Its dnd-adjacent, but pathfinder has all of its material online for free. Otherwise usually the players handbook should be fine for players, but if you wanna dm then you'll need more. Mythweavers has online sheets for like 50 different games if you sign up for a (free) account.
Wizards of the Coast offers a free, legit, non-piratical simple version of the rules here. It's enough to introduce interested people to the basics. There's plenty of us around who can hoist black flags and offer slightly less per the law resources of the full book and more, but I'm not linking anything like that in the thread. :p Have you played any videogames like Neverwinter Nights, or Fable, or Mass Effect? Something where you control a character or group of characters, and choose what powers to use and how nice/mean to be to other characters?
*Shoves hundreds of hours playing mass effect and dragon age origins under a carpet* Nope, never heard of them.
I recently got into a campaign with some folks and so far in tis module half the party almost died, we've made some Sweet Cash through rescuing a shopkeeper And my smol gnome rogue Threeshoes has managed to charge straight into the fight like a goofier A.E. Pessimal basically due to being v dextrous and having Improved Initiative, but they have weak noodly arms and a strength of 9 so they kind of suck at fighting
Okay cool! So that kind of stuff gives you plenty of experience with making character concepts, the basic sort of thing like "I want to play a jerk who's always been in the service, and cover the tech skills myself," and adding a layer of game mechanics that work with it. (With Mass Effect, playing a ruthless earthborn renegade, etc). It's kinda the same thing making characters here: the main approaches of making a character require you to think of a character concept and/or a game mechanic concept you want to play with. The big things with D&D 5e are class, race, and background. That's where we get most of the powers and features, the dice-controlled mechanics of what we know the character can do. Ability scores do a lot to shape how good the character is at those things, especially at low levels. A -1 modifier vs a +3 is like a 15-20% difference for success/failure chance, depending on the DC. I like to get those ASAP and have them in mind as I decide bits and pieces of the character's past and present. The basic rules have an example of character creation that decides on things in a different order than I prefer, but there's no one right order to decide things. And, as long as it's not the stupidly hardcore thing of rolling ability scores in order (which very few people do), at any point in character creation you can go "you know, I'd rather do this other thing" and change any of those decisions. So like, as an example: I've been wanting to try out a wizard of the school of evocation, because the "sculpt spells" ability would let me play somebody very eager about throwing fireballs into the fray without hurting allies all the time: sculpt spells gives the ability to exclude 1 character per spell level from feeling a spell's effects. Instead of a fireball, a hurricane shape with a n eye cut out, that kind of thing. I very badly want to play somebody who makes things go boom with the skill to do it without being a hazard to the party (in that way. I'll probably make them a menace in some other way)... I think there was a metamagic feat in previous editions that allowed similar things? but I never got around to it, and 5e does things differently, so I think this is the only way to get that without a good deal more thinking and strategizing spell use than I necessarily have fun with. In my heart I default to either the barbarian whose approach to combat is hit hard, very hard, no even harder than that, or the sniper who lurks and figures out a perfect point to strike and goes for it. So I'm starting with knowing exactly which class I want, and a bit about the playstyle I'll want. By now I'm familiar enough with the contents of the player's handbook to make follow-up decisions to go from there. I want Mx. Boomy to genuinely enjoy shaping their spells like that, to even want to make artforms of it, but for combat magic something they came to from desperate need. Growing up in a land under threat of war or actively at war, without the physical aptitude to make it as a usual warrior, with the loyalty to community to put aside their own dreams to do what they can. Apparently I've been inspired by reading so much Captain America fic lately. Loyalty, a mind for crafting, and yet a tendency for quick and flashy and destructive... I'm thinking Dwarf, with low Str and Dex but very high Int. (Strength is used to determine what armor a character can successfully wear and fight in, along with ability to hit with weapons and do damage. Dexterity is used to determine how quickly a character gets their turns, as well as an alternative stat for to-hit and damage with finesse and ranged weapons. If both of those suck, then my character would do badly as, say, a Fighter. The people training them might have seen it and told them they serve better outside direct fighting.) Probably Hill Dwarf. I don't want the armor training or strength bonus, but wisdom doesn't hurt and hp is always good; can't be taken off as easily as armor. And background... My concept sounds like soldier, sort of, but that background feature and the overall flavor doesn't suit the concept. I might opt for Folk Hero, and customize one or two of the skill proficiencies to fill in gaps of what I want the character to be trained in from what Wizard and Dwarf gave. (Eta a couple typos and slightly reordered for clarity)
To add on to what @swirlingflight said, and to get use out of a list I made in a fit of madness after Volo's Guide to Monsters came out, I present a complete accounting of all official Races, Classes, and Backgrounds put out by WotC for 5e. Unearthed Arcana stuff isn't in here because it's not universal enough. I'll give a brief intro to each section, which I've spoilered for being fuckhueg, as they say. This is all done narratively, so that people without Book XYZ could choose what they wanted and have someone with Book XYZ then provide the needed info. Races in 5e are composed of two parts, generally. We have the main race, which provides various bonuses and abilities, and then subraces which refine those further. It means that Hill Dwarfs and Mountain Dwarfs both share a bunch of things in common, but have some finer distinctions between them due to living in different environments/being raised in different sorts of cultures. Any subrace marked with an asterisk (*) is found in a different book than the main race is, generally the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, maybe sometimes Volo's Guide to Monsters. I've also broken the races down into Common, Uncommon, Further Uncommon, Monstrous, and Rare. Common are the basic four that are supposed to make up most things. Uncommon are the other PHB races. Further Uncommon are the full races described in Volo's Guide. Monstrous are the stat blocks given for different monsters in Volo's Guide, but lack full development. Rare are from the Elemental Evil pamphlet, and not really accepted in common play without DM approval. The Aaracockra are kiiind of busted (30 ft flight speed makes things tricky from 1st level, bird-people are much better balanced with the Kenku). The Genasi are just more limited/there hasn't been a Dark Sun guide like there was for Forgotten Realms, but they're no more broken than the Goliath who made an eventual main-book appearance. They're included for completeness' sake, I dunno if @esotericPrognosticator would want either one in the game or not, for instance. Spoiler: Races and Subraces Common Races Dwarf - A stout and hardy race of skilled workers and warriors that dwell beneath the earth. Slow, but resilient against poison and naturally proficient with masonry. Hill Dwarf - Dwarves with a deeper intuition than many, and who are naturally tougher than their mountain cousins. Mountain Dwarf - Dwarves with more raw strength and mandatory training in the proper use of armor. Gray Dwarf (Duergar)* - A race of dwarves that live deeper below the surface than any other, with powerful magic so long as they keep themselves safe from the sun they are no longer accustomed to seeing. Elf - Graceful people with incredibly long lives and who meditate rather than sleep. Their fey ancestry provides them with keen senses and deft movements. High Elf - Highly intelligent and revered elves who possess an innate ability to cast magic and are more fluent in other languages. Wood Elf - Intuitive and stealthy people of the forests, able to move quickly and hide in places others would stand out. Dark Elf (Drow) - Elves long-ago banished underground, whose natural talent with magic is offset by difficulty working in the bright sunlight of the surface. Eladrin* - Elves with stronger ties to the world of fey creatures, able to teleport themselves short distances. Halfling - Small and friendly folk who keep the company of others easily, and are both braver and luckier than larger peoples give them credit for. Lightfoot - Naturally charming and adept at keeping out of sight, which can be useful given how prone to wanderlust they can be. Stout - Hardy to the degree that some wonder if their resistance to poison points to dwarven heritage some time ago. Human - While there are many kinds of human, they are all broadly more similar than not—prone to each excelling in the area they focus on but lacking the sort of cohesion that other races share. Which is to say that the PHB alone gives more than half a dozen variations based on location and culture that we might not keep and are mostly just physical descriptors and name lists, but that are mechanically identical. Uncommon Races Dragonborn - Draconic humanoids of great strength and presence who share some of the traits of their clans’ forebears—most notably, elemental breath and resistance. Gnome - Cunning smallfolk whose curious nature is benefitted by their resistance to magical effects. Forest Gnome - Natural illusionists with the ability to speak with small animals. Rock Gnome - Tinkers and artificers of substantial note, able to construct a variety of interesting and useful devices. Deep Gnome (Svifneblin)* - Dour, serious, and even more obsessed with privacy than their surface cousins, Deep Gnomes blend in with rocky environs well enough to keep themselves hidden. While they are blinded by the sun, they possess a great potential for illusions should they choose to pursue it. Half-Elf - Natural diplomats and charmers, born between two worlds and sharing many of the strengths of both elves and humans alike. Some half-elves take after one of their elven parents more strongly, trading in some versatility for another racial feature. Half-Orc - Muscular, menacing, and prone to strong emotions—these traits from their Orc heritage make some wary of them, but can make them mighty and resilient heroes. Tiefling - Descendants of those who made a pact with Hell to infuse infernal essence into their bloodline, Tieflings can use their devilish charms and talent for dark magic to live down to the stereotypes or rise above them. While not treated as subraces, there are variant options for Tieflings that can shift their charisma bonus to dexterity, focus their inherent magic more on enchantment or outright fire than the more general spells they normal gain, or replace the spellcasting entirely for wings and the power of flight. Further Uncommon Races Aasimar - Humanoids with an angelic spark in their souls which grants them supernatural powers, healing, and guidance. Protector Aasimar - Charged to guard the weak, their soul can express itself as a pair of radiant wings. Scourge Aasimar - Filled to bursting with a blazing desire to destroy evil, their soul allows them to surround themselves with blazing sunlight that chars everything nearby. Fallen Aasimar - An aasimar who was touched by dark powers in their youth or later turns to evil may have their inner light become a shadow that allows them to frighten and and harry their foes. If their soul’s light is rekindled, they may become either a Protector or Scourge. Firbolg - Forest guardians who prefer peaceful methods to protect their homes, but take up arms if they must. Despite their great size, their natural magic allows them to disguise and hide themselves. They can also talk to animals and plants (they don’t talk back). Goliath - Hulking wanderers who dwell at the highest mountain reaches. Their endurance and build foster a society focused on competition and merit. Kenku - Bird folk cursed with flightlessness for an ancient betrayal. While unable to fly they remain greatly agile, and are masters of mimicry. Lizardfolk - Inscrutable to their mammalian allies, but those who venture from their swampy homes prove to be stout allies. They are fantastic hunters, with tough scales, a strong bite, and training in using every part of the creatures they slay. Tabaxi - Curious cat folk who have journeyed from their distant homeland in search of interesting treasures and lore. They’re capable of sudden bursts of speed, and their claws make them natural climbers. Triton - Guardians of the ocean depths, who sometimes join people on land in the battle against evil. Their physical abilities are supplemented by magical control over wind and water both. Rare Races* Aarakocra - A winged race capable of high-speed flight and born with sharp talons, the Aarakocra see themselves as the protectors of the sky. Genasi - Children of the elements—frequently in a literal sense, with a genie or other powerful elemental parent—the genasi combine the basic form of their mortal power with details and powers drawn from their elemental heritage. Air Genasi - Changeable as the weather, with breath unending and the power of levitation. Earth Genasi - Solid and sturdy as the earth, with some small measure of control over it. Fire Genasi - Sharp-witted, but prone to being as volatile as the very flames they can create and command. Water Genasi - Independent and free to play among the wave between their natural gifts of swimming, the ability to breathe underwater, and some power to shape and create it. Monstrous Races Bugbear - Strong, long-limbed, and sneaky, the bugbear has been the cause of many a frightened child when used as a threat by their parents, and worse if encountered. Goblin - Small and nimble, goblins are experts at dealing with threats larger than they are… which is many of them. Hobgoblin - Larger goblinoids, with a martial bent, greater discipline, and a degree of concern about saving face that their smaller cousins eschew. Kobold - Small and weak, kobolds have little of the power their draconic heritage has left the dragonborn. They are masters of fighting in groups, and they make up for their issues with bright sunlight by being masters of traps and tricks. Orc - Large, strong, and not all that smart, orcs are pressed to attack rapidly and with overwhelming force, and find the call of violence harder to ignore than their half-orc children (the call to violence is (semi-)literally the asshole god who made them yelling in their brains, btw). Yuan-ti - Once human, this race’s serpentine deities transformed them into their own image, robbing them of their emotion in exchange for power. Pureblood - Still able to pass as human enough to make decent spies, the few serpentine traits they exhibit bring with them supernatural charisma, as well as resistance to magic and an immunity to poison. (Splitting this into 2-3 pieces because apparently there's a character limit on posting.)
Classes determine what you do in a mechanical sense. Are you magic or not-so-magic? (Almost everyone is at least a little magic.) Pretty basic stuff, really, at least at first. Each Class gets to develop specializations which let you focus what you do to some degree. (This means that Prestige Classes are kind of built-in to the main classes, for those who recall 3.X and the fun mess that all was.) Are you a Paladin that's sworn to protect the innocent and spread the light, or to kill evil where'er you find it? Each gets some different abilities and bonuses to mix into their main set. It's a pretty nice way to provide more variety without having 10 variations on "Fighter" that need a whole new bunch of totally unique mechanics to draw interest. There haven't been any officially released new classes yet, they're all there in the PHB, but there have been a bunch of new specializations (or extra options for old specializations, in the case of the Totem Warrior) put out in things like the SCAG. At this time, I highly disrecommend the Ranger. It's been topping the "not powerful and also not fun to play and also not letting me do what I want when I think of this class" lists more or less since release. WotC is working on fixing that, but I'd rather y'all didn't have a bad time because you wanted to play a class that can't deliver on its promised coolness. Some of the other classes/options might be a bit weaker than others, but all the rest manage to deliver on the feeling cool and having fun fronts. Spoiler: Classes and Specializations Barbarian - A wild warrior of fierce background who can enter a battle rage. Berserker - Extra fury while raging leads to an assortment of bonuses, like “so angry you can’t be mind controlled or scared” and “other people get scared of you”. Totem Warrior - A level of spiritual connection with animals lets you draw upon their powers, selecting between bears, eagles, elks, tigers, and wolves. Battlerager* - [Dwarves] that clad themselves in spikes to begin dealing damage from the moment they come into contact with their foes. Bard - An inspiring magician whose power echoes the music of creation. College of Lore - Bards who know a little bit about everything, broadening their skills in the pursuit of truth and beauty. College of Valor - Daring skalds who hone their skills at inspiring their allies in battle, and their own combat abilities. Cleric - A priestly champion who wields divine magic in service of a higher power. Knowledge - The power to learn secrets of the past, present, and future. Life - The power to heal others and overcome death. Light - The power to light the way and burn the enemy. Nature - The power to command plants and animals. Tempest - The power to bring the thunder in a literal sense. Trickery - The power to confuse and charm. War - The power to secure the flow of battle. Arcana* - The power to utilize the secrets of magic itself, as mages do. Death* - The power to weaken others and raise the dead. Druid - A priest of the Old Faith, wielding the powers of nature—moonlight and plant growth, fire and lightning—and adopting animal forms. Circle of the Land - Mystics and sages who draw additional magic from the places they are from. Circle of the Moon - Guardians of the wilderness who focus on improving their shapeshifting. Fighter - A master of martial combat, skilled with a variety of weapons and armor. Champion - A hero who hones the skills they have to a razor’s edge. Battle Master - A talented warrior who treats battle as something to be studied, and focuses their efforts on directing the flow of battle. Eldritch Knight - Combines their martial mastery with a careful study of magic. Banneret (Purple Dragon Knight)* - Warriors that lead others into battle, rallying their allies and providing a bulwark to protect them. Monk - A master of martial arts, harnessing the power of the body in pursuit of physical and spiritual perfection. Way of the Open Hand - The ultimate masters of martial arts, with all sorts of kung fu bullshit like healing themselves and punching people across the room. Way of Shadow - With an emphasis on stealth and subterfuge, these monks are totally not ninja you guys. (Note: description mentions they might be ninja.) Way of the Four Elements - Monks that have learned to convert their ki into elemental form to extend the effects of their martial arts into the world around them. Way of the Long Death* - Obsessed with the meaning and mechanics of dying, these monks hone their skills to deal it out and escape its inevitable grasp. Way of the Sun Soul* - Monks who unlock the ability to channel the light within their souls in a literal, bolt-of-light/hadouken sort of way. Paladin - A holy warrior bound to a sacred oath. Oath of Devotion - Cavaliers with the power to destroy the unholy and protect the innocent, bound by precepts of honesty, courage, compassion, honour, and duty. Oath of the Ancients - An ancient order devoted to protecting the light, with a connection to the ancient and divine parts of the natural world. Oath of Vengeance - Avengers who focus their good work on slaying the greatest evils of the land and delivering punishment to the most wicked. Oath of the Crown* - Knights who swear themselves to the ideals of civilization, protecting law and order against threats from within and without alike. Oathbreaker* - A paladin that has failed to uphold their oath and had the light in their heart extinguished until they manage to atone. With power over madness and the undead, they tend to be evil NPCs. Ranger - A warrior who uses martial prowess and nature magic to combat threats on the edges of civilization. Hunter - Bulwarks between civilization and the terrors of the wilderness, with many options for improving their martial skills. Beast Master - A friend to wild things that gains an animal companion, which you can have fight for you in battle. Rogue - A scoundrel who uses stealth and trickery to overcome obstacles and enemies. Thief - Burglars and treasure hunters alike, learning how to move and fight with great agility and flexibility. Assassin - Masters of disguise and poison, with a heavy emphasis on spycraft as well as the whole murder-to-death thing. Arcane Trickster - Pickpockets and pranksters that learn a bit of magic to help them ply their trade. Mastermind* - Trained in intrigue, misdirection, and manipulation, these spies and schemers make use of words and secrets like others use knives and poison. Swashbuckler* - Duelists that rely on elegance and charm to outmaneuver and outperform their foes. Sorcerer - A spellcaster who draws on inherent magic from a gift or bloodline. Draconic Bloodline - Hardy mages who can wield the elemental fury of their dragon heritage to great effect. Wild Magic - Powered by chaotic forces, these mages can bring incredible power to bear that is all too often beyond their control. Storm Sorcery* - Born with a connection to elemental air itself, with the ability to dance on the wind and control the weather with ease. Warlock - A wielder of magic that is derived from a bargain with an extraplanar entity. The Archfey - Patronized by an inscrutable lord or lady of the fey, with the sort of powers one would expect a faerie to have. The Fiend - An infernal pact gives them frightening power over hellfire, as well as the devil’s own luck. The Great Old One - Sometimes opening your mind to things that man was not meant to know gives you the power to control others and know more mundane things as well. This is maybe one of those times. The Undying* - Mortals which break the chain of their mortality find their power comes at a price, but they have plenty of it to go around and can help lead you to the same immortal pinnacle in time. Wizard - A scholarly magic-user capable of manipulating the structures of reality. Abjuration - The school of magic that primarily blocks, banishes, and protects. Conjuration - The school of magic that summons creatures, produces objects out of thin air, and lets you teleport. Divination - The school of magic that lets you see the future and try to bend it to your aid, as well as letting you read minds and detect things. Enchantment - The school of magic that hones an ability to beguile, hypnotize, and control the world around you (mostly through doing all that to the creatures in it). Evocation - The school of magic that creates powerful elemental effects, like huge fireballs, waves of frost, balls of acid, and other such straightforward stuff. Illusion - The school of magic that dazzles the sense, makes the impossible seem real, and the implausible seem certain. Necromancy - The school of magic that lets you talk to the dead, bring them back to life in the form of a horrifying zombie, and provide temporary boosts in vitality. Transmutation - The school of magic that takes things and turns them into other things. Bladesinging* - Bladesingers are [Elves and Half-Elves] who go at being Eldritch Knights from the other end of things, by way of the Bard and Barbarian. Backgrounds are what you used to do or who you used to be. Or maybe who you still are, sort of! They give you some basic skills and gear to flesh out your character, and can help provide some character traits to boot. They also each provide you with an ability of some sort, most of which have some degree of narrative power. There aren't very many official out-and-out variants, but there are a bunch of backgrounds that share most/all of the details but for the power, and I tried to conflate them when possible so it'd be easier to tell them apart. If it has an asterisk, it's from the SCAG, guaranteed. Spoiler: Backgrounds and Variants Backgrounds and Variants Acolyte - After a life in the service of a temple or religious order you command the respect of those who share your faith, and so long as you remain in good standing can expect support and healing from your fellows. Charlatan - Talented in the arts of deception and the various tricks of the con artist’s trade, a charlatan even has a false identity all forged up and ready to go. Criminal - Your experiences with lawlessness have left you proficient with a number of the tools one might use to break and enter, and a lingering contact who keeps in touch. Spy - Some criminals learn and apply their skills of burglary and smuggling in a very different context, whether it’s in service to an official power or selling secrets to the highest bidder. Entertainer - You thrive in front of an audience, whether as a tumbler or musician, and can always find a place to perform and stay in modest comfort in exchange for a show. Gladiator - The sorts of shows you put on are a bit more combative, maybe, but flashy fighting is every bit as much of a show. Folk Hero - You may come from a humble social class, but the people of your home village already regard you well and your destiny calls you on to greater things. To help you along your way, the other common people will come provide aid and shelter. Guild Artisan - You’re a member of a guild with all the skill, wealth, and connections that that implies. Guild Merchant - You might instead belong a guild of traders, caravan masters, or shopkeepers. Rather than producing goods, you’re more able to transport and sell them. Hermit - A time in seclusion has granted you training in medicine and herbalism, as well as a unique personal discovery or insight with significant narrative weight. Noble - You carry a noble title, and your family owns land, collects taxes, and wields significant political influence. You are welcome in high society, and the common folk attempt to accommodate you and avoid your displeasure. Knight - While lacking some of the power of the upper ranks of nobility, a knighthood brings with it a small number of personal retainers. High Noble (Waterdhavian Noble)* - Even more known for their lavish lifestyles, these nobles have traded some of their political sway for a more affluent lifestyle. Outlander - You grew up in the wilds, away from the comforts of town and technology. You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and are skilled at providing for yourself and others with what the wilderness provides. Northern Tribe Member (Uthgardt Tribe Member)* - Your knowledge is specialized to the area your tribe calls home, but you have connections and alliances with others that live there and can call upon their hospitality. Sage - You spent years learning the lore of the multiverse, along with more standard history and linguistics, so even when you do not know something you probably know where you can find it or someone who does. Sailor - In your time on a seagoing vessel you faced down storms, monsters of the deep, and those that wanted to sink your craft. In addition to the tricks of the trade you picked up, you can secure free passage on a sailing ship for yourself and your companions—though you’ll no doubt need to work for your passage. Pirate - Having grown up under the aegis of a dread pirate, your reputation precedes you. You might have a harder time getting passage on a ship, but people in civilized settlements might be too afraid of you to report minor criminal offenses to the authorities. Soldier - You might have been part of a standing national army, a mercenary company, or a local militia. At any rate, you retain your rank from your time with them and can use it to exert influence over lower-ranking soldiers or to gain access to friendly fortresses and encampments when that rank is recognized. Urchin - You grew up on the streets alone, and learned to provide for yourself. You understand cities in a way that most don’t, and can find hidden routes through the sprawl that others might miss. City Watch* - You served the community where you grew up for some time, its first line of defence against crime. You’ve got a feel for where to find local law enforcement and criminals alike, though you’re only likely a welcome sight to the former. Investigator* - Rather than hunt criminals down on foot, your skills lie in solving crimes after the fact, and noticing when things are out of place. Clan Crafter* - Whether you are a [dwarf] yourself or simply trained by one, you have been trained in the ancient traditions of their crafting and are held in very high esteem among them. Cloistered Scholar* - You spent your youth locked away with books more often than not. You’ve got a working knowledge of how to navigate your cloister, and are likely to gain preferential treatment at other libraries as a professional courtesy. Courtier* - Whether or not you were a noble, you had a place in the court that has left you with knowledge into the workings of bureaucracies and the nobility. Faction Agent* - There are many organizations that are unbounded by geography but maintain a significant power with which to follow their agendas. You were an agent of one of these, in secret or openly, and have the skills and secret signs appropriate to such operatives. Far Traveler* - You are from a distant place, so far away that many here may not know of its existence, or more than a handful of wild and exaggerated rumors. Wherever you are from, and whyever you have come, people pay you a kind of attention that can be a nuisance and way to make new connections both. Inheritor* - You’ve been left something of great value—beyond mere wealth. This inheritance might draw danger to you if others learn of it, but it could also be the key to a better life. Knight of the Order* - Rather than serving a particular lord, you are part of a knightly order that is sworn to achieve a certain goal. Other members of the order—and those who support its goals—will provide you with aid in your times of need. Mercenary Veteran* - As a former sell-sword you’re used to fighting for coin, and readily recognize the emblems and reputations of other bands. Urban Bounty Hunter* - Your work preventing criminals from getting away with their crimes has lent you an understanding of them and how they think, with many contacts just honest enough to require your services without being subject to them. I'm not crazy, you're crazy. So, uh, @esotericPrognosticator, I'm good with most roles. I've been a Barbarian before, and that was a real blast, but I'd be happy filling pretty much any role. Between that and my having prior experience, I might wait until most of the newer players have had a chance to decide on what they want, so that I can fill any role that's missing without denying someone else what they wanna do. Saying that, should there be a thread/conversation that's specific to the game, or keep going over stuff here? Worried a bit about it getting lost in between other stuff and/or drowning stuff out, but not really sure if that's a reasonable concern or just my brain being a dumb.
I remember seeing a new version of the ranger, which last I saw looked pretty damn sweet. Lemme go see if I have it downloaded or a link to it, and edit this post to add it in. eta: Ahhhh, the thing I saw was the Unearthed Arcana version. Made by WotC, but not yet fully playtested, and definitely not allowable for official games. The brief article was over here,, and the pdf of the altered class here. Very much stuff that's only with GM approval, do not assume by default that it's okay.
Yeah. Some of the UA stuff is pretty clearly good to go, maybe with only very minor adjustments. Other things are... not... that way. Some are too little, or have abilities which actively get in the way of other abilities they have. Others are far too strong. So, when making the list, I left almost all of them out... and then removed them entirely from it when reposting it here, because finding the right UA version of everything can be a pain, and not always worth it. The new Ranger looks pretty good, and there's a bunch of UA stuff I'm pretty much drooling over in anticipation, but... beyond not being official, I have a personal thing against playtesting in groups that haven't played together before, especially with people who haven't played much. Makes it harder to tell what balance issues are because of playstyle rather than mechanics, stuff like that. Not like the game has to be limited because of that, but it's why I didn't want 'em on my list. That and they keep coming out with more and it took too long to make in the first place, I don't wanna have to keep updating it at every opportunity as well. Pre-post EDIT: Oh! Thing I forgot in the above bit on races: There's another version of the Aasimar in the DMG, which is part of their explanation on how to create new races yourself, but the Volo's Guide one is more developed and has subraces and just seems better, so I included it other the other instead.
(answering over here since this is a general D&D question that people not joining Tyranny might be interested in) Are you looking for more of a sneaky stealthy stab mage, or is just someone who adds magic and the use of melee weapons good? I don't minmax enough to be able to say what's best, but I can mention alternative options: In the Players Handbook, Fighter has the Eldritch Knight, who gets a couple of abjuration (defense/buffing) and evocation (fireball) types of spells. In the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide, Wizards have a special variant locked to elves and half-elves called Bladesinger , a light-armored sort who wields weapon in one hand and spells in the other, with a 2/rest feature that buffs themselves to be faster and more dexterous. SCAG also has a few interesting cantrips that require making a single melee attack as part of the spell.
I don't know what I want to do now, but i feel kinda sick so i might wait a bit before deciding anyways.
When I was a kid I would only play Rogues. All about that sneaking. My last character was one of the stealthiest members of the party, but that didn't make them not a Barbarian who Smashed Good whenever the option existed. The rest of the party was just even less stealthy than that.
3, 5, 3, 1 = 11 5, 3, 1, 5 = 13 4, 3, 5, 1 = 12 6, 4, 5, 1 = 15 3, 1, 3, 3 = 9 6, 4, 1, 1 = 11 not bad
...thank you 3, 5, 3, 4 = 12 5, 3, 2, 5 = 13 4, 3, 5, 5 = 14 6, 4, 5, 2 = 15 3, 6, 3, 3 = 12 6, 4, 3, 6 = 16 My paladin concept, with the half-orc modifiers, would be Str 18 Dex 12 Con 16 Int 12 Wis 13 Cha 14. I think I need to lie down.
