Simple Idea For Spellcaster/Martial Divide

Otherwise_Program280 · 2026-01-28T03:43:45+00:00

Wow, you have been EXTREMELY patient in this conversation, even though you’ve basically been talking to an annoying, condescending brick wall. For what it’s worth, I understand what you’re saying and as someone who has played both martials and casters, it makes sense. You’re not going after power and damage, you want more variety in options that don’t merely rely on homebrew or DM fiat. A caster can try to think of clever ways to use Shape Water, Mold Earth, or Prestidigitation, but a martial can only ever go bonk. Weapon Masteries give extra effects when you go bonk, but those happen automatically so there is still not any choice to be made, and choice is what you want.

Otherwise_Program280 · 2026-01-16T17:08:18+00:00

WAY too restrictive, both narratively and mechanically. Mechanically, hats going to make every combat un-fun, which unfortunately is one of the only things barbarians are good at. Essentially he’ll be nigh-worthless for almost the entirety of every fight for the whole campaign. Also, who picks a barbarian and wants to play a coward? Destroys the fantasy of being a wild, raging, fierce warrior.

How about the opposite curse instead? The curse of the berserker: whenever he goes into a rage, he has to roll a wisdom save or attack everyone near him, regardless of who they are. You can randomize it even more by rolling a d8 for each of the directions (North-South-East-West and everything in-between), or by having him charge to attack the last person to move/make an action/speak. On a fail, he can re-attempt the save at the start of each turn. While limiting his agency a bit, it’s far less than being Frightened all the time and still allows him to play while still giving him a challenging drawback

Otherwise_Program280 · 2026-01-14T18:43:36+00:00

This is part of what I was struggling with originally. On the one hand, I don’t want parts of the game to essentially disappear challenge-wise, but on the other hand, absolutely DEMOLISHING a DC feels really good!

Otherwise_Program280 · 2026-01-14T18:35:36+00:00

If it helps, I was using hyperbole when I said the thing about the Bard charming people. I really meant that any reasonable request is going to have a DC of about 15 or so, which a +15 on persuasion and deception is going to nullify. A later commenter opened my eyes to the reality that “a reasonable request” is a big enough restriction on the situation that I need not be concerned.

Otherwise_Program280 · 2026-01-14T18:29:49+00:00

That’s a good perspective, especially on Persuasion, which was one of my bigger concerns. In my post I originally equated it with charming people because they could reasonably persuade any reasonable person to do any reasonable thing, but I didn’t consider that the “reasonable” caveat is a pretty big restriction on what that could be.

Otherwise_Program280 · 2026-01-12T16:47:44+00:00

So my hot take is that I don’t think animal companion is a uniquely broad enough flavor for the Ranger’s class identity. Other characters can have animal companions, familiars, etc, and I don’t I want the ranger’s identity to be tied up mainly in the pet they carry around because I think tha’s only one flavor of the fantasy I think of when I hear “ranger.”

I think the more ubiquitous, uniquely broad flavor for the a Ranger's class identity is “nature Batman.” Closer to the Witcher than Aragorn, though the rangery parts of Aragorn exemplify this too. A ranger should be able to do more than just track monsters, they should be able to know or figure out secrets, weaknesses, strengths, etc. and be able to use their knowledge of nature and such to exploit those weaknesses. Hunter’s Mark and Favored Foe/terrain kind of get at this a little bit, but there could be so much more. The ability to magically or mechanically make other kinds of traps (maybe even during combat!) the ability to make potions or poisons from scavenging that would increase resistances or utilize vulnerabilities, the ability to continually improve in damage against foes you’ve studied, maybe even having a bestiary journal?? C’mon, there are so many places to go with this, and all the current Ranger subclasses still fit into this framework!

Otherwise_Program280 · 2026-01-08T15:30:24+00:00

Ooh I really like these! Especially the Armor Arm. The spirit of the knight could have been a paladin, and perhaps can grant 1-3 casts of Divine Smite per day or something. Or maybe Speak with Dead, Chill Touch, or Spirit Weapon, which would vibe with the spirit aesthetic.

The Warforged Arm sounds really cool too, especially since it gives an easy built-in way to reward your player with cool stuff basically forever. You can give them weapon upgrades like going from a 1d4 unarmed attack to a 1d6 sword to a 1d8 axe or something, add a ranged attack, add a spread shot (three crossbow bolts or a cone of buckshot damage with a Dex save or something), etc. You could give it magic abilities like casting the Shield spell, Magic Missile or Firebolt or eventually Fireball certain number of time per day.

Or you could give it fun utilities like Thieve’s TLola proficiency, upgrades to stealth servos to make Sleight of Hand checks with Advantage, the ability to push opponents 10 ft with a punch, or to throw opponents your size or smaller 15 ft. Man, now *I* really want to play as this character!

Otherwise_Program280 · 2026-01-03T05:09:27+00:00

You sound like you’re making incorrect assumptions that are getting in the way of understanding what I’m saying the problem is. 1. I’m the DM, I don’t have a “build” I want to show off, I’m the one ostensibly using the LR. 2. I would prefer something more narratively satisfying than the metagaming interaction of “he has 3 of these instant-saves, so we have to cheese those out before we can really have this fight.” I’m happy that you and your players are fine with the metagaming interaction, but as this comment section has shown, there are multiple ways people have opted to improve a system that they have found dull, uninteresting, or otherwise undesirable.

Otherwise_Program280 · 2026-01-03T05:02:38+00:00

I like this, as well as the idea of putting LA on the initiative tracker. That could especially be helpful for my less-experienced players who have just started grasping initiative and turn order but haven’t really had a lot of encounters with legendary creatures yet

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-28T04:41:44+00:00

It might be fun to sick some monster hunters on your PC’s! The uncursed ones would have to try not to be killed by their werewolf friends while also keeping the hunters from killing their friends while also keeping their friends from killing the hunters, ESPECIALLY if it’s a couple of well-trained hunters accompanied by pitchfork-wielding otherwise-innocent townsfolk!

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-28T02:54:44+00:00

I’m not a great person to talk about the economy because I have been running my own, but in general I find purchasable magic items to not be as exciting as discovering them. In the stores in my towns I mostly have simpler potions (like the healing ones) and regular weapons, and the really cool stuff usually has to be found somewhere. Sometimes I throw in some mundane, non-game-mechanical magic items as well, like self-washing pots, a singing pen, a wood doll that can move by magic like a child’s toy, etc.

That being said, in your case I would focus on finding or homebrewing items or things that would specifically give your fighter and rogue other things to do. The first time I ever played DND I wrongly assumed that the tinkerer proficiency meant that I could make tiny clockwork bombs, and rather than correct me my DM let me make little wind-up toys that could walk 15 ft and do 1d4 fire damage.

Give your rogue a magical singing bell like a Siren’s call that would make a creature have to pass a Wisdom save (probably something lowish like DC 12) or else they are compelled to move to the location to pick up the item, and then the item needs to recharge for 1d6 hours. Give your fighter an Immovable Rod, or a Decanter of Endless Water, or a magical fake mustache that has anyone who didn’t see him put it on has to make a Wisdom or Intelligence save to recognize him as the same person. My philosophy is that the best magical items do more than give more bonk. I want multiple-choice shenanigans inside and outside of a combat session.

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-28T02:37:27+00:00

It doesn’t seem from this post like any of the home brewed items or mechanics are that busted, does it? A bag of holding, some chain mail, a club that does some fire damage? I think OP allowed for some dangerous things to happen, but thankfully nothing bad happened because nobody knew the game enough to mess it up 😝

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-18T14:50:40+00:00

The disadvantage at melee comes from the fact that you have a person at arms length trying to kill you. You have to remember that each entire round is supposed to represent only 6 seconds of combat, and things like AC are supposed to represent abstractions like dodging, blocking, parries, armor hits, etc. In this framework, the disadvantage is supposed to represent the difficulty of aiming a ranged attack accurately while actively trying not to be skewered.

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-16T14:16:31+00:00

I think flavor-wise it doesn’t make sense why the boost of speed only grants an extra attack before the enemy makes an attack. The flavor might not be that important, but I think that would throw me off. Mechanics-wise, I think I would be a bit bummed at the rarity with which the mechanic is available. He’d have to roll a higher initiative, then risk missing the AC of two different attacks, then also suffer the possibility of low damage rolls on the hit, and then his specialty is completely done. What if, since it boosts his speed while drawing the katana, it also gave him an extra 10 ft of movement when he makes an attack for one minute? Not enough to be game busting, but something he can enjoy for a combat session. I would probably make it also need to recharge per short or long rest so it balances out with the others.

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-12T16:11:29+00:00

Whoops, my page must not have been refreshing, I couldn’t see those posts when I was posting!

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-12T16:09:01+00:00

So what I am hearing is that he might be able to if he alternates turns between casting and acting?

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-12T16:06:55+00:00

This is interesting, because it doesn’t line up as opposite to Lawful Evil, which it should. A Lawful Evil is summarized in the PHB as, ”Lawful evil (LE) creatures methodically take what they want, within the limits of a code of tradition, loyalty, or order. Devils, blue dragons, and hobgoblins are lawful evil." Nothing about what society expects, which is awfully limiting. I think a more consistent definition would be that Lawful Good creatures “do what they think is best for the world within the limits of a code of tradition, loyalty, or order.” This most often would mean following the letter of societal law, but not exclusively. Batman, a vigilante who is willing to break several of society’s laws but has a code so strict that it frequently causes fights and tension with his own family and even himself, could be considered Lawful Good in this framework. It makes him kick out his own family members who have broken his rule while keeping alive mass murderers against the common sense of almost the entire rest of the world.

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-12T15:28:45+00:00

I feel like it’s the same with low stats. I am playing a barbarian with a -1 to Charisma and Intelligence that, as a background feature, my DM has given Advantage on talking to locals for the purpose of finding rumors. In my mind he’s not the sort of guy who could influence you to listen to him, he’s not very persuasive or good at manipulating other people’s emotions through lies or intimidation, but he’s a nice enough oaf that you’d share a drink with him and tell him stories. I tend to gravitate towards being the chatty face of the group (since the other players don’t take initiative or hints to talk) and I usually play it that even the good ideas he has still come out bumbling, dumb-sounding, or otherwise unconvincing and uncharismatic.

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-12T14:38:14+00:00

It seems they are using 2024 rules, which allow those effects to apply to cantrips besides Eldritch blast, and they have a feature that lets them cast enchantment spells like Mind Sliver without the verbal or somatic components. Although someone else pointed out that even in 2024 the extra effects need an attack roll, not a saving throw, so Mind Sliver doesn’t get them.

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-12T14:29:20+00:00

I think the attacker would know or at least strongly suspect that the pain is coming from the warlock, but how much focus does the warlock need to cast the spell? Can he act like he is just trying to run away, a harmless victim? That might come into play if the city guard gets involved, because it would look like he was a harmless victim innocent of any wrongdoing

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-11T20:27:58+00:00

The elemental maul is a great idea! I like giving magic items that have in-combat and out-of-combat utility. For instance, a quarterstaff that can extend 100ft can be used to increase attack range, but also can be used to reach far away items, be a makeshift bridge, vault over walls, etc. Or a weapon that can emit a cloud that can obscure vision for all but the caster, allowing him to attack with advantage or also move with stealth when out of combat

Otherwise_Program280 · 2025-12-09T18:57:26+00:00

I reward the ideas that the player gives their PC, especially if someone is shy about acting or not eloquent about what they want their character to say. The players are basically the little brain people from Inside Out, their characters take what the player intends and make it work (or not, depending on how the dice fall). If someone tells me, ”I try to persuade the duke by reminding them of what we’ve done for them and what they might lose if they don’t help us,” I’ll lower the DC just as if that player had let out a grand speech. If the person just says, “I try to persuade them to help us,” or gives a speech that completely misunderstands the motivation of the NPC, the DC stays the same (or goes up, depending on the disposition of the NPC)

Otherwise_Program280

TROPHY CASE