5E (D&D Next) Q&A

[Jeff]

Let me just add this: That sort of spell synchronicity is precisely the kind of thing you can get out of good teamwork. If the characters—and I do mean characters themselves—talk to each other more about their abilities and spells, I'm cool with seeing more improv in combat. One person casting a spell that makes it easier for an ally's spell to work.

In your specific example, even if the overlapping concentration was allowed, it still wouldn't help. Hex lets you impose disadvantage on your target's chosen ability check, not on saving throws. (Hold Person prompts a Wisdom saving throw.)

There's a Hex-using warlock in my Brooklyn Strategist game and here's how he often uses it: He Hexes an obviously strong or agile foe, and chooses to impose disadvantage on either its Strength or Dexterity ability checks (whichever it's normally better at), then the strong warfored attacks it with a shoving attack because that's a contest of ability checks (Str vs. Str or Dex). If he succeeds, he knocks the creature prone, and until it gets up everyone else gets advantage on their melee attacks against it. All because Hex.

[Ken]

Oh that's right! I knew the correct effect during the Lich-Lord Belarin fight with the nycaloth, but had forgotten. Thanks.

[Ken]

Okay, I'll take the default hit points.

For spells, I'll take Scrying.
For my new invocation, I'll choose Sculptor of Flesh. The fey were amused by Belarin's recent stint as a vulture. ;-)

[Jeff]

Not to dissuade you, especially if it's mostly a character choice, but Streko has Polymorph as a domain spell prepared all the time. Just to consider is all. It's a Trickster thing.

[Darren]

I'm going to wait until I get home to chime in in this. I don't have access to my books out here...

[Ken]

Apr 15, 2016 17:22:47 GMT -4 Jeff said:

Not to dissuade you, especially if it's mostly a character choice, but Streko has Polymorph as a domain spell prepared all the time. Just to consider is all. It's a Trickster thing.

Good point. Thanks. Okay, for invocation, I'll choose Whispers of the Grave. I'll play it up as a possible (and unsettling) aftereffect of the Lich transformation.

Also, on the list of known spells, I'll swap out the 1st-level Faerie Fire with the 5th-level (and very cool) Seeming.

[Joe]

I'll go with the pre-determined roll for HD as well. I'll go through the spell list, but for right now, let's go with Raise Dead. Seems like it would come in handy...heh.

[Dave B.]

It doesn't seem that I need to make any choices for Shorak other than hps, but I won't be able to review the PHB until Sunday. I'll go for the 6 hps for Shorak. Haven't touched the character sheet.

[Brian]

Apr 15, 2016 19:22:01 GMT -4 Darren said:

I'm going to wait until I get home to chime in in this. I don't have access to my books out here...

Grumpisaurus is not happy with your post, Darren.

Looks like you're having fun. Enjoy the rest of your trip.

[Dave W.]

Apr 15, 2016 23:31:01 GMT -4 Joe said:

I'll go with the pre-determined roll for HD as well. I'll go through the spell list, but for right now, let's go with Raise Dead. Seems like it would come in handy...heh.

Here I am hoping it doesn't come in handy...

Yeah, I'm sure Addy will take Revivify too...

[Jeff]

Got it, hit points updated for Streko and Shorak.

To be clear, for paladins and clerics, you guys have access to all spells on that spell level. Revivify, Raise Dead, etc. Each day you choose which to actually to prepare. No need to choose that yet. Not until a rest is had.

[Jeff]

Hit points and hit dice updated for Belarin and Adamant now.

[Jeff]

Apr 15, 2016 19:22:01 GMT -4 Darren said:

I'm going to wait until I get home to chime in in this. I don't have access to my books out here...

Okay, Darren. I'll hold off on updating hit points for Kal until you decide. Think I got everyone else.

[Jeff]

Darren, ready to talk hit points and spells?

[Darren]

Yup, yup. I'll look through the book when I get home tonight.

[Darren]

Okay, looking at the books now....

First, Kal will just take the 4 hit points. The chances of the Rolz site giving me a 5 or a 6 are so low....

(Kal is so puny compared to the rest of the group...please don't let anyone hit him anymore....)

So it looks like Kal will get another Sorcery point, so he should have a total of 10 now (9 plus 1 for his ring).

For his new 5th level spell, he'll take....Animate Objects. Seems like a strange choice, I know, but I love the idea that Kal is so eager to assume command that he eventually causes the very objects around him to respond to his instructions. Cloudkill or Cone of Cold seem like good, high-powered options, but Kal too often finds himself in situations where he can't hit people without hitting his allies, and I don't want yet another spell that I can't use because of that.

Kal will also give up Chromatic Orb (which he never uses anymore) and replace it with Dimension Door (4th level).

ALSO, now that Kal is 9th level, his Dragonmark becomes a Greater mark! He now gains access to Protection from Energy once per day using the Dragonmark.

[Jeff]

Got it all now, Darren. Dimension Door will prove very useful. We'll see how Animate Objects plays out!

[Ken]

I gave serious thought to Dimension Door, so I'm glad Kal chose it.

What about the pendant that Belarin was wearing but which Condign took after Belarin started acting weird (relative, I know)? Does Condign still possess it?

[Brian]

I thought about that yesterday. Just haven't had time to ask.

What about the pendant, Jeff? I seem to remember it wasn't a good thing to wear it outside of Dolurrh.

[Jeff]

ashlock.proboards.com/post/26201/thread

Let's bring this over to the Chapter 13 discussions thread, since this isn't about 5e rules as much.

[Dave B.]

Everything looks good on Shorak's character sheet is, except for the skills he has Expertise in. For some reason all of them are a point less than they should be. I don't understand how the formula is set up and I don't want to touch it. When you have the time, Jeff, could you look at it? I was able to update the attack bonuses, etc.

[Jeff]

Fixed, Dave. Because I'm no spreadsheet wiz, I wasn't sure how to work it into the formula to have the profiencies for those four Expertise things to be doubled, so for each of them I've just manually added the necessary number.

Damn, he's a good lock-picker. +12 is no joke in 5E. That's a master.

[Ken]

FYI: There's a playtest of the 5E artificer, now as a class of its own, as opposed to a subclass of wizard.

dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed-arcana/artificer

[Jeff]

Yup! I only have given it a cursory glance so far. Still a little dubious, but I also think it's way better than that last sorry version.

I will no doubt dabble with it...

[Jeff]

Jan 18, 2017 10:23:27 GMT -4 Brian said:

Condign does his best to search for doors.

Condign:1D20+1 → 18(17 + 1)#Perception Check

When it comes to this stuff, I'd rather you be more descriptive than making a blanket roll to apply to an entire room. I very much like this bit from the Players Handbook:

Finding a Hidden Object

When your character searches for a hidden object such as a secret door or a trap, the DM typically asks you to make a Wisdom (Perception) check. Such a check can be used to find hidden details or other information and clues that you might otherwise overlook.

In most cases, you need to describe where you are looking in order for the DM to determine your chance of success. For example, a key is hidden beneath a set of folded clothes in the top drawer of a bureau. If you tell the DM that you pace around the room, looking at the walls and furniture for clues, you have no chance of finding the key, regardless of your Wisdom (Perception) check result. You would have to specify that you were opening the drawers or searching the bureau in order to have any chance of success.

So without specifying, I'll assume any search, even with an outstanding roll, is akin to that example of just pacing around the room looking at walls without looking up close, touching anything, or interacting with anything. So please keep that in mind. If there was some kind of clue scratched into a wall, then even doing that could yield results. But only if it was already in view, you know?

I'm a bit fan of specificity.

[Jeff]

Guys,

I've recently tweaked the Quickstats tab, just trying to organize and clean it up a little and make it more useful for all. The hit points section up top has some more room for conditions, and the XP now displays a column that tells you how much XP you have remaining until your next level.

I also updated the Actions In Combat section, so it lists all the sorts of things you can do with an action on your turn. Note that the Attack section is broken up into some other things, like shove, grapple, disarm, and and shove aside. Those last two are optional things from the Dungeon Masters Guide I like. Anyway, those are things can do in place of an attack—so if you're a fighter like Melethos, you can do any of those things in place of an attack.

I've also added Overrun and Tumble to the things you can do as an action. Tumble will be something that Shorak can do with his Cunning Action, if he wants. Just so you have more options. I think there are times when these could be helpful—like if Adamant wants to charge through some foes to go help his buddies out, he could use his action to Overrun rather than attack.

Overrun: When a creature tries to move through a hostile creature's space, the mover can try to force its way through by overrunning the hostile creature. As an action or a bonus action, the mover makes a Strength (Athletics) check contested by the hostile reature's Strength (Athletics) check. The creature attempting the overrun has advantage on this check if it is larger than the hostile creature, or disadvantage if it is smaller. If the mover wins the contest, it can move through the hostile creature's space once this turn.

Tumble: A creature can try to tumble through a hostile creature's space, ducking and weaving past the opponent. As an action or a bonus action, the tumbler makes a Dexterity (Acrobatics) check contested by the hostile creature's Dexterity (Acrobatics) check. If the tumbler wins the contest, it can move through the hostile creature's space once this turn.

Something else: back during the Greshnaza battle, Ken and I were discussing movement when using a grid, so I'd like to set down this from the Players Handbook that he pointed this one out. I didn't want to apply it mid-battle, but now that it's past, going forward, I would.

Corners. Diagonal movement can’t cross the corner of a wall, large tree, or other terrain feature that fills its space.

Also, from the Dungeon Master's Guide, I'd like to use this variant rule (which is a bit more realistic. It was the norm in 3rd Edition, and I do prefer it.

Diagonals. When measuring range or moving diagonally on a grid, the first diagonal square counts as 5 feet, but the second diagonal square counts as 10 feet. This pattern of 5 feet and then 10 feet continues whenever you're counting diagonally, even if you move horizontally or vertically between different bits of diagonal movement.
For example, a character might move one square diagonally (5 feet), then three squares straight (15 feet), and then another square diagonally (10 feet) for a total
movement of 30 feet.

That will apply to spells, too. So while Kal could shoot a Lightning Bolt 100 ft. through 20 squares north, south, east, or west on our grid maps, if he shot it diagonally it would be less than 20 squares (but would, on the map, still look more realistic).

[Ken]

Thanks for doing that, Jeff! That's handy.

[Brian]

A leveling question for you all:

Once Melethos hits 10th level, he gains two more Maneuvers. One I am considering is Maneuvering Attack:

Maneuvering Attack. When you hit a creature with a weapon attack, you can expend one superiority die to maneuver one of your comrades into a more advantageous position. You add the superiority die to the attack’s damage roll, and you choose a friendly creature who can see or hear you. That creature can use its reaction to move up to half its speed without provoking opportunity attacks from the target of your attack.

For example, Belarin is being attacked by a troll, he's down to four hit points. He won't survive another hit. Melethos, engaged in his own fight, sees this, hits his enemy, and then calls out for Belarin to high tail it out of there. The point is, it would be Belarin's choice (or Streko's or Shorak's etc) to take advantage of the movement to escape without the opportunity attack. If Belarin choses to move, Melethos can use his movement to advance on the troll, preventing it from following. It that situation, the battle comes to a halt until the PC decides to use the movement or not. This could slow things down, because Melethos would have to wait for a reaction before he proceeds with his round.

I would like comments on what you guys think about the probable usefulness of this maneuver, if you please.

[Dave B.]

That's a good Maneuver. Good for getting people out of danger. You can also use it to give a character an extra half movement on their next turn. For whatever reason, say they're 35 or 40 feet away from being able to make a melee attack. Melethos might notice that and the Maneuvering attack could allow them to get to their target and still be able to attack. I'm sure we'll think of other ways to abuse it.

[Jeff]

I wouldn't call that abusing it.

Although I don't follow what you mean, Dave, by giving them extra movement "on their next turn." That's what it definitely doesn't do. Part of why Brian's bringing this up to you guys is because using it also means slowing down the game a bit. Because every time he uses it, we have to pause, mid-Brian's-turn, and wait and see if the person he's chosen chooses to take their reaction, and exactly what they'd like to do with it. It's happening not on their turn, but on Melethos's, and it uses that character's reaction. This is the sort of stuff that's super easy to do in a tabletop game but tricky here.

But it's absolutely got some great uses, so it might still be worth doing.