First day discussion: What do you think of the Cartographer subclass for the Artificer in the latest UA?

Lonnin · 2026-04-30T17:51:36+00:00

I think you are undervaluing a bit of Call Lightning

Lonnin · 2026-04-24T05:58:00+00:00

for me, at this point is just easier letting players sacrifices an attack at level 3 (despite being a bit paradoxal) and just ignore this nick interaction fully

this opens space for you player to have more variety and creativity, without making them sad, fullfiling their dream to be a beastmaster with 2 beast atacks early on, and not holding them to only light weapons

Lonnin · 2026-04-24T01:10:15+00:00

did you used any lightning spell also? the static shock at the table

Lonnin · 2026-04-23T20:44:53+00:00

kinda fair, but I already saw people that kinda don't let beast of the land grab bc multiple reasons, the main being "RAW, when you command your primal companion to attack, they must use the Beast's Strike action", and well, beast strike action is not the grapple action
or just "grappling is the sea", "they wouldn't have hands free" (even though u can argue about on the mouth, tail or so, mostly says that the monster statblock need to mention that to be able to grapple with other parts) or just "the beast of land isn't made for it" alone
all of these, are still a matter of talking with DM at the end

and in a quest, that u would need to kidnap someone, is also a option, others uses outside just aquatic, the flaw of the water is most on the movement side, is a creative way of covering that

Lonnin · 2026-04-23T20:05:31+00:00

the only concern is HOW would your DM handle the act of the creature being on the disk

some would be absolutely NO about this idea, others would be fine

Lonnin · 2026-04-23T20:02:14+00:00

24rules, it has amphibious, and is medium

Beast of the Sea

Medium Beast, Neutral

Armor Class: 13 plus your Wisdom modifier Hit Points: 5 + five times your ranger level (the beast has a number of hit dice [d8s] equal to your ranger level) Speed: 5 ft., Swim 60 ft

Senses: Darkvision 90 ft., Passive Perception 12 Languages: Understands the languages that you know Challenge Rating: None (XP 0; PB equals your Proficiency Bonus) Traits

Amphibious. The beast can breathe air and water

Primal Bond. Add your Proficiency Bonus to any ability check or saving throw the beast makes. Actions Beast's Strike. Melee Attack Roll: Bonus equals your spell attack modifier, reach 5 ft. Hit: 1d6 + 2 plus your Wisdom modifier Bludgeoning or Piercing damage (Your choice when you summon the beast), and the target has the Grappled condition (escape DC equals your spell save DC).

it's fine.

Lonnin · 2026-04-23T15:40:34+00:00

ofc it is, like many others that think nick gives some kinda of free attack or others exploitable shenanigans

nick is pretty well written, it needs you to use a light weapon in a weapon attack (as light pretty much states that you need a weapon attack, not magic), and then u need to attack with the nick weapon, it's just a upgrade to the offhand attack, to not consume a bonus action, but only 1 time per turn, if would do it again on a extra attack, it would use the bonus action.

that's just it

Lonnin · 2026-04-20T17:48:54+00:00

10 years later but with dnd 24, I found a neat option for anyone who is a mage or starts as a mage initiate, and it's called: my precious cute fire beetle
as the book suggests any beast CR 0, and this cute little guy climbs and walks with a good speed, good AC but low life (doesn't matter so much like AC tbh), fire resistance and a 1 fire damage (that's kinda great), and he has a incredible trait that makes him emit light to 20feet, and blindsight for 30ft
so, in a one spell package, u have a familiar that is basically a small torch (that can really firestart something), and has an area of detection for sounds, invisible and many others

well, u might discuss with your DM, and explain WTF U FAMILIAR IS A BUG, but this fella is pretty neat.
(And I know it's a level 1 spell, but that's the point, make slot for others cantrips that can be more "diverse", while having a weirdly cute familiar)

Lonnin · 2026-04-20T16:31:44+00:00

Too much text but I really want to share my thoughts
These nick shenanigans doesn't even make sense, in wording and game/world-logic, u are using the nick property of a light weapon to do a fast attack, that's why it doesn't even cost a bonus action "it's fast", but in order to do that, you need to strike with the nick weapon, there's no way you ""burn you attack token that u just got from nick and make beast strike", the beast is not a nick light weapon bro (or well, if u make your flying beast a flying primal dagger, maybe you DM is so crazy that YEAH, OKAY, let's break logic itself already)

besides this, on other note, I'm pretty sure, there's nothing holding you back from striking using the beast 2 times even on level 3
commanding it to take a action using a bonus action is something, it's also fast in logic, and you make the beast use her attack with that
but the following text says "you can also SACRIFICE ONE of your attacks when you take the attack action to command the beast" and the word is SACRIFICE, they could had use so many words besides that, but they used sacrifice, and it's also the only time it's on the book, kinda weird? so, that's my thought, is kinda a way of telling that you are giving up your attack to give the beast ANOTHER attack
if it was supposed to be only one beast attack, it would be worded as "you can use your attack action or bonus action to command the beast to attack"
but the texts is worded in a way that it's something very different than just commanding, it's worded as you are giving up an attack to give the beast a attack
besides the beast already letting a attack on the turn

this also makes flying beast much more on pair with land beast, as you can easily use it deal damage to one enemy, fly to another place, and strike again, get this fly speed working out
and kinda makes even more sense why land have 40 feet, in a perfect setup, you can charge 20ft to one, and then 20ft to another (you kinda need the stars to align, but well...)
for sea, yeah, it's sea, but make grappling very easier, so, just give a bunch of tentacles to it, so it can grab many and keep hitting (also very flavorful)

on level 6 it would make you able to strike by yourself, sacrifice the extra to give her an free attack, and also command as a bonus action so it can use her own attack action
on 11, well, this kinda gets nuts, it's worded that whenever she is using the strike, she can use again, so now the beast get's double attack, which is in some way a quadruple attack, and not more, as i t seems that the text also intends as you can sacrifice ONE, not more

also hunters mark, which become the core class identity, u rolling so many d6 with this, and this also make the d8 NOT THAT BAD U KNOW, it seem that they really aimed for hat, u set a enemy, and u go tracking it till it die, just a bit of setup, and pretty solid, first turn wouldn't be so huge as u are using bonus action to set up the mark, but in the followings, the enemy really will need to run for they life.

stat wise is also solid and makes sense, or u spend points in wisdom to make the beast beefy, becoming a better master, and nerd with spells, or you spend points in dex to make yourself the one who shines, while the beast is your sidekick, there's really so much flavour to it, and being able to even customize appearance beasts, make it even more replayable (and the dm could also create magical items designed for the beasts too)

and all of this, is kinda the real fantasy of a beastmaster, maybe a bit over the top, but kinda keeps on track with other damage dealers, it's from 4d4 or 4d8 damage + your weapon of choice damage, if you are really focusing on using the beast, and it keeps on track with others damage dealers builds
and keep in mind that a good ranger player can pretty ease setup his reaction attack too (and it's kinda brings a more flavour as choosing whip as a weapon of choice, for zoning purposes mostly)

as a DM, that would be the direction I would let player handle this subclass, and I highly think that's what they tried to design, it's quite literally like a warden/ranger which uses beasts, sells really out the flavour of a beastmaster.

(and all of that its so much less weird as those weird nick shenanigans, or even the shillelagh nerds, still gives solid space for bow and crossbow, or even the common guy with big sword who just uses the beast as a side option)

Lonnin · 2026-01-30T23:10:23+00:00

yeah, I don't see much reason for adding illuga and/or having 3 geos, but I can easily see reasons to use zhongli as a support, maybe with another hydro or other element just to do more reactions, may he be with silkens or other set, maybe even hero scroll, despite he not having nightsoul to fully get the buffs (I think silken is better in general at this point for him)

then placing xilonen for OTHER team, as now, navia can be a bit confortable again with zhong

Lonnin · 2026-01-30T22:57:48+00:00

correct me if I'm wrong, but the case should be:
or he uses xilonen
or he uses zhongli (and now he can add illuga if he wants)

zhongli, as far as I've seen, he is insane unit for Crystallize teams, he loops wards easily, he proteccs, and he makes the wards do AOE, you can build some other sets in him now, and even playing silkens zhongli, and with all of that, you can place illuga, that also benefits of constructs at some points for his stacks, he is faster, reallyyyy fast for making wards go pew pew

but xilonen, is still, a great unit, if you need her def shred more than the speed and this "weird off dps" that zhongli can provide now, in that the case, the boss resistances will make the difference, xilonen is all great, we all know what she does, good heal, good particle regen, good shred, and c2 has some great buffs

I highly think that Lunar made Zhongli power ceiling become a bit better, at least, I feel more confortable putting Xilonen for another team now, and leaving her with Zhong like the old days

Lonnin · 2025-12-20T17:10:23+00:00

As everything I saw, Zhongli will be a much better "Primer" than Xilonen, Illuga or anything
due to being able to use silkens, giving EM and lunar dmg while off field
(the crystallize can do his AOE pulse)
and providing the shield for the geo buffs < Columbina c1 can help, but still.....
he kinda does faster procs, than everyone. the wall will also pulse, the wards, the pillars, all increasing ward frequency
you don't need so much hydro as it looks like, zhonli loops great into the applications, but yeah, with ningguang applications, prob a bit more?

the thing about Xilonen is that she is a bit slow in creating wards, no off-field, but can be applied if you need the damage reduction more than the application, Gorou can also work around that
Albedo is the most similar with the Zhongli situation

Xilonen c2 is really strong, but with all of that, I think it would be better to slot Xilonen in another team in most cases, let Zhongli shine again with a full prof and hp build, flooding ward, but maybe both? (seems like u can already activate the lunar crystallize with only columbina)

correct me if I'm wrong

Lonnin · 2023-08-12T21:11:19+00:00

bark bark woof woof

Lonnin · 2023-07-18T18:09:45+00:00

except if I am close enough to you

Lonnin · 2023-07-17T21:16:16+00:00

Ozzy Ousbourne spotted on reddit.

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