Let's Go Steal a Dungeon (MotBM OOC/Planning)

Discuss and ask questions about character building and gameplay here. Also non-players reading along feel free to comment.

Spoiler: Character Guidelines

Level 5. Generate ability scores by 4d6, best 3, any order (honor system).

No alignment restrictions. All races and classes are acceptable. You can choose whether to roll for gold or use the starting equipment for your class and background. Feats allowed.

You have just stolen a painting and are admiring your ill-gotten gains, as the prior owner apparently did, by moonlight from a nearby window...

Spoiler: Rules and Logistics

For the sake of convenience, we'll use a modified side initiative. Players all roll individually, but monsters roll as a unit. All the players who beat the monsters get to act first. Then I will post the monsters' first turn. After that, players can post their turns in any order. Once all PCs have acted, back to the monsters again, and so on.

Honor system on dice rolls.

I recognize that most of us have classes, jobs, and/or disabilities that are more important to manage than a forum game, so I'm not going to demand a stringent schedule. Please let me know if you'll be unable to post for a week or more, though; I will NPC your character for the duration.

Spoiler: Questions

Create whatever amount of backstory you choose (though if you get attached, be warned, PC death is a real risk). At minimum, I would like answers to these questions submitted with the character sheet. They need not be longer than a couple of sentences. Not all of them will become relevant, but some may: even I cannot predict your adventures in the Maze.

• What is your alignment?
• How old are you?
• What are your parents like?
• Are you married?
• Do you have a “true love?” If not, what do you imagine them to be like? If yes, are they alive?
• Have you any artistic skill or inclination?
• Are you wearing or carrying anything that could be considered “art”? (e.g. a sword hilt shaped like an animal)
• How well dressed or fashionable are you?
• How much gold do you have on you? Where and how did you get it?
• Who was the last person you killed?
• Roughly how many people have you killed?
• How many good friends have you seen die or disappear?
• What is your greatest fear?
• What is one of your most basic desires? Are you ashamed of it?
• What are some of your secrets?
• Would you ever sell your soul? What would it take?

Spoiler: Content Warnings

In addition to D&D-typical violence, the story of some of the NPCs in the Maze involves abusive relationships, addiction, and suicide. This is mostly done in the background and not in your face during the adventure, and it's all very weird-fantasy-inflected. Nevertheless, the notes admonish me to "know [my] players and practice grown-up judgment," so if you think any of this will be uncomfortable or upsetting for you, let me know and I can give you more detail and discuss modifying it. Between the mental and emotional health of the players and the sanctity of Spoilers, it's obvious which one is more important to a fun game.
(There's also some body horror and "gross creepy nightmare plants." FYI.)

Wiwaxia: Complete
esotericPrognosticator: Complete
swirlingflight: Complete
thegrimsqueaker: Complete
missoyashirou: Complete

 

Honor system on those dice rolls, or should we let you roll, or...? I'm mostly used to using Roll20 and RPoL for online tabletop and they both have dice rollers that record everything.

 

Honor system works for me. That's how we'll have to do most of your rolls anyway. (I might roll reactive rolls like saving throws for the players, to move things along quickly, if that's OK with all of you.)

We do sacrifice immediacy and speed of play with play-by-post instead of Roll20, but on the other hand, it's easier for people to just post when they have time instead of trying to get a block of several hours of free time in six people's schedules in different time zones.

 

decided to go old-school and roll 3d6 in order
8
10
8
14
8
10

Should probably go see what order the stats are in this edition, huh?

 

I mean, if you're going old-school, I won't stop you. It's not compulsory at all though.

Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha. I see a wizard in your future :P

 

I said paladin and I meant paladin, even if my paladin is probably screwed. :D

My d10 has referred me to third-party races, are you cool with that or should I reroll to stay in core?

Decided to just reroll so i can get on with chargen - White Dragonborn.

 

The Str/Cha bonuses, and the level 4 ability score improvement, might just make it playable. Bahamut help you.

 

wait a mo, @Wiwaxia did you roll 3d6? not 4d6 dropping the lowest?

 

Yep, decided I wanted to go for the more challenging old-school method of rolling stats.

 

@The Frood Abides I don't have the 5e books and the srd doesn't seem to have it, so could you get me the details for the Oath of the Ancients?

 

sure, will PM you.

 

@The Frood Abides - couple more questions.
I don't have the strength to wear the chain mail I get from being a paladin. Can I sell it for full value in terms of cash to buy some lighter armor and other stuff?
I assume the Dueling fighting style (+2 to damage when you're wielding a 1 handed weapon and "no other weapons") also precludes shields, yes?

 

@Wiwaxia
I'll allow it. You can also roll 5d4x10 gp for paladin starting wealth instead. (You'll still get the equipment from whichever background you choose.)
Last time I was asked this question, I ruled that the Dueling style does not preclude shields because a shield, per Chapter 5, is not technically a "weapon." Also, I like that this interpretation gives shield fighters a more offensive option as well as the defensive/support option of Protection style.

 

I got the rolls done, and I ended up with one of the funnier arrangements I've had.

17
16
15
12
12
5

I can do most things either really good or pretty good, but I'm going to be REALLY SHITTY at one thing in general. (Is MAD as big of a problem in 5e as it was in 3.x? Either way, I feel like going Fighter isn't a bad idea here anyway, since this is a pretty even score and I can put the first three into my physicals, so

STR 17
DEX 15
CON 16
INT 12
WIS 12
CHA 5

Which leaves me as the magnificent war-potato.)

 

And yet more questions:

can I buy a hand drill and how much would it be?
how concerned are you gonna be about material components? if it's a thing you want to bother with, how much is a chip of opalescent feldspar to cast moonbeam gonna be?

 

stats-
str 10
dex 13
con 9
int 14
wis 13
char 11

haven't done modifiers yet, but assuming playing wizard, if no one else is? otherwise I can swap them around for druid or bard

 

@Wiwaxia I am not that concerned about material components. Spellcasting foci can replace those without a listed cost, so you can cast any spell that requires them as long as you have your holy symbol.
Hand drill? Can't wait to hear how you plan to use that. Call it 2 gp.

 

Alabaster Rime
White Dragonborn Paladin

HP: 17
AC: 15
Move: 30'

STR: 10
DEX: 10
CON: 8 (-1)
INT: 14 (+2)
WIS: 9 (-1)
CHA: 12 (+1)

Proficiency bonus: +3
Spell slots: 4/4 1st level, 2/2 2nd level
Proficiencies: WIS saving throws, CHA saving throws, Insight, Persuasion, Acrobatics, Performance, Lyre, Disguise kit

Breath Weapon: Cold 2d6, 15ft cone, con saves for half
Resistance to Cold (half damage)

Divine Sense (2/2 uses)
Lay on Hands (healing pool 25/25)
Fighting Style: Duelist (+2 damage with one handed weapon)
Spellcasting (can prepare 3 spells, Save DC 12, attack +4)
Divine Smite (expend a spell slot for +2d8 extra damage, +1d8 per level of spell slot above 1)
Divine Health (immunity to disease)
Extra Attack

Oath of the Ancients
Channel Divinity (1/1 use, recharges on short rest)

- ensnare a creature w/in 10 ft with spectral vines, str or dex save negates and ends
- turn fey and fiends​

Oath Spells (always prepared) ensnaring strike, speak with animals, moonbeam, and misty step

Entertainer: Instrumentalist (Lyre)

-I change my mood or my mind as quickly as I change key in a song.
-Creativity. The world is in need of new ideas and bold action. (Chaotic)
-I would do anything for the other members of my old troupe.
-I’ll do anything to win fame and renown.​

Can always get room and board in exchange for performing, will become locally known.

Prepared spells: Shield of Faith, Find Steed, Purify Food and Water

​

Spoiler: Equipment

2 gp 4sp 2cp
money pouch

battleaxe (1d8/1d10 slashing, versatile)
whip (1d4 slashing, reach, finesse)
Wooden shield painted by many artists (+2 AC)
5 javelins (1d6 piercing, range 30/120)
holy symbol - ancient amber scarab amulet
Chain shirt (13 AC + 0 dex, no penalty to stealth)

lyre
a ring made from a small petrified snake - a gift from an admirer
costume - blue and green, lots of copper sequins, bird mask

backpack
bedroll
mess kit
tinderbox
15 torches
10 days rations
3 waterskins
50ft hemp rope

10 flasks oil
hooded lantern
bag of balls (1,000)
grappling hook
hammer
bell
block and tackle
mirror, steel
10pc chalk
8 pitons
perfume (1 vial)
10 ft pole
hand drill
ink (1 oz)
ink pen
5 sheets parchment
2lbs flour
soap

 

will answer the questions later, but Alabaster is shaping up to be a weird artsy-fartsy probably vaguely counterculture paladin. I dig.

 

Looks good! Only a couple of problems: Paladins are proficient in WIS and CHA saves, not CON. Also, if I've done my math right, you get another +1 to a chosen ability. (Not that it matters much at this point since they're all even numbers, but who knows?)