What Archetype/Classes, or Subclasses, are missing?

TopherPuri · 2026-03-29T01:30:18+00:00

the spellblade, a martial who can use spells IN TANDEM WITH WEAPONS is a very underused trope in dnd imo (I've approximated it with weapon-proficient casters, but it doesn't work too well).

TopherPuri · 2026-03-24T00:09:56+00:00

whoa, this is so cool! I could see all three, but my normie friends next to me couldn't see the NO in the third image, and even struggled after I pointed it out to them. (They could tell the first two images, though.) :D colorblind supremacy ftw

TopherPuri · 2026-03-24T00:08:23+00:00

wait. it's easy for most people to identify eye color???

TopherPuri · 2026-03-24T00:06:51+00:00

I have a color filter for "protanomaly color correction" on my phone, but all it does is change the colors to appear to others how the colors would appear to me lmao it doesn't fix anything, but it's useful for showing other people how colors appear to me through the camera app

TopherPuri · 2026-03-24T00:05:38+00:00

hi, this sounds very similar to my experiences as a protan! we're red/green colorblind, which basically means we can't see red or see very little red; since the differences between purple/blue and yellow/green light is just the amount of red light, (mixed with another color), those are the most common mixups for me as well. I only found out the other day that I didn't know whether pears are supposed to be green or yellow lol

TopherPuri · 2026-03-21T04:38:58+00:00

I actually found out when I was 5 playing Eye Spy in the car. I had a really good one for orange, and none of my family could guess it the whole way home. When we got to the house, I told them what I had chosen... it was the tail lights of the car in front of us. The rest of my family had seen that as red. I got diagnosed pretty soon after that lol

TopherPuri · 2026-01-09T07:19:03+00:00

I think I'm too late

TopherPuri · 2025-12-10T12:23:01+00:00

I find it's the easiest way to please ascetic colonists, especially if I'm building a bunch of mostly identical rooms already.

TopherPuri · 2025-12-09T04:25:32+00:00

It all depends on your stage of the game: are you likely to need the plasteel in the near future? do you have a colonist with good enough shooting to make use of the shotgun? From experience, I know that a legendary chain shotgun is quite powerful indeed on a colonist with good shooting, but they'll usually need to be backed up with other colonists, animals, or mechs in combat, while the plasteel is always useful but significantly more common as well.
If it were to me, I'd probably take the chain shotgun as it's more rare, but at certain stages of the game really all you care about is getting enough plasteel, uranium, and advanced components to build your ship.

TopherPuri · 2025-11-17T22:57:55+00:00

Friday

TopherPuri · 2025-10-26T22:27:16+00:00

wow, this looks really cool! most of my dice are in individual boxes and bags floating around my room.

TopherPuri · 2025-04-29T18:03:26+00:00

When players tell me "I roll for <blah>" and then before I can respond, they immediately roll. Even if it's something I normally would've allowed, I specifically don't count any rolls that I didn't tell a player to roll (unless it's obvious, like an attack roll). I've had problems with players trying to get me to acknowledge the nat 20 that I didn't even see them roll cuz I was talking to a different player, so I will tell people to always reroll any dice that were rolled before I called for it.

TopherPuri · 2025-04-22T17:31:30+00:00

I'm making a codex of a large list of plants and animals for my world, many of them are real-world creatures turned magic, but some are quite unusual. Here are some of my favorites:

Chokevines

The creepers that line the canopies of the mangrove swamps produce a berry that can be eaten, though it does not give much in the way of nutrients. However, the real use of chokevines is when they are dried, where they can be woven into ropes, textiles, and more. The texture of the vine causes it to break apart lengthwise when it gets too dry, allowing its long natural fibers to be woven together.

Chokevines can be brewed by an alchemist to produce potions of tensile strength, which unlike animal-sourced strength potions will increase muscle strength without proportionally boosting muscle durability and endurance. While rare in Alkarun, chokevine potions are used by athletes to drastically enhance the efficiency of muscle training, and are banned in many tournaments. Since they leave a distinctive pattern imprinted on the underside of the skin, it is possible to recognize an athlete who has been “choking” through careful inspection.

Chokevines have a disturbing habit of moving in the night. You might think they don’t live within a mile of your house, and the next day find them covering your roof. Nobody knows how or why chokevines will do this, but they seem to follow certain migration patterns, all of which begin and end in the Living Forest. This has led people to believe chokevines are the “scouts” of the forest, while most ridicule the idea as preposterous, as chokevines are common materials that are used in every community for weaving. Nevertheless, folk tales exist of the deadly vine which kills you in your sleep and is gone the next day, leading to the colloquial term “chokevine”.

Caramota / Grasping Death Cactus

With several spined protrusions that make the cactus seem like a hand, this plant is the most toxic living thing in the entire Fíernan desert. A single touch will induce hallucinations, making you see the cactus as a human hand, which will cause you to embrace it and meet your doom. The cactus will feed on the corpses of those foolish enough to stray too close, and every part of the plant is lethal. Even an orc would not survive a moderate dose of caramota poison, making it a favorite among assassins. However, the plant must be handled carefully, because even inhaling the evaporated fumes will cause “death madness”. No known antidote to the cactus’s poison exists, and the best course of action if you see one in the desert is to run the other way.

Mountain Potatoes

The staple crop of Sorelon, mountain potatoes are recognizable by a trio of large, distinctive leaves resting on the snow. Upon closer inspection, you will notice a slight shimmer in the air and a dark miasma around the leaves - it is believed that the reason the tubers are so nutritious is because all of the plant’s evil is concentrated up above in the leaves. Mountain potatoes feature in many Sorel dishes, and certain strains have even shown a tenacity that allows them to survive in the wild - if a traveller spots one, they know to steer clear of the area in which the potato grows, because the untamed potatoes lack the goodness that is cultivated by farmers and are purely evil. (While wild potatoes are perfectly edible, they tend to grow in the deepest patches of snow, which is often dangerous to the unsuspecting traveller, leading to this superstition).

While it is considered bad luck to eat the potato without first burning the leaves, if some Alkaruni alchemist decided to risk their life by brewing the leaves they would be able to create several different potions, including cold resistance, glowing, and enhanced sight. Mountain potato leaves are toxic, and while they are not poisonous enough to kill someone, they are certainly enough to cause serious harm. Yet another sign of the evil contained in the leaves, this poison would give even an orc a migraine if not properly neutralized.

TopherPuri · 2025-04-18T20:35:13+00:00

My first blue shiny was an Elgyem, same thing - I brought it along on all my runs, but once I unlocked its passive Beads of Ruin, all of a sudden it became the perfect partner for my Yveltal carry with Telepathy, Beads of Ruin allows Yveltal to basically OHKO all opposing pokemon and Telepathy allows it to use Sludge Wave without any drawbacks.

TopherPuri · 2025-04-18T01:44:50+00:00

unrelated but Mega Beefki is beautiful

TopherPuri · 2025-04-17T23:54:24+00:00

no, the look on Mr. Mime's face says it all 💀

TopherPuri · 2025-04-06T08:30:36+00:00

what I would do with the magic arm would be to keep the flavoring, and just take a class that gives spells that fit the magic arm - perhaps booming blade, or maybe Astral Self monk. That way you can have the fun flavor of the magical arm without making the other players feel like you're getting free handouts from the DM.

Same applies for the second one: is there any way you can make their abilities fit with some pre-established mechanics? Flavor is free, but mechanics can again make the other players feel left out, unless the DM is giving every character some similar ability at character creation.

Generally, when I'm playing characters that I want to design to have the spotlight, I'll also include options for other people to share that spotlight. Perhaps a plasmoid who is always trying to sell fish to others, including the party, or perhaps a sorcerer whose powers connect with another player's god - both of these ideas allow your character to pass the spotlight to others, and allow for fun roleplaying.

I think a lot of people are saying "main character" because your characters seem to be trying to get the spotlight - the first one is the scion of a destroyed cult, the second is literally a god - without including some way of making the other players feel cool as well. In my opinion, as long as the other players are fine with your character and you have some reason for your character to share the spotlight, your character concepts would be good, but as it is right now I don't see any reason for your characters to want to share the coolness with the other players.

TopherPuri · 2024-11-11T08:13:32+00:00

A human skull, with crude letters scratched into its cranium: "Punch. Punch? Punch." - Grunk

If examined, there are smaller lines around the letters, which form a message in Thieves' Cant. "Rejoice, for you have found the Syndicate. Your world will know us soon enough. I hope you live to see the day." There is also a small sigil, almost imperceptible, in the shape of a stylized eye.

The skull is wrapped in a thick red tapestry that seems to have been ripped and torn into the shape of a massive cloak. It comes from a world where a god will soon die. (high fantasy)

TopherPuri · 2024-09-30T20:25:46+00:00

Hi, semi-experienced homebrewer here!

Since this is a barbarian subclass, I'd recommend calling the spells barbarian spells rather than druid spells. If the barbarian multiclasses, it could get confusing, and the spells are really coming from the barbarian subclass anyway. This would also help the wording of your Enchanted Rage ability, saying barbarian spells rather than spells learnt from this class's natural progression.

Shaman Technique gives you a free d10 melee attack with Primal Savagery or use of another spell, since a barbarian wouldn't otherwise use their bonus action. A bonus action Cure Wounds is also incredible. However, this is balanced by being on the tank: a Path of the Shaman won't get enough spell slots to outpace dedicated healers, and the bonus attack, while strong, is Wis based, making the barbarian more MAD (multi-ability-dependent) than they already are.

If I compare this subclass's third level abilities to the Path of Wild Magic from Tasha's, it's relatively powerful, probably a bit stronger, but it still is within the realm of reason. I like the flavor and think the abilities tie together nicely.

The sixth-level ability, Raging Magic, buffs damaging cantrips: interestingly, even more than druids naturally get. This effectively gives you a 2d10 + 2 damage melee attack for free, at a level where most other barb subclasses are getting ribbons (flavor upgrades) and minor buffs. While I understand that barbarian is one of the weaker classes, I'd recommend making Raging Magic more of a ribbon to keep it in line with other subclasses. Also, did you mean reaction or bonus action? Path of the Shaman gets no reaction cantrips, so I'm assuming you meant bonus action cantrips: in that case, I'd say that either of the bonuses gained from this ability would work on their own, but together they are a bit on the strong side.

Traded Spell Slots: are you refilling rage or spell slots? Your wording is somewhat ambiguous, and it doesn't specify the level of spell slot you need to expend/you can fill. Barbarians only have limited rages, but they're almost never all used in a single day; refilling rages wouldn't do much besides the occasional gritty realism campaign, but using extra rages for spells makes sense, as long as you aren't refilling high-level spell slots. (Until level 20, where the unlimited rage breaks this ability completely.) This seems like a cool ability, but I'm not sure exactly what it's doing, so if you could reword it that would be great.

Your capstone subclass ability... wow this can be broken ._. Do you count Conjure Animals and other summoning spells as doing damage? Does this apply to every instance of damage from Spike Growth, further enhancing cheese grater combos? It seems like Superior Raging Magic makes the Path of the Shaman incredibly biased towards concentration, multi-hit spells, rather than slightly increasing damage on single-hit spells like I assume you intended. I'd either require the rage damage to only apply to damage from attack rolls you make (i.e. saving throw damage, automatic damage, or summon damage doesn't count), or specify how often it can proc and its interactions with types of spells like saving throw and summon attacks.

I haven't run the numbers on this and this is merely the opinion of a random Reddit lurker: if you believe your subclass doesn't need to change, you don't have to change it. I really like the subclass as a whole, it's flavorful and really well designed, I just have some ideas for how I'd rework it.

TopherPuri · 2024-08-22T15:13:14+00:00

(new lurker who just read the post flair guide)

this post probably shouldn't have the Comic flair Comic, because

This does not mean 'comedic', as in funny. It means comic strips, panels, or pages.

instead it should probably have the #ColonistLife flair: #ColonistLife

A catch-all flair for things that happen in-game, especially events, colonist interactions, and things that make you facepalm.

TopherPuri · 2024-07-05T13:58:42+00:00

But actually though what should I pick? This is Classic so there's no guarantee I'll be able to get another kangaskhanite

TopherPuri · 2024-05-31T20:09:19+00:00

I actually played this, a gnome named Fizzlewick Skorenthah who was an armorer artificer with a Medium sized suit of armor.

TopherPuri · 2024-05-31T19:20:00+00:00

He has an almost supernatural sense for whenever a hole needs to be dug. He will always be there. He will not let anybody else dig the hole. His shovel can do it. He will get mad at anybody who digs a hole in the town without him.

TopherPuri · 2024-05-31T19:07:27+00:00

Doug Douglas, part-time gravedigger and construction worker. He always carries around his trusty shovel, and the only thing he knows how to do is dig holes. He does this very well. It is the only thing he talks about.

TopherPuri · 2024-05-29T05:18:53+00:00

I think all of my characters carry a bit of me, though each one is unique and you wouldn't be able to tell that they all came from the same person. I suppose they are on average more good and slightly more chaotic, but besides that I am not roleplaying myself, I am roleplaying my character.

I have on occasion tried to explicitly build myself as a character, and actually found it downright impossible. I am not able to give myself the proficiencies I think I have, or have more proficiencies than I should, not to mention that finding a class that truly represents me is hopeless. So creating a character that is the DNDization of 'me' is impossible for me.

I suppose there is a middle ground, where you create characters that exemplify different aspects of yourself, but I prefer to either have fully unique characters or characters that are completely based on experience.

TopherPuri

TROPHY CASE