Author Topic: Fun Finds: 5e Edition  (Read 144152 times)

Offline Amechra

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Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« on: December 17, 2014, 01:32:34 AM »
Yeah, I know we only have a few books right now... but someone should get started!

Charger and Mobile have really nice synergy. When you Dash, you ignore difficult terrain and get to make an attack as a Bonus Action at the end of it. If you do it right (i.e. move 10' in a straight line before you hit), you get +5 to the damage roll AND you don't provoke from the guy for the rest of your turn. It's Skirmisher-in-a-Can!

Ritual Caster turns any character into a spellcaster. I kinda like that.

Polearm Master and Sentinel are kinda a nasty combo. People provoke when they come within your reach as well as when they try to move more than 5' away from you, your Opportunity Attacks set people's movement to 0, and attacking someone else while standing next to you provokes.
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Offline Shadowhunter

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #1 on: December 17, 2014, 01:22:47 PM »
This isn't my find, but I think it's worth pointing out once more. I saw it in caelic's thread "Bowman the Bard" (http://www.minmaxboards.com/index.php?topic=14434.0 since I've apparently forgotten how to make smooth hyperlinks). When the Bard learns new spells from someones spell list through "Magical Secrets", it has to be the same level or lower than what he can already cast. The thing is, 5th level spells are available to Bards at level 10. They're available for Paladins and Rangers at level 17. So Bards learning two 5th level Paladin/Bard spells can use them 7 levels ahead of their base classes. Which means they get access to things that might be balanced around endgame in the midgame, as evident of Swift Quiver.
I haven't seen any other archer-based class pumping out 4 attacks at level 10, not many character regardless of fighting style actually.

It's a neat feature and makes it well worth checking those 2 spell lists instead of the Wizards'.

Offline sambojin

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #2 on: December 17, 2014, 05:28:47 PM »
Super-skill-monkey dumps are available depending on party make-up or multi-classing.

A rogue 11 with auto-10, expertise in that skill, a bard inspiration die and guidance cast on him gets 10+8+d6+d4 minimum on that skill check. That's without your stat modifier for the thing you're doing. If it's +5, you auto DC25. Only uses up a bard die.

If multi-classing is allowed: Rogue (whatever) 11, Cleric (knowledge) 2, Bard (lore) 3 with Sage as a background can pretty much do anything or learn anything all by himself. DC20 is an auto for anything he has expertise in, DC25 a likely hood. Although, at level 16, it should be.

You're at 1/2 proficiency for everything (Jack of All Trades), full proficiency for lots of things (skillz), double proficiency for quite a few things (rogue/lore bard/sage/knowledge cleric expertise), auto-10+ everything (reliable talent), +d4 or advantage on anything you can spend a turn on (Guidance or Enhance Ability spells) and can learn to do anything else that you actually need training for (Channel Divinity). Plus you know plenty of languages and can track down info about stuff. You can also inspire other people to not be hopeless at stuff (Guidance or Enhance Ability and Bardic inspiration die). If you wanted more random gubbins, go for arcane trickster as rogue subclass. Super skill monkey+, but with a bit of MAD.


ps. Guidance is a horribly open ended cantrip. Use it for EVERYTHING. That is the whole reason the cleric class exists (it's not for healing or anything now). It's so he can ask god to help you tie your own shoelaces in the morning.

edit 2: Outlander, sailor, or soldier might be a better minmax option for the build below. It adds athletics as a proficiency, and something else good. You lose a language, but you gain something good (tracking down info isn't that great). Probably Outlander or Sailor. Either get what you can't do well and eat for free, or switch in/out perception for something but with boats and free travel. Soldier's intimidation is pretty much covered by persuasion and deception.
« Last Edit: December 21, 2014, 06:44:46 PM by sambojin »

Offline sambojin

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #3 on: December 17, 2014, 08:09:35 PM »
Example character. This is a character sheet, not an attempt to bust WotC's copyright or trademarks. It's spoilered because it is long.

Next level it goes up to +3 on every skill, and can tool/artisan train for anything else. The spells are just the possibilities, not those chosen. It has too much gear, it's just an example. DC15 auto everything except athletics (low Strength character), DC20 auto some things, DC25 is doable and given for dex based things. Guidance cantrip on all skills of course :)
Auto-10 is awesome.
Another level of cleric wouldn't be horrible (more lvl 2 gubbins). It's at 6d6 sneak attack from Rogue levels, which is a useable amount.

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« Last Edit: December 17, 2014, 10:17:48 PM by sambojin »

Offline sambojin

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2014, 07:30:06 AM »
Conjure Animals is an awesome spell for lvl 3. Just summon swarms with it. 8x 1/4CR swarms are amazing at character level 5 and can stack damage to pretty silly degrees. Cast it as a level 5 spell for 16 swarms(!), and it scales more from there. 1 action to cast, 1 hour(!) concentration duration, and they follow orders, so you can auto-pilot them. Bards, especially Lore Bards (level 6 cross-class spell? This is the one you pick, every time) can sneak the spell in as a class spell too. Here's some options:

Swarm of Ravens: 2d6 damage, +4 attack, 50' flying, reasonable perception. The best all-rounder for higher damage.

Swarm of Bats: 2d4 damage, +4 attack, blindsight, 30' flying. Nice for anti-invisibility work. Eeeeee! Thump!

Swarm of Rats: 2d6 damage, +2 attack, darkvision, smell. Mmmm, smellovision. And darkvision. Might be worth some research time to try and work out how to conjure terribly poisonous or diseased rats.

Swarm of Insects(Beetles): 2d4, +3 attack, burrowing speed 5'. It's at 1/2CR, so you only get 4 of them, but burrow is handy sometimes. If you know they're coming, set land mines. Or just dig through stuff after giving "reasonable" orders. Beetles are dumb though.

Apes: 2x 1d6+3, +5 attack, 30' climb. 1/2CR, so only four of them per upgrade. Well, apes have hands, so they can carry things. They can also throw things. Like rocks. Or poo. Damn dirty slave ape army.
--------------
4x rocks-to-the-head followed by ape-grappling or punching is nice. They do come with 2d4 rocks in theory (MM thrown ammo amounts for creatures), so you can plink with them if needed. But having hands makes them BEASTS for whatever you need done. They're not dumb, so cast Speak With Animals before you conjure them and speak to them in their own language. Then, they'll do whatever. They have to anyway, but no misunderstandings with certain swear words.

Riding Horse or Warhorse. 8 horsies or 4 war-gee-gees are sometimes very handy to have on-call at a moment's notice.  It's only for an hour, but at least you've got a getaway vehicle whenever you need one, for the entire party. Also handy for pack mules. When you loot a place, you take EVERYTHING!
--------
Remember the Warhorses' abilities. Move 20' then attack with at least 1 of the herd. It can put lighter enemies into prone/trample lock. They're good fighters, and they're Large beasts, so they can carry heaps. Maybe fey warhorses like carrying treasure? I think they do :)


Anyway, the spell is amazing and versatile enough for virtually any situation. Starting at a potential 8x2d6 attacks on anything (ravens) with plenty of resistances and immunities, you're laughing. It scales beautifully, lasts ages, and can get some really cool buffs as well. It also works as battlefield control in the sense that once you've swarmed something, they end up with plenty of AoO against them if they move, but they die if they don't anyway (ravens have 5' reach, but can only attack in their own square). Flying pseudo-damage-wall in a way, but one that can concentrate its damage, move it, or disperse it as needed.

Works with a Conjuration Wizard's lvl 14 bonus (8x45+ HP minions? Nice...) and basically breaks the action economy. There's other creatures to summon, but swarms are probably the best. You can't get the temp HP on swarms, but everything else does. It's like having a backup party of animal slaves, whenever you need them, for any task.

Conjure minor elementals is good for getting around resistances, but this scales quicker when that's not a problem, and has plenty of cool options anyway. Oh, and they'll always release more Monster Manuals, with more under-CR'd swarms and creatures in them, so this spell will keep getting better as 5th Edition matures.

ps. Don't forget Dinosaurs. They're beasts too, and need some love. Because a one action "make dinosaurs" spell is funny. Hopefully there will be more dinos in future MMs. A flock of Pteranodons is cool. Just for giggles really.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2014, 11:28:09 PM by sambojin »

Offline sambojin

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2014, 09:17:53 AM »
Quasits are ridiculously good for a familiar. It's almost worth dipping 3 levels of Warlock (chain) for any class, just for what it gives you. With Voice of the Master invocation, you end up as a better scout than virtually anyone.

An invis, stealth, polymorphable, flying scout.

For a minmax'y example with the above spell, go for say a druid 5 (or lore bard 6), warlock 3. Pact of the Chain (Quasit Familiar), Beast Speech, Voice of the Master and get Conjure Animals as a spell.

Cast Speak with Animals. Cast Conjure Animals (Swarm of Ravens). Polymorph your Quasit into flying mode, and invis him.

You now have a long range bomber force for the next ten minutes, that can fly miles out of range and still hit pretty hard. Command and control can be done by your Quasit, with you seeing through its' eyes and giving orders. After about 9 1/2 minutes, either give them a longer term order, or send them back home. 95 rounds of 40' movement (3800' or a bit over 1km) is pretty damn good for a strike range at level 8.

You probably don't even need Speak with Animals, that was just for pre-flight and situational briefing (they follow your verbal commands normally anyway), which gives you up to 600 rounds of 40' flying (the invis Quasit C&C slows them down from 50' flying), so 24000 feet. A bit over 7.3km, call it 7km, so there's some fighting time leftover on the other end. Then you just fly or teleport your Quasit back home. Cook him a kipper :)

The magic resistance only stacks on you within 10', but if a spell hits the Quasit with AoE (the best way of destroying swarms) while he's in the same "square" or area as a super-stacked swarm, they may get advantage to resistance. It's best to disperse the airforce a bit though, so AoE isn't as big a problem anyway. You can pocket dimension him if it all turns brown, or teleport him back home when necessary.

To take it to its logical maximum you could dip some Sorceror in there as well. A Druid 14, Warlock (chain) 3, Sorcerer 3 could Extend Conjure Animals for two hours flight time as a level 7 spell (24 Swarms of Ravens), and have a strike range of over 14km against anything. Unless you get attacked in your fortress o' doom while you're raven bombing something or your Quasit dies, you'll never lose concentration on the swarms or your satellite uplink to them. The lazy man's way of settling mage disputes. Air power wins wars people :)

Quasits are great. An imp might add bombing range, but they can't swim at all. And you've got schools of fish whenever necessary. Quasits are where it's at. There is something to be said for a 18km bombing range with Imps and the right animals, but Quasits are more disgustingly cute.

(now to co-opt an army of gnomes to build me clockwork toys and firelighters. Then it's just a matter of flammable oil and exacting timing. Muhahahahaha!)
« Last Edit: December 29, 2014, 11:49:32 PM by sambojin »

Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #6 on: December 22, 2014, 05:05:29 PM »
So the Warlock Invocation is going in at level 3 as a retrain?  I like it.
I noticed the Blade'lock one had a level 5 prereq, but wondered what the difference was for the Chain/Book ones without the level prereq.

Lower down the board, I posted a Barb 6 Eagle + Warlock 2 for Devils Sight + Observant feat, but had assumed Warlock 5 was necessary to get the Chain skirting around.  So now it can be Warlock 3.  That's just about workable.
« Last Edit: December 22, 2014, 05:26:58 PM by awaken_D_M_golem »
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Offline linklord231

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #7 on: December 23, 2014, 02:31:00 AM »
The Lucky feat turns Disadvantage into Super Advantage.  It says "Whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can spend one luck point to roll an additional d20.  You can choose to spend one of your luck points after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined.  You choose which of the d20s is used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.
So, say you have Disadvantage and roll a 3 and a 17.  You decide to spend a luck point, and roll a 5 on the luck die.  Since you can choose which d20 to use, you can pick the 17. 

The Halfling racial trait called "Lucky" is similarly abusable, but not quite as widely applicable.  It says "When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll." 
So, again you have Disadvantage, and roll a 1 and a 5.  You can reroll the 1 into a 17, and "must" use the new roll of 17. 
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Offline Captnq

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #8 on: December 23, 2014, 06:10:15 AM »
The Lucky feat turns Disadvantage into Super Advantage.  It says "Whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can spend one luck point to roll an additional d20.  You can choose to spend one of your luck points after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined.  You choose which of the d20s is used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.
So, say you have Disadvantage and roll a 3 and a 17.  You decide to spend a luck point, and roll a 5 on the luck die.  Since you can choose which d20 to use, you can pick the 17. 

The Halfling racial trait called "Lucky" is similarly abusable, but not quite as widely applicable.  It says "When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll." 
So, again you have Disadvantage, and roll a 1 and a 5.  You can reroll the 1 into a 17, and "must" use the new roll of 17.

I knew that advantage/disadvantage crap had some sort of mechanical problem with it but I couldn't put my finger on it.
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Offline Raineh Daze

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #9 on: December 23, 2014, 09:43:52 AM »
The Lucky feat turns Disadvantage into Super Advantage.  It says "Whenever you make an attack roll, an ability check, or a saving throw, you can spend one luck point to roll an additional d20.  You can choose to spend one of your luck points after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined.  You choose which of the d20s is used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.
So, say you have Disadvantage and roll a 3 and a 17.  You decide to spend a luck point, and roll a 5 on the luck die.  Since you can choose which d20 to use, you can pick the 17. 

The Halfling racial trait called "Lucky" is similarly abusable, but not quite as widely applicable.  It says "When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll." 
So, again you have Disadvantage, and roll a 1 and a 5.  You can reroll the 1 into a 17, and "must" use the new roll of 17.

I knew that advantage/disadvantage crap had some sort of mechanical problem with it but I couldn't put my finger on it.

To be fair, the advantage/disadvantage stuff on its own doesn't.

Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #10 on: December 23, 2014, 04:55:09 PM »
Kasz made a thread on that a short time ago.  I doubt they have any specific plan to deal wtf they thought r.a.i. was/is supposed to be.


Shadowhunter's Bard comment ... yeah Valor at level 10 should have some specific Pally/Ranger combo, and better at level 14 though not by much.  Lore >> some silly Wiz 10 / Druid 10 type combo, or worse an X 5 or 6 / Y 14 or 15 caster.  Remains to be seen how thoroughly the unique spell lists will be gone over.  Bards only have like 5 class unique spells.
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Offline sambojin

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #11 on: December 24, 2014, 05:41:28 AM »
Resistance is a particularly nice cantrip considering the form that many of these rolls take. They tend to either be "save, but with two chances, or die", "save three times before you fail three times, or die", or "keep saving every round and the problem will go away when you succeed".

So the moment saves start being taken by someone, damn well start casting Resistance on them. The average of +2.5 to any chosen save is quite a lot extra in pseudo-character-levels worth of resistance.

Even better, stack it with an inspiration die, a Lucky die, advantage from Enhance Ability or anything else you can. They do stack, and it's a massive boost for a character's anti-BC or save-or-die stuff. Plus, Resistance is available whenever you want it, although it's touch range, which is annoying. From what I can see, mostly once the more hazardous sorts of saves start getting taken, they'll keep getting taken even if you kill the creature that caused them, so Resistance is literally a life saver.

I'm actually starting to think that a 1 or 2 level dip in cleric or druid gets more power from the Resistance and Guidance cantrips than they do from anything else. Always useful at any level.
« Last Edit: December 29, 2014, 09:59:30 PM by sambojin »

Offline Darkcouch

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #12 on: December 24, 2014, 09:24:08 AM »
Halfling's ability to hide behind any creature larger than them pairs nicely with the 2nd level Rogue ability to take a bonus hide action every turn.  As a ranged rogue, you can pretty consistently get advantage and sneak attack dice by sniping from behind your resident warlock or wizard.

Offline sambojin

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #13 on: December 24, 2014, 03:20:31 PM »
Pairs even more nicely with the Skulker feat. Once there, you can just keep plinking away.

The cleric's Trickster domain power makes all kinds of stealth possible as well. On-call advantage on stealth for anyone. Invoke Duplicity is really nice too, almost dip-worthy for any rogue, should melee become needed.

Combined with the above, a cleric and a rogue can make for a nice little turret team with cantrips and arrows flying everywhere, and all kinds of melee shenanigans available when necessary. Guidance for any skill monkey work rounds it out nicely. Yay teamwork!

"We stand there and shoot more. As a team!"
« Last Edit: December 24, 2014, 03:23:28 PM by sambojin »

Offline Necrosnoop110

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #14 on: December 30, 2014, 06:51:28 PM »
A small one ... get "second-hand/quasi-first hand" Blindsight 60ft as 1st Level Wizard through the Find Familiar spell and 10gp worth of components and choose bat.   

Offline sambojin

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #15 on: December 30, 2014, 10:56:51 PM »
Do the same thing as a lvl 3 Warlock with Voice of the Chainmaster invocation. See the bat, be the bat, speak as the bat. Bring terror to the streets of anything on the same plane.

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Offline Necrosnoop110

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #16 on: December 31, 2014, 12:13:20 PM »

Offline awaken_D_M_golem

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #17 on: December 31, 2014, 02:46:39 PM »

Ritual Caster turns any character into a spellcaster. I kinda like that.

... DMG lets a level 3 character with this, make Magic Items ; i.e. "turns any character into a crafter" too.

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Offline SorO_Lost

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #18 on: January 04, 2015, 10:59:05 PM »
Contagion
Melee touch to inflect them with Slimy Doom, each time the inflected victim takes damage he is Stunned until the end of his next turn (no save). The subject needs three successful and consecutive Constitution Saves to remove the condition.

Finger of Death
Killed subjects raise as a Zombie permanently under your control. Zombieapoclypse no longer requires delegating the job to a Commanded lieutenant.

Guards and Wards
Is now freaking fantastic.

So picture two curved bannisters leading to the second floor in a fancy house, except with some walls nicely placed to not make it so obvious. Under G&Ws you immediately have a 50% chance of not picking the flight of stairs you wanted to climb. And you're webbed for trying to walk up them. You finally get to the top and a Gust of Wind shoves you over the banner-less edge onto some spikes. While your down there you're hit with the suggestion that you should have tried climbing the other stairs and if you become aware what's happening you realize you never could be sure if you ever climbed the other stairs. Best TPK ever.

Magic Missile
Do we have clarification Ability-to-Damage applies to a single missile or all nine?

Mind Blank
Can now be shared, it negates Psychic Damage and it doesn't require concentration either. Bear Barbarians will love you.

Modify Memory
Mind Rape is core now, but it's a Ritual that requires several days to perform ;)

Simulacrum
It says it doesn't recover Spell Slots, but Sorcerers use Sorcery Points to create new Slots  :smirk

Tomes & Manuals: The first 5th edition TO
They regain their power after 100 years and increase your maximum limit so an Elf can just keep the same book and use it again and again over their 700 year lifespan for a +14 Bonus & cap increase.

Interestingly enough due to the wide range of value, each Tome can cost as low as 5,001gp. Reddit's WBL page means you can own hundreds of them. 163 to be specific.

So theoretically there is a very old Elf out there with an Intelligence score of 2,302.
And if you're a Sorcerer, you know for all those Simulacrums of your self, you should take advantage of Wild Magic's 35~36 result as often as you can using the Lucky Feat to tweak the odds in your favor. That's right. I found NI Ability Scores in less than 24 hours of caring to read the books.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2015, 12:35:49 AM by SorO_Lost »

Offline oslecamo

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Re: Fun Finds: 5e Edition
« Reply #19 on: January 05, 2015, 07:20:09 AM »
Finger of Death
Killed subjects raise as a Zombie permanently under your control. Zombieapoclypse no longer requires delegating the job to a Commanded lieutenant.

Nitpick, but considering that at best you may be able to cast Finger of Death four times a day, that hardly counts as a Zombieapocalypse. Even a full year of work would get you a bit over a thousand zombies, which is gonna have an hard time making society crumble and stuff. :p