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[D&D 5E] Nothing is true, everything is permitted.

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  • SleepSleep Registered User regular
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    Sleep wrote: »
    That's the big thing is that gold is basically superfluous without self brought character motivations. What does your character want in life past the end of this adventure?

    We're going to be doing the Tomb of Annihilation campaign once we're the appropriate level to start it. I have no idea what it entails, but I assume some motivations will stem from what we discover there.

    As of right now, however, my character has left his monastery in a disgrace and is drinking to avoid acknowledging his inner turmoil. He's going to have to slowly find his center and moderate himself in order to master the techniques that his master had taught him. (His master was kind of a Qui-Gon Jinn type, with a philosophy that was kind of at odds with the order's greater teachings, but not necessarily in a bad way.)

    A fun game to play is:

    If they were sitting in a pub, and a dude just handed them a pouch with 100 plat... what would they do with it?

  • SteelhawkSteelhawk Registered User regular
    The only time I ever cared about treasure (beyond a weapon I could swing or armour that kept me alive) we were playing a mini-campaign where we were dragons.

    Yes. Dragons. (3.5e, liberal use of Savage Species.)

    Each "level" we gained was an age category. We started as hatchlings...screwin' around on our Dragon-Utopia mountain/plateau. Ate some farmers sheep, fought some eagles, fucked around with the good dragons in our "dragon-school", that kind of stuff. I was a Blue, my buddy was a Red... we had grand arguments on whether or not your food tasted better if it was cooked from the inside (Lighting) vs. the outside (Fire). There was another player who was a Green, but he was a dick and so was his dragon. So when he bowed out of the group, it was better. As we went on, we grew and took on more and more adventures. So many sheep were harmed in the course of the this game. That poor bastard farmer. The King kept replenishing his livestock so that we wouldn't range farther away from our mountain in search of food. His farm was like a convenient corner store to us.

    ANYWAY. I had an itemized spreadsheet for counting my treasure. Even down to the copper. The DM was using a treasure generator the specified each and every trinket in a hoard. You know, "A gold drinking cup inlaid with lapis lazuli gems valued at 75gp" kind of thing. The thing where most groups would just lump it all together as gold and divvy it up. No no. I had to write down each and every item, sorted by category and then by value. Choice items I make note of would hold prominent positions in my meager hoard (ie: my underground bedroom in the shared Den I had with my NPC Mom.) like the giant sized ornate mirror I used to make sure my scales were shiney. Or the gem encrusted hilt of the sword I made sure to angle just so as it stuck out from the pile of coins I placed it in.

    Sigh. That game was good times. Lasted only about 5 or 6 sessions, but it was a ton of fun. Only time I ever cared about the Lootz we got over the course of a gane.

  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    Using the random background tables in Xanathar's guide, I just rolled up a hermit barbarian that was secretly married to a silver dragon who was attracted to him because of his 1st level prowess in battle.

    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. Now With Ninjas!

    They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
  • webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    That sounds amazing. I want to play. Give me an Ars Magica style game but focused on dragons.

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  • TerrendosTerrendos Decorative Monocle Registered User regular
    I think my next character is going to be part of a long line of warriors (or mages, or whatever) that fly drakes into battle. So his goal will be to buy a drake mount.

    Never played a mount-focused character before, and also seldom dealt with the rules for flying. So it'll be a good learning experience.

  • CarnarvonCarnarvon Registered User regular
    Sleep wrote: »
    That's the big thing is that gold is basically superfluous without self brought character motivations. What does your character want in life past the end of this adventure?

    The only appropriate answer, of course, is "More adventure!".

  • SleepSleep Registered User regular
    edited November 2017
    Carnarvon wrote: »
    Sleep wrote: »
    That's the big thing is that gold is basically superfluous without self brought character motivations. What does your character want in life past the end of this adventure?

    The only appropriate answer, of course, is "More adventure!".


    Seemingly none left to be had at the moment. Like there's no necromancers threatening towns or anything like that in the region you can receive word from... do you essentially engage in adventure sports? Climbing, swimming, paddling, spelunking, hunting and tracking that type of thing? Just trying to find places that may attract fanatical beasts, or that are places you've never been and things you've never done? Do you spend all of downtime travelling to other nearby cities (or far flung given enough downtime)?

    Sleep on
  • doomybeardoomybear Hi People Registered User regular
    You start your own adventure by looting the grave of an ancient lich king. Accidentally, of course.

    what a happy day it is
  • AegisAegis Fear My Dance Overshot Toronto, Landed in OttawaRegistered User regular
    Carnarvon wrote: »
    Speaking of gold, has anyone found a use for it yet?

    Personally: potions and shit like potions. More useful the lower character level you are, unless your shops sell scaling potions.

    Any consumable item that takes pressure off spell slots is great.

    We'll see how long this blog lasts
    Currently DMing: None :(
    Characters
    [5e] Dural Melairkyn - AC 18 | HP 40 | Melee +5/1d8+3 | Spell +4/DC 12
  • Moridin889Moridin889 Registered User regular
    Sleep wrote: »
    That's the big thing is that gold is basically superfluous without self brought character motivations. What does your character want in life past the end of this adventure?

    This adventure is collateral to leverage in high stakes gambling which I will eventually be broke again and have to go on an adventure so no one can find me and to amass more money to do it again in the next place

  • italianranmaitalianranma Registered User regular
    I'm taking cues from Acquisitions Incorporated and making my players pay rent for their adventuring headquarters. In fact, they're starting about 900gp in debt, just to make them hungry for adventure...

    飛べねぇ豚はただの豚だ。
  • SleepSleep Registered User regular
    Moridin889 wrote: »
    Sleep wrote: »
    That's the big thing is that gold is basically superfluous without self brought character motivations. What does your character want in life past the end of this adventure?

    This adventure is collateral to leverage in high stakes gambling which I will eventually be broke again and have to go on an adventure so no one can find me and to amass more money to do it again in the next place

    Degenerate gambling addiction

    That will generally sink your financial battleship

  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    Build a mill, basically all my character wants. And it has to be like the best mill ever. *adjust glasses*

  • SteelhawkSteelhawk Registered User regular
    Whatever happened to buying an inn, hanging your sword over the bar and doling out advice to the next generation of murderhobos?

  • italianranmaitalianranma Registered User regular
    Steelhawk wrote: »
    Whatever happened to buying an inn, hanging your sword over the bar and doling out advice to the next generation of murderhobos?

    The costs of repairing and restocking after every tavern brawl probably mean that you need a second adventuring job just to break even.

    飛べねぇ豚はただの豚だ。
  • SleepSleep Registered User regular
    Aldo wrote: »
    Build a mill, basically all my character wants. And it has to be like the best mill ever. *adjust glasses*

    That's a good goal,

    Call it 5,000 gold and 60 days, and you will have yourself a mill good sir, not just any mill either, the best mill. Then 10 gold a day for upkeep (it is the best mill around), we can just keep adding to the thing (large thousand gold additions and/or upgrades) and upping its maintenance costs as we move through the campaign as it will want to remain in the forefront of milling capability. possibly make an array of mills to increase capacity. Also your mills may or may not get robbed by... let's say xvarts. Because now I have other strings to pull on your character.

  • SleepSleep Registered User regular
    If you donate your downtime to running and working the mill it can generate small piles of cash (In addition to covering its own operating costs)

  • MrVyngaardMrVyngaard Live From New Etoile Straight Outta SosariaRegistered User regular
    Aldo wrote: »
    Build a mill, basically all my character wants. And it has to be like the best mill ever. *adjust glasses*

    So you're saying it's...

    shades his eyes


    Miller time.

    "now I've got this mental image of caucuses as cafeteria tables in prison, and new congressmen having to beat someone up on inauguration day." - Raiden333
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  • FryFry Registered User regular
    Sleep wrote: »
    Aldo wrote: »
    Build a mill, basically all my character wants. And it has to be like the best mill ever. *adjust glasses*

    That's a good goal,

    Call it 5,000 gold and 60 days, and you will have yourself a mill good sir, not just any mill either, the best mill. Then 10 gold a day for upkeep (it is the best mill around), we can just keep adding to the thing (large thousand gold additions and/or upgrades) and upping its maintenance costs as we move through the campaign as it will want to remain in the forefront of milling capability. possibly make an array of mills to increase capacity. Also your mills may or may not get robbed by... let's say xvarts. Because now I have other strings to pull on your character.

    You are thinking too small. Why limit yourself to the material plane? Set up an interplanar mill, whose sails catch the astral winds to turn an impossibly heavy adamantine grindstone to mill the finest of wild grains from the Feywild and cultivated grains from the fields of Elysia.

  • KadokenKadoken Giving Ends to my Friends and it Feels Stupendous Registered User regular
    edited November 2017
    DarkPrimus wrote: »
    ...And this is why my new character is a Monk.

    Really glad I picked a rogue. It feels like I lucked out on its simplicity in combat at least.
    Aldo wrote: »
    Build a mill, basically all my character wants. And it has to be like the best mill ever. *adjust glasses*

    I always go for a casino.

    Kadoken on
  • GaddezGaddez Registered User regular
    More then anything else, I've come to appreciate gold more as a method of influencing plot then as a gear treadmill; during the Tales season I set up the players as being absurdly in debt for adventurers school (the party had to pay back literal tons of gold coins) and during my buddy's feywild campaign we were using cash to build up one player's merchant status by upgrading the ever loving shit out of their wagon and other gewgaws (We spent 400 god on a bespoke suit for our sorcerer that has no special properties beyond fitting him well and looking good).

    Hell, even if the players don't have a material property to act as a money dump, Large quantities of cash can be used to influence politics, since larger organizations are going to need money for day to day affairs and either launch major conflicts or recover from them.

  • Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive GNU Terry Pratchett Registered User regular
    webguy20 wrote: »
    That sounds amazing. I want to play. Give me an Ars Magica style game but focused on dragons.

    Why not Ars Magica?

    The Magic source book has rules on statting up a Dragon character, but I'd maybe play it as Faerie dragons, gaining power by forcing mundane folk to take part in classic dragon stories.

    [Muffled sounds of gorilla violence]
  • SleepSleep Registered User regular
    edited November 2017
    Today as I prepared the thanksgiving meal I was in a group chat with my players using xanathars to fill out their backstories on less fleshed out pc's

    Sleep on
  • SleepSleep Registered User regular
    Someone ended up with 7 brothers, 3 of which the character was a quadruplet with, the dice actually handed us some good stuff for this dudes existing characterization

  • ArthilArthil Registered User regular
    So... Anyone noticed any decent deals that would relate to 5e? Dice, books, minis, mats etc?

    PSN: Honishimo Steam UPlay: Arthil
  • DenadaDenada Registered User regular
    So I may have an opportunity to roll up a character for a campaign in the setting from Critical Role. Taldorei I think it is?

    Any of you folks know of a good way to get the gist of the setting? I haven't watched the show and starting from the beginning is a pretty daunting prospect at this point.

  • HellboreHellbore A bad, bad man Registered User regular
    edited November 2017
    There's a pretty extensive wiki for the show, as well a setting book available for purchase.

    Otherwise, I'd be happy to answer any specific questions, either here or PMs

    Hellbore on
  • NotoriusBENNotoriusBEN Registered User regular
    edited November 2017
    So with Taldorei... I'm up to about episode 85ish I think.

    Before Vox Machina campaign, its a pretty standard Fantasy Setting, but there are glimmers of artificing and industrialization about to take off. The pieces are there, its just a matter of someone being smart enough to put it all together. Like gunpowder or steam tech. After Vox Machina, its becoming a steampunk setting. White Stone is the forerunner of this boom since Percival is a mechanical genius. Ball and powder guns and cartridges are very prevalent. We'll know more about the setting after Vox Machina when they timeskip about 20 to 30years later in the next game in the next couple of weeks, or whenever Matt Mercer is ready to begin again.

    As for notable cities...

    There's Iman, ruled by Emperor Urik. Very big metropolis and trade hub, probably a Waterdeep equivalent.

    Draconia is a floating Dragonborn city with a segregated class system. Metallic dragonborn are in charge, Chromatics are not. Having a tail is a BIG DEAL, if you are a mage, you can circumvent the cast system to a degree. Tiberius did it, but he was also nobleborn.

    Vasselheim is the First and Last City. Super religious, built on a mountain side. Makes Minas Tirith look like a toilet by comparison. There's six districts dedicated to one of the six main gods, Bahamut is on top, but there is Kord, the Raven Queen, that were notable. Ioun isn't prominent. Serenrae is the new seventh god of Vasselheim. A temple was found and Pike dug it out and started getting followers there.

    Westrun is a smaller town, dont remember where, but its the perfect level 4-7 area of what I can piece together of ''before Critical Role''

    White Stone is another smaller town, basically like Transylvania in its set up. Town in the Valley, Giant fuckoff castle on the hill/mountain.

    Ank'Harel is a big city in the desert nation of Marquet. Like Aladdin's Agrabah and Las Vegas combined.

    Craghammer is dwarftown. Set in a mountain, has a 'pit' appearance because they be digging down for that gold and gems.

    Oh... what else... oh, Druids are based on the Four Elements, Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire and there is a very "Avatar the Last Airbender" vibe with them.

    After the Chroma Conclave (Five Ancient Four Ancient Dragons basically rocked the world and decided they wanted to rule it. Many places were deeply wounded but look to be recovering. Iman is now the volcano equivalent of a parking lot.
    Vecna has arisen, made a play for Godhood and was summarily defeated. Lots of B and C list characters got dusted in that fight.

    NotoriusBEN on
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  • TurambarTurambar Independent Registered User regular
    The campaign guide is set 2 years before the Chroma Conclave or something I think, so before anything notable from the show happens

    Steam: turamb | Origin: Turamb | 3DS: 3411-1109-4537 | NNID: Turambar | Warframe(PC): Turamb
  • SteelhawkSteelhawk Registered User regular
    Denada wrote: »
    So I may have an opportunity to roll up a character for a campaign in the setting from Critical Role. Taldorei I think it is?

    Any of you folks know of a good way to get the gist of the setting? I haven't watched the show and starting from the beginning is a pretty daunting prospect at this point.

    It IS a daunting prospect to get into it. I've started.

    Once I caught up to the C-Team podcasts a few weeks ago, I needed something to fill the void on my commutes to work. I would have rathered Dice, Camera Action mind you but they're video only and I need something I can listen to in the car in ~45 minute chunks. I'm on episode 15 now.

    It's no Acquisitions Inc., but it is a more traditional D&D experience and Mercer is a pretty good DM. I get the idea that the group have been playing together for a while and this Taldore world they've built seems quite fleshed out. I only very recently saw on the internet that they're putting out a book. Good for them.

  • AldoAldo Hippo Hooray Registered User regular
    I'm only at like episode 8, so I still got a long way to go. CR had been playing pen&paper together for over a year (started in Pathfinder) as a home game before taking it to the big stage. So yea if it feels fleshed out, it's because it already was by the time they started episode 1.

    It's certainly a far more traditional campaign and with 7 players on the table the combat is a lot slower. It really helps that all the players are accomplished voice actors, their voices are great and it is so funny to hear them provide background chatter and other random noises to add to the atmosphere.

  • ArthilArthil Registered User regular
    Books already out, actually! I can't imagine how stupidly giddy Matt feels about that.

    PSN: Honishimo Steam UPlay: Arthil
  • AnialosAnialos Collies are love, Collies are life! Shadowbrook ColliesRegistered User regular
    I have seen all of CR. I have no life. The fan fiction...oh gods.

  • ozone275ozone275 Registered User regular
    i also quite enjoy critical role, really hope to make a gunslinger character one day

  • HellboreHellbore A bad, bad man Registered User regular
    Turambar wrote: »
    The campaign guide is set 2 years before the Chroma Conclave or something I think, so before anything notable from the show happens

    It's actually set after the Conclave arc (talks about the events in past tense), and feels written after the finale, but with no details since the final arc of the show hadn't happened yet.

  • TurambarTurambar Independent Registered User regular
    Hellbore wrote: »
    Turambar wrote: »
    The campaign guide is set 2 years before the Chroma Conclave or something I think, so before anything notable from the show happens

    It's actually set after the Conclave arc (talks about the events in past tense), and feels written after the finale, but with no details since the final arc of the show hadn't happened yet.

    Huh, I don't have the book myself, but I could swear that after an episode or on Talks Machina they talk about having to update the De Rolo crest and tease Matt for how it will be wrong in the campaign guide

    Then someone says something along the lines of: wait no, the campaign guide is set before the Chroma Conclave, so this wouldn't have happened yet

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  • HellboreHellbore A bad, bad man Registered User regular
    It definitely talks about the dragons in the past tense, even has adventure hooks and monster stats related to the dead dragons. They must have just remembered it wrong.

  • SteelhawkSteelhawk Registered User regular
    edited November 2017
    I just tried watching a video (while loading the washing machine) on the YouTube instead of my usual podcast and was floored by the running time of 4 hours! Wow! What kind of story was this going to be?!

    8 minutes in and they were still nattering on about some neon logo they were planning to hang on the wall and how if they got 5000 subs they'd get an 8 foot bear to place on the set...

    Oh. I get it now. Thank you podcasts for cutting out that stuff and just giving me the goods.

    Steelhawk on
  • Hexmage-PAHexmage-PA Registered User regular
    edited November 2017
    I decided to get the 5E starter set yesterday. I don't want to sink a ton of money into the books until I can be sure I can get a group together. As much as I would love to get more use out of my 4E books, I get the feeling that 5E would be easier to run and the players wouldn't need as much handholding since there aren't as many situational modifiers and powers.

    I also looked at the Taldorei setting book and was struck by how all the gods are basically the 4E pantheon renamed. Good to see Torog survives in some capacity.

    Hexmage-PA on
  • italianranmaitalianranma Registered User regular
    I really enjoyed 4E when it came out, and was a pretty big proponent of it. However I've really come around to 5E because I think it's easier to run. I'll caveat that with I found running it with a map on roll20 to be a nightmare, and since switching to 'theatre of the mind' play I've enjoyed running it a lot more. For all the powers and abilities that specify range, I just fudge it, usually giving the player most of the mooks if they're standing around in a group or else 2-3 if they're trying to prevent hitting their friends or if the mooks spread out.

    p.s. - There you go Deneda, that's your opening to talk about grid v no grid

    飛べねぇ豚はただの豚だ。
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