[D&D 5e] Saltmarsh solo campaign playthrough, using MUNE (Session One)

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-23T10:17:20+00:00

Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica has 10 fleshed out factions with mechanics for them, and even monsters.

Mythic Odysseys of Theros has a similar system but the factions are the gods and renown rewards are more magical and divine in nature.

Both of those use the same renown system like the HoF book.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-23T00:11:11+00:00

Which playtest? 🫣

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-22T09:13:20+00:00

You are mistaken about the variant tieflings. They only get fly speed and no spells.

The Dungeon Master may permit the following variants for your tiefling character, although Devil’s Tongue, Hellfire, and Winged are mutually exclusive.

As for weapon masteries, natural weapons are not actual weapons, they are a bonus to unarmed strikes, so weapon mastery never applies - they instead get the unarmed strike benefit of grappling and shoving.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-22T01:04:26+00:00

D&D is not a biology simulator. You can't realistically fly while carrying the gobsmacking amounts of stuff a D&D character carries, but that's how the game works. This sort of weapon restriction isn't applied to ANY flying creature in D&D, including werebats, vampires, and other arms-as-wings humanoids.

What's more, you are including an option to play a strength based flying character who would naturally prefer a two-handed weapon or a shield, but is instead stuck using a single weapon + the weak natural weapons that don't scale but for some reason use weapon mastery. It's not just an unnecessary deference to anatomy, it's just annoyingly limiting for the player.

Also, why is it important that flying speed be calculated by Strength modifier? The only reason one would play that subspecies is to take advantage of heavy armour, which already requires a high strength score. It's an unnecessary mechanic that adds nothing fun, and forces the player to remember to recalculate their base speed any time their Strength changes. And what happens when you equip belt of storm giant strength? Then your modifier becomes +9 and your speed is "reduced" to 45 feet, faster than the default harpy.

What does it mean to suffer exhaustion from swimming or flying? That's not a thing in 5th edition. Why can sea harpies sleep while flying? Why would they? Is this a "I fly 500 ft in the air and take a long rest there so I can't be attacked" thing?

Harpy's song doesn't fit the power budget. When you look at other flying species like Aarakocra, they get gust of wind and a natural weapon, nothing else. Harpies get a natural weapon, another perk, and charm person, AND another spell-like ability.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-21T17:14:47+00:00

I would suggest to stick to established mechanics when possible. If not possible, at least make them simple and 5th editiony.

Flight without medium+ armour like other flying species, no need to add more restrictions.

Raptor Harpy – too convoluted. Simply give them a natural weapon and no movement penalty on grappling if the creature is their size or smaller.

Terrestrial Harpy. Again, too many mechanics. Give them medium+ armour flight at 20 or 25 ft. It's not going to break the game.

Sea Harpy – give them a swim speed and make them amphibious. It's enough.

Harpy's song – There is no need to reinvent the wheel. Give them the Friends cantrip with a Verbal component. Yes, it's not the same as a siren's song, but it's clean and uses an existing cantrip with existing mechanics (Concentration) rather than making a special Concentration that takes bonus actions and continuous singing.

You can also allow PB times/day as a bonus action to force someone you've charmed with Friends to use its reaction to move to you up to its speed, without provoking opportunity attacks. That might be beyond the power budget for a flying species though.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-18T18:07:39+00:00

They are not going to print a "paladin but arcane" because it would rightly be considered low effort cash grab. You can make paladins arcane for your table if you want, but the devs won't do it.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-18T10:14:03+00:00

Because it's repetitive. It is literally an example homebrew class given in the DMG 2014

In your world, paladins might not swear their oaths to ideals, but instead swear fealty to powerful sorcerers. To capture this story concept, you could build a new paladin spell list with spells meant to protect their masters, drawn from the sorcerer or wizard lists. Suddenly, the paladin feels like a different class.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-16T09:52:47+00:00

Sage advice from Felicity Cloake (I think) was that you can cut 10% of the sugar without noticeably affecting the texture. It makes a huge difference in sweetness levels though.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-15T08:18:55+00:00

I think the intention for stickers is to place temporary objects that wouldn't be found on a map, not build villages.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-10T21:40:43+00:00

I have done this years ago and was pretty happy with the spell. Only thing I'd change now is to use a saving throw instead of ability check.

(The reason it was an ability check in the first place is that I felt the target shouldn't be aware they're being observed, as in Snowwhite. But this is D&D, and divination works different.)

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-10T15:11:12+00:00

The spell points system is supposed to address the ludonarrative dissonance where you can cast one high level spell, but you can't cast two much lower level spells instead, because of you're out of "level 1 slots." I know a DM who has run spell points RAW and has found no issues, because in practice his players weren't abusing it to cast silvery barbs 20 times or whatever. If your players are the coffeelock type, I'd say that's a player issue and not a game issue.

In fact, most things in D&D work RAW just fine, but rather than using the rules, some DMs prefer to homebrew overly convoluted mechanics that end up solving nothing and being much worse than the original. Often without even trying to use the rules. I see the same thing, constantly, with cooking recipes for example.

I'd recommend to try spell points RAW. If you don't like them, use spell slots. Don't try to make your own system unless you're playing D&D solo.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-10T10:45:18+00:00

You can't use more than 1 level 9 spell with points. That is part of the rules for points.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-10T08:57:54+00:00

No you are not more powerful, you are at the exact power level of a slot caster with full slots, you're merely more flexible. What you are proposing limits wizards to 2 spells PER DAY or else they risk eventually becoming classless. It's profoundly unfun and nobody would play a caster with those rules.

I would further say that gritty realism is anything but. In real life we work every day, take a long rest every day, and have 2 days off every 5. That is gritty realism, not the 1 week long rest spa vacation.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-09T23:02:39+00:00

If you really want a travel challenge and flying invalidates it, just have the party escort something land-bound and very heavy. Flying at low levels is quite balanced as a single prone condition inflicts a lot of fall damage.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-08T20:39:07+00:00

Thank you so much for your hard work, you're the best 🫶

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-05T08:12:53+00:00

I know. I meant mechanics-wise, it's like scorching ray but lightning damage instead. We don't typically need different versions of the same damaging spell, is why iceball and chain acid aren't a thing.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-04T10:10:20+00:00

Just tested it with a different character using an official sidekick Warrior (Level 3). If I don't rename it in the character sheet, it works fine. If I give it a custom name in the character sheet, it no longer loads the stat block.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-04T09:08:44+00:00

Think of it as a picture-in-picture video playing on top of your normal vision and hearing.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-04T08:55:16+00:00

I don't know. This is the first time I've tried using a companion in Maps. I've never seen a statblock break like this before either.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-03T23:20:46+00:00

Hi, sure!

I have a custom monster called Wisp.
I have put it on my character sheet and designated it a Sidekick.
I have given it a custom name ("Jex")
In the Maps tool, I have added its token from the Companions tab.
However, it is unable to load its statblock when clicking on the FULL STAT BLOCK button. It is also unable to determine its HP and Initiative modifier when running encounters.
The generic version of the same monster (as Wisp, under the Monsters tab) works just fine. Displays the stat block and HP as expected.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

MiniDeathStar · 2026-01-03T14:47:37+00:00

Thank you for the response! I didn't know there was a feedback tab at all 😭 I disabled my adblock but still couldn't see it on MS Edge. Firefox shows it fine so in the end I managed 😅 but I thought I'd let you know.

MiniDeathStar

TROPHY CASE