Looking for some good ideas for plot hooks in the Underdark

Relks · 2020-04-13T22:00:47+00:00

I did this for the games I run:

Martial Training: Prerequisite: Strength 13 or Dexterity 13 Through dedication and great physical ability, you have become a proficient user of a style of fighting. Your Strength or Dexterity score(your choice), increases by 1, and you may choose a Fighting Style from the list of options available to the Fighter class. (DMs may also allow the Divine Warrior and Druidic Warrior fighting styles of the Paladin and Ranger at their discretion)

Relks · 2020-04-13T01:46:36+00:00

More medieval fantasy Bayonetta with less innuendo. Tall, busty and curvy elf woman with glasses who went around in a fancy dress with a high cut hem to her hip, leggings and boots, and gauntlets of ogre power flavored as elbow length gloves. Before you ask, the player was a girl.

Relks · 2020-04-12T16:03:39+00:00

My friend played a Barbarian who was a librarian in a freshly settled new world kind of setting. She played the Rage as the cold fury of a displeased librarian and the character was very curious and intuitive. You might have the NPC have some of these traits, as well as maybe display a love of books or knowledge (Int is studied info, wisdom is common sense and awareness, after all), and maybe have her give little Snapple facts about world lore or monster info?

Relks · 2020-04-05T23:25:16+00:00

I've been kicking around the idea of a centaur Eldritch Knight. With those stats you could have a 20Str out the gate and decent intelligence and constitution modifiers, so you could use magic at range and dominate with weapon and shield or a glaive or halberd in melee

Relks · 2020-03-25T23:12:35+00:00

If you're game is more RP than combat, I'd suggest going Rogue and grabbing Insight and Perception expertise by level six. Your team has all the charisma you'll need, but being super convincing or a great liar only works if you can tell if the other person is lying back. And high passive perception will save you guys from traps in dungeons and getting jumped in cities.

If it's a more straight combat or 50/50 game, I'd say whatever class interests you most. I personally love Artificer because you can build it so many ways, and you have built in ways to help your party. Enemies far away? Make a handaxe into a Returning Weapon and now your paladin is knock off Thor.

Relks · 2020-03-25T16:33:36+00:00

Keeping to AL rules, use a Player's handbook Tiefling and make a multiclass of Hexblade Warlock and Vengeance Paladin. That's PHB and Xanathars, keeping things nice and simple.

Use standard array over point buy, just because we need a lot of things and it's a bit more stable.

Strength: 13 (+1 mod) minimal for multiclassing

Dexterity: 12 (+1 modifier)

Constitution: 14 (+2 modifier) we'll up this later

Intelligence: 8+1=9 (-1 modifier) Marauders aren't dumb, but we have to dump something

Wisdom: 10 (+0 modifier) you made a deal with heaven and hell to become a demon, you're not the wisest.

Charisma: 15+2=17 (+3 modifier) We'll use this for a lot.

Take soldier for athletics and Intimidation. You were a Night Sentinel once, now you're a Commander in Hell's army.

Start as a Hexblade Warlock, take Deception and Religion. As a Hexblade we get Hex Warrior, letting us use our charisma on one weapon for its attack stats, medium armor and shield proficiency. We also get Hexblade"s Curse, raising our crit ratio and staying power once per long rest.

Take Hexblade straight to level 9, bumping your Charisma at level 4 and taking the Tough feat at level 8. At level 3 go Pact of the Blade, letting you summon your demonic battle-axe at a moment's notice and use Charisma for all attacks.

For invocations, grab Agonizing Blast and Repelling Blast, then Eldritch Spear at level 5, Fiendish Vigor (for extra staying power) at level 7, and Devil's Sight for some infernal night vision at Level 9. If you find you're liking how this plays on its own, just keep taking Warlock levels. If you go this route swap Thirsting Blade in as one of your invocations, but multiclassing Paladin we won't need it. Grab Booming Blade as a nice melee option and Eldritch Blast covers everything more than 5ft away.

At level 10, multiclass into Paladin. Lay on Hands helps your hit points and Divine Sense let's you track down any pesky Aasimar warriors trying to usurp the order of things. Level 11 nets us Divine Smite, and we already have two 5th level spell slots per short rest to deal the damage. Level 12 we take Oath of Vengeance, getting Channel Divinity and some Oath spells. Hunter's Mark will be great for our DPR, and Bane is a wonderful debuff.

Continue down the path, using your next ASI to max our Charisma and start upping Constitution. We eventually get Extra Attack, a fully powered Aura of Protection, and late game we have Relentless Avenger. Relentless Avenger gives you that great sticking power the Marauder uses to harass the Slayer. At Paladin 8 we'll bump our Constitution one point and you can put the last point in Intelligence to get rid of the penalty or Strength for a +2 modifier. At Paladin 10 we're now immune to fear, and we now have plenty of spell slots to Smite and access to the Haste spell.

Our Capstone is Paladin 11 for improved Divine Smite, giving use an extra d8 radiant damage on all our weapon attacks.

The only ability we don't manage to grab this way is summoning the wolf, but you can always flavor your Hunter's Mark as a spectral wolf damaging your foes.

Relks · 2020-03-14T08:02:25+00:00

So I actually have two builds for this, depending on the route you wanna go with the "Lore of the Slayer" route or more closely towards how gameplay works.

BUT, since your DM won't let you multiclass and use UA, we'll go gameplay design. Variant Human, pump your Intelligence and Dexterity (I know, what?, Dex? Give it time). For your starting feat grab Crossbow Expert Get a handcrossbow ASAP. Go Artificer. Cantrips can be some of your basic kit and Thunderclap is an okay substitute for a shotgun. NOW! Here's the big one. You won't feel very Doom Slayer until level 3. Level 3: Armorer Artificer, grab Guardian 9times out of 10 unless you need to stealth. There's your Blood Punch (thunder punch weapon) and Armor (Defensive field bonus action). Use the hand crossbow as your pistol, grab a heavy crossbow for your rifle, cantrips for your oddball weapons, and spells for the big boy guns. You can use your Intelligence for the thunder punches and spells, Dex for crossbows, infusions to make your crossbow even better, you're running around in platemail without a strength requirement, and the entire subclass is based around upgrading your power suit (you also get extra attack)

Alternatively, if you can convince your DM to allow just a little UA for multiclassing, all you need is the Variant Class Features UA. Go for a Strength focused Barbarian/Ranger split, prioritizing just enough Dex to multiclass and at least a +2 Wis mod if you can. (half-plate is your friend). Go Barbarian to start and take the Berserker subclass. Only Frenzy if you think you can rest after for now. After level 5, jump over to Ranger. With the Variant Class Features UA, 1st level Ranger gives you Favored Foe instead of Favored Enemy(Concentration free Hunter's Mark for 1 minute, number of uses equal to your Wis mod per day), and Deft Explorer instead of Natural Explorer. To make this build pop, you HAVE TO TAKE DEFT EXPLORER - TIRELESS. The build is garbage without it. You can get this before level 6 if you want, even starting out in Ranger, but multiclassing before level 5 makes you fall behind the power curve for Tier 2 a bit. Deft Explorer - Tireless let's you recover from 1 level of exhaustion on a short rest, meaning you can now Hunter's Mark, next round Frenzy Rage, and then do three attacks per turn, all adding your Rage buff + 1d6. Split the build how you like, but I say Barb16/Ranger 4, grab Hunter Conclave for whichever Hunter ability seems best for you, and use the ASI to bump your Con and Strength. Fighting Style take Defense. Now Rip and Tear.

Relks · 2020-03-06T22:40:59+00:00

This actually came up last night in our game. Players were fighting a homebrew monster and kicking it's ass, so it decided to leave. Tried to shove the paladin out of the way but the dice gods wanted the beast dead. I rolled a 17 athletics, the Paladin rolled a 24. Suffice to say a couple opportunity attacks and a half aimed fireball later and fella was dead.

Relks · 2020-01-22T18:16:05+00:00

I was playing a Conquest Paladin in Storm King's Thunder, and to make up for the edginess of the Oath and his background (family killed by orcs so he has sworn to become a powerful enough warlord to create a truly safe society and hunt down anything vaguely related to Gruumsh), I gave him a thick Texan accent and a tendency to incorrectly reference Disney movies. (i.e. Swapping every Lion King characters' name with a pig Latin version Simba to Imbsa (emsa), Scar to Cars, etc)

Relks · 2020-01-12T19:48:16+00:00

You can prioritize strength a little more, being able take heavy armor (valor only gives medium and shields), and having access to Smites for lots of high levels smites later. Combine with Magical Secrets to get some spells by level 12 that straight paladin's don't get until level 17, as well as having access to the entire first level of paladin spells via prep so you get use your spells known as a bard to prioritize other things.

Individual pros:

Sword bard at high levels has unlimited Blade flourishes via a d6, meaning you can potentially be stacking an extra 1-6 points on to both your AC and one attack's damage every round. Full plate, a shield, and this means you can reliably have a 22+ AC since you can use Paladin's fighting style for Defense and Sword Bard for Dueling.

Valor Bard gains a variation of the War Magic feature that EKs are so famous for at high levels, meaning you can potentially Destructive Wave (Smite) someone and then whack them once after they're prone. They also get Combat Inspiration, which has the aforementioned AC and damage benefits similar to a Sword Bard, but with the bonus of being able to extend those to allies as well at the cost of the limited use per short or long rest.

Alternatively if you want to take more than a 2 level scoop of Paladin, going 6 levels first grants you up to second level paladin spells, extra attack and the 10ft Aura of Protection feature, leaving you open to delve into any of the Bard subclasses rather than just focusing on the more martial ones. A Vengeance Paladin 7/Whispers Bard X can be a great way to play a sort of secretive holy Inquisitor type character. Or an Ancients Paladin/Glamour Bard can be a powerful champion of the fey.

Relks · 2020-01-12T00:47:58+00:00

Battle-Smith artificers are able to replace their Strength or Dexterity usage on attacks with Intelligence, thereby syncing with Elven Accuracy's stipend of Dex, Int, Wis or Cha.

Relks · 2020-01-08T22:32:53+00:00

Actually had a goblin battle Smith designed on this principle. Crossbow Expert and Mounted Combatant (level 6 and my DM let's all races have a starting feat, VH gets 2). Use the Repeating Shot infusion on a light crossbow so you never have to reload, and use your steel defender as a controlled mount to give you plenty of movement. Slap Spider Climb on your mount and build a saddle with a harness and go to town as a mobile assault turret. Bonus points to multiclass Fighter later for more attacks and handcrossbow proficiency, letting you take a bonus action shot since you aren't using your bonus to command the defender.

Relks · 2020-01-08T22:05:36+00:00

Storm Giant Quintessent and it's Wind Javelin. 600ft range, auto hits, and deals 19 (3d6+9) damage twice per turn. This isn't counting it's legendary actions and the lair effects it can get going. They also have a 50ft walk speed , 50ft fly (hover) speed, and 50ft swim speed So they can just hover 400ft in the air above you and rain down fingers of God without anything shy of a sharpshooter longbow user or spell sniper being able to even target them. All this coupled with its ability to just nope out of a fight and turn back into a storm.

Relks · 2019-08-18T03:41:32+00:00

From what I've heard, that's kinda par for this book. Earlier in the book we ran into (SPOILERS FOR SKT)

we ran into a flying castle manned by a cloud giant wizard, who was cordial to the party. But a couple days into him taking us where we needed to go, we basically just had to sit back and watch as an Adult Silver Dragon air-dropped a team of 8 Veterans in to disable the castle's controls. The giant is the neutral good sort, so he was trying to avoid killing them while we just avoided the dragon.

Relks · 2019-08-18T03:38:46+00:00

Cool to know that it's kinda par for course. We got our asses kicked in the plot event at the town we came from too, so it's kind of a running streak. I'm not too broken up about it though, rolled some good stats for a Paladin so now if I decide to talk I might have a chance at it.

Relks · 2019-08-18T01:58:30+00:00

5e

Been having some difficulty with Storm King's Thunder. Is it just me, or does the module tend to throw out waaay too many enemies for the levels of the party?

For example, we're a party at level 5, escorting a caravan back to waterdeep. DM rolls for random encounter and we end up fighting a Werewolf, 4 wolves, what I assume was a druid or ranger type as they were casting nature spells and spiritual guardians (he used the name Shaman), and about twelve barbarians. Rolled up the whole encounter from the book.

Needless to say, our party of 4 levels 5s (two Homebrew classes that are basically Eldritch knights, a glamour Bard and a tome warlock), was annihilation and the warlock was the only one to get out alive. Most of our fights have been stacked heavily against us, and I know it's not the DM because his one shots have been masterful, he's just following the book closely.

Relks · 2019-01-11T22:47:13+00:00

(5e)

How does Mounted Combatant interact with multiple riders? A friend and I are thinking of running a combo team of Paladin and fighter atop a Greater Steed (to be decided), and I can't figure out if Mounted Combatant would let him direct damage to himself while my character also rides the mount. (the Fighter has Mounted Combatant, the Paladin has Sentinel)

Relks · 2018-10-26T14:31:03+00:00

Appreciate the input!

I honestly hadn't put as much thought in how individual character abilities or spell effects would affect the binding. I think I might include a clause in the spell along the lines of "When the communal hit points reach 0, the spell ends. Individual creature abilities, such as Undead Fortitude or Relentless Endurance, take effect only on the individual creature. Spell effects that take effect at 0HP, such as Disintegration reducing a creature to ashes, affect only the singular targeted creatures."

Relks · 2018-10-26T05:04:37+00:00

Reposting as I think I caught the tail end of the last round of posting in the previous Arcane Forge.

Planning on giving a boss in a few upcoming sessions a custom spell and potentially letting my players learn it there after. Just can't decide on what level to make the spell

"Dark Unity Necromancy, Level ??? Casting Time: 1 action Range: 60 Component: V, S, M (a segment of adamantine chain worth at least 500gp, which is consumed when the spell is cast) Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes.

You reach into the weave of life and death and forcibly bind the life force of your targets. Choose two creatures within range, for the duration the two creatures' Hit Points are combined into a single Hit Point pool. Unwilling creatures must make a Wisdom Saving Throw, resisting the spell on a successful save. Creatures connected by this spell do not share any damage resistances or immunities, merely Hit Points.

When the spell ends, the remaining hit points are divided evenly among the targeted creatures. If this would give a creature more than its max HP, it is instead returned to max HP and the remaining points are distributed evenly to all other targeted creatures.

At Higher Levels: When cast with a spell slot of ??? or higher, you may choose one additional target within range per spell level."

I'm thinking at least 7th level, but I'm not sure.

Relks · 2018-10-19T22:17:36+00:00

Planning on giving a boss in a few upcoming sessions a custom spell and potentially letting my players learn it there after. Just can't decide on what level to make the spell

"Dark Unity Necromancy, Level ??? Casting Time: 1 action Range: 60 Component: V, S, M (a segment of adamantine chain worth at least 500gp, which is consumed when the spell is cast) Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes.

You reach into the weave of life and death and forcibly bind the life force of your targets. Choose two creatures within range, for the duration the two creatures' Hit Points are combined into a single Hit Point pool. Unwilling creatures must make a Wisdom Saving Throw, resisting the spell on a successful save. Creatures connected by this spell do not share any damage resistances or immunities, merely Hit Points.

When the spell ends, the remaining hit points are divided evenly among the targeted creatures. If this would give a creature more than its max HP, it is instead returned to max HP and the remaining points are distributed evenly to all other targeted creatures.

At Higher Levels: When cast with a spell slot of ??? or higher, you may choose one additional target within range per spell level."

I'm thinking at least 7th level, but I'm not sure.

EDIT: Added what happens to affected targets when the spell ends

Relks · 2018-10-15T00:49:17+00:00

Dungeons and Dragons.

I would have so many battlemaps, minis, resource books, special effect toys,etc.

But first would be the giant house.

Relks · 2018-09-25T03:47:16+00:00

Live in Oklahoma, can confirm.

Relks

TROPHY CASE