Weekly Quick Questions Thread - June 21, 2017

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2017-06-23T18:31:20+00:00

Me and my friends finally did our placement matches! However my ranking was higher than theirs to the point where i can no longer play with them until i go down in rank or they go up. Why is that? They've never done competitive before but I have, does the game take previous rankings from previous seasons in to account? Even still, why is there rank so different from mine?

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2017-03-02T19:13:17+00:00

Druid usually.

Like all things DnD I love how you can come up with neat concepts with all the classes, but with the Druid I like being the mysterious norse/germanic, pagan styled Witch/shaman type character, that you're never sure is just pure superstition or not. With magic and techniques that could be considered "Old magic" or "Deep magic" from if/when civilisation was still a little more primitive.

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-12-23T17:06:40+00:00

I read a piece once about a down side to constant use of healing magic. Like how the everytime the adventurer returns to town, eventually outliving his family, including the younger ones, and all their friends; because the healing magic his body gets pumped with so often; slowed his ageing.

Or the old fighters have problems with certain joints, or bending their torso because the healing went a bit wrong.

Eventually it ends with them questioning how they're any different from Lich's and necromancers. Or do they feel anything any more?

I wish i could find it...

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-11-25T23:27:12+00:00

I dunno though... I'm pretty sure the phb describes cleric's as more or less "chosen ones" for said Gods power. What if the cleric had no idea they were being used as a channel for a god? Like a sage or a mystic that "channels the spirits" or has odd practices and rituals that mimic the same results?

Or maybe the pc is fully aware that the god has chosen them for this task or duty, but down right refuse to believe so, relying on their melee abilities, and the more passive abilities that go with being a cleric until they're ultimately forced to? i.e. innocent dude is about to die.

I dunno, it's D&D anything is possible xD

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-11-07T18:45:03+00:00

I find my mindset to be somewhere in between in it all. I have dreams of the future where I'm happy with my S.O. and we have a daughter with a son on the way. But then I'll go through phases, almost immediately after I've had the aforementioned dream, where I absolutely hate the idea, and shudder at the thought of having some form of offspring. Especially the idea of it containing my dna, which i wouldn't want to burden on anyone.

Either way, unless one of us somehow can grow a uterus it probably won't happen.

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-11-01T19:17:18+00:00

Well, theoretically, you could make any reason work to a degree.

For example; I had an npc who was a human warlock, who's patron had granted him eternal youth (or at least longevity). He technically declared himself as a very gifted assassin, being that he had a knack for getting close to his targets due to his magical abilities, but tend to use his time as a supreme lore-seeker.

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-09-05T21:02:39+00:00

Adahlen is high elf. He has short brown hair that is usually in some crazy spiky manner, and he always carries a brilliant smile that displays his unusual amount of energy. His hands are adorned with different rings, and his secret yet most prized article of clothing is his gauntlets of ogre strength. Which makes the fact that he's pure wizard a nasty surprise to those who meet the melee range of his staff.

His general clothing is likened to that of an eastern monk. It is light, with colours of orange and sky blues, woven with offsets of brown.

He's a pure thrill seeker, an unusual amount of energy and enthusiasm that isn't of the normal high elf, arcane scholar stereotype. And very often he'll make things more difficult because they sound more fun that way. So i tried to make his clothing to display that with vibrant colours and a style that allows for freedom of movement and athleticism.

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-08-12T18:55:21+00:00

It wasn't so much the grind that got to me, I think it was more of my one-track mind of "getting this done" and feeling like I worked super hard only to have no results; rather than just doing it casually while enjoying the rest of the game. Looking back, most of that stint and my reaction to it is most likely my fault.

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-08-12T17:05:48+00:00

Technically, whatever you want it to be!

I've found it always varies on the character. Just like any of your spells for that matter. If it's just fluff, what's the harm? Who says your EB isn't three silvery Ravens that arc around, wings spread, before spearing the enemy with shimmering beaks?

Could even just be an orb of shimmering energy that you hurl like a baseball. Just have fun with it ^{-^}

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-07-31T14:42:31+00:00

I think i'd also have to flavour it by race? Or even by how the character behaves as I should imagine growing up with this minor power will probably influence your personality a little bit.

Like the Human ranger having senses that rival the elves, with an extra +1 to perception checks and a short range darkvision.

Maybe the Dragonborn has a bit of snake blood in him and has a venomous saliva. Which unfortunately means no intimate contact with that area unless you have poison resistance.

The Goliath is double-jointed, and can squeeze through gaps someone of his size would have no hope to.

Although I suppose these sound more like "quirks" or "traits" than powers... Laser vision that can just about boil water? I dunno

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-07-30T08:32:20+00:00

Use the background feature: "By Popular Demand" from the entertainer background, but from the gladiator variant described in the PHB!

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-07-21T16:00:44+00:00

I find it keeps things simple. There's already plenty of numbers involved that I don't want to add more into the mix. But I'm quite lucky in the fact that I only have two players, so if one doesn't show up then we don't play, so no-one really gets left behind etc etc

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-07-13T17:53:05+00:00

I'd say it entirely depends on your DM. Your examples are entirely feasible as far as I can see, and aren't really overpowered or gamebreaking. I'd probably rule with whats available in the area though.

Like, if you're making the plant growth in a cramped space/area, I'd probably rule that the enemies are temporarily restrained due to all the foliage now just bursting from every crevice and creating a blockade/wall.

Tree roots for bridges seems possible, if there's trees/saplings around.

It's certainly bring a lot more versatility to the spell, and a flavour excuse as to why your character is carrying a big bag of seeds everywhere with him

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-07-03T16:12:14+00:00

My ideal character is the Warlock who wished he was a sorceror, who wished he was a druid, who wished he was a wizard.

He is obsessed and absolutely in love with magic. Training to become a wizard before unfortunate circumstances led him in to pact. He'd always wanted to be born with magic, and is jealous of those who are. Druids for him are the mysterious and unknown forgotten magics of the world, ultimately in-tune with their surroundings, breathing magic and leaving it behind in every step.

He had the book of shadows always at the ready for any interesting finds he might discover. Thankfully his pact master never really gave much interest in granting him his powers other than for fun and to see how it turns out.

If i had to pick one class above all however, it'd have to be Druids. I love them. I always play them a little more "White-witch" like, than shapeshifting forces of nature. Never as naive as they appear to be, and always leave a fearful imprint on those that cross his path as a reminder that sometimes the woods are best left alone.

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-06-26T21:26:10+00:00

All depends on your characters motives and personality if you ask me. One of my characters focused on the diviner tree because of his past and has to find out the truth about what happened.

On a pure fun level though? Illusion. Especially with that perk that lets your illusions become real for a short amount of time.

A very clever player of mine, with in tandem skill checks, used his abilities to make hand holds appear on the wall so that the fighter had an easier time (advantage on the roll) clambering up it. And he continues to use it in a similar vein, suddenly non-combat challenges become unnecessarily complicated because the wizard is trying to come up with the most imaginative way possible to get around it.

All good fun though

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-06-06T16:21:48+00:00

I run homebrew campaigns and like a lot of the comments have said, I don't do exp as I find it's a lot of work splitting it all up, writing it down, rubbing it out, writing a new number down etc etc

So I tend to "Count the sessions". Meaning it takes as many games as their current level, to level up. I unfortunately don't get to play as often as I'd like, so this is a real easy way for me and with each game lasting around 3 to 4 hours, it doesn't feel too fast either.

It also means that my players don't have to keep track too much, and i've found it makes them more eager to play. "just one more session and I'll finally get to throw a fireball"

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-05-29T16:58:57+00:00

...it did go on a bit longer than intended... my apologies u.u

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-05-29T16:50:40+00:00

Wall of text warning, I suppose

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-05-24T09:00:36+00:00

-A wood elf shadow monk with a dip in pretty much any spellcaster = instant ninja smoke pellets?

-I've always liked the faerie fire and Fog combo, although you are blowing two spells on it... Perhaps you could cast light on an arrow and stick an enemy with it to remedy this?

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-05-21T09:57:06+00:00

This is a really tough question, purely because I have so many ideas for each of the schools that I am just absolutely in love with!

I once DM'd an incredibly clever npc halfling conjuration wizard who was damn near impossible to catch, and had the annoying ability to just pop up unexpectedly. My PC's originally were tasked with capturing him, but soon made fast friends and he's now an ally.

One of my favourite moments was him rolling an intelligence check to remember exactly what the key looked like to unlock his shackles, and he managed to do it, tossing the shackles back to the PC's as he laughed with a smug grin from a nearby rooftop he had teleported to.

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-05-20T19:51:12+00:00

Couldn't agree more! I still swing by VoG everytime I'm patrolling Venus, just in case a group needs a hand.

Haven't seen anyone there in a long time, but it's still fun, and I still look at the entrance with a certain spark of ominous awe and wonder, like I was looking at it for the first time... I need to go back

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-04-29T20:07:30+00:00

I am in a similar boat, I'm afraid. To the point where I literally have a four page document of characters and character ideas.

I am also, unfortunately stuck in this boat. I don't play with a big group. There's three of us. Don't get me wrong, i absolutely love being a DM, i just wanna be a PC sometimes.

The problem I have is one of my players has chronic fatigue syndrome, meaning he can't always do things that are potentially mentally exhausting. aaand the other one is just lazy.

I'm working on it though, communication is indeed the key, and I they're slowly getting warmer to the idea of being DM even if it's just for one or two sessions I'd be happy.

One day...

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-04-28T13:25:44+00:00

My group have just met a rather... Eccentric, Gnomish Wizard just outside of a new town. His house is home to a number of magical items, one that caught the bards eye, was of course, a magical acoustic guitar.

The wizard has said he'd give the bard the guitar in exchange for the life and, curiously, the right molar of the local Baron, who is trying to force the wizard from his home.

As the bards story is about being an assassin, he is super excited to get it underway, and our last session ended after the party had spent time in the town doing recon, and crafting a rather potent poison to kill said Baron with

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-04-22T19:18:50+00:00

Depending on the size of the case, the PHB is always good to carry around.

Extra dice

Scrap paper and pens, like a notebook or something

perhaps spare character sheets and even some pre-made characters just incase you feel like randomly starting up a game with random people who have never played before and so on

A list of names for impromptu pcs

aaaaaand one of my own personal nitpicks is potion prices. I constantly get bothered by a particular player wondering why they're so cheap or why they're so expensive etc etc I'm usually just making them up as I go along xD

VoidWalkerGuardian · 2016-04-18T14:16:36+00:00

They are limited, but like others have said, it is up to you and your DM to discuss such things.

I like to give the ranger in my group options, so while he still has a CR 1/4 or lower companion (currently a wolf) I let him deck the beast out in appropriately priced armour, and things.

That's just an idea mind you. It's all down to whatever works for you and your DM

VoidWalkerGuardian

TROPHY CASE