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12:26 AM
ALLEGEDLY 2ND BEST CHESS PLAYER IN THE UNIVERSE by John Erwin is a free background for Troika! RPG. You thought you were the best, but there is always someone better. And you can't take that.
 
7
Q: Using Arcane Eye Under Water

TorggI have a player who wants to know if they could use Arcane Eye above and below water (or any other liquids). I initially said yes, however, after reading the spell it says, “A solid barrier blocks the eye’s Movement” and I began second guessing my decision. In the context of this question ...

 
1:15 AM
We've used several systems for the PCs of non-attending players.
 
Most recently, we just had episodic games like a monster-of-the-week TV show with an ensemble cast: every week was a single-session story with a rotating list of characters.
 
One group has them "puffing on the NPC pipe" - basically there, but ignored for most purposes.
I had this implement as "Dragon Sickness". The PC falls ill, and cannot contribute.
Next Session, the Player turns up, and ta-da! All healed/puts pipe away!
Our local oD&D group makes each Session start and end at the local Town. With little beyond meta-reasons, about half-hour (real time) before the end of the Session, the GM declares: "Best be headed home to Heal/Split Loot/etc"
Next Session, the Party (of who-ever turns up) goes back to The Dungeon"
 
I've learned never to have players take over an absent player's PC. I'd rather not give the message that their attendance doesn't matter.
 
@MikeQ We sometimes Play-By-Committee. Everyone chips-in for how the PC would act. Usually the GM has final say. We tend to only do this amongst our Close-Friends group.
In the same way that we don't dock XP for non-attendance: Turning up and Playing is the Reward! Missing a Session, so your PC doesn't interact seems a punishment (especially if the Session has important-to-that-PC events)
But we tend to play 50-100 Session Campaigns with a small group of regular players
 
@MikeQ I've had success with a modified form of this in Fate, specifically: the PC's character aspects are put on the table and anyone can spend their own fate points to invoke them.
 
1:24 AM
"But PC3 was carrying the McGuffin/Healing Wand/Key"
"Sorry - no player = no PC! No wand, no mcguffin, no key!"
 
@BESW That's a bit closer to playing them as a helpful NPC. Which also has some risks, but is preferable to making rolls and decisions for them.
It would definitely work in some cases. Although if their character's abilities (even as an NPC) could trivialize things, I'd create some reason for that character to be unavailable.
 
Our last Campaign was GutterPunk Urban Nightmare. Very rare to end a Session mid-action, so if someone didn't show next time, we could usually find an excuse why their PC was "off doing something else" (visiting family, keeping up Contacts, Running Errands for The Boss, etc) that would take exactly the amount of time until the Player could attend!
Or if too many players couldn't attend (2 out of 4), we call off the Session, and play Small World, or Cthulu 500
Plots would get meta-delayed ("Our 3-day deadline with GangBoss McNasty is up, but Player 3 isn't here! They are central to it!" ... "Ummm ... McNasty decides to give you extra time, as he is busy with some other matter. ")
("3 day deadline? You must have mis-heard! It was 5-day deadline!")
 
1:50 AM
2
Q: Is this change to how XP works in D&D 3.5 unbalanced?

fectinI have been concerned for a while about how to treat experience totals in D&D 3.5 when a character gains or loses Level Adjustments (LA). Gaining/losing LA in play is too punitive and is inconsistent with the rules for starting with LA. Under a strict reading, the rules work like this: A starti...

 
 
2 hours later…
3:47 AM
About to stream our D&D 5e actual-play podcast in about 15 minutes: https://www.twitch.tv/bigdredwun

In a universe adjacent to our own lies a world known as Runia. This world, once peaceful and idyllic, is now threatened by a monstrous being from its prehistory. A group of adventurers known as Whiskey Company have risen up to do what they can to fight this entity known only as Nagat. They have trekked far across the mortal realms in search of the shards of Barrinoth, the Titan of Justice, in hopes of returning him to his full power.
 
Mic Drop by Berdandy Studios is a tabletop rpg where the players follow a dumpster fire of a band on a train wreck of an album tour.
Dana Fried has a long twitter thread on the thesis "Unsafe game mechanics are inherently ineffective."
> The only thing worse than being in a cult is not having a cult want you.
- Ursula Vernon on "Productivity Alchemy" episde 13.
 
user15026
4:09 AM
@BESW I feel like this could be fun.
 
The description alone is quite amusing
 
 
3 hours later…
6:47 AM
In tonight's session, we encountered Death in hell, and he asked us to make him a taco.
 
Ben
@V2Blast Soft or hard shell?
 
@V2Blast DID HE TALK LIKE THIS?
 
Ben
I ASSUME HE WOULD TALK MORE LIKE THIS
 
Fixed, thanks
 
Ben
7:05 AM
I am trying to think of weird 40K Warp occurrences. Both unnoticeable ones that have hugely obvious aftereffects (though ultimately harmless) as well as deciding how/if warp signatures might "cling" to a person.
I realise that sentence is a little redundant "weird" and "warp" are one and the same :P
 
7:38 AM
@MikeQ lol, he did not
@Ben He left it to us to determine the recipe
 
Ben
So you haven't decided yet?
 
8:22 AM
Morning everyone
 
8:35 AM
Hiya
 
9:05 AM
Hi folks
 
Cryptscape by Martin Dubuque for the Spirit's Eve Jam is a paranormal/horror RPG where Players will play as paranormal investigators, wandering through the shadows and encountering the things that live within. Currently in alpha release.
 
9:39 AM
Everybody (Turns into Monsters and Now Have to Hit the Streets to Figure Out How to Turn Back into Normal Boys) by Aaron Lim is a Halloween game where you play members of a boy band who get stuck in a haunted mansion and turn into spoooky characters, much like in the Backstreet Boys' classic music video for their 1997 hit song Everybody (Backstreet's Back).
 
9:50 AM
I had a question
Has the idea of having several chats dedicated to a particular system been discussed for RPG.SE before?
I'm hanging on SO lately, and while they have a general chat room, having dedicated sub chat help sorting stuff neatly
(Though, with the average number of people here, maybe they'd be empty most of the time)
 
We had a specific room for Fate, still do even, it's just frozen for inactivity usually.
 
10:18 AM
And can always be unfrozen upon request :)
 
I'm more of a Pathfinder guy (shockingly so), and like to discuss about ides and such, but it would be probably a bit overbearing here
Plus, the sub chats give the occasion to discover new things by going directly to those who know about it
It was just a passing idea
 
10:32 AM
Ugh one of the players wants me to pause our strahd campaign and prepare a one-shot in another system so his girlfriend can try ttrpg
I don't think I'm gonna do it
I already barely have time to prep for our dnd games, I don't want the pressure
 
Yeah, I think it's always fair to ask but you have a very solid case for refusing. maybe he could do it himself, though?
You could also play something that requires little or no prep, but it might not be an accurate representation of what you're doing in your game
 
Yeah I let that avenue open, I told him if anyone wants to GM, I'd be happy to play and lend all of my GM stuff
 
Good ^^
I hope he took it well.
 
@kviiri I could but I'm not comfortable GMing with low/no prep
 
@Nyakouai I'd be happy to make a dedicated Pathfinder chat, but I suggest that you first try just talking about it here. If anybody (including you) feels like it actually IS pushing aside other discussions, then we'll make a side chat for it. But so long as nobody's feeling pushed away by the mainchat discussion of a particular game, keeping it all here gets more engagement and interest.
 
10:36 AM
it's more of a personal dislike
 
Have you tried systems other than DnD for that?
I mean, different people have different stumbling blocks for sure, and one of my stumbling blocks at least is the fact that I can sink an enormous amount of time in encounter and dungeon design but improv neither of those if my life depended on it.
 
A couple, but none of my players liked it
Our 2 go-to systems are dnd 5e and Naheulbeuk
 
(If I were King of Chat there'd be a dedicated D&D side room, but the only time that's ever happened was when the D&D Next playtests produced some really unpleasant dialog.)
 
@kviiri My main problem is npcs, I have a lot of trouble coming up with npcs with credible goals and motivations
my dungeon improv is kinda okay, but I'd rather prep it too
 
@PierreCathé Lord Scurlock, maybe?
 
10:40 AM
@BESW I can imagine, but I'm not sure if i want to.
 
And systems where the players give a lot of input in those aspect fail with this gorup
@BESW Thanks I'll read that
 
@PierreCathé Or a game without any notable NPCs, like Space Goblins (which is also semi-GMless and rotates GM responsibilities when they occur, with random tables for prompts) or Great Ork Gods or A Penny For My Thoughts (entirely GMless and only has NPCs when/if each player wants to add them to their own scene)?
 
@BESW I'll look those up too, but my experience with this group is that gm-less games quickly devolve into unfocused nonsense
 
Aeon Wave may be a good option? It's a pre-made adventure with a lot of material for the group to go off-book without the GM being left hanging. Has thorough pre-made NPCs around the core story and good prompts for periphery NPCs you might run into.
 
@BESW Looks fun, that might be what I need. I'll look at it and maybe reconsider what I told my friend
Looks like I'll need to get the fate core rules too ?
 
10:54 AM
Yup, it's free. Let me get you some links.
You may also find Up To Four Players' Fate Core explanatory comic useful.
 
Thanks you're the best
 
You're welcome! Let me know how it goes, please.
And if you've got questions, there's several people around here with Fate experience.
 
11:17 AM
@PierreCathé If you do Aeon Wave at a hugspace table, I highly recommend not printing out the handouts, but putting them on a single handheld device for the players to gather around and read together.
(There's handout sheets that you show the players at certain triggers during gameplay, and it's flavored as stumbling across corrupted files while interfacing with a security system.)
....although, if I had access to a receipt printer I'd totally use that instead.
 
11:41 AM
Tonight's dinner is tuna marinated in lemon juice and soy sauce, diced and sautéed in olive oil with garlic, ginger, cayenne, and black pepper; served with onions, wing beans, and long beans sautéed in sesame oil with Worcestershire and tossed with blanched kale and amaranth; on a bed of soft brown rice.
 
11:54 AM
@BESW Noted
 
I'm not a massive fan of traditional cyberpunk but I haven't had a chance to read any of my recent radical acquisitions yet.
 
12:31 PM
@BESW You're gonna get me hungry again
 
4
Q: Does Assassinate come into play whenever the Rogue catches the target off guard?

K.L.R.The Assassinate ability under the Assassin subclass of Rogue states: Starting at 3rd level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit you score agai...

 
user15026
12:49 PM
@BESW I just woke up but now I want that
 
lol
XD
 
[grin]
 
user15026
If I can use tinned tuna I have everything but the wing beans and amaranth...
 
Not quite sure canned tuna marinates as good as uncanned-tuna
 
2
Q: 5e Path of Totem Barbarian, are Physical Totems considered magical items/accessories?

AFlyingKiteSo, I've had my fair share of arguments while playing sessions with my friends about rules & limitations in game. One for certain that caught my eye is the physical Totem you acquire as a Path of the Totem Warrior Barbarian. In the PHB it states you must make/acquire your totem object, whether i...

 
12:55 PM
Tonight's dinner is tartiflette
Not as refined as that tuna meal (which sounds amazing) but it warms you up well
 
@Ash If it's albacore, I could make it work.
But yeah, it doesn't need to be marinated or cooked, I'd just give it a quick toss in some hot oil and spices.
 
user15026
@BESW it is yes
 
1:20 PM
@Ben Hell? Clearly hard tacos.
@Nyakouai I don't think it would be. While I mostly just play 5e, I listen in on and don't mind other system discussions. Sometimes they even give me ideas :P
@BESW how long do you marinate for?
 
Depends on the thickness of the cut? But really it's just I put the fish in the marinade before starting my dad's evening routine, and I take it out when I'm gonna be able to cook uninterrupted.
So usually an hour or two.
 
Best amount of time: the one you have :D
 
@BESW may have to try that out
 
I've also done it without any marinating, just adding soy and lemon in the pan, and that works fine but it's a lot easier to dice the tuna if it's been marinated.
 
We've usually just done the full steak, I like the idea of dicing it (and a little frustrated I never thought of that before...)
 
1:31 PM
I'm big on treating meat as a small part of a larger dish.
 
seems entirely fair
 
We also don't make our kids eat what we make (for better or for worse...who knows), and my son is a really picky eater.
 
So, this is the first time I've done a 500 bounty and no one leaves a new answer. Does Liesmith's answer actually cover everything and I just am not following perfectly? I'd be glad to give him the bounty if I just missed something.
 
@NautArch It's amusing to see how parenting methods are quickly changing over a (relatively) small period of time
 
@DavidCoffron I heavily relies on JC tweets and I'm not sure it's necessary. But the theory behind their answer makes sense to me.
The question is tough because it asks the general, but then includes a specific multiclass that makes a real difference in the answer.
@Nyakouai They have to. Kids change quickly and you have to adjust. What worked today won't necessarily work tomorrow and vice versa.
Parenting is a crash course in improvisation.
 
1:35 PM
@BESW I'm a big fan of this strategy too. And not just because I'm married to a vegetarian.
 
Meh. Kind of disagree on that. It's not that I'm against innovation, but some methods hold relevance, imo, and have been thoroughly tested
Regarding food habits, I know most of where whas I was taught come from, and the context certainly has changed, but still thinks it's a good way to view things
(Unless you're speaking on the same kids over the course of their childhood, then I have very little ... macro-view? on the process)
I was more speaking about, how our parents raised us, how their parents raised them, and how parents raise their children now
 
@Nyakouai Do you have kids?
 
No
Only little cousins, ranging from toddler to 11 now
I'm getting the "ultra soft" experience :P
 
Some methods definitely have relevance, but the "method" that works best is purely about being consistent.
But the method you're being consistent with often does change. Every kid is different and reacts better to somethings than to others. THe key is in figuring that out and adjusting when it's not working. Doubling down usually isn't going to be successful.
 
Certainly ^^ I was more thinking on the emphasis we put now on respecting a child choices and opinion, compared to 20,30,50 years ago
 
1:40 PM
oh, and while I'm thinking about it...
Happy Halloween.
 
@Nyakouai aw, yes. Children are meant to be seen and not heard, amirite?
 
Couldn't afford to be a picky eater when I was a kid (though I'm not judging how you decide to do with your child, just saying it's different)
 
happy spoop day
 
everyone whip your spoopers out
 
@NautArch It wasn't that bad when I was a kid ^^ But yes, as a semi-asian family, we were allowed to voice our opinions, but not to contest decisions
Again, I was more speaking about how fast it changed, rather than the merits and problems of each "era"
 
1:46 PM
@NautArch So what part do you think covers Flexible Casting making warlock spell slots; I know it says that they are different kinds of slots than Spellcasting spell slots, but it is unclear to me where it clarifies Flexible Casting is restricted to Spellcasting-type spell slots
 
user15026
@BESW I want to get better at this.
 
@DavidCoffron I...don't think it does. You can't use sorcery points to make pact magic slots.
isn't that what the answer is saying?
 
@NautArch That's my question, why not? It doesn't explain well
 
@DavidCoffron They cite that pact magic multiclassing inherently works differently because it's not a shared slot resource anymore. You can use pact magic slots to cast spells, but they are separate.
 
@NautArch But that doesn't logically follow, just because they are separate doesn't mean you can't use Flexible Casting to make Pact Magic slots
 
1:54 PM
hey
 
@DavidCoffron I think what the answer is saying is that in multiclassing, you generally have a pool of slots. In those cases, you can use sorcery points to create more slots. But warlocks don't share, they are separate. While you can use slots as you'd like, they still remain separated - and that separation means you can't use flexible casting to create more.
@Gwideon howdy howdy
 
how is everyone
 
@NautArch if that's all the answer is saying, then it definitely doesn't fully explore the logical chain. Flexible Casting doesn't say its restricted to Spellcasting-type spell slots.
 
@DavidCoffron On the flipside, you can use metamagic on those warlock spells. So...
@DavidCoffron Does any mechanic directly address optional multiclassing?
 
@NautArch No, which is why the default assumption is that it should work. The multiclassing rules clarify when it doesn't
 
1:58 PM
@Gwideon [wave] Uploading last-minute changes to a client's files before going to bed.
 
@DavidCoffron Ah. I don't agree that the default is "It should work"
5e's looseness is default is Ask your DM.
 
@NautArch why not? could you explain that train of thought, cuz something is not connecting between me and 20-upvoters
Flexible Casting says you can create a spell slot
 
@DavidCoffron Can you explain why it should default to Yes?
 
Why can't that spell slot be a warlock spell slot?
 
Because the assumption with flexible casting is that it's a pure sorcerer.
 
2:00 PM
@NautArch I mean maybe.
There's no real way to know designer intent
 
@DavidCoffron Right, which is why it often comes down to doing what's reasonable for the table.
The rules aren't always clear
 
@NautArch Doesn't that mean the default is "follow the rules to the letter" (i.e. you can make warlock spell slots), but "check with your GM just in case" (since the rules don't cover the edge cases well)
if you were playing a game with no GM and no consensus, you would have nothing but the letter of the rules to work with
 
@DavidCoffron That's one possible option. But 5e doesn't cover every case.
You can't follow the rules to the letter if the rules don't seem to consider something.
 
@NautArch I mean... yes you can, that's how the justice system works for example
 
@DavidCoffron And the law has judges that often make determinations based on their beliefs of existing law and comparison against similar cases that may set a precedent...like a GM.
 
2:03 PM
@NautArch right, but the theory of the law (before it is in front of a judge) is still based on the letter
 
@DavidCoffron Things aren't that delineated. Not even the law.
If it was, we'd be living with Judge Dredds.
 
@NautArch Which is why interpretations exist, but I acn't see an interpretation where Flexible Casting is restricted for no reason
 
@DavidCoffron A reason was provided, you just don't agree with it.
 
That was the logical train I was wondering if I missed in the answer
 
Which is also totally valid.
 
2:05 PM
@NautArch It has nothing to do with agreement; I'm trying to figure out what the reason is
 
@DavidCoffron THe reason is that there appears to be more of a firewall between pact magic and regular casting.
 
@NautArch The answer says Feature A can create B, B is different than C, therefore Feature A can't create C. That is not logically sound
 
@DavidCoffron Well, maybe you should submit a new answer then? Because right now, your bounty is going to go to them :)
And they've gotten a fairly good response on their answer as well.
 
@NautArch I mean; I guess I can, but I wanted to make sure that I didn't miss anything in their answer.
(which is why I came here in the first place)
I also know that my strict reading of the rules will not be well received, because people like their head canons
 
@DavidCoffron yeah, I don't think that there is anything really missing - it's more that you don't agree with their logic.
 
2:08 PM
@NautArch What logic?
There is no logical chain
What connects their evidence to their conclusion?
 
@DavidCoffron I wouldn't say it's head-canon that's leading the charge. But often folks here don't react well to the strict readings.
@DavidCoffron You said it above. B and C are different. So A making B does not mean A can make C.
 
If it read:

Feature A can create B
Features that interact with B can never interact with C
Feature B can't create C

then that would be sound, but we know that warlock spells can be used for Divine Smite (for example)
@NautArch I agree. If the feature said: "you can make a sorcerer spell slot", then it couldn't make a warlock spell slot (which is what your above chain translates too), but Flexible Casting doesn't specify the type of spell slot
 
@DavidCoffron Except that it explicitly says you can cast any spell with a pact magic spell, so that's not a great argument. I think your better argument revolves around being able to use metamagic, but even that isn't quite the same.
 
@NautArch Just the fact that warlock spell slots are usable in features that can also use other spell slots makes premise two of my example chain false
 
@DavidCoffron I didn't upvote (or downvote) the answer because I think it is a little loose. I think it could go either way, but it also seems that because of the short rest refresh of pact magic, being able to create more pact magic spell slots with this seems like it's bit OP. It may not be, but that's a big consideration for me as to how i'd rule on it.
 
2:13 PM
@NautArch Well that's not an argument about the rules, but about balance.
 
And I'm never a fan of "it doesn't say I can't, so I can" logic.
I prefer to look at the big picture if something isn't explicit and figure out what makes sense.
 
@NautArch Neither am I, that's not what my argument boils down to
 
I'd like to see an opposing answer, I guess. But my gut is that it isn't clear and I do understand the current answer and personally agree with it.
But that's different then saying it's right :)
 
The default chain in my eyes is:

Feature A can create B (spell slots)
C (spellcasting slots) and D (pact magic slots) are both subsets of B
Feature A can create C or D
 
Can you support that C and D are subsets of B within the multiclassing rules?
 
2:17 PM
@NautArch that they are both spell slots?
 
Because I think the current answer is saying that C and D are separate because of the multiclassing rules.
 
@NautArch they are separate in themself, but they still belong to the category "spell slots"
 
@DavidCoffron If that was true, then why does multiclassing separate them?
 
@NautArch If something references a spellcasting-class spell slot, it is separate from a warlock spell slot
but Flexible Casting makes no reference to a "sorcerer spell slot"
Unlike a feature like Primieval Awareness which specifies:
> Beginning at 3rd level, you can use your action and expend one ranger spell slot to focus your awareness on the region around you.
 
@DavidCoffron Not sure I fully agree with that. But the ranger one is a good example.
 
2:21 PM
@NautArch Right, you can't use a warlock spell slot for primeval awareness, just like you can't use a ranger spell slot for Eldritch Smite
They are separate in that way
but when a feature like Divine Smite, Metamagic, or Flexible Casting says just "spell slot" it is non-specific
 
I hear you, but I still think it's loose enough that there isn't One Clear answer.
 
Eh. I think I'll leave an answer. I wasn't confident about my position when I left the bounty, but now I am
 
I disagree with the current answer because of that.
I wouldn't upvote either answer because of that.
 
I'll make sure I mention something about the ambiguity too (and why I think a judgment can be made despite it)
 
yo uhh
 
2:24 PM
Well, you can either lead with "it's ambiguous, but this is how I'd look at it" or you can lead with "THIS is it" and maybe end with the ambivalence. I'd prefer the former, but it's your answer and your bounty :)
@lordjarf howdy howdy!
 
anybody on? I kinda wanna get some opinions on a (heavily modified) version of Tremorsense for use as a racial trait
 
@lordjarf nobody here but us chickens!
 
@lordjarf You can see who's in a chat room in the right panel
 
@NautArch I'm going to lead with an explanation of how the classes were probably not written with multiclassing in mind, and then discuss what the rules technically mean, and end with a discussion on balance implications (as well as how to hedge against them as a GM a la my coffee lock answer)
 
I like kinda hastily wrote it up, but I think it works well. If anyone wants me to put up the description here lemme know
 
2:27 PM
@lordjarf Is this in reference to this question:
2
Q: How to make an ability to sense vibrations in the ground?

lordjarfAm pretty far along on baby's first homebrew race, but I've run into a hiccup: These are grub-people with an uncanny knack for feeling vibrations of the earth, even if they are above ground. (a la blindsense) If I wanted to make this a viable racial trait/ability, how would I make it functional? ...

 
@lordjarf More than happy to hear about it!
 
yee
 
@lordjarf Definitely need to know more about the race.
What other mechanics does it provide?
 
Like what do you mean?
 
Like what are the stat increases it provides, what other mechanics besides the modified tremor sense does it provide?
 
2:28 PM
@lordjarf To know if it is balanced as a racial feature, we need to know what else that race offers.
 
racial spells, speed, size, abilities, etc.
 
Also, your variant on Tremorsense kind of reminds me of Divine Sense:
 
Oh uh i'm still kinda workin' on it, lemme check the other info
 
> The presence of strong evil registers on your senses like a noxious odor, and powerful good rings like heavenly music in your ears. As an action, you can open your awareness to detect such forces. Until the end of your next turn, you know the location of any celestial, fiend, or undead within 60 feet of you that is not behind total cover.
(although without the creature-type specific language)
 
@lordjarf yeah, for us to consider if this is 'balanced', we need the full picture to compare against other races. Did you start with making this based off an existing race?
 
2:30 PM
No, couldn't really find an existing race that did what I needed.
 
@lordjarf Less about "does what you need" and more about using it as a template in creating so that you don't go too far afield.
Can we step back a bit, though? What's your 'vision' of this race. Why do they have this and what do you want it to do?
also note that while I may ask a lot of questions, I haven't done a lot of homebrew myself :) But I've got a lot of opinions!
 
@NautArch (despite that, as someone who has done a lot of homebrew, I will say that NautArch's intuition (among many others in this community) has often paid off in the playtesting I've done of my own and other people's homebrew)
 
They are medium-sized, underground-dwelling bug people. Their language is a silent one (like how ants wiggle their antennae together) used to convey info b/w Grubfolk. They have four arms and are generally part of a psuedo hivemind that operates best when they are communicating. I want them to fill a sort of 'generally a bit weak but useful for getting information)
 
@DavidCoffron that's nice to know! At some point, I'll definitely try some homebrewing out :)
 
sorry that was kinda broad, but yknow
 
2:36 PM
Merry all hallows eve day
 
@lordjarf Can they not communicate verbally at all?
 
@MikeQ yeehaw halloween
 
@MikeQ Not here :( Town postponed trick or treat to Saturday due to weather :(
 
And uh they speak some Common, but are not very good at it. They speak in super quick, snappy Common with super short sentence lengths
 
Are we talking about bugs? We can do that now?
 
2:37 PM
There is gonna be a subrace that is larger and speaks in super good, eloquent common but I'm still workin'
 
@lordjarf Mechanically though, they are fluent and can be spoken to and respond? And I guess if they learn other languages, those would apply to? It's just that they have their 'own' language for inter-race communication?
 
Yes and yes. They are good at speaking and understanding, but don't really like speaking verbal languages (they are more accustomed to speaking without words and they have small lungs) so they choose to make it quick.
 
@lordjarf What's their speed?
 
@NautArch Likewise actually
 
Ability score modifiers?
@lordjarf Any other abilities granted besides the tremorsense and this limited racial-only communication?
 
2:41 PM
@lordjarf How do you plan on handling four arms? The loxodon trunk from Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica (which is like a third arm) is explicitly limited in a wide number of ways
 
^^
 
I'm thinking about 30ft for their speed, and 15 for their swim speed (kinda iffy on that, never done homebrew). they have +2 to DEX and -1 to INT (unless in a group, then there is no modifier). The lower arms are a bit weaker and smaller than the upper set, so they rarely use them unless they need better leverage or something. (it's v situational, they can't truly wield a weapon with the lower set.) There are no other abilities that come w/ the race.
i had nothing to gauge their swimspeed against lol, so that might be off. They're slower in the water.
 
And this is for player characters? Is there some setting-specific reason that players would want this option?
 
@lordjarf Offering swim speed is tough, because most races don't have that, But a 15 swim speed is effectively the 1/2 movement, except that they are free to use any weapon where not having one limits that.
 
ah thanks haha
 
2:46 PM
I'd also very heavily recommend against negative modifiers as balancing, and definitely against modifiers that change based on who is around.
 
ahhh mk
 
Yeah, conditional ability scores can get rather fiddly
 
You don't want players to have to reconfigure their sheets on the fly. Hard enough when spells do that, but at least it's clear in those cases.
 
Aight, i'll change that ^^
 
@lordjarf If the other limbs have no purpose, you need to explicitly state that. Or it comes into play with things like having a swim or climb speed.
 
2:49 PM
Huh. the specifics are pretty fuzzy rn, but I really appreciate the advice. I have an at least functional knowledge of dnd, but I've never homebrewed before...
 
@lordjarf For context, the wording of the loxodon trait is:
> You can use it to do the following simple tasks: lift, drop, hold, push, or pull an object or a creature; open or close a door or a container; grapple someone; or make an unarmed strike. Your DM might allow other simple tasks to be added to that list of options.

Your trunk can’t wield weapons or shields or do anything that requires manual precision, such as using tools or magic items or performing the somatic components of a spell.
Just some food for thought on what sorts of language you might use to spell out the restrictions of the weaker hands
 
@lordjarf When it comes to designing one's own mechanics, it helps to have experience with the inner workings of the system
 
@DavidCoffron @lordjarf And it may also be helpful to base your build off the Loxodon itself since that's a similar base-trait.
 
Ah. I figure their lower arms would be more used for stuff that requires more precision, like making things and disarming traps. it's more a flavor thing than anything truly important
 
@lordjarf Have you researched any existing homebrew races that are insect-like or otherwise similar to what you have in mind?
 
2:53 PM
@lordjarf Those things could be represented by gaining advantage in those tasks, but you will need to balance it with other things (less ability score improvements, etc.)
 
yeah
@MikeQ I have not, I probably should lol
 
@lordjarf That could be a good start, to get a rough sense of what's been tried. Be skeptical of it though. Lots of unbalanced and sloppy homebrew gets posted online.
 
@lordjarf @MikeQ Definitely one way to do it to help give ideas, but also remember there is a lot of unbalanced homebrew out there :)
jinx! @MikeQ
 
wowza
 
hey sorry
 
3:02 PM
And a hey sorry to you too. Happy all hallows eve day!
 
MWAHAHAHAHA
 
@lordjarf Once you have a finished race (ideally one that's gone through an iterative and playtest process), you can also ask about the balance of a specific race on main site, but you may want to check in here first as we have a lot of guidance on how to ask a good homebrew review question. (@NautArch might have some helpful links that I can't find right now for some reason)
 
sorry I had to. I really love halloween. It's a holiday where I can cosply
 
I am somewhat averse to Halloween for reasons of culture, but I do appreciate the fact it's one of those holidays where you can be creative with the execution.
 
@NautArch I am frequently a fan of that. ;)
 
3:10 PM
@kviiri You really shouldn't be executing people on halloween or other days.
@KorvinStarmast hehehe :)
 
@DavidCoffron Good choice for an opener. I had to shake my head a bit at the answer ... glad you and Naut were able to put a finger on what was bugging me.
 
@NautArch Aw.
 
@KorvinStarmast I'm still very much (at this point) in the camp of "there isn't a clear answer, talk about it at your table"
 
Anyway, Halloween was, to me, very much of a thing that existed only in the Peanuts comics and cartoons, and Simpsons Halloween episodes, until something like ten years ago when shopping chains started ramping up the hype for it to capitalize on the sales of yet another holiday. That bugs me a fair bit.
 
@NautArch In working on the answer, I'm beginning to lean that way too honestly. Some more things came up when searching for supporting evidence
 
3:17 PM
@kviiri at least this one is a fun one. You get to dress up and eat candy. I'm on board with that! Now Valentine's Day...
@DavidCoffron Come to the grey side!
 
@NautArch Yeah. I'd say the same of Christmas, or Easter, were they newly introduced here.
 
@kviiri The holidays that include "You need to buy this card to participate", those are the ones I don't like.
 
@kviiri That's fair, though I've seen a fair bit of extra hype more recently centered around homemade costumes, which is at the very least less commercialized. Unless it's all funded by big-Foam
 
I have a bit of dislike for Christmas too, for a few reasons that usually boil down to presents and preparations being hard and needlessly taxing people who have to carry the burden or appear to be bad people.
 
Not gonna lie, my wife and I haven't actually exchanged gifts at all the last few years. I mean, we tried to get some lego last year but the package was stolen and we never bothered to replace
And I don't think the rest of my immediate family's bothered beyond "getting together" either
 
3:23 PM
@Delioth I'm old enough to remember going to the sewing store to pick out a costume for my mom to make. Do they still even have that?
And i'm not super into gift-giving or receiving. I'd rather do something with my family then buy stuff or get stuff.
But I also married into a gift-focused family, so it's been...interesting.
 
My SO has a tradition of homemade Christmas gifts. Usually a jar of candy, identical to each relative so no one can feel worse or better. Too bad it's really hard and painstaking work to make, and I feel compelled to participate despite hating having anything to do with homemade candy. I got blisters on my fingers the last time we did that.
 
@NautArch Not sure, I think I've been into a sewing store twice maybe? Mom didn't like spending the money we had so dressing up was mostly repurposing clothing we already had or going to the local Goodwill equivalent
 
I am a passable baker, but I am totally hopeless under pressure. "Take this scalding hot caramel mass and start stretching and twisting it CORRECTLY NOW" is something I can't do.
And then it goes wrong, it needs to be re-melted which takes long, and I feel bad.
 
Sounds like a good way to make someone want to just make brittle
 
It's a good way to get me to let her make all the Christmas candy she wants and I'll just buy something small for my own family. I live a frugal life, token Christmas gifts is an expense I can afford but the hours and emotional duress of making candy is something I can't take :)
 
3:28 PM
My parents always argued that Christmas should only be parents giving gifts to children, since for the other way around you got Father/Mother's day
 
@kviiri Yeah, that seems fair. I mean, I get the idea of putting in effort for the ones you love, but doing it because it's expected isn't really the goal (and something about those who love you back shouldn't want you to suffer?O
 
And since my girlfriend gives her own family gifts, we usually make those together so that I don't look bad when they make me gifts
 
@PierreCathé Sounds like a sensible policy
I am lucky in this case, in that I have a small family.
But of course, Christmas challenge doesn't stop at gifts --- there is usually one person (or a small group of persons) who has to bear most of the decoration burden, and don't get me started on the "which of our parents shall we go to this year" debate! (which neither me or my dear SO feel strongly about, but my parents do with a fair amount of zeal)
 
3:48 PM
I love Halloween. Ever since my son stopped Trick or Treating, we have opted out of that whole schmeer. My wife and I treat Halloween as date night. Usually out to dinner, sometimes out to a movie. We went to a costume party about 8 years ago, but we haven't been to one since.
 
3:59 PM
@KorvinStarmast Fittingly, one of my coworkers told me today she started dating her current husband on Halloween, and the night holds special significance for them for this reason. Although she also mentioned this year might be the last time since now they're married and they'll shift the celebrations to their wedding day.
 
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