In reply to Barbara Naur (msg # 414):

Hmm, then this paladin definitely could either go for a one hander and shield to maximize your AC at the cost of offense. Although another option is the Polearm-mastery route with a polearm and pick that feat up at 4th level unless your willing to not start with the 3 16s, or since your a half-elf could go the double scimitar route by taking Revenant Blade (instead of Heavy armor master as a starting feat) which still lets you get +1 str or dex (you'd want str so your stats wouldn't change) and while it makes the double-bladed scimitar finesse you can still use str with it... and while it is a two-handed weapon (a double weapon) you'd get +1 AC with it (so only 1 AC behind a shield) AND you'd get the ability to use a bonus action to make a melee attack with it that would do 2d4+str damage.

The Double bladed scimitar is a 2d4 slashing weapon that weighs six pounds (it would cost 35gp out of your 200gp starting funds)
Which it doesn't give you the extra reaction attacks that polearm master gives you or the reach that most polearms have but it gives you a good bonus action attack and a +1 to AC so it is a bit more defensive than polearm master

Technically since you can use polearm mastery with a quarterstaff you could use it with a shield, but then you give up the reach of a proper polearm.

(Revenant Blade feat and double scimitar are in the Wayfinder's guide to Eberron.)

I remember an ancient conversation where we balanced out wacky dual weapons to be in line with official "what you could have had with PHB based dual wielding" weaponry, damage wise.  (Part of how Joe was going to end up with a 1d6 dual shortsword that isn't supplement creep).

Because consistent damage tables and explaining stuff like "Yes, 2dX over 1dY really IS that big a deal" have been a longstanding thing with me.

But even ignoring that? Paladins can't take dual wielding style

Which is what you need to make Dual wielding even slightly worth it on a non rogue martial.  Welp!  They also can't take the Archery style in case that comes up for some strange reason.

(Of course, knowing my luck. power creep probably included something like "If you are an elf you get damage mod to bonus action attacks for free just for even owning a double scimitar, So our rangers can take the archery style but go full Drizzt!" or whatever)

Anyways!  Great weapon fighting works for polearms and plain old "I crush them with my maul" (as Tark has shown).  But while there is the raw numbers appeal of "Paladin has the biggest weapon in the party", Duelist is no fuss all done, no feats for optimization involved (I mean, you don't need feats for maximum Maul o'clock, but polearm mastery does vastly increase the hilarity of pole arms)
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:57, Fri 24 May 2019.

In reply to Joe Darkthorne (msg # 416):

I think I recall that conversation now so the double scimitar would just be 1d6 instead of 2d4 and can't remember if he'd get the +stat damage or not with that feat, I know he gets it with the Polearm feat (which he could take at level 4 if he didn't want to start with it and not have 3 16s) And forgot that paladins don't get the dual wielding fighting style option...

CoX!

https://imgur.com/XGNwS8P

Couldn't resist installing.  XD

Half-Elf Paladin quick numbers (assuming my example stat spread+Feat)

Campaign Freebie Feat: Heavy Armor Master. +1 STR. Flat 3 damage reduction vs Mundane DMG.

STR: 14+1(R)+1(F) = 16
DEX: 10
CON: 15+1(R)= 16
INT: 8
WIS: 10
CHA: 14+2(R)= 16

HP:  13  (10+CON).
Lv ups: 6+CON.

Save profs: WIS, CHA.

AC: 16 Via Armor. (Chainmail).
18 if Chainmail+shield.

DC: 8+2(prof)+3(CHA) = 13

STR Weapons: +5 To-Hit. 1dX+3 DMG.

Skills: 6 picks. (two above average)
4 if they take a half-elf variant. (average skill count)

+1 racial language for free.

"You have to do this yourself. Full stop." BG based language vs tools.
2 Tools, 2 languages, or 1 tool 1 language.

BG Feature (cherry pick from an existing background).

Million zillionth reminder that 5th ed "Backgrounds" are not optional extras. They are half your default proficiencies. (That's why most classes have "only" 2 skills listed)

What are variant half elves?:

Cash in the +2 skills for- (of the non redundant options)

A: Half wood elf for Fleet of foot (35 foot speed),
  OR Mask of the wild (Stealth checks allowed in "Natural light obscurement". Flimsy shrubs. spooky fog. "How much does your GM love stealth?" )

B: Half high elf. For any one cantrip, casts with INT if stats involved. (The "I want presti!" option)

C: Half Drow, for the Drow magic trait. (all CHA based, even though only 1/3 even use stats to cast).
  lv 1, dancing lights cantrip.
  Lv 3, cast once per day faeire fire.
  Lv 5, cast once per day darkness.

D: half water elf for 30 foot swim speed.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:53, Wed 29 May 2019.

Re ranks Reorge!

Been putting off due to being slammed with allergy headaches the past several days.  Becauuuse.  Go to my former Dr.  "You still have the expensive serum I need in my arms so my head doesn't explode.  But you don't carry my new insurance.  So... gimme the serum and I'll personally deliver it to the Hagerstown Allergy office that does carry my insurance."

Them: "K.  Here you go.  Keep it cold."

"Yay.  That was easy."

*Drives to Allergy Dr. in MD*  "Here's my insurance card.  Here's the serum."

Them: "Oops!  This says your insurance is from PA.  You'll have to go to the PA office to get your shots.  This MD office isn't authorized to bill PA carriers of this insurance."

"Ugh.  Fine.  I'll need their shot schedule."

Them: "The PA office only administers shots on Tuesdays."

*Head Explodes*

Upshot.  Tuesday has arrived at last.  Shots already helping.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:45, Wed 29 May 2019.

Two very emotionally charged family matters have snowballed into URGENT very emotionally charged family matters.  Dealing with them from day to day in between various other surprise urgent junk is very mentally draining.  Will be putting everything else on low priority for the foreseeable future.

I hope everything goes as well as it can, you already have enough problems in your life as it is without new ones.

BG Benefit ideas:

Trustworthy Face
People just open up around you. Things that would normally be considered private or not for common ears often leak to you when you talk with people.

People Guage
You can guage people at a glance. You may not know their motives or who is skilled at lying (or anything else Insight gives you), but you get a "feeling" of who looks approachable and who looks good for getting the information you may be after. Whenever you want to, you can find someone you may be able to either get useful information from or simply useful to befriend. Examples include knowing someone in the bar has clear signs of being a regular, someone who carries himself like a military man, someone who looks amiable, someone who looks lonely, someone who looks wealthier than normal, etc.

Margreve Network
You know the people and creatures of the Margreve rather well and can navigate who to talk to about matters concerning the Margreve and how to find them. For example, if you wanted to find a ranger or druid, you know places to check for them or methods to have them find you. If you are lost, you know ways of calling for a guide.

Magnetic
Maybe you're good looking. Maybe you're charismatic. Whatever the reason, people like you and flock to you as if you were famous. After spending an hour or more in a town, people quickly find out who you are and what you're about. Most will have rose-colored glasses where you are concerned.


Lemme know how these look and what I could do to edit them to be feasible features.

Also: Although I am not taking the Knight Retainers background benefit, I do want to know what is normally involved in generating them. I know they are non-combat, but do they still have stats? Skills? Etc?
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:47, Sat 01 June 2019.

For the retainers, I'm basically allowing any CR 0 beast that has been awakened or using a commoner of whatever PC eligible race that generates the abilities (stats/skills) of the individual.

For backgrounds, not really sure what you're trying to go for with them to properly evaluate them. However trustworthy face seems problematic, strangers are not going to come up to you and tell you secrets.

Woke up after my usual 2 hours too few.  Plenty of time between then and scheduled Skype call, so I popped 2mg of melatonin.  Woke up after 9 hrs total sleep feeling like this was going to be a severe allergy day.  Skype call got canceled, so yay for that.  Coughed up gunk.  Oh.  That explains why severe allergy symptoms even though I got my shots.  I've caught a cold.  Took zink, vitamin C, etc.  *Crashes for another 2.5 hours*  Woke up super groggy.  Then find a finished Barby charsheet in PM!  Yaay!  =)

  I expect Rocky and Caeldrim's reaction might be some clash of "What the module flavor text and image says Vs what the module encounter text and map says"?

  The text description and big image highlight how the party can easily walk right up to the wagon unopposed and risk free unless the enemy leaves the wagon.

  But it's nothing new for modules to put enemies someplace they can't possibly shoot you from, then still got "THEY SHOOT THE PARTY!".  So if that's the case, I expect our group can work with that.

  If "see if they fall for 'literal goblin' and 'human that speaks goblin' pranks" doesn't pan out, of course.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:36, Thu 06 June 2019.

While the map for the encounter is nice, it doesn't perfectly match up with the written description (or the description of what the goblins inside of it can do)...I fully expect the party to be able to work with it, hilariously trying to talk to the goblins in goblin (possibly by a goblin PC) was never even brought up within the encounter module...time to improvise.

best shirt:

https://www.capebretonpost.com..._arrive_DJ_large.jpg

Barbara wishes you all a Merry Christmas!  (Or whatever passes for the Winter Solstice Celebration in Fantasy Land.)  :P

https://scontent.fagc1-2.fna.f...8a2a&oe=5E7F7262

https://image.moboplay.com/ima...mes.empires_icon.png

Been wanting to comment on these two pics for a while now. Love both pics! Though the first one does cover the usual wtf of exposed belly in the middle of winter when you are wearing heavy armor and a thick cape. XD
"Actually, it's just flesh colored armor. I've learned it distracts opponents."
"....oh"

The second one's very soothing to look at. Sorry I haven't drawn Barbie yet. One of these days!

Well, the second link doesn't work for me, but yes the whole exposed torso with heavy armor is a major what the heck moment. Although the stereotypical 'chainmail bikini' nonsense is even worse. It only works somewhat, with light armor that is meant to maximize flexibility and speed over protection.

It's worse in anime where people are running around with power suits and such that looks like chainmail bikinis with mech parts attached. They claim 'but with force fields who needs physical armor'... which ignores the fact those shields can fail in combat.

Noting here for now.
Hunter: Roll 2 attacks, hit with the second attack (which means the one I *don't* add my mod to) and rolled 1 on dmg.
Amalar: Amalar hit and did 4 dmg which leaves wolf 2 with still 1 hp left
Mix: Will probably be ready to do anything Barby instructs (he would have attacked Wolf 3 for biting Barby, but Joe saved him that headache).

Holding off on actual post until Joe posts his turn since he finished off wolf3 and that effects how my characters react IC. But at least OOC is taken care of.

Just a quick comment, ironically enough, the Hollow Man wouldn't have been using its Sickle vs the party just it's slam attack since it would only use its sickle vs the one the BBEG told it to decapitate. (No one else would be worthy of it's sickle in its mind.)

I'm guessing the decapitatee would be a spoiler

Not really a spoiler, just a specific villager each night until the BBEG gets a dozen severed heads... won't spoil what would happen if that occurs (as the BBEG isn't dead yet.)

So I made Barby as kindofa parody of the Mary Sue cartoon characters I grew up with.  "The prophesy said you're the only one who can stop the ancient evil destined to threaten the whole world in your lifetime!  And... you're mechanically no more special than the random adventurers you'll wind up relying on for survival..."

Inadvertently broke the rule of, "The Chosen One should never wrestle with the weight of responsibility of saving the world."

Nevertheless, got a kick out of watching this vid on how to do The Chosen One right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuTQ0EpmnJo

I've enjoyed some fake chosen one cliches where you still save the world because you're the protagonist at least.

"So the guy you were supposedly the reincarnation of is still alive and living alone and cranky with the five minutes of voice work we could afford from Patrick Stewart. Our good cult is a sham!"

"That's fine, the big bad is actually scamming the evil cult of dark elves into thinking he's really an ancient human hating super mega high Elf that blew up the original ancient flying cars humanity."

"...Okay what-"
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:02, Wed 10 June 2020.

Five Simple House Rules for Better Combat in Dungeons and Dragons 5e

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAO1aYhWZl0

"One of the things I loved about 4e that's missing from 5e..."

Over and over again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIUXmTl2vZA

Points covered include:  D&D has wiggle room for DM interpretation deliberately.  Rules as Written was never meant to cover every scenario and is therefore not the holy grail of optimization.  Examples of optimized tricks that players assume are legal, but are not, such as using the immovable object spell on enemy armor to freeze them in place.

I've never been fond of the "put bag into bag = black hole" mechanic, and would just house rule that part out of all the bag of holding style items rather than fuss with the tedium of making it inconvenient for players to 1-shot an elder dragon.