TRPG General Chat

Hot RPG Questions

00:50

1

Q: Evangelist Prestige class and save progression

The Evangelist Prestige class level 2 feature, Aligned Class (Ex) states as follows: Evangelists come from many different backgrounds, and they show an unusual range of diversity. At 2nd level, the evangelist must choose a class she belonged to before adding the prestige class to be her aligned ...

BESW

01:09

@BardicWizard Are you familiar with "lines and veils" in play? You draw a line when something just won't ever be part of the game, and you pull a veil over stuff that's okay to be in the game but isn't gonna get dwelt upon. For example, Princess Leia gets tortured in Star Wars. It happens, there's not a line drawn on torture. But it's off screen. We see the torture device, and then we cut to after the torture. They pulled a veil over the content.

In your case, you can pull a veil over any scene discussing the details of the evil deeds. Just cut to immediately afterward when everyone's going "oh, that's awful."

Shalvenay

@BESW yeah, and sometimes veils are used to deal with things that aren't necessarily even uncomfortable for the table, merely simply distracting

BESW

Yeah, safety tools aren't just for dealing with emotional distress, they're a way to have control and consensus over... everything.

Though I tend to think of a veil as functionally different from, say, cutting a scene short as soon as it's clear how it will end.

Hot RPG Questions

01:39

2

Q: If a creator of a Shield Guardian gives the control amulet to the Shield Guardian, what would happen?

There was an idea pitched at one of my play sessions earlier this week that has been gnawing at me. Suppose a wizard creates a shield guardian and gives the golem the telepathic command to take off the amulet and live a life of its own; what would happen? Would the Shield Guardian become a sort o...

dnd-5e magic-items summoning

BESW

trogdor

lol

BESW

(To be clear: this is an indictment of HP's depiction of emancipation.)

trogdor

02:02

that's fair

Hot RPG Questions

4

Q: Could a necromancer command an undead to act as it did in life?

It's already mentioned in the 5e monster manual that skeletons uncontrolled will do things they would often do in life. Independent skeletons temporarily or permanently free of a master's control sometimes pantomime actions from their past lives, their bones echoing the rote behaviors of their f...

dnd-5e undead

AncientSwordRage

02:23

@nitsua60 now I need a world where kobolds are master waggoners/couriers

Shalvenay

@AncientSwordRage Kobold Post XD

AncientSwordRage

@Shalvenay exactly!

BESW

02:44

Pretty sure Wanderhome can accommodate that with a little re-skin.

Hot RPG Questions

06:07

8

Q: Does a fiend drop any items carried when it is killed and returned to Avernus?

I had a bearded devil carrying some keys that would open a jail cell, tied to his belt and was slain. My question is, does it drop the keys and can be retrieved by my players or would they go with it back to Avernus? I am not too concerned if I have to make my own ruling but if this has been answ...

dnd-5e monsters

AncientSwordRage

10:09

@BESW Interesting...

Thomas Markov

14:10

Check out this post notice on this politics.se post: politics.stackexchange.com/q/59724

Is that a baked in feature for all stacks or is that one special?

Someone_Evil

That one is buildt in (at least we have it too). It doesn't come up much around here

Thomas Markov

@Someone_Evil Neat.

Bardic Wizard

@Someone_Evil now the question is “can we create a post that needs it on our stack?”

Thomas Markov

@BardicWizard Maybe of Wizard's declared bankruptcy (hahahah yeah right) and started selling off IP and we had a question about it while it was happening.

vicky_molokh- unsilence Monica

1. Repopularise tournaments.
2. Start streaming one / reporting on one in real time.
3. Ask a question about some sort of non-obvious strategy unfolding in real time.

Bardic Wizard

14:22

So it’s probably not going to happen then

Darn.

Thomas Markov

@Medix2 In my experience "whenever" means "immediately after"

Medix2

@ThomasMarkov Yeah I realized most examples I came up with are all in-combat which is... Iffy

But I would definitely assume you could Attack Action, Misty Step, Extra Attack, Polearm Master, despite PM using "when"

Although that all gets into when have you taken the Attack action, which I gave up on after I asked a question on it that got no answer I was happy with XD

And I guess the only real examples I can think of is EK going "Cantrip --> Action Surge Attack Action --> Bonus Action War Magic" or "Attack Action --> Action Surge Spell --> Polearm Master " though I can see it argued that you can't do those, they work in my head

Thomas Markov

We have a SAC question clarifying that stuff, dont we?

Medix2

We do?

I think it says anytime after?

> During your turn, you do get to decide when to take the bonus action after you’ve taken the Attack action.

Though SM uses "if" not "when" :(

Thomas Markov

@Medix2 what question is this?

Medix2

14:36

@ThomasMarkov Uh, I think it was "When have you taken / used the Attack action" pointing out that there's no really workable interpretation

Not saying it's a good question, but a part of the rules I gave up on

So yeah, I gave up on having "When you take the Attack action" having a consistent definition

Thomas Markov

I dont know why the score there went so negative.

Have an upvote.

Thomas Markov

15:29

Are there rules for crafting magic items in the DMG? Or is it a XGtE exclusive?

NVM I found it.

Thomas Markov

15:58

I found a definitive answer to the "Is alcohol a poison" question.

Medix2

16:09

@ThomasMarkov Quite the assumption that the rules won't be self-contradictory XD

2

Thomas Markov

Bold, I know.

RevenantBacon

16:30

Fun fact, in pathfinder 1e, alcohol is both a drug and a poison, and has different stats for both

MikeQ

Because Pathfinder 1E has anything and everything, except for consistency.

RevenantBacon

@MikeQ Yep

Side note, is there anyone besides me who actually prefers Unchained poisons?

Xirema

18:33

I treat all alcohols in 5e as poisons.

Every time my party goes drinking in a bar, I declare "Make Constitution Saving Throws against Poison" and there's a moment of panic in the players before they remember that this is the 20th time I've done this. 😄

Mark Wells

I'm now imagining a mechanic where you choose the DC of your Con saving throw, and that determines how much XP you get

Xirema

18:49

In a different campaign, my Sorcerer won a drinking contest because she was the only one in the party with CON Saving Throw proficiency.

MikeQ

Would they need to succeed in order to get XP? Or could they choose a DC of like 300,000 and level up by drinking 1 beer?

Xirema

I even won against the paladin who was hoarding her protection aura to herself

GcL

Drinking contests in my more recent campaigns have been a wisdom saving throw for knowing when to stop.

Mark Wells

@MikeQ If you're drinking 1 beer, that's not a DC of 300,000

GcL

19:13

I think that drinking failures might be the more valuable experience. Or could change it to a charisma contest for coming up with the best verses of a drinking song.

Bardic Wizard

I need hugs

I wish my school wasn’t so anti-lgbtq

Mark Wells

@BardicWizard I'm sorry. Hugs I cannot provide, but I can acknowledge that people are sometimes terrible, schools are often very terrible, and it sucks.

Bardic Wizard

19:28

Singular they came up in English class.

And it did not end well

GcL

19:52

Sorry to hear that.

RevenantBacon

AncientSwordRage

20:08

@BardicWizard Oof sorry to hear that, makes you feel like flinging a skirt hoop at some people

The Oxford English Dictionary traces singular they back to 1375, where it appears in the medieval romance William and the Werewolf.

Bardic Wizard

Basically the teacher was saying “singular they is not proper grammar”, I said, in front of the class “no, it can be used that way to refer to people who don’t identify with a binary gender”

she said “that’s great for those people, they can be called what they want, but I would not use singular they to refer to them” and I said “what if it’s how they want to be referred to” and she said “i would talk with that person then and work it out, but i would not use singular they”

and I kinda... did not deal with that well since it happened after an already not-great dysphoric day

I talked to her after class though and said that the way she worded that statement felt hurtful and uncomfortable to me and she said she would try to not say it in a way that sounded like she was trying to deny their identity

so I feel a bit better now

Mark Wells

@BardicWizard In my experience of getting into arguments with teachers (which I'll admit has not included the subject of my gender), approaching the teacher after class typically leads to everyone acting reasonably, while interrupting the lecture does not.

KorvinStarmast

20:41

@ThomasMarkov Recommended reading .

@Shalvenay our "table" has a 'no politics' rule for our online play

@ThomasMarkov the answer is 'only if you drink too much of it at once' as any number of frat rushing freshman found out to their chagrin, and in a few cases, to their death.

@MarkWells +4 to that. I discovered this the hard way in High School, after a few detentions ...

... if you talk to people, rather than try to show them up, they respond so much better.

2

(A worthwhile thing to remember in a RPG as well)

Yuuki

@MarkWells yeah, approaching them after class shows that you're serious about the topic and not trying to grab attention

Mark Wells

@Yuuki and lets them admit error, if they need to, without it being publicly embarrassing

Medix2

@ThomasMarkov FWIW I agree with you answer regarding counterspell and am looking for a counterexample to the other answer

Thomas Markov

21:02

Not gonna lie, this is one time where Id really like downvote explanations.

I usually dont care at all. But this one is strange to me.

Medix2

I'd wager disagreement

Thomas Markov

Well yeah

But why

KorvinStarmast

@ThomasMarkov check the question It has two down votes. You have 27k+ rep. I'd not worry about it.

Medix2

I don't think he's worrying about the rep

Thomas Markov

@KorvinStarmast It's not rep haha

KorvinStarmast

21:04

I have multiple down votes on my answer and the number of effs I give is less than 1. 🐘 🙄 how did that elephant get in there?

Thomas Markov

Its a frustrating curiosity about what I might be missing.

RevenantBacon

If it makes you feel better, mine is because I just think you're wrong

KorvinStarmast

@ThomasMarkov Ok. I expect you'll have plenty of people find your answer to be useful, and that's our goal, right?

useful answers

Thomas Markov

@RevenantBacon And you've been helpful in explaining why, which is I appreciate.

RevenantBacon

And this is, of course, predicated on the fact that anyone would ever want to counterspell a cantrip :p

Medix2

21:06

If the GM gives no information about what's being cast, it could certainly happen

KorvinStarmast

@ThomasMarkov If you get eleventy three up votes and three down votes, don't sweat the down votes.

(But if you get eleventy three strokes during a round of golf, see the pro for a lesson)

Thomas Markov

I was playing in a tier 4 game and I counterspelled an Armor of Agathys, and my friend goes "why did you coutnerspell armor of agathys", and then my DM groaned "You just made me waste the boss's 9th level slot".

Medix2

@ThomasMarkov Oh gosh, that would've been scary

Thomas Markov

9th level Armor of Agathys is no joke.

KorvinStarmast

@ThomasMarkov that's hilarious

and it's why we play D&D 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

Mark Wells

21:09

@ThomasMarkov OK, I'll bite. I think you're taking an excessively literal approach that ignores the specifics of the situation. Green-flame blade is weird. It has weird mechanics.

RevenantBacon

How we got dudes casting AoA as a level 9 spell? They a bard?

Medix2

NPCs have no rules, bwahahaha

RevenantBacon

Fair

Thomas Markov

@MarkWells It's gonna get weirder when its range is changed to self in 11 days

KorvinStarmast

@ThomasMarkov yeah, what a waste of dev time

Medix2

21:11

@ThomasMarkov Wut?

KorvinStarmast

@ThomasMarkov {further comments censored}

Thomas Markov

@KorvinStarmast do you want me to not talk about it?

Someone_Evil

@Medix2 Tasha's is updating it apparently

KorvinStarmast

@ThomasMarkov No, talk all you like, but they had a chance to tweak 4 E monk, or Ranger, and they did ... that. {self censoring again} 😒

RevenantBacon

One of the things I really like about 5e design is using a higher level slot doesn't actually change the level of a spell. Use a level 1 slot of level 9, AoA is still al level 1 spell and gets auto-countered with no check

Medix2

21:12

@Someone_Evil Time to go re-read Distant Spell...

Thomas Markov

@RevenantBacon I dont think that's correct...

Medix2

@RevenantBacon I think that's false

KorvinStarmast

@RevenantBacon I think it expands to fill the slot, lemme check chapter 10. BRB.

Medix2

There's some rule that states a higher level slot makes a higher level spell

Mark Wells

@Medix2 That is correct. However, and this is almost never relevant, the spell effect for an upcasted spell depends on the slot level, not the spell level.

KorvinStarmast

21:14

Casting a Spell at a Higher Level
When a spellcaster casts a spell using a slot that is of a higher level than the spell, the spell assumes the higher level for that casting. For instance, if Umara casts magic missile using one of her 2nd-level slots, that magic missile is 2nd level. Effectively, the spell expands to fill the slot it is put into.

Some spells, such as magic missile and cure wounds, have more powerful effects when cast at a higher level, as detailed in a spell's description. Casting a Spell at a Higher Level

From PHB

RevenantBacon

I'm pretty sure it doesn't. I seem to remember some comment somewhere about spell level and Globe of Invulnerability

Medix2

@MarkWells Is it relevant for that one antimagic field question?

RevenantBacon

Huh

Thomas Markov

@KorvinStarmast This seems pretty straightforward.

RevenantBacon

coulda sworn it was the other way around

KorvinStarmast

21:15

Yeah, we had a big furball over this regarding darkness and daylight ...

back in like 2015 or 2016 so a bunch of us looked at that

Medix2

Ah this mess: rpg.stackexchange.com/q/169390

Mark Wells

@Medix2 I don't know. It was relevant for a question about magic items that cast spells at higher than base level, especially the Ring of Spell Storing.

Thomas Markov

@Medix2 That spell is a word salad.

Medix2

@ThomasMarkov Never to be confused with a word Slaad

Mark Wells

@ThomasMarkov Many of them are, and that's why I discourage overly literal readings of spell effects.

RevenantBacon

21:18

@Medix2 Oh, that's the thing I was thinking of. Yep, brain just associated that bit with all spells in general

Mark Wells

One of my favorite spell descriptions, from Scrap Princess, was "Telekinesis: works like a magic leaf blower."

AncientSwordRage

@Medix2 Mmmm chaos toads

@ThomasMarkov I would really love a 5.5e, but I don't think I want the current D&D devs to make it

RevenantBacon

@AncientSwordRage What would you want adjusted in this potential new edition?

Thomas Markov

@AncientSwordRage I would love to collaborate with some of the people here to rewrite a lot of the spell descriptions.

Mark Wells

@ThomasMarkov /rubs hands together

Thomas Markov

21:23

@MarkWells counterspell

1d20

Dice Service

1

Thomas Markov

RIP

Mark Wells

@ThomasMarkov nice try, I'm not within 60 feet

AncientSwordRage

@RevenantBacon Re-wording spells and targetting

RevenantBacon

A focus on consistent wording would be a primary goal of mine. If the intent is for someone becomes unseen and gains advantage on their attacks, for example, then defined game terms, like Invisible or Heavily Obscured should be used, rather than, say, vanish

AncientSwordRage

21:25

Making fixes to classes officially official

RevenantBacon

Fixed Ranger pls

Thomas Markov

Fix everything in the Wildemount book until @NautArch was fine with it.

Mark Wells

@RevenantBacon I think the consensus is that this is impossible because nobody knows what a Ranger is supposed to be.

AncientSwordRage

@ThomasMarkov so delete it /s

RevenantBacon

@ThomasMarkov Related (tangentially): Just got in my copy of the 5e version of Ultimate Kingdoms

KorvinStarmast

21:28

@ThomasMarkov plus eleventy three

@MarkWells the guy in the forest who looks for Smokey the Bear ...

Mark Wells

@ThomasMarkov but seriously, I'd be interested in doing that if we could get our creative goals aligned in some way

KorvinStarmast

@RevenantBacon FWIW, Gloom Stalker looks like about as much "fix" as Ranger is gonna get.

RevenantBacon

@KorvinStarmast :( Guess I'll just be a Fighter then

KorvinStarmast

I love fighter. Battle master has so many choices ...

And, I don't have to manage spells prepared and spell slots. (too much like work, really)

AncientSwordRage

'Meat clarinet' was not a sentence I was expecting to hear tonight

KorvinStarmast

21:31

@AncientSwordRage there are some off color jokes related to that, I suspect

AncientSwordRage

@KorvinStarmast It was on a Crash course Linguistics video

KorvinStarmast

@AncientSwordRage If I ever use that term in a sentence, I am sure I'll make a faux pas somehow

AncientSwordRage

@KorvinStarmast thankfully it's not a technical term

KorvinStarmast

@AncientSwordRage Speaking of which, years ago in my squadron, there was this green book called the "Fox Pass Log" which was a tome of mild hilarity. Whenever someone said something awkwardly memorable, or committed a faux pas (fox pass) someone would inevitably write it down at a later time.

AncientSwordRage

hah

that's fun

KorvinStarmast

21:35

And each year at the squadron Christmas Dinner, the Commanding Officer's wife was invited to read out loud her three favorite entries! 🤣

RevenantBacon

Oh dear

AncientSwordRage

I write down funny things my wife says, to reminder her she can make me laugh

KorvinStarmast

@RevenantBacon Better she choose the three than any of us crazies; at least she'd not choose some of the most disgusting ... usually ... and of course cocktails and wine were usually involved

Hot RPG Questions

22:05

5

Q: When can an Artificer use 'Infuse Item'?

While exploring Waterdeep: The Dungeon of the Mad Mage, the party has encountered a few monsters that are resistant to non-magical weapons. The Artificer wants to Infuse the Barbarian's great sword to make them more effective at tanking. It is about two hours since the party finished a long rest,...

dnd-5e class-feature artificer artificer-infusions

KorvinStarmast

@Someone_Evil exhibit G on how to drive away new users because "policy" is just so important.

Hot RPG Questions

22:30

3

Q: Does Pathfinder 1e have general priority guidelines for errata?

There are a few rules discrepancies I am trying to work out as a GM and wished to refer to paizo's philosophy before making some rulings. I know that DnD 3.5 had such an outline but was wondering if such was out there for pathfinder 1e. Links would be appreciated.

pathfinder-1e errata

Hot RPG Questions

23:19

3

Q: What's the difference between unarmored and adventurer's clothing?

From the armor table, the only difference I can see between being unarmored and wearing adventurer's clothing is that the latter imposes a dex cap (+5) while the former does not. Yes, the latter also has the Comfort armor trait, but given that describes armor being sufficiently comfortable that y...

armor pathfinder-2e

Bardic Wizard

Good afternoon, fellow sophonts!

trogdor

23:37

XD

good morning from the middle of the ocean

Bardic Wizard

23:54

How are people this (I hesitate to say “fine”) day?

I’m a bit of a mess of dysphoria and emotions and “high school is out to kill me” stuff

trogdor

I'm doing pretty fine actually

I'm a lot less stressed out than I was for, I want to say the last 3 days

I almost hate to say it seeing as you are apparently having a hard time right now :(

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