Tag: Dungeons and Dragons

  • Reblogging: Monsters of the Multiverse Humanoids, Part 1 — The Monsters Know What They’re Doing

    Keith Ammann’s The Monsters Know What They’re Doing is a great book (and blog) that converts that statistics for a D&D monster to the types of tactics that monster would use in combat. With the recent release of Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse Keith look how humanoids from Volo’s and the first Mord’s to see how the tactics would change. I’m looking forward to running the duergar with these new stats from Monsters of the Multiverse and guidance from Keith.

    I’m going to look at the significant changes to monsters in Monsters of the Multiverse in the order they appear in MOAR! Monsters Know What They’re Doing… 3,398 more words

    Monsters of the Multiverse Humanoids, Part 1 — The Monsters Know What They’re Doing
  • They might be giants, a new Unearthed Arcana

    They might be giants, a new Unearthed Arcana

    A big, hefty Unearthed Arcana was released in late May. Giant Options hints at a something massive — the book could be a Giant version of Fizban’s, the First World’s war between giantkin and dragons, or a new set of player options with this just being the first of a series.

    Some of these will be immediately available to players in my campaign. Others need more work before I would allow them. Overall they are strong and I’m encouraged by more flavorful Feats being added to the game.

    Archetypes/Subclasses

    Barbarian: Path of the Giant

    “Barbarians who walk the Path of the Giant draw strength from the primal forces that are the Giants and their elemental ilk. Their rages surge with elemental power and cause these barbarians to grow in size, transforming them into avatars of primordial might.”

    What I like:

    The Giant Power cantrip makes perfect sense. Connecting rages to growing in size and throwing things is excellent. Elemental Cleaver is basically Thor’s ability, so that will be very popular. Adding a ruleset for the fastball special fits this concept, but I’m hoping to see more mooks used as ranged weapons than friends.

    What I don’t like:

    Unless a campaign uses culture rather than language, learning the language of Giant just because you turn into one makes no sense.

    Will I use it in play:

    Yes. Every mechanic fits the build except for the odd way D&D embraces languages.

    Druid: Circle of the Primeval

    “The Circle of the Primeval teaches that, though the land may change over time, it never truly forgets. By tapping into the timeworn memory of the earth, these druids summon and bond with the spirit of a primeval behemoth — a hulking creature that once ruled the ancient world alongside the giants.”

    What I like:

    While there are other abilities, the main reason you want to play this Druid is for the Primeval Companion. Similar to the new Beast Master Ranger beasts, the Primeval Companion has very light flavor. Want it to be an ankylosaurs or wooly mammoth or a velociraptor? You can. It just starts a bit small than those first two were, but that’s easy to call an adolescent. It’s nice that it can avoid your overflowing blasts, because your dino-companion is probably in the fray while your druid is back a layer. Scourge of the Ancients comes on in the late game, giving 1st level spells purpose.

    What I don’t like:

    Nothing.

    Will I use it in play:

    These fit Mehmd, in my home campaign, very well.

    Wizard: Runecaster

    “Runecrafter wizards enhance their spellcasting through the ancient power of runes. Though the tradition originated with the giant rune casters of old, runecraft magic has expanded to encompass countless languages and practitioners across different worlds.”

    What I like:

    Like most of the non-school Wizards, the Runecaster feels more powerful, especially so in a campaign that ignores material components and spell inscribing costs. The runes themselves have interesting riders when combined with spells — cast a magic missile and boost the health of ally with a Life Rune for example.

    Overall the narrative of the runes is strong and fills a hole in the game.

    What I don’t like:

    Rune Maven is a complicated recovery mechanic. Thankfully Think DM broke down how it works.

    There’s also a disconnect between the narrative and the mechanics. The runes are being cast in less than 6 seconds, but when you think of a runemaster those runes should take time.

    Will I use it in play:

    I’m undecided. It is a bit complicated above level 9. I also must get over my frustration about crafting a rune taking a time

    FEATS

    A few of the feats are meant to be taken at first level, the kind of powers a character might be born with or that inspires them to go out adventuring. Others are clearly too powerful for 1st level and so are gated at 4th or 8th level, which makes sense unless the character is a fighter who gets their second feat at 6th level. These 4th and 8th level feats also don’t make narrative sense. Why would the powers of a giant manifest based on adventuring?

    Feats: Rune Carver Apprentice and Rune Carver Adept

    The two rune feats are meant to be taken in a series. Apprentice first and than at 4th level or higher after taking Apprentice a character make take the Adept.

    What I like:

    Unlike the Runecaster Wizard, these runes are inscribed during a long rest – lovely! Unlike other spellcasting feats, the Rune Carver feats offer a high level of versatility. There are 19 different spells that one may have available. Just one at the Apprentice level and from two to six as an Adept.

    What I don’t like:

    The Apprentice assumes that versatility is more significant than a cantrip and ASI or two cantrips, which every other 1st level spell granting Feat has. My solution would be to add one of the general cantrips as a choice or even more broadly, every cantrip tagged with Utility on DnDBeyond.

    Will I use it in play?

    Absolutely. I love these. I have no idea where they fit in my world, but they belong.

    Feats: Elemental Touched; Outsized Might

    These are the other two feats that don’t have level requirements. Both could connect a character to the primordial or the Giants. One thing that latter-stage D&D does is strongly connect the Giants to elements, but not in the same ways as dragons.

    What I like:

    The spell-like abilities granted by Elemental Touched are perfectly flavored, like Top Chef finale quality flavor.

    Outsized Might is excellent for grapplers and other martial artists. It is also story-full. Imagine a Stout Halfling that carries more than strong Humans. That’s great as a rare ability granted by a Feat.

    What I don’t like:

    The versatility of Elemental Touched removes strong flavor potential. Being touched by every element is part of what went wrong with the Four Elements Monk and it continues to be poor story here.

    Outsized Might overlaps heavily with a few races (Orc, Bugbear, Centaur, Firbolg, Goliath, Loxodon), which isn’t as fun. There’s no practical way for Powerful Build to stack. While the Feat is still useful, there may need to be a way to make up for that.

    Will I use it in play?

    Elemental Touched may be tweaked to connect to a specific element while granting an additional use.

    Outsized Might isn’t great, but I’d allow it.

    4th Level Feats: Fury of the Frost Giant; Keenness of the Stone Giant; Vigor of the Hill Giant

    The three lower power common giants are bundled together and locked in as something a character would take just before they enter tier 2 play. This makes some sense as there are more and more ways to have a Feat at 1st level (my campaign allows a Feat for every 1st level character).

    What I like:

    Keenness of the Stone Giant has a strong connection to their lore as wizened leaders who tend to be less into the violence of other giants.

    Vigor of the Hill Giant is perfect — 100% perfect. The lore of the Hill Giant is wrapped in mechanics that directly connect the character to the big, dumb oafs that use trees as clubs and use hills as pillows.

    What I don’t like:

    Frost giants make you afraid, more than other giants? I don’t get the narrative justification.

    Will I use them in play?

    If a player asked, probably. But I’d have to come up with a story for Keenness and Fury. The core D&D assumptions about Giants aren’t present in my world. I would allow Vigor right out of the box.

    8th Level Feats: Ember of the Fire Giant; Guile of the Cloud Giant; Soul of the Storm Giant

    These big hefty feats are overly delayed for Fighters. They’re powerful, probably the most powerful Feats of 5e and unchained. You don’t have to start with Outsized Might to somehow develop a connection to Giants. Maybe you should. Maybe these should be three-feat chains that include Elemental Touched and Outsized Might.

    What I like:

    The flavor of Ember of the Fire Giant is well done.

    Misty Form from the Cloud Giant is very powerful, a non-concentration casting of blur is encounter changing. It also fits the narrative.

    What I don’t like:

    An attack at 8th level does more damage than Ember of the Fire Giants does, and while there’s an area of effect it isn’t big enough to mitigate the reduction in damage. I might throw on one of the fire cantrips to increase versatility.

    A soft caution on adding a lot of divination to the game must be given. It’s one of the thought spells that can dramatically change the genre of play.

    The Storm Giant grants a defensive bonus, which feels unusual for a giant. How hard can it be to hit a 40′ tall human-like representation of a thunderstorm? But, it’s a great ability. So much so that I wanted to list this as a like, even though my narrative first thoughts are that I don’t like it.

    Will I use it in play:

    I like these, all of them. Even the weak Fire Giant ability is a lot of fun.

    Overall many of the Feats add 5′ and 10′ ranged abilities. These ranges are very tactical and hard to do in Theater of the Mind. I’ve come to thinking that TotM works better with abilities that are 5/15/30 rather than 5/10/20/30.

  • Tea Master – a new Background for D&D

    Tea Master – a new Background for D&D

    Tea, tisanes, rooibos, herbal concoctions and other similar hot drinks are staples in many cultures of the real world and fit so many Dungeons & Dragons cultures as well. The sub-culture around ceremony and expertise makes sense as a Background in 5th edition.

    Why would a Tea Master go adventuring? They could be searching for a new supply; have run out of their own supply; know that there is a threat to the trade routes they depend upon; heard from the nobility of a need for the government; have a loyal customer that needs aid. A Tea Master like many service types develops a relationship with the people they serve. Those connections are easy to leverage into relationships that help power story — plus they have tea.

    Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Pexels.com

    Tea Master

    You are a server of fine teas. Maybe you worked in a tea shop, or were a tea merchant, or were the tea master for a noble estate. You prepare teas and small bites of food for the thinking peoples in the area. This can be as simple as a cuppa or an elaborate ritual.

    You may be an expert in particular types of tea (powders, fermented, naturals, or combination). These teas and tisanes may come from your local community or come from other lands far from your origin. Regardless, you start with 24 servings of your favorite tea or tisane (tisane=herbal tea). When creating your tea master consider the peoples you served tea to in the past, consider who taught you the ceremony(ies) you know. Use these flavor decisions to embrace your role as a Tea Master.

    Skill Proficiencies: History and Insight. If you are using cultures rather than languages, then replace history as per those rules.
    Tool Proficiencies: None
    Languages: Two languages
    Equipment: Alms box with 25 silver, bell or whistle or hand drum, tea set for 6 including tea for 4 ceremonies for 6 (10 pounds and 25 gp value), fine clothes, waterskin

    Feature: Tea Ceremony

    Performing a 1 hour ritualistic ceremony you serve tea often with small plates of food, but that is not required. The ceremony is patient and calming, shifting NPC attitude from hostile to indifferent or indifferent to friendly, if the NPC can be convinced to partake in the full ceremony. PCs partaking in a tea ceremony can use Hit Dice to heal as if the time was spent on a Short Rest.

    Personality Traits that make sense for the Tea Master could be from the Acolyte, the Guild Artisan, the Hermit, or the Sage. Mix and match these as necessary.

    Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com

    Design Goals

    There are a few reasons I wanted to make the Tea Master. During my time in the Middle East I experienced a couple versions of tea ceremonies. These were done as a welcome to a home or to a camp. In my personal life I have also experienced the elaborate high tea that used to be part of the nobility of England. These seemed to fit the social portion of D&D, especially as they stretch back in time to the days which inspire our stories.

    Within fiction there are two tea ceremonies that stand out in my mind — both from The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Tumnus uses a tea ceremony to distract and then poison Lucy. The Witch uses a tea ceremony and foods to make Edmund think that she is not a threat. Both examples fit the literature that inspires our game.

    There was also a desire to make the tea ‘rules’ different than coffee ‘rules.’ The two are similar in that they are water with vegetation that often provides stimulation as well as being from locales far from the founding cultures of the game. Both belong in D&D, because they were in Europe in the era that inspired the game AND because D&D is about much more than Europe.

    Another goal was to remove specificity of culture from the tea ceremony. Tea ceremonies do not have the direct lineage that coffee does (coffee houses have a direct lineage to Ottoman cafes). Tea is a more widespread crop with various cultures celebrating the leaf. So make your tea ceremony your own. Celebrate a real culture, create a pastiche, or invent a new one — do it honoring real cultures that you are a member of or that you’ve studied.

    Custom Backgrounds for 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons

  • Nine types of dogs to add to Dungeons & Dragons

    Nine types of dogs to add to Dungeons & Dragons

    Animal companions are a vital part of my campaign world. Much of the reason the World of the Everflow and the Land of Six Kingdoms exists is because I want to explore the connection between humans and dogs. Since this is Dungeons & Dragons that also means exploring the connection between halflings and riding dogs, kobolds and ratters, elves and sighting dogs, goliaths and huskies.

    D&D only has one natural dog. There’s also blink dogs, wolves, dire wolves, and a few other mystical beasts. But the real world has dogs that range from one pound to a couple hundred, dogs that are able to swim forever, dogs that are able to detect scent so well they detect cancer, dogs that pull sleds for hundreds of miles.

    Fifth edition is simpler than reality, and every other version of the “editions” of D&D, only various basic editions could be classified as simple. It doesn’t need 150 breeds of dogs. It does need more than the mastiff. Here are nine other types of dogs to help expand your D&D game.

    Mastiffs or War Dogs

    Part of the 5th edition D&D SRD, the mastiff can be summoned by various spells and magic items and ridden by small humanoids. Though described as a hound, the art for mastiffs tends towards bulky. They are war dogs, clearly. Maybe they also represent breeds that guard through violence and intimidation rather than as an early warning system.

    Mastiffs and war dogs should always be medium.

    Herding dogs

    These dogs herd animals, you already figured that out. Whether they are shepherds or certain terriers or heelers, they enjoy large groups.

    Add a Herding Dog to your D&D Game

    Herding dogs are usually medium, but small is appropriate.

    Guardian dogs

    There are a few types of guardian dogs. Where in D&D the mastiff represents the guard dog that is violent and intimidating a guardian dog represents those breeds that act as an early warning system. They observe a space and warn their companions that danger is coming.

    Rather than stat this out, the two guardian dogs in my current game are simple. They do 1 HP of damage on attacks, have half hit points of a mastiff, and are small. These represent the terrier breeds that aren’t eliminating vermin but are barking a lot (there’s some crossover in the real world). What makes them special is the ability, once per long rest, to “cast” Alarm as a ritual without any use of spell components. Rather than invent a new ability, creating a small area that the dogs can sense entry into and then bark a lot makes things simple.

    Guardian dogs can be small and sometimes medium.

    Working dogs

    Where the mastiff represents breeds that are violent, working dogs have two main roles in our world of fantasy — the mount and the cart/sled puller. These are big doggos. They never tire. They love you so much they want to work harder. Give them the mastiff stats, but with max HP and a boost of 2 to Constitution. They have disadvantage on attack rolls.

    Give a working dog Beast of Burden, you can find that on the Mule. They are tireless, and have advantage on strength or constitution checks that would impose exhaustion.

    Working dogs are medium, maybe even large — this is a fantasy world.

    Retrieving dogs

    Aslan is a red lab and Amira was a golden/yellow mix. These are the dogs that taught me what dogs are. Retrievers haven’t appeared in my game yet. The rules are simple. A retriever fetches. At the end of a combat 100% of ammunition can be found within ten minutes, unless magically hidden or a critical fail was rolled. Additionally, when they are within 30′ of their companion and that companion’s target their companion always has at least 1 piece of ammunition. They do not provoke attacks of opportunity, ever. They use the mastiff stats.

    Retrieving dogs are usually medium, but small works.

    Water dogs

    Labs are funny because they are both retriever and water dogs, but that’s complicated. 5e isn’t supposed to be complicated. So your lab needs to be one or the other. Or get a spaniel. They’re cool too, all dogs are cool. There’s lots of water dogs that basically forget that they are supposed to run on land, not jump in every pond, crick, or ocean they find. And yet. Water dogs do just that.

    Mechanically? Use the mastiff, because simple. Drop Keen Hearing & Smell and drop the bite to a d4+1. Add on a swimming speed of 40 and resistance to cold damage.

    Water dogs can be medium or small.

    Hound or sighting dogs

    The dog that helps hunters and trackers is a capable tracker who can sight prey from great distances. These hounds are frequent companions of rangers and other outdoorsy types.

    Mastiffs, the base D&D dog, already have Keen Sight & Hearing, so what does a dog that’s even better have? Let’s lean on Elven Accuracy. Whenever tracking, hounds and sighting dogs are able to reroll one of their advantage dice. When their companion is tracking the help of a hound or sighter means that companion has the same. A sighting dog or smell-hound can use the Help action as a Bonus Action for a ranged or melee attack respectfully. Other changes from the mastiff are a drop of strength and constitution by 2 points, reducing their damage, attack bonus, and hit points.

    Hounds and sighting dogs are evenly split between medium and small.

    Vermin hunting dogs

    Certain breeds were meant to get rid of rats, badgers, foxes etc. They are nimble (Dex 16, AC 14) pack animals (Pack Tactics) who are brave (advantage against fear). They will chase a small animal into its home, enjoying that chase through darkness (darkvision 10′). They aren’t strong (Str 9) or tough (HP 2). They’re just fierce. Their bite does 1d4-1 hit points of damage, minimum one. On a successful bite the victim must make a DC: 10 strength check or be grappled.

    Many tunneling societies will partner up with vermin hunters, to include, but not limited to, kobolds, gnomes, dwarves, goblins, drow. Sure these dogs may bring rats back to their companions. This is both good and bad and good and bad.

    Vermin hunters are small, with some being tiny and a few being medium.

    Messenger or racing dogs

    These dogs are fast. Whippets, greyhounds and others are real world breeds who are racers. In the World of the Everflow messenger dogs are used to send letters between places. These dogs just have to move, except when they don’t. They sleep hard and eat as much as a working dog.

    They have a movement of 60′ and are able to use the Dash Action as a Bonus Action. Additionally their dexterity is 16, giving them an AC of 13. They do not provoke attacks of opportunity. They only do 1 HP of damage on attacks. Otherwise they have the stats of a mastiff.

    Most messenger dogs are small. Some could be medium.

    Toy or companion dogs

    Some dogs are beloved by their companions, but not by everyone else. That’s fine. Everyone deserves dog love. Maybe an eccentric wizard carries one in their pouch, or a bard has one in their pocket, or the king has a medium sized one on its lap constantly. These aren’t dogs for adventuring. These are dogs for socializing.

    A toy dog can cast Friends once per long rest. They have 1 HP and an 8 constitution. Their bite does no damage, but causes disadvantage on the next attack roll for the victim. If they are targeted by an attack the attacker may suffer from Hellish Rebuke originating from the toy dog causing psychic damage.

    Toy dogs are usually small, maybe tiny, but some medium flooffs think that they are toys and will crawl up in your lap no matter what you want.

    What’s the first type of dog you’re adding to your game?

  • Stories you can tell with D&D’s upcoming adventures

    Stories you can tell with D&D’s upcoming adventures

    There were a massive amount of products announced at the first ever Dungeons & Dragons Direct. The next seven months or so of D&D tabletop games are now known.

    The big three were the adventures or mixed adventure-setting books. They are either very new concepts, or very old settings being revisited. Each of the main adventure books guides towards certain types of stories.

    Journey Through the Radiant Citadel

    Polygon newser — Wizards of the Coast shows off D&D’s new Caribbean and Dia de Muertos-inspired adventures

    Like the previous collections of adventures (Candlekeep Mysteries, Tales from the Yawning Portal) Radiant Citadel assembles what you need ahead of time. Unlike those previous tales there are through lines in these Journeys. Working in a writers room concept meant that continuity chain could connect the disparate adventures.

    Story ideas: Here’s the thing. This is a new concept, so I can’t lean into my own background for ideas. Maybe that’s the point. Ajit put together a team where I don’t need to worry about telling my story — they’re helping me tell their stories. Get Radiant Citadel because learning about others is fun.

    Spelljammer: Adventures in Space

    Polygon newser — D&D’s Spelljammer reboot looks unlike any other 5th edition adventure so far

    Much of the attention towards Spelljammer is that the longstanding online joke about it being confirmed was finally true. It’s also in a new for 5th edition format as a multi-book package in a slipcase with a DM’s screen and large format map. Spelljammer is wild. There are space elves, murder comets, asteroid spiders, ships that look like dragonflies and ships that look like mindflayer heads. Wildspace is D&D on space drugs.

    Story Ideas: Spelljammer combines the Age of Sail/Piracy with space travel, dragons, and some of the creepiest aberrations in D&D’s catalog. Borrow from Our Flag Means Death, Black Sails, Farscape, Firefly, Star Trek. Exploration of the unknown should be a key element. Your ship should practically be a character, it is that important.

    Dragonlance: Title to be Announced Shadow of the Dragon Queen

    Polygon newser — D&D’s Dragonlance is back with a new adventure and a ‘battle game’

    Story ideas: The original Dragonlance novels put big heroes, in big situations, solving the world’s problems. It was romantic and heroic. Inside that original trilogy were a group of great friends. They were different peoples, different cultures. They didn’t necessarily work towards the same goals, but they worked together because that’s what friends do, especially soldiers. This new take on Dragonlance seems to be a gritty way to tell stories of fellowship tested by violence — Band of Brothers, Falcon & Winter Soldier, Ender’s Game’s subplots, Last Kingdom.

    Other D&D Direct Announcements

    The new starter set, Dragon of Stormwreck Isle, looks to be both a tighter adventure and an enterprising way to combine digital tools with the physical product. There will be guides for new DMs and videos about how to roleplay. Another new digital product are the new Monstrous Compendiums. The first is 10 free monsters from the Spelljammer setting. There will be more for Spelljammer as well as other setting.

    Several more books are being released in foreign languages, a great expansion beyond the core three. There are also two cases to help power tactical play without minis. These campaign cases of tokens and maps look to be solid aids for home play.

    Neverwinter and Baldur’s Gate: 3 had significant updates. Neverwinter is leaning on dragons, good. It’s got the dungeons figured out. BG3 is still in early access and a year out from conventional play.

    Also a year out? The D&D movie. Dungeons & Dragons: Honor among Thieves comes out March 3, 2023.

    Finally, there are two board games coming out. Onslaught is a tactical-skirmish game with two factions facing off while some monsters try to kill both. It looks like it will be a quick fun physical version of a videogame shooter. The Dragonlance ‘battle game’ is supposed to combine mass combat in a cooperative manner with the story of the Dragonlance adventure.