5e Playtest: The Celestial, Warlock Patron

This is a playtest of my house rules.  Please, if you have something to say, both good or bad, say it.  Please be constructive.

There aren't many warlocks who would take up the mantle of all that is good and righteous but for the few who do are blessed with the power of their patron.  The patron is usually a good or neutral in alignment.

The Celestial

• Expanded Spell List
• First: bless, shield of faith
• Second: lesser restoration, prayer of healing
• Third: beacon of hope, daylight
• Fourth: death ward, divination
• Fifth: commune, dispel good or evil
• Angelic Presence: At 1st level the warlock is suffused with the righteous glory of their patron that it shines through in the mortal realm.  Using a bonus action when a creature that is within 30 feet of the warlock makes an attack against her.  They must make a Wisdom saving throw.  On a failed save the creature must choose a new target or loose the attack.  Being warded in such a way does not save the warlock form area effect effects.  The effect lasts for 1 minute or ends before hand if the warlock makes an attack or casts a spell that effects an enemy creature.  Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
• Providence of Angels: Some call it luck, others call it providence, some call it fate, whatever it is called it further protects the warlock.  At 6th level, when you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.  Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a short or long rest.
• Celestial Resistance: At 10th level the warlock gains resistance to radiant damage.
• Halo of Radiant Fire: At 14th level the warlock can project around herself ring of fire as a bonus action.  Any enemy creature that is within 10 feet of the warlock is consumed by fire.  Any creature that is within the ring of fire and attacks the warlock will take 2d6 radiant damage.  Undead and fiends who are merely within 10 feet of the warlock will take 2d8 points of radiant damage per round.  

5e Playtest: Fey Bloodline, Sorcerous Origin

This is a playtest of my house rules.  Please, if you have something to say, both good or bad, say it.  Please be constructive.

The Fey are powerful, and at times immemorial they have spread their seed to those of the mortal realms.  In the 4e version of the game I really (and I mean REALLY) liked how they have made the primal aspects and pitted them against the divine.  When I first created my game world of Eave, I had the druids collected about in great Circles and they were at times at odds against the new gods that the clerics worshiped.  They really brought it out in 4e.  Anyway, I see the Fey Bloodline as being in touch with the primal side of creation.  They are generally friendly with the druids of Eave as they do not generally worship the gods.


Fey Bloodline

• Fey Presence: Starting at 1st level, your patron bestows upon you the ability to project the beguiling and fearsome presence of the fey. As an action, you can cause each creature in a 10-foot cube originating from you to make a Wisdom saving throw against your sorcerer spell save DC. The creatures that fail their saving throws are all charmed or frightened by you (your choice) until the end of your next turn. Once you use this feature, you can’t use it again until you finish a short or long rest. 
• Fey Ancestry: The blood of the fey runs strong in the sorcerer.  At 1st level, the sorcerer gains an advantage to saving throws against being charmed.  In addition, you can speak, as well as read and write Sylvan.
• Misty Resurgence: Starting at 6th level, you can vanish in a puff of mist in response to harm. When you take damage, you can use your reaction to teleport up to 60 feet to an unoccupied space you can see.  You regain half of your sorcery points, up to the maximum allowed for your class, rounded down.  Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.
• Fey Magicks: At 14th level, the sorcerer can spend 6 sorcery point to cast conjure fey as the spell.  At 16th, they may spend 7 points to cast the spell as a 7th level spell.  At 18th level they may spend 8 points to cast the spell as an 8th level spell and at 20th they may spend 9 points to cast the spell as a 9th level spell.
• Fey Resistance: At 18th level the sorcerer gains advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Kekai Kotaki

5e Playtest: Circle of Beasts

This is a playtest of my house rules.  Please, if you have something to say, both good or bad, say it.  Please be constructive.

The Circle of Beasts came about because the druid's animal companion in the old 3.0/3.5e games where missing in the 5e games.  So here we have them.

What is coming up that I am doing for 5e: the Moon Domain for the clerics, the Fey Bloodline for the sorcerers and the Celestial otherworldly patron for the warlock.  I want to do more backgrounds and I am going to make other magic items that pertain to the world of Eave.


The Circle of Beasts

•  Druid's Companion: At 2rd level, you gain a beast companion that accompanies you on your adventures and is trained to fight alongside you. Choose a beast that is no larger than Medium and that has a challenge rating of 1/4 or lower. Add your proficiency bonus to the beast’s AC, attack rolls, and damage rolls, as well as to any saving throws and skills it is proficient in. Its hit point maximum equals its normal maximum or four times your druid level, whichever is higher. The beast obeys your commands as best as it can. It takes its turn on your initiative, though it doesn’t take an action unless you command it to. On your turn, you can verbally command the beast where to move (no action required by you). You can use your action to verbally command it to take the Attack, Dash, Disengage, Dodge, or Help action. While traveling through your favored terrain with only the beast, you can move stealthily at a normal pace. If the beast dies, you can obtain another one by spending 8 hours magically bonding with another beast that isn’t hostile to you, either the same type of beast as before or a different one.
• Friend of Beasts: At 2nd level, the druid can speak with animals at will without casting the spell.  They also have advantage on all social skill checks with animals.
• Symbiotic Actions: At 6th level the druid's connection with her companion is so great, that whenever the druid makes and Attack, Dash, Disengage or Dodge action, the animal companion makes the same action on the same target.
• Share Spells: At 10th level when the druid cast a spell targeting herself, it will effect you animal companion with the spell if it is within 30 feet of you.
• Primal Savagery: At 14th level the beast companions attacks count as magical for the purposes of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.

5e Playtest: Path of the Totem Warrior, Lion

This is a playtest of my house rules.  Please, if you have something to say, both good or bad, say it.  Please be constructive.

Another V'tar holdover I am using are the Snow Lion clan.  In what I had originally written for the old 3.0 edition, the Snow Lion clan was one of the most powerful of the V'tar clan, second only the the Wyrm Clan.  In the story line I had written, a long time ago, the chief of the Snow Lion Clan captured a Cleric of the God Mitra in a mighty fight.  Over time, the Snow Lion chief listened and eventually converted the worship of Mitra.  Mitra was the god of the sun, the strength of law and the steadfastness of justice.  So was born the Theocracy of the Sun.

That was my old game.  In my 5e game I am going for a more darker edge.  I like the remnant of war, empires in decline, a creeping evil.  I like it and that is what I am trying to do and take up that challenge.  The (Snow) Lion clan is the most advanced of the barbarian clans.  I was thinking that the Clan of the Snow Lion lies closest to the civilized world.  They have access to arms and armor that a normal clans does not have.

Path of the Lion

• Spirit Seeker: As described in the PHB.
• Totem Spirit: While you are raging, if you move at least 20 feet straight toward a creature then hit it with a melee attack in the same turn, the target must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.  The barbarian may a single melee attack on the target as a bonus action.  The DC for the Strength saving throw is 10 + Strength modifier.
• Aspect of the Beast: With a 10-foot running start, the barbarian can make a long jump up to 25 feet.
• Spirit Walker: As described in the PHB.
• Totemic Attunement: While you are raging the barbarian has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the barbarian's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.

Now I had a paladin of Mitra in my 3.0/3.5e game and they rode great dire snow lions as part of their special mount.  Here they are.  Dire Lions are a hearty beast that the Clan of the Snow Lion catch while they are young and train them to be ridden.

Dire Lion
Large beast, unaligned
Armor Class 14
Hit Points 48 (6d10 + 12)
Speed 50 ft.
STR 18 (+4), DEX 15 (+2), CON 15 (+2), INT 3 (- 4), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 8 (-1)
Skills Perception +4, Stealth +7
Senses passive Perception 14
Languages --
Challenge 2 (450 XP)
Keen Smell. The lion has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Pack Tactics. The lion has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the lion's allies is within 5 feet of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Pounce. If the lion moves at least 20 feet straight toward a creature and then hits it with a claw attack on the same turn, that target must succeed on a DC 14 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone. If the target is prone, the lion can make one bite attack against it as a bonus action.
Running Leap. With a 10-foot running start, the lion can long jump up to 25 feet.
ACTIONS
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target., Hit: 8 (1d8 + 4) slashing damage.

Alice Rangel

5e Playtest: Path of the Totem Warrior, Fox

This is a playtest of my house rules.  Please, if you have something to say, both good or bad, say it.  Please be constructive.

When I first made my world of Eave, the 3.0 version, I had the V'tar Warriors that took the place of vikings and Native Americans.  There were 17 different V'tar Clans: the Wolf, the Wyrm, the Bear and Eagle, to name a few.  There were also the Snow Foxes.  They were the smallest of the V'tar Clans and the only ones that allowed women to become warriors.  I have always liked the Foxes and the witchboats that they sailed in under the command of their masked witches.

The Path of the Totem Warrior has given me a chance to recreate them.  The Fox totem uses cunning and wiliness to confound their foes.

Path of the Fox

• Spirit Seeker: As described in the PHB.
• Totem Spirit: While you are raging and as long as you arent wearing heavy armor, other creatures have a disadvantage on opportunity attack rolls against you.  In addition, while raging the barbarian may use their Strength or their Dexterity in making a melee attack, they will gain a bonus to the damage roll that increases as you gain levels as a barbarian, as shown in the Rage Damage column of the Barbarian table.  They will gain this when they are using Reckless Attack.  The spirit of the fox makes the barbarian a vexing foe.
• Aspect of the Beast: You gain the advantage on all stealth rolls.
• Spirit Walker: As described in the PHB.
• Totemic Attunement: While you are raging and also not wearing heavy armor, the barbarian gains the Evasion ability as a Rogue.

tiger1313/deviantArt

Margo Trapman and Left for 5e

Margo Trapman and the giantess known as Left are two of Suli's henchmen.  Margo has been with Suli for years now, while Left has just been given to Suli.

Margo Trapman is a young woman still in her teens.  She and her father were in the Underdark with the dwarves of Ironfang.  Her father was killed in the siege of Ironfang but not before he made Suli promise to look after her.  She has been with Suli for years now and she is like a daughter to Suli and Suli a mother to the young girl.  Barely still in her teens, she has grown up to be quite a thief, much like her father.  She is one of the few people who has seen Suli without her mask.

Pale of skin from her many years underground.  She has lived nearly her entire life.

Margo Trapman
Human female, rouge (thief) 11
Criminal Fence (Criminal Contact)
Ideal: Charity.

Str 11, Dex 19 (+4), Con 12 (+1), Int 13 (+1), Wis 11, Cha 16 (+3)

HP 72 (11d8+11)
AC 18

Feats

• Dungeon Delver
• Lucky
• Skulker

Proficiency +4

• Skills: Deception (+11), Investigation (+5), Perception (+4), Persuasion (+11), Slight of Hand (+8), Stealth (+12)
• Languages: Common, Dwarven, Undercommon
• Tools: cards, thieves tools, cook's tools
• Armor: light armor
• Weapons: simple weapons, hand crossbow, longsword, rapier and short sword
• Saving throws: Dexterity and Intelligence

Rogue Features

• Expertise: Deception, Persuasion, Stealth, thieves tools 
• Sneak Attack +6d6
• Thieves Cant
• Cunning Action
• Uncanny Dodge
• Evasion
• Reliable Talents
• Fast Hands
• Second Story Work
• Supreme Sneak

Gear: studded leather +1, ring of protection, +1 rapier, rod of extinguishing, 2 silver daggers, thieves tools, 3 potions of healing, hand crossbow, 20 bolts, Belt of the White People, Ironfang Ring

Notes

• Training in cook's tools.
• Has learned Undercommon.
• Belt of the White People is a woven belt that gives the wearer a +2 to Intimidate and Persuasion test when dealing with the White People, a tribe of barbarians who have allied themselves with the Dwarves of Ironfang.
• Ironfang Ring is a gold ring that gives the wearer a +4 Persuasion skill tests when dealing with dwarves of the Ironfang.  In addition it will give the bearer a +2 Persuasion to tests made with other dwarves who recognize the ring.

Left is a weird case and even though she has been loyal, she is still a Thayan Knight, given to her by the Red Mage who is leading the colony of Red Wizards in the town Suli slew the red dragon in.  Left was given to Suli in a way that she could not refuse her service.  She still dresses as a Thayan Knight, even though she would change if Suli so ordered it.  Suli is torn over Left (the Red Wizard had two guards, Left and Right) and keeps her from all important talk.  Suli realizes that it will be just a matter of time before she gets betrayed by her giantess.  She is covered in tattoos and while naked, she is covered with tattoos that tell the story of a demon/devil eating the souls of people dropping into its mouth.

Left is a giantess using the 3.5 spells of enlarge and permanency.  I will keep it.  Using the enlarge/reduce spell, I have made the effect permanent.  She was 6'6" before she was enchanted.

Left
Human female, fighter (champion) 11
Soldier (Military Rank)
Ideal: Might.

Str 20 (+5), Dex 11, Con 15 (+2), Int 13 (+1), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 13 (+1)

HP 90 (11d10+22)
AC 20


Feats

• Heavy Armor Master
• Martial Adept (Menacing Attack, Pushing Attack; 1d6 superiority die; DC17)
• Shield Master

Proficiency +4

• Skills: Athletics (+9), Intimidation (+5), Insight (+5), Perception (+5)
• Languages: Common, Infernal
• Tools: dice, land vehicles 
• Armor: light, medium and heavy armor; shields
• Weapons: simple and martial weapons
• Saving throws: Strength and Constitution

Fighter Features

• Fighting Styles: Dueling and Protection
• Second Wind
• Action Surge
• Extra Attack (3)
• Indomitable
• Improved Critical (19-20)
• Remarkable Athlete

Permanent Enlarge

• Large size (13' tall, 1320 lbs).
• Advantage on all Strength tests and saving throws.
• Weapons do an additional 1d4 worth of damage.

Gear: Platemail of Sighs, shield, long sword, dagger, longbow, 20 arrow, 3 potions of healing,

Attacks

• Long sword.  +9 attack, 1d8+1d4+7 damage

Notes

• The Platemail of Sighs is twisted, blackened version of platemail that offers its wearer advantage on all Intimidation checks.

Suli Bryghton for 5e

Suli is one of my favorite characters.  She was part of +Steve J game, one of the few games I actually got to play in.  Unfortunately I am in Japan at the moment and I dont have with me the only copy of the character and basically her henchmen, Left and Margo Trapman.  So, I am trying to recreate it from scratch.

One of Suli's greatest achievements was the slaying a red dragon, basically by herself.  I told the party that I had the dragon, a week before the game.  The rest of the players did not believe me as I had poured over my books and found something that could stop the rampaging beast.  The dragon swooped in and snatched Margo.  It knew that she had a rod of extinguishing and thought that poor little Margo was the greatest danger.  The next round I ended it.  A shivering touch spell from the Frostburn book and the dragon writhing on the ground.  Oh, I was flying as I had a travel domain and fly at the ready, if you were wondering how I caught it.

Her hit points are below average because I rolled for crap.  Now looking in the back we can see that they have given Seluné the Knowledge or Life domains.  Bah!  I am coming up with a specific Seluné domain spells which will be a combination of the Moon and Travel domains and take the knowledge domain, for know.   She was to be a mystic theurge, but since they dont have prestige classes anymore, I gave her one more level in cleric.

The picture below doesnt look look like Suli, but I like it.  The other girl in the picture looks like Margo.  Suli wears a full body suit everywhere she goes that does not allow a bit of flesh to be exposed.  Born of a drow matron, she is half-drow and half demon and was put into a womb of human slave to grow.  Her mothers are a drow matron and Marilith demon.  All of this was Steve's invention and it came out in the roleplay.  All I said is that her skin is as dark as coal that she looks like a demonic drow.  I thought it was a cool little hook to give her, make her unique.  She always wears a mask that bears her holy symbol of Seluné's eyes surrounded by seven stars, as seen below.

She is from the Elventree in the Moonsea area.  She has traveled to the underdark in the North and popped up about a hundred miles from Silverymoon.  Her and her party defeated the white dragon Ice Kite and brokered a deal with the White People and Ironfang.  They went to Silverymoon and she fell in love with the city as she brokered a deal with Silverymoon for the Dwarven queen of Ironfang.  She is now in s small town east of Erversult, in the Dragonmere where she fought and killed the red dragon.

Lorraine Schleter

Suli Bryghton, Seluné's New Moon, the Black Moon
Tiefling female, Cleric of Seluné 8 (Seluné), Bard (College of Valor) 4
Acolyte (Shelter the Faithful)
Personality: tolerant of other faiths and respect the worship of other gods.
Ideal: Charity.
Bond: ward of the temple.

Str 13 (+1), Dex 14 (+2), Con 12 (+1), Int 16 (+3), Wis 18 (+4), Cha 17 (+3)

HP 69 (12d8+12)
AC 20

Tiefling Traits

• Darkvision, 60'
• Hellish Resistance
• Infernal Legacy.  Thaumaturgy cantrip.  Hellish rebuke and darkness once per day.  Use Charisma as the stat for spell casting.

Feats

• Inspiring leader
• Luck
• War caster

Proficiency +4

• Skills: Arcana (+11), History (+7), Insight (+12), Persuasion (+11), Religion (+11)
• Languages: Abyssal, Common, Draconic, Elven, Infernal, Undercommon
• Tools: drums, flute and lute.  Dragonchess, alchemist supplies, tailor's tools, navigator's tools and herbalism kit.
• Armor: light and medium armor; shields
• Weapons: simple and martial weapons
• Saving throws: Wisdom and Charisma

Spells Slots: 4/3/3/3/2/1

Bard Features

• Spellcasting.  Spell save DC 15.  Spell attack modifier +7.  Ritual caster.
• Cantrips: dancing lights, mage hand, prestidigitation
• First level: dissonant whispers, identify, sleep, unseen servant
• Second level: detect thoughts, heat metal, invisibility
• Bardic Inspiration
• Jack of all Trades
• Song of Rest
• Expertise (insight and persuasion)
• Combat inspriation

Cleric Features

• Spellcasting.  Spell save DC 16.  Spell attack modifier +8.  Ritual caster.
• Cantrips: light, mending, sacred flame, spare the dying
• First level: cure wounds, faerie fire*, healing word, guiding bolt, longstrider*, shield of faith
• Second level: hold person, lesser restoration, misty step*, moonbeam*, spiritual weapon
• Third level: dispel magic, fly*, magic circle, revivify, sending*
• Forth level: control water, dimension door*, divination*, stone shape
• Blessing of Knowledge (arcana and religion)
• Channel divinity twice per day: turn undead, knowledge of the ages, read thoughts
• Potent spellcasting

Gear: Elven chainmail, +1 shield with Seluné's symbol painted upon it, mask with Seluné's symbol etched upon it, Sword of the Moon, Mace of Seluné,  Hewards handy haversack, staff of healing, Oarstaff, +1 short bow, Elhona's Quiver, Belt of the White People, Ironfang Ring, Matron's Hairpins, Skyship, Matron's Dagger, Rod of the Wyrmslayer, 2 scrolls of teleportation, 5 potions of healing


Notes

• Trained in drums and flute.  Trained in alchemist supplies, tailor's tools, navigator's tools and herbalism kit.  Trained in dragonchess.  Has learned Abyssal and Undercommon.
• Added the tailor's tools to the list.
• Since they have discontinued the mithril chainmail for the moment, I will make do.  The Elven chainmail is just like the way it is represented in the playtest notes.  Save that it has been enchanted to +1 and weighs only 30 pounds.
• Mace of Seluné is a +1 mace that when it scores a critical hit, the target is surrounded by shimmering motes of light that act as a faerie fire on the target for one minute.
• Sword of the Moon is a +1 silver longsword that shines only at night with the phases of the moon.  It shines brightly with the full moon (equal to a torch) and not at all with the new moon.  When a lycanthrope is within 60' of the blade, it will burn brightly, brighter than a torch and it will deal an additional 1d8 of radiant damage upon them.
• The Oarstaff is a special magical item that when combined with the Skyship, allows it to fly.  The Skyship is a 120' long, 30' wide and has two decks along with a fore and aft castle.  It can sail on the water, but when the Oarstaff is attached and used, it allows the ship to fly at a speed of 120'/round.
• Belt of the White People is a woven belt that gives Suli +2 to Intimidate and Persuasion test when dealing with the White People, a tribe of barbarians who have allied themselves with the Dwarves of Ironfang.
• Ironfang Ring is a gold ring that gives Suli a +4 Persuasion skill tests when dealing with dwarves of the Ironfang.  In addition it will give Suli a +2 Persuasion to tests made with other dwarves who recognize the ring.
• Matron's Hairpins grants the wearer advantage on all Concentration tests.
• Matron's Dagger.  This evil looking dagger has powerful enchantments placed upon it.  It has a +2 enchantment placed upon it and when it scores a critical hit upon an opponent webs will spit out of the blade and entangle him, Restraining the target until the beginning of the wielders next round.  Also, webs do not hinder the bearer of the blade at all as they slip away and off of them.
• Rod of the Wyrmslayer is a special bronze scepter that gives the bearer a +2 to Persuasion tests when dealing with the people of the village that she saved from the red dragon.  It is embarrassing but I dont remember what they were called.  

Seluné Domain Spells
First: faerie fire, longstrider
Second: misty step, moonbeam
Third: fly, sending
Fourth: dimension door, divination
Fifth: geas, teleportation circle

Kala Kal'kanis for 5e

AsgardianMetal

So, here we have Kala Kal'kanis remade for 5e.  I have made her an eldritch knight, the closest thing to a sword mage I could find.  It is pretty close.  I have chosen to make whirling blade spell for 5e.  I had to come up with stats for Skast, a fey panther that follows her around.  The biggest problem I had in converting Kala was her vampiric nature.  In 4e, she had taken vampiric heritage.  I have got her bite and the rest is the all roleplaying.  Here I have her all ready for playing!

Kala Kal’kanis

Drow/vampire female, fighter (eldritch knight) level 8

Background: Noble (position of privilege)

Personality: confused between freedom and loyalty.  She wants to be free, but is consumed by her loyalty to her family and her wanting none of that.

Ideal: family.

Bond: nothing is more important that the other members of my family.

Flaw: I hide a scandalous secret that can ruin my family forever.  Her vampire heritage and her love for Itami.

Str 16, Con 12, Dex 14, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 12

AC 19 (half-plate, dex, ring of protection)

HP (8d10+8) 60

Proficiencies +3

• Skills: arcana (+7), athletics (+6), history (+7), intimidation (+4), perception (+3), persuasion (+4)
• Tools: dragonchess
• Armor: all armor and shields
• Weapons: all simple and martial weapons
• Saving throws: strength (+6), constiution (+4)

Drow Abilities

• Darkvision 120'
• Drow magic: dancing lights (cantrip); faerie fire and darkness 1/day.  Use charisma.
• Drow weapon training: rapiers, short sword, hand crossbow
• Keen senses 
• Fey ancestry
• Sunlight sensitivity
• Trance
• Languages: common, elvish, undercommon

Fighter Abilities 

• Fighting style: great weapon fighting
• Second wind: 1d10+8
• Action surge
• Extra attack
• Weapon bond
• War magic
• Spellcasting.  DC15, spell attack modifier +7.  Spells: 4/2
• Cantrips: fire bolt, ray of frost
• First: magic missile, protection from evil and good, shield, witch bolt
• Second: misty step, whirling blade

Feats: great weapon master

Attacks

• +1 greatword, +7 to hit, 2d6+4 (reroll 1s and 2s) damage
• Bite, +6 to hit, one willing creature, or a creature that is grappled by Kala, incapacitated, or restrained. 1d4+3 damage.

Gear: masterwork half-plate (no disadvantage on stealth), "Vicious"+1 greatsword, House Kal'kanis Insignia Ring.  Other equipment as needed.

Notes

• Received training in Arcana
• Vicious is a +1 great sword that was made especial for Kala.  On a critical hit, it will do an extra +2d6 of damage, in addition to the normal critical hit bonus.
• House Kal'kanis Insignia Ring is a +1 ring of protection that will also gives the wearer a +2 intimidation against other drow and spiders.
• Whirling Blade.  2nd level transmutation.  Casting time: 1 action.  Range: 30'.  Components: V, M (bladed weapon to be thrown, not consumed).  Duration: instantaneous.  You throw you bladed weapon at a target up to 30' away.  Using your spell attack modifier to hit, you will deal damage equal to as if you had wielded it and the weapon returns to your hand.  On a miss, repeat the attack against a second target within 30' of the first. If you miss, repeat the attack against a third target within 30' of the second. If you miss again, repeat the attack against a fourth target within 30' of the third. Your weapon then returns to your hand.

Skast, the fey panther
Medium beast, unaligned

AC 13
Hit Points (5d8+5) 35
Speed 50', climb 40'

Str 14, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 4, Wis 14, Cha 9

Skills: Perception +4, Stealth +7
Senses: passive Perception 14
Languages: -
Challenge 1

Keen Smell. Skast has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.
Pounce.  If Skast moves at least 20' straight forward toward a creature right before hitting it with a claw attack, the target must succeed on a DC12 Strength saving throw of be knocked prone.  If the target is prone, the panther can take a bonus action to make one bite attack against it.
Misty Step.  It can do misty step once per combat.

Bite.  Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5', one target.  Hit 1d6+2 piercing damage.
Claw.  Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5', one target.  Hit 1d4+2 slashing damage.

Gencon is over... can't wait for next year!

It is Tuesday, and I am back at, well home for the time being.  Whew!  Gencon was quite fun.  Now, I have moved from miniatures, which I ran for fifteen plus years and I am The Training Grounds, which we watch over the children, play with them and do arts and crafts.  I am planning on doing more.  Like a castle I am planning on building next year using hundred of boxes left over by the many exhibitors.

Pictures!  I have taken over a hundred photos.  I didnt get a chance to get everything I wanted to get picture wise.  I wish I got more of the costumes.

They had some good foodtrucks there this year.  Really liked Johnson's BBQ  and Little Eataly but there is one that I wanted to get to try but didnt get a chance to eat there.  I hope The Spice Box is there next year.

I got to see +Stephanie Bryant for a little bit to wish her a happy birthday.  She wont be going to Strategicon during Labor Day.  She said she will be there during President's Day.

Lets see... of course there is all of my family there.  Kevin told me about his new show on YouTube called Opinionated Monsters.  Looks pretty interesting, you should go over and check it out.  Tell him I say hello.  +Dana Renfrow is going to Japan as well in September.  I hope to meet him while he is there.  I met some new people like +Michael Benensky and his wife.  I met another couple and their two daughters who were dressed as a pair of tieflings.  They are the ones in my pictures.  I photobombed a couple of pictures and snuck away unseen!  muahaha!  And the Ottawa Red Shirts gave me some Quebec No. 1 Amber maple syrup!

There is a lot more that I probably forgot.  I got a bit tipsy on mainly sake one night.  It was strange because I have drank a bottle of sake before and didnt get drunk, but then I remember I am on medication as well and probably shouldnt mix them.  And there was the beer I had earlier.  And the reisling.  And the filtered sake.  I still had my mind to me, but I was a bit wobbly on my feet.

Well.  It was a good con and I cant wait until next year!

5e Gnome-in-a-Tank

A long time ago, back in the late 70's I was playing in my father's DnD game.  Let me give you a little background here.  My father had just gotten out of the army and settled in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, where he was going to school.  My father, though whatever greater good fortune fell into a group of young college students that had just gotten this new game called Dungeons & Dragons.  It all took off from there.  The games moved from the college to our large home.  There were games there just about every day when my father got back form work.  On Fridays that was when it got to be good.  The games would last from.  Friday until early Monday morning.  There were always people in the house and it was good, all to play this game, to study, to practice for many of them were in the SCA as well.  They're making chainmail as they waited for there their day.

One of the many encounters that we had a little gnome fighter.  He was built totally random manner.  He had wore platemail and had a potion of growth, among some others.  He eventually became to be known as the Gnome-in-a-Tank.  He became a fairly recurring character, always a little pissed off at everyone who was taller then him.  So here he is, The Gnome-in-a-Tank

Gnome-in-a-Tank
Rock gnome male, fighter (champion) 3
Str 15, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 13
HP (3d10+6) 28
AC 20 (platemail, shield)
Speed 25'
Languages: Common, Gnome
Gnome Traits: Darkvision, Gnome Cunning, Artificer's Lore, Tinker
Background: Soldier, Infantry (Military Rank)
Skills: Athletics, Intimidation, Insight, Perception
Tools: Dice set, Land Vehicles
Fighter Features: Fighting Style (Dueling), Second Wind, Action Surge, Improved Critical

Gear: platemail, shield, battleaxe, dagger, potion of healing, 2 potions of growth, dungeoneer's pack, light crossbow, quiver with 20 bolts, 114gp, 13ep, 2 garnets worth 50gp each

Potion of Growth acts as a enlarge spell with a duration of one minute.

Notes

• Attacks are as follows: battleaxe +4 to hit, damage is 1d8+4.  Not much in the way to hit, but he was in a tank and should be hard to hit.
• He was angry at all the taller people.  He could be a villain recruiting other gnomes, halfling and others.
• Gnome Cunning is a great trait.  It will allows the gnome to gain advantage on all Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws against magic.  I will have to make a gnome just for the power!

5e Halfling Barbarian

A long time ago, when 3e came out, my good friend +Ron Edens wanted to play a halfling barbarian.  I just couldnt see  it at the time and nixed the whole idea. The idea however stuck with me but by the time I had come up with something for him to play, Ron had moved to Fresno.  So, I sat on the idea of halfling barbarians.

The idea I had way back then was on the Southern continent of Eave, there is a vast land made up of jagged jungles and low-lying swamps called Tanno.  It was home to vicious tribesman, forgotten temples, areas of blasted lands, dinosaurs and tribes of panther riding halfling barbarians.

So, the halfling tribes would be a separate subrace, but for simplicity sake, we shall just use the stout halflings.  So starts this series where I will make up a character using the new 5e PHB.  So Ron, here we have not the Slow-Monger, but his older brother, the Fast-Monger.

Grodget Fast-Monger
Halfling barbarian (berserker) 3
Str 13, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10
HP (3d12+9) 35
AC 18 (shield, Dex and Con)
Speed 25'
Languages: Common, Halfling, Orcish
Halfling Traits: Lucky, Brave, Halfling Nimbleness, Stout Resilience
Background: Outlander, Tribal marauder (Wanderer)
Skills: Animal Handling, Athletics, Intimidation, Survival
Tools: Flute
Barbarian Features: Rage, Unarmored Defense, Reckless Attack, Danger Sense, Frenzy

Gear: Bonesplitter, shield, dagger, shortbow, 20 arrows, ornate mask, Blodget the riding panther with tack and harness, blowgun, 10 blowgun darts, a vial with 5 doses of basic poison, explorers pack, tribal gear, bone flute, 57gp and 32sp

Bonesplitter is a used short sword blade put onto a crudely-made hilt.  It is a +1 short sword and on a critical hit the target is wracked with pain that he will have disadvantage on all attack rolls until the following round.

Blodget
Riding Panther
Medium beast, unaligned
Armor Class 14 (studded leather barding)
Hit Points 13 (3d8)
Speed 50 ft., climb 40 ft.
STR 14 (+2)  DEX 15 (+2) CON 10 INT 3 (-4) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 7 (-2)
Skills: Perception +4, Stealth +6
Senses: passive Perception 14
Languages —
Challenge 1/4 (50 XP)
Keen Smell: advantage on all Wisdom (Perception) check that rely on smell.
Pounce: moves forward at least 20 feet straight toward a creature right before hitting it with a claw attack, the target must succeed on a DC12 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.  If the target is prone, the panther can take a bonus action to make one bite attack against it.
Actions
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) piercing damage.
Claw. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.  Hit: 4 (1d4+2) slashing damage.

Notes

• The panther is straight out of the back of the book.  The only thing that is different is the studded leather barding it has.  In Appendix D, they have Bat, Black Bear, Boar, Brown Bear, Cat, Constrictor Snake, Crocodile, Dire Wolf, Frog, Giant Eagle, Giant Spider, Hawk (Falcon), Imp, Lion, Mastiff, Mule, Owl, Panther, Poisonous Snake, Pseudodragon, Quasit, Rat, Raven, Reef Shark, Riding Horse, Skeleton, Sprite, Tiger, Warhorse, Wolf and Zombie.
• Frenzy is the new 3rd-level ability for the Berserker.  It allows a barbarian who is under rage to further go into a frenzy where he can make a single melee weapon attack as a bonus action on each of your turns after this one.  Nasty.  However, when the rage ends, the barbarian suffers one level of exhaustion.        

Markan using the 5e PHB

Well, I have just got the new PHB for the 5e DnD game and I pretty much like it.  It is still missing something, that special thing that makes it "wow."  So I am going to make up my character Markan, using the 5e PHB, updated from the playtest version.

First we are going to start of the race.  Looking in the PHB, we can see that several things are changed from the playtest.  First thing is the stats.  His Ability Score Increase in the PHB says at the Charisma bonus goes from +1 to +2.  The playtest also stated that they gain a +1 to any stat but in the new PHB they gain two bonuses of +1 each.  So in Markan case I added another +1 to Charisma and I put the other +1 in Wisdom.  The changed low-light vision to darkvision.  While I liked low-light I can understand why they changed it just plain darkvision.  I will miss low-light however.  The last thing listed under race is the they are no longer have Keen Senses.  They now have Skill Versatility.  I kind of like having the extra skills.

The next thing we should look at is his background.  He had the Noble background.  He loses a skill.  The background just have two skills that are linked to it.  They have also lost Mounts (land), and only have one type of gaming set.  The feature that they have is Position of Privilege replacing Retainers.  However it is still listed as a Variant Feature.

Classes.  There are some big changes in classes.  I will go and list the changes for the wizard and the cleric.  The remainder I will do in a later posting.  Now the big thing that they have changed is how they prepare spells.  Their spellbook gains six 1st-level spells, at 1st-level and they may prepare their Intelligence modifier + your wizards level.  Big change.  Markan, as you can see, can see may study and have prepared to cast five 1st-level spells instead of two.  It works the same for cleric spells, using the Wisdom modifier.  Now the Multiclassing.  In the playtest, when you multiclass, you gained all the proficiencies including skills and tools and armor and weapons and saving throws.  You no longer do.  They have a special table in which it has listed all the proficiencies you can get.  For a cleric, they gain light armor, medium armor and shields.

Proficiencies now start at a +2 instead of a +1.  Not bad.

Now some changes in the spells that I gained.  Shield goes from +4 to +5.  Mighty good.  Thunderwave works as a cube instead of a cone.  Healing has gone down from the playtest.  Now, Cure Wounds only does a single d8 in addition to your spellcaster modifier.  Inflict Wounds does 3d10 now, instead of 3d8.  Shield of Faith is increased to +2.

Well, that does it.  Markan has lost some stuff but has gained other.  All and all it is not too bad.

Markan Almavai

Half-elf male

Cleric of Vandria 1/Mage 1

Noble of the House of Almavai, Barony of Celene.  First born of Wyrmslayer.

Five-nine, 155 pounds, black hair, green eyes, 28 years old

Worships Vandria Gilmadrith

Str 11, Dex 14 (+2), Con 11, Int 18 (+4), Wis 16 (+3), Cha 14 (+2)

HP (1d6+1d8) 11

AC 16 or 18 with shield

Proficiencies +2              

• Arcana, history, investigation, medicine, persuasion, religion
• Gaming sets (playing cards)
• Light, medium and heavy armor, shields
• Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows and all military weapons
• Saving throws: intelligence, wisdom

Half-elf

• Fey Ancestry: advantage on saving throws vs charm and immune to sleep
• Darkvision

Noble: Position of Privlidege

Languages: common, elvish, +1

Spells per day: 3

Wizardry

• Spellbook
• Ritual casting
• Arcane recovery (regain expended spell slot equal to half level round up).
• DC 8 + int modifier (+4) + proficiency bonus (+2) [14]. 

Spellbook (* evocation spells)

• Cantrips studied
• Prestidigitation
• Read magic
• Shocking grasp* [dexterity save, 1d8 damage and no reactions until its next turn, disadvantage if wearing heavy armor]
• First level
• Alarm [ritual; twenty foot cube]
• Detect magic [ritual; concentration, up to ten minutes]
• Identify [ritual]
• Magic missile [3 darts, 1d4+1 each, 100’ range, extra dart per level above 1st level]
• Protection from evil [one action; touch; ten minutes; evil elementals, fey, fiends and undead, evil creatures get a disadvantage to strike, cannot be charmed, frightened or possessed and if already affected gets a new saving through with advantage]
• Shield [reaction; +5 AC and immunity to magic missiles]
• Thunderwave* [range fifteen feet in a fifteen foot cube; constitution save, 2d8 thunder damage and pushed ten feet away, on a successful save half damage and not pushed; unsecured items pushed ten feet way; additional 1d8 for every level beyond first]

Divine Casting

• Ritual casting. 
• DC 8 + wisdom modifier (+3) + proficiency bonus (+2) [13].
• Warpriest: attack a second time once per round a number of times equal to wisdom modifier (+3).

Casting

• Cantrips studied
• Light
• Spare the dying
• Thaumaturgy
• First level spells studied
• Bless [3 creatures add 1d4 to attack and saving throws; concentration up to 1 minute]
• Cure wounds [1d8+3; additional 1d8 per level above first]
• Divine favor (domain) [bonus action; weapon does an additional 1d4 radiant damage; concentration up to 1 minute]
• Guiding bolt [4d6 radiant damage; additional 1d6 per level above first]
• Inflict wounds [3d10; additional 1d10 per level above first]
• Shield of faith (domain) [bonus action; 60 feet range; +2 AC; concentration for up to ten minutes] 

Gear: spellbook, holy symbol, scalemail, shield, 3 daggers, warhammer [1d8, versatile 1d10], longbow [1d8, range 150/600] 20 arrows in a quiver, backpack, 10 days of rations, healer’s kit, mess kit, tinderbox, waterskin, 20 arrows packed, blanket, monies [38gp, 9sp, 6cp]

Other gear in chest stored in town at the St Cuthbert Temple: goblin spellbook [alarm, charm person, magic missile, hold person, blink, fireball], monies for the family [206gp, 9sp, 106cp], 131 arrows, my monies (25gp)

Signet ring and writ of nobility, want back!

My Thoughts on 5e DnD

I should start out saying that I started playing back in the days of the three book boxed set.  I remember the first PHB, the first MM, even when the DMG came out.  Back when the Monster Manual was nothing but some yellow 8x11 card sheets and the blue boxed book that came out before the red.  Those were the days when the game was played every day and lasted from Friday when my my father came home and lasted until Monday in the early morning.  Something was always going on in our house and I loved it.  I did a few twenty-four hour gaming sessions when I had my shop, trying to bring back those days.

Well, enough of talking the old days.  Everyone else is doing a review of 5e, so I thought I would weigh in.  It is tuesday and I just got the Basic Box Set.  I know I am late as many people have gotten them in last week, but I have read the Basic Preview and I got a few things that I would like to say.

The classes are good and solid.  I really like how they they combined the skills, the tools and the levels.  I think that they are taking a step back from clerics though.  Here I thought that they would be using a system to create gods and specializing them or each and every god.  They said that they were in the early playtest.  I dont know.  Maybe they will be having them better described in the PHB.  I hope that they have a LOT of different archetypes for each character type.  They make for a very good way to make the characters somewhat unique.  That and the backgrounds.

I really like how they have done the spells, made them beefier and more bite but upping the damage and/or the effectiveness of the spells.  Like magic missile, you start off with three missiles, burning hands starts off by doing 3d6.  Fireballs and lightning bolts to 8d6.  You can increase them by expending a higher level spell slot.  It is a very good way to do it.  I am playing a mage in the playtest and I like the fact that I dont feel that useless.  The fact that I can cast cantrips and some of my spells are rituals that I can cast at anytime really makes the character.  Everything about the magic system I am liking.

[Warning: Spoilers]  The module is pretty good.  The Lost Mine of Phandelver is pretty good.  It seems balanced and they give a way to fight or talk your way through some of the adventure.  Like when the characters are advancing on Castle Cragmore, they can try to storm it or if they are smart enough to think about it, they can disguise themselves as Redbrands.  The fact that they put a dragon in the adventure that has a Challenge Rating of 8.  The fact that the party has to talk to the beast or risk a very messy death.  That is what I like about the 5e DnD.  Dragons are back!  But taking a look at the other monsters that they have in the back, I like them.  Bugbears, goblins, hobgoblins and orcs that they have nice as each have a special trait.  The goblins nimble escape and the hobgoblins martial advantage make the monsters very mean to a party.  You have to break the ranks of the hobgoblins and keep right on the goblins you have got to keep right on them.  Orcs have the aggressive trait.  You cant run away from them which is a meaner thing the relentless trait that they had in the playtest.  You will have to fight them or die!  I like how they have brought back the damage and condition modifiers for the monsters.  And most of all, I really like how they have brought down the Armor Classes.  Even the Young Green Dragon that they have, only has an AC of 18.  It was always a hard thing to reconcile having an AC of 30 or 40 in 3.5 or 4e.  Even though I liked 4e, there was certain things they I felt were quite wrong.  My players were always thinking that they had to have the highest AC possible.  They really dont.  Having an AC of 14 is still pretty good because the monsters have a much lower attack.  Even the green dragon only has an attack of +7.   If you take a 20th level fighter in plate and shield and enchant, he will have an AC 22.  His attack, assuming he has a 20 strength he has a +12 assuming he has nothing else but an enchanted sword of +1.  That is fine!  One of the problems with RPing with players who have played the game before is for them to get used to it.  Now you cant rely on the dice however.  In one playtest game we were in the Will the DM got something like seven criticals in one battle.  Needless to say we were toast.  And have you read what the poisoned condition does?!  Oh my!  Read it again!

Some of the bad things about 5e.  I think (mind you it is my opinion) that they have kinda taken a step back from the previous editions.

1. That they have made the ability increases dependant on the class you are instead of the overall level.  I dont like it.  
2. I kinda miss the old (4e) encounter or daily skills.  Say what you will about 4e, but there was something about using Skullcrusher or Stab and Grab on an opponent.  Sure the combats may have taken HOURS to complete, but I still miss them.
3. After all the fantastic work that they have put into the 4e cosmology and world they just kinda dropped it.  I liked the connections between the primordials and the giants.  How they worked every monster in with care as to how it would fit in, like the cyclopes were slaves to the formorians.  The Feywilde and the Shadowfell.  The dragonborn and tiefling war.  I hope, just HOPE that they will keep that as part of the new rules.  Even if they arent, I am and I will keep that alive in my game!
4. Initiative.  There is nothing that allows for having a higher initiative.  They had in the playtest, barbarians and alertness feat that gave you bonuses.  Dont like it.  A barbarian is quicker than a fleetfooted rouge.  DONT LIKE IT.  I wouldnt mind if they got rid of that completely or will make it to so you can at least compete.  But it is only the basic set, I am just saying.

Well, on a 3d6 scale I would give the Rules a 4, the Art a 5 and the Intangibles a 3 for a stat roll of 12.  Not to bad but considering that it is only the Basic Set.  It will have the option to go up when the PHB comes out.  So it doesnt matter if you are an old game like myself or a new gamer, pick it up and see for yourself.

Rynyn Chronicles; Aliens; Avari'stacha (The Cross)

The Ethereals from X-Com: Enemy Unknown game (great freakin game by the way!).  The closest thing to the Cross I could find.

Avari'stacha, or the Cross as they are commonly known among the humans, are a bipedal alien race with four arms, two greater and two lesser arms.   Large arms are for strength the lesser arms are for agility.  They appear to by a cross between insects and lizards.  When they appear without their helmets, one can see their mandible and four eyes.  They are so named The Cross by the humans for their ships when first sighted appeared to be cross shaped.  There appears to be three distinct sub-races.

The Sage (Amar) Class are the only class that has the psychic abilities, though all of the Cross have a limited form telepathy that allows them to silently communicate.  The Sage Class is incredibly thin and tall, standing about two meters tall.  There are only around a hundred of the sages left and all are incredibly powerful psychics who ponder the mysteries of Twani'cjik.  The most powerful one is Wan'chett because he is so incredibly old, at least ten times as old as any Cross.

• Ashae'jin is the leader of the Sages and sits in the High Triumvirate.  Female
• Wan'chett is the oldest known Cross due to his extended sleep for two-thousand years on Mars.

The Soldier (Re'kesh) Class much taller and look incredible buff.  They stand around two hundred fifteen centimeter and weigh upwards to a hundred thirty-five kilos.  They are incredibly strong, at least two to three times as strong as a fit human.  They are quick and surprisingly silent and number among the most numerous of the Cross due to the massive cloning of Soldiers.  They are put into a variety of Kesh.  The first Kesh is made up of naturally born Soldiers.  The second and on are made up of cloned soldiers.  Naturally born Soldiers are generally more independent than those of other kesh for those of the Second and beyond are created for loyalty above all.

• Mak'shar of the Second Kesh.  He is a cloned soldier.
• Mak'tar of the Second Kesh.  He is a cloned soldier.
• Una'keel is the leader of the Soldiers, a First Kesh warrior who sits on the High Triumvirate .

The final class are the Workers.  Those of the Worker (Soxi) Class cover every one from simple laborers to doctors and scientists.  They are shorter and a bit more stocky then the Sages but are a bit stronger.  There are two sub-classes of the Worker Caste, the intelligent thinker with a larger cranial capacity that many of the technicians doctors and scientist come from, and a stronger, resilient laborer class.

• Arli'tan is the Cross doctor on the cityship in charge of filling the space for the labs.  Female.
• My'cor sits on the High Triumvirate for the workers.