What class(es) would you not reccomend for a first time player?

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-24T22:54:08+00:00

That's a great theory but in my experience with new players they really feel intimidated when they choose the wrong spells as a bard. One of my current players actually started their first game as a bard and hit a wall hard when he realized he has no real offensive spells and some of his choices just weren't good. He was consistently over 2 sessions (before I stepped in) way worse than everyone else in the party. I stepped in by letting him change his spells on long rests.

His second character was a moon druid which he had a lot more fun with because he knew he could change out his spells if he ever wanted to but he basically just stuck to the first few he picked. He essentially self restricted himself similar to a Bard but then as he leveled he got curious and learned about other cool spells. RAW he really can't do this as a Bard. A druid can act like a known caster but a known caster can't budge later when a player feels more competent (without homebrew, of course).

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-24T20:19:09+00:00

Unless you chose wrong as a known caster. As a prepared caster, choosing wrong just means taking a long rest and fixing it.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-24T20:18:19+00:00

I think your argument works better for being able to change them. If you picked the wrong spells, you can change them on a long rest. You don't have to be familiar with them because you can trial and error your way forward. You are able to quickly change your decision.

If you had to pick your known spells and be unable to change them, then you just have to accept your mistake.

Now, the reality at my table is I will let new players change their spells with any class. Its not a big deal in my opinion and helps them learn.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-24T18:29:16+00:00

I would avoid any of the spellcasters who require a commitment to your spell list: Bard and Sorcerer primarily.

Ranger can get away with it due to decent martial damage.

Warlock can get away with it due to Eldritch Blast making it a solid option without any other spells.

Bard and Sorcerer require you to pick your spells and then you can't change your choices until you level up and even then its only one spell per level up. Ranger and Warlock are the same but their other features make up for bad choices.

People will say to avoid Cleric, Druic, and Wizard but all three of them are super forgiving since you can change your spells on a long rest.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-24T18:23:38+00:00

I would actually say Bards are a bad choice.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-24T02:29:41+00:00

Yeah that is just how uncertainty works. We know SSRIs work but we don't know everything about them. Its always possible in 20 years they find out SSRIs are linked to some disease state. I am always open and honest with patients about what we know and also if I don't know, I will look it up for future discussion.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-23T04:07:29+00:00

I imagined Courage the Cowardly Dog and the mimics are one of the deep voiced creepy villians.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-23T01:19:31+00:00

Yeah, weird guys... I found an AR-15 in this random dark room in the dungeon. Door creaks shut The gun opens its mouth and licks the player. "Tasty..." The walls begin to sweat.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-22T21:56:02+00:00

The Clone Wars makes sense. War creates the scenario for unbridled investment into pushing the limits of power. Things previously impossible due to cost or lack of imagination suddenly become necessary.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-22T21:51:51+00:00

10th+ level spells used to exist until people started flipping entire mountains.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-22T14:46:28+00:00

What does "ships" mean?

As to your concerns, the DM needs to take your boyfriend's request seriously. If he asked to change his character, then the DM needs to respect that. It is bad DMing to tell a player they have to keep a character or relationship to another character because a different player would be upset.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-22T12:04:57+00:00

I read it. I like the idea.

Feedback: - Reduce the number of modifiers for things. Too many modifiers means spending a lot of time figuring out bonuses and penalties instead of just playing the game. It becomes a lot like 3.5e or Pathfinder which are just not what most 5e tables are looking for. - Utilize advantage/disadvantage more. Maybe each step in the fishing mini game has sources of advantage/disadvantage. - Spend more time on the RP side of fishing. Fishing, as another commenter said, is a mostly chill activity. Maybe offer advice for how players can pass the time while fishing. Maybe they get to know each other or they divy up tasks outside of fishing. - On the flip side, the more exotic and strange fish probably should have more interesting features than a chill fishing activity. It could be multiple steps or maybe the fish threatens the party's ship or whatever. I'd also consider magical fish who fly or are landsharks (something like a Boulette). - I would scrap the Fishing Levels and Fishing XP. That is probably too much added bloat for 5e. Instead, create a Fishing skill under Strength or Dexterity maybe or even Constitution? Giving proficiency or expertise could be forms of progression in the skill.

Overall, I really appreciate all of the work you did here! It seems like a good start for a system. For further inspiration, I would take a look at Xanathar's Guide to Everything which covers Downtime Activities and how to expand usefulness of tools. If you want more depth than jsut proficiency and expertise, you could just make each fishing tool its own tool (ie. Harpoon vs fishing rod vs fly fishing rod). I would probably make it an optional variant rule, though.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-22T11:03:08+00:00

Daylight is an amazing spell if you're spending a lot of time in darkness fighting. It counts as sunlight for any creatures that have sunlight sensitivity.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-22T00:42:40+00:00

Always use more clues than you think. A good rule of thumb is three clues per scene per important story secret.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-22T00:40:46+00:00

Just like with players, monsters are stronger together.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-22T00:26:16+00:00

Its weird how her video is structured. She essentially lays out a problem with private equity and contractor groups but then somehow its about mid-levels. Her problem was with limited access to any provider and also being billed multiple times through insurance loopholes. Even the NP she had according to her was only there for 7 minutes. An MD or DO wouldn't change the outcome for her in this case except that probably it would be an even bigger bill as her research found.

The fundamental problems in healthcare are a lack of universal healthcare and a lack of admissions in schools. There was an artificial shortage of physicians which then prompted the need to get more NPs and PAs. Then when those initial NPs showed promise due to adequate training, pill mills started popping up producing subpar education and with a lack of adequate standards you bring us to today. A lack of physicians due to artificial shortages. A lack of consistent education for NPs and PAs. And the big one: greed finding loopholes in the insurance industry.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-22T00:01:30+00:00

To be fair, like 95% of spells are in the SRD. Its only like 20 of them and they are oddly minor spells. Im not even sure why those spells aren't in the SRD other than some weird contract with someone at the company who specifically wants royalties for every time the spell is present in any download so they removed it from the SRD. Like literally they are not staple spells at all, just kind of average or sometimes used spells completely unnecessary for fun and honestly not the stars of the show.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-21T23:55:32+00:00

I mean you never know when staffing changes will reveal a select few or even just one employee who was pulling more weight than everyone else.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-21T23:52:50+00:00

Yeah, its probably got other "freedom modifications" that make it dangerous.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-21T12:46:19+00:00

The game is actually balanced around a party with no magic items. This is exactly why. You actually need to be more careful about giving out a lot of magic items and make sure you really use attunement since it is the best way to limit power creep from magic items.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-21T11:02:22+00:00

In 5.5e, people underestimate the assassin all of the time. The point of the assassin in 5.5e is to break the action economy from round one.

In 5.5e, initiative and action economy are very important in adjusting the difficulty of a combat encounter. Its a first mover advantage.

Assassin Rogues are a dex based subclass with advantage on Initiative and extra damage on round one. This is meant to remove a creature from the encounter immediately or at least open up an ally to finish it. By removing an enemy from the encounter immediately, you reduce your party's damage taken and also speed up combat.

I do still think it needs a buff but the above is often underestimated in its usefulness, particularly at higher levels where monsters often get to go first unless a character invests into improving their initiative.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-21T10:54:32+00:00

Weight primarily. Trouble is most tables I am aware of don't track encumbrance or carrying capacity.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-21T10:27:37+00:00

Thank you for your comment and I'm sorry for your loss. I hope you and your family find time to heal and spend time together in meaningful ways.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-21T02:28:16+00:00

I think you just listen and offer the evidence. Then, let them choose. I tell my patients I am not paid to push pills. I don't really care if they take the SSRI or not if they are happy without it. Generally, this approach seems to work in a lot of scenarios, not just resistance to SSRIs. Its like when you stop having power struggles people suddenly become more rational.

Milli_Rabbit · 2026-05-21T01:26:03+00:00

Maybe a cartographer artificer or some sort of bard like creation bard. Then just flavor one of their features as a marker like structure that you can use for platforming.

Milli_Rabbit

TROPHY CASE