half-orc

65-70: halfling

65-67: lightfoot

68-70: stout

71-77: human

78-81: kenku

82-85: lizardfolk

86-89: tabaxi

90-96: tiefling

97-00: triton

[dungeonjster]

Accents 101

So if you’re a dm like me, you probably want to be relatively skilled in some typical fantasy accents for your game to make things feel that much more real. So i’ve decided to throw together a little master post of “how to” videos on some various accents. This is mostly for my own reference, but if you’d like to save this for yourself too, go right ahead. Feel free to add on to this, as well!

General Accent Tips

How To Learn Any Accent (1)

How To Learn Any Accent (2)

How To Do 12 Different Accents

US/UK/Aussie English Vocabulary Differences

One Woman, 17 British Accents

How To Lose Your Native Accent

How To Learn A Different Accent

Fun Tour of American Accents

Scottish

Scottish In Under 2 Minutes

How to Speak With A Scottish Accent

HOW TO DO A SCOTTISH ACCENT

Speaking Scottish 101

Scottish Slang

Gerard Butler Teaches You Scottish Slang

Scottish Insults

English or “British”

How To Do A British Accent

3 Ways to Sound More British

HOW TO DO A BRITISH ACCENT CONVINCINGLY (1)

HOW TO DO A BRITISH ACCENT CONVINCINGLY (2)

HOW TO DO A BRITISH ACCENT CONVINCINGLY (3)

Henry Cavill and Simon Pegg Teach You English Slang 

French

How To Speak With A French Accent 

How To Do A French Accent In UNDER TWO MINUTES

Tips on how to do a French Accent

French Accent Tip

Irish

How to do an Irish Accent

How To Do An Irish Accent

How To Do An Irish Accent

Guide to Irish Accents

How To Do An Irish Accent In UNDER TWO MINUTES

Russian

How To Speak With A Russian Accent 

How to Do a Russian Accent | Accent Training

How to speak with a Russian Accent

How Russians Speak English

How To Do A Russian Accent 

German

How To Have A German Accent 

How to do a GERMAN ACCENT?

Get the Perfect German ACCENT

Me speaking in 12 GERMAN DIALECTS!

How To Do A German Accent

5 Steps to a perfect German Accent

Canadian

How To Do A Canadian Accent

All aboot Canadian accents

How To Speak Canadian, Without Knowing How!!

Is There A Canadian Accent?

The Canadian English Accent

[dungeonjster]

okay the race is called an Alterfact

they resemble the race of their “parent”, the one who caused the magic that gave them humanoid form, but with dead giveaways that they were once a magic item

so like, they could look mostly like a tiefling, but when they speak the words they say form on their skin in ink and it’s clear they used to be a spellbook

or they could look like an orc, but have the pattern of the gemstone they used to be all over

or they could look like an elf but they are very clearly covered in feathers and obviously used to be a quill

the base race gets a +2 to charisma and has darkvision

their age, alignment, size and speed all follow the typical stuff for their “parent” race

they also start with either mage hand or prestidigitation, representing their inherent magical nature

then the subraces are like

CANDLE

you gain a cantrip that deals fire damage. you radiate dim light in a 30 foot radius. your constitution increases by 1.

SPELLBOOK

you gain a cantrip of your choice from the wizard spell list and an extra language of your choice. your intelligence increases by 1.

ATHAME

you gain proficiency in two weapons of your choice and can treat them as finesse weapons. your dexterity increases by 1.

POTION VIAL

you know the spell Healing Elixir and can cast it at its lowest level without material components. once you cast this spell in this way, you must complete a long rest before you can cast it again. your constitution increases by 1.

GEMSTONE

you know the cantrip Magic Stone. your AC and strength increase by 1.

CRYSTAL BALL

you know the cantrips Guidance and True Strike. your wisdom increases by 1.

QUILL

you know the spell Feather Fall and can cast it at its lowest level without material components. once you cast this spell in this way, you must complete a long rest before you can cast it again. your dexterity increases by 1.

or yknow. other things. depending on balance

but you can also just like

switch out the artifact for another artifact that could reasonably have the same effect??? like the crystal ball could super easily be tarokka cards, the potion vial could also be a mortar and pestle, that kinda thing

and, consulting with your DM, you could just make a whole new one, swapping out the feature for something equivalent

[dungeonjster]

A wiry Human woman guns the throttle of a contraband military vessel while navigating through an asteroid field. Her copilot, a round, squat creature with one eye on a long stalk, gleefully fires the ship’s plasma cannon at the pursuing bounty hunters. A gnarled hunk of meteorite lays in the hold. It pulses with the ultraviolet glow of dark matter magic. A vaguely humanoid android snaps a jeweler’s monocle into place on their optical sensor to get a closer look as a feline man takes a wrench to the smoking engine room.

This vignette is a glimpse into one of many space adventures that you can bring to your table with Spaceships and Starwyrms. S&S is a comprehensive 5th edition supplement that gives you nearly 400 pages of science fiction flavor and rules to transform your 5e experience. The supplement includes:

13 playable species

5 new classes

2 augmented classes

Archetypes for bards, fighters, rogues, paladins, and sorcerers

16 new backgrounds

New equipment, including armor, weapons, and vehicles

A whole chapter on spaceships and spaceship combat

Hacking rules

New cover rules

Environmental rules for zero gravity, radiation, and more

New monsters, including robots, abominations, and starwyrms

A brand-new setting to play in

A custom character sheet

The S&S Core Sourcebook provides everything you need to play in and run all sorts of science fiction adventures, from space operas to cyberpunk runs to exploration missions and everything in between! So buckle up, spacers, and get ready to dive in at warp speed.

So buckle up, space travelers, and get ready to explore the wonder of the Nacora Galaxy in this Core Sourcebook for Spaceships and Starwyrms.

[dungeonjster]

(Netflix) Castlevania: D&D 5e Spells

Happy day after Halloween!

To kinda go with the Stone-Eye Cyclops I uploaded last night, here’s four spells based on magic used by two of the spellcasters seen in the Netflix series.  I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone that hasn’t watched Season 2 yet, but here’s just some fun spells I really wanted to throw together. Fair warning, they’re not tested or anything like that.  They’re just kinda eyeballed so some might be a bit too powerful, or under powered, compared to stuff in the books.  (But really, that’s the fun of D&D sometimes.  Fireball, the most famous of D&D spells, is somewhat overpowered so it’s probably fine.)

-Sypha’s Spells-

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  Sypha’s Severing Ice Guillotine 5th-level evocation 

Casting Time: 1 action Range: 60 feet Components: V, S Duration: Concentration, up to 3 rounds.

A large and sharp sheet of ice is formed within range that lasts for the duration or until you cast this spell again.  When you cast this spell, you can make a melee spell attack against a target within 5 feet of the ice sheet.  On a hit, the target takes 4d6 slashing damage and 4d6 cold damage.       As an action on your turn, you can move the ice sheet up to 20 feet and repeat the attack against a target within 5 feet of it.  The slashing damage and cold damage is reduced by 1d6 for each successful hit it has previously made.       At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 6th level or higher, the slashing and cold damage each increases by 1d6 for every slot level above 5th. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

Sypha’s Orbiting Icicles 3rd-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self Components: V, S Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute.

You create six floating icicles in your space.  They float in the air and orbit you for the spell’s duration.  When you cast the spell–and as an action on each of your turns thereafter–you can expend one or two of the icicles, sending them shooting out as a ranged spell attack at a target within 60 feet, or as a melee spell attack at a target within 5 feet.  On a hit, the target takes 1d8 piercing damage and 1d8 cold damage.       While icicles are still orbiting you, you gain an AC bonus equal to the number of icicles orbiting you (maximum +3 to AC).  If you take fire damage, one icicle melts for each 10 points of fire damage taken.       At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 4th level or higher, the number of icicles created increases by two for each slot level above 3rd. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

-Dracula’s Spells-

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Vlad Tepes’ Dark Inferno 9th-level evocation

Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self (10-foot sphere) Components: V, S Duration: Concentration, up to 5 rounds.

A massive 10-foot diameter sphere of magma appears in existence adjacent to you and lasts for the duration.  At the end of the turn it is cast, the sphere moves 20 feet in the opposite direction away from where you were when conjuring it, the sphere may move through creatures.  Any creature the sphere moves over must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 18d6+20 fire damage.  A creature ending its turn in the sphere, or that moves into the sphere, takes the fire damage as if they failed the saving throw.       At the end of each turn–after the turn the sphere was conjured–the sphere moves 20 more feet in the direction it was previously moving.  As a bonus action that may be taken once, you can change the direction the sphere will travel at the end of the turn.  The sphere flies through the air, and automatically burns through objects with an AC of 15 or less such as objects of wood and weaker, but stops moving if it hits a large sized object or wall made of stone or a harder material and deals its fire damage to the object or wall.  If the wall is destroyed by this damage the sphere resumes moving at the end of the next turn.  The sphere ignores difficult terrain, and counts as difficult terrain for creatures attempting to move through it.  The spell ends if the sphere doesn’t move at all for a whole turn.       If damage from this spell kills a target, the target is consumed entirely by the sphere and leaves no trace behind.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Vlad Tepes’ Fiery Teleport 7th-level conjuration

Casting Time: 1 action Range: Self Components: V Duration: Instantaneous. 

With the burst of a pillar of flame, forming a cylinder 5 feet around you and 30 feet above you, you teleport yourself as per the teleport spell.  On casting this spell every other creature within the cylinder must make a Dexterity saving throw.  Each target takes 8d6 fire damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.  Furthermore every creature within 15 feet of you must make a Strength saving throw or be pushed 10 feet away from you and knocked prone.       The fire pillar spreads around corners.  It ignites flammable objects in the area that aren’t being worn or carried.  Unsecured objects within 15 feet of you are automatically pushed 10 feet away from you by the spell’s effect.       On arriving it is with a sudden burst of smoke and scattered embers that are otherwise harmless to you and the location you teleported to.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Most of Sypha’s spells seem like fun combat magic for player characters to use.  While Dracula’s spells are more appropriate for a big endgame villain.  The fiery teleport is an especially excellent way for the evil wizard, and/or vampire, to make their exit. Please enjoy and I hope your Halloween was spooky.

[dungeonjster]

This is my first attempt at homebrew, so it’s probably not perfect, but here’s the Blind Since Birth character background I made for DnD 5e!

I will be entering all the info into DnD Beyond soon, and I will update this post with the link when it’s done so anyone who wants to use it is able to!