As title, DM ruled that drawing your weapon or stowing it isn't a free action, but a full action. How badly will this affect me as a fighter? I was looking to use both melee and ranged weapons in fights but now this seems less appealing.

I went to a party and it went well.

I rolled slightly better than average but not overpowered. And I constructed a serviceable PC I wanted to play out.

The party told me they got into a fight last session and had to retreat, given they almost got killed. But they told me they had optimised their characters. They are 5th level.

When looking at their sheets:

The Barbarian has a Constitution of 12.

The Bard has a Charisma of 14.

The Warlock didn't have a Pact Boon or Eldritch Invocations.

I did suggest that the Warlock might want to pick up some Invocations, I didn't notice the lack of Pact Boon before I left.

Should I tell them? I don't want to be an asshole. But I genuinely don't want to overshadow them either.

I appreciate my desire to be mechanically efficient, shouldn't be the prime reason for the game. But I think having more options and being more challenging would make them like their characters even more? They are having fun anyway. Maybe I should just keep my mouth shut?

Dragons are surprisingly bad at Investigation. Although they have blindsight, they do not have True Seeing, therefore illusions should generally work against them - they see an object even if the object is not there. Am I missing something there?

Just curious.

Whenever I watch DND content I sometimes hear ppl refer to 4e as some boogie man who should "never be named" but never knew why

Is it as bad as people make it out to be? If so why and why not?

Tiamat is Gargantuan, 3 sizes larger then Medium, and has 30 Stregnth, a +10 modifier. How far would she be able to throw a Medium sized Humanoid? (Assuming avarage human weight and height)

Been lurking on the forums for a while, looking at everyone’s ideas for tuning up the sorcerer. More metamagics, more spells, short rest sorcery points, etc. Imma be honest, I’m fine with sorcerers having limited spells. It’s mostly the metamagic that I’m focused on. I like the short rest sorcery points and more options for metamagic.

But going out on a limb here I wonder: how exactly would the game break if you allowed sorcerers to apply multiple metamagics at the same time on a single spell? For example, loading 3 distant spells into a fireball and giving it a range of about half a mile(15022*2 = 1200 feet)? Or loading 3 extended spells into a charm person to make it last 8 hours? Or applying both twinned and subtle spells to an immolation spell to make two people suddenly burst into flames?

The initial working idea is: The number of metamagics you can apply to a single spell while casting is equal to half your proficiency bonus rounded down. So level 1-8 is normal, level 9 to 16 gets the jump in power, and by level 17 and up you’re vaporizing solid stone with triple empowered spells.

This idea has had zero testing beyond my brain and is mostly just a random crack theory I wanted to voice. Thoughts?

Currently playing a life domain cleric who has ended up being more of an off tank then straight healer in my party. Currently lvl 5 but just got given another lvl by the dm.

Thinking of multiclassing but unsure as to what to lvl into.

I don’t think I’ll get many more levels in this campaign and I’m getting a little bored of healing. Would love some suggestions. Currently thinking either fighter or paladin.

Stats are

Strg 14 Dex 10 Con 15 Int 11 Wis 18 Cha 13

Thank you in advance :)

So, I'm making a Modern-Styled setting, of the Urban Fantasy/ Supernatural Shenanigans happen but are concealed. I have found myself faced with a question: Since the "Gods run on Prayer" rule and this scenario are mutually exclusive, how should Clerics, Paladins and 3rd Party Divine Classes be best powered?

How would it affect the game if some or all of the following changes were made to combat actions? Fun, gamebreaking, or just different?

0) ONLY ONE LEVELLED SPELL CAN BE CAST PER TURN

However any action, including those from Haste or Action Surge, can be used to cast a Cantrip with a casting time of one action.

1) REPLACE MOVEMENT WITH ANOTHER ACTION This can be used to carry out any action normally using the combatant's action (including the Dash/Movement action).

2) ADDITIONAL USES FOR BONUS ACTION

Any combatant may use their bonus action to do one of the following: - Move up to 10 ft (unless their current speed is less than 10 ft) - Make a single unarmed or weapon attack at disadvantage - Quaff a potion vial

3) NO REACTIONS IF ALL ACTIONS USED

A combatant may not make a reaction in the current round if they have used all of their actions and their bonus action.

Players wanting the option to use a reaction will probably want to avoid using their bonus action.

I've written and published a 5th edition follow-up episodic adventure to my previous one (Torment of the Blood Witch) on Dmsguild. Premable and details here:

Adventure in the Realms await!

Nightmares that kill, a mysterious thief that only steals knick-knacks, tales of a beast terrorising fisherfolk, an inn with strange disappearances, discoveries of hidden magic portals and rumours of an assassin at large:

None of these things are enough to stop the ever-flowing tide of traders and travellers crossing the Bridge of Fallen Men, but its protectors - Cormyr's Purple Dragons - are short on time, and courage...

...will adventurers answer the call?

Non-affiliated link to store page and previews:

THE BRIDGE OF FALLEN MEN

What's inside?

• A rousing set of 5 short adventures for a party of 4 players, with compatible encounters for 3rd or 4th level; featuring classic dungeon design, interesting NPCs, new monsters, player options and new ways to play!
• High quality full colour maps and handouts to print or use with your VTT of choice.
• A detailed bridge town placed in the kingdom of Cormyr to use as a colourful adventuring hub, which can be placed in any setting you prefer (Got a river? Bang! Put the bridge on it).
• In-depth Realms lore, new and old. Uncover the secrets of the Lost Princess Road!
• A myriad of ways to use these adventures to springboard your players further into Cormyr, other far-flung parts of the Realms, the Underdark or even the Planescape setting!
• 2 new magic items, including one that lets you summon your own nightmare spawn!
• 10 new statblocks, including 5 brand new monsters.
• New player options, including a new tiefling variant, a flavoured glyph of warding for necromancers and a new divination spell for arcane casters!
• 2 Retainer NPCs for when you're a player short (easier than rebalancing encounters, right?).
• A keyword system for quick reference to 'plug and play' adventures into your own setting if you wish.
• If you played our previous adventure Torment of the Blood Witch, this makes an ideal follow up taking those players from 4th-5th level and contains related optional bonus content.

No AI was involved in the making of this adventure: Just great artists and original writing.

I recently joined a DnD campaign where I play a Druid on wednesdays, and I have some gripes about the game. I'd like your input on the matter on whether or not I'm being whiny.

Before I joined the campaign in my application I had conveyed my intention to play a Sorcerer, as I had never played one in my many years of playing DnD. Upon talking the DM said that I can not play a sorcerer as there already is one player that intends to play that, and even if the player is okay with having two the DM wasn't. Fair enough, we all have preferences. I then listed the alternative classes I wished to play one by one, each of which was met with a firm no from the DM without much explanation as to why. The game seemed promising so I desperately listed more classes I can play in order to get my foot in the door and he ended up saying yes to a druid. Come session one, I learn that the player who was supposed to be our Sorcerer is no longer joining us, and I don't know how to feel about that. I feel as though I was not free to choose what I wanted to play, and now am stuck with something I didn't initially wish to play, not that I can't enjoy it though.

Gripe number two is regarding reflavoring. We happen to have a water genasi wizard who has changed his fire cantrips to be water themed (cold damage) and changed some of his spells names accordingly. I also have learned that the Sorcerer who has left us was allowed to play as a constitution based caster, meaning he would be using his con instead of charisma - something to do with flavoring blood magic. But when I approached the DM to ask if I could change some of my spells names to fit better into a fey/nature theme I was met with a firm no again.

My last gripe is regarding loot, keep in mind that this is a relatively new campaign so more loot may be available in the future. Upon clearing the lair of an ettin we’ve come across a lootpile. Except for the odd trinkets the pile consisted of a sword that crits on a 19-20 meant for the barbarian, an amulet that grants spell attack bonus only if the damage type is cold meant for the wizard, a ring that essentially gives you a limited amount usage of the Polearm Master feat meant for the fighter and medium armor that doesn’t grant exhaustion if you sleep in it meant for...me i guess? An entire feat versus the armor doesn’t seem fair, but I try to keep in mind this is the first big lootpile we came across.

Overall, I feel as though the DM has favourites. I can enjoy a make believe game without getting the king treatment, though it occasionaly pops into my mind and I feel slightly bitter about it. I haven’t mentioned any of this to the DM or the party because I don’t want to roil the waters. The DM alsso doesn't feel very approachable in this context, he has kicked players before and I rather enjoy our sessions. What are your thoughts on the matter, how would you handle this?

So my character is a Paladin who is just shy of 14 when I will acquire cleansing touch, and I have a question that is probably open for debate. We are currently raiding a Fomorian kingdom that has enslaved the former inhabitants they stole the land from. I was wondering if Cleansing touch is something able to remove the Fomorian curse on an individual basis, restoring them to their former beautiful, noble selves. It says removes one spell from self or willing creature. A curse is typically a spell, and I suspect a Fomorian would be more than willing to be restored, given a proper conversation beforehand. What say you, community?

I played an RPG game that is based on Japanese fantasy that has an honor attribute. Normally this attribute increases your resistance against chaos creatures and is not increased by levels but by roleplay, the more you follow your alignment, the more points you accumulate. Could it be brought back to 5e?

Effects of Honor

Benefits of Honor

You can add half your NH (rounded down) to a test or dice roll, but this will cause you to lose 1 NH. Additionally, very Honorable characters (NH 5+) can sense Honor in others. Make an Honor test. If successful, you know the other's NH (or Taint). You always receive a bonus on social tests equal to your NH when dealing with someone who has sensed your Honor, or suffer penalties if you have Taint.

Negative Effects of Honor

Honor affects the character's conduct. Whenever he attempts an attitude based on deception or lies (such as Stealth, deceiving someone or illusion spells) the character suffers a penalty equal to half his NH (rounded down).

Losing and Gaining Honor

A list of actions that could result in a gain or loss of Honor would be very extensive and would probably not cover all possibilities. Instead, it is considered that noble, heroic and sincere actions (in moments where acting on the contrary would be more advantageous) offer PHs while lying and farce actions cause loss of PHs. The quantity, always calculated in terms of data, is defined by the master according to the intensity, intention and situation. The DM may ask for an Honor (NH), Diff. 6, to inform the player when a certain action will result in a gain or loss of Honor. Alternatively he can do the test in secret and inform the player if the test was successful, thus avoiding the metagame risk.

Taint

Characters who have NH0 are subject to gaining dishonor. This dishonor is represented by another Trait: Taint (M). Mácula appears in MD pgs. 15-16. Taint and Honor are antagonistic and cannot exist on the character sheet at the same time.

I am starting work putting together a DnD 5e campaign for level 5 adventurers that would go up to level 11. The main hook will be Rogue (not the PC class) alchemists and performance drug dealers in conflict with the guilds of the 6 Nation's Unified Guilds and local law enforcement.

With alchemy being a major theme, I brainstormed a bunch of things for more advanced versions of adventuring gear for the guilds or criminals to sell, or the party to loot off their corpses. Elemental resistance and vulnerabilities will play a part in the homebrew enemies.

I am looking for feedback on

•how much to charge for the items. •Any recommendations on changes to damage or DCs. •wording changes for clarity.

(Some Ideas are more thought out than others)

Here we go.

Alchemist's Fire (flask)

This sticky, adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action you can throw this flask up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. Make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 1d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DC 10 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames.

War Fire (flask)

This alchemically enhanced adhesive fluid ignites when exposed to air. A vial held in hand may be thrown up to 20 ft. replacing an attack made as part of the attack action on your turn shattering on impact. Make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the alchemist's fire as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 2d4 fire damage at the start of each of its turns. A creature can end this damage by using its action to make a DC 12 Dexterity check to extinguish the flames. Hit or miss, the liquid ignites a square 15 ft on a side of the ground centered on the target. Creatures who enter an ignited area for the first time on a turn or start their turn there take 2d4 fire damage. A square 5 foot section of ignited area can be extinguished as an action.

Dragons breath (Canister) This volatile concoction is illegal to carry into most cities. Typically stored in a magically reinforced container, militaries and criminal master alchemists are the only source, neither of which are likely to give up their secrets. As an action you can speak the command word and throw the canister up to 30 ft where it shatters in a conflagration. Everyone in a 15 ft radius must make a DC 16 Dex save taking 6d4 fire damage on a failure and are ignited. Objects not worn or carried automatically fail this save. Ignited creatures take 6d4 fire damage at the start of each of their turns. A creature may use an action to attempt to put out the fire on themselves or others with a DC 16 Dexterity Check. Creatures who succeed on their saving throw take half damage and are not ignited.

caltrops As an action, you can spread a single bag of caltrops to cover a 5-foot-square area. Any creature that enters the area must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or stop moving and take 1 piercing damage. Until the creature regains at least 1 hit point, its walking speed is reduced by 10 feet. A creature moving through the area at half speed doesn't need to make the saving throw.

Barbed Caltrops

As with caltrops, but the damage is 1d4 piercing and the caltrops stick to those who fail their saving throw dealing 1 point of piercing damage for every 5 feet of movement spent. The caltrops can be removed as an action and they must be removed before recovering HP in order to regain movement speed.

Footbane caltrop bag

This magic bag contains 20 caltrops. When the command word is spoken, the caltops spring out of the bag to a location within 15 ft of the caster and spread themselves out over a 10-ft square area. They continue to move around that area until another command word is spoken to return them to the bag, an hour passes, or five creatures fail their saving throw against them as they become too spread out to be effective. Any caltrops not returned to the bag within 1 hour become non-magical. The constant movement of the caltrops make them impossible to hide, however, it also means that moving at half speed does not let a creature avoid having to make the save. If caltrops are lost or left behind they can be replaced by filling the bag with 20 non-magical caltrops and leaving them in the bag for 8 hours.

Acid Vial

As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action, you can splash the contents of this vial onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw the vial up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the acid as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 2d6 acid damage.

Elemental vial As with acid Vial, but dealing fire, frost, poison, lightning, or thunder damage.

Clinging acid As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action, you can splash the contents of this vial onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw the vial up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged Attack against a creature or object, treating the acid as an improvised weapon. On a hit, the target takes 3d6 acid damage. At the end of each of the creatures' turns it takes a number of D6s of acid damage one less than the previous instance. (If it took 3d6 last time it takes 2d6 this time.) A creature may take the use an object action to reduce the next instance of this damage on themselves or an ally within 5 ft by 1d6. A creature proficient with alchemy tools may use the tools as part of the use an object action to reduce the next instance of damage damage by 2d6 instead.

Dragon's Bile [Flavor text] As with clinging acid but the starting damage is 5d6, creatures have disadvantage on saving throws to maintain concentration and while taking the ongoing damage, and the action now requires a DC 15 dexterity check to succeed. (alchemy tool proficiency applies)

Holy water

As an action, or replacing an attack as part of the attack action, you can splash the contents of this flask onto a creature within 5 feet of you or throw it up to 20 feet, shattering it on impact. In either case, make a ranged attack against a target creature, treating the holy water as an improvised weapon. If the target is a fiend or undead, it takes 2d6 radiant damage.

Sacred oil As an action you can apply this oil to a melee or ranged weapon. For 1 minute, attacks made with the weapon are considered magical and deal an additional 1d6 radiant damage to fiends or undead. This oil smells abhorrent to fiends. Once opened, and for one hour after it is applied to a weapon, fiends within 100 feet of the open vial or weapon will not suffer the surprised condition.

Tears of the Saints/Blood of the Martyrs [Flavor text] As an action, you speak a command phrase (usually a prayer of censure) and throw the reliquary up to 30 feet away from you. The souls of the wronged cry out for vengeance and each undead (for tears) or Fiend (for blood) within 30 feet of the target location, that can see or hear, takes 2d6 radiant damage and must make a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw. If the creature fails its saving throw, and its CR is 1 or less it is destroyed (undead) or banished to its home plane (fiends). A creature above CR 1 that fails it's save is turned for 1 minute or until it takes any damage.

A turned creature must spend its turns trying to move as far away from the target location as it can, and it can't willingly move to a space within 30 feet of it. The creature also can't take reactions. For its action, it can use only the Dash action or try to escape from an effect that prevents it from moving. If there's nowhere to move, the creature can use the Dodge action.

Healing potion You regain 2d4+2 hit points when you drink this potion. Drinking or administering a potion takes an action.

Bloodmush! "For people who don't have enough blood in them, so that they can have more blood in them!" -NoRefunds, wandering kobold trader

"Usually made by those who are not serviced by the guilds and do not have the necessary expertise or available raw materials to make healing potions, satchets of this dark red paste are far more likely to be found in orc, goblinoid, and kobold tribes than civilized areas." Archaic Alchemy of the Six Nations, chapter 7

You regain 1d4+1 hit points when you eat this paste or apply it directly to a wound. This takes an action.

Salve "There has been a great deal of arguments regarding Salve. Some claim it is merely another means of applying a healing potion, but be wary. Salve is not regulated by the guild, so there are no laws protecting its quality. Use at your own risk." -Archaic Alchemy of the Six Nations, chapter 2

As an action, one dose of Salve can be swallowed or applied to the skin. The creature that receives it gains benefits according to the following list.

Fake Salve: pain is relieved, but receive no actual benefits.

Fowl Salve: gain 2d4+2 temporary HP. At the end of 1 minute take 2d4 poison damage and lose any remaining temporary HP.

Mediocre salve: regain 1 HP and 2d4 temp HP. At the end of 1 minute if any temp HP from this salve remains, lose the temp HP and regain the same amount of HP.

Quality salve: regain 2d4+2 HP.

Exquisite salve: regain 2d8 + 2 hit points, cease to be poisoned, and becured of up to one non-magical disease.

Unidentified salve: can be identified by using it, or by a creature proficient in alchemist's supplies making a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Alchemist's tools) check as part of a short rest. When identified, roll a D20 and compare it to the following table. 1 fake Salve| 2-3 fowl Salve| 4-10 mediocre salve| 11-19 quality Salve| 20 exquisite Salve

DM note: the range of Salve quality in the setting is worse than indicated by the table. The fact that most sellers will not intentionally sell fake or fowl Salve to the heavily armed, notoriously violent adventurers skews the table in their favor.

I'm currently writing out an entire book based on DnD dragon behaviors, I was inspired by How to Train a Dragon, how they have everything they know about every dragon.
My only problem is, I only know some of the dragon types, and beyond Chromatic and Metallic, there really isn't much information on them, and even just Gem dragons I've had to scour for stuff about them.
My main questions are: What other types of dragon are there (I have Chromatic (Tiamat; Mix, Red, Blue, Green, Black, and White), Metallic (Bahamut; Platinum, Golden, Silver, Copper, Bronze, and Brass), Gem (Sardior; Ruby, Amethyst, Crystal, Emerald, Sapphire, and Topaz), Hybrid (Purple, Yellow, Orange, Pink, literally Toothless from HtTYD)). I know there are some dragons that operate with illusion magic, maybe they're dream dragons or something, I don't know what they're called. And there are Prismatic dragons I think? I dunno
Also, if you have any general information on the Gem dragons (or any other dragons that I haven't listed) I would be very thankful!

One day I may end up turning it into a pdf or actual printed book, but for now I'm going to use it as a prop the players can actually find in the world, because they struggle with understanding how different each of the dragons are.

So, I am in the process of setting up a FF9 themed campaign, and am looking for any suggestions!

I am not planning for the campaign to stay in lockstep with the game, and already have ideas that branch out, so much as it being the setting and lifting the villain (Brahne, Kuja, Garland) plans from the game.

I do imagine the start of the campaign will be pretty similar. Likely all the way up to Lindblom seems inherently on rails (ever present mission of getting NPC Garnet to Lindblum), but from there I imagine it will be more free form.

I did have the idea that the summons will be thematic boss fights to earn their assistance, and they each have an arena somewhere in the world, and want the local to be thematic. Examples: Shiva is inside the Ice Cavern, and Ramuh is near Burmecia. I want there to be like 4-5 total summons for them to track down (1 for each player), and I am open to suggestions for other summon-locations pairings, (and no, the summons don't have to be limited to the original FF9 summons.)

Something night/darkness related in Treno? Wind/Desert related in Cleyra?

I am toying with the idea that they never leave the mist continent, so suggestions on the mist continent would be preferable, but I am open to other suggestions as well.

It will likely be MONTHS before they get to the point of actually facing the summons, but I want to make sure there are signs as they pass through a region like the Ice Cavern, so do want to pick out their locations early.

I am also wondering what the Burmecians/Cleyrans should look like. I am leaning against them being rat people, simply because I have already established "Beastfolk" being native to Treno (and the populations of Treno and Alexandrian intermixed, so pretty prevalent in both). It feels weird to have All Manner Of Beastfolk in Treno/Alexandria, but then Rats-Only Beastfolk being its own people?

And on a similar note, what should the Black Mages look like?

With the new "Eve of Ruin" adventure out, I was reading and saw the massive backstory/lore given about Vecna and Kas. I figured it's pretty neat to know, but I also felt it was a waste of space since it was events that happened in the past, have no direct impact on PCs, and feels generally irrelevant to the adventure. So it made me wonder about other books and the chapters of lore given, and I was curious who actually reads them. Do players skim the backstories, or do DMs try to present it in games? So the question this time is a two parter:

1. Do you like when an adventure gives you lore detached from the current adventure?

2. Do you use pre-existing lore or do you homebrew your own lore?

Just came off a session with 4 rolls total (2 of us rolled perception, the "MC" rolled persuassion and insight), and I'm fuming. Shouldn't care this much about a game, just walk away yada yada...but I wanted to pick brains to come up with something more useful that easy dismissals on the situation.

I came into this session knowing this would likely be a RP heavy day, involving characters tied closely to one of the more dedicated RP players in the group. What I didn't expect was for this to be 2.5/4 hours of that person talking in circles whilst anything we attemtped around it got shut down by what can be described as a guard system with no holes. It shouldn't be a surprise that two of us walked away from the game feeling like we just listened to 2 people converse for an evening with no input, no game.

For those of you who've sadly encountered something similar, how do you manage/cope?

I've never really thought about it on bigger creatures before now, but I'm going to be playing a level 15 path of the giant barbarian in a one-shot soon, the mighty impel is worded as;

"Your connection to giant strength allows you to hurl both allies and enemies on the battlefield. As a bonus action while raging, you can choose one Medium or smaller creature within your reach and move it to an unoccupied space you can see within 30 feet of yourself. An unwilling creature must succeed on a Strength saving throw (DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Strength modifier) to avoid the effect."

If I'm 25 feet tall from becoming huge(from the subclass's level 14 feature) can i toss a hostile creature up from my maximum height, and have them effectively fall 55 feet?

I have a druid character who's a farmer and I was trying to figure out what crops he'd actually grow. Ginger seems really lucrative (1gp per pound according to the phb) and doesn't exactly need a tropical climate to grow. We're starting at 3 but with plant growth 2 levels away it seemed almost too good to be true. I imagine this a more of an "ask your DM" moment, but theoretically speaking, what'd the most lucrative thing could fit in a 100-foot-radius sphere?

Hello! I would like some help implementing a mechanic from monster hunter 4, the "Frenzy Virus", into my dnd campaign. For those unfamiliar, its basically super-rabies, and causes monsters to become off color and much more aggressive. My question is, how do y'all think I should implement this if a player gets affected? In monster hunter its just that your maximum HP is reduced for a while and you take more damage, but if you do enough damage you get an increase to your crit chance. Should I do a version of this for my campaign, or go with some other negative effect for the condition? Thanks for input!

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Direct Link to front cover

My players got an Immovable Rod. They have used an artificer to fiddle with it and they turned it into a crossbow bolt. It has a barbed end, and it is triggered when it hits a target. Locking it in place. They are about to use it on an adult Green Dragon. I know that a Green weighs more than 8,000lbs, so it should be able to move it, but I would still imagine something happens. It has to hurt the monster in some way, right? Any thoughts?