TRPG General Chat

12:02 AM

(Rolemaster) we did a bit of PC-PC intro ... my Healer is a grumpy sod. The flute-playing Wizard is a lore-greedy book-worm. Time-Travelling Hippie/man-Who-Stares-At-Goats is a Mystery. "Magnus The Eye" is a crusading paladin.

Good job we got out of town before I had chance to tell my Mentor about Magnus ... they have issues with him ...

Shalvenay

@BlackSpike oh dear

Black Spike

(everyone is going to have issues with a Crusading Paladin! Especially when he's a known Inquisitor!)

BESW

Known Inquisitor would be a good name for a band.

Black Spike

I did get a break from the GM ... "Put wax in your ears!" ... i din't have wax, so bread had to do ... I mentioned the werewolf? What happens if the inured townsfolk ask me to take on thier wounds? Do i get the Wolf-Curse? ... la la la .. not listeningj

@BESW :D

user15026

@BESW hm...I'm thinking metal music, with a side of....something else I can't decide.

BESW

12:10 AM

@Ash Operatic power metal band.

user15026

oooh yes

BESW

Think Blind Guardian?

Shalvenay

@BESW yes, definitely along those lines

Black Spike

we've been 'assured' that the werewolf, although unnatural and weird, is not -actually- an Denizen of the Wyld Woods... but we left some milk for the fae-folk anyway ...

Shalvenay

@BlackSpike eheheh. turns the werewoof into a werefloof

Black Spike

12:11 AM

@Shalvenay hehhe

One of the (many) Nomad Princes has sent me a shied-maiden, in payment for previous services ... UGH!

Shalvenay

@BlackSpike I take it that's a problem because...?

Black Spike

'cus now I have to keep The Prince's assets from harm ... and her Shield bears his Sigil (identifying me as "his")

(and I'm a grumpy sod, and see everything as a problem! :D )

"I'm very sorry, Prince, but your Shield-Maiden jumped in front of a lethal blow, liked you asked her too, so, I cannot return her to your service ..." yeah, not a Report the Prince will take kindly to ...

trogdor

@BESW Known Inquisitor is excellent

Black Spike

ok, what you got for album titles? The new release from "Known Inquisitor", entering the charts at #6, is: ...

BESW

"Ezekiel Bread."

Shalvenay

12:25 AM

@BlackSpike that makes me wonder what sort of fell blow she suffered...?

Black Spike

@Shalvenay Well, she hasn't yet ... but ...

Although, as a Healer (Wound-Stealer), i CAN'T let her die! I HAVE to take her wounds, even if that risk my life ... the Prince would be most upset otherwise ...

I'm in a lose/lose situation, If SHE dies, I am indebted to the Prince. If I take her wounds, I'm Wounded! Where is my Win-Scenario?

Joel Harmon

1:11 AM

@BlackSpike Preemptive healing.

trogdor

XD

Joel Harmon

1:25 AM

If you down that goblin this turn, then it's like you have a 55% chance of healing your fighter 1d6+2 every round!

Hot RPG Questions

10

Q: How should a GM handle PCs picking up NPC weapons?

In Blades, most gear is abstracted. PCs can gain access to new gear using downtime activities such as Acquire Asset and Crafting. How are stolen items (which aren't immediately sold or handed over during Payoff) handled? I'm noticing that crew playbooks don't have extra slots for gear gained in ...

Shalvenay

1:42 AM

@BlackSpike eheheh, I meant in your worst-case scenario XD

Gwideon

Hey

I’m um sorry about my blathering I’m not a bar

Shalvenay

@Gwideon there is absolutely no need to be sorry about that, 'tis what the Not A Bar is for :)

Gwideon

Yeah I guess

I’m not sure what to say

The Oracle

2:13 AM

0

Q: Are we allowed to quote from D&DBeyond?

D&DBeyond is the official online source for D&D 5e. If not more people, then at least a significant portion of people, have access D&DBeyond rather than the PHB. When quoting rules excepts can we quote from D&DBeyond or do we need to find the equivalent in the PHB? I ask because I posted a quest...

discussion

Hot RPG Questions

7

Q: What does "Summoned creature has maximum hit points" actually mean?

So, I'm running Princes of the Apocalypse for my group, they're about to encounter their first elemental prince, Yan-C-Bin, and I see that he has the following ability: The part I'm confused about is "maximum hit points." Air elementals have their hit points listed as "90 (12d10+24)" in their ...

dnd-5e hit-points summoning hit-dice princes-of-the-apocalypse

4

Q: How to handle a player wanting to use remote access on a android PC?

This is my sci-fi D&D 5e campaign. I have a warlock who's using a spell from the modern magic unearthed arcana called remote access. I also have another player who is playing a homebrew android race which we've been considering a construct. The warlock has expressed that if they get annoyed with ...

dnd-5e spells homebrew problem-players unearthed-arcana

GcL

4:24 AM

@V2Blast True. Simply stating, "this happened to me once and that's how I know this answer works" is sufficient to satisfy GSBS. It doesn't really add much to the answer other than certifying that it is for reals personal experience.

V2Blast

4:46 AM

@GcL Yeah, and the people who do that are missing the point. The point is to talk about how your experience has informed your recommendation - even if you don't explicitly say "I did this" - by showing what you've learned from having tried a certain recommendation (or sometimes what you've learned from not doing that thing and how that's gone wrong).

It's not about just certifying whether you've had that experience, but how other people can see that your recommendation works (or what to be aware of when applying that recommendation).

BESW

I like phrases along the lines of...

Brevity is acceptable, but full explanations are better. In particular, this answer does not address the player's concerns about the potential outcomes of a lack of broad diversity in their character choices. You will probably get a better response, and your solution will be more useful, if you address that portion of the question as well and provide more detail--perhaps you have some experience with similar situations? — BESW May 21 at 10:05

Welcome to rpg.se! Please take a look at the tour, it's a useful introduction to the site. Stack Exchange is a Q&A site, not a traditional discussion forum, so answers need to focus on solutions to the problem being asked about. If you feel the need to challenge the frame of the question by offering digital solutions for a question about physical solutions, please refer to these guidelines: in particular, please edit your answer to explain how your experience with physical tools leads you to this conclusion. — BESW Jan 15 '18 at 20:47

Welcome to rpg.se! Please take a look at the tour, it's a useful introduction to the site. Stack Exchange is a Q&A site, not a traditional discussion forum: it's important to "back it up," so answers should cite experience or other practical support of the concept. Please edit your answer to describe the effect your changes have on the game's mood and atmosphere; what non-horror genre does your modification invoke? — BESW Mar 29 '18 at 11:07

It's all about explaining what problem you had and what result your solution produced, so that people can easily see how your solution relates to the asker's problem.

While homebrew and speculation aren't banned on the Stack, they need to be justified and supported. Can you please edit this answer to explain why your group(s) felt the rules didn't sufficiently cover this subject, and to discuss what effect this interpretation had on the game experience? — BESW May 15 '16 at 8:09

Preserve solutions in the context of the problem they were created to solve and the manner in which they solved the problem, so that future users can better understand whether a given solution is useful for their particular situation.

Hot RPG Questions

5:02 AM

4

Q: Must the layers of the Prismatic Wall spell be destroyed in order?

Must the layers of the Prismatic Wall spell be destroyed in order? You'd think this is answered read-as-written on page 269 of the 5e PHB: The wall can be destroyed, also one layer at a time, in order from red to violet, by means specific to each layer. However, I know I've seen multiple p...

dnd-5e spells

V2Blast

5:40 AM

@BESW Well said.

On a totally unrelated note: the deathwatch tag wiki could probably use some trimming. It's 9 paragraphs long and is probably longer than it needs to be to summarize the tag/system.

Hot RPG Questions

6:03 AM

6

Q: How does the Powerful Build racial feature affect carrying capacity?

I came across the Powerful Build racial feature, which states: You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift. I couldn't find any rules on how a creature's carrying capacity scales with its size. Can anyone clarify this?

dnd-5e racial-traits creature-size encumbrance

GcL

@V2Blast Have another mod applied label, "show more experience".

@V2Blast GSBS is about certifying that it's from actual experience. "Something that happened to you personally" or "Something you can back up with a reference". Nothing about how long a writer needs to wax on about that one time at band camp.

BESW

6:32 AM

I look at it a different way. Confirming "actual experience" is not the purpose of GSBS; GSBS is a way to let the Stack (which was designed for answers that could be replicated and confirmed independently by having any reader run the code) handle solutions that could not be easily replicated by other users. The way they chose to do that, is to have the answerer describe the process in detail.

An answer that proves experience without providing readers the information necessary to make informed voting choices, has failed the purpose of GSBS even if it's technically passed the stated requirements.

(This is an example of using GSBS on GSBS: "show your experience" is the solution, but we can't apply it usefully without knowing the problem it was meant to solve.)

Pierre Cathé

7:31 AM

Morning all

Nyakouai

7:50 AM

All morning

Hot RPG Questions

11:49 AM

7

Q: How to play a devious character when you are not personally devious?

I am GMing a low-fantasy GURPS game, and I find that my amoral or immoral NPC's are easily seen through. On several occasions, I have tried to have an NPC dupe my players into being pawns. And every time, one particular player has caught on and turned the tables; in one case even double-crossin...

gm-techniques gurps villain strategy

vicky_molokh

@HotRPGQuestions Huh, and I was worried people would shy away from a question marked GURPS.

Erik

Hi gals & guys, just a quick question before I start searching or even post a question: Are there any must-reads for DnD-beginners (besides the basic rules pt. 1 to 3)?

Sdjz

26

Q: What do I need to run a 5E campaign?

I have GM'd several RPGs before that are not D&D (Fate, Deathwatch, Star Wars). We first tried to play D&D using the 3.5 edition and it went horribly — too many books and too many options with no idea of where to start. I have been told that 5E takes care of all that and is easier and more fun s...

dnd-5e new-players books system-introduction

Are you DMing or playing?

Erik

12:04 PM

Playing. There're two groups at my local gamestore and they're open to newbies, so I'd like to take a look at it.

Carcer

12:33 PM

parts 1-3 of the basic rules are all you should need as a player to understand how the game works

the basic rules don't include all the character options that are available, but if you understand the basic rules you shouldn't have difficulty grokking the full set of character options that are in the PHB and other supplements

Erik

Okay, I planned on that anyway. Any opinions on online character creation tools (e.g. D&D Beyond)?

Carcer

12:49 PM

it's not necessary to play but I've found D&D Beyond to be a very helpful resource, assuming you have an account that has access to the full content somehow

Carcer

1:15 PM

lo doppel

doppelgreener

lo

wassup carcer

NautArch

@Erik The dndbeyond tool is really really good

...if you have the content

Pierre Cathé

Yeah flipping back and forth through the books to get everything right is a pain

Wizards made sure to put everything you need to make a character in at least 4 different chapters

Erik

I guess I have to pay for the content?

Nyakouai

Yeah, if you can play a simple class also, that helps

(Not related to what you should peruse before the game tho)

NautArch

1:23 PM

@Erik THere's a decent amount of 'free' content, but they've also got a lot of other content behind paywalls

Erik

I'll check it later, after reading the rules. Thanks =) And, since this would be my first expedition into D&D, I'd rather play a simple character. Maybe a rock or something like that ^^

NautArch

@Erik hehehe :) YOu can definitely use dndbeyond to build an 'entry level', you are just a bit more limited in your options (including spells).

I would recommend talking to the store/DM there about the type of campaign they run.

Whether it's more combat, more roleplay, or a mix you should be aware of. That may help you in designing a character you want to play and is effective at the table.

And also what setting they are currently playing in.

Erik

Aye, will do that. Luckily there's a Whatsapp group where I can pester them.

Carcer

@Erik either buy your own digital "subscription" or have someone who does already content share with you

NautArch

@Erik nice! A group that communicates is a good sign.

Carcer

1:29 PM

if you're looking to join an established group someone might already own things and have a campaign with content sharing set up, that's worth asking about

NautArch

@Carcer @Erik Really good point! Asking around if anyone currently owns the content on dndbeyond is a good start. If they don't have a subscription, asking everyone if they want to chip in for a subscription can get everyone the content via dndbeyond's campaign sharing.

(up to 12 people)

Erik

Nice idea, yeah.

Carcer

also re newbies: i.imgur.com/zaUbyGK.jpg

I expected that to onebox

Someone_Evil

@Carcer It won't if there's other text in the message

Carcer

@Someone_Evil curse the mysteries of the chat system

Erik

1:39 PM

Since I did some Rolemaster in the past, no combat system can shock me, I guess^^

doppelgreener

@Carcer oh nooooooooooooooo

(alternately replace "with 8 con" with "in AD&D")

"well, see, the thing is, there's a reason you're bringing a spare character sheet, maybe two..."

Morning all :)

@Rubiksmoose howdy!

How's it going?

Downhill, fast, accelerating, screaming

Gwideon

1:53 PM

hello

BESW

[wave] Welcome to chat, @Erik!

NautArch

@Gwideon howdy!

Gwideon

how is everyone

BESW

Trying to find spoons to write two entries for the Safety Jam.

Rubiksmoose

@BESW If I could donate spoons, I totally would because I would love to see what you come up with for that.

BESW

1:57 PM

My ideas aren't games or tools, more... reference documents.

Rubiksmoose

@Erik Roller coasters aren't the best place to be texting!

Carcer

have you checked in the dishwasher?

Erik

@BESW thanks, my second visit so far ;-)

KorvinStarmast

@BlackSpike I will have some time to mess with this over the weekend. I have an Android phone.

@V2Blast Suggestion: close them all as dupes then, until we can figure out which one needs to be left standing.

evil grin

NautArch

@V2Blast I'd probably be okay with more duping, but I think the issue remains in a lack of understanding or agreement in what or how to support subjective answers. Both the existing answers for this historically and myself now are not and have not advocating to support all sentences, but that some support is needed.

And then that support methodology is provided. But there is another group that doesn't feel a need to support explicitly. Or that implicit assumption of enough relevant experience is enough.

@KorvinStarmast I'm in full agreement with this. I think the multiple versions/questions were done because there wasn't any answers come in and so different attempts at asking were made.

KorvinStarmast

2:11 PM

@BESW It's the only bread we've been using for the last year. the 4:9 flavor.

@NautArch I am probably wrong here, but it looks like you are seeking a style guide? scratches head I added a link go "how to write a good answer" in my answer on the meta ...

BESW

@KorvinStarmast For a metal band, Ezekiel 4:12 seems more appropriate.

KorvinStarmast

@BESW Heh, yeah, we can roll with that. shuffles through the old Dio catalogue to see if they had such a song

@BESW would you be interested in summarizing that into an answer on the latest "how do we do this" or is that just adding fuel to the fire?

BESW

I've got a self-care policy of "don't touch meta" for the foreseeable future.

NautArch

@KorvinStarmast kindasorta? It's more that we have an answer on how to support GS. And I understand that folks don't want to be limited by it. But no one has provided another lens to review subjective with other than "I know it when I see it" or "stop asking, I don't feel I need to support my subjective answers"

KorvinStarmast

@Erik Basic rules, 2018 update, is free to down load at WoTC. Suggest you download it for free.

NautArch

2:20 PM

@BESW I went and checked out the meta around this...and yeah, I don't think I want to go back. It's like reading the comments sections on new sites.

KorvinStarmast

@BESW Cool, understood, I now and again feel similarly.

Erik

@KorvinStarmast Already did so ;-)

The Oracle

0

Q: Are [homebrew-review] posts allowed to link to off-site sources?

This is a question I've had spark up a bit following the successful Kickstarter for GM-Binder's next big updates. Should [homebrew-review] posts be allowed to link to off-site homebrew sources to review? Specifically, places like Reddit, GM-Binder, Imgur, and other image or homebrew hosting sites...

discussion homebrew hyperlinks

KorvinStarmast

@Erik woot! :) Are you doing standard array, point buy, or roll the dice for character creation?

I have one tip: do not dump constitution as a stat. My personal guideline is "never below 12" regardless of class.

SamsyTheUnicorn

2:39 PM

Bit confused over what I should do with this question:
https://rpg.stackexchange.com/questions/157878/what-is-the-cost-of-magic-armor-over-the-cost-of-mundane-armor
It is specific to homebrew mechanics that aren't explained in the post, which would lead me to believe it's worthy of being closed, but I'm uncertain whether this SE site has a similar rule to the StackOverflow site where a question will be closed if it can't help future users.

Erik

@KorvinStarmast I said I downloaded it, not that I read it =P

KorvinStarmast

@Erik chuckle no worries. if you got question when you get time to, you know where to find us. :)

@SamsyTheUnicorn I'd let the author of the answer have some time to address your comment, which is a good one.

If I had my DMG with me I'd consider popping in some reference numbers, but I do not.

SamsyTheUnicorn

Alright, I lurk in too many SE sites (more than one), sometimes get confused between rules.

KorvinStarmast

@SamsyTheUnicorn The general principles are the same, I think, and we do expect that answers will be helpful in the future, but sometimes we do just "solve this one person's problem" also. We can never know who runs into that same problem in the future. (Also, we came to the decision that "ask your DM" is not "opinion based" and it is discussed at RPGSE meta.

Rubiksmoose

2:55 PM

@SamsyTheUnicorn Completely understandably I might add.

Gwideon

hello

SamsyTheUnicorn

Oh, I support the "Ask your DM" answer that NautArch posted, because that really is the best answer for the question in it's current state, especially with the added DMG and XGTE mentions.
I'm hoping the OP links the chart or, preferably, gives us an extract of it so we can make a more specific answer for them.

KorvinStarmast

3:09 PM

@SamsyTheUnicorn Me too, I think it would improve the question.

NautArch

@SamsyTheUnicorn But even then, the chart is just a physical chart. The DM may have other things not in the chart. We can't assume it's all in there, we can only know that the DM has developed a system of sorts.

Black Spike

@KorvinStarmast I will need a GMAIL to register you as a tester

Carcer

surely you just need a google account

not a gmail address specifically

JohnP

Argh. That is the one aspect of stack exchange that annoys me greatly.

30 second off the cuff answer - 44 upvotes. Well researched, backed up with sources and original quotes, 20+ minutes to craft - crickets

Xirema

3:25 PM

Hey, want to know an easy way to break the 5th Edition gold economy?

The DMG recommends valid prices for Common Quality Magic Items to be 50gp to 100gp, but XGE recommends an average valid price for buying Common Quality Magic Items to be [1d6+1]x10gp 45gp on average.

Go on a spending spree, buy all the common-quality magic items, and then sell them back.

Find a DM who can't think for themselves and only does what the rules say. 8)

Black Spike

@Carcer From the Documentation: "Email requirements: Users need a Google Account (@gmail.com) or a G Suite account to join a test."

Carcer

@BlackSpike but google accounts don't have to use gmail addresses

you can register them using other email

Black Spike

@Carcer I'm just following what it says ...

Carcer

I'm willing to bet your doc writer is just unaware and assumes google account = gmail account

Black Spike

@Carcer It's not my doc writer. It is Google's.

Carcer

3:33 PM

then it's probably just badly written. Google ain't perfect

some of their internal stuff does sometimes assume that google account = google-provided mail and breaks a little if that's not true

makes me curious to test though

Black Spike

@Carcer Got a Google Account (non-GMAIL) that I can add to Testers? :)

Carcer

sure. google [at] carcer.co.uk

Black Spike

ok, you're on the list. I'll try to send something out later tonight

KorvinStarmast

@BlackSpike I will send that to you later, as soon as I find that little app that does a "send one message and delete" so I can link it to you. We used one of those a few years ago and I lost the link.

Black Spike

@KorvinStarmast ok :)

KorvinStarmast

3:46 PM

@Xirema I was unaware that it had one. | Try this on for size. Defeat four orcs who have great axes and long bows. Use mending on axes if needed. Sell for half price in town. More gold than they had on their person in coins, most likely.

Gwideon

hey um did anyone get a chance to listen to the audio I sent

goodguy5

didn't see it.

@Gwideon this one?

Gwideon

@goodguy5 yes

MikeQ

The sound quality was good. Not too much echo or background noise.

goodguy5

anyone else unable to get it to resolve?

Xirema

3:53 PM

@KorvinStarmast I mean, 5e has a "Gold Economy" in the sense that the rules-as-written have a lot of expectations about how much gold a character will get per encounter/per campaign, and the prices listed for individual items, especially magic items, are based on those assumptions.

Gwideon

sorry

MikeQ

@KorvinStarmast That doesn't seem like a sustainable economy-shattering strategy

goodguy5

@KorvinStarmast blah blah blah, market saturation

A local weaponssmith only wants so many greataxes, even if they are pristine

Xirema

@Gwideon I did get a chance to listen to it! I liked the delivery of the lines, although I think it might benefit from a little time spent on the timing of the lines. You might not even need to re-record the lines, just do a second editing pass to make the pauses sound a little more natural.

Gwideon

yeah I have done a second pass and adjusted the timings within premiere

Carcer

4:07 PM

@Xirema 5e lists individual prices for magic items?

Hot RPG Questions

4

Q: What can players do while waiting for a troll to regenerate?

Can players do anything while waiting for a troll to regenerate its hp on its next turn? For example: Player A drops troll’s hp to 0. Player B and Player C go before troll goes. Do I just skip their turn and say that the troll starts to stand back up or do I ask them what they do and let them kno...

dnd-5e combat regeneration

Mark Wells

@Xirema Does XGE have anything that's not ridiculous?

Gwideon

4:25 PM

the new subclasses

Mark Wells

Those would be the "like a cleric, but instead of a god, I just believe in my sword" subclasses?

Xirema

@Carcer The DMG has price ranges for individual magic items (51-100 Common, 101-500 Uncommon, 501-5000 Rare, 5001-50000 Very Rare, 50001+ Legendary) in terms of economical value, but it's really only intended for selling. (DMG, 135)

The DMG also has prices for crafting items in terms of the costs of the raw materials (100—500—5000—50000—500000), DMG 128

It also has rules for selling magic items, using the same prices as crafting items, but with a weird Percentile + Ability check to determine whether the buyer offers full price or not. DMG 129

(Also, it's SUPER weird. You roll a percentile dice, then add the results of a Charisma Ability Check. I've never seen that before in official 5e rules).

Gwideon

4:48 PM

is there a way to save a question as a draft

Sdjz

118

A: Allow questions to be saved as drafts prior to posting

This is now complete for answers and new questions. If you start asking a question, but do not successfully submit, you will see your last saved question draft the next time you visit the ask a question page. If you start answering a particular question, but do not successfully submit, you will...

I think it's just automatic really

If you have been writing a question and need to stop it is probably already saved as a draft

The Oracle

2

Q: Should this questions be merged? (squares in D&D)

Last week, the question When did 5 foot squares become standard in D&D? was marked as duplicate of When did the 5-foot square/hex become the standard unit of measurement in Dungeons & Dragons?. The now-closed question managed to attract a few good answers, and maybe even better than the ones fro...

discussion duplicates

GcL

@Gwideon I usually put them in a text document before copy pasta'ing them into the web form.

Gwideon

okay

Xirema

@Xirema The last set of rules, for buying magic items are in XGE, where it suggests variable price ranges: [1d6+1]x10, 1d6x100, 2d10x1000, [1d4+1]x10000, 2d6x25000. (XGE, 126)

GcL

4:58 PM

Also, then you end up with a bunch of text that you can use as a template for your next question.

Xirema

Those work out to averages of 45gp, 350gp, 11000gp (!!), 35000gp, and 175000gp.

Note the meteoric rise between Uncommon and Rare in that progression, which was surprising to me the first time I saw it.

GcL

@Gwideon Also very useful to go back to the after someone like V2 has fixed up the formatting. Click edit to see what the changes look like in the markdown and copy that for your own future use.

Gwideon

I'll keep that in mind

goodguy5

@Gwideon it came up while I was at lunch. what's it for?

Gwideon

@goodguy5 it's for an animatic i'm doing

goodguy5

5:09 PM

Neat! Sound quality seems good. acting is a bit dry compared to professional grade, but I assume it's much lower key (in which case, it's great) ;)

Gwideon

yeah it is

Hot RPG Questions

2

Q: Does a troll die if its maximum hit points is zero?

The Troll has the Regeneration feature which states: The troll regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the troll takes acid or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the troll's next turn. The troll dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't reg...

dnd-5e monsters hit-points

Gwideon

5:40 PM

so um I'm sorry

Someone_Evil

@Gwideon why? (what are you referring to?)

Gwideon

nothing

just nervous needed to say that

user15026

You don't need to apologize for feelings :)

Gwideon

6:01 PM

I just posted something on meta so um yeah

Rubiksmoose

No feelings allowed!

ACuriousMind

not sure how I feel about that

Carcer

excellent.

Yuuki

@Rubiksmoose puts hands in pocketses

Rubiksmoose

@Yuuki Oh no, my ring!

You didn't even answer my riddle first!

NautArch

6:14 PM

@Rubiksmoose Please report to The Computer for processing

Rubiksmoose

@NautArch Yes, Friend Computer!

V2Blast

@Xirema I think the economy's already fairly broken without needing to intervene :P

NautArch

Honestly, the entire currency system in 5e just doesn't seem necessary.

As a DM, i'd just either say "yes, you can have it", "no, you can't" or "maybe later you'll find it."

goodguy5

6:30 PM

@NautArch it's a holdover, and players like having money

NautArch

@goodguy5 If I wanted games about amassing money, i'd play monopoly :P

Xirema

@V2Blast It's workable. From my experience, it seems like a lot of DMs throw around way too much money, especially at early levels.

NautArch

@Xirema THere's also an assumption at times that everything is available all the time. Sure, you can toss money out. But it's also up to the DM to say what's available at the store.

Xirema

Like, you don't need to price a +1 Longsword at 2k gold.... unless every single combat encounter issues 200+ gold each.

@goodguy5 Take it to Not-A-Bar.

goodguy5

ty

@Rubiksmoose please NaB me

Xirema

6:41 PM

(I mean, I might; Longswords are inherently good, as my attempts at "scoring" weapons in the game demonstrated)

Rubiksmoose

→ 1 message moved to Not a bar, but plays one on TV

@goodguy5 [poof]

goodguy5

♥

Xirema

But like, if you're issuing so much money that the players never have to double-check their wallets when making an expensive purchase, then you don't get to complain that money feels irrelevant. =P

@NautArch I mean, the XGE rules literally codify that. The DM rolls on a table to figure out which items are even available, and then rolls to set prices; and then the player needs to pass a check to find a seller for that item.

NautArch

@Xirema YOu mean they optionally codify that :)

Xirema

I do use the Fantasy Costco (♫Where all your dreams come true, got a deal for you!♫) approach for lower tier magic items, personally. If you're at a character level where you can craft items of X tier, then I allow those same characters to purchase items of X-1 tier at wholesale value. No haggling necessary (though allowed).

NautArch

6:52 PM

@Xirema We did that at my last major campaign i was a player in. and honestly, I really disliked it.

I never got things I was interested in for the most part. I could get stuff that randomly became available.

Xirema

So basically Level 6, you gain the ability to purchase Common and Uncommon magic items. At level 11 rare, at level 17 Very Rare; and Legendary never become wholesale purchasable because they're too rare and valuable to find in a shop.

(I do allow Potions of Healing at level 3, because the PHB lists them as purchasable items)

Delioth

Weird, I think I'm a bigger fan of Pathfinder 2e's item stuff - everything has both a level and a rarity. Generally a player can get items of their level + 1, but with hints of Common/Uncommon/Rare/Unique to know how rare something should be

So the idea of "how strong is this" is separate from "how common is this"

Like Katana are Uncommon in the default setting even though they're mundane and not distinctly better than other weapons, and some really neat spells are Uncommon; the Uncommon ones aren't necessarily stronger than the Common ones, but there's a chance that they're crazy-unbalancing from a player's standpoint specifically

Xirema

@Delioth As someone who used to play a lot of World of Warcraft, I won't say that's a bad approach. Does pathfinder lock off items for characters that haven't reached the "item level" yet, though?

Delioth

(Re: Blood Magic, a mainstay of PF1E cheese, which is supposed to be in exactly one wizard's spellbook, who's an ancient level 18 or so wizard... would be Unique and thus almost-never available to PC's)

Xirema

Because I feel like that specifically is much less appropriate in TTRPGs, where DMs ostensibly have control of what actually drops, vs what doesn't.

Delioth

7:02 PM

@Xirema They leave it up to GM but give the guidance that players should generally be able to get a hold of items that are their level +1

MikeQ

@Xirema Sometimes implicitly, like an item that requires an upper-level feature of a certain class, making it virtually useless for anyone else

Delioth

It's also there as a hint for how GMs should drop things - like the fundamental runes for weapons have a level, that's telling the GM for those specifically when they're roughly expecting a player to have them

Xirema

@MikeQ Hmm. I mean, I think 5e has stuff like that too, like Magic Items that require attunement by a Paladin that augments their auras. But Paladins do get their auras starting at level 6, so it's not quite comparable.

I don't personally mind rarity being implicitly connected to character level, but it does leave 5e poorly suited to high-magic campaigns.

Delioth

But yeah, there's nothing in general stopping Joe the level 1 rogue from using the +3 Vorpal shortsword

KorvinStarmast

@MarkWells Celestial warlock is nice. Gloom Stalker ranger is nice. Hexblade ... IMO they went overboard. (Elric of Melnibone, is that you?) Swashbuckler Rogue is Nice. Mastermind Rogue is sneaky good.

NautArch

7:16 PM

@MarkWells and isn't that also 5e Paladins?

KorvinStarmast

@Xirema I like that. Rare magic items need to be rare and not buyable at the "walmart equivalent" in setting X. IMO. YMMV

NautArch

except when your DM shoehorns you into a fervent believer because it's necessary for their story (grumble grumble)

KorvinStarmast

@Xirema my brother does not, He's a miser DM

NautArch

maybe this is for meta, but are comments a place for offering outside resources. It seems like a roundabout way to allow a shopping question...

MikeQ

@NautArch No. Comments are for asking clarification. Otherwise it should not be a comment.

@NautArch Why is that such a common trope in D&Dish games, that everyone must care about the pantheons and the various god-identities

KorvinStarmast

7:20 PM

@NautArch we link to outside forums though, when we suggest the forum meta ... in a comment

@MikeQ FR-Itis. Or, blame Tim Kask. Gods, Demigods, and Heroes came out in the original game and threw pantheons on us

NautArch

@MikeQ Well, it turned out that the gods played a major role in their story. Yeah, I could probably still have participated just as well without it, but it definitely added something more to it.

KorvinStarmast

1976

@MikeQ I liked the original game where cleric worshipped "some god" and there was no name given. That way, it was as detailed or not detailed as the DM and players were comfortable with.

though it was fun to have a Thor versus Loki fight once GD&H came out.

Delioth

7:43 PM

@NautArch Eww. As a GM that's a "work it out with the player first" thing (see the opportunity, discuss it and all that jazz - or, get everyone in on it as a session-0 thing)

Black Spike

Random Dungeon App should now be available to Testers. Check you email for download link :)

Eternallord66

Hey everyone. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for an assassin type monster (not the MM Assassin) that a 7 person level 7 party could go up against? They are able to take out high CR creatures, so something low CR wouldn't do.

KorvinStarmast

@NautArch was it you that sent me that email link using that "click on it once and then it disappears" app? I can't find that t hing ...

@Eternallord66 three invisible stalkers

@Eternallord66 A djinn who wants to assassinate one of them.

with 7 players, CR 11 isn't gonna kill them.

Eternallord66

They take out CR 16 creatures easy

They are very good

KorvinStarmast

@Eternallord66 OK, Pit Lord

A rogue Solar

Eternallord66

7:51 PM

Pit Lord as an assassin?

KorvinStarmast

@Eternallord66 Wait, does pit lord not have change shape? Lemme check.

@Eternallord66 Sorry, Pit Fiend does not have change shape

How about an adult metallic dragon under the effects of magic jar. Hmmm. lemme check something.

Hmm, might not work. Even if in the change shape condition. or attempting to possess a humanoids body might hose that one up. Dragon is dragon creature type.

Delioth

Is there a good reason you can't just... use a level 16 PC?

Ish

Eternallord66

I have never created or altered a monster/NPC so I don't know what to do to create one.

KorvinStarmast

@Eternallord66 A githyanki Knight on an adult red dragon. :)

(yeah, it's a thing)

Eternallord66

@KorvinStarmast Good ideas but I think you are losing the "assassin" aspect

KorvinStarmast

7:58 PM

Use a maralith and have her summon a bunch of other demons once the fight is on. Optional rule in the MM

Seven invisible Stalkers sent by a demigod ....

Delioth

Are you trying to tell me that a two-handed weapon isn't the ideal weapon for an assassin? Gotta wear that Full Plate to stop the target from hitting back too, ofc

Eternallord66

My situation is the party stole some stuff from a merchant when they were level 3 and they thought they got away with it. I want the theft to bite them in the butt.

KorvinStarmast

A Rakshasa with two MM assassins.

Rakshasa's often pose as merchants

rakshasa's are sneaky and nasty.

Eternallord66

Rakshasa would obliterate them. The CR 16 I mentioned above was a marilith

KorvinStarmast

Having three nPC's reduces the "focus Fire" issue

@Eternallord66 Do any of them have a magic weapon? Is there a Monk?

Delioth

8:01 PM

@Eternallord66 Mercenary assassins don't technically need to be sneaky; as a merchant I'd hire someone to get the job done, and the PC's are technically the bad guys here

Eternallord66

Kensei monk and a paladin and no others with a magic weapon

KorvinStarmast

@Eternallord66 They can handle a rakshasa, at level 7, but the monk has to stun the crap out of the Rakshasa. Divine smite does damage fiends/rakshasa

rest of party has to deal with two assassins.

Eternallord66

@Delioth Yeah they don't need to be sneaky but I want them to know that they were specifically targeted like they would from an assassin.

KorvinStarmast

Four invisible stalkers .... :)

the last one with a note from whomever summoned them.

Eternallord66

I was thinking about throwing a couple of shadow assassins at them. That might TPK though

KorvinStarmast

8:04 PM

They are air elemental based, so they come in from the four winds: one from the east, one from the south, one from the west, one from the north

Shadow assassin?

Eternallord66

From mad mage

CR 9

KorvinStarmast

I do not have that handy

Eternallord66

They are brutal

Delioth

@Eternallord66 "HEY YOU. YOU STOLE FROM MONEY-MAN. ME GET MONEY BACK." > Grog, the Mercenary

Eternallord66

@Delioth I'm definitely going to use that line

I can create a barbarian named Grog

Delioth

8:07 PM

I once played Grog, an orc sorcerer. He thought he was a barbarian, and did not believe he was casting spells

"Bro that was True Strike, you're doing magic" > "nuh uh, I just concentrated REAL HARD on hitting baddie"

Eternallord66

@Delioth That's funny. I might have to use that

Delioth

"But you just cast Burning Hands" > "Just hurt them with the BURNING POWER OF RAGE."

KorvinStarmast

@Delioth chuckles that sounds like fun

Delioth

You do have to be careful to pick spells that you can actually rationalize away

Burning Hands is about as flashy as you can really get

and even that works best if you're using an already flaming weapon

KorvinStarmast

3d12

Dice Service

8:11 PM

4

2

9

Eternallord66

@KorvinStarmast Multiple invisible stalkers can work

NautArch

8:26 PM

@KorvinStarmast It was, but I can't remember which one I used. I think i just googled time sensitive urls or something

MikeQ

8:51 PM

Technically speaking, assassins don't need to be sneaky. They just need to be reliable.

Delioth

9:13 PM

If we're being technical, assassins don't even need to be reliable. Just willing. I mean, an unreliable assassin is bad at their job, but they're still technically an assassin.

Himitsu_no_Yami

You could argue they don't even need to be willing as long as they do it

Say by coercion

Delioth

Really they don't even need to "do it" persay, just attempt (back to the "bad at it" point)

Himitsu_no_Yami

alright so we've got a really bad unwilling assassin who can't even assassinate properly

In other news I just described the fastest travel system in D&D to a friend. (warning based on a meme that by most GMs wouldn't actually work)

You need 3 things. One of which is admittedly composed of a great many things though

You need:
*1.* A Peasant Railgun
*2.* A person to travel
*3.* A bag of holding

wait can I not bold?

Delioth

3.

No spaces

Himitsu_no_Yami

9:28 PM

tried that first

Gwideon

Hey can I have a link to not a bar. I’m on mobile and it doesn’t show up in the selectable chats

BESW

Not a bar, but plays one on TV

I'm not a place to unwind after work, but I play one on TV.

1

Himitsu_no_Yami

1. test

ok so that worked

maybe the line breaks messed it up

Xirema

@Himitsu_no_Yami Markup generally does not work if you have line breaks, yes.

Himitsu_no_Yami

the only two places I've used markup besides here (Discord and Reddit) had it work

Xirema

9:31 PM

The only markup that works is if you add fixed-width formatting.

Himitsu_no_Yami

anyway what do you guys think of my fast travel system?

MikeQ

@Himitsu_no_Yami Wasn't the peasant railgun debunked some time ago?

Himitsu_no_Yami

from a physics perspective yes but it's based on the assumption that the GM rules in favor of the railgun

I doubt it'd be allowed in any serious campaign but in one with the intention of just being silly/funny I think it'd be fun

MikeQ

Debunked in the sense that combat time is an abstraction, and thus it can't be applied to finite physical values

Himitsu_no_Yami

but again it's based on the assumption that the GM rules in favor of the railgun working

Eternallord66

9:50 PM

what is the railgun

Yuuki

Here's how the peasant railgun works. The stone is passed from villager to villager. And the villager at the end throws the stone. Since the stone is an improvised weapon, it deals 1d4+STR bludgeoning damage.

MikeQ

@Eternallord66 The theory was that if you lined up many many creatures during combat, and had them pass an object from one end to another (within 1 round), then the object is traveling a very far distance in a very short amount of time, thus building sufficient momentum to cause serious damage

Himitsu_no_Yami

we don't even have to worry about the damage part of it though

this is more the speed part of it

Yuuki

Himitsu_no_Yami

I wish I could see images here at work lol

Yuuki

10:08 PM

> Frame 1: Two witches flying through the sky on broomsticks, speech bubble "...".
> Frame 2: Third witch standing a Roomba.

Himitsu_no_Yami

lol

Xirema

@Eternallord66 Basically what @MikeQ said. There's a lot of reasons why the railgun doesn't work, mainly (at least in 5e) down to the fact that "Improvised weapons" don't have rules for increasing the damage of a projectile relative to the speed it's travelling.

BESW

The railgun only functions by eliding the role of abstraction in a game system: the ability to pass an object between an undefinedly large number of people in six seconds is a leak in the combat abstraction of rounds and turns which is itself a compromise between 'everything happens at once' and 'people need to take turns at the table.'

So you can only do the thing because of an imperfect abstraction.

But the thing is only effective (acceleration increases damage) by ignoring the game's imperfect abstractions (no such thing as acceleration unless specifically provided for by a dedicated subsystem for a single context) and insisting on real-world physics... which would make the act of acceleration itself impossible because in the real world you can't get a rock going very fast just by handing down a line.

Eternallord66

ok I get it

Black Spike

10:24 PM

I used to use a similar exploit in original Blood Bowl (Fantasy NFL). Line up my team up the pitch - each player can pass the ball to a neighbour ... so it suddenly zooms from one end to the other in one round! :D

(as an additional bonus, a Player got XP if they handled the ball in a match, so that tactic ensured everyone got their point! :) )

Not a bar, but plays one on TV

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