#are thunderclap and misty step

[kath-trashh]

sorry. more pathodun comics. this ones probably my longest one. oops. but daniil fights an undine

[audriel]

let's start thinkin' bout it

chapter 3: breaking ground

Change never comes easily. But it always starts from the first step.

disclaimer: my only knowledge about games are from the novel. so forgive me if the details are lacking.

Fang Rui breathes out a relieved sigh. Finally, the adjustment to Wind Howl’s strategy and his personal playstyle bear fruit. After several dismal showings which threatened Wind Howl’s bid for the playoffs, they are back on track with the bright, glowing score of 10-0 for the team and against not just another team, but a playoff regular, Misty Rain. 

Once they had returned from the All Stars, Fang Rui brought forth some suggestions for the team from a Master Tactician–who was actually his little captain, but Lin Jingyan interpreted as Yu Wenzhou, whom Lin Jingyan knows Fang Rui remains close to. For Blue Rain which current position is near untouchable in the regular season’s rankings, Wind Howl that is struggling even to place 8th is not much of a concern for the team. If anything, Blue Rain might gain help in taking out troublesome opponents such as Xiao Shiqin’s Thunderclap, which pretty much sold Lin Jingyan on the cover-up. 

Fang Rui has no guilt in letting Lin Jingyan believe it came from the Blue Rain captain. Yu Wenzhou has only himself to blame for being so black-hearted. Admittedly, he was relieved, his old captain has always been the most difficult to fool, having known him the longest. Lin Jingyan might have his suspicions, but his trust in Fang Rui made him dismiss them. He owed both Qiao Yifan and Yu Wenzhou, even though the latter doesn’t know it. He trusts Lin Jingyan completely, but he and Qiao Yifan want to keep the changes minimal, being all too aware of the butterfly effect. Still, letting Lin Jingyan in the know is still in the cards. It’s the same for Ye Xiu.

Fortunately, Qiao Yifan won’t be in contact with Ye Xiu anytime soon, due to One Inch Ash still being power-leveled. So Qiao Yifan’s change in skill and personality can be explained by the time he has been away, which is where Fang Rui comes in. Just like Fang Rui used Yu Wenzhou to cover up his more tactically-advanced suggestions, Qiao Yifan will use Fang Rui to cover up his growth, with the sole difference that it’s not actually a lie. 

While he was waiting for Qiao Yifan during his talk with Wang Jiexi, Fang Rui put in an order for Glory account cards–24 Heavenly Domain characters of each class with Orange and Purple equipments on them–to be delivered the next morning. His inner Happy vice captain and team member actually balked at the amount of money spent, which was no different than Qiao Yifan’s reaction when he received the cards.

For a championship team, Happy wasn’t as wealthy as other top teams. At least, not as rich as the public expected from such a high-profile team. They didn’t take many appearances or endorsement offers. Learning from Ye Xiu and Excellent Era (and their Season 11’s mistakes), with the support of Chen Guo, Happy was really selective in doing business activities, particularly those that required the participation of their players. They demanded from the sponsors or any interested parties that any business activities would not disrupt practice or affect the players’ condition. This requirement actually made them quite unpopular in the industry in the beginning. 

That was also why they still operated like a grassroots team, because all the money they got was used to kick start Happy’s training camp and to further develop their characters and supporting departments, and that was after making sure all their players received salaries worthy of their achievements, leaving just enough for operational expenses. That didn’t change much even after they won their second championship title, even after Happy’s training camp came to be as renowned as Blue Rain’s, finally providing the club with a steady revenue and extra funds to splurge should they want it. However, by then, it was too deeply ingrained for them to solve every problem coming their way using their wits (and wiles) first, money last. To her chagrin, Chen Guo was no exception.

Fortunately Fang Rui has been retired for a while so he can quickly suppress the instinct and continue with his purchase. It helps that he has a hefty amount in his bank account. He recalled that in order to familiarize himself better with all 24 classes in Glory as Happy’s commander, Qiao Yifan had his own stack of Glory account cards that he bought by himself. His little captain is the closest to Ye Xiu in being Glory Textbook and master of all classes. Having only recently retired, Qiao Yifan is his best choice as a sparring partner to whip him back into shape.

And Qiao Yifan proved him right.

Fang Rui felt like he was thrown back in time when he went through a rotating battle session against Happy’s entire roster on his first day visiting the team. Qiao Yifan’s playstyle for the other classes than his own closely resembles their teammates. Fang Rui knows it was intentional on his junior’s part, because Qiao Yifan by nature and design is not particularly aggressive. Being Happy’s commander and a Phantom Demon, Qiao Yifan prefers to keep his distance to maintain overall view of the field. It doesn’t mean he can’t, he can be aggressive when it’s needed, but it does mean that he’s performing better in classes that suited him. However, it’s more than enough to prepare Fang Rui when team practice resumed after the All Stars. Qiao Yifan’s help is not just for giving Wind Howl a strategy better suited with Lin Jingyan’s and Fang Rui’s state, but also getting Fang Rui into shape or as close to it. 

Considering his job, he still kept up with Glory, both online and professional games. His alt accounts were all in Guild Happy. At times, he was even involved in Boss hunting and stealing. He was not the only one, he often encountered familiar faces when he arrived on scene. When he had time he would watch the official matches, whether live or recorded. His mind could still keep up with the changes in tactics and strategy, with the new skills that come with the changes in the level cap. He was only limited by his own physical condition, of which now is completely removed by returning to his younger body.

If Fang Rui has to describe his current situation, it is like riding a wild, powerful stallion with him barely holding on to the reins. The solution that he comes up with is to tighten the reins, or in this case is to limit the skills he used, so he can reduce the number and complexity of the inputs, thus reducing operational mistakes for trying to summon nonexistent skills. It can be said that he was handicapping himself, but he’d rather borrow his good friend Yu Wenzhou’s words that he’s solidifying his foundation by returning to the basics. 

Or in other words, like his former captain and team leader’s style: crude.

Well, not that crude, dirty playstyle won’t be complete without the seemingly unnecessary psychological tricks after all. However, by simply being around Ye Xiu, Team Happy have the constant reminder of the importance of solid foundation and the advantage of skill diversity. That’s why their character’s skill points have a unique distribution of not only the subclass’ but also the class’ low-leveled skills together with the higher-leveled ones depending on their playstyle, and at times, depending on their need. It also helps that skill points are what Happy has in abundance. From the eleventh season onward, Wu Yuce wasn’t the only pro player changing his character’s skill point distribution for matches, though admittedly his fellow Fifth Year debutant was still the most frequent. 

Fang Rui ends up significantly changing the skill points on Doubtful Demon that it resembles more of Three Burrows, the last Thief account he used on the professional stage. He is still a Trap Thief, but in the adjusted system, in order to reduce the burden on Lin Jingyan, Fang Rui’s Thief is more proactive, leading the rhythm of Wind Howl. Lin Jingyan is also no longer guarding the ring, instead it is Zhao Yuzhe with Fang Rui starting. Lin Jingyan is put in the individual competition, but not always the first. His old partner is not Ye Xiu after all. 

In that strategy, Lin Jingyan is entrusted to win one point, while he and Zhao Yuzhe are entrusted for the two points in the group arena. The purpose is to give more resting time for Lin Jingyan, to get Fang Rui used to the competitive scene quicker in the guise of a new playstyle, and to give more responsibility to Zhao Yuzhe. Fang Rui remembered how the rookie–it’s weird to treat Zhao Yuzhe as a kid again–puffed up his chest in pride when he was told of the new arrangement, only to receive a harsh wake up call by finding out how much responsibility being the group anchor is. Fang Rui wanted to hit himself, his old self in particular, for not having thought of this in the previous timeline. Once again there’s respect, begrudging as it is, towards the captain and vice captain, and that’s not limited to their rookie, but also the rest of the team.

Lin Jingyan in the later half of his career has never been a particularly flashy or a powerful player, but he is a calm and reliable player and a solid, steady presence of a captain. With the wisdom that comes with age and experience, he doesn’t waver easily and can find ways to fight back regardless of the odds. This adjusted tactic allows Lin Jingyan to shine by playing to his strength. This lack of trust and respect in their captain and ace player can be said to be the main reason behind Wind Howl’s declining performance in the past, his own awful performance didn’t help. He still gets secondhand embarrassment whenever he recalls that period. He got overzealous then, doing too much and too little at the same time. He’s learned a lot since then. He considered himself a better vice captain to his captains after Lin Jingyan (and the best if he can say so), and now that he can be one for Lin Jingyan himself…. Fang Rui exchanges smiles with Lin Jingyan as they lead their high-spirited team back to their hotel. He won’t waste this chance.

Fang Rui checks his phone as he enters his hotel room after parting with Lin Jingyan. The text he received makes him frown and go directly to the computer to check for a certain team’s match. At the same time, he logs into Glory with his alt. It has become a habit to meet up in the arena even though they are only giving updates on each other’s situation. Especially considering how busy he is as Wind Howl’s vice captain and core player, Qiao Yifan is in a better position to keep track of Happy and the professional alliance. Tiny Herb is a championship team and Wang Jiexi is a prominent figure in the Alliance, after all. From last he heard, Wang Jiexi started to communicate and interact more with the substitutes, giving the others no less attention than Gao Yingjie. Only Qiao Yifan and the only female member of Tiny Herb, Liu Fei, seemed to have adapted to the change well, though. This change can also help to explain Qiao Yifan’s growth.

“I’m watching the VOD right now.” Fang Rui says as a greeting. When his Thief account arrives in the room, a Level 70 Phantom Demon is already there. Qiao Yifan merely hums in response.

“... what the fuck ?” Fang Rui curses with a feeling, he cannot believe what he is seeing. He vaguely recalled watching the Excellent Era vs Thunderclap match, wanting to know how it could cause such a huge uproar among the pro players and the public alike. It was not just a crushing defeat, but it was also such an ugly match. It was like none of the players were trying . It was a huge disgrace to the dynasty they have created and the greatest disrespect to the game that Fang Rui didn’t bother to watch the whole match in full, let alone the press conference.

But now… having insider’s knowledge of what was actually going on with Ye Xiu and Excellent Era, Fang Rui can see more beyond the mess.

“Is it because of Lord Grim’s debacle?” Fang Rui frowns. That is the only explanation he can think of. It was quite a media circus, too. It was entertaining then, and it is no less entertaining now.

“I don’t think so.” Qiao Yifan answers. “At least, not directly.”

Fang Rui and Qiao Yifan were quick to log in to the online game before Huang Shaotian even managed to get a match with Ye Xiu. Since they have been practicing together before, they were not far away from each other. They stayed together when they entered the room and stood a good distance away from other spectating pro players so their conversation wouldn’t be overheard.

They had laughed at how Huang Shaotian was used as free labor by Ye Xiu. It didn’t happen only once or twice in the past–in the other timeline. He wasn’t the only victim to Ye Xiu’s shameless ploy, but he was the most frequent. Lu Hanwen, his successor, suffered the same fate in Qiao Yifan’s hands. To be fair, he was not the only one. Qiao Yifan was too gentle and reliable, it was easy to drop their guard against him. Fang Rui, Wei Chen and Ye Xiu all shed tears of pride when they found out, with seething Chen Guo being held back by Su Mucheng and Tang Rou in the background. 

However, they soon fell into a nostalgic silence as they witnessed the legendary account and sole unspecialized character in Glory history. As Ye Xiu and Yu Wenzhou had predicted, the unspecialized class grew weaker as other classes gained more skill. By the time the level cap reached Level 85, Lord Grim completely retired from the professional stage. However, Lord Grim could still be found in the online game, maintaining the tradition from their grassroots' days. It has been the last test and a rite of passage for potential recruits to successfully wield the account before they were promoted to the team. All and any members of Happy were capable of using Lord Grim, so they could accurately judge that Ye Xiu were still holding back. Lord Grim was still Level 52 and Myriad Manifestation Umbrella was at its Level 45 form. Since they were already familiar, they took the time to pay attention to the spectators. Qiao Yifan was the one to spot the four Excellent Era characters: One Autumn Leaf, Total Darkness, Emotionless Magic, and Qi Breaker.

Only three out of the four spectators performed incredibly badly, alongside their Striker and Cleric.

Wait, five people?

“The only likely explanation is that they had a five-men team to chase after Lord Grim in the online game, and they were beaten so badly that it affected their competitive state.” Qiao Yifan comes to the same conclusion. 

“Seriously?” Fang Rui responds incredulously. The Level 75 update isn’t here yet. There should be no reason for pro players to get involved in guild matters. These are no rookies, they should be able to adjust their state quickly.

“...they’re really afraid of Old Ye, aren’t they?” Fang Rui sighs, leaning back on his seat.

“And they don’t even know it.” Qiao Yifan smiles helplessly.

“It explains a lot honestly. No wonder they crash and burn so badly after this.”

Fang Rui and Qiao Yifan go silent. They cannot imagine Ye Xiu’s feelings right now.

“There’s nothing we can do for Excellent Era.” Fang Rui speaks their thoughts out loud.

“Qiu Fei will do well.” Qiao Yifan puts up the reminder that Excellent Era will regain their former glory.

“Just make sure Big Eye won’t steal him away for Tiny Herb.” Fang Rui adds, Qiao Yifan laughs. It has been a bit of an inside joke on how Wang Jiexi kept trying and failing to poach Ye Xiu’s Battle Mage disciples, while Ye Xiu successfully poached from his own team (and in addition to Blue Rain and a special mention for Tyranny’s guild).

“Oh, West Riding Wind just told me there’s a BOSS sighting.” Qiao Yifan reads the message he just received aloud.

“Ooh nice. Give me the coordinates. I’ll join you.”

There’s only so much they can do by sparring against each other. They are too familiar with each other. They need variety, or to be exact, chaos . Which can be easily found in the online game, either BOSS fight or dungeon raid.

Fang Rui as a Thief is too recognizable, so whenever he helps out the guild, he uses a Brawler account instead. Being of the same Fighter class, it’s a good exercise for his Qi Master. Both his Thief and Brawler alt belong to Howling Heights. His Qi Master is purposefully kept unaffiliated for matters unrelated to guild. Meanwhile, Qiao Yifan has joined Wind Howl’s guild as a Spellblade and left his Ghostblade unaffiliated for the same reason. Initially he wanted to use Warlock, but Fang Rui quickly shut him down. His Warlock is an unholy combination of Yu Wenzhou and Wei Chen. 

It will be a matter of time until Blue Brook takes notice of him and brings him to Blue Rain captain’s attention. Fang Rui knows better than anyone else how persistent Yu Wenzhou can be, and in some ways, he’s more annoying than Huang Shaotian. Qiao Yifan has looked at him in confusion since it sounded like from experience. His tired expression kept his little captain from pursuing the line of questioning. He would have told him though if Qiao Yifan asked, especially if he asked him back in their original timeline. Their (future) Yu Wenzhou has been eyeing Happy’s captain and national team’s vice captain as his successor as the Alliance’s Chairman. He has actually mapped (seriously, mapped !) Qiao Yifan’s professional career from captaincy to retirement, from pro player to Alliance employee, and eventually Chairman. Having known and worked with Yu Wenzhou well, he and Ye Xiu saw this coming and acted accordingly so Qiao Yifan won’t be overwhelmed and remain oblivious. They also made it clear that it should be Qiao Yifan’s choice , should he choose to work for the Alliance. Knowing Qiao Yifan, their junior would have preferred to remain in Hangzhou and work for Happy. Fang Rui immediately shakes off the thought when familiar figures come into sight.

West Riding Wind and the rest of the guild elites quickly surround them when they arrive, their excitement palpable. “There you are, Never-Setting Sun and Frosty Blade!”

“Congrats for the win!” “That was an exciting match!” “God Fang, you were awesome!” The guild elites congratulate Fang Rui for Wind Howl’s win with hushed whispers, careful not to be overheard by others, even their own guild, particularly their own guild. 

Wind Howl’s performance has been worrisome after Lin Jingyan’s defeat in the Rookie Challenge, but last match brought the much needed assurance and excitement. Fresh from their latest victory, the guild is in high spirits. Unfortunately, they were not the first to see the BOSS, Tyrannical Ambition was. By the time Howling Heights managed to gather enough people, Herb Garden and Blue Brook had joined in. Usually they wouldn’t force it, but the BOSS was of a Fighter class, so the drops would definitely be useful for the team, so they asked for Qiao Yifan’s help. They were pleasantly surprised that Fang Rui came along. 

All they know of Qiao Yifan is that he is a promising youth that shows tactical talent that Fang Rui discovered. The guild people connected the dots themselves that Qiao Yifan was not from their training camp, so they have been very welcoming, trying to make Team Wind Howl appealing to the talented player, more so when they saw his abilities themselves. The Guild has never reaped so many materials until Little Frosty Blade leads them. He is such a nice and polite boy, too. The Guild leaders sing so much praises to Fang Rui should Qiao Yifan hear them he would definitely resemble a tomato.

“Is it really okay for you to join the BOSS fight? You’ve just had a match tonight.” West Riding Wind asks concernedly. Fang Rui smiles, West Riding Wind is a good man. He is originally from Wind Howl’s training camp, so he’s better informed than an ordinary player how important rest is for pro players.

“I haven’t quite wound down from tonight’s match. I’m good to go.” Cheers come from all around. “Let’s go and steal a BOSS, everyone.” Fang Rui and Qiao Yifan exchange a look, knowing they have identical grins on their faces despite the characters’ emotionless face.

“Little Frosty Blade, take the command.”

“Yes, Senior.”

Stealing BOSSes, Happy’s forever favorite pastime.

xxx

Fang Rui closes the door behind him as he leaves the R&D department. He spent longer time than expected, catching up with Old Xu until they passed dinnertime. He drops by from time to time to visit the few of the old faces that still remain in the club alongside his routine checks on supporting departments, but he has long learned not to disturb the researchers so he makes sure he doesn’t show up unannounced and take more of their time than necessary. He decides to pack up his dinner from the cafeteria and brings it back to his room.

Lately he can be always found in the online game, since they will be reaching an important milestone. Qiao Yifan has taken One Inch Ash back from the power leveler and currently is undergoing the Heavenly Domain challenge. Then there’s the bounty for Lord Grim and Deception.

This should be the events happening right before Wei Chen’s ambush of Lord Grim.

Fang Rui’s presence isn’t really necessary considering the current Qiao Yifan was not the inexperienced rookie in the past. Qiao Yifan will be more than enough to support Ye Xiu and Chen Guo against Wei Chen and his band of brothers. However, there’s a huge amount of luck (or fate) involved in getting Wei Chen to join Happy. Death’s Hand was the sole reason Ye Xiu got a hold of the elusive former Blue Rain captain. There’s no certainty that the Warlock’s Scepter will drop again with Windward Formation’s death. Should it not happen, Wei Chen will be less likely to hear Ye Xiu out.

He will be needed for the worst case scenario, since he still keeps in touch with the man who has recruited him from the Challenger’s League, which also happens to be Wei Chen’s vice captain (and weakness): Fang Shijing. 

Well, that’s the main reason, but Fang Rui will never miss the chance to bully the older man… and to meet the original members of Team Happy. 

Despite Ye Xiu not having appointed anyone as vice captain, Fang Rui and Wei Chen with their experience as former team leaders had been Happy captain’s main helpers when it came to the management of the team and the club. In the wake of Ye Xiu’s retirement, as the remaining pioneering generation, Wei Chen was indispensable. Captain Su Mucheng, Vice Captain Fang Rui and Boss Chen Guo of the new championship team would have been lost and overwhelmed without his guidance.

Happy’s girls were not and have never been just a pretty vase. Happy’s guys knew this better than anyone else, but unfortunately, the world didn’t necessarily think the same. Striking the balance between protecting and supporting them was quite a challenge. They wanted to help them but at the same time didn't want to undermine them. The juniors were still too young and inexperienced, so the task often fell on the two of them, with Wu Chen sometimes being roped in. He and Wei Chen have built a revolutionary friendship from the experience. They will be strangers this time, so he hopes he can get to know the legendary Blue Rain captain earlier.

A system prompt pops up, catching his attention.

System notification: Friend Deception is online.

With pro players’ hand speed, Fang Rui sends him a message for him to set his status as invisible and to check the public announcement, which the other responds with a confused emoji, but nonetheless the scrap-picker changed his status, to his pleasant surprise.

“500 yuan?!” Mo Fan expressed his shock so clearly, even only in text.

“What item did you pick that the guilds put up for such a reward for you? I don’t think I’ve seen that kind of announcement before.” 

There are several curses and multiple annoyed emojis, making Fang Rui chuckle. Mo Fan might be cold and detached in real life, but he’s expressive online. It took the team by surprise when he participated actively in Happy group chat, and to roast Old Wei at that. Later on the professional stage, he was not only renowned as God killer, but also the God with killer one-liners, which the team often brought up to tease him about, to the younger man’s embarrassment. By the end of Season 11, they all learned that he was actually capable of speaking in long, complete sentences, and that the length he spoke corresponded to the level of comfort and closeness he felt with others. Fang Rui has been the first to be granted that special privilege in Team Happy. 

That’s why Fang Rui was the one assigned the task of befriending Mo Fan. After Happy’s senior members retired, the younger ones were becoming much closer and more tight knit. However, it didn’t change the fact that Mo Fan still was most comfortable around Su Mucheng and Fang Rui. What Qiao Yifan didn’t know–and it was not his secret to tell–was that the main reason why Mo Fan opened up so easily to him was because he had made Ye Xiu apologize to Mo Fan when he found out the circumstances of how Mo Fan joined the team. 

From the initial retelling, it did sound like such a hilarious tale, especially when Tyranny–Zhang Xinjie and Lin Jingyan!!–got involved. When he heard the throwaway line from Wei Chen, “We thought he’d come for real-life PK,” he thought the older man had exaggerated as he was wont. 

Fang Rui has always been good at respecting boundaries once he has them figured out, and to his knowledge, so is Ye Xiu. If anything, that man excels at maintaining proper distance. What people know about him is only what he lets others know, which is close to none . Team Happy knows more than other pro players and definitely much more than the general public, but most of the knowledge they have is from Chen Guo who happened to be at the right place and time when Ye Xiu was willing to share more about himself. Even Ye Xiu’s retirement was a surprise to all of them. Except for Su Mucheng… and for him, because they saw the signs.

However, once he got closer to Mo Fan and got to know him better… he understood where he was coming from, why he became a scrap-picker and what Glory meant for him. Glory was not only his escape, it’s his safe haven .

And Ye Xiu took that away from him.

Fang Rui had no doubt that Ye Xiu had no malicious intentions, and Mo Fan as Deception was difficult to communicate with. But to make him unable to enjoy playing Glory because every time he logged in he was pursued and killed…. It was not fair to him. It was downright cruel .

Being pressed for time was not enough of an excuse. Sun Zheping joined their team before the offline matches (although to be fair, he was a former pro player, he needed little adjustment). Providing guidance and training should also be still possible while building rapport in online games. Due to the lack of rapport, Mo Fan ended up mostly self-taught in Happy. He never truly (and was willing to) received proper guidance from Ye Xiu. Su Mucheng and Fang Rui did their best, but they couldn’t really compare to the Glory Textbook. 

Mo Fan did end up settling well in Happy and thriving in the Pro League. He was much better suited for the pro scenes than online games. He was a good friend, a reliable teammate and an important member of Happy. Due to his independent nature, he often provided a different perspective and clearer insight of things. Fang Rui enjoyed their late night chats when they shared a room together.

But it could have been better.

So that’s what he is doing this time around: building rapport and providing guidance to Mo Fan.

“It’s that Lord Grim.” What follows is the longest conversation he has with Mo Fan, and not to mention the most gossip he has ever heard to the point he even brings out the snacks and munches on them while giving appropriate responses. It’s nice being part of history that he used to be unaware of, that even Qiao Yifan is not privy to. More so to being told by the person involved directly and willingly.

Mo Fan has come so far… inwardly Fang Rui sheds tears of pride.

“Who is he?” Surprisingly, Mo Fan asks at the end of his rant. Fang Rui’s eyebrows fly up in surprise. It’s always a significant occurrence whenever Mo Fan takes initiative.

“Who? Lord Grim?” Fang Rui really needs to restrain himself before he responds. Pro player’s hand speed can be quite a curse. Otherwise, he’d come on too eager.

“Who is he that the guilds make such a ruckus over him?” 

“No one really knows. At least no one is saying anything with concrete proof.” Fang Rui sends out a shrugging emoji. “There’s even rumors that he’s Ye Qiu.”

“Who?”

Fang Rui just sends out a speechless emoji, while his stomach hurts trying to hold back laughter. For Mo Fan who has little interest in people, unless they are his teammates and opponents, this is his most common expression. Even for fellow pro players, he remembers their accounts more than the person behind them.

“You don’t even know Ye Qiu?? I know not everyone follows the Pro League, but I thought everyone should know Ye Qiu at the least.”

“Why is that?”

“You know Excellent Dynasty, right? Their professional team and club, Excellent Era created a dynasty by winning three consecutive championships, and it’s all thanks to its captain and core, Ye Qiu and his Battle Mage character, One Autumn Leaf. That’s why there are so many Battle Mage players and why its guild, Excellent Dynasty, is considered among the big guilds in online games.”

“Oh. So that’s why.” Only now, Mo Fan connects the dots. He has wondered, but since it has no relevance to him, he put them aside for more pressing concerns, such as scrap picking and killing. He doesn’t really care about the top guilds. They are not really that special in his eyes. He can defeat their experts just fine. He did notice that there were certain guilds, like Excellent Dynasty, that were more inclined to throw out the name of their guilds as if it was worth something. If any of those guilds can hear Mo Fan’s thoughts, they’re likely crying tears of frustration and anger.

“There are other championship teams and players, but none that have pulled off similar achievements. He’s pretty much a legendary figure in Glory.”

“So this guy, this Ye Qiu, is supposed to be Lord Grim?”

“As I mentioned before, no one is sure who he is, but everyone agrees he’s definitely a pro-level player, even some say he’s god-level. Considering Ye Qiu has just retired and is no longer competing in the Pro League, it does sound plausible.”

“What’s the difference?” Mo Fan notices the differentiation. He has heard other players addressing those pros as gods in conversation. He dismissed them as typical meandering of weak players to the strong or fans to their idols.

Fang Rui mulls over his answer. He knows this is a momentous occasion. The continuous questions are a really, really good sign from the usually aloof Mo Fan. If he does this right, Mo Fan will grow an interest in the Pro League by himself.

“How to say it… Do you consider yourself an expert?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I’m better than others.” Fang Rui quirks a fond smile at the matter-of-fact answer. Mo Fan is indeed an expert among ordinary players in the online game.

“Then that’s what pro players are: the expert of the experts.” Fang Rui pauses. “And Gods… are those who stand out among the pro players.”

There is no response for a long time.

Fang Rui finds himself completely calm, not the slightest bit nervous at the silence. He only has limited interactions with this Mo Fan. He has been careful not to overwhelm his old roommate, quietly following his lead. It was already a miracle that he was willing to add him as a friend. Their initial exchanges were curt and businesslike. Once their business was over, whether it was scrap-picking or playing dungeons, Mo Fan did not stay around to chat. However, after quite some time in their cooperation together, Mo Fan finally couldn’t restrain his curiosity and started asking questions about his actions, mostly about skills utilisation and game strategy. It is not uncommon for Mo Fan to go silent or to go offline afterwards.

Fang Rui recognizes this habit of Mo Fan very well. He had the same habit back in Happy. Once he was more comfortable around the team, it was clear that he did not refuse guidance, but he did prefer to do things at his own pace. He would come up to the teammate who would most likely help him, then afterwards he preferred to be left alone to mull things over. Usually he went over the recordings over and over again, doing his own research and then practicing on his own. He would balk at any offer of help in the process even though it would make everything faster and easier for him. He accepted hints reluctantly, and even then it could go both ways, they never really knew for sure. Though it was almost a guarantee if it came from Wei Chen (and Ye Xiu, when he was particularly moody), Mo Fan would always do the opposite.

Fang Rui takes this silence as a good sign. He guesses that Mo Fan is currently doing his own research about Lord Grim and Ye Qiu. Since he doesn’t go offline, Fang Rui decides to hang around in case Mo Fan comes back with questions and busy himself with the preparation for the next Wind Howl match. 

Fang Rui is so engrossed in watching and taking notes of their next opponent that it takes him a while to notice the new message in his chat box. There’s only a single line, but the content is enough to surprise him.

“Are you a pro player?”

“You think I’m an expert among experts? I’m flattered.” Fang Rui doesn’t miss a beat.

“Free field. Room 23948. Password 1030.”

“How bold of you.” Fang Rui gives a token protest, while smoothly switching to the arena and entering the room number and password. He has actually been waiting for this moment.

Plan “Drag Mo Fan into Pro Scene” has officially kicked off.

xxx

Qiao Yifan blinks at the message in his phone. He has just woken up and washed his face, so he hasn’t had the time to check his phone. He’s so excited at the news that he instinctively presses the call button instead.

“Well, good morn’ to you.” A familiar drawl comes from the phone. Qiao Yifan has a brief moment of embarrassment before his previous excitement quickly covers it up.

“Is it true?”

“Yup.” Fang Rui pops the p. “Our Mo Fan finally shows interest in the big leagues.”

“He figured out that you were a pro player?” Qiao Yifan is amazed. He knows how careful Fang Rui is in dealing with Mo Fan. Whenever he plays online together with Mo Fan, Fang Rui tends to play support, and support’s value tends to be harder to notice. For Mo Fan who is unfamiliar with teamwork, being able to notice not only the value of Fang Rui’s support but also his level is quite an achievement.

“It seems he gained a lot from his time with Lord Grim.”

“Senior is an excellent teacher.” For Qiao Yifan, this is an irrefutable truth.

“So long the student is willing.”

“That’s… unfortunately true.” Qiao Yifan cannot help but feel rather sad at the acknowledgement. Excellent Era finally encountered their deposed and supposedly obsolete captain in the online game, expecting to win against him and a bunch of nobodies he was leading, only to be trounced badly. It should be clear evidence that so long they are willing to listen to Ye Xiu, victory should be a matter of course. They are Excellent Era’s pro players, they should be better than aspiring pro players like Heavenly Justice, who received a mere fraction of Ye Xiu’s direct and constant guidance. And yet… they were busy blaming others but themselves.

“Considering our luck, what are the chances we’ll be meeting Old Wei tonight?” Fang Rui disrupts the melancholy mood before it could linger.

“I’d say, a very good one. Senior Wei is quick at catching opportunities.” Fang Rui’s amused cackle at the other end of the phone makes him chuckle, lifting his mood.

“See you tonight then Brother Rui.”

“See ya.”

Qiao Yifan shakes his head. He might be the one calling, but he ended up being checked up on by his senior. To be honest, his current situation is a significant improvement from his previous life in Tiny Herb. Being allowed to play as Phantom Demon instead of Assassin makes him feel much more at ease and comfortable. He also receives guidance from Wang Jiexi himself. The Tiny Herb captain is not too familiar with the class as Ghostblade doesn’t play a prominent role in the team, but playoff regular Team Void has Ghostblade duo as their core players. They are opponents that Tiny Herb and its captain have studied intensively. Being the Magician, he provides an unique, refreshing insight even for Qiao Yifan who has been hailed as the number one Ghostblade in the future-past. In addition, Wang Jiexi involves him more in individual and team practice. Now, he has more than Gao Yingjie to practice with. 

Then when the official training is done, Qiao Yifan usually goes back to his room to refresh his knowledge of the current teams’ and Alliance’s situation, and to practice more with his alternate accounts online, whether by himself or with Fang Rui. Sometimes he also takes advantage of the free time to either practice or play with Gao Yingjie and fellow Eighth Year rookies. This time around, Tiny Herb’s Qiao Yifan is living a busy, yet rich and fulfilling life. Fang Rui needs not worry about him at all.

It is not to say there’s no awkwardness at all in the team. How can there not be?

The water dispenser player suddenly shows them up, completely overturning their previous perception of him and themselves. The subtle hierarchy they have established is now broken. Before, it’s never a question of who is the worst player among them, who might be kicked out of the team. Now, it could be any of them.

The newfound interest and attention of Wang Jiexi don’t help matters. Instead of cherishing the opportunity to receive guidance from the great god and captain of Tiny Herb, they are too focused on not making any mistakes, on not doing worse than other reserve players. This strategy often backfires on them, making them commit more mistakes than they should have.

Qiao Yifan doesn’t fail to notice how it makes the atmosphere around the reserve players tense and suffocating, but he’s helpless about it. It’s not like he doesn’t want to help, it’s simply he can’t. It’s not only because he’s the main cause, but also because it’s a matter of mindset. It’s not something that can be easily changed.

All he can do is to make sure that Gao Yingjie is not affected by their attitude and focus on helping to build his best friend’s confidence instead.

“Good morning, Yifan!” Gao Yingjie greets him as he opens the door of his room, the other boy is just exiting his own room across from his. 

“Good morning, Yingjie.” Qiao Yifan smiles as they fall in step with each other.

Qiao Yifan finally gained the courage to talk with Gao Yingjie about his situation, determined to come clean before they returned to Tiny Herb. His best friend deserves to know the whole truth from him, and not the incomplete one from Wang Jiexi. 

The conversation had gone easier than he expected. 

His best friend was sad and disappointed, that had been his greatest fear and worry. However, his sadness and disappointment was more directed to himself than Qiao Yifan.

“I’m sorry Yifan.” Gao Yingjie’s expression was as if he was close to tears.

“Yingjie?” Qiao Yifan was confused.

“I know your circumstances better than anyone else. However, I have been too afraid to do anything.” 

“No Yingjie.” Qiao Yifan shook his head vehemently. “We’re just rookies. We’re just doing the best we can.”

“But-but I could’ve just talked with the captain-”

“And then tell him what?” Qiao Yifan gently spoke to his distressed friend. “I was the worst performer in the team. I did not show any improvement for half a season. Even if you spoke well for me, I really had nothing to show. I had been so desperate that I was willing to try out a new class. It was a huge gamble for me. I really didn’t know how it would turn out. 

“I did not tell you not because I did not trust you. It was myself I did not trust.” Qiao Yifan looked straight at Gao Yingjie, not hiding all of the doubt and uncertainty he had been feeling in those dark times. “I wanted… I wanted to prove to myself, and to everyone else that I deserved to be a pro player. And it was something I needed to do myself.”

“Yifan…” Gao Yingjie’s wide eyes were filled with tears. Not wanting to see his friend cry, Qiao Yifan tried to lighten things up.

“I must admit I got a bit arrogant since I received God Ye’s direct guidance. I foolishly thought that was enough.”

Unfortunately it didn’t seem to work as Gao Yingjie still burst into tears, sending him into a panic. Qiao Yifan could only sit next to his friend and comfort him helplessly, promising him that he would not hide things from him anymore. 

Qiao Yifan still doesn’t quite understand what drove his friend to tears, but just like Gao Yingjie who has waited patiently until he was ready to talk, Qiao Yifan will do the same for him.

“Yifan, did you read the group chat?” Gao Yingjie starts after they’ve sat down with their breakfast.

“Do you mean Jade group chat?” Qiao Yifan watches in amusement as Gao Yingjie flails in embarrassment whenever the name is brought up, which is why he did it. Inspired by Fang Rui who wormed his way into Tiny Herb’s seating section during the All Stars, Qiao Yifan spent the rest of the event making friends, taking Gao Yingjie along with him. Soon he was reacquainted with Dai Yanqi from Thunderclap, Yu Nian from Samsara, Li Yuan from Blue Rain, and He Weitang from Royal Style, the ones among the Eight Year debutants he was the closest to and later became the core members of the New Generation. 

Among the newly debuted pro players, their similar background and temperament made them click with each other quickly. None of them were particularly arrogant or ambitious. It was not like they didn’t want to make a name for themselves, but they understood Glory isn’t that simple. They understood how heavy the weight of expectations was. They were also aware of their own strengths and weaknesses. Ultimately they understood that everyone had their own challenges, and there was no use of being envious of others.

They were such good kids. Qiao Yifan was honored to have known them. 

However, it took him until Season 10 to get to know them, and even then it was Dai Yanqi and Li Yuan who reached out first. They took all of Happy's rookies, the odd bunch that they were, under their wings. Before they knew it, they had smoothly integrated with the younger pro players of the Alliance.

It was Dai Yanqi who created the chat group, but it was He Weitang who gave the name of Jade Generation then. It is the same now. Despite the pretentious name, they consist of the most down-to-earth personalities, but also the same people who need frequent reminder to boost their confidence and to know they have people in their corner, who understood all the difficulties being the youngest generation in the current pro scenes and whom they could go to for help, whenever they needed it.

Their generation is in the unique position of nothing they have achieved will be truly original, that they will always be compared with their predecessors and they will always have the shadows of them hanging over them, found within themselves. Even if they do not have any predecessors to compare with, there is the unspoken expectation that they can’t only be ordinary, they need to be outstanding, to be godly . This becomes much harder, and near impossible with the longer career span of pro players, with the difference of experience as a chasm that is difficult to overcome.

But at the same time, for the new generation of Glory fans ushered in by the World Invitationals and Olympics, they have also become the only pro players these fans know. They have become what the Golden Generation was in the early years of the Alliance. They are hauled as Gods, the best of the best, while wondering whether those who bestow that title upon them are making fair comparison with their admired and respected predecessors. Just like less and less people remember Ye Xiu’s One Autumn Leaf, and more and more people remember Sun Xiang’s One Autumn Leaf, that it seems that One Autumn Leaf has always been Sun Xiang.

The Yangtze River forges ahead waves upon waves, the new generation will invariably surpass the old, as it should be. It is an inevitability. It is something their predecessors have learned to accept, to embrace, and it is something they should also learn.

However, the younger generation seems more sensitive in this regard. While their mind understands, their heart remains unwilling. Qiao Yifan is no exception. 

The Jade Generation chat group has been a source of comfort and strength for many of its members.

And to see this remains unchanged brings him great relief, that his return to the past does not irrevocably damage the good things they had.

With their earlier involvement with the Jade Generation, he can see the changes in Gao Yingjie. Getting to know more pro players of his age and of different teams really does him good. Gao Yingjie is getting out of his shell. It is not immediately obvious, but as his best friend, Qiao Yifan can see it clearly. 

So can Wang Jiexi. 

Somehow the man also managed to unerringly pinpoint Qiao Yifan as the cause. He nearly had a heart attack when Wang Jiexi randomly popped out and complimented him for getting Gao Yingjie to join the chat group. Honestly, Qiao Yifan much preferred Ye Xiu to Wang Jiexi as his captain. He can still make heads or tails of Ye Xiu’s thoughts than Wang Jiexi’s. He can understand his current captain just fine during games, but outside them? 

Inner Qiao Yifan is waving a white flag, but Tactician Qiao Yifan is admittedly tempted to dig into the Magician’s brain and compare notes with Fang Shiqian, the God of Healing who has won Tiny Herb’s two championships with Wang Jiexi. He’ll just settle watching and observing Wang Jiexi in his remaining time in Tiny Herb.

“Do you think the pea cakes are ready?” Gao Yingjie asks him excitedly. Qiao Yifan has tried (been dragged to) other teams’ cafeteria, so he can say with confidence that while Tiny Herb cafeteria cannot really compete with a certain team’s cafeteria, their desserts are to die for. It doesn’t matter whether you have a sweet tooth or not, just like himself. It helps that they are the youngest (and cutest) members of the team, so the lovely aunties often let them know ahead of the others if there are freshly made desserts, even going as far as packing them separately for them. 

“Aunt Li did say it should be ready by the time we finished.”

“I’ll go check. If they’re done, I’ll also take your share for you.” Gao Yingjie offers, already standing up before Qiao Yifan can make the offer himself. 

“Okay.” Qiao Yifan can only chuckle in amusement at his best friend’s sweet tooth. Nothing can stand between Gao Yingjie and sweet desserts, not even Wang Jiexi.

Qiao Yifan is about to finish his glass of milk when a snide voice speaks up behind him.

“You’re such a big hotshot now that you can order around Gao Yingjie, huh?”

Qiao Yifan doesn’t blink. His expression remains unchanged even as his seniors come up to his table, looming over him, trying to intimidate him. He is far too old and experienced to be easily provoked with such a pitiful attempt to assert dominance. He is also no longer that Qiao Yifan who is uncertain of his place in his team and questioning his own worth, so all he can feel is sadness for them that they need to resort to such tactics.

He is not surprised to see that Xiao Yun is the one who made the remark with a sneer on his face, but is surprised to see that Zhou Zebai next to him doesn’t seem to share the same sentiment. He actually looks… uncomfortable? 

Due to the new arrangement, he and the senior Ghostblade player cannot help but spend a lot of time together. Zhou Yebai couldn’t hide his discomfort and dislike at first, but once they start interacting more and discussing about Ghostblade tactics and strategy, Qiao Yifan can say that their relationship is not that bad. It’s still a work in progress, and it can be said that the main reason for that is the one senior who cannot hide his hostility, who also happens to be the person Zhou Yebai is closest to in the team.

“Good morning Senior.” Qiao Yifan greets them politely with a smile. “Have you had breakfast?”

Xiao Yun narrows his eyes at his calm response.

“Quit with all that nice guy act. You might be fooling the captain, but you’re not fooling me.”

“I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you mean, Senior.” The helpless look on his face is not faked. Qiao Yifan really doesn’t understand the conclusions Xiao Yun comes to.

“Hah? Still pretending to be a pig, aren’t you? You managed to make yourself so pitiful that the Captain and Gao Yingjie now all bent over backwards for you.”

Qiao Yifan is rendered speechless. It’s not only the incredible mental gymnastics required to come up with that, but also the blatant display of hostility, suggesting that anything he does will only further add fuel to the fire.

“That’s what friends do. But I suppose you won’t understand that, Senior.” 

It’s only due to years of experience being captain that Qiao Yifan can maintain his composure. Otherwise, he’ll be making the same expressions as Xiao Yun and Zhao Yebai who are gaping in shock, in complete disbelief that the words are coming from their supposedly shy and quiet junior.

Gao Yingjie has returned to their table without their notice. Qiao Yifan doesn’t know how much he has heard, but from the flat and stony expression… he has heard enough. Qiao Yifan does not expect to witness this rare sight so early, when Gao Yingjie is still so young and immature.

“Senior Xiao, you can say anything about me, but can you really say that about the captain?”

Never had Qiao Yifan seen someone turn so pale so quickly the way Xiao Yun does. Zhou Yebai is no less pale next to him but he has better presence of mind to pull frozen Xiao Yun away before he can open his mouth and make things worse, especially now that more people have arrived in the cafeteria for breakfast.

Gao Yingjie’s expression remains unchanged, his body is taut with tension, his hands are clenched on his sides, his gaze not leaving the two older members of Tiny Herb until they completely leave the vicinity.

Right before his eyes, Gao Yingjie deflates like all the wind is taken out of his sails, dropping so heavily on the table that Qiao Yifan is worried that his friend has hit something. Gao Yingjie buries his face on his arms so that only his curly hair can be seen.

“Yingjie?? Are you alright??” Qiao Yifan’s hands hover over his friend’s slumped figure, unsure how to comfort him. Suddenly Gao Yingjie’s reddened face suddenly popped up, taking Qiao Yifan by surprise.

“How can you just listen to all of that Yifan? How can you not be angry? I thought… I thought things were getting better.”

Qiao Yifan stares at Gao Yingjie’s misty eyes and trembling lips, reminded of his friend’s expression when burst into tears. Gao Yingjie had the same expression back then, it was sadness mixed with anger at the injustice, at his own helplessness…. Even now and then, the only times Gao Yingjie will and can only be driven to anger only when someone else he cares about is wronged. This is where the two best friends are the most similar.

Qiao Yifan’s heart is filled with pride and affection.

“They are, Yingjie. They are.” Qiao Yifan makes sure to look Gao Yingjie in the eye when he says this. “I might not be able to stand on stage with you, but I can be part of the team’s practice, to help you prepare for competition, so when you go out there, standing on the stage, it’s like I’m there too with you.

“I’m no longer afraid. But unlike me, they are. So that’s why they act like that. And I’ve been in their position. So who am I to be angry at them?”

“You should be angry.” Gao Yingjie frowns, but with his baby face it only looks vaguely threatening.

“Well, I think you’re angry enough for both of us.” Qiao Yifan is relieved to see his friend is no longer looking so sad and angry.

“That’s not how it works.” Gao Yingjie pouts. Qiao Yifan has to resist pinching his cheeks. Now he understands very well why Fang Rui did that to him. He still has his own chubby cheeks.

“Really? You were pretty cool, you know.” Qiao Yifan teases Gao Yingjie.

“ I can’t believe I just said that... ” A whine can be heard as the future captain of Tiny Herb buries his head again, this time out of embarrassment at the realization of what he has done.

Qiao Yifan can’t help it, he laughs.

Notes:

Thanks for reading Chinese fics via MTL I picked up some Chinese proverbs: Yangtze River back wave pushes front wave, front wave dies on the beach. - the new is constantly replacing the old; each new generation excels the previous; (of things) to be constantly evolving Play a pig eat a tiger - play dumb to deceive/take advantage (i think it’s included in the novel though, so it should be a familiar proverb)

[cagemasterfantasy]

Elf (5.5e)

Created by the god Corellon, the first elves could change their physical forms at will. The elves lost this ability when Corellon exiled them from Arvandor for plotting with another elven deity named Lolth, who tried and failed to usurp Corellon’s dominion. When Lolth was cast down into the Abyss, most elves renounced her treachery and earned Corellon’s forgiveness, but that which Corellon had taken from the elves was lost forever. No longer able to shape-shift at will, the elves retreated to the Feywild, where their sorrow was deepened by that plane’s influence. Over time, wanderlust and curiosity led many of them to explore other planes of existence, including various worlds in the Material Plane. Elves have the mystical ability to take on characteristics of the environments with which they are bonded—drow to the Underdark, High Elves to fey crossings in the Material Plane, and Wood Elves to forests. These connections grant elves access to certain kinds of magic. Elves are blessed with long lives and long memories. From birth, they don’t sleep but instead enter a trance when they need to rest. In this state, elves remain aware of their surroundings while immersing themselves in their own memories. What an elf remembers during this reverie depends largely on how long the Elf has lived and the events that have shaped the Elf’s existence. Elves have pointed ears and tend to be light on their feet. Another common physical characteristic of elves is their lack of facial and body hair.

Creature Type : Humanoid Size : Medium (about 5-6 feet tall) Speed : 30 feet Life Span : 750 years on average

You are part of an elven lineage that grants you supernatural abilities. Choose a lineage from the Elven Lineages table: Drow, the lineage of the Underdark; High Elf, the lineage of fey crossings and other magical locations; or Wood Elf, the lineage of primeval forests. You gain the 1st-level benefit of that lineage.

Starting at 3rd level and again at 5th level, you also gain the ability to cast a Spell with this trait. Once you cast the Spell with this trait, you can’t cast that Spell with it again until you finish a Long Rest*; however, you can cast the Spell using any Spell Slots you have of the appropriate level.

Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma is your spellcasting ability for the Spells you cast with this trait (choose the ability when you select the lineage).

Drow-The range of your Darkvision increases to 120 feet. You also know the Dancing Lights cantrip. At level 3 you know Faerie Fire and at level 5 you learn Darkness.

High Elf- You know the Prestidigitation cantrip. Whenever you finish a Long Rest you can replace that cantrip with a different cantrip from the Wizard Spell List (aka Acid Splash, Blade Ward, Chill Touch, Dancing Lights, Elementalism, Fire Bolt, Friends, Light, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Mind Sliver, Minor Illusion, Poison Spray, Prestidigation, Ray of Frost, Shocking Grasp, Thunderclap, Toll the Dead and True Strike,). At level 3 you learn Detect Magic and at level 5 you learn Misty Step.

Wood Elf- Your Speed increases to 35 feet. You also know the Druidcraft cantrip. At level 3 you learn Longstrider and at level 5 you learn Pass Without Trace

(I will go over what all the spells do at the end)

Fey Ancestry : You have Advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the Charmed Condition on yourself.

Keen Senses : You have Proficiency in Perception

Trance : You don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep. You can finish a Long Rest in 4 hours if you spend those hours in a trancelike meditation, during which you retain consciousness.

Drow Spells

Dancing Lights is a Illusion Cantrip that is cast by Bard Sorcerer and Wizard. Casting Time is an Action. Range is 120 feet. It does require Verbal and Somatic components and ingredient is a bit of phosphorus. (Though if it's Innate Spellcasting you don't need ingredients). Duration is Concentration, up to 1 minute.

You create up to 4 torch size lights within range making them appear as torches lanterns or glowing orbs that hover for the duration. Alternatively you combine the 4 lights into 1 glowing Medium form that is vaguely humanlike. Whichever form you choose each light sheds Dim light in a 10 foot radius. As a Bonus Action you can move the lights up to 60 feet to a space within range. A light must be within 20 feet of another light created by this spell and a light vanishes if it exceeds the spell's range.

Faerie Fire is a Level 1 Evocation spell for Bard and Druid. Casting Time is 1 Action Range is 60 feet it only requires verbal components and duration is Concentration, up to 1 minute.

Objects in a 20 foot cube within range are outlined in blue green or violet light (your choice). Each creature in the Cube is also outlined if it fails a Dexterity Saving Throw. For the Duration objects and affected creatures shed Dim Light in a 10 foot radius and can't benefit from being Invisible. Attack rolls against an affected creature or object have advantage if the attacker can see it.

Darkness is a Level 2 Evocation spell for Sorcerer Warlock and Wizard. Casting time is 1 action Range is 60 feet. It does require Verbal Components and ingredients are Bat Fur and a piece of coal (though again you don't need them if you can cast it innately). Duration is Concentration, up to 10 minutes.

For the Duration Magical darkness spreads from a point within range and fills a 15-foot radius Sphere. Darkvision can't see through it and nonmagical light can't illuminate it. Alternatively, you cast the spell on an object that isn't being worn or carried causing the Darkness to fill a 15 foot Emanation originating from that object. Covering that object with something opaque such as a bowl or helm blocks that darkness. If any of this spell's area overlaps with an area of Bright Light or Dim Light created by a spell of level 2 or lower that other spell is dispelled.

High Elf spells

Prestidigitation is a Transmutation Cantrip for Bard Sorcerer Warlock and Wizard. Casting time is 1 action range is 10 feet it does require Verbal and Somatic components. Duration is up to 1 hour.

You create a magical effect within range. Choose the effect from the options below. If you cast this spell multiple times you can have up to 3 of its non instantaneous effects active at a time.

Sensory Effect- You create an instantaneous harmless sensory effects such as a shower of sparks a puff of wind faint musical notes or an odd odor.

Fire Play You instantaneously light or snuff out a candle a torch or a small campfire.

Clean or Soil. You instantaneously clean or soil an object no larger than 1 cubic foot.

Minor Sensation You chill warm or flavor up to 1 cubic foor of nonliving material for 1 hour.

Magic Mark You make a color a small mark or a symbol appear on an object or a surface for 1 hour.

Minor Creation- You create a nonmagical trinket or an illusory image that can fit in your hand. It lasts until the end of your next turn. A trinket can deal no damage and has no monetary worth.

Detect Magic is a Level 1 Divination spell for Bard Cleric Druid Paladin Ranger Sorcerer Warlock and Wizard. Casting time is 1 action or can be cast as a ritual. Range is Self and it requires Verbal and Somatic components and duration is Concentration up to 10 minutes.

For the duration you sense the presence of magical effects withing 30 feet of yourself. If you sense such effects, you can take the magic action to see a faint aura around any visible creatures or object in the area that bears the magic and if an effect was created by a spell you learn the spell's school of magic. The spell is blocked by 1 foot of stone dirt or wood, 1 inch of metal, or a thin sheet of lead.

Misty Step is a Level 2 Conjuration spell for Sorcerer Warlock and Wizard. Casting time is a bonus action Range is Self Requires a Verbal Component and Duration is instantaneous.

Briefly surrounded by silvery mist you teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space you can see.

Wood Elf Spells

Druidcraft is a Transmutation Cantrip for (as the name suggests) Druid and outside of subclasses and races is a Druid only spell. Casting time is 1 action, Range is 30 feet, Requires a verbal and somatic components (although again if you can cast it as part of your race it doesn't require Verbal Somatic or Material components) Duration is Instantaneous

Whispering to the Spirits of nature you create one of the following effects within range.

Weather Sense. You create a tiny harmless sensory effect that predicts what the weather will be at your location for the next 24 hours. The effect might manifest a golden orb for clear skies a cloud for rain falling snowflakes for snow and so on. This effect persists for 1 round (or 6 seconds of in game time).

Bloom You instantly make a flower blossom a seed pod open or a leaf bud bloom.

Sensory Effect You create a harmless sensory effect such as falling leaves spectral dancing fairies a gentle breeze the sound of an animal or the faint odor of skunk. The effect must fit in a 5-foot cube.

Fire Play You light or snuff out a candle a torch or a campfire.

Longstrider is a Level 1 Transmutation spell for Bard Druid Ranger and Wizard. Casting time is 1 Action Range is Touch it requires Verbal and Somatic components and the ingredient for it is a pinch of dirt Duration is 1 hour.

You touch a creature. The target's speed increases by 10 feet until the spell ends.

Finally Pass Without Trace is a Level 2 Abjuration spell for Druid and Ranger. Casting time is 1 action Range is Self it does require Verbal and Somatic Components and the ingredient is Ashes from burned mistletoe. Duration is Concentration up to 1 hour.

You radiate a concealing aura in a 30 foot Emanation for the duration. While in the aura you and each creature you choose have a +10 bonus to Stealth checks and leave no tracks.

[nova7311]

I love my party.

So I was just casually playing sime dndbwuth my oarty when this happened: The party was trapped in a prison, one of them (the barbarian) uses misty step to get out of the cell, get his lockpicking tools and opens the door. The next morning the guards arrive with about 35 of them because they heard the loud door open. The barbarian gets asked the question of how he got out and here is his answer:

You see, my father was a mimic and them bloodline and all of that stuff bla bla bla.

To which the guards say: We dont beleive you.

Then the barbarian and the druid work together in an awesome way. The druid uses create water and the barbarian uses misty step to get away again. I, the DM, roll high enough on a perception check and realise they are lying.

Then the barbarian tells the cleric to cast thaumaturgy on him and says this: It is true that I lied to thy mortals, I shall suggest you forgive me for that since I actually am... A GOD!!

The guards still in disbelief say that he will have to prove it and the druid casts ghunderclap right outside the camp. I make the mistake in saying the arguably dumbest thing I could have said "What if that was a coincidence?".

The druid used thunderclap again to almost kill half of the guards and called it a day.

[raeynbowboi]

How to Play as Gardevoir in DnD 5e

Today, we’re building one of the most popular Pokémon, Gardevoir. Since her introduction in Hoenn, Gardevoir has become a staple Pokémon, appearing in almost every generation since, making her something of a counterpart to the Abra line, which has also been in almost every generation since its introduction in Kanto. Initially, Gardevoir was a pure Psychic-type, but after Gen VI, Gardevoir became a Psychic/Fairy dual-type.

Before we can even build Gardevoir, we need to look at the moves it learns by level-up and by TM in order to find the DnD equivalent. We can then assign her build depending on what class or subclass best captures everything she’s capable of.

LEVEL UP MOVES

Confusion // Catapult, Confusion Double Team // Blur, Mirror Image Disarming Voice // Word of Radiance, Thunderwave Hypnosis // Sleep Draining Kiss // Vampiric Touch Teleport // Misty Step, Far Step, Teleportation Circle, Teleport Psybeam // Mind Spike, Tasha’s Mind Whip, Raulothim’s Psychic Lance Life Dew // Aura of Vitality Charm // Bane Calm Mind // Calm Emotions Psychic // Hold Person, Hold Monster, Telekinesis Heal Pulse // Heal, Mass Heal Dream Eater // Dream (Nightmare) Future Sight // Foresight Moonblast // Moonbeam, Sunbeam, Sun Burst Healing Wish // Prayer of Healing, Healing Word, Mass Healing Word Wish // Wish Aura Sphere // Chromatic Orb

MEGA EVOLUTION    Radiant Soul (Race Feature)    Tasha’s Otherworldly Guise

TM MOVES

Thunder Punch // Shocking Grasp Light Screen // Blade Ward, Wall of Light Reflect // Mage Armor, Fizban’s Platinum Shield Safeguard // Aura of Purity Protect // Shield, Globe of Vulnerability, Invulnerability Icy Wind // Frostbite, Rime’s Binding Ice Attract // Charm Person, Charm Monster, Geas Swift // Magic Missile, Crown of Stars Endure // Aura of Life Helping Hand // Aid, Enhance Ability, Skill Empowerment Imprison // Counterspell Rest // Catnap Round // Thunderclap Misty Terrain // Hallucinatory Terrain, Fog Cloud Trick Room // Slow Thunderbolt // Lightning Bolt Substitute // False Life Psyshock // Synaptic Static Shadow Ball // Circle of Death Hypervoice // Shatter Stored Power // Psychic Scream Dazzling Gleam // Guiding Bolt, Sunbeam, Sunburst Shock Wave // Witch Bolt Charge Beam // Chain Lightning Hyper Beam // Dragon’s Breath Psychic Terrain // Mental Prison Mystical Fire // Sacred Flame, Flame Strike Flash // Color Spray

FEATS

Eldritch Adept: Gardevoir gains 1 Warlock Eldritch Invocation

Armor of Shadows: Gives Gardevoir a higher AC, especially since Pokémon don’t wear clothes. Eldritch Mind: Keeps Gardevoir from dropping concentration as easily.

Fey-Touched: Gardevoir gains +1 INT, Misty Step, and one 1st level Divination or Enchantment spell.

Metamagic Adept: Gives Gardevoir 2 Sorcerery Points, and the Metamagic Options of Quickened Spell and Twinned Spell.

Telekinetic: +1 INT, Mage Hand, and Telekinetic Shove

Telepathic: +1 INT, Telepathic Conversation, Detect Thoughts

War Caster: Gives Gardevoir advantage against losing concentration, and allows her to cast a spell as an opportunity attack.

Whether you want to start as a Ralts and evolve into a Gardevoir or just start as a Gardevoir, this build will still work for you either way. We’ll start by making Gardevoir a Protector Aasimar. Gardevoir prides itself on protecting its trainer, even with its life, and Aasimar get to basically have a second form, which you could consider to be a Mega Evolution.

Pokémon don’t really have alignments because each one is an individual. However, Gardevoir is one of the few Pokémon with a well-established mentality, which due to its loyalty and role in the Mystery Dungeon games, we can assert that Gardevoir is a Lawful Good Pokémon.

Pokémon aren’t really known for having Skills, so go with whatever background you see fit for roleplaying purposes. Sage and Acolyte are good choices, but so is Gladiator due to Pokémon battles, Entertainer if its trainer is a Coordinator, Athlete if you want to play into Pokémon Unite, or the new Mage of High Society background could also work. Of the three robe types, I think Gardevoir makes the most sense as an Adept of the White Robes.

WIZARD SCHOOL OF THEURGY (MIND)

As much as I wanted to make Gardevoir a Cleric, she needed too many wizard spells that I couldn’t ignore that a Theurgy Wizard was the best way to make it work. The Cleric of the Mind Domain is a subclass from Eberron, and bolster’s the Cleric’s psychic abilities. Its 1st level ability allows it to change any Radiant damage spell into Psychic damage for free as a choice, and at 6th level, the Gestalt Anchor feature bolsters the defenses of not only Gardevoir, but her allies as well. It adds +2 to the INT, WIS, and CHA saving throws of Gardevoir and nearby allies, allowing Gardevoir to help protect her allies from harmful spell effects.

OTHER OPTIONS

SCHOOL OF THEURGY (PEACE)

Gardevoir’s whole thing is protecting people, and this allows Gardevoir to form a bond with another person, protect her allies, boost her allies, and reduce the damage her allies take. While she can certainly hold her own in combat, her combat focus is definitely on support, and this is a very good support subclass option. The only reason I went with Mind over Peace is that Mind caters to Psychic powers, but it is technically a homebrew created by Keith Baker who was a writer for Eberron. Peace, on the other hand, is an official subclass. So if your DM will allow Theurgy but isn’t so favorable toward Mind, Peace is an excellent back-up option.

BUILD INFO

Race: Protector Aasimar (+2 INT, +1 WIS) Background: Acolyte (Insight, Religion) Alignment: Lawful Good Class: School of Theurgy (Mind) Wizard (20)

STATS STR 8 DEX 18 CON 12 INT 20 WIS 16 CHA 8

SAVING THROWS STR -1 DEX +4 CON +1 INT +13 WIS +11 CHA +1

HP: 102 AC: 17 SAB: 11 SDC: 19 PP: 13

FEATS Eldritch Adept: Armor of Shadows

SPELLS

C Light, Mage Hand, Message, Mind Sliver, Sacred Flame, Word of Radiance 1 Bane, Bless, Catapult, Charm Person, Chromatic Orb, Command, Dissonant Whispers, False Life, Guiding Bolt, Healing Word, Magic Missile, Sanctuary, Shield, Sleep, Thunderwave 2 Blur, Detect Thoughts, Dragon’s Breath, Hold Person, Lesser Restoration, Levitate, Mind Spike, Mirror Image, Misty Step, Phantasmal Force, Prayer of Healing, Tasha’s Mind Whip, Suggestion, Warding Bond 3 Aura of Vitality, Beacon of Hope, Clairvoyance, Dispel Magic, Enemies Abound, Fears, Lightning Bolt, Mass Healing Word, Protection from Energy, Remove Curse, Revivify, Sending, Slow, Spirit Guardians, Vampiric Touch 4 Aura of Life, Aura of Purity, Charm Monster, Confusion, Hallucinatory Terrain, Phantasmal Killer, Raulothim’s Psychic Lance 5 Dominate Person, Far Step, Flame Strike, Greater Restoration, Hold Monster, Rary’s Telepathic Bond, Skill Empowerment, Synaptic Static, Telekinesis, Teleportation Circle, Wall of Force, Wall of Light 6 Circle of Death, Heal, Mental Prison, Sunbeam, Tasha’s Otherworldly Guise, Word of Recall 7 Crown of Stars, Divine Word, Regenerate, Teleport, Tether Essence 8 Dark Star, Dominate Monster, Sunburst, Telepathy 9 Foresight, Invulnerability, Psychic Scream, Wish

There’s far more spells here than a Wizard can learn through level-up, but Wizards can learn as many spells as they want if they have enough gold. You could treat her additional spells as TMs. But unlike Pokémon, she can know more than 4 spells total.

FEATURES

Arcane Recovery: Recover spell slots that add up to 10 that are below 6th level when you finish a short rest. Spell Mastery: Gardevoir can cast a 1st and 2nd level spell at their respective levels at will without using a spell slot. Signature Spell: Gardevoir can choose two 3rd level spells. She can cast these spells once for free without using a spell slot. She recovers this ability after finishing a long rest. Flash of Insight: Reroll an ability check after you roll but before you know if you pass or fail. Add half your wizard level to the second roll, rounded down. You can use this feature twice per long rest. Psychic Force: When you use a spell slot to cast a Radiant cantrip or spell that deals Radiant damage, you can choose to change the damage to Psychic damage. Channel Divinity: Psychic Feedback: You can use your Channel Divinity to impose disadvantage on an enemy when it makes a Wisdom saving throw. If the Wisdom saving throw is a result of a spell or effect caused by something other than a spell you cast, you can deal Psychic damage to the target equal to half your wizard level rounded down before they roll. Gestalt Anchor: You, and creatures within 10 feet gain +2 to all INT, WIS, and CHA saving throws. Bend Reality: When an ally within 30 feet of you fails a saving throw, change the number rolled to a 20. You can only use this feature once per short or long rest.

Gardevoir came out rather well. She does everything I wanted for her. She’s an amazing support pokemon with a good amount of radiant and psychic spells, and even the occasional damage cover spell. She can heal, she can deal damage, and she can protect her allies. I debated whether or not to give Gardevoir the Graviturgy and Chronology exclusive spells, but I opted to say yes. I don’t approve of spells be locked behind a specific subclass. They’re wizard spells, she’s a wizard. I would allow a player to use them at my table, so I include them. Plus, she’s known to create black holes in her Pokédex entries, and it’s literally her ultimate in Pokémon Unite to create a black hole. So, I allowed it. It’s not perfect, there’s a lot of dead UA involved, but if you can find a table that will allow it, I think it’ll be a lot of fun. Some might argue with her having a mere 8 in CHA but last time I checked, the only Pokémon that can talk is Meowth. Her combat stats are far more important.

[cpcoulter-official]

Pluviophile

Pluviophile

(n) a lover of rain; someone who finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days

The bus parked as close as it possibly could to the cover, but when those doors opened, wind and rain came in, causing the boys at the front to howl. Logan just rolled his eyes as he got up, pulling with him his umbrella and his duffel bag emblazoned with Dalton’s crest. He’d already had a long shower following the fencing meet, but it seems the world was determined to give him another one before he made it back to the warm confines of Stuart House.

In front of him, preparing to step out of the bus, he could see Blaine make a grimace before he stuck his own umbrella outside, the friendly fwop! of it opening sounding a moment later. “Where’d this rain even come from…?” he heard him say before the roar of the downpour drowned him out.

Logan eyed the outside, how everything was filtered gray through the rain, misty droplets blowing in the wind. He tucked his things a little closer to him before he made it to the steps, already mentally calculating how long he’d have to endure this rain in the walk to Stuart.

I’d have to take the long way, he thought grimly, stepping out. The shortcut would be all muddy. Just...perfect.

Thunder sang overhead, and a few of the boys flinched under their umbrellas. The coach was yelling something--commands, instructions maybe. But Logan didn’t hear them and had no intention of doing so. He was exhausted, his shoes and the bottom of his pants were soaked, and the wind was blowing the wet onto him in spite of his umbrella. He wanted to be back in Stuart House.

Like the other boys already starting to disperse (whatever the coach said must’ve meant nothing to them too, or the Windsors in the club were just too willing to pretend they didn’t hear), he started to break away from the pack, trying to keep umbrellas from bumping into each other.

There was a ruckus as boarders from the dormitories came running up to the team through the downpour--they had heard they’d won, and had come to greet the victors through the rain, bearing umbrellas and ponchos thrown over them to protect their things from the wet. The cacophony was loud, even with the backdrop of rain, and Logan moved away from it purposefully, wondering if there were Stuarts in the group. He couldn’t tell--the rain was getting heavier.

In the ensuing chaos of boys fighting to cover each other and starting to scatter off towards their respective dormitories, Logan was alone.

That is, until he raised his umbrella slightly, trying to see his way, and found someone without an umbrella standing before him.

Drenched to the bone, white school shirt soaked and dripping, tie loose and wearing a Cheshire smile bright as the sun, was Julian. And he stood under the complete mercy of the rain that beat down upon him unhindered.

“Hey!” Julian yelled over the roar, a laugh tailing the word. “I heard you guys won! Congratulations!”

A little appalled, Logan stared. At the look on his face, Julian dissolved to a laugh that sounded as though this was the happiest day in the world to him. He pushed his streaming dark hair away from his face and grinned. “Come on!” he called to him. “Let’s take you back to the dorm!”

“What are you doing out here?!” Logan shouted back, even though he was perfectly aware of the answer. He gripped his umbrella tight to keep it from sailing away as the wind blew afresh, throwing the rain into them and causing the crowd of boys to cry out in the cold. “Are you crazy?!”

His only answer was another laugh. Julian reached out and grabbed his sleeve, towing him away. “Come on already! Don’t just stand there!”

Logan shook his head, stifling a groan of annoyance, and his feet could do nothing but get wetter by the moment and follow after Julian’s lead, the other boy pulling him along down the pavement.

“Where’s Derek?!” Logan demanded, staring at the drenched figure in front of him.

“Oh, you know him!” Julian replied cheerily. “Not rain or wind will stop his practice! Okay, maybe even Murdoch’s called this one on account of rain, but he’s stuck in the field.”

“This rain is too much, even for you,” Logan eyed him doubtfully. He made to draw him under the umbrella but Julian broke away, knowing what he was up to.

The actor turned gracefully on one heel, flinging water droplets as he did, and bestowed another grin at him. “Are you kidding? This is amazing!!” The last word was a scream, and Julian dissolved to manic laughter as the lightning and thunder sang out in answer to him.

“God, you’re like a three-year-old,” Logan grumbled as Julian trotted ahead of him, and he followed.

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” Julian teased, his shoes squelching and running over already.

“Right where it should be along with my sense of self-preservation,” Logan retorted, clutching his duffel a little closer.

Julian was taking off his shoes now, going barefoot on the wet walk. “I’m going over the lawn,” he declared.

“You are not going running into the mud!” Logan grabbed his hand but the rain made the overly-excited actor too slippery--Julian merely sprung away from reach. “Jules! For goodnessake, get it together!”

“Nope!” Julian replied, already barefoot on the grass and twirling as thunder echoed overhead.

Logan stopped, sighing and watched as Julian did as he always does: running in the rain, whirling in it like a dervish and laughing.

“Jules,” he began.

He watched as dark lashes rested on Julian’s cheeks when he closed his eyes, before standing with his arms spread and palms to the heavens, in a manner he thought people only ever did in movies. Assailed by the cold rain, he stood perfectly at peace, as though this was his benediction, a supplication to the lightning and thunder, and the endless rain that he loved so much.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there watching him. There were so few times that he saw Julian so relaxed outside of him being asleep. And all because of the rain.

Logan wished it were just as easy for him too.

“Hey!”

Julian was grinning at him again. He was walking up to him, pants stained and muddied. Logan raised an eyebrow. “Had enough?”

Without warning, Julian’s eyes glinted. He grabbed him by the wrist and yanked him forward, knocking his umbrella away. Logan was met with the full force of the rain, the roar of the wind, and Julian’s laughter dancing around him.

“Jules!!” Logan howled as Julian dragged him onto the grass, and in the ensuing struggle, the two of them were hurled onto the mud and the grass, screaming.

“Stop being such a wet blanket, for heavenssake!!” Julian yelled to him somewhere in the tangle.

“I can’t get any wetter now, obviously!” Logan snapped back, completely drenched and mud all over his clothes, but even then, he couldn’t bring himself to really be angry. It was too cold and wet to be that angry. Julian’s mood was too infectious right now, and he hated it. He hated how he felt the smile crawl onto his face.

As though it was just that easy.

Logan leapt onto him and tackled him into the grass, Julian screaming in laughter as he got pushed into the mud. The smell of ichor was everywhere, heady and fresh, and under such rain, it was like there was nothing in the world but this.

Breathless as he scrambled back upright, Julian smirked at him, lashes heavy with water drops. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“You’re a head case,” Logan snorted, brushing bits of grass off himself. “You ought to be in Windsor.”

“Ah, but then who’d be here to drag you out into the rain?” Julian replied easily.

It felt easy.

Logan let out his breath and squinted up at the sky that bombarded his face with raindrops. “Well...I guess this is sort of celebrating the win.”

“The sky is cheering for you,” Julian grinned as another thunderclap sounded. “It sounds just like this when I’m standing in front of a crowd and they cheer my name.”

Logan smirked. “So that’s why you like it here. You live on the attention and the cheering.”

“Eh,” Julian shrugged, turning his face to the sky. “Nothing like mother nature at full force to remind you that you’re small, really.”

“You feel small?” Logan raised an eyebrow. “You? You don’t even flinch when you get grilled on talk shows for being a brat. Like there’s anything in this world that will ever make you think you’re inadequate.”

Julian sighed and smiled at him, warmly in spite of this cold. “You’d be surprised.”

Puzzled, Logan stared at him, not sure how to respond to such a strange revelation. Julian sitting there easily, as though nothing in the world mattered but this moment, completely soaked in the middle of school grounds and relishing the torrent, Logan couldn’t imagine what in the world could make someone like his friend feel as though he wasn’t enough. He couldn’t think of anything that ever would.

The noise started to die. It was still raining and hard, but not quite the roar it had been. Logan glanced at the sky, and picked his umbrella up from where it lay on the grass. Julian groaned and threw a handful of grass at his face.

“Don’t be like that,” Logan scolded him as he reached for the duffel too. “We have to get back inside. You know what Derek’ll do to us if he find we’ve been out in this mess.”

“Derek doesn’t care, he lets me sit outside Stuart in the rain as long as I like,” Julian replied smugly, stubbornly still sitting.

Logan rolled his eyes. “That’s because he can keep an eye on you like the clucking mother hen that he is. He’ll call you in any time he feels like it. But out here? You’ll catch it.”

“No.” Julian stubbornly flopped onto the grass like a toddler.

Opening the umbrella, Logan groaned and grabbed him by the wrist, hoisting him up. “Come on, get up, you spoiled brat. Time to head in. I want to get warmed up with some coffee and food and I refuse to be subjected to being your nurse if you get a cold.”

Julian stood with a sigh of disappointment, looking up at the weakening rain. His gaze was disappointed and a little contemplative. “...I guess it couldn’t last forever.”

Water struck his cheeks, everything about him was shining in the wet. Logan reached out and pulled him under the umbrella with him, and this time Julian didn’t fight him away, looking up at him questioningly. Logan gazed down at him and smiled. “Maybe next time.”

Julian smiled again. Neither of them trembled even though it was so cold.

“Are you two serious right now?!”

The two of them looked up to see Derek, positively livid, under a gigantic umbrella, gaping at the two of them. “What are you doing standing in the rain like--WHY ARE THE TWO OF YOU DRENCHED?! DO YOU REALIZE HOW COLD IT IS OUT HERE?!”

Julian erupted into laughter and to Logan’s surprise, he found himself laughing too. He grabbed Julian’s wrist and towed him away towards Stuart, with Derek yelling at them the whole time.

[grailfinders]

Fate and Phantasms #78: Artoria (Lancer Alter)

Today on Fate and Phantasms, we’re making the King of Storms (as well as the King of Being Drawn with Way Too Thin Legs Seriously What Are Those) Artoria Pendragon (Lancer Alter)! You’re the one Artoria that chose to fight for herself, rather than a larger cause, and to reflect that in this build, this is the one Artoria that won’t have a single level of paladin or warlock in her, even though that build would be a lot easier to make and play.

Check out the build breakdown below the cut, or Artoria’s character sheet over here!

Race and Background

Artoria may be a human, but she also leads the wild hunt now, and... living people don’t do that. As a Revenant, she gets +1 Strength, Constitution and Wisdom, and she has a Relentless Nature. As long as her goal isn’t complete, she gains 1 hp at the start of each turn while bloodied, and she returns to life 24 hours after dying. She also always knows the distance and direction of any creatures related to her goal. Upon reaching that goal, she dies, so... no hurries on that.

She’s also a Knight of the Order, giving her proficiency in Persuasion and Arcana. You’re more lucid in events, and those are usually very strange magical events, so.. that checks out.

Stats

There’s a lot of multiclassing requirements, so you might want to play it safe and just take the standard array this time around. Regardless, make your Strength as high as possible- we need it for multiclassing and stabbing. We’ll also need plenty of Dexterity; you might spend most of your time sitting on a horse, but you charge into battle in mostly a bikini, so you’ve got to be good at not getting hit. Your Wisdom should probably be lower than it is, but we need it for multiclassing. Your Charisma isn’t that strong- you’re usually too out of it to be convincing, but again, we need it for multiclassing. We’re not dumping Constitution, so that leaves Intelligence in the lowest slot. You’re can’t tell if you’re in a dream or not most of the time, and while that would be a wisdom dump, it also  means you’re not thinking about things too hard.

Class Levels

1. Barbarian 1: We’ll switch to another class in a bit, but the extra HP from starting as a barbarian is nice and we can get all the skills we need anyway. When you become a barbarian, you gain proficiency in Strength and Constitution saves, as well as Animal Handling and Intimidation to corral your horse and your enemies, respectively.

You also gain your Mana Burst a.k.a. Rage, which you can activate for up to a minute as a bonus action twice per long rest. While raging, you have advantage on Strength checks and saves, bonus damage to strength based melee attacks, and resist bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. To balance this out, you can’t get these bonuses while wearing heavy armor, and you can’t cast or concentrate on spells while raging. On top of that, you have Unarmored Defense, gaining an AC based on your Dexterity and Constitution scores. Those aren’t good right now, so I’d suggest just keeping some medium armor on for now. Also, your Lance is a bit awkward right now, but we’ll fix that soon enough.

2. Ranger 1: Bouncing over to ranger nets you a ranger skill, and your Insight proficiency will help you determine if someone you’re fighting is a worthy hero (hint: if they’re controlled by a player, they’re probably worthy). 

We’re using the Revised Ranger, meaning at first level you gain a Favored Enemy in Humanoids. You get a damage bonus when attacking them, and have advantage on checks to track and recall information about them. You’re also a Natural Explorer, letting you ignore difficult terrain, giving you advantage on initiative, and you have advantage against creatures who have not taken a turn yet. You also have several traveling bonuses for long distance treks.

3. Ranger 2: Second level rangers get a Fighting Style, and Dueling will strengthen your lance even more, once Llamrei shows up. You also learn how to cast Spells using your wisdom. 

For your spells, Beast Bond will grant you a telepathic bond with a friendly animal, and Hunter’s Mark helps you track a target and deal even more damage to them for a very long time.

4. Ranger 3: At third level you pick a conclave, and the revised Beast Master conclave is the only way we’re getting a horse outside of paladin or bard levels. With 8 hours of work and 50 gp, you can summon an Animal Companion to help you. Typically you have to pick one from the list, but you can beg your DM for a horse if you want to, and we want to. You can also re-summon the same animal for half the cost if it dies, so your horse is as immortal as you are. Your Companion’s Bond means your horse uses your proficiency bonus, and also adds that bonus to its AC and damage. It also gains proficiency in Perception and Insight, and is proficient in all saving throws. Whenever you level up as a ranger, your companion gains an extra hit die, and when you gain an ASI in the ranger class, so does your companion.

You also gain a Primeval Awareness, letting you vaguely communicate with animals and sense any favored enemies nearby. (Since you are one of your favored enemies, the answer is always yes.)

Finally, for your spell, grab Fog Cloud. We are still in London, after all.

5. Ranger 4: Use your first Ability Score Improvement to become a Mounted Combatant, gaining advantage on attacks against creatures smaller than your mount, the ability to force attacks targeting your mount to target you instead, and giving Llamrei evasion, so failing a dexterity save means it takes half damage, and succeeding negates all damage. Also, improve Llamrei’s Dexterity to make their AC better.

6. Barbarian 2: Moving back to Barbarian gives you a Reckless Attack, granting you advantage on attacks for a turn in exchange for advantage on attacks against you until your next turn. This doesn’t do much if you’re on Llamrei, but she can’t be around all the time. You also gain a Danger Sense, giving you advantage on dexterity saving throws.

7. Barbarian 3: Setting down the path of the Storm Herald gives you your first taste to being a real King of Storms, granting you a Storm Aura that extends 10′ around you while raging. The sea aura strikes a single creature with lightning when you begin to rage and as a bonus action while raging, forcing a dexterity save to dodge the strikes. The save DC is based on your constitution, which... isn’t good.

8. Barbarian 4: Use this ASI to bump up your Constitution for stronger lightning and more HP and AC, and also bring your Charisma up to multiclassing standards.

9. Barbarian 5: Fifth level barbarians get an Extra Attack with their attack action, as well as Fast Movement, adding 5′ to your movement speed when not wearing heavy armor. You’ve been on a horse for four levels though, so it’s probably not all that useful to you.

10. Ranger 5: We got everything we need from barbarian, so now let’s bounce back over to ranger one last time for a Coordinated Attack. When you take the attack action, Llamrei can react to make one attack at the same time. Friends who slay together stay together.

Also pick up Darkvision; stormy nights tend to be dark ones, and you’re a human with dumb human eyes.

11. Ranger 6: Sixth level rangers get a Greater Favored Enemy; you’re not a huge fan of gods, so you now have advantage on saves caused by Celestials, and deal an extra 4 damage to them and humanoids.

12. Ranger 7: Our last level of ranger gives Llamrei Beast’s Defense; as long as she can see you, she has advantage on all saving throws. This does bring up an argument about whether or not she can see you while you’re riding on her, but horses have good peripheral vision, so she probably can.

You also get Barkskin, which is like Mage Armor, but it’s tougher and a concentration spell. Use it on Llamrei so you can stop taking all her hits for her, or yourself if you want to use the tits out armor style, it’s up to you.

13. Sorcerer 1: Beast Masters and Barbarians are deathly allergic to being interrupted when leveling up, which is why we haven’t gotten any real storm power yet. You can sprinkle these levels in earlier if you want, but that changes now. 

Storm Sorcerers can speak Primordial thanks to Wind Speaker, and Tempestuous Magic lets you fly 10 feet as a bonus action before or after casting a spell. Cast a buff on Llamrei, then fly yourself into her saddle, it’ll be sick. Speaking of, you also get a new Spell list, which uses Charisma to cast. Since you’re multiclassing spellcasters now, you’ll have to check out the multiclassing table to find out how many spell slots you have at each level.

For cantrips, Booming Blade, Gust, Shocking Grasp, and Thunderclap give you some long overdue storm-based attacks. Mage Armor isn’t great for you, but it’s awesome for your horse; by the end of this build she’ll be rocking an AC of 21 with it. For your own protection, grab Shield.

14. Sorcerer 2: You become a Font of Magic, giving you a number of sorcery points equal to your sorcerer level that you can use to make new spell slots. We’re long overdue to give your horse flight, but use Jump for now to triple her jump distance.

15. Sorcerer 3: Third level sorcerers get Metamagic, special ways for you to customize spells using sorcery points. Extended Spell costs 1 point to double the duration of a spell to get the most out of your slots, and Quickened Spell costs 2 points to reduce a casting time of one action to one bonus action.

Speaking of spells, Misty Step will help you keep your distance to prevent the awkwardness of your lance from being too much of an issue, though because you’re not a paladin you can’t take Llamrei with you.

16. Sorcerer  4: Use this ASI to bump up your Strength; you’ll need it for stabbing. Also, pick up Lightning Lure and Warding Wind to help your storm pick up speed. Worth noting: Warding Wind makes difficult terrain for everyone except you; that includes Llamrei.

17. Sorcerer 5: Fifth level sorcerers get third level spells, meaning you can finally help Llamrei Fly. Use this with Lightning Lure for all sorts of OSHA violating fun.

18. Sorcerer 6: You become the Heart of the Storm: You resist thunder and lightning damage, and casting non-cantrips that deal that kind of damage causes you to explode in thunder or lightning, dealing half your sorcerer level in damage to creatures you choose within 10′ of you. You’re also a Storm Guide, letting you stop the rain in a 20′ radius around you, and control the wind’s direction in a 100′ radius, both as bonus actions.

You might have noticed you don’t have any spells that trigger your Heart of the Storm, so let’s fix that with Lightning Bolt.

19. Sorcerer 7: Seventh level sorcerer get fourth level spells. Sickening Radiance lets you unleash your lance’s true power in a 30′ radius, dealing radiant damage and exhaustion damage to creatures that fail a constitution save in the area.

20. Sorcerer 8: Your final level gives you one last ASI. Use this to bump up your Constitution for more health, better rage lightning, and better concentration.

You also get your final spell, Storm Sphere, which creates a stormy sphere that deals bludgeoning and lightning damage.

Pros:

Being on a horse makes you very mobile. Being on a flying horse is just really cool, and also really mobile. The added movement speed can help you attack squishier enemies and escape before the tougher ones can do anything about it.

Did you know almost 100% of player characters die at some point? But you’re already dead, so you can use you Immortality to your advantage. You’re kind of immortal, your horse is kind of immortal, it’s a good deal all around, except for the rest of the party.

Your spells aren’t powerful, but they are flavorful, and if your DM rewards creative play you’ll have a lot to work with. Blow some wind through the trees to copy the wild hunt, and use your flashier spells for intimidation more than actual damage.

Cons:

Your spells are terrible. Every stat that even looks like a spellcasting modifier is, at most, a 14. Save your spell slots for buffs; the rest probably won’t be much help if the enemy has any sort of proficiency on that dexterity or constitution saves.

Using your buff spells might also not be a good idea, because you’ll have to choose between spells and raging. Flight is great, but is it worth not being able to rage? I mean, yes, but your other spells might be more difficult to answer.

Your horse has roughly the same problem as Okita. Great saves, good AC, terrible HP. An enemy with magic missile or some other unavoidable damage will very quickly destroy Llamrei, and without her a lot of your kit becomes much less useful. She’s still much stronger than the horse you’d get for being a paladin, though.

Next up: Five Elements Total Landscaping

[meltedwiing]

THINGS ABOUT NEEGA “NEENEE” AXESLINGER :

half-orc-half-dwarf ( all dorc ), early thirties. five foot eleven and three-quarters. curses her dwarven ancestry for missing out on that extra height. college of valour. livin’ the dream.

golden eyes look out from beneath a pile of braided auburn hair, undercut at the sides to give the effect of a cool-ass mohawk. a full-sleeve of tattoos covers her right arm. she has a scar that stretches from above her left eyebrow, down to a gold-tipped tusk. wears smouldering, spiked armor so it essentially looks like she’s walking through a light fog machine effect and the spikes adorn her pauldrons. she’s got this very viking-rocker vibe.

has a guitar slung on her back and a hand axe at each hip.

the story for her scar changes each time she regales you with it but is always an epic tale.

despite her ability to talk her way out of a fight, she can, will, and does inspire the tavern brawl that just broke out in the corner. find her afterwards with an extra-large tankard of ale as she nurses a split lip or a blooming black eye. or both.

very into using her magic to enhance a performance, ie :  misty stepping to the highest point above a stage and feather falling into the crowd. dramatically slinging her guitar across the stage and then dimension-dooring to catch it. pyrotechnics, prestidigitation, and hypnotic pattern for the visual effects. thunderclap for the percussion. magic mouth instead of backup singers. mage hand to play bass or drums. catapult to launch "merch" into the crowd. aura of vitality manifesting as a spotlight. mending after an epic guitar smash when she's called back for an encore. earth tremor to literally get the crowd rocking. there's more but basically neenee axeslinger set out as a one-woman band and i love that for her.

[tigerkirby215]

5e Lux, the Lady of Luminosity build (League of Legends)

(Artwork by Riot Games)

Quick it’s been a whole 3 updates without Lux getting a skin! Make her a D&D build instead!

Jokes aside (which are actually inaccurate since Ezreal currently has the most skins but...) I’ve been having a blast playing Lux personally in soloqueue. Along with the fact that she is practically the poster child for both Demacia as a Region and League of Legends as a game it’s only fair to make a build for her.

This build is going to give me some sort of terminal illness though because I get to make a full level 20 build in one of my infamously most despised classes to build characters with.

GOALS

Illuminate the enemy - Lux is a light mage, so we’ll need a whole lotta light spells. Light Cleric? Nooo that’s crazy talk.

We can do this - Unlike most full AP “supports” Lux actually has a shield, which at least gives her more to do than just steal kills.

The superior tactic is to never give up - Lux also has a good amount of CC in her kit with Slows and Roots. And the laser; can’t forget the laser.

RACE

You may be surprised to hear that Lux is a human, and unlike most magic humans where I make some excuse to use the Eberron Dragonmarks this time Lux will actually just be a plain old Variant Human! Variant Humans get an increase in two Ability Scores of their choice: Intelligence and Wisdom will let you focus on the tactics, focus on the enemy, and focus on the battle. You also get a skill of your choice like Deception to hide any secrets you may have, and a language where we always pick Celestial for the Demacian good girls.

Of course the main feat of Variant Humans is their ability to get a Feat at level 1. The little light needs a single spark so Magic Initiate will give you that spark! Go into Cleric to get a Lucent Singularity in the form of Sacred Flame, and while you could grab Word of Radiance for a close-ranged burst of light I’d instead suggest Guidance: magic can be used for protection or harm. For your first level spell Shield of Faith will let you throw out your wand to shield your allies. Sure there are probably stronger spells to pick but this is the most in-character.

NOTE: If you want a stronger build with less Radiant damage Resilient (Constitution) or War Caster are very good picks to keep Concentration spells up.

ABILITY SCORES

15; INTELLIGENCE - Lux is a master of superior tactics. That is to say that this isn’t a Cleric build.

14; DEXTERITY - For once this isn’t “something something Medium Armor” but rather that I’d just like to have AC that’s not godawful?

13; WISDOM - In part so that Magic Initiate isn’t terrible, in part so we can see the truth in people.

12; CONSTITUTION - I have no reason for this other than “it’s nice to not have completely godawful health?

10; CHARISMA - There has to be some reason Lux is getting all those skins but ultimately we need other stats more.

8; STRENGTH - You’ve got a big brother to do the heavy lifting. It’s your job to keep smiling!

BACKGROUND

Lux is many things depending on what skin you decide to wear, but officially she’s a Noble of the Crownguard family. As a noble you get proficiency in History and Persuasion as well as a gaming set of your choice. (Lux seems the type for chess? So choose a Dragonchess set unless your DM allows Tellstones instead.) You also get a language proficiency of your choice so pick whatever your ADC will understand. Unfortunately Giant Ape isn’t an option.

As a Noble you have a Position of Privilege. You are welcome in high society, and people assume you have the right to be in suspicious places. Commoners make every effort to accommodate you and other nobles treat you with respect. And if you need to you can have a meeting arranged to meet the local nobles.

(Artwork by Riot Games)

THE BUILD

LEVEL 1 - WIZARD 1

END MY SUFFERING. Welcome to my favorite class of all time to talk about: Wizard! As a Wizard you get two proficiencies from the Wizard list like Insight to see into the hearts of others and Religion since Lux probably went to church. Truthfully just about anything makes sense but these are the two that make the most sense. Feel free to take Arcana if you have to be the obligatory Wizard with Arcana proficiency.

As a Wizard you get access to some Cooldown Reduction thanks to Arcane Recovery, which lets you recover a number of expended spell slots on a Short Rest. The total level of the slots is equal to half your Wizard level (rounded up), and you can’t recover any spells that are higher than 5th level. So in short if you’re level 5 you can recover three total levels of spells: either three 1st level spells, a 2nd level spell and a 1st level spell, or a 3rd level spell.

And of course with the ability to recover spell slots you get access to Spellcasting, which is my favorite part about Wizards because they get an absolute boat load of spells at first level! So with that in mind...

CANTRIPS

If you want to illuminate the enemy grab Firebolt, because light comes from fire after all.

For a little light Prestidigitation will let you do a bunch of things, including create a little light.

Of course the light mage needs to know the Light spell.

SPELLS

It may seem weird but you’re gonna want Alarm. Trust me.

To shield yourself grab both the Mage Armor and the Shield spells.

To protect others from dangers outside of Demacia take Protection from Evil and Good.

If you find any strange stuff around old family tombs then Identify will be helpful. That, and you are the Wizard.

For some offensive light Color Spray will let you blind enemies for a turn, based on their health.

We may not have much yet but we’ve all gotta start somewhere. Now you’re probably wondering why I didn’t pick Light Cleric for this build. Well that’s because...

LEVEL 2 - WIZARD 2

Second level Wizards get a Prismatic Barrier if they go to the School of Abjuration. Along with being an Abjuration Savant (letting you learn Abjuration spells at half the cost and time) you also have an Arcane Ward. When you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher (this includes your Magic Initiate spell!) you create a magical ward on yourself that lasts until you finish a long rest. The ward has a hit point maximum equal to twice your wizard level + your Intelligence modifier.

Whenever you take damage, the ward takes the damage instead. If the damage would reduce the ward to 0 you take any remaining damage. Whenever you cast an abjuration spell of 1st level or higher, the ward regains a number of hit points equal to twice the level of the spell, even if the ward was at 0. At the end of a long rest the ward disappears, and you have to make a new one.

Hey that’s why I told you to take Alarm, as you can ritual cast it to heal your ward! (2 HP at a time!) But speaking of Alarm you can learn another 2 spells: while Detect Magic might be more of Sylas’ thing you are still the party Wizard, and if you want to actually do some damage Earth Tremor is a good replacement for Lucent Singularity. I mean, it does bludgeoning damage but it slows in an AoE!

LEVEL 3 - WIZARD 3

Third level Wizards can learn second level spells. Weird I know. Regardless Hold Person will let you root the enemy with Light Bindings, and Scorching Ray will be a beginner spark that only does Fire damage.

LEVEL 4 - WIZARD 4

Fourth level Wizards get their first Ability Score Improvement. Naturally as a Wizard your main stat is Intelligence, so increase that.

You also learn 2 more spells along with a cantrip!  For your cantrip to keep yourself from getting dove Thunderclap is a big burst of AoE damage that also causes a big boom. For your leveled spell Flash is always good to bring so grab Misty Step, and to keep yourself hidden I’m actually going to recommend Nystul’s Magic Aura, which will help you hide your true self from any detection spells. Yeah you probably won’t need it but it’s still incredibly good to have in case the Mageseekers come looking for you.

(Artwork by Riot Games)

LEVEL 5 - WIZARD 5

5th level Wizards can learn 3rd level spells and hey look I’m actually allowed to take Fireball without it being “not in-character.” Big burst of light big damage woo! Other than that it’s kinda your job to cast spells like Counterspell so...

LEVEL 6 - WIZARD 6

6th level Abjuration Wizards can finally shield their allies with Projected Ward. If an ally within 30 feet takes damage you can use your reaction to make your ward take the damage instead! Of course if the ward breaks protecting them they take the remaining damage as expected.

You can also learn two new spells at this level. You know what shoots in a big line and doesn’t do Radiant damage? Lightning Bolt, because it does lightning damage. Meanwhile if you want to keep your allies safe from anything stupid they might do Remove Curse will get rid of the stupid for you. Shame that you will still be eternally cursed to have a Yasuo on your team.

LEVEL 7 - WIZARD 7

7th level Wizards can learn 4th level spells. Time to grab our first Radiant damage spell with Sickening Radiance. Burn enemies with the light and slow them down with Exhaustion. Magic isn’t evil!

For a more instant detonation of your E Vitriolic Sphere will do a sudden burst of not Radiant but Acid damage in an AoE. I assure you magic isn’t evil!

LEVEL 8 - WIZARD 8

At 8th level you get another Ability Score Improvement which means it’s time to cap off that Intelligence.

You can also learn another two spells and you know what I like? Lines of damage. It’s a bit more than a “final” spark but Wall of Fire will let you create a big line of damage for the enemy to deal with. And again because it’s kinda your job Banishment will let you hit an enemy with Zhonya's, taking them out of the fight until you lose Concentration. More of Bard’s thing but you are the Abjuration Wizard here.

(Artwork by Riot Games)

LEVEL 9 - WIZARD 9

9th level Wizards can learn 5th level spells like Dawn and Wall of Light, to banish the shadows! That’s all the Radiant damage Wizard spells at 5th level!

LEVEL 10 - WIZARD 10

As a 10th level Abjuration Wizard you have Improved Abjuration, letting you add your proficiency bonus to abjuration spells that force a skill check like Counterspell. Consider it a boost to your shields to block oncoming skill shots.

You can also add two more spells to your spellbook: Hold Monster is like Hold Person, but it works on Dragons. And because it’s my build grab  Synaptic Static because I like this spell. Hey: slowing the enemy does make it harder for them to hit you or dodge your attacks!

You also get another cantrip! Message will allow you to speak outside of /all.

LEVEL 11 - WIZARD 11

11th level Wizards can learn 6th level spells. Hey you know the joke that Lux’s ultimate has no cool-down? Well Sunbeam will let you shoot out Final Sparks with no cool-down to do massive damage and blind them. If you want a more deadly, single-use laser however try Disintegrate to turn your enemies to ash! Nope: magic still isn’t evil!

LEVEL 12 - WIZARD 12

12th level Wizards get another Ability Score Improvement but seeing as your Intelligence is maxed out you have a few options: you can increase your Dexterity for better armor, Constitution for better health and Concentration checks, or Wisdom for better Magic Initiate spells. There are also plenty of feats you can take like Tough for more HP, Warcaster or Resilient (Constitution) for better Concentration checks, Elemental Adept (probably for Fire) to make your attacks stronger. Heck, you can even grab Actor to pretend that you’re not actually a mage or Healer to provide some Redemption. These are all just suggestions though so take whatever you think will be good, since I can’t make your character for you completely peace meal.

I can suggest new spells for you though: we’re actually going to hop back a few levels for Dimension Door at 4th level to teleport back to lane, and Tasha’s Hideous Laughter at first level because... well that’s certainly a way to describe Lux’s laugh.

(Artwork by Riot Games)

LEVEL 13 - WIZARD 13

13th level Wizards get 7th level spells. More Radiant damage, anyone? Crown of Stars gives you some radiant projectiles to fire at enemies for big burst of illuminating damage!

But if you want to hold Lucent Singularity for awhile take Delayed Blast Fireball. As the name suggests the spell is delayed, and it gains power as it charges up. Keep the enemy in the AoE until they explode! "Shine bright!"

LEVEL 14 - WIZARD 14

14th level Abjuration Wizards can now buy Adaptive Helm. Spell Resistance? Advantage on all saving throws against spells? Resist all magical damage? Yes please!

And you get two more spells: for some varied light take Prismatic Spray, and if you need to teleport back to base? Use Teleport!

LEVEL 15 - WIZARD 15

Hey 8th level spells! Time for the final Radiant Damage spell: Sunburst! Other than that I think the ability to respawn would be nice: Clone lets you do exactly that, granted with a hefty cost on your CS so... do try not to die too much.

LEVEL 16 - WIZARD 16

16th level means another Ability Score Improvement:

You can increase your Dexterity for better armor, Constitution for better health and Concentration checks, or Wisdom for better Magic Initiate spells. There are also plenty of feats you can take like Tough for more HP, Warcaster or Resilient (Constitution) for better Concentration checks, Elemental Adept (probably for Fire) to make your attacks stronger. Heck, you can even grab Actor to pretend that you’re not actually a mage or Healer to provide some Redemption. These are all just suggestions though so take whatever you think will be good, since I can’t make your character for you completely peace meal.

You also get two more spells. Want an Elder Dragon buff? Illusionary Dragon will summon a big (illusionary) dragon to fight for you! Need a safe place to hide from it all? Demiplane will let you do just that.

(Artwork by Riot Games)

LEVEL 17 - WIZARD 17

17th level Wizards can learn 9th level spells! These are your ultimate powers, and boy are there a lot of them! Start with a Deathcap special: Meteor Swarm! For an ultimate spell of protection Prismatic Wall does a lot of stuff but will absolutely stop your foes with the power of light!

LEVEL 18 - WIZARD 18

18th level Wizards have Spell Mastery, allowing them to cast a 1st level and 2nd level spell at will. By this point your cantrips are probably more effective than your low level “damage” spells, but you can still use some defensive aid from Mage Armor (if you haven’t found something better than Mage Armor to defend yourself with) or Shield. For your second level spell if you’re still fighting humanoids Hold Person will always be useful, but if you want to open the training tool unlimited Misty Step is a powerful option!

And with two more spells in your spellbook you may as well grab the ones at 9, because even if you only have one 9th level slot these spells still cost a ton to learn normally. For a massive burst of magic grab Psychic Scream, and of course you can’t have 9th level spells if you can’t Wish upon a star.

LEVEL 19 - WIZARD 19

19th level Wizards get our last Ability Score Improvement:

You can increase your Dexterity for better armor, Constitution for better health and Concentration checks, or Wisdom for better Magic Initiate spells. There are also plenty of feats you can take like Tough for more HP, Warcaster or Resilient (Constitution) for better Concentration checks, Elemental Adept (probably for Fire) to make your attacks stronger. Heck, you can even grab Actor to pretend that you’re not actually a mage or Healer to provide some Redemption. These are all just suggestions though so take whatever you think will be good, since I can’t make your character for you completely peace meal.

You do also learn 2 more spells but by this point you have so many spells I can’t give you many more to choose from. Just grab whatever you like since its unlikely you’ll even get to level 20 anyways. (Abjuration spells would be a good idea though.)

LEVEL 20 - WIZARD 20

20th level Wizards get signature spells! Choose two spells of third level: these spells will always be prepared, and you can cast them once at third level without expending a spell slot. If you want to cast them again or cast them at a higher level you’ll use the slot as normal. Naturally you’ll want constant access to Lucent Singularity, so take Fireball to always have it at the ready. And if you want lasers Lightning Bolt makes sense, but technically you are still an Abjuration Wizard so Counterspell is kinda your job?

Oh and don’t forget you get two more free spells.

FINAL BUILD

WHY NOT LIGHT CLERIC?

As stated earlier in the build the main reason I went for Abjuration Wizard over Light Cleric was the Arcane Ward ability from Abju Wiz. But Light Cleric doesn’t have much that would be in-character for Lux: Warding Flare could work as a shield but Lux doesn’t really blind people, and the ability is just generally far more limited than Arcane Ward. Radiance of the Dawn lets you banish the shadows but Lux doesn’t have a light burst that originates from her own position, and likewise Corona of Light isn’t something Lux does.

There’s also just generally the fact that Lux doesn’t do Cleric stuff? She doesn’t heal nor does she get her power from god. Lux is mostly a Wizard who focuses on casting many powerful spells. But that being said there are a lot of good Cleric spells that are very Lux-like (Flame Strike, anyone?) and if you wish you could easily make a Lux build going full Light Cleric instead of full Abjuration Wizard. Heck, you could even split between the two if you want.

PROS

No more holding back! - You’re a fully level caster. That means 9th level spells, accompanied by all the spell levels beforehand! Shape the world with your magic!

Take courage in the light - You are also a very powerful support with a 45 health Arcane Ward to shield allies and yourself, not to mention plenty of Abjuration spells and general spells to keep enemies at bay.

A beacon in battle - Even if you’re a squishy Wizard Spell Resistance will give you, well, resistance to most dangers at high levels. Almost everything at high levels is magical, and you take half damage and have advantage against it all! And if they come at you with martial weapons? Well there’s spells for that too!

CONS

Curiosity's gonna kill one of us - Even with resistance you’re still a squishy Wizard with a little over 100 health if you’re lucky. Power Word Kill, anyone?

I don't have dark secrets; I have bright ones - You’re not the most adept out-of-combat, having very few non-combat utility spells and rather weak skills for socializing and exploration.

Into battle with hearts aglow - I took Magic Initiate mostly for RP. Truth is that the feat isn’t good for you. I’d really recommend taking a different feat instead, or at the very least grabbing Healing Word instead of Shield of Faith.

But there’s few problems that can’t be solved with a smile, and even fewer that can’t be solved with a laser. Blast away your enemies and defend your friends: focus on the tactics, focus on the enemy, and focus on the battle! And keep laughter to a minimum. Please.

(Artwork by Riot Games)

[dimittere]

‘ he is a great and terrible beast. a CALAMITY. ’

oh, how those words stung far more than they had any right to be. ganondorf is no mewling babe, no weak being, back bent over for the hylian race to step all over him. OH, GREAT CONQUERER IS HE! ruinous and vile! sowing naught but destruction! the wickedness of such a heavy heart holds no limits! the curse worn 'pon his mantle, violet ICHOR of dark malice —- is he not the calamity and the calamity is he? why so does that thought burn still, angry and seething? and why is he REMINDED of other lifetimes and finds himself retching his DISGUST?

the golden power burns like a brand, like acid melting through steel, like a wildfire running rampant. a curse that could not be broken so easily, a REMINDER of who he is. isn't that what you want? the power you seek? like a drug, MALICE seeps through his bones, intoxicates. it was easier back then, when he was young and especially hotheaded, to allow the power become him. it was his downfall in a sense, wasn't it? did zelda not call him a fool because he could not grasp it with a delicate, but POWERFUL hand? victims are not the men who put others in their graves, but if they were, he'd be a victim to the power struggle of GODS.

as he walks, he seems more like a WRAITH than a man. the swirl of snow rises up around him, flakes fluttering, rising up. the city parts, brittle and MALLEABLE to his presence. the sort of man to make others bend and break, the proud and wicked ruler he is. eerie, the sight may seem to anyone chancing a peek outside their windows, for what sort of man wanders the streets at night, WILLINGLY allowing himself to be swallowed by the empty whiteness. a dark blot in the snow. such purity! corrupted by the DEPTHS of malice!

but, i must do this. i must.

self doubt like daggers in his flesh, mind swimming with thoughts that may not even be his own. he trudges through the snow. not a soul would dare to DISTURB his movements, fear perhaps that the boar would be unleashed and leave droplets of blood within the pristine white. so be it, he is a man on a self imposed mission, and he would not allow a single soul to stand in his way. a CRUEL determination that may as well has done him more harm than good, with his REFUSAL to lie down and die no matter the cost.

the scent of pine, nostrils flare, he is ALMOST there.

what sort of fate awaits a monster too STUBBORN to quit?

the forest of airaisal opens up before him, a narrowly trodden path, grooves worn by the footsteps of tens of travelers before him. the thick leaves and brush tickle. too large, too imposing, a MASSIVE beast of a man. ganondorf could not traverse this path with ease, could never do so. pride encompasses. he walks and walks as he carries that pride, and only when he just barely feels it falter does he halt. a wider opening in the path to take in an empty glen, fog rolling, DARKNESS reigning. is it normally so imposing or is this me? my hands have always been made for darkness and dramatics, HAVEN'T THEY?

❝I WAS WONDERING WHEN YOU'D SHOW UP. DWELLED UPON THE DECISION THE ENTIRE MONTH, HAVEN'T YOU?❞

ganondorf whips around, hand flying immediately towards his weapon. an INSTINCTUAL motion despite the significant timbre of the haunting voice. a voice that he knows far too well. a voice that was his ONLY company for years and years. undying and unyielding. his own voice.

the phantom chuckles from the depths of his throat, eyes lifting to meet the ganondorf of the present. yet, he doesn't move any closer, still having, perhaps, enough sense and UNDERSTANDING of what his own self is capable of. a baffling thought, for one of the first things the ganondorf of the present time notices is the OVERWHELMING display of power. burning bright and infinite, like a meteor reaching impact. his future self could crush him like a gnat. his future self has played this game with the stars long enough, or is this glen a TENUOUS connection with the great sea? a SUBTLE tear in time and space? the younger ganondorf opens his mouth to speak, and yet ——

❝I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO ASK AND NO, WE HAVE NOT DEPARTED FROM RADIALE.❞

then … ?

ganondorf - the one of the present - is quiet, watchful gaze like his loyal helmaroc's. the longer his gaze lingers, the stranger this encounter. there's something … a feeling he can't quite place, a SCENT of vanilla and baked goods. a faint smile against the other's lips. to the younger, it is unusual to see himself so RELAXED, content to stand and stroll and watch the snowflakes toss upon the breeze. his own jaw settles into a hard line, gaze UNRELENTING. is this a joke? far beyond what expectations lied, opposite the terrible monster he expected to see, to rail against. could that beast be in both their futures? or has ofiuco and her lot inadvertently saved a land that was once or could be hyrule?

❝so's she's STILL here, isn't she?❞ out of all the things he could ask, it is what slips to the forefront of his mind first. ❝i RECOGNISE that smell … ❞

the other doesn't respond, not verbally. a pull of the lips upwards to follow, eyes misty and wandering. he looks HAPPY, the ganondorf of the present is all but surprised to discover. yet, like a mirage, the other is his cold, dark, wicked self. still some MALICE left in you yet, eh? he's not certain if that pleases him or not, that there's still a sense of power RADIATED, and even embraced by his future self. he'd not be caught unawares, not fully.

❝SURELY, YOU ARE NOT CURIOUS ABOUT OUR ‘ LOVE ’ LIFE,❞ the other ganondorf laughs COLDLY, as if he never smiled to begin with. as if it was quite simply, a MIRAGE.

❝how are you so satisfied with being here that you can speak so CASUALLY about such a thing?❞ the newcomer barks back, realising just now that he still grips his blade. ❝where is your PRIDE in our people?❞

❝DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?❞ and in return, a loud boom of a voice. a thunderclap. posture shifts, and for a long, cold moment, he wonders if he's gone too far, that the shade of his future would STRIKE him down. but the shade sighs, long and harsh, a cloud of frozen air between them. ❝THEY ARE ALL GONE. YOU KNOW THIS WELL.❞

❝hngh … ❞ the retort feels like DAGGERS, but he sneers back, just as defiantly. ❝do you believe that i am UNAWARE of such a fact? don't be ridiculous ...❞

he takes a step closer to the shade to EMPHASISE. truly, how similar they seem! to the eyes of a stranger, they could have been deemed twins. but for all of his bite and bark and disbelief ( it's just a smile, how could it bother me like so? ) he is relieved. a delicate balance still upheld. eyes trail downwards - two hands marked by power, that much hasn't changed. that much is quite the same. still, eyes pull upwards, WANDERING over his other self, as if seeking a break in armour, a scratch in a shield.

❝YOU CAN'T BRING BACK WHAT WAS LOST. TO GIVE IN TO YOUR CURSE, WHY, NOTHING WOULD BE MORE FOOLISH. AND YOU ARE NOT FOOLISH. YOU CAN STILL CONQUER, STILL STAND TALL, AND NOT SACRIFICE YOURSELF.❞

but isn't that what he wants? no, no, that isn't … is it? self doubts MINGLE in together within his cold heart, a wandering gaze over the other's proud stance. unbothered and unconcerned, like a STATUE instead of a man, almost as if his past self is beneath his scrutiny. and when it comes down to it, his past self may as well be beneath his scrutiny. after all, that power is unmistakable and overwhelming, but also —- his. his control. his DESTINY. and oh, the monarch of the present must seem so weak. so insignificant. crimson eyes to crimson eyes, the man of the present FALTERING in front of the man of the future. spare hand braced against the trunk of an old pine, as if he'd topple over and lose balance in any second.

AND IT IS UNSPOKEN : whatever happens in the land that was, is, or will be hyrule, he will have no part in it.

and just like that, the shade turns. a snap of the sleeves and of the heel, snow crunched beneath the heel of a powerful boot. there's no good-byes to be had, no pleasantries. what is the point in saying FAREWELL to one's own self? a waste of the breath! he will learn. stubborn, he may be, but also aged and wise in his own way. and he's all the time in the world to learn. after all, there's no place to run to, no place to hide. spirale's grip is an ABSOLUTE one. and then, just as quickly as he appeared, the shade disappears into the fog.

the ganondorf who remains, oh, how he has more questions than answers. a FOOL'S errand, surely! are there cameras to record such a humiliation upon his being? he snarls, low and deep like the growl of a wild boar, teeth bared like tusks against the clash of a hunter's spear. DEFIANCE daring the other to turn back around —-he winces; a wet, hot sensation against his hand. eyes falter, turning slowly, wandering over fingertips splintered by wood. eyes lifting to take in the rough gouges hewn in the tree's trunk. red DROPLETS pool before his feet, flesh torn. and yet, he still feels so empty —- so NUMB ———

hand clutches tightly against his chest, a HOWL ripped through his mouth, dying on the air.

he remembers not how long he stands there till he departs, leaving a BLOODSTAINED path in his wake.

[liloelsagranger]

Viridian Love Story - Chapter 6: The necklace

Hey my friends, I’m back...with a new chapter of my current fanfiction “Viridian Love Story”. How’s everyone? Please, enjoy! Chapter 6: The necklace «What's wrong with her?» James couldn't understand her reaction. They had been on a razor's edge, were able to talk their heads off, so that Giovanni merely condemned them to a suspension, no reason for pessimism. Meowth shook his head, landing on James' shoulder in one bound. «Yous put all the blame on her, she had to take the rap for the mess all three of us have made. Yous betrayed her trust. If I were her, I'd be miffed, too. Of course our Jessie can be moody, but this time I understand her completely. She's bailed you out so many times. Saved you from love-struck spirits and spared no effort to accept you as you are, in your very wretched way. Good luck in your attempt to rebuild that trust.» Meowth jumped off James' shoulder to leave him alone with his thoughts. James was thunderstruck. Only now did scales fall from his eyes. This woman had saved his life several times. She got him out of his personal prison. She taught him to laugh and feel joy again. She brought him out of the deepest and darkest holes without asking much in return. He had more than lost her trust. He had, so to speak, thrown her to the dogs and laid the burden of guilt on her. His remorse seemed to overwhelm him. James had to save their friendship or what was left of it. Misty ran through the deserted corridors, desperately looking for Jessie. The Team Rocket member may have answers to her burning questions. Where did Jessie get that necklace? Did she know Misty's mother? Were Misty's parents still alive? Ash came towards her. He seemed to be completely agitated, as if he had spent the last few hours trying to sort out his feelings. «There you are, Misty! I have something important to tell you. I think I'm in love with you. When I was a child I couldn't imagine being your boyfriend, but now, soon grown up and more mature behind the ears, I would like to ask you to join me, this time as my girlfriend» He blushed to the roots of his hair, but he had not expected this answer. «That's all well and good, Ash. I'm glad you like me. But can we do this another time? I'm in a hurry,» she scurried off, without giving him another glance. Jessie took a break at a small stream not far from the campus. She tried to swallow all her anger, she tried to hold back tears of disappointment. How could she have been so wrong about James? Through thick and thin from here to eternity? His promise sounded like a tasteless joke. He had betrayed her all along the line. Angrily, she wiped the hot tears from her face. She wanted to shout out her despair into the world, but humiliation stifled her voice. She listened to the quiet murmur of the stream, completely lost in thought and far from a brutal reality. «Jessie!» A faint voice caught her attention. It wasn't James who called her. « Jessie ! Here you are» Jessie could make out the outlines of a young woman in the dark. «What do you want, twerp?» Misty approached the Team Rocket member, kneeled down next to her and let a gush of questions rain down on her. «Jessie! I need to know! Where did you get that necklace? Who gave it to you? What do you know about it ? » Jessie rolled her eyes in annoyance. Was a little privacy too much to ask for? «That's none of your business, kid! Besides, since when is a frumpy girl like you interested in jewelry?» She grinned at Misty dismissively. «Jessie, it's really important! Listen to me! This necklace belonged to my mother. I need to know where you found it, where you stole it ! » Slowly but surely, Misty got impatient. How could someone be so cold and not show any empathy? «Don't you understand? I need to find my family and this necklace is the first clue in years, please, Jessie» Misty desperatley tried to squeeze some words out of Jessie, but she stubbornly resisted. «Family is overrated, kid» Jessie turned to leave, but Misty held her back. « Don't you have someone you care about, Jessie? Someone you love and need in your life ? Someone you'd miss if they were gone?» There was a shred of feeling in every person, even in a lunatic woman like Jessie. The Team Rocket member paused and thought about Misty's words. James had once been everything to her, the faithful man at her side, but this picture was more than shattered. «No, I don't!» Jessie tore loose from Misty's grip and ran further into the thicket of the forest. «Jessie, wait!» Misty followed her into the deep woods. They wandered around aimlessly, got lost in the pitch black night and didn't realize that they had long since strayed off the marked path. The lurking ghost Pokémon were already looking forward to their new loot. «I don't know where she is, Meowth!» Hoping to settle the dispute, James had set out to find his friend. He and Meowth searched every corner of the university, looked in every single room, but found nothing. She dropped off the face of the earth, no trace of Jessie. Shortly thereafter, the Team Rocket agents could hear familiar voices calling through the night. Armed with flashlights, Ash and Brock searched the campus, until they ran into old acquaintances. «Team Rocket! What are you up to again? Where's Misty? Tell us, right now!» Ash was beside himself with worry. Who else could be responsible for Misty's disappearance than this thieving gang up to no good? «We could ask you the same thing! Have you seen Jessie ? » James took a step towards the young students, but before he could add anything, a shrill scream broke the silence. « Jessie ! » James exclaimed. « Misty ! » Ash ran for the exit. « We need to find them, they might be in danger!» James' heart was beating out of his chest. He did not want to imagine that Jessie had put herself in danger because of his rotten behaviour. All four of them followed the blood curdling screams deep into the forest, stumbling over roots, sinking up to their knees into bog pools. But nothing and nobody could stop them, her friends were in trouble.«Help us!» Misty's cry for help echoed throught the night. «Somebody, please!» Jessie's voice broke. Only a short time later, Ash, Brock, James and Meowth reached a clearing at the end of the forest. The sight they saw made their blood freeze in their veins. There were Misty and Jessie, chained together by invisible forces, surrouned by a horde of Gastlys, Haunters and Gengars who danced around their victims in a trance-like state. « It's all my fault,» James sank to the floor. «No time for self-pity, James!» Brock reached out his hand and helped James to his feet. The ghost Pokémon swayed up and down areound their prey, laughing in the face of their fear. «How can we get them out? Ghost Pokémon are almost invulnerable, we need a diversion» Ash said and looked around in the forest for a way to attract the attention of the spookables. The spirits screamed and mimicked the cries for help of their victims. Jessie tried to free herself from the bonds, but failed miserably. James could no longer watch this grotesque spectacle. He threw himself into the fray without thinking. « James, no ! » Brock wanted to hold him back, but too late. He waded through the sea of purple lights, struggled to make his way forward and was attacked by the ghost Pokémon. They tried to lick his face, they gave him shadow punches, they wanted to get rid of him by all means, but despite the immense pain James was in, he was completely focused on his goal. «He won't survive» Ash and Brock could only stand by and watch James' rescue attempt. James fought on, soon he would reach the center of the ectoplasm. All he had to do was reach out for Jessie, untie her, and carry her out. The gruesome Pokémon used Destiny Bond to make him faint, but James held out, ducked and dodged their attacks. Ash had to rush to his aid. He ordered Pikachu to send in a massive thunder shock, hoping to at least distract the spirits, if not paralize them. Only a few inches separated James from Misty, he could almost touch her fingers. The thunderclap had thrown the ghost Pokémon out of concentration, the bonds were loosened for a split second. James grabbed Misty and pulled her to him. Ash crawled to them and dragged her out of the crossfire. Jessie was still lying there, surrounded by the ghostly creatures who wanted to harm her, since she had entered their territory unauthorized and disturbed their peace. Gengar formed a big black spookball, ready to fire it at Jessie, but James got in his way. He covered Jessie's body and intercepted the attack. Another thunderclap cut through the night. The ghost Pokémon felt threatened and slowly fled away. What was left behind were Jessie and James, huddled and staring in fear. James coughed and spluttered. «I'm fine» he whispered. Jessie took a deep breath. They had barely escapted their end. «What brought your here?» Brock wanted to know. Misty was shaking all over. «I wanted answers. The necklace that Jessie weares belonged to my mother. So where did you get it?» Jessie looked at James questioningly. «Tell them, James. You gave it to me years ago in Kalos . » You could tell that James was very uncomfortable talking about it. « Well, I got it from the treasure trove at Team Rocket Headquarters». Jessie snorted contemptuously. «Is that what I'm worth to you?» Misty interrupted them. «How did that necklace get into the treasure trove? Why do you keep civilian items in it ? « James shied away from an answer. « Well, all belongings and valuables are taken from people who might have information about Mew. Their belongings will be taken away before they're sent for interrogation and subsequent deportation.» Misty's eyes widened. «Does that mean my mother could still be alive?»

[sirblackaxe]

A list of spells that could reasonably be replicated nonmagically by a heroically skilled character, perhaps with minor adjustments to the mechanics (increased ‘casting’ time, can only ‘target’ yourself) or flavor:

Cantrip

Blade Ward

Gust

Mending (Artisan’s Tools)

Poison Spray (Poisoner’s Kit)

Produce Flame

Spare the Dying (Medicine)

Sword Burst

½ of Thaumaturgy (loud voice, tremors, ventriloquism)

Thunderclap

True Strike (Insight)

Vicious Mockery

1

Animal Friendship (Animal Handling)

Catapult (Strength)

Cause Fear (Intimidation)

Command (Charisma)

~Cure Wounds (Medicine)

Detect Evil and Good (Perception)

Detect Magic (Arcana)

Detect Poison and Disease (Medicine / Poisoner’s Kit)

Disguise Self (Deception / Disguise Kit)

~Divine Favor (Stance)

Earth Tremor (Strength)

Expeditious Retreat (Stance)

False Life (Stance)

~Feather Fall (Acrobatics)

~Find Familiar (Animal Handling)

Goodberry (Survival)

Grease (Item)

Hail of Thorns

Heroism (Persuasion, Stance)

Hunter’s Mark (Stance)

Identify (Arcana)

Jump (Strength, Stance)

Longstrider (Stance)

Purify Food and Drink (Cook’s Utensils / Survival)

Sleep (Performance)

Snare (Survival)

Speak with Animals (Animal Handling)

Tasha’s Hideous Laughter (Performance, Stance)

Thunderous Smite (Strength)

Thunderwave (yelling)

Wrathful Smite (Intimidation)

Zephyr Strike (Stance)

2

Animal Messenger (Animal Handling)

Blur (Dexterity)

Calm Emotions (Persuasion)

Darkvision (Perception)

Enhance Ability

Enthrall (Performance)

~Find Steed (Animal Handling)

Find Traps (Perception / Investigation)

Flame Blade (Stance)

Hold Person (Athletics, Grapple)

Invisibility (Stealth)

Lesser Restoration (Medicine)

Locate Animals or Plants (Nature / Survival)

Magic Weapon (Stance)

Mirror Image (Stance)

Misty Step (going fast)

Pass without Trace (Stealth)

Prayer of Healing (Medicine)

Protection from Poison (Medicine)

Pyrotechnics (Alchemist’s Supplies)

See Invisibility (Perception)

Speak with Plants (Nature / Survival)

Spider Climb (Athletics)

Suggestion (Persuasion)

3

Conjure Animals (Animal Handling)

Conjure Barrage

~Elemental Weapon (Stance)

Fear (Intimidation)

Feign Death (Medicine)

Flame Arrows (Stance)

Haste (Stance)

Hypnotic Pattern (Performance)

Melf’s Minute Meteors (Alchemist’s Supplies)

Remove Curse (Arcana / Religion)

Revivify (Medicine)

~Spirit Guardians (Stance)

Stinking Cloud (Alchemist’s Supplies)

Thunder Step (going fast)

Water Walk (Acrobatics)

4

Death Ward (Constitution)

Fabricate (Artisan’s tools)

~Find Greater Steed (Animal Handling)

Freedom of Movement (Dexterity)

Greater Invisibility (Stealth)

Hold Monster (Athletics, Grapple)

Staggering Smite (Strength)

Stone Shape (Sculptor’s Tools)

Stoneskin (Constitution)

5

Commune with Nature (Nature)

Conjure Volley

Contagion (Poisoner’s Kit)

Greater Restoration (Medicine)

Legend Lore (History)

Seeming (Deception / Disguise Kit)

Steel Wind Strike (going fast)

Swift Quiver (Stance)

6

Find the Path (Survival)

Heroes’ Feast (Cook’s Utensils)

Mass Suggestion (Persuasion)

Otto’s Irresistible Dance (Performance)

Primordial Ward (Constitution)

7

Regenerate (Constitution)

8

Earthquake (Strength)

Glibness (Charisma)

9

Invulnerability (Constitution, Stance)

Power Word Heal (Medicine)

Time Stop (going fast)

[cagemasterfantasy]

Wizard Spells (5e)

Cantrips: Acid Splash, Blade Ward, Booming Blade, Chill Touch, Control Flames, Create Bonfire, Dancing Lights, Encode Thoughts, Fire Bolt, Friends, Frostbite, Green-Flame Blade, Gust, Infestation, Light, Lightning Lure, Mage Hand, Mending, Message, Mind Sliver, Minor Illusion, Mold Earth, Poison Spray, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost, Sapping Sting, Shape Water, Shocking Grasp, Sword Burst, Thunderclap, Toll the Dead, True Strike

1st level spells: Absorb Elements, Alarm, Burning Hands, Catapult, Cause Fear, Charm Person, Chromatic Orb, Color Spray, Comprehend Languages, Detect Magic, Disguise Self, Distort Value, Earth Tremor, Expeditious Retreat, False Life, Feather Fall, Find Familiar, Fog Cloud, Frost Fingers, Gift of Alacrity, Grease, Ice Knife, Identify, Illusory Script, Jim's Magic Missile, Jump, Longstrider, Mage Armor, Magic Missile, Magnify Gravity, Protection from Evil and Good, Ray of Sickness, Shield, Silent Image, Silvery Barbs, Sleep, Snare, Tasha's Caustic Brew, Tasha's Hideous Laughter, Tenser's Floating Disk, Thunderwave, Unseen Servant, Witch Bolt

2nd level spells: Aganazzar's Scorcher, Air Bubble, Alter Self, Arcane Lock, Augury, Blindness/Deafness, Blur, Borrowed Knowledge, Cloud of Daggers, Continual Flame, Crown of Madness, Darkness, Detect Thoughts, Dragon's Breath, Dust Devil, Earthbind, Enhance Ability, Enlarge/Reduce, Flaming Sphere, Flock of Familiars, Fortune's Favor, Gentle Repose, Gift of Gab, Gust of Wind, Hold Person, Immovable Object, Invisibility, Jim's Glowing Coin, Kinetic Jaunt, Knock, Levitate, Locate Object, Magic Mouth, Magic Weapon, Maximillian's Earthen Grasp, Melf's Acid Arrow, Mind Spike, Mirror Image, Misty Step, Nathair's Mischief, Nystul's Mystic Aura, Phantasmal Force, Pyrotechnics, Ray of Enfeeblement, Rime's Binding Ice, Rope Trick, Scorching Ray, See Invisibility, Shadow Blade, Shatter, Skywrite, Snilloc's Snowball Swarm, Spider Climb, Spray of Cards, Suggestion, Tasha's Mind Whip, Vortex Wrap, Warding Wind, Warp Sense, Web, Wither and Bloom, Wristpocket

3rd level spells: Animate Dead, Antagonize, Ashardalon's Strike, Bestow Curse, Blink, Catnap, Clairvoyance, Counterspell, Dispel Magic, Enemies Abound, Erupting Earth, Fast Friends, Fear, Feign Death, Fireball, Flame Arrows, Fly, Galder's Tower, Gaseous Form, Glyph of Warding, Haste, Hypnotic Pattern, Incite Greed, Intellect Fortress, Leomund's Tiny Hut, Life Transference, Lightning Bolt, Magic Circle, Major Image, Melf's Minute Meteors, Nondetection, Phantom Steed, Protection from Energy, Pulse Wave, Remove Curse, Sending, Sleet Storm, Slow, Speak with Dead, Spirit Shroud, Stinking Cloud, Summon Fey, Summon Lesser Demons, Summon Shadowspawn, Summon Undead, Thunder Step, Tidal Wave, Tiny Servant, Tongues, Vampiric Touch, Wall of Sand, Wall of Water, Water Breathing

4th level spells: Arcane Eye, Banishment, Blight, Charm Monster, Confusion, Conjure Minor Elementals, Control Water, Dimension Door, Divination, Elemental Bane, Evard's Black Tentacles, Fabricate, Fire Shield, Galder's Speedy Courier, Gate Seal, Gravity Sinkhole, Greater Invisibility, Hallucinatory Terrain, Ice Storm, Leomund's Secret Chest, Locate Creature, Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound, Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum, Otiluke's Resilient Sphere, Phantasmal Killer, Polymorph, Raulothim's Psychic Lance, Sickening Radiance, Spirit of Death, Stone Shape, Stoneskin, Storm Sphere, Summon Aberation, Summon Construct, Summon Elemental, Summon Greater Demon, Vitriolic Sphere, Wall of Fire, Watery Sphere

5th level spells: Animate Objects, Bigby's Hand, Cloudkill, Cone of Cold, Conjure Elemental, Contact Other Plane, Control Winds, Create Spelljamming Helm, Creation, Danse Macabre, Dawn, Dominate Person, Dream, Enervation, Far Step, Geas, Hold Monster, Immolation, Infernal Calling, Legend Lore, Mislead, Modify Memory, Negative Energy Flood, Passwall, Planar Binding, Rary's Telepathic Bond, Scrying, Seeming, Skill Empowerment, Steel Wind Strike, Summon Draconic Spirit, Synaptic Static, Telekinesis, Teleportation Circle, Temporal Shunt, Transmute Rock, Wall of Force, Wall of Light, Wall of Stone

6th level spells: Arcane Gate, Chain Lightning, Circle of Death, Contingency, Create Homunculus, Create Undead, Disintegrate, Drawmji's Instant Summons, Eyebite, Fizban's Platinum Shield, Flesh to Stone, Globe of Invulnerability, Gravity Fissure, Guards and Wards, Investiture of Flame, Investiture of Ice, Investiture of Stone, Investiture of Wind, Magic Jar, Mass Suggestion, Mental Prison, Move Earth, Otiluke's Freezing Sphere, Otto's Irresistible Dance, Programmed Illusion, Scatter, Soul Cage, Summon Fiend, Sunbeam, Tasha's Otherwordly Gaze, Tenser's Transformation, True Seeing, Wall of Ice

7th level spells: Create Magen, Crown of Stars, Delayed Blast Fireball, Draconic Transformation, Dream of the Blue Veil, Ethrealness, Finger of Death, Forcecage, Mirage Arcane, Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion, Mordenkainen's Sword, Plane Shift, Power Word Pain, Prismatic Spray, Project Image, Reverse Gravity, Sequester, Simulacrum, Symbol, Teleport, Tether Essence, Whirlwind

8th level spells: Abi-Dalzim's Horrid Wilting, Antimagic Field, Antipathy/Sympathy, Clone, Control Weather, Dark Star, Demiplane, Dominate Monster, Feeblemind, Illusory Dragon, Incendiary Cloud, Maddening Darkness, Maze, Mighty Fortress, Mind Blank, Power Word Stun, Reality Break, Sunburst, Telepathy

9th level spells: Astral Projection, Blade of Disaster, Foresight, Gate, Imprisonment, Invulnerability, Mass Polymorph, Meteor Swarm, Power Word Kill, Prismatic Wall, Psychic Scream, Ravenous Void, Shapechange, Time Ravage, Time Stop, True Polymorph, Weird, Wish

@doodl3 Zoey

[ktmarkley]

Copper Cape

     From the misty waters of Copper Cape, a leviathan rose to the surface. Moonlight shined off the ink black scales of the sea creature. An unearthly yawn emanated from a mouth large enough to swallow a ship. Massive black eyes watch the beach lazily. What could have threatened him? He brought his finned tail to the surface and stretched it into the sky. The tail returned to the dark water with a splash like a thunderclap. Another yawn echoed across the cliff face. Its eyes, superior to any beasts on land or under the sea, spied the expected movement on the beach. Silently it watched the procession make its way to the edge of the white sand.

     A hundred members clothed in robes of black to mimic the scaled creature they worshiped stood in two parallel lines. A second group made a slow march towards the water. The second group was led by a man swinging a pot from which purple mist seeped. Behind him two guards; robes replaced with black scale mail and helmets lined with sharp points. With curved swords at their hips and long spears in their hands; they watched the beach for intruders on their most sacred of rituals. Behind them, the high priest clothed in an ornate robe. A crown, crafted from a scale of the Leviathan, rested on his aged brow. Old words of deep dark magic spilled from his lips. Prayers to demons and the beast they worshiped so devoutly. Behind him, carried by two members of the dark cult, across, and tied to it a woman, naked but for a white sheet wrapped around her light form. She struggled against the bonds that held her without mercy. Her blonde hair shined bright in the moonlight. Her beauty was true and pure, and the beast’s great eyes rested on her. Its belly rumbled in hunger for the beast had fasted several months for this unholy feast. Two final guards ended the procession.

     The maiden screamed, a desperate call for help into the dark night. As if in answer to the scream a roar echoed down the coast. Filled with rage and animosity the roar even called the attention of the Leviathan. The march stopped and all eyes turned down the beach. From the direction of the roar, a man came from out of the night. Sand churned at his leather-booted feet as he ran towards the cult members. He wore nothing else but hide pants and a belt across his massive chest. Every visible muscle bulged with iron like strength. On his back attached to the belt was an empty scabbard; for the blade it faithfully carried was in the man’s hand.  His hair was long and blonde; pulled into a loose ponytail. His chin was heavily stubbled from many days without shaving. He had murder in his brown eyes, and his sword hand was raised in anger; prepared to strike. The four guards were the first to react to the muscled man running at them. They gathered up their spears and charged him two by two. The lead guard learned quickly that the man before him was unlike any he had before faced. His sword stroke rocked the first guard’s helm. He crumpled to the ground unconscious. Seeing their kin felled so easily the three remaining guards held back and leveled their spears at their opponent. The warrior barbarian growled through clenched teeth. Every muscle tensed, and he pounced as a tiger would upon helpless prey. Knocking a spear tip away he landed among the surprised men leaving them unbalanced. The barbarian hacked down one guard and turned to the remaining two. Finding their spears useless in such close quarters the guardsmen drew their curved blades. Striking in unison the barbarian could only parry one deadly blade. Blood welled where the strike fell on the barbarian’s chest, but the pain and sight of his own blood only angered the warrior further. With the strength of the mighty elephants to the west, he carved at the two men. It was all they could do to parry the vicious onslaught. The soft sand made movement difficult, and soon enough both guards lost their footing and fell. The crazed barbarian fell on the first guard to hit the ground slaughtering him quickly. The second guard rolled over and attempted to gain his feet, but a strong hand held him fast. His balance was pulled from him and he fell to his face in the sand. He was killed before he could begin to rise.

     The cult watched the battle with awestruck terror, and as the gore covered man rose from the sand murmurs flew through the lines of worshippers.  The Leviathan had watched too, interested in the warrior that fought like a great cat. To it, humans had always been underlings; no more than cattle. This man however interested the sea creature. The attention of all in attendance was turned to the girl as she called to the man. Seeing her humiliation and preparation for sacrifice reignited the animalistic anger within the barbarian. He started towards the group again; this time stalking across the beach. The black-robed cult members felt cornered as mice.

The high priest, however, was not prepared to give up the ritual. He yelled to his followers to stop the man. The woman watched fearfully as her would be rescuer charged unholy gathering. With complete abandon, the barbarian forced his way through a hurricane of fists and kicks. His eyes were set on the woman. A hundred hands pulled at him, and he was held only feet from his goal; feet churning the soft sand. He strained against the arms that held him; his eyes on the woman unable to tear his gaze from her beauty. With a wild cry, he thrashed at his bonds twisting and wrenching his would-be captor’s grip from him. Raising his blade over his head he brought it down and down again. Where his sword fell, death followed. The barbarian hacked his way through the crowd as he would the tall grasses of his homeland. The cult members farthest from the deadly man began to flee. Soon they ran in droves before the death blade. Covered in the blood of his enemies and standing in a pile of several corpses the muscle-bound warrior turned to his remaining foe.

     The high priest stood with an ornate curved knife inlaid with jewels. If the ceremony had been conducted successfully, the knife would have been used to cut the victim’s heart from her chest. The cross, and the woman tied to it lay in the sand where its bearers had dropped it in their fear. The high priest raised the dagger defensively and called for the barbarian to stop his onslaught of death. The barbarian only growled and stepped towards the cultist. With each step, the barbarian took the high priest offered him a new bargain. The riches of the cult; his. A harem of beautiful women; there for the taking. A life of luxury served by the cult; his if he would only spare the high priest. As the warrior reached his enemy the man robed in the finest cloth; a man used to fine wines and the wealth of a king fell to his knees sobbing in fear. The barbarian did not even look down as he separated the cowardly priest’s head from his shoulder. Kneeling beside the fallen cross and its captive the barbarian cut the ropes that held her. She leapt into his arms ignoring the blood and gore. His strong hands held as her gently; as gently as he would a sparrow. Sheathing his blade; he lifted her with ease and walked from the beach.

     The leviathan had watched these events carefully; interested in this man who had slaughtered his followers so easily. As the two figures where lost from sight between the cliff sides, the unholy beast slipped back into its watery abode. This was not the first cult to worship him, and it would not be the last. He would seek out new souls to corrupt and twist. For he still hungered.

[raeynbowboi]

In the Dragon’s Dungeon: Maleficent Build

Name: Maleficent Race: Fallen Aasimar Background: Noble Alignment: Neutral Evil Class: The Fiend Patron Warlock (9)            Circle of Land Druid (11) - (Mountain Variation) Stats:            Strength: 9 (-1)           Dexterity: 8 (-1)           Constitution: 14 (+2)           Intelligence: 10 (0)           Wisdom: 20 (+5)           Charisma: 20 (+5) Saving Throws:           Strength: -1           Dexterity: -1           Constitution: +2           Intelligence: 0           Wisdom: +11           Charisma: +11 Combat Stats:          HP: 143          AC: 10          Speed: 30 ft.          Initiative: -1          Proficiency Bonus: +6          Passive Perception: 15          Dark Vision: 60 Feet Spell Slots: 1st (4) 2nd (3) 3rd (3) 4th (3) 5th (2) 6th (1) Warlock (2) Resistances and Immunities:          Damage Resistances: Necrotic, Radiant          Damage Immunities: Poison          Condition Immunities: Poisoned, Charmed*, Frightened*          Immunities: Disease Proficiencies: Deception (Warlock)                       History (Noble Background)                       Intimidation (Warlock)                       Persuasion (Noble Background) Skills:           Acrobatics: -1                    Medicine: +5           Animal Handling: +5          Nature: 0           Arcana: 0                           Perception: +5           Athletics: -1                       Performance: +5           Deception: +11                  Persuasion: +11           History: +6                         Religion: 0           Insight: +5                         Sleight of Hand: -1           Intimidation: +11                Stealth: -1           Investigation: 0                  Survival: +5 Starting Equipment            Arcane Focus - Staff Warlock Feature: Pact Boon            Pact of the Chain: Cast Find Familiar as a Ritual            Familiar: Diablo (Raven) Warlock Feature: Eldritch Invocations -Agonizing Blast: Add Charisma Modifier to Eldritch Blast damage rolls. -Bewitching Whispers: Cast Compulsion with a spell slot once per long rest. -Eldritch Spear: Eldritch Blast has a range of 300 feet. -Sign of Ill Omen: Cast Bestow Curse with a spell slot once per long rest. -Thief of Five Fates: Cast Bane with a spell slot once per long rest.

Spellbook (Warlock spells, Druid Spells, temp spells*)           Cantrips Control Flames Eldritch Blast Frostbite Gust Light (Aasimar) Lightning Lure Mending Shillelagh Thunderclap           1st Level                               4th Level Bane*                                       Blight   Detect Magic                            Compulsion* Entangle                                   Polymorph Find Familiar                           Shadow of Moil Hellish Rebuke                       Stone Shape Hex                                          Stoneskin Speak with Animals                 Summon Greater Demon               Thunderwave                           Wall of Fire           2nd Level                               5th Level Crown of Madness                 Control Winds  Enhance Ability                         Hallow Misty Step                                Infernal Calling Pass Without Trace                   Insect Plague Spider Climb                             Negative Energy Flood            Spike Growth                            Passwall           3rd Level                         Scrying Bestow Curse*                        Wall of Stone Call Lightning                                   6th Level Dispel Magic                             Wall of Thorns Lightning Bolt Meld Into Stone Sleet Storm Summon Lesser Demons Features Wildshape: You can shapeshift into a beast you have seen with a CR 1 (lasts 5 hours, twice per rest) Dark One’s Blessing: Gain 14 Temp HP after reducing an enemy to 0 HP. Dark One’s Own Luck: Add 1d10 to ability check or save roll once per rest. Druidic: you speak Druidic, and can leave secret messages and spot messages others have left. Healing Hands: You can touch a willing creature and restore 20 HP once per long rest. Land Stride: pass through nonmagical difficult terrain without using extra movement, pass through nonmagical plants without being slowed or hurt by them. Nature’s Ward: Immune to being charmed or frightened by fey and elementals, immune to poison and disease. Necrotic Shroud: At 3rd level, transform once per long rest. Creatures within 10 feet must beat 19 on a Charisma saving throw or become frightened of you until the end of your next turn. For one minute, during your transformation, deal an additional 20 necrotic damage to your spells. Position of Privilege: You are welcomed in high society. Lowborn do their best not to displease you, and other nobles treat you like you’re part of the same social sphere. You can secure an audience with a the local nobles.

Yesterday, I made a post citing ways someone could build Maleficent, so today, I decided to put it to the test and actually build a version of Maleficent. I chose to disregard some of her abilities only seen in Kingdom Hearts in order to ensure she wouldn’t end up a 3/17 Warlock/Druid split just to get True Resurrection and subsequently lose so many of her Warlock spells in the process. How do you feel I did? How would you build Maleficent?

[chucktaylorupset]

When Fjord misty stepped thirty feet only to thunderclap 90 ft away that was the most anime shit I’ve ever seen and I love it!!!!