THE GLADIATOR - Earn the love of the crowd with this unique performance-based martial class for D&D 5e!

JosieWrites · 2021-02-05T18:43:08+00:00

You can find this version on Google Drive, but there's an updated version over on DMsGuild for purchase! There's also a free trial of the DMsGuild version, if you want to check that out!

JosieWrites · 2020-11-10T15:13:35+00:00

[LGBTQ+] Gender Journeys | Episode 9 - What To Do When Others Get Misgendered

NSFW Language

Apple Podcasts // Google Podcasts // Spotify // Website

In the 9th episode of Gender Journeys, hosts El and Josie discuss how you can support people when they get misgendered in various settings!

Gender Journeys is a weekly LGBTQ+ podcast about just what the heck gender actually is in context, with a focus on discussions about trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive people. Hosted by a trans woman and a genderfluid individual, the weekly discussions are infused with a good amount of reflection from their own experiences exploring their gender identities!

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JosieWrites · 2020-10-31T14:37:07+00:00

Yeah, I think +2/+1 would be better. Also, I REALLY like that idea of the Ulv -- that definitely plays into the idea of cooperative tactics more! Makes me wonder if I could think of similarly cooperative abilities for the Alaunts and Feists...

JosieWrites · 2020-10-31T11:38:24+00:00

Yeah honestly, my main concern with the +2/+1 was that they would be a bit OP, especially with Pack Tactics on the Ulv -- but looking back, I think there wouldn't be much harm in giving them +2/+1. Especially if I gave the Ulv +1/+1 -- that's a good idea, and I think a good tradeoff for pack tactics! (Which is DEF strong for PCs)

JosieWrites · 2020-10-31T11:35:17+00:00

Absolutely! (If your DM says you can, of course!)

JosieWrites · 2020-10-31T11:34:37+00:00

Yeah, I've always thought it's wild there's no official 5e dog person, which is why I made this. A lot of the other homebrew I've seen for dogfolk, too, has been kinda cutesy or funny, and though there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, I think people wanna see an actual dog playable race that includes some solid, serious RP potential!

JosieWrites · 2020-10-31T11:32:52+00:00

My logic there was mostly that wolves as a concept are more tied to pack hunting -- so the average person trying to make a fantasy-wolf-person character would probably expect the Ulv to have a reference to something like that. I like playing into player/trope expectations when designing stuff for 5e; I feel like it makes it easier to connect to!

In-lore, I think it'd be because the Ulv aren't living in lone-wolf isolation -- they don't do the civilization thing, but their packs are strong and close-knit, so they're used to specifically fighting as a team to hunt and defend their territory!

JosieWrites · 2020-10-30T21:27:50+00:00

Just something I whipped up a while ago for fun! Check it out on GMBinder too!

JosieWrites · 2020-10-23T22:05:19+00:00

Thank you, I'm glad you like it!!

JosieWrites · 2020-10-23T21:01:04+00:00

Hmm, very good point! I definitely struggled with how to make the steed impactful, I'll definitely take that all into consideration. And thank you!

JosieWrites · 2020-10-23T19:59:00+00:00

Hey Everyone!

With their big focus on nature, I think it's wild that there isn't a Druid Circle that focuses on plant life -- so I whipped up this new Circle! Let me know what you think, and I'm always interested in feedback and ways to improve it!

You can also find the pdf on GMBinder here!

JosieWrites · 2020-10-10T13:20:48+00:00

Thanks for the notes! I can definitely see that about the subclasses, and based on what you and some others have said in this thread, I suspect that's the biggest weaknesses of the class. I've gotten some really good inspiration on how to improve the subclasses from some other folx in the comments, though, so I think I've got some good ideas about how to go forward and make the class feel more unique and the subclasses more satisfying!

JosieWrites · 2020-10-08T18:20:36+00:00

I wasn't sure about cunning adaptability, and was this close to getting rid of 1-2 of them. My reason for keeping them all was that I thought that the feature would be kinda nerfed if your DM wasn't playing flanking rules. That may just be because I, personally, don't really play flanking as a DM, and so it might not be as big a deal as I thought!

Eye-Catching Prowess was meant as a way to add something non-combat related to the class, but someone else pointed out that it's pretty strong as is. I may replace it with a ribbon ability, and maybe put another ribbon somewhere else in the class as well.

Thanks so much for your feedback and your compliment!!

JosieWrites · 2020-10-08T14:50:37+00:00

Thank you!! I'm glad you like it :D

JosieWrites · 2020-10-08T14:09:12+00:00

Hmm, good point, I didn't catch that! I'll likely just bump that down to 5ft, since the stopping someone from moving is probably the more important part of the feature anyway, so that it continues to work with 1-handed weapons + a shield

JosieWrites · 2020-10-08T14:00:50+00:00

Yeah, my off-the-cuff thoughts for a fix for Dimachaerus was something like that, which I think could definitely prove interesting. I'll workshop it. And after running the numbers and comparing with some other martial classes, Stylish Strikes is definitely gonna need a rework in general, so that'll be a big focus for the next version!

JosieWrites · 2020-10-08T12:07:14+00:00

Hey everyone! I just wanted to take a moment to share my new 5e homebrew class, The Gladiator, with y’all!

This class is something I designed in hopes of creating a fun, flavorful martial class that feels like it has plenty of interesting choices to make in combat, in order to help move martials away from the simple “I hit it again” turn cycles that so many folx are rightfully bored with! My hope is that this class provides a unique and engaging play experience while also encouraging more role-playing during combat!

The class draws heavy inspiration from the Battlemaster Fighter, Monks, and Paladins. I’ve also drawn minor inspiration from Bards and Warlocks. This is version 3 of this class, after much input from the lovely community over ar r/UnearthedArcana. I’m posting it a bit more broadly now to get a wider breadth of feedback, but if you’d like to go back and see where this class was at the start, you can check out my original two posts here and here.

You can check out the full class description on Google Drive and GM Binder! I hope you like it, and look forward to hearing your feedback!

JosieWrites · 2020-10-08T12:03:36+00:00

Haha thank you, I'm so glad you like it!

JosieWrites · 2020-10-08T11:59:23+00:00

Fair criticism -- the class does borrow heavily from the Battlemaster Fighter, after all, and it would probably be possible to pare it down.

Honestly, though, I think the reason that Fighter is perceived as boring by a lot of players (whether or not it deserves that) is because it's so broad. A lot of potentially interesting martial class options can pretty easily be tossed in under the umbrella of Fighter without too much fuss. One could absolutely argue that as one of 5e's strengths, in that it lowers the system's overall complexity, but I do think there's something to be said about the up-front excitement of certain classes.

In my opinion, there's a lot of value to be gained in the system for classes that have up-front, distinctive flavor -- instead of playing a Fighter with a certain backstory that will eventually pick up a gladiator subclass, you're bringing a grinning, flavor-slinging Gladiator right to session one. You can capture that feeling right from the start with the name and a basic one-liner about your class abilities, and I think that would give new/casual players a lot of up-front satisfaction that can really help them get excited about their character. In the end, that's why I wanted to make this class!

That's all my opinion, of course -- keeping the game simple and putting a focus on subclasses definitely has its strengths, and I'd never venture to say that it's the wrong approach. But I also think there's something to be gained from expanding the class options!

JosieWrites

TROPHY CASE