I mean it makes sense to some degree though. If you're a historian and a mason you probably know about old buildings and old construction techniques. If you are an able investigator and you're leveraging your thieves tools to investigate for traps you're working at an advantage over an investigator working without tools.
But I'm a weird DM that hopes for constant success and will kinda hand out advantage at the barest inkling I could.
If someone's gonna blow their proficiencies on an artisan tool, i'm gonna figure out how to make that be useful as much as possible
D&D 5E requires a higher chance of success on the regular because failure doesn’t lead to much. A good DM can make a failure interesting, but by default it’s just a dead end.
If you fail a 15 DC Investigation check in the published adventure you’re playing that might just be like, okay DM, they’re stumped, they don’t find the clue. Thanks D&D???
Edit:
What you do as DM is say to them:
“You can leave now, or waste a full hour searching more meticulously.”
OR
“You find nothing here, and must instead seek out a witness.”
But just going by the dice alone there’s nothing really derived from failure.
It’s even worse for combat with a lot of creatures on the board. No one wants to miss, then wait 12 turns to try something else, or even the same attack again.
@The Zombie Penguin
I believe Zombie Penguin has house-ruled that if you’ve got a tool proficiency, during downtime you can’t fail at crafting something or knowing the answer after roleplaying a bit of research.
I am very glad that the design philosophy behind baldur's gate 3 is "fail forward", in general they don't want you to have to reload after any failed checks, well see how that actually plays
@Endless_Serpents Pretty much - My approach is that if you're proficient in something, and not under pressure, i assume that you cant roll below 10.
So if you roll 15, cool, your result is 15+mod+prof. But if you roll 1, i assume your result is 10+mod+prof. This is mainly just so characters who are trained in shit look competent most of the time. I'm cool with say, someone with a medicine prof rolling 1 during a big fight, because that's... actually likely to happen! stress makes mistakes etc! Or ifthey're on the back of a wagon in a high speed chase, trying to keep a local lord alive so he can testify.
...fuck, i gotta make that happen, that sounds /awesome/
Tools are basically just skill proficiencies, they're just skills that aren't necessarily tied to specific ability scores. Making poison? Int check or a combination of int and dex checks, add proficiency bonus if you're proficient with the poisoners kit. Inspecting a door for traps? Wis or int check, add proficiency if you've got investigation, perception, or thieves tools. Trying to disengage the traps you found? Dex check, add proficiency if you've got thieves tools. Trying to pick the lock? Same as last check, or possibly break it into multiple checks, an int check to identify the lock and a dex check to get all the tumblers. When you run into a synergy where you've got both a tool proficiency and a skill proficiency that would apply, like inspecting the door for traps, gain advantage.
Maybe it would be easier for me to grok if I just mentally substitute the words "Thieves' Tools" with "Thievery" and "Poisoner's Kit" with "Knowledge: Poison".
Like, if there was a trap I think my current DM would just have us roll Perception without telling us what's up. Then when we fail and get hit by a trap I'll have to say "but I'm proficient in Thieves' Tools, I should have had advantage, Xanathar's says so".
I mean definitely talk to your DM and don't try to like gotcha them on the table but yeah totally if you're proficient in both perception and thieves tools xanathars would say you get advantage.
Perception + thieves tools having advantage on all checks to spot traps sounds like "party doesn't ever get hit by traps", which is pretty extreme for a combo that will be pretty common? Alternatively, if DCs are balanced for that, if you ever have a party that doesn't have that combo, you probably walk into every trap always?
Advantage is too much for the simple use of tools. The tools themselves already allow you to add your Proficiency bonus to certain ability checks. Putting Advantage on top of that is overkill.
As was mentioned above, you make your ability check for whatever, and if you have a tool kit, and know how to use it, that would apply in that situation the. You get add your Proficiency bonus. That's it.
Advantage should, as usual, be a situational bonus bestowed by the DM with respect to the use of tools. Not a given function of having tools and a a skill.
Nah, "the party is rarely hit by traps", is kinda the point. Someone brought the right skillset to make that happen... just let it happen, you've got a bad ass trap technician, let them be badass.
You can just "stack" proficiency with the Expertise rules. I feel like giving Advantage is a big deal, way more than even 2x proficiency. Now, double Expertise? Yeah, okay, now you get advantage, because that represents a significant investment of character resources. Expertise + proficiency I'm not sure. I'd maybe let those stack, or maybe just say you're already an Expert, so just go with that.
Without looking too deep into it, Pathfinder 2.0 has varying levels of proficiency that scale over the course of the game. I think with 5th ed's bounded accuracy that's less useful, and I think Proficiency -> Expertise -> Advantage is probably good.
e: My other go-tos are just giving out success (oh, you have this thing, a thing you invested significant character resources in? Congrats, you can just do the thing instead of rolling) and shared-benefit (everyone gets proficiency because so-and-so has X thing they've invested in).
Think of it this way, you're just rolling both proficiencies.
Say you're searching this door for traps instead of saying, "You can use investigation or thieves tools for this check", you move towards saying, "You can investigation and thieves tools checks to inspect this door". This avoids punishing them by forcing them to pick, or picking for them, one of the two possible checks they could make on that door and abbreviates play by leveraging the advantage mechanism to keep it one check but acknowledging the excess skill they bring to this specific task. Which also incidentally makes these checks work better in a skill challenge format of "number of successes before number of failures".
To give another example that isn't thieves tools and doors. Let's go with say driving spikes to hang a rope bridge to get villagers over rising flood waters. I'd call that a strength(athletics) challenge right out of the gate. Pretty easy and straightforward, but hey carpenter's tools are like literally what you're using to drive these spikes, you could use either of these skills to attempt to drive spikes. The way xanathars tackled this is to kinda have you use both skills. It's basically the exact same check for both, same stat mod, generally same proficiency. Xanathars keeps the expertise question simple by saying, "it's an athletics check enhanced by tool proficiency", if ya really wanna be a stickler about it evaluate if athletics has expertise. Personally I'd go a step further and if you've got expertise in the tool I let you throw it on there. If you took expertise in fuckin carpenters tools I'm definitely letting that shine for a second there, probably the only time it's gonna shine this whole adventure.
The expertise idea is certainly workable there, my general course for upgrading checks is: proficiency, expertise, advantage, +1d4. I have magical tools in my game that make you better at using said tools it either gives you proficiency, makes you an expert if you're already proficient, gives you advantage if you're already an expert, and if you've already got expertise and advantage it gives you an extra d4 on the top. No one has yet stacked the bonuses to figure out that if you've already got all that it just dumps a flat +5 on you cause fuck it you probably made the check dc already anyways.
You can just "stack" proficiency with the Expertise rules. I feel like giving Advantage is a big deal, way more than even 2x proficiency. Now, double Expertise? Yeah, okay, now you get advantage, because that represents a significant investment of character resources. Expertise + proficiency I'm not sure. I'd maybe let those stack, or maybe just say you're already an Expert, so just go with that.
My favourite official ruling is that the Lucky feat can turn a disadvantage into a super advantage, since it turns "roll twice, pick lowest" into "roll thrice, pick whichever you want".
Sure, prolly not balanced, but it leads to so many fun, dumb moments in a game, especially when the player has a flair for the dramatic. Oh, is that a difficult shot? Well what if they close their eyes, shoot over their shoulder and get lucky?
You can just "stack" proficiency with the Expertise rules. I feel like giving Advantage is a big deal, way more than even 2x proficiency. Now, double Expertise? Yeah, okay, now you get advantage, because that represents a significant investment of character resources. Expertise + proficiency I'm not sure. I'd maybe let those stack, or maybe just say you're already an Expert, so just go with that.
My favourite official ruling is that the Lucky feat can turn a disadvantage into a super advantage, since it turns "roll twice, pick lowest" into "roll thrice, pick whichever you want".
Sure, prolly not balanced, but it leads to so many fun, dumb moments in a game, especially when the player has a flair for the dramatic. Oh, is that a difficult shot? Well what if they close their eyes, shoot over their shoulder and get lucky?
So I'm watching some back episodes of Critical Role, specifically a YouTube compilation of all the times the members of Vox Machina died, and my 6-year old daughter is watching along.
We get to the part where Keyleigh (the druid) is flung off of a cliff and, in order to save herself, decides to wild shape into a goldfish, assuming she would land in water (much to DM Matt Mercer's consternation). As this is happening, mini-dead yells at the TV: "No! Change into a BEEEEEEEE!!!".
The scene plays out, Keyleigh falls onto jagged rocks, splats, predictably, much to everyone's shock and amusement, but is later revived. Mini-dead comes up to me and the following exchange takes place:
Mini-dead: Dad, do you have that game?
Me: Yes, sweetie!
MD: If I was there, I would have changed into a Bee and flied
Me: She totally could have done that! Everyone is teasing her for not having thought of that
MD: If I played, could I have bee and electric powers? Because I really like bees!
Me: I believe you totally could!
So now I put it to you, PA! Can you help me come up with a character concept for my bee-loving kid?
I'm thinking the obvious choice is Druid of some kind. I would steer away from pestilence-based insect powers though. I'm thinking the focus would be around the following:
- any and all lightning related magic
- insect summoning/transformation powers that don't involve rot/pestilence/disease but rather stinging, swarming and maybe poison
- size altering spells (as in Marvel's The Wasp or DC superhero Bumblebee)
- flight
- weapons would include whips, (she likes whips/lassos as weapons), darts, any other piercing weapon
- some healing which could be roleplayed as nourishing nectar/honey/flower-related aromatherapy
- movement-related debuffs (web (re-skinned as sticky honey, maybe), paralysis, and so on)
Bee familiar or (just for fluff?) animal companion. It doesn't even really have to be a druid per se, imagine an imperious but tiny talking queen bee and her devoted human knight, carrying her (and her hive?) on a quest. Could be anything, relocating a hive, starting a new one, a classic quest for vengeance, an arranged marriage. I have a mental image of a children's book cover with a little girl dressed in a knight costume dragging a beehive on a wagon behind her.
She could become a Deep Apiarist from Spire/Heart and replace her organs with waxen simulacra, and fill her chest cavity with intelligent bees and become part of The Hive! No? That's a bit much for a 6 year old? Look, I don't know shit about kids and what's appropriate for them, I just think the idea is cool :rotate:
She could become a Deep Apiarist from Spire/Heart and replace her organs with waxen simulacra, and fill her chest cavity with intelligent bees and become part of The Hive! No? That's a bit much for a 6 year old? Look, I don't know shit about kids and what's appropriate for them, I just think the idea is cool :rotate:
Lol, this is awesome, but yeah, maybe a little intense for a 6 year old :P
If she wants shapeshifting, then the druid is the most obvious choice (otherwise there is a SwarmKeeper Ranger in UA if she just wants bees).
So Druid, Circle of Moon for better shapeshifting (but RAW you're still bound by "can't turn into flying creatures" till lvl 8. I believe Giant Wasp is in the Monster Manual, so that would be the easiest to convert into a Giant Bee.
Cantrips: Thorn Whip (she likes whips, she likes stinging), Druidcraft (cause it's a "can do" type of cantrip), Thunderclap (cause lightning).
Lightning related spells: Druid has call Lighting, also some thunder related spells like Thunderwave.
Insect Summoning: Druid has a lot of options there. Speaking with Animals, Beast Bond, Animal Friendship, Conjure Animals.
Flight: A couple of options there, but mostly through shapeshifting if you are a pure Druid. Fly and levitate are wizard-type spells, so possibly some wizard/druid hybrid if you want more lightning/electricity and flight stuff.
Size Altering: Toughter, Enlarge/Reduce is a wizard/sorcerer spell.
Healing: lots of options there for a Druid.
Movement-related debuffs: Again loads of options there.
Alternatively, consider some form of insect-based sorcerer if you really want to homebrew it.
I'd first interrogate her regarding the bee thing: is she being more swarm or individual focussed? If it's the former then her character could be carrying around a (magic) bee hive; reflavour spells to reflect this, i.e. goodberry becomes goodhoney, cure wounds could be a honey poultice, insect cloud becomes the obvious could of bees, etc. If she's more individual focussed I'd try and see if it had to be a bee or if any winged insect could be appealing. Maybe something with an oversized bumble bee that generates lightning with static build up in its hair? Reskin existing beasts for her self-shift shape.
Storm sorcerer could also be an option if the whole tree hugging thing isn't the right direction.
I'd first interrogate her regarding the bee thing: is she being more swarm or individual focussed? If it's the former then her character could be carrying around a (magic) bee hive; reflavour spells to reflect this, i.e. goodberry becomes goodhoney, cure wounds could be a honey poultice, insect cloud becomes the obvious could of bees, etc. If she's more individual focussed I'd try and see if it had to be a bee or if any winged insect could be appealing. Maybe something with an oversized bumble bee that generates lightning with static build up in its hair? Reskin existing beasts for her self-shift shape.
Storm sorcerer could also be an option if the whole tree hugging thing isn't the right direction.
All excellent questions. I'll see if she's still interested and report back with my findings.
ranger could also work if she likes the idea of a giant bee helping her.
Another spell idea I'd like to put forth: Thorn Lightning Whip
Pretty much the same as thorn whip, rejigger the damage to lightning, dex save.
additional mode of operation: A fan of whips! Range/effect area is now a 15ft cone. dex save or 1d6 lightning damage with the usual damage progression (an extra dmg dice at 5, 11, 17).
Just go straight druid for simplicity sake.... steer her towards all the lighting spells available, refluff anything you need to do. Summons bring swarms of bees. Wild shapes are either Bees of various sizes that act as if they were wolves or bears or whatever. Or even better, IMO, she shapes into a huge swarm of bees that takes the form of the animal. Ie: A wolf shaped and sized swarm of bees that moves and attacks like a wolf.
Just go straight druid for simplicity sake.... steer her towards all the lighting spells available, refluff anything you need to do. Summons bring swarms of bees. Wild shapes are either Bees of various sizes that act as if they were wolves or bears or whatever. Or even better, IMO, she shapes into a huge swarm of bees that takes the form of the animal. Ie: A wolf shaped and sized swarm of bees that moves and attacks like a wolf.
Then she gets bees AND puppies!
..what if the bees form a tiefling that looks eerily like nicholas cage?
Just go straight druid for simplicity sake.... steer her towards all the lighting spells available, refluff anything you need to do. Summons bring swarms of bees. Wild shapes are either Bees of various sizes that act as if they were wolves or bears or whatever. Or even better, IMO, she shapes into a huge swarm of bees that takes the form of the animal. Ie: A wolf shaped and sized swarm of bees that moves and attacks like a wolf.
Then she gets bees AND puppies!
..what if the bees form a tiefling that looks eerily like nicholas cage?
You can just "stack" proficiency with the Expertise rules. I feel like giving Advantage is a big deal, way more than even 2x proficiency. Now, double Expertise? Yeah, okay, now you get advantage, because that represents a significant investment of character resources. Expertise + proficiency I'm not sure. I'd maybe let those stack, or maybe just say you're already an Expert, so just go with that.
My favourite official ruling is that the Lucky feat can turn a disadvantage into a super advantage, since it turns "roll twice, pick lowest" into "roll thrice, pick whichever you want".
Sure, prolly not balanced, but it leads to so many fun, dumb moments in a game, especially when the player has a flair for the dramatic. Oh, is that a difficult shot? Well what if they close their eyes, shoot over their shoulder and get lucky?
So I'm watching some back episodes of Critical Role, specifically a YouTube compilation of all the times the members of Vox Machina died, and my 6-year old daughter is watching along.
We get to the part where Keyleigh (the druid) is flung off of a cliff and, in order to save herself, decides to wild shape into a goldfish, assuming she would land in water (much to DM Matt Mercer's consternation). As this is happening, mini-dead yells at the TV: "No! Change into a BEEEEEEEE!!!".
The scene plays out, Keyleigh falls onto jagged rocks, splats, predictably, much to everyone's shock and amusement, but is later revived. Mini-dead comes up to me and the following exchange takes place:
Mini-dead: Dad, do you have that game?
Me: Yes, sweetie!
MD: If I was there, I would have changed into a Bee and flied
Me: She totally could have done that! Everyone is teasing her for not having thought of that
MD: If I played, could I have bee and electric powers? Because I really like bees!
Me: I believe you totally could!
So now I put it to you, PA! Can you help me come up with a character concept for my bee-loving kid?
I'm thinking the obvious choice is Druid of some kind. I would steer away from pestilence-based insect powers though. I'm thinking the focus would be around the following:
- any and all lightning related magic
- insect summoning/transformation powers that don't involve rot/pestilence/disease but rather stinging, swarming and maybe poison
- size altering spells (as in Marvel's The Wasp or DC superhero Bumblebee)
- flight
- weapons would include whips, (she likes whips/lassos as weapons), darts, any other piercing weapon
- some healing which could be roleplayed as nourishing nectar/honey/flower-related aromatherapy
- movement-related debuffs (web (re-skinned as sticky honey, maybe), paralysis, and so on)
Any other suggestions?
I have a bee based druid in one of my games, shepard druid gets it done well. Flavor all the totems as bees, summon bees, turn into a bee (just use the hornet entry). However an 8th level druid (when they can start shifting into flying forms) might be hard for a 6 year old to pilot well just because it has a lot going on in it. Especially Shepard druid which uses a lot of its action economy.
Honestly the easier way might be to go fighter or rogue with a few magic items on them to give the desired power set. Basically trim down the class features and front loaded levels and just give her the wasp suit as an attuned magic item on top of an easier class to pilot.
I think @Denada may have some uniquely qualified advice here
Yeah for a 6yo kid? I wouldn't even use that much of 5E's rules. Honestly just don't even bother with a class and a full build and everything. Make a basic character chassis using the simplest fighter or rogue build you can find, then grab a few cantrips, a few level 1 spells, and give her a nondescript shapeshifting power.
In my current headspace I would be more inclined to go with 4E rather than 5E because stuff feels so much easier to modify to suit your needs, but if that's not on the table than yeah just go with a super simple 5E character and bolt on a few fun spells and abilities. It's not like you need to balance it for anything.
I just went to ask her feelings on it and only got limited feedback. I might be overthinking this, lol. I don't know if "make-believe, but with rules" has quite the appeal to a 6-year old that I was hoping for :P
I just went to ask her feelings on it and only got limited feedback. I might be overthinking this, lol. I don't know if "make-believe, but with rules" has quite the appeal to a 6-year old that I was hoping for :P
Don't get discouraged! I have two daughters that I've been playing some version of D&D or extremely rules-light "make-believe, but with rules" with since they were like 4. It's really fun. It can be really inconsistent given the whims of children and how often their interests ebb and flow, but just go for it when the interest is there and don't force it when it isn't. It's a really good bonding experience and teaches a lot of valuable skills.
I just went to ask her feelings on it and only got limited feedback. I might be overthinking this, lol. I don't know if "make-believe, but with rules" has quite the appeal to a 6-year old that I was hoping for :P
Hang in there! My son is 8 and gets the rules and how to play better than his grandmother does! His wizard Dany has a blue robe and a pointy hat!
There may be a matter of motivation between the two the makes up the difference, but still. It will get better!
I'm going through my Google Docs and found these statblocks I'd made for my last campaign. Thought I'd share!
Amon the Wolf
Large fiend (devil), lawful evil
Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 408 Speed 50 ft
STR 26 (+8) DEX 20 (+5) CON 24 (+7) INT 18 (+4) WIS 22 (+6) CHA 24 (+7)
Saving Throws Dex +11, Con +13, Wis +12
Damage Resistance Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing From Nonmagical Attacks That Aren't Silvered
Damage Immunities Cold, Fire, Poison
Condition Immunities Poisoned
Senses Truesight 120 Ft., passive Perception 16
Languages Infernal, Winter Wolf, Telepathy 120 Ft.
Challenge 23
Boon of Recovery (1/day). As a bonus action, Amon regains 204 hit points.
Keen Hearing and Smell: Amon has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Legendary Resistance (3/Day). If Amon fails a saving throw, it can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Resistance. Amon has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
Magic Weapons. Amon's weapon attacks are magical.
Mounted Combatant. While mounted upon Soulfang, Amon has advantage on melee attack rolls against unmounted creatures that are Large or smaller. Amon can force an attack targeted at Soulfang to target him instead. If Soulfang is subjected to an effect that allows him to make a Dexterity save to take only half damage, he instead takes no damage if it succeeds and half damage if it fails.
Pack Tactics. Amon has advantage on an Attack roll against a creature if at least one of Amon's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't Incapacitated.
Rejuvenation. So long as Soulfang lives, Amon gains a new body in 1d10 days, regaining all his hit points and becoming active again. His new body appears within 5 feet of Soulfang.
Actions
Multiattack. Amon can use his Chilling Gaze and makes one bite attack and two mace attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: (4d6 + 8) piercing damage.
Mace. Melee Weapon Attack: +17 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: (6d6 + 11) bludgeoning damage. If the target is a creature, it must also succeed on a DC 22 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Chilling Gaze. Amon targets one creature he can see within 60 feet. If the target can see Amon, the target must succeed on a DC 24 Constitution saving throw against this magic or take 21 (6d8) cold damage and then be paralyzed for 1 minute, unless it is immune to cold damage. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success. If the target’s saving throw is successful, or if the effect ends on it, the target is immune to Amon's gaze for 1 hour.
Legendary Actions
Attack. Amon makes a bite attack.
Gaze. Amon uses Chilling Gaze.
Command Wolves. Amon chooses up to three allied wolves. A chosen creature can immediately use its reaction to make a melee weapon attack, with advantage on the attack roll.
Soulfang
Huge monstrosity, lawful evil
Armor Class 20 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 350 Speed 50 ft.
STR 26 (+8) DEX 10 (+0) CON 26 (+8) INT 10 (+0) WIS 13 (+1) CHA 14 (+2)
Saving Throws Dex +6, Con +14, Wis +7, Cha +8
Skills Perception +13, Stealth +6
Damage Immunities Cold
Senses Truesight 120 Ft., passive Perception 23
Languages Infernal, Winter Wolf, Telepathy 120 ft
Challenge 20
Ice Walk. Soulfang can move across icy surfaces without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of ice or snow doesn't cost him extra movement.
Keen Hearing and Smell. Soulfang has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Legendary Resistance (2/Day). If Soulfang fails a saving throw, he can choose to succeed instead.
Magic Weapons. Soulfang’s attacks are magical.
Pack Tactics. Soulfang has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of his allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't incapacitated.
Rejuvenation. When Soulfang's body is destroyed, his spirit lingers. After 24 hours, the spirit possesses a winter wolf and transforms it into Soulfang's new body. Soulfang loses this trait if Amon has been destroyed and has not yet rejuvenated.
Snow Camouflage. Soulfang has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain.
Unbending Loyalty. Soulfang can’t attack Amon or target Amon with harmful abilities or magical effects. Any effect that attempts to force Soulfang to harm Amon is nullified.
Actions
Multiattack. Soulfang makes three bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +14 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4d12 + 8 piercing damage plus 2d10 cold damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 22 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Cold Breath (Recharge 5-6). Soulfang exhales an icy blast in a 90-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 22 Constitution saving throw, taking 16d10 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
Stygian Winter Wolf
Large monstrosity, lawful evil
Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor) Hit Points 200 Speed 40 ft.
STR 22 (+6) DEX 10 (+0) CON 22 (+6) INT 8 (-1) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 12 (+1)
Saving Throws Dex +5, Con +11, Wis +6, Cha +6
Skills Perception +11, Stealth +5
Damage Immunities Cold
Senses passive Perception 21
Languages Infernal, Winter Wolf
Challenge 13
Ice Walk. The wolf can move across icy surfaces without needing to make an ability check. Additionally, difficult terrain composed of ice or snow doesn't cost it extra moment.
Keen Hearing and Smell: The wolf has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or smell.
Pack Tactics: The wolf has advantage on an Attack roll against a creature if at least one of the wolf's allies is within 5 ft. of the creature and the ally isn't Incapacitated.
Snow Camouflage: The wolf has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in snowy terrain.
Actions
Multiattack. The wolf makes three bite attacks.
Bite. Melee Weapon Attack: +11 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 2d10 + 6 piercing damage plus 1d8 cold damage. If the target is a creature, it must succeed on a DC 19 Strength saving throw or be knocked prone.
Cold Breath (Recharge 5-6). The wolf exhales an icy blast in a 60-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 19 Constitution saving throw, taking 12d8 cold damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.
The Gamma World based on 4th Ed has, if I remember rightly, "swarm" and "electric" as options
She could be a lot of bees in a trenchcoat that zaps people
Plus Gamma World is a lot looser with the rules
If you really feel like it you could just use the Gamma World rules as inspiration for a unique being that doesn't follow normal PC rules. Hell, I have all the books (I think). I might make something later.
I also remember a sidebar in the 4E DMG2 where the writer described making a playable Elemental Myrmidon for their son.
EDIT: @Romantic Undead Thinking on it more, maybe a pixie (derived from the 4E take on pixies, which could talk to animals similarly to a 5E forest gnome and could magically shrink items to fit them once per short rest). Make her a druid with a bee familiar thanks to Ritual Caster and some Warlock invocations thanks to Eldritch Adept. A Circle of Spores Druid might could be heavily reflavored so their wildshape equivalent and other abilities summon bees. Maybe homebrew a few unique spells, too, and include Flock of Familiars for more bees.
I'll get back to you if I end up making something. If I do, what level of character should I shoot for? 1, 3, etc?
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webguy20I spend too much time on the InternetRegistered Userregular
So without saying anything about the actual characters, I have a fun exercise for you all. Based off of these tokens, what can you glean about my Players and their characters?
Posts
But I'm a weird DM that hopes for constant success and will kinda hand out advantage at the barest inkling I could.
If someone's gonna blow their proficiencies on an artisan tool, i'm gonna figure out how to make that be useful as much as possible
If you fail a 15 DC Investigation check in the published adventure you’re playing that might just be like, okay DM, they’re stumped, they don’t find the clue. Thanks D&D???
Edit:
What you do as DM is say to them:
“You can leave now, or waste a full hour searching more meticulously.”
OR
“You find nothing here, and must instead seek out a witness.”
But just going by the dice alone there’s nothing really derived from failure.
It’s even worse for combat with a lot of creatures on the board. No one wants to miss, then wait 12 turns to try something else, or even the same attack again.
@The Zombie Penguin
I believe Zombie Penguin has house-ruled that if you’ve got a tool proficiency, during downtime you can’t fail at crafting something or knowing the answer after roleplaying a bit of research.
So if you roll 15, cool, your result is 15+mod+prof. But if you roll 1, i assume your result is 10+mod+prof. This is mainly just so characters who are trained in shit look competent most of the time. I'm cool with say, someone with a medicine prof rolling 1 during a big fight, because that's... actually likely to happen! stress makes mistakes etc! Or ifthey're on the back of a wagon in a high speed chase, trying to keep a local lord alive so he can testify.
...fuck, i gotta make that happen, that sounds /awesome/
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Maybe it would be easier for me to grok if I just mentally substitute the words "Thieves' Tools" with "Thievery" and "Poisoner's Kit" with "Knowledge: Poison".
Like, if there was a trap I think my current DM would just have us roll Perception without telling us what's up. Then when we fail and get hit by a trap I'll have to say "but I'm proficient in Thieves' Tools, I should have had advantage, Xanathar's says so".
As was mentioned above, you make your ability check for whatever, and if you have a tool kit, and know how to use it, that would apply in that situation the. You get add your Proficiency bonus. That's it.
Advantage should, as usual, be a situational bonus bestowed by the DM with respect to the use of tools. Not a given function of having tools and a a skill.
Without looking too deep into it, Pathfinder 2.0 has varying levels of proficiency that scale over the course of the game. I think with 5th ed's bounded accuracy that's less useful, and I think Proficiency -> Expertise -> Advantage is probably good.
e: My other go-tos are just giving out success (oh, you have this thing, a thing you invested significant character resources in? Congrats, you can just do the thing instead of rolling) and shared-benefit (everyone gets proficiency because so-and-so has X thing they've invested in).
Say you're searching this door for traps instead of saying, "You can use investigation or thieves tools for this check", you move towards saying, "You can investigation and thieves tools checks to inspect this door". This avoids punishing them by forcing them to pick, or picking for them, one of the two possible checks they could make on that door and abbreviates play by leveraging the advantage mechanism to keep it one check but acknowledging the excess skill they bring to this specific task. Which also incidentally makes these checks work better in a skill challenge format of "number of successes before number of failures".
To give another example that isn't thieves tools and doors. Let's go with say driving spikes to hang a rope bridge to get villagers over rising flood waters. I'd call that a strength(athletics) challenge right out of the gate. Pretty easy and straightforward, but hey carpenter's tools are like literally what you're using to drive these spikes, you could use either of these skills to attempt to drive spikes. The way xanathars tackled this is to kinda have you use both skills. It's basically the exact same check for both, same stat mod, generally same proficiency. Xanathars keeps the expertise question simple by saying, "it's an athletics check enhanced by tool proficiency", if ya really wanna be a stickler about it evaluate if athletics has expertise. Personally I'd go a step further and if you've got expertise in the tool I let you throw it on there. If you took expertise in fuckin carpenters tools I'm definitely letting that shine for a second there, probably the only time it's gonna shine this whole adventure.
The expertise idea is certainly workable there, my general course for upgrading checks is: proficiency, expertise, advantage, +1d4. I have magical tools in my game that make you better at using said tools it either gives you proficiency, makes you an expert if you're already proficient, gives you advantage if you're already an expert, and if you've already got expertise and advantage it gives you an extra d4 on the top. No one has yet stacked the bonuses to figure out that if you've already got all that it just dumps a flat +5 on you cause fuck it you probably made the check dc already anyways.
Sure, prolly not balanced, but it leads to so many fun, dumb moments in a game, especially when the player has a flair for the dramatic. Oh, is that a difficult shot? Well what if they close their eyes, shoot over their shoulder and get lucky?
That's not lucky, that's using the Force.
The discworld/Elan the Bard approach to things.
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We get to the part where Keyleigh (the druid) is flung off of a cliff and, in order to save herself, decides to wild shape into a goldfish, assuming she would land in water (much to DM Matt Mercer's consternation). As this is happening, mini-dead yells at the TV: "No! Change into a BEEEEEEEE!!!".
The scene plays out, Keyleigh falls onto jagged rocks, splats, predictably, much to everyone's shock and amusement, but is later revived. Mini-dead comes up to me and the following exchange takes place:
Mini-dead: Dad, do you have that game?
Me: Yes, sweetie!
MD: If I was there, I would have changed into a Bee and flied
Me: She totally could have done that! Everyone is teasing her for not having thought of that
MD: If I played, could I have bee and electric powers? Because I really like bees!
Me: I believe you totally could!
So now I put it to you, PA! Can you help me come up with a character concept for my bee-loving kid?
I'm thinking the obvious choice is Druid of some kind. I would steer away from pestilence-based insect powers though. I'm thinking the focus would be around the following:
- any and all lightning related magic
- insect summoning/transformation powers that don't involve rot/pestilence/disease but rather stinging, swarming and maybe poison
- size altering spells (as in Marvel's The Wasp or DC superhero Bumblebee)
- flight
- weapons would include whips, (she likes whips/lassos as weapons), darts, any other piercing weapon
- some healing which could be roleplayed as nourishing nectar/honey/flower-related aromatherapy
- movement-related debuffs (web (re-skinned as sticky honey, maybe), paralysis, and so on)
Any other suggestions?
Tons of lightning powers, though.
You could probably also do it with a Sorceror
But for 5th? My honest recommendation is Warlock, Pact of the Chain, and instead of summoning a familiar, just let her turn into it sometimes.
Give her an invocation that makes EB lightning damage and give her Shocking Grasp and she's basically all set
Lol, this is awesome, but yeah, maybe a little intense for a 6 year old :P
So Druid, Circle of Moon for better shapeshifting (but RAW you're still bound by "can't turn into flying creatures" till lvl 8. I believe Giant Wasp is in the Monster Manual, so that would be the easiest to convert into a Giant Bee.
Cantrips: Thorn Whip (she likes whips, she likes stinging), Druidcraft (cause it's a "can do" type of cantrip), Thunderclap (cause lightning).
Lightning related spells: Druid has call Lighting, also some thunder related spells like Thunderwave.
Insect Summoning: Druid has a lot of options there. Speaking with Animals, Beast Bond, Animal Friendship, Conjure Animals.
Flight: A couple of options there, but mostly through shapeshifting if you are a pure Druid. Fly and levitate are wizard-type spells, so possibly some wizard/druid hybrid if you want more lightning/electricity and flight stuff.
Size Altering: Toughter, Enlarge/Reduce is a wizard/sorcerer spell.
Healing: lots of options there for a Druid.
Movement-related debuffs: Again loads of options there.
Alternatively, consider some form of insect-based sorcerer if you really want to homebrew it.
I'd first interrogate her regarding the bee thing: is she being more swarm or individual focussed? If it's the former then her character could be carrying around a (magic) bee hive; reflavour spells to reflect this, i.e. goodberry becomes goodhoney, cure wounds could be a honey poultice, insect cloud becomes the obvious could of bees, etc. If she's more individual focussed I'd try and see if it had to be a bee or if any winged insect could be appealing. Maybe something with an oversized bumble bee that generates lightning with static build up in its hair? Reskin existing beasts for her self-shift shape.
Storm sorcerer could also be an option if the whole tree hugging thing isn't the right direction.
All excellent questions. I'll see if she's still interested and report back with my findings.
like
Let her just do cool shit
I think @Denada may have some uniquely qualified advice here
Another spell idea I'd like to put forth:
Thorn Lightning Whip
Pretty much the same as thorn whip, rejigger the damage to lightning, dex save.
additional mode of operation: A fan of whips! Range/effect area is now a 15ft cone. dex save or 1d6 lightning damage with the usual damage progression (an extra dmg dice at 5, 11, 17).
Then she gets bees AND puppies!
..what if the bees form a tiefling that looks eerily like nicholas cage?
.... I'd allow it.
Mattrim Cauthon aims better when he can't see
I have a bee based druid in one of my games, shepard druid gets it done well. Flavor all the totems as bees, summon bees, turn into a bee (just use the hornet entry). However an 8th level druid (when they can start shifting into flying forms) might be hard for a 6 year old to pilot well just because it has a lot going on in it. Especially Shepard druid which uses a lot of its action economy.
Honestly the easier way might be to go fighter or rogue with a few magic items on them to give the desired power set. Basically trim down the class features and front loaded levels and just give her the wasp suit as an attuned magic item on top of an easier class to pilot.
Yeah for a 6yo kid? I wouldn't even use that much of 5E's rules. Honestly just don't even bother with a class and a full build and everything. Make a basic character chassis using the simplest fighter or rogue build you can find, then grab a few cantrips, a few level 1 spells, and give her a nondescript shapeshifting power.
In my current headspace I would be more inclined to go with 4E rather than 5E because stuff feels so much easier to modify to suit your needs, but if that's not on the table than yeah just go with a super simple 5E character and bolt on a few fun spells and abilities. It's not like you need to balance it for anything.
Don't get discouraged! I have two daughters that I've been playing some version of D&D or extremely rules-light "make-believe, but with rules" with since they were like 4. It's really fun. It can be really inconsistent given the whims of children and how often their interests ebb and flow, but just go for it when the interest is there and don't force it when it isn't. It's a really good bonding experience and teaches a lot of valuable skills.
Hang in there! My son is 8 and gets the rules and how to play better than his grandmother does! His wizard Dany has a blue robe and a pointy hat!
There may be a matter of motivation between the two the makes up the difference, but still. It will get better!
She could be a lot of bees in a trenchcoat that zaps people
Plus Gamma World is a lot looser with the rules
https://gamicus.gamepedia.com/Weaponlord
If you really feel like it you could just use the Gamma World rules as inspiration for a unique being that doesn't follow normal PC rules. Hell, I have all the books (I think). I might make something later.
I also remember a sidebar in the 4E DMG2 where the writer described making a playable Elemental Myrmidon for their son.
EDIT: @Romantic Undead Thinking on it more, maybe a pixie (derived from the 4E take on pixies, which could talk to animals similarly to a 5E forest gnome and could magically shrink items to fit them once per short rest). Make her a druid with a bee familiar thanks to Ritual Caster and some Warlock invocations thanks to Eldritch Adept. A Circle of Spores Druid might could be heavily reflavored so their wildshape equivalent and other abilities summon bees. Maybe homebrew a few unique spells, too, and include Flock of Familiars for more bees.
I'll get back to you if I end up making something. If I do, what level of character should I shoot for? 1, 3, etc?
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