#so...homebrewing dragon age using 5e rules!

[tuxedo-rabbit]

I maybe don't know enough about dnd to be frankensteining classes together but I'm having a fun time with it.

Just smooshed a slightly altered college of spirits bard with tidbits of monk to make a chantry sister class.

I'll keep playing Dragon Age even if I have to make my own game to do it.

[tarithenurse]

I see fire - 35

Fandom: D&D 5E/homebrew campaign. Word count: 2596 Contents: Friendshapes! Riddles that break the fourth wall. A/N: Tomorrow's chapter will be today just because I'm going to be busy tomorrow. Any questions are welcome. Please comment and like and reblog. Let me know if you want a tag.

Divider by @firefly-graphics

XXXV

Light is returning although the sun hasn’t risen yet. The colours of the jungle are still grey, laced with the lingering darkness of the night under the canopy but suddenly the group reaches the edge of the forest and step out onto a strip of grass before the shore of a grand lake dotted by water lilies and the occasional swimming lizard-folk. There are more of the people on the shore, all looking to greet their friends upon their return from a successful hunting trip – around 100 or 150 of all ages are gathered, living in simple huts on the shore of the lake and, Zilvra notices, none of them seem to like her although some approach the rest of the trio with curiosity.

“Up.” Kepesk is pointing to a steep path that leads up to a plateau.

On the top of the plateau something glints in the now rising sun but from down on the ground it’s impossible to tell what it is. Either way, they are bound to find out soon enough as the trio begins the ascend, glad to find actual steps carved out of the stone.

It’s quite a ways up, granting a beautiful view of the scenery with the lake and the jungle spread out beneath them, but they are more occupied with what lies ahead once they reach the top: there are tents of various sizes and shapes but what’s more intriguing are the large crystals suspended in midair. Almost drop shaped but still jagged, the odd angles refract the light as they bob ever so gently. Studying them are quite a few air genasi while others of the people tend to the daily chores further into the tent village – but they all stop at the sight of Anvindr.

“Welcome,” many offer.

“Thank you,” Anvindr responds, smiling happily, “I am Anvindr of Emir’s tribe. These are my friends Morella and Zilvra.”

An older male steps forward. “My name is Flow. I am Hiss’ husband and we are her tribe.” He looks to be around 80, white hair and soft grey clothes. “We know of Emir, of course...but we have no news of them.” If Anvindr is disappointed by that, he doesn’t show it but merely nods and Flow is quick to change the subject: “Come, let me introduce you to Hiss.”

Leading them to the centre of the village, he reaches a tent in muted blue colours outside which an older female air genasi is tending to the fire. As she straightens, they see that she’s tall and has slightly pointed ears, hinting at an elven parentage. Her white, long hair kind of floats on its own and her grey clothes are accentuated by a silver sash.

As introductions are made, she kindly offers them to come and rest and even calls for food and drink for the trio, guessing that they are exhausted after having kept pace with the lizard-folk.

“What brings you here?” she asks Anvindr.

“The crystals and the rumour of your presence,” he admits. “I am hoping to find a way to use the crystals to empower us so we can go home.”

She smiles. “Then our goals align. These crystals have an inert magical property and we are trying to find out how to utilize it.” Then she grows serious. “Do your friends know what we are talking about?”

“Not all,” he admits, causing Morella to arch an eyebrow.

“Then perhaps we should enlighten them,” Hiss decides, turning to the other two.

The air genasi once lived in the city of Sapphire in the Plane of Air where the ruby dragons and jinns ruled, Hiss explains, but the genasi were replaced by what turned out to be monsters: the jinn reproduced with storm giants which resulted in a new type of genasi – bigger, stronger, more powerful. They outgrew the original air genasi and as such replaced them. However the air genasi were still protected, living in a quiet corner of Sapphire until the giant genasi got jealous of the air genasi’s freedom. They revolted under a leader and the fighting caused the air genasi to flee about 50 years ago. Since then the air genasi have wanted to go home…also to find out what happened to the jinn and the dragons.

The problem is that the air genasi currently do not have the power to fight back nor do they have an actual way to get back to the Plane of Air. That’s why they are studying the crystals that contain some sort of dormant energy in the form of a liquid.

“That sounds familiar...” Anvindr ponders upon hearing the description of the crystals.

Zilvra knows what he is referring to: the crystal on top of the ancient Tower where the Masons had had their base was similar...yet different too. Somehow it must have been tampered with and thus become more potent.

Telling about it to Hiss, he reveals that it was used to create a dome of illusion before shattering when the liquid ran out.

In this area there are eight to ten big crystals and many more small ones. They are all floating steadily in midair and can’t be moved.

“We have not found other crystals,” Hiss explains, “but we have found three tablets with writing on. One moment.”

The old leader goes to procure the tablets but when she shows them to the trio, only Zilvra can read it as it is written in Primordial.

“These are...riddles?” Zilvra asks to be certain and Hiss nods.

“We theorize then somehow are connected to the use of the crystals but we do not understand them.”

Looking at the first tablet, Zilvra carefully translates the text for her friends:

I am a tune that’s often played, a classic hit that won’t fade. Whenever you are singing my lines, bringing smiles with the catchy rhymes, In a game of trick and jest I am there to put you to the test. Though my title may deceive, my chorus you can’t easily leave. So tell me, what song am I? A surprise that makes you sigh once you’ve been riddled and you’ve guessed I will reveal the tune that’s blessed.

Zilvra groans. While she hadn’t realized how old the song or the pranking tradition was, she knows which tune it is and she starts humming it to her friends. Only Morella is innocently unawares of the meaning but it’s easy to explain that she has just been tricked by one of the most (in)famous bards in history.

Putting that tablet aside, it’s now with a certain trepidation that Zilvra takes the next. Clearly the creators of these aides had had a brilliant time making them, though.

Shades of darkness, colours concealed. A world devoid of light, it’s fate revealed. A canvas veiled, a solemn shroud, a melody whispered – grief allowed. Onyx skies and ebony dreams. In every corner despair redeems. A symphony of sorrow, an eerie refrain. Embracing shadows, embracing pain.

There is more to it, but Anvindr is already waving his hand, eager to reveal what the answer is: “A canvas! Onyx and ebony!” he explains.

“Yep,” Zilvra agrees, already knowing what he is thinking.

“[Paint it black]!” he beams. “What about the last one?”

In the city where danger breeds, a melody of chaos and untamed needs. Guns and roses mark the way. A jungle where you’re bound to stay. An anthem of rebellion, fierce and raw. A warning to the world – a wake-up call. Can you guess the song? Its wild surge? A chaotic journey. A relentless urge. So tell me, dear traveller, if you are able: which tune echoes the jungle fable?

“How fitting,” Morella grins, “a song about the jungle when we’re in the jungle.”

But Zilvra shakes her head. “No, this is about the big cities and all they have of dangers and temptations. It’s just an allegory. Still, they do call it [Welcome to the jungle].”

“Oh.”

Singing a bit of the tune for her friends, only Anvindr recognizes it but that is to be expected considering how little Morella remembers of her past and that if she did recall it all, she would have grown up in the Fey Wild where they probably have other songs and traditions than here.

Looking to the crystals, they are still slightly at a loss.

“Come, let’s try some things,” Anvindr urges, coaxing his friends over to the nearest large one. “Do we have anything of crystal?”

“No,” Morella shakes her head.

But Zilvra grins. “Yeah we do! The glow-crystal the duergar dropped!”

It’s strapped to the side of her backpack, so it’s easy to pull out and hand over to Anvindr who taps it testingly on the floating object. The glow-crystal begins to shine softly (it will need a proper wack to really radiate light) but also the large crystal seems to hum.

“I think...hang on,” the genasi mumbles.

A bit hesitantly, he begins to tap out the melody of [Welcome to the jungle] on the large crystal and just as he finishes the first line, the smaller crystals rearrange and a split tears open in the air. Through it they can see a very different landscape where everything is either burning or made of fire. Large flowering bushes and tall trees, grasses that sway in the heat. All made of flames and lava and coal.

Anvindr tosses a stone through, establishing that the split is an actual portal to a different realm.

“That’s...the Fey Wild,” Morella whimpers.

It hurts to see her so distraught at the sigh but at the same time Anvindr wants to try the other songs and he taps out the start of the next melody, [Never gonna give you up].

For a second the portal closes but the it opens again to reveal nothing but clear air and blue skies.

“Home,” Hiss whispers.

Poking her head through the portal, Zilvra sees nothing more except a few clouds and it’s disorienting so she pulls back, having to steady herself to Morella for a moment.

“Let’s try the last one,” Anvindr offers with a certain hesitation.

Something in Zilvra had made her half expect to see the Underdark next – a tunnel or a grotto perhaps.

She sees neither. Instead it’s endless darkness of a much different kind than the darkness underground. Adjusting her eyes, she sees no shapes of tunnel walls or rocks...but she does see a round shape floating, turning towards the light coming through the portal.

“Close it,” she snaps, knowing instinctively that this will be trouble.

“I don’t know how!” Anvindr points out but at least he taps the melody for the Plane of Air once more, changing the portal just in time.

Morella had been keeping an eye on the figure. “That was a beholder,” she announces.

“Yeah,” Zilvra agrees, “but it wasn’t Grin.”

It’s differently soothing to look through the portal now while the trio discuss the problem they hadn’t considered before: how to close the portal. The tablets had not offered any clues to that. They try playing the last tune backwards but nothing happens.

“Do you hear that?” Hiss suddenly asks, cocking her head.

Mimicking her, they do indeed hear what she’s referring to: thunder. Thunder coming closer in the Plane of Air.

“We have to shut this down,” Anvindr growls, tapping out the melody for the Fey Wild.

Just as the portal switches, Zilvra realizes: “Play the same song again!”

But for now the portal is opened to the Fey Wild and it’s inferno...and a fiery being that stands at the ready. It looks exactly like the one the trio saw at the mines. And just like they’ve seen before, this one wields a fiery whip which it uses the moment it lays eyes on Morella. Although she uses her manic to try to blast the elemental back, it catches her around the ankle with it and pulls her into the Fey Realm.

“No!” the eladrin yelps, calling upon her gifts to magically reappear on the right side of the portal just as Anvindr finishes tapping out the song and the portal slams shut, leaving no trace behind.

Or almost no trace behind: on the ground lies an arm of the fire elemental, writhing and smoking as it begins to reform into a smaller version of the elemental. For a second that feels stretched out in the endless, they look at each other, the little fire elemental gauging its options before it sprints past Anvindr as the closest.

“Stop it!” Morella jumps into action.

It’s a mad scramble but eventually the elemental has been dealt with, reduced to a simmering goop of lava which Hiss carefully scoops up, wanting to study it.

“It’s not supposed to look like that,” Morella whimpers, clearly shaken, “it’s not supposed to be on fire.”

“Perhaps it’s because of Phaana?” Anvindr suggests.

Zilvra nods...but she doesn’t say anything about what she has noticed: the whip, fiery as it was, had not hurt Morella.

“Alright. Alright alright,” Anvindr mumbles, “so we’ve found a way home!”

“This is amazing,” Hiss agrees, “I shall gather the other tribes here.”

But Anvindr’s joy has already crumbled. “We have no way of withstanding an onslaught by the giant genasi,” he reminds her. “My quest isn’t complete even if we are a step closer: I have to gather the strength and resources for us to stand a chance.”

“You will not stay with us?”

“I cannot. I vowed I’d find us something...anything that could help us win our home back.”

Hiss nods in understanding. “Far be it for me to stop you.” Then she looks to Morella. “And your home...the fire...this is Phaana?”

“He invaded the Fey Wild in search of something, we think...and now he’s coming to the Material Plane too,” the druid explains as best as she can.

“As though still searching for it,” Zilvra adds.

Anvindr turns to the petite Fey elf. “But...you must know! You were the one that let him in!”

“Don’t!”

But in spite of Morella’s protest, the words cannot be unspoken and Hiss straightens up to her full height, demanding an explanation. Anvindr gives it, speaking freely to his elder as he explains about the worgen spirit and thee revelation of Morella’s (probably accidental) admittance of Phaana and his forces to the Fey Wild.

But Hiss relaxes once more, looking at the eladrin with kindness. “Sometimes even the best intentions can lead to devastation. I am sure you didn’t mean for that to happen.” Morella shakes her head with vigour, still glaring at Anvindr. “I shall let you rest now. I have something here to investigate and I must contact the other elders, guide them here.”

“Wherever they are,” Zilvra warns, “make sure they don’t go via Stouvania.”

The old genasi inclines her head. “Very well. We came to the port of New Bearn and walked through Welles, along the river, and through the gates...much to the dismay of the guardians.”

“That should be fine and the gate is no longer kept,” Anvindr agrees, “just...avoid Stouvania proper.”

Hiss leaves the trio by a tent that she decides they can use while with the air genasi on the plateau. The entire rise is littered with a variety of tents in a thin but durable material. It’s a loose setup but at the point that might be called a centre, there is a larger tent that presumably are for communal or council use. The tent the trio are shown to is not too farm from there and they gladly ditch their backpacks and settle down at last.

[capriprov]

Watch the FULL version of our trailer here!

CAPRICIOUS PROVENANCE is an award winning D&D 5e AP Audio Drama fusion set in an arcanepunk, partially homebrewed world of Eberron! After The Last War devastated Khorvaire - and their lives - fate follows four unlikely friends attempting to grapple with their own destinies as the fate of the world falls into a chaotic uncertainty.Join our…heroes(?) as they navigate their ever-changing lives in the wake of destruction, wading in the depths of their trauma as they connect with the troubled people living in a fragmented world. We’re an all queer & trans, majority BIPOC cast of tabletop creatives that bend the rules, change the lore, and break the game to tell a story of fighting tooth and nail against the way things are, and daring to hope for change.

Capricious Provenance is free to listen to, and advertisement-free. Our team is small, and we have started this project with no funding. This podcast is a labor of love and collaboration between a group of friends that are very passionate about the art they create. We are hoping to acquire funding and grow the team in the future! For now, you can support the show via Ko-fi.

Will I like Capricious Provenance?

While Capricious Provenance’s main game system is D&D 5e, we use a mixture of different games in the podcast - such as Pathfinder and 1400 Sneak - to help tell our story. Additionally, while the world is set in 5e’s Eberron, it has been altered significantly and partially homebrewed to suit our main characters, featuring elements from various supplements such as Heliana's Guide to Monster Hunting. Capricious Provenance is full of magic, whimsy, gods, monstrosities, political intrigue, and queer romance. There is a heavy focus on storytelling through character roleplay that makes room for heart wrenching character arcs and gives space for relationships between the characters to organically develop. The show explores themes of found family, generational trauma, religious trauma, healing, self discovery, the cost of war, freedom and revolution against an oppressive regime. It is ultimately a story of hope in dire times, embracing the monsters within ourselves formed by the world we live in, and finding the beauty in brutality. If you are a fan of media such as Dragon Age, Castlevania, Monster Hunter, The Owl House or Baldur’s Gate 3, you may enjoy Capricious Provenance!

Capricious Provenance Features:

A mixture of actual play and audio drama that places you in the shoes of our characters as we roll the dice.

Award-winning immersive narrative combat scenes that put you right in the center of the action. (Rainbow Roll Fest 2023)

Tarot readings and content warnings at the beginning of every episode so the listener knows precisely what they’re getting into.

Supplementary content, such as a short “radio broadcast” series providing updates directly from the world of our campaign and animatics illustrated by our artists.

Episode re-caps and lorekeeping, and more!

Where to Listen & Where to find us:

Listen on the Official Podcast Profile Listen elsewhere: Spotify || Pocket Casts || Google Play || Apple Podcasts || iHeartRadio Listen & watch more content on: Youtube You can find us on: Twitter || Instagram || Tiktok || Bluesky

Check out our website for cast information, character profiles and more details about the world: capriciousprovenance.carrd.co

[silverspleen]

MY SPECIALEST LITTLE GRIMDARK MAN!!! SUFFERER!!!!

My Grey Warden Varand for my irl homebrew D&D 5e game that's almost borderline not D&D at this point since we have about a million house rules. We have a team of not one but FOUR Grey Warden PCs playing through a slightly modified version of Dragon Age: Origins since the dm is a massive DAO fan.

I have posted about him before. Love my sad guy. I'm dealing with our two month holiday delay a very normal amount.

DETAILS

I reused a pic I already drew for the front ref and already had most of Varand's new upgraded armor drawn out and it still took me Literally Forever to ink.

There's no good wiki ref for the darkspawn blood Warden's Oath amulets and straight up I am too lazy to hunt down a playthrough so GUESS who got to just make shit up? :) It's meeeeeee. Our GM makes shit up all the time apparently he added an entirely new dragon for us to encounter and it slapped.

The Dragon Vessel is from the awesome ice dragon dungeon we did a year ago. I've never really thought about what it would look like and settled on "normal looking potion bottle but weirdly icy" and drew some fun frost patterns on there.

I never want to draw another reference in my entire life!

(she says foolishly as she makes an entirely separate reference sheet for werewolf!Varand and starts on a nice reference for most beloved bastard Silas)

[cyberkevvideo]

Race Conversion - Wyvaran (PF1e to 5e)

Sharing this conversion that I did for a friend. It's her first campaign character, and the game was supposed to be Pathfinder, but the GM has decided to change over to the new 5e Revised rule system. She doesn't want to play a winged tiefling or aarakocra, and really liked the idea of a winged kobold hybrid, so I agreed to help out and do a quick conversion. The race will essentially be a simple 1-to-1, but I'm also borrowing a little inspiration from the owlfolk UA regarding flight.

Honestly, my initial thought was just to add a flight option to the Monsters of the Multiverse's kobold's Kobold Legacy, but somehow that's too powerful? I didn't argue.

Art from Paizo and World Anvil.

As always, if you like what I do, whether it’s monster conversions, adventure path add-ons, or race builds, I have a Ko-Fi page (linked) for those who would like to support me monetarily. There is no pressure or obligation to do so. A like and/or a share would also be appreciated just as much. It lets people know I exist out there.

I hope everyone is staying safe and healthy.

Now, let’s talk stats.

Unlike Pathfinder, there's no real "official" way to judge how powerful a creature is. There are definitely a lot of 3PP supplements and homebrew out there, which I tend to have to use as a guide. As long as it's not more powerful than the original aarakocra or yuan-ti, or even the satyr, I feel like it's a win.

For the Nimble Flight, I took the original owlfolk's ability as it matches the wyvaran's standard flight as well as part of their vestigal wings ability which ignored 20 feet of falling damage. Thought it'd be a nice homage to that.

Wyvaran Species 5e

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 2, and your Wisdom score increases by 1. Age. Wyvaran mature a little faster than humans, reaching adulthood around age 14. They age noticeably faster and rarely live longer than 60 years. Alignment. Wyvarans are thought to be troublemakers because of their kobold heritage, but they have no alignment tendencies and can be of any alignment, independent of their scale color or parent. Size. Wyvarans have the same are more or less the same size as humans, ranging from 5 to well over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium. Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet. Darkvision. Blessed with a divine soul, your vision can easily cut through darkness. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray. Dragonblooded. You have advantage on saving throws you make to avoid or end the paralysis condition on yourself, and magic can't put you to sleep. Nimble Flight. Thanks to your wings, you have a flying speed equal to your walking speed. You can't use this flying speed if you're wearing medium or heavy armor. When you fall, you can use your reaction to make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 10) to stop falling and fly in place until the start of your next turn. Tail. You have a tail that you can use to make unarmed strikes. When you hit with them, the strike deals 1d6 + your Strength modifier bludgeoning damage. Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Draconic.

On the Detect Balance homebrew race breakdown spreadsheet, this race would be roughly 37-38 points. It's solely because of flight that it's so high. This type of flight is seen as being worth roughly 18 points, and paralysis is a worse condition than charmed, so Dragonblooded is worth more than Fey Ancestry. Given that the current revised aarakocra is worth roughly the same amount, that's pretty good overall.

My friend is planning on taking this species and using Matt Mercer's blood hunter class. Originally, it was going to be an order of the profane soul, but there's no dragon patron (despite so many people telling WotC to make one). So, instead, with permission, she'll be playing an Order of the Dragon, which was found on Reddit.

I'm hoping that she has a lot of fun with this character.

[audiofictionuk]

New Fiction Podcasts - 28th July 2024

The Diaries of Netovicius the Vampire Audio Book Neto is an artist first, an immortal vampire second, but for now he's being kicked out of his Beacon Hill apartment in Boston Mass. That's where we begin, but more than a year into this audio-series I can't believe the journey Neto, and me, the creator have been on. But that's a longer story than I can get into here. For now, I hope there is something in this audio-series for you. It's about vampires, but ultimately it's about recovery, from trauma, from alcoholism, even from cults. It asks: Does time really heal all wounds? https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240325-06 RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f40b8e30/podcast/rss

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Beyond Adventure Audio RPG This is an adventure of four pirates, who seek only their own gain but seem to come together to make a crew and decide that they want more than just adventure, they seek beyond the adventure. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240126-04 RSS: https://media.rss.com/beyond-adventure/feed.xml

mandeight01 – StuVenable.com Audio Book Just another WordPress site https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20220617-04 RSS: http://stuvenable.com/category/mandeight01/feed/

The Crittalkers Podcast Audio RPG The CritTalkers Podcast is an actual play RPG podcast. The first season uses 5E Dungeons & Dragons rules but that can and will change in future seasons. You can expect to find comedy, drama, mystery and intrigue within these tales. Join Jake the DM and players Britt, Shane, and Chris as we talk a lot of “crit”, try to back it up and see how the players' actions drive the story! Features some outstanding original music and voice acting talent by co-producer Ryan S. and amazing original art and voice acting talent from Jake's wife Jennifer Millard. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240721-01 RSS: https://feeds.captivate.fm/the-crittalkers-podcast/

HINDSIGHT: THE DAY BEFORE Audio Drama The impulse purchase of an antique trunk at a Harlem curio shop alters the life of Professor John Gabriel Strasser, setting into motion a tectonic shift that drives him toward a profound – and profoundly dangerous – realization of who and what he is, and the centuries-old mission he will have to take on because of his newfound understanding. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240722-01 RSS: https://feeds.libsyn.com/519123/rss

The Corveil Cases | Historical Fantasy Audio Drama Audio Book War leaves many scars, but not all are on the surface. Victor Corveil knows this well; being severally injured in WW1 only to return with his future life and career in tatters. He turns to a mysterious school that he has never heard of in attempt to find meaning, and answers in the supernatural. Welcome to Antumbra Academy of Arcane art, where nothing is as it seems. Follow along with this journey of mystery, magic and madness as Corveil and friends he makes along the way, navigate this strange and fascinating world, and uncover the dark dangers that lie just beneath the surface. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240720-01 RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f8def258/podcast/rss

Today in Adventuring Audio RPG A DnD homebrew actual play game, set in the early industrial age of the world of Tatarone. With the rise of steam and elemental technology, magic isn't the only thing that can make someone powerful in this world. A small group of Adventurers are presented with a choice, discover the mysteries of the world they live in, or keep living as they have. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20200925-11 RSS: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1374004.rss

Lacuna: Slow Burn Audio Book Imagine working for an agency so secretive you don't even know its name—or your own. You are a Mystery Agent. You answer to someone called Control. You have a suit, a blue tie, a pair of sunglasses, and a small metal button with a question mark on it. And cigarettes. Blue City is beautiful in the way noir films and dusty cathedrals are beautiful. It is decades behind the times, more a memory of a place that no longer is... and never was, really. You've been sent here to locate the Hostile Personality. Description, age, psychological profile, and criminal record to follow. Upon apprehension of the target, a team member must [text omitted], twist the button clockwise, count to 3, and make a wish. If all instructions are followed correctly the entity will instantly be transported to the Lacuna. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240721-02 RSS: https://play.disctopia.com/podcast/rss?channel=lacuna_slow_burn

The Project Audio Drama Welcome to The Project, a collection of dystopian audio dramas reflecting where we’re at as a society and how far we still have to go. Broken relationships, hidden resentments and unanswered letters arise amid massacres, doomsdays and famines. A disgraced mother comes to terms with her son's heterosexuality, an apocalypse brings perspective to a couple’s rocky relationship, and new laws create rifts between old friends. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240723-01 RSS: https://audioboom.com/channels/5135517.rss

The Story of Captain Charlotte Audio Book A weekly fantasy adventure podcast that isn’t just for kids! Follow Captain Charlotte and her crew as they explore uncharted islands, meet unique characters, and discover the magic of their world. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240724-01 RSS: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2142862.rss

Tales of the Dead Bard Audio Book Tall tales told by a bard who happens to be a bit dead. Join Rags the Dead Bard as she spins stories of gods, mortals, and yes, even dragons, in this fantasy-anthology podcast... https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240724-02 RSS: https://feeds.acast.com/public/shows/talesofthedeadbard

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Abridgd... Too Far! Audio Drama Fast, furious, funny and frequently infuriating to the aficionado, we present the literature’s most renowned and best-loved books in just 1,337 seconds. Leaving a hell of a lot out, making stark narrative choices, chucking in a fair amount of jokes and using audio to its maximum potential, this is a breakneck comic canter through the classics. So...like an Afternoon Play running to catch a train, the classics will be boiled down, stripped back and sped up for the enjoyment of those listeners who may know the book but will enjoy a speedy re- acquaintance with it – or (far more likely) it will be for those of us who don’t know it because we’ve never had time in our busy lives to sit down and read it but sort of feel we should. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20231121-07 RSS: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/abridgdtoofar

Shore Leave with Tom Bobbajobski Audio Drama Tom Bobbajobski's adventures as co-host on Huron City Radio's favorite shows. Over an hour of Tom's unique style lighting up the airwaves. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20210527-06 RSS: https://feeds.transistor.fm/shore-leave-with-tom-bobbajobski

Play On Podcasts Audio Drama Play On Podcasts are epic audio adventures reimagining timeless tales, featuring original music composition and the voices of extraordinarily gifted artists. This is where Theatre meets Podcast, combining the modern-day audio phenomenon with the power of live performance. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20210409-08 RSS: https://feeds.megaphone.fm/playon

Upon a Crooked Road Audio Book Upon a Crooked Road is an ongoing horror podcast. It features new and exclusive content written and performed by the creators themselves, acclaimed horror writers Tim Sprague and William Rayne. Audiobooks, audio novellas, short stories... Horror can be found in all shapes and sizes when you dare to set foot Upon the Crooked Road. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240723-02 RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f3edc7ec/podcast/rss

A Casa Audio Book Em “A Casa”, as portas rangem com segredos não revelados e os corredores ecoam com sussurros do passado. Cada parede guarda histórias, cada janela revela um mistério, cada cômodo esconde algo e a escada leva a um suspense crescente. Entre, se atreva a explorar os porões esquecidos e os sótãos assombrados. Esta casa não é apenas um lugar, mas um labirinto de terrores que irão arrepiar sua alma. Nesta casa o medo é o único residente permanente. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240725-01 RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f92c6420/podcast/rss

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Disability Tour Bus - A Radio Play Podcast by Amy Amantea & Rena Cohen Audio Drama Realwheels Theatre presents Disability Tour Bus!Written by Amy Amantea and Rena Cohen, Disability Tour Bus follows Shiloh, a young wheelchair-user, as they navigate their first day as a guide for “Funcouver Bus Tours”. Working alongside longtime employee and relentless dad-joker, Hugh, Shiloh struggles to stick to the “Funcouver” script when so much of “Canada’s most wheelchair-accessible city” is still so incredibly inaccessible. People and politics collide until a new passenger, Tess, comes aboard and offers unexpected common ground. The tour must go on! Because there’s someone special waiting for Tess at the end. At least she hopes there is... https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240724-04 RSS: https://media.rss.com/disabilitytourbus/feed.xml

Verru Good Detective Agency Audio Drama A fantasy noir murder of the week meets monster of the week. Follow the spiced out crazy elven detective Verru as he solves what he thinks to be simple crimes around the Great Desert City of Naahru. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240724-05 RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f8f23e94/podcast/rss

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Across The Borderlands Audio RPG A group of morally grey (at best) adventurers journey across the Auran Empire and beyond, using the ACKS II system. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240725-02 RSS: https://media.rss.com/acrosstheborderlands/feed.xml

The Index Project Audio Book A new media, audience participation Sci-Fi franchise that blurs the line between story and reality across film series, comic books, novels, video games, and more. https://audiofiction.co.uk/show.php?id=20240726-01 RSS: https://anchor.fm/s/f8e8a7e4/podcast/rss

[bravecrab]

So this morning I found out about a new theme park that Universal are building in Florida, and it got me thinking about Intellectual Property.

This new park, Epic Universe is similar to many other modern theme parks by Universal, the park is split up into several zones based on an intellectual property, and in this case it's Nintendo, Harry Potter/Fantastic Beasts, the Universal Monsters/Dark Universe, and How To Train Your Dragon. It's not a new concept, but there has been evolution from Disneyland or the Magic Kingdom in WDW, in which those parks were split into more theme/genre rather than a specific IP.

The move away from more generalised theme/genre can be seen in other places too, in Lego sets, and in TTRPG rule systems, for example. I'm showing my age a bit, but Lego used to have more generalised themes that they designed their sets around, pirates, knights, space, etc, and they still release the occasional Lego original series, it's just over-shadowed by the amount of stuff based on established IP. And with TTRPGs there's an ever increasing amount of rulebooks based on properties like Lord of the Rings, The Witcher, Alien, Judge Dredd, and more.

My issue with this focus on IP, is that it puts a focus on those who want to play, for them to play only with the officially licensed toys, rules, etc. You can run a story like The Witcher in D&D 5E, but if you are someone who wants to get into TTRPGs and you just watched The Witcher on Netflix, are you going to buy the core rulebooks of D&D to homebrew a Witcher story, or are you going to buy the Witcher rules?

I'm not shitting on people who would do the latter, if it's helping you access the TTRPG space, I'm not going to gatekeep you. However, when you've finished that game and maybe want to run a game that's not quite The Witcher, will you homebrew within that system, or buy another rulebook? Also if you're playing with players who have varying degrees of knowledge about The Witcher canon, who are you going to side with as a GM? Are you going to shut down a player's cool idea because it doesn't fit neatly into the established canon of the IP?

The same with Lego, like if a kid wants to play and make up their own little sci fi story because they watched Star Wars, you could get them the Star Wars Lego set. They still have their imagination to make up their own story, but it does set some limits when the established IP's canon comes up. Although obvious this becomes less of an issue when all the Lego blocks get mixed between sets, but I remember plenty arguments amongst kids about how that isn't what [Insert Character] would do.

And with theme parks, an IP specific area is always going to appeal to a specific fandom more than those who may like the theme/genre that IP is part of.

I feel like the focus on IP is primarily about making money from "official" products, and also gatekeeps by treating unofficial or stuff that has taken inspiration from that IP as a knockoff.

[momentary-ecstasy]

Digital Tabletop RPG Reference

I know the vast majority of the world is being encouraged to stay home. It can be a struggle at time to isolate yourself in such a way and I know that a lot of Tabletop RPG groups have had to call a hiatus or move online. If you’re one of these people or you’re just looking to get into tabletop RPGs at this time, I’ve created a post of all the free and cheap things I can think of to get you started.

Platforms

Roll20 - Roll20 is a platform with free and paid tier subscriptions. With the free subscription you can run games easily, import maps, create campaigns, and share sources you already have. All combat and movement views are top-down. The only drawbacks is if you would like to use the embedded resources in your games the source material can be a little pricey, but if you use it in conjunction with dndbeyond or just your paper materials it’s easy enough to accomplish

Tabletop Simulator - Tabletop Simulator is exactly how it sounds. It’s a virtual tabletop to play, not just RPGs, but generally any kind of tabletop game you can think of. There are extensive asset packs in the workshop to use with TTRPGs, as well as packs that allow you to play games like Betrayal at House on Haunted Hill and Gloomhaven which are pretty expensive irl. Tabletop Simulator is in the steam store right now for about $20. Unfortunately everyone in your group needs to have it in order to play. A workaround one of my groups found is for someone (usually the DM) to have it up and screenshare over discord.

Fantasy Grounds - Full disclosure, I haven’t used Fantasy Grounds personally. It’s just the things that usually comes up when looking for ways to play online. It does look easy to use and right now they’re having a sale. The demo version is free but only allowed 1 player and 1 GM. The standard edition is currently on sale for $9.75 for the year and the Ultimate edition for $89.40.

Astral Tabletop - Another online web app to play campaigns through. I don’t know much about it, but the important bit is that all paid features are free until April. It supports motion maps which is super nice for the GMs that want something extra.

Source Materials

Source materials are generally the most costly part of a campaign. I’ve tried to find the cheapest, quality TTRPGs materials possible.

Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition

Wizards of the Coast has the core rules on their site for free so you can get started without all the costs of books and supplements

dndbeyond - dndbeyond offers all 5e source material as well as tools for created and running a campaign. If someone in your party has a DM tier subscription, only one person has to buy the materials on the site and create a campaign to share with everyone else. Digitally the books are fairly cheap with the Player’s Handbook and the Dungeon Master Guide coming in at $30 each. Even if you don’t buy the materials from dndbeyond, the character sheet creator is absolutely worth the free account

Roll20 - the 5e content on roll20 is a little pricey, but if you decide to use roll20 for your campaign, this does make it easier to add loot and other equipment directly into the maps

Fate

Fate may be new to a lot of people, but it is the blankest of slates when it comes to TTRPGs. It can be adapted into any kind of established or homebrew world you can think of.

Evil Hat Productions is the publisher of Fate and has PDF versions of all of their TTRPG games. The Fate Accelerated Edition (a condensed version of Fate Core) is free in pdf form with a suggested pay-what-you-like rate of $2.50. The more in depth Fate Core System is free in pdf form with a suggested pay-what-you-like rate of $5. There are also various toolkits on the on their site to help you adapt Fate to the setting of your choice. 

Roll20 does a little better with pricing when it comes to FATE with the Fate Complete Bundle coming in at $20

Monster Hearts 2

Monster Hearts is a supernatural coming-of-age RPG as seen on Critical Role. It has a very simple rule set based on the Apocalypse World engine. It is available on the creator’s website for $10 with a discount code in the description for people who can’t afford that at this time. While you’re there check out The Quiet Year, a post-apocalyptic map game that only requires a deck of cards to play, available for pay-what-you-like.

Call of Cthulhu

A horror RPG set in the 1920s based on the works of the problematic progenitor of modern horror, HP Lovecraft.

Chaosium, who publishes CoC, has the Starter Set PDF for $9.99. This includes basic rules, a solo adventure, 5 character sheets, and 2 adventures for a Keeper (the GM), and their players. I have personally played the solo adventure and highly recommend it to get you familiar with the rules if CoC is what you’re looking at. the Keeper Rulebook ($27.95) and Investiator Handbook ($22.95) are both available in PDF forms on their site.

Roll20 also has a lot of CoC content that can be integrated into character sheets and actual gameplay on Roll20

Misc Resources

Maps - You can get free RPG maps at the r/dndmaps subreddit where users post their battle and realm maps creations. 2 Minute Tabletop also has a free section.

Dice Rollers - If you don’t have dice and don’t want to risk ordering them or going to find some right now there are several online dice rollers like the Wizards of the Coast dice roller and the embedded dice roller if you google ‘dice roller’. Most virtual RPG platforms have virtual dice rolling as well.

Minis - If you go the Tabletop Simulator route, you can import your own miniatures that you can render yourself or get from sites like thingiverse and myminifactory. They do have to be converted to obj files to import to Tabletop Simulator, but that can be done with a free program like blender.

Modules - If you want pre-made or homebrew adventures, items, and classes, check out DM’s Guild for Dungeons and Dragons and DriveThruRPG for all other systems

I will probably add more systems later, but this should be enough to get you started or at least point you in the right direction to start your quarantined tabletop adventures.

[lionnahas]

Dungeons and dragons 5e character builder homebrew reddit

Dungeons and dragons 5e character builder homebrew reddit free#

That isn't that many compared to other games, which is why homebrew races are a popular D&D trend. Races: There are nine races to choose from in D&D.The local environment has a profound effect on the people and animals that the campaign will include and the party will encounter. The races and classes available in any homebrew are determined by everything that's been created up until this point. A module or task could be time-sensitive as well, making this an even more important determination. Game Masters need to determine how long it takes to travel on foot, and factors like season, terrain, and the character's general fitness all have to be taken into account. Even the exact mechanics of teleportation options have to be integrated into the story in a way that doesn't break the rules, but players don't usually worry about that until higher levels. No matter what kind of homebrew it is, the characters need to get from one place to another. In some games, an NPC is a potential party member. Examples include tavern keepers, the local blacksmith, or the street urchin. They're an essential part of the setting aside from holding up the basic framework of the story. Non-Player CharactersĪlso known as the NPC, these figures can be hostile or friendly and often serve as the expository elements in a campaign. Consider flora, fauna, and weather along with seasonal concerns if the area has them. Add basic features like mountains or lakes when needed to give an adventuring party something to explore and some space to level up and find some nice loot. The biosphere in which the campaign will take place will already be determined by the module chosen, but the finer details could be a matter of homebrew.

Dungeons and dragons 5e character builder homebrew reddit free#

However, the nature of homebrew means that they are free to do so if it compliments the adventure. If a homebrew campaign is built on an existing module, the DM may not want or feel the need to make any changes to the basic layout. Any of the Forgotten Realms Endless Quest books: In an updated version of a "Choose Your Own Adventure" scenario, both DMs and players can find a lot of inspiration for D&D-related campaigns.Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft: Written by the vampire hunter and D&D character Van Richten, this guide also includes information about witches, werewolves, hags, and other creatures common in the occult pantheon.Candlekeep Mysteries: A collection of 17 different stories intended for characters level 1 to 16, a handy resource if a plot or basic storyline is required, especially if the Sword Coast is a possible setting.It's also the sequel, Dungeon Of The Mad Mage, which includes some impressive dungeon scenarios, that homebrewers will find useful. Waterdeep: Dragon Heist: It's not just this module on its own, which is a stellar example of a typical D&D setting and adventure.Examples Of Inspirational Campaigns and Modules There are literally hundreds to choose from, but some are iconic, inspiring more homebrews than others. The current library of modules and existing campaigns based on D&D rules offers something for everyone. Modules often include campaign ideas that homebrewers can use. Many of these resources are specific to certain genres when building a game that includes characters like vampires or pirates, while others are more general in nature. A single adventuring campaign can go through a number of modules, so this is something that homebrewers should keep in mind if they want to build their own. The module is the setting in which the campaign takes place. There are also plenty of adventuring modules a D&D adventuring party could enjoy. What sets it apart is the unique character builder that allows players to create characters that can be virtually anything. 13th Age Core Book: Another TTRPG that resembles D&D, 13th Age was developed at about the same time.It details the ten distinct guilds of Ravnica, which includes information about local races and customs and includes suggestions for homebrew campaigns that use the setting. Guild Master’s Guide to Ravnica: This resource crosses over into the Magic: The Gathering card game.Note that the 1st Edition is closer to D&D than the recent 2e release. Pathfinder Core Rulebook: The Pathfinder universe has a lot in common with D&D when it comes to the setting, mechanics, and aesthetic, but takes character customization to a whole other level.Tales From The Yawning Portal: Named after a famous tavern in D&D lore, a homebrew campaign can certainly start here and go just about anywhere.Xanathar's Guide to Everything: A supplemental book that expands on the existing player and DM handbooks, it includes information about curious objects, mysterious monsters, and new character classes.The World Builder's Journal of Legendary Adventures: Anyone can have fun with this book, which consists of 365 writing prompts to create a unique storyline for any campaign.

[rosegolddm]

Intro from your lovely DM! My history with D&D:

Hi friends! I have decided to start a blog documenting my experiences as a DM running Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition. I actually haven't been a tabletop gamer for very long, but D&D has been something of which I have been aware for a long time.

I think I've always been into the fantasy genre, going back to a love of fairy tales and mythology from a very early age. I liked being read to and learning to read came just as naturally to me as a result. My dad also had an ongoing series of stories about Prince Garbanzo and Princess Goldie-lips that he'd improv for my siblings and me as bedtime stories. As a young gay child, princesses and mermaids in particular always caught my interest. I remember attending renaissance faires and coming home with wooden swords and shields - no princess hats, but that would have been THE LOOK at 5 years old for sure.

My history with role playing started with console JRPGs. These of course owe a lot to D&D when it comes to monsters, settings and other genre conventions we assume have just always been there. The original Legend of Zelda is the first RPG I can remember watching someone else play. Final Fantasy IV was the first I played on my own, back when it was called Final Fantasy II and fans in the US weren't even aware there were two games in between that (at the time) were destined to languish in Japan. Several more games would follow, many still retaining those D&D roots of which I was at the time unaware.

Shortly thereafter, my sister had a high school boyfriend who gave me several books in the Dragonlance series. This was my first true exposure to Dungeons and Dragons. I tore through these novels under the age of 10 - some of the content admittedly went over my head (probably for the best), but I read them cover to cover. I also remember reading The Hobbit around this time - I even did a book report about it!

I don't think I necessarily made the connection that the Dragonlance novels were based on an actual game until around the time Eye of the Beholder was ported from PC to current consoles of the time. I distinctly remember renting the SNES version and would later go on to own the Sega CD port. Video game magazines gave me some familiarity with the rules and monsters, but overall they were more cool games to play, nothing I wanted to research further than that. At some point I also rented the NES Dragonlance game, but that one's also notoriously crappy. Perhaps the less said about it, the better.

The Capcom D&D arcade games, probably the furthest from playing traditional D&D, were what really piqued my interest in the tabletop game from which all these video game spinoffs derived. Among other things, they included a mechanic that sort of emulated rolling dice to make a saving throw - you had to move the joystick back and forth to get out of various status effects. For whatever reason, this stuck with me. The inclusion of several iconic monsters and spells probably didn't hurt. I was sold on all of it!

After having played a few video games using D&D rules (or at least the settings), I finally decided it was time to give playing the real thing a try. My mom wasn't about to take me to some hobby store to play with a bunch of old grognards - nor did I even know that was an option at the time! Instead, I was allowed to order my first D&D module - Menzoberranzan. I don't think I had any sort of description of what I was ordering other than it being a D&D product - I was going in practically blind. Without any other manuals and just what we knew from the various games we'd played, my brother and I guessed our way through, mostly just throwing random dice around and deciding arbitrarily whether or not we'd killed one of the many drow provided in the modules. Despite a ton of interesting setting information, we both lost interest pretty quickly. Menzoberranzan was either given away during a move to a new house or lost in a flood. We resumed playing the occasional D&D video game, eventually having our options widened through both emulation and PC gaming.

As I got older, I made more friends with similar interests. Some of them had played actual D&D (2E) campaigns - I was so jealous! I managed to rope one friend into acting as DM for me and another friend. We made it through about one session during a lunchtime period at school. I don't recall doing much in the way of rolling dice or anything one typically associates with playing a tabletop RPG. It's probably for the best that it didn't pan out. The DM loved pulling dick moves on PCs and had an arsenal of DMPCs to get out of any and every jam, all of whom were ostensibly cooler and more competent than either of us players could possibly muster. I don't think dealing with any of that at length would have left me with a very good impression of the game.

The release of the third edition of D&D was an exciting time! I ended up picking up the player's manual, DM guide, and monster manual. Later on I even got the Complete Psionics. I would use these to formulate several characters and come up with all sorts of cool ideas in my head, but none of it ever translated into a regular game. At the time I certainly didn't feel confident enough to act as a DM, especially with a system as rule-heavy and numbers-heavy as 3E tended to be. There was also a brief attempt to get a game of Vampire: The Masquerade going in high school, but again it never really got off the ground.

Tabletop gaming fell off the radar for me for many years following that. I was aware of the 4th edition release, but unsure of what to make of it and not really willing to spend my money on a whole new set of manuals. It was a drastic change, to be sure, and I was probably more focused on dudes or partying or clothing. Every now and then, I'd get curious about a particular setting's lore and read up on that, but it wouldn't ever get further than that. I even went so far as to download a Pathfinder app that contained a huge amount of compiled information - being close in spirit to 3E didn't hurt!

It wouldn't be until a friend from Tumblr started doing artwork for the campaign he was running that my interest was again sparked in actually playing a sit-down game of D&D. I knew bits and pieces about the newest edition and it all sounded good to me. The party needed an arcane caster, I chose a Warlock, and I was immediately hooked. What really sealed the deal was having both an accommodating, engaging DM in addition to a great group of players. Over the course of about a year, we played through Lost Mine of Phandelver, adding lots of our own personal touches to the material through our characters.

What followed were some attempts at new 5E games, unfortunately hampered by the scheduling conflicts that often arise when you're trying to get 5-6 20-40somethings with jobs living in different boroughs of NYC to appear at the same place at the same time. Some folks moved away, some got bogged down in personal life stuff, but I never lost interest. If anything it made me more determined to get the right crew together for a really great campaign.

I am currently part of a mostly homebrew 5e campaign on hiatus best described as a mix of both Avatar series, Steven Universe, and a lot of interesting parallels to the currently running Not Another D&D Podcast (which I highly recommend btw). Kevin has been a great DM and we often spitball ideas that eventually make it into the campaign off each other.

During downtime from my main 5e game (we typically play about once a month and are currently taking a longer break), I started looking into Adventurer's League games for Kevin and I to try to give us both more opportunities to try different characters (and in Kevin's case, not being stuck as DM!). That didn't quite pan out, but in my search I DID randomly find a tabletop gaming channel on Slack at my job. I found a few mentions of D&D and decided to throw my hat in the ring with helping to organize a game. This was interpreted as me volunteering to be DM.

Honestly, I'd never considered it before and was a bit intimidated by the prospect. After stewing over it for a bit, however, I realized I could run Lost Mine of Phandelver, having familiarity with the material as a player. Once I had the books in my hands and the planning started, it all sort of clicked. Using tips from my friends who'd run games before and a variety of resources available online, I've gotten really into the whole process!

So that leads us to where we are now. In about a week, I'll be meeting with my players (2 experienced, 3 totally new to D&D) for session 0 to go over rules, expectations, and character creation. Coming up with characters is one of my favorite parts, so I'm very excited! I'll be using this space to discuss my own experiences running games, resources I enjoy, and other aspects of tabletop gaming. There's plenty more to come!

[nairdde32]

He Just “Come at be Broed” You! A Guide to the Human Monk

I said I was going to do one of these for every character so here we go. As usual if you’re new to dnd, I would highly recommend watching “How to Play Dungeons and Dragons 5e – Intro” by Don’t Stop Thinking on YouTube. I will try and use as little jargon as possible so people who are new to D&D can figure it out. This week it’s everyone’s favorite disaster, Beauregard, the Human Monk.

Race: Variant Human

Technically (technically) there are two kinds of humans in dnd. There’s the normal boring human that gets absolutely nothing and nobody plays, and then there’s variant human. Variant humans get a feat! Why is that important you may ask? Well you see, in older editions of dnd, feats weren’t all that great. They were more like little level up bonuses. You needed a lot of them before they actually started making a difference. But in Fifth Edition D&D, Feats were drastically reduced. There are far less of them, and you get far fewer (to the point where they’re optional in the players handbook) as you have to sacrifice ability score increases to get them. But, they’re incredibly powerful now, some to the point of game breaking (anybody remember grog’s great weapon master shenanigans?). Because of how strong they are, being able to get a free one at 1st level is pretty fantastic.

The Deets

Ability score increase. +1 to two ability scores of your choice. While many will scoff, the fact that you can choose where to put them means that humans can be literally anything. Half-Elves have it better but still.

Skills. Free proficiency in one skill of your choice. Pretty good, but Half-Elves still have it better.

Feat. You get a free feat, so long as you meet the prereqs. If you listen closely, you can hear the sound of us salty Half-Elf players in the distance OH HEY THERE XGTE.

Class: Monk

The monk is a rather versatile class that focuses on big damage. They forgo any sort of armor in favor of mobility, and have a wide variety of abilities that make them good in almost any situation. They also have really high ac.

The feetsies.

Hit Points. You get a d8. This seems paltry, especially for someone who’s supposed to be a front line fighter. But hp doesn’t matter when you have a sky high ac and you can dodge like Neo.

Proficiencies. You get nothing. Ok that’s not quite fair, you do get a tool. Or an instrument, but like, don’t? Bards? Exist? That’s what they want you to think.

Unarmored Defense (1). Remember how I was talking about that big AC? Well this is how. With 20/20 in Dex/Wis your ac is 20. That’s the same as a fool in full plate & a shield! And you can run on walls, so that’s pretty cool.

Martial Arts (1). Congratulations, you are now (insert anime martial artist of your choice here). Your punches git gud, and only get better. The damage even applies to the weapons you’re proficient in!

Ki (2). This is your magic. You get “Ki Points” equal to your level, used to fuel various abilities. It doesn’t do a whole lot at first (besides turning you into Neo, and making you Star Platinum, ok maybe it does do a whole lot) but there are a few nifty tricks you can do later.

Unarmored Movement (2/9). Become sanic. And later, become hardcore parkour! A lot of people forget you can run on walls/water at 9th level.

Monastic Tradition (3). You can now choose to become one of the following: Kenshiro, Ezio Auditore, Aang, Jackie Chan, Ahsoka Tano, SSGSS Ultra Instinct Kaio Ken x20 Goku, Edgy or (if you have the Tal’dorei Campaign Guide) a Librarian. Beauregard has chosen to become a librarian.

Deflect Missiles (3). You can now catch arrows. Need I say more?  

Ability Score Improvement (4/8/12/16/19). You get five, same as everyone else sans fighter and rogue. Standard rules apply, moving on.

Slow Fall (4). You can reduce falling damage by a decent amount. Useful for when the wizard didn’t prepare feather fall, or you don’t have wings.

Extra Attack (5). You now attack twice. If you’re using a weapon (which you should be unless you’re Goku), it now become twice as good.

Stunning Strike (5). Stun on demand. For those of you who don’t get how powerful this is, if you’re stunned you auto fail dex saves. Disintegrate requires a dex save.

Ki-Empowered Strikes (6). Your unarmed attacks are now magical. Useful for the levels when you’re starting to encounter bigger foes that are immune to normal attacks.

Evasion (7). One wordy explanation later, you are now immune to fireball. Identical to the rogue feature, and NO you don’t have to actively use it. This isn’t uncanny dodge.

Stillness of Mind (7). You can use your action to not be scared. Alright then.

Purity of Body (10). Complete immunity to poison and disease? Yeah that’s good.

Tongue of the Sun and Moon (13). You understand everything and everything understands you. Who needs language when you’re a literal universal translator!

Diamond Soul (14). You have proficiency in all saving throws. All. Saving throws. And you can reroll failed saves so long as you have the Ki. Hooooooooooo BOY. That’s good.

Timeless Body (15). This walking disaster doesn’t need food or water and basically is immune to old age. How? Just become a Monk 15.

Empty Body (18). “Non-concentration invisibility for one minute plus resistance to most damage that doesn’t go away when you attack can be yours, for the low low price of just FOUR Ki points! Call now and we’ll throw in the ability to astral project!”

Perfect Self (20). Roll initiative, acquire Ki. Getting back Ki points when you need them but don’t have them is pretty good.

The base monk class is a sold chassis for some pretty fun and creative subclasses (but everyone goes Open Hand because memes). It has everything a damage focused martial character could need and just a little bit more.

Subclass: Way of the Cobalt Soul

A brand new subclass appearing in the Tal’dorei Campaign Guide, the Way of the Cobalt Soul is based on the Monks of the Cobalt Reserve. Joking aside, it is a rather powerful subclass, especially in a campaign where there’s significant homebrew. Which is Critical Role in case you couldn’t catch my meaning. The good stuff:

Mystical Erudition (3). Get more languages and spend Ki points to get advantage on knowlage checks. “But Beau already gets every language!” No, she can understand all languages. Learning a language means you can read it too. Which is really important when your DM writes everything in celestial.

Extract Aspects (3). When you hit someone with multiple attacks you can spend ki to learn several key pieces of info. Really, really good when your DM homebrews everything.

Extort Truth (6). You get a mini Zone of Truth at the cost of ki. Still requires you to land multiple attacks, though.

Mind of Mercury (6). You have more reactions each round based on your intelligence. They require Ki points though, so if you’re not careful you’ll exhaust yourself before you know it.

Preternatural Counter (11). If an attack misses you, you get to attack back. Synergizes nicely with other monk abilities.

Debilitating Barrage. For the low low price of three Ki, you can give something disadvantage on attacks until the end of the next round, and you can select a type of damage that they’re then vulnerable to. If you have a rogue in the party who uses a certain damage type (like piercing) that’s pretty good.

I never knew librarians were this badass. Huh. Remember kids, make sure to turn your library books in on time.

[mapsmonstersamazing]

GREY DRAGONBORN - New Traits for Dragonborns

So I rather like creating homebrew stuff for D&D. I don’t have much experience but there’s only one way to learn :P I came up with this for a villainous NPC who’s facing the party in my game - a subset of the dragonborn race which deals in magic:

Clan Outcasts

Grey/Gray Dragonborn are a rare mutation in dragonborn society. Some say they are sacred, the colours of all dragons mixing to produce a creature which identifies as none; to others, they are cursed, the result of latent magic in a family taking over the identity of the youngling. From an early age, grey/gray dragonborn are ostracised by society, either as magical leeches who destroy all attempts at magical defence, or hidden away as great prophets who will one day lead the clan.

Magic Absorption

Grey/Gray dragonborn have a unique ability: they absorb environmental magic from around them, taking it into themselves to use as a devastating breath weapon which they roar at their foes! This has the effect of making magical items all-but useless around them, though they often find their paths as wizards or sorcerers thanks to their innate magical ability.

Ability Scores

Your Strength increases by 2 and your Intelligence increases by 1.

Breath Weapon

The Grey/Gray dragonborn has a highly unique breath weapon. The saving throw for each (where required) is DC 8 + your constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus. Instead of the usual ancestry-based power, they have three potential abilities which, though weaker, give them much more flexibility:

- They can blast a 5x30ft line of magical force at an enemy. Any enemies in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw; on a failed save, a creature takes 2d6 force damage, but avoids all damage on a success. This breath weapon also gains less power over time; it increases to 3d6 damage at 11th level, and 4d6 at 17th level.

- Alternatively, they can channel their magical energy into a cone of hallucinatory smog which hinders anyone caught in it with disadvantage on attacks and saving throws, if they fail a Constitution saving throw. It also gives the dragonborn advantage on their attacks and saving throws. This lasts for one turn, increasing to 1d4 turns at level 6, 2d4 at level 11 and 3d4 at level 17.

- Finally, the Grey/Gray dragonborn can channel their magical energy into casting a spell. Once per long rest they can cast a wizard cantrip as a standard action, in place of their breath weapon. At level 6 they may choose a spell from the 1st level spell list. At level 11, they may cast up to a 2nd-level wizard spell; at level 17, they may cast up to 3rd-level spells. 

Damage Resistance

Grey/Gray dragonborn have damage resistance to magical weapons. Any weapon dealing magical damage does half damage to a grey/gray dragonborn.

More under the cut...

Okay, so first thoughts before anyone even weighs in. One: Yeah, that’s a powerful breath weapon. That’s probably more than a little game-breaking, especially with the advantage/disadvantage smog breath. I think that’s gonna need some tweaking - maybe it doesn’t advance at all, maybe it’s only in effect for one round whenever it’s used.

Two: basically giving any class with this sub-race a free spell slot. That feels even more game-breaking, if anything. Especially as level 6 gives access to things like unseen servant, which can last up to an hour. Maybe I should limit it to instant-effect spells, which also means no cloud of daggers at 11th level, or crown of madness. If I’d strike any ability from it, it’d be this one because there’d have to be so many clauses and rules to say what you can and can’t cast - when I revisit this, I think I’ll parse it down to a list of two or three spells per level.

Three: magic resistance. You know what else has magic resistance? The Tarrasque. And that’s pretty much it, I think. For so many creatures, magical weapons are what hurts them, and that’s about it - does that put the Grey/Gray dragonborn on a level with demons in terms of strength? I think it’s fair, to be honest: it’s only physical weapon attacks, so magic weapon and monk attacks will be less effective, but if you’ve got those there are other things that can deal damage.  At higher levels, that resistance is going to come into its own, and for a squishy wizard facing an enemy with a magic sword that’s gonna be something of a comfort. Besides which, I wanted something that felt like a logical outcome of the dragonborn’s magical leech effect.

Four: How does the inability to use magical items affect the strength of the Grey/Gray dragonborn? This is where I’m at a loss, and where I need the most help; I haven’t played far enough in 5e to see how much magic items affect gameplay and challenge. Is this going to be something where the enemies will deal more damage - resistance notwithstanding - but our poor dragonborn will be stuck on a plateau, left behind? Or is 5e designed to better scale the levelling and power so that a low-magic setting is as easy to play as a high-magic setting?

Alright, that’s about all the questions I’ve got for myself. If you think of any more let me know - I’m working on things like this a lot rn, I’d appreciate some feedback.