Min/Max Boards

Planning on running Ravenloft as part of an ongoing campaign, modifying some small bits of the story for appropriate continuity.

For anyone's who's run the 5e version, any tips or pitfalls to avoid as a DM?

Warlock//Paladin character now has the cursed Demon Armor. Mostly ok with it, but would like for it to be their Pact Weapon, as it is somewhat in itself a weapon - the bladed unarmed attacks.

Any thoughts on allowing this breaking anything?

Maintaining it here

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JuxAihA0ANR17kraiOGIsZK9DuStLCYTDEpRojp1WSI/edit?usp=sharing

MMI is rather lacking on templates, and seems to defer to: DMG Creating a Monster.
More or less this is just a consistent reference list of qualities to modify as per familiar 3.5e templates.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VdnCsiiCHxfhuQFt6mfHzvfGZEujrWU3nENmdcn4Umw/edit

Fiendish Wolves and Celestial Badgers for everyone!

https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/unearthed-arcana-waterborne-adventures

New Race: Minotaur
This is pretty nice for melee damage focused character. The bonus action horn attack doesn't require a free hand, as with dual wielding. So one can use a 2hand weapon and still get a bonus action attack.
Shoving as a bonus action seems really good, with shove being either a push or to prone.
It also perhaps lends some clarification by example to resolving natural attacks for PC lycanthropes, where some RAW seems to be missing.
As always, Insignia of Claws (HotDQ) to make that natural attack magical.


Fighting Style: Mariner
Not the worst thing if you aren't planning to wear Heavy Armor.

Rogue Archetype: Swashbuckler
Fancy Footwork & Toujours l'Audace make for great spring attacking against unengaged targets. Gives reasonable options for rogues in parties who know they will or won't have a partner in melee.
Rogue Swashbuckler 9 / Fighter 11 could be a thing.

Sorcerous Origin: Storm
Bonus spells are always nice.
Several of the features only affect near targets, which isn't necessarily where you want to be in combat as a sorcerer.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bJ7sEa2X-mTcXJ2fDQRDGx3dgoRgY7VOJZtsIMv0ppM/edit


An attempt at a handbook for familiars.
Base familiars, Warlock & Variant options, as well as some Variants that may be available with a flexible DM given some comments in the Mage NPC entry.
A few strategies for how to leverage them are included. Looking for other clever suggestions.

This was created by one of my players. Thought maybe a few folks might find it useful.
Will be enhancing it a bit after more source books with spells are released.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10DJTMXDvqLeggkIzTbsSbfts9or_b9gHSbD-FTajSTc/edit?usp=sharing

Templates

Dracolich


Shadow Dragon Template


Half Dragon

Gains: Senses, Resistance, Language, Breath Weapon
Type does not change

I find it funny that the fluff indicates they can't have offspring other than via magic, yet we have the Sorcerer class with draconic lineage. Don't recall if previous editions had this fluff.


There's no immediate downside to not being a Half-Dragon


Lycanthrope

Gains: Floor of a physical stat is set to X based on animal, and +1 AC in hybrid or animal form.

Only downside is perhaps the full moon, though the Wereboar entry leaves one to believe the curse can be controlled.


Vampire

Gains: Floor of physical scores set to 18, damage resistances, darkvision, traits, actions. Undead and alignment LE.

Assuming one gets past being a spawn, and is already of evil tenadancy, its interesting in that theres no crippling LA.

Looking around briefly at folks pondering E6 for 5e. Most nod to the bounded accuracy in 5e that is similar to playing E6. What’s perhaps more interesting and relevant now that there is bounded accuracy, is where to stop based on World Building. That is, how is the world shaped by the existence or lack of powerful magic, as per Tippyverse.

To build a stable society, basic needs need to be met: food, water, shelter, sleep, security

DMG isn’t until November, so I’m first going to have to make some assumptions.
Able to craft continual/unlimited use items


E4:
Food and Water can be created or cleansed. Poison & Disease can be survived. Eternal light can keep the darkness at bay. Magic Weapons can slay dangerous foes. Mental manipulation of others. Objects can be made invisible.

Magic seems to be able to provide for basic needs, but traditional resource acquisition is still necessary for protection. Mining, lumbering, transportation are necessary mundane industries.

Human societies can easily adopt a Full Metal Alchemist-esque state sponsored (military) research society where humans tend to take either the Ritual Caster or Magic Initiate feat as their human bonus feat.

Again, given feat options such as Ritual Caster or Magic Initiate, and that Paladins and Rangers get spells a lot earlier, stats perhaps dominate capability more than class.


E6:
Animate Dead enables free/expendable basic labor. Combat resurrection. Flight. Long range communication. Universal communication.

No real game changers in terms of macro society.

Classes gain a significant jump in destructive power as soon as they hit 5th. Extra attack for mundanes. Cantrip die bump. Casters go from base 6d6 single target Scorching Ray to base 8d6 fireball area attack. Flight, as always, solves a lot of adventuring obstacles. These thing start to really separate classes from one another.


E8:
Fabricate is huge. Crafting time is 5g of progress per day. Thus crafting 1500g plate takes 300 days. Fabricate can do this in 10 minutes if the caster is proficient in the craft. Proper use of DIvination can help ensure the safety and security of a society.

Casters gain some great spells that exercise control over the battlefield. In my opinion, this spell tier alone is far greater than any of the mundanes class features or archetype options acquired.


E10:
Wall of Stone, rapid construction. Teleportation Circle allows for easy trade and travel between great distances. Given that it takes a year to establish, it won’t lead to blitz attacks, unless constructed in secret with patience. Raise Dead. Limited cohorts through Planar Binding, Dominate, Animate Object, Geas, not quite as potent as 3.5e. Animate Object probably useful for large scale labor, where beasts of burden are not appropriate.

Divine Intervention comes online. So if spell lists aren’t explicitly capped, large impact spells like Earthquake, Gate and True Resurrection are possible effects, at an average of once per quarter.

Mundanes continue to fall behind in their ability to impact and influence  the world around them on an important scale. Presumably the concentration system keeps casters from becoming self-buffing combat monsters.


E14:
Planar Travel



Reference

World Building Spells
0th - Mending, Spare the Dying
1st: Create Water, Goodberry
2nd Continual Flame, Lesser Restoration, Suggestion, Magic Weapon, Invisibility.
3rd Animate Dead, Create Food & Water, Fly, Revivify, Sending
4th Fabricate (otherwise craft takes 5g/day increment progress), Divination
5th Wall of Stone, Planar Binding, Teleportation Circle, Geas, Dominate, Animate Object, Raise Dead
6th Planar Ally, Heal(disease)
7th Plane Shift
8th
9th

Rituals
Rituals that Exist
alarm (1st)
commune (5th)
commune with nature (5th)
comprehend languages (1st)
contact other plane (5th)
detect magic (1st)
detect poison and disease (1st)
divination (4th)
dwawmij's instans summons (6th)
feign death (3rd)
find familiar (1st)
forbiddance (6th)
gentle repose (2nd)
identify (1st)
Illusory Script (1st)
Leomund's Tiny Hut (3rd)
Locate animals or plants (2nd)
Magic Mouth (2nd)
Meld into stone (3rd)
Phantom steed (3rd)
Purify Food and Drink (1st)
Rary's Telepathic Bond (5th)
Silence (2nd)
Speak with animals (1st)
Tenser's Floating disk (1st)
Unseen Servant (1st)
Water Breathing (3rd)
Water Walk (3rd)

Feats
Magic Initiate (2 cantrips, 1 1st level spell: 1/long rest)
Ritual Caster (Cast any rituals from ritual book, unlimited, 10 minute cast time)

Spell Damage Transition
@4th Scorching Ray 3x2d6
@4th Inflict 4d10
@5th Fireball 8d6
@5th Cantrips 1dX->2dX

Relevant Class Features
@5th Barbarian/Fighter/Monk/Paladin/Ranger Extra Attack
@5th Ranger/Paladin 2nd level spells
@6th Archetype feature


Another rundown
http://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/2fvpw8/e6_in_dd_5e/

Not that Gestalt is all that complex, but here's an adaptation.


---Prerequisite Ability Scores---
Gestalt characters must meet the multiclass ability score prerequisites of both classes.

---Hit Dice---
Choose the larger hit die

---Proficiencies---
Gain armor proficiencies of both classes
Gain weapon proficiencies of both classes
Gain saving throw proficiency of both classes
Gain skill proficiency options of both classes
Proficiency Bonus remains the same progression

---Class Features---
A gestalt character gains the class features of both classes
Extra Attack from more than one class do not add together.
Channel Divinity gained from both sides of progression combine their number of uses, and may use effects of both classes.
Unarmored Defense may be acquired from both sides of progression, but only the benefit of one version is gained at a time.
Gestalt characters with more than one spellcasting class combine their number of spell slots from each side of progression, and may cast spells of either class using their spell slots just as per multiclass characters can. Each side follows multiclass spell slot progression as normal.

---Background & Equipment---
Single Background
Suggested to not use starting equipment, but rather starting wealth: either greater wealth of the two classes, or combined wealth of the two classes.


Sane? Miss anything?