Player Backgrounds & Backstories in 5e Dungeons & Dragons - Web DM
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- Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
- What events shaped your character's mysterious past?! Don't forget to subscribe, comment & share. New episodes every Wednesday.
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Intro To 5th Edition - • 5th Edition Dungeons &...
Backgrounds, Feats & Spellcasters - • Backgrounds, Feats & S...
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Character Creation Part One - • Character Creation Par...
Character Creation Part Two - • Character Creation Par...
Campaigning “On Rails” - • Is Your D&D Campaign "...
Treasure - • Treasure: How Much Is ...
Player Styles - • Different Player Style...
Killing Characters - • Killing Characters Res...
Barbarians & Bards - • Barbarians & Bards - W...
Druids,Fighters, Monks, Rangers & Rogues - • Druids, Fighters, Monk...
Sorcerers, Warlocks, Clerics, Paladins & Wizards - • Sorcerers, Warlocks, C...
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Web DM I’m a bit curious on the topic because I want to make a very specific character: what are skills that a Crusader would have? What top 6 Dungeons and Dragons skills could a Crusader have? I am very curious as to what they could be. (I am referring to the Crusades made by the Church to reclaim Jerusalem)
My best background so far was "Orks killed and ate my sheep. As a shepherd without sheep, I had nothing productive to go, so I try to be a hero. I always dreamed of being someone special. My lord allowed it as he had no use for me."
I swear, l live for the intro cuts to this show.
Adam Osborne you will love forever.
I liked the video soon as I saw the intro.
They should make an intro super-cut.
A background that gives you Athletics and Perfomance? Sounds like the Harlem Globetrotters to me.
*Whistling Intensifies*
Sgt. Tedsworth there actually is a gladiator variation in the pH be I had a player use it for storm King's Thunder for his Mystic fighter multi-class that allowed him to Grapple Giants to the ground with one arm. I think we ended the campaign with him having around a + 11 to his Athletics. And that was before I gave him the hammer of thunderbolts.
Now im thinking a character is like the small town football star. Years later the school rival arrives and is the bbeg
I love how the backgrounds both encompass the "I was a priest till I was a cleric" aspect, but also still enable you to mix and match. Wizard-Charlatan that used his magic as a card shark and con artist to pay back the thieves guild that paid for him to learn. Druid-Sailor who's primary job was to ward off and pacify any leviathans or other aquatic beast that would attack the ship, and "speak" to the winds to find the best heading to their destination. ect.
It's simple enough that new players can go their Entertainer-Bard, or Criminal-Thief, while still maintaining the flexibility to accommodate just about anything.
I love the backgrounds because they give you a lot more versatility with your skills. For example, my most recent Rogue is a Thief based off of Dick Grayson from DC Comics. So, I went with Urchin to get Stealth and Sleight of Hand, then for my class skills chose Acrobatics, Athletics, Investigation, and Deception. If I didn't choose Urchin, I'd have to drop two of those skills just to be a decent Rogue, but the background let's me round out his concept, which is really damn cool.
I love how you mentioned that the aspect of backgrounds that allow for player input on the campaign, because its completely true and there are FAR too many dungeon masters that DONT allow player input on the world.
"My monk is a member of a militant, seclusionist, psionic nation that eshues both arcane and divine magic. He acts as a "spy", integrating and observing the other nations and reporting back that information back so that even though his nation has no current intent on expanding, they still remain informed on the goings on in the world. He is trained in stealth, and perception so that he may watch, while remaining unseen." says the player.
"Yeah, no. You're not a spy. Theres no psionic nation. Monks can't be spys, try again." says the DM
"My sorcerer is a member of a merchants guild, she travels across the land collecting items from ruins and raiders and sells them to townsfolk and smiths and other traders as she goes town to town and-" the player says.
"Nope. There's no merchants guild, thatd be stupid, why would merchants need a guild? Why would a magic user be in a merchants guild? Nope. Try sage." Says the DM
"My rogue is a folk hero and he-" the player tries to say.
"A rogue? A folk HERO? Absolutely not, rogues CANT be good. You're lawful evil, youre a criminal. Stop trying to POWER GAME and RUIN my campaign." cries the DM.
These DMs are annoying at best, and destructive at worst. They can quickly kill a person's desire to play they game if a player is new and expecting to be able to play the character that the game says they can play. This is especially heinous in a homebrew campaign, where the world has few things truly set in stone, the setting is as malleable as your imagination and to completely shut down a player's idea because YOU didn't think of it yourself is not only a dick move, but its painfully limiting.
I COULD umderstand it if it were say, Ebberon where its basically the D&D version of Shadowrun in that EVERYTHING has a game mechanic associated with it and a building and a person who has likely done that thing because its so focused on its own setting that there's little wiggle room unless you as the DM care to create all the information needed to mesh in with its systems. But even still, I wouldn't like it.
The idea that the DM is the god of the campaign and has complete and uncontestable right to tell the player what they can and cannot do is far too prevalent. The DM is an architect, who builds a place for the story of the party to unfold. Not an overbearing parent who tells you what you can and cannot do.
Dude, you can easily play a rogue Folk Hero. Basically make them Robin Hood. The DM's problem is that they don't think beyond archetypes. I love making unique characters, even when I have a background that matches their classes.
I love flaws. Wizard in my campaign has flaw that he hates when simple people are "stupid" or superstitious about magic and weird stuff happening around. He always steps out and suddenly enraged says "It doesn't fucking work that way!". Always hillarious moments started by this :D.
Yoink! Idea stolen.
My pcs flaw never comes up, pity of those of my faith when nobody worships gruumsh. I even fail at bring people into my faith all the damn time -2 charisma
We were missing a member of our D&D group and the rest of us decided to do a one shot. I arrived first at my DM's house and this is how it wen't down.
DM: What level are you planning to make this character?
Me: Lv 12 Half Elf Knowledge Cleric.
DM: Sweet. What's his background/backstory
Me: I see my character to be a librarian, someone willing to hunt down books that his city library doesn't have.
DM: Cool! Seems like a sage background is perfect for this guy.
Me: Sweet! I'm down.
DM rolls up some random magic equipment and my character ended up with a helm of teleportation, and we both agreed this is perfect for my character. So if little Susie wanted a pop up book of the creation of the planes and the local library doesn't have it, my character can teleport to a major city, like Waterdeep, buy the book and teleport back. Let's just say that "one shot" started to become an epic adventure where our party had to track down a book of knowledge that was located in the Feywilds.
knightdrako This is awesome. I love it. May make him into a NPC when someone is late on returning a book he shows up with a giant plus 2 firesword tor retrieve the book from the beholder.
I remember when I let a player synthesize the Craft and Diplomacy skills in 3rd edition. He made some pamphlets to incite an angry mob of villagers to attack the orcs in a nearby ruined fort.
I don't play d&d or anything but I came across these videos and I think they are elaborate enough in just the story telling aspects of characters and monsters that they could surely write a good book. The gaming aspects are almost just a bonus to fans.
+Chaos Shepperson i feel the same way!! Its an Idea Box. - Producer Trav
The intro alone deserves a like
This comment alone deserves a like.
BigMac8000 this reply alone deserves a like
The backgrounds are honestly something I'm glad are included. Figuring out what I want to make for a character is always hard, and the backgrounds always help - and the tables in Xanathar sound pretty good for coming up with an idea!
I can always use more ways to generate character ideas, ahah.
I like how it's modular enough to inspire unconventional combinations.
For example, you might have a Wizard with the Guild Artisan background, with a specialty in Alchemist's Tools. The character used to just be a regular alchemist (that is, they spent their time making oils and acids and glue; mundane stuff). A more experienced alchemist saw great intellect and potential in the character, and so invited them to join a special group "studying the high art of alchemy". Next thing the character knows, they're getting initiated into a secret society of Wizard alchemists. The character comes away with a components bag full of vials, powders, and unguents, and a spell book full of deeply symbolic illustrations. (Because Real Life alchemists were known to hide mystical knowledge in intricate drawings and paintings). Top it off with a special ring that other members of this secret society can identify.
As a pharmacy tech of 10 years and sometimes feeling like it is a dead end profession, I appreciate the fact that you, Pruit, are a long time pharmacy tech. Keep making great content.
Johnathan Rhoades legal drug dealers unite!
Custom Backgrounds being a CORE rule, not something the DM needs to approve, is amazing and people forget that way too often.
It's also something that (unless you're running some kind of Official game) most DM's would want to okay beforehand regardless of what the book says. I mean I'd be happy for the player's engagement if they'd done something even vaguely reasonable, but if they decided "My background is Savage so for the ribbon I gave myself Great Weapon Master", I would politely tell them to reign it in.
Umm... That's not even remotely allowed within the Customizing your Background rules...
Bro, Rule of Cool. Sometimes man, you can have more fun without the rules.
I had a character once who I really enjoyed playing just because of his backstory- he was an elven shipwright Wizard who spent literally decades building these giant freaking ships by hand for like, rich artisans and stuff, which ended up being REALLY useful once we started sailing around everywhere (and I got a couple of useful spells), because he was basically the guy who patched up/kept the ship in working order AND was the party's main source of long range damage on other ships -which, by the way, if you haven't had a wizard turn galleon into a giant flaming wreck with a single fireball to their gunpowder barrels, you have to try it, it's HILARIOUS watching the DM struggle to figure out a way to keep that encounter going.
This talk of post PAX recovery gives me a fun idea for a campaign. The Hangover style scenario. “We lost Dougrath!”
Dude, Where’s my Cleric?
Wasn't there a quest in Skyrim where you enter a drinking contest with a disguised Daedra, only to wake up and retrace your steps, discovering that you trashed a holy temple, stole a guy's goat and sold it to a giant, and almost married a hagraven? Something like that would be easily converted to D&D I feel.
Ive seen this happen, and it is the best thing ever if you have a group willing to roll with it
@@SirStrangefolk That was a great quest and I was laughing all the way through imagining my traditionalist Orc chieftan doing all of that on one hell of a crazy bender.
What is best in life? Seeing Jim as Conan in the thumbnail.
And to hear the lamentations of Pruitt
I love watching you guys. Whenever I begin to get distracted you draw me in with a funny joke and rarely does a video draw me in for the full 30 or so minutes without having it in the background. You're so passionate I bet I'd even enjoy almost anything you two discuss with such vigor.
navels ♥ Thank you so much! So happy to entertain!
The revelation at the end of this video is what every DM everywhere has at one point. This is what Matt Colville's DM videos are all about. Showing that, while Chris Perkins, Jeremy Crawford, Mike Mearls, Matt Mercer, and Jim Davis are amazing DMs, they are all just people. That we all can be just as amazing.
Rich Prendergast damn straight!
I created my first three characters and all their backgrounds completely on my own and ahead of the game, and I loved them. But I created my latest character by rolling for every aspect of him, and the creative challenge of playing a character I would have never made myself and developing his backstory as we played was SO fun! It ended up being my favorite campaign. Plus, my character ended up becoming a legend within the world by the end, which was cool.
Those pink glasses though, fabulous!
glad you two talked about Backgrounds & Backstories
Loved the discussion on backgrounds. I don't often change the proficiencies gained from backgrounds but one of the characters I recently created replaced the instrument for an alchemist kit from the entertainer background. He grew up with his parents in a traveling troupe/circus and he was taught to use the alchemist kit to create colored smoke and fire (sort of like medieval pyrotechnics).
Acid in each other's faces at 20 paces, lol!
No guys, thank you for your videos for your inspiration, and your ideas. You make dming seem easy for new players to no longer be afraid so they jump into that DM's chair and help create beautiful worlds with their players. You guys deserve the success you have gotten.
kyubii972 we appreciate the support!
w8, this Alchemist that you created is an Apothecary!
I know, right? Where's the Alchemist's Tools proficiency?
Are you're a DM who has always had a problem with Railroading?
You have an epic idea for a campaign with a dramatic ending and unforseen twist, only to have your Murder-Hobo players throw wrenches into your finely tuned machine-of-a-world?
Try writing. You get to control everything, no pesky dice that you may have to fudge, no annoying players who have an almost instinctive talent to work against everything you've done. Everything happens exactly how you want it to happen!
Backgrounds are one of my favorite parts about character creation. They're so flexible, and they're great for inspiration. I've had some pretty fun characters simply because of backgrounds (and interesting rolls).
I love the idea of a MacGyver-esque alchemist background, I may have to play that at some point. Perhaps a kooky old arcane trickster rogue or alchemist/artificer wizard.
Something I've been meaning to comment on this video, the d20 products WotC made during 3e (Modern, Past, etc.) had what was essentiaply backgrounds. It was invented for d20 Modern so they called it Occupations, but it gave free skills, a feat, and/or a wealth bonus. It's nice to see they really developed this idea after 3e (I never played 4e).
My noble, brass dragon bloodline sorcerer who has proficiency with spears approves of this video.
He went to school for wizards but only attended the practical classes coz he was the only one that didn't need to study.
To assist the DM I created the academy and the nearby township... It was fun.
OK two things came to mind.
1. Character creation for me starts before the ability scores are rolled and continue to about 4th level. I leave some blank spots to fill in once I figure out who the character actually is. When I initially think of a character I tend to picture them about 12-14 level and then create the 1st level version I think could end up being that character. Through game play they usually never become that character but some variation of them.
2. When rolling the dice on a random table or to help make a decision, it's not the value on the dice that's important but rather the way you feel when you see the result. If you flip a coin or roll a die and you feel disappointed you know you don't want that outcome pick the other one.
Wow, may I say, this was a great episode! Lots of neat insights about the role of backgrounds, how to design custom backgrounds, and how to really engage them. I think this episode has helped me answer a lot of questions I had about how to implement certain character types, since I think using the Background is a more potent route than I had previously considered. Since it confers skills, language, tools, and a ribbon feature for use in social and exploration encounters, it can be the step needed to turn the Battlemaster into a wizened scholar, turning one who swears the Oath of Devotion into an Iron Paladin of Gerana.
Thanks also for including the segment from PAX - that was cool to see, and a great way to include folks like me who couldn't be there. I love this show and wish y'all the best in 2018!
Now I want to make an Elven Ric Flair. He would be a monk, from an ancient order of wrestlers, going around and smashing drunks through tavern tables, banging ladies, and buying shiny things. All while dressing up in capes and feathers, and hyping himself the fuck up before a fight.
So glad y'all had fun. And I want to add my thanks, I've been watching your videos just for fun, but now I'm fully motivated to try my hand at being a DM. Look forward to even more of your videos, keep up the great work!
Pruitt knows how to sit in a chair.
Ardin Helma I have two cats. We’re more alike than I care to admit.
It’s like full on “oh hey....didn’t see you come in”
You guys!!! Awesome, seriously! love it! Very very happy that you guys got to experienced that and feel the love!
I once played a Fighter with the Criminal background, and added in PT/B/I/Fs from Soldier in order to represent the transition from Criminal to Soldier as a form of atonement or restitution for his previous misdeeds. Was quite fun playing this, and the implications that arose from that.
Additionally, Arcana and Stealth sounds like two amazing skills for a Dispater Tiefling.
Congrats on 80 thousand subscribers guys your numbers just keep climbing hell yeah
I'm looking to start DMing my own game, and this whole series has been a huge benefit and a great source of inspiration. Thank you so much and keep up the great content!
It was really cool seeing you two at PAX SOUTH this year! Thanks again for all you do. It's helped me so much with my campaign.
Built a background for a Goliath Cavalier, as to why he hates giants in particularly Frost Giants. So far He has not seen little own fought a Giant . He has fought Orcs, Hob Goblins, Vampires, Vecna, an entire war against invaders , and a Dragon but no Giants.
when i roll on a random table i just allow for full randomness, and then once i see the result and always don't want it, it lets me know what i do actually want most without having to pick my own brain
In a sea focused campaign my character's background was a guild artist and asked the guild to act as explorer and found trading outposts
Finally!!!! I don’t want to hear about fighting... I want Characters to make Fate altering choices between your old Thieves Guild buddies and the Dragon slaying heroes you’ve grown to consider as family! Aaaaaa!!! *rips off shirt*
On one hand that sounds all right, but some of us like to roll dice and hit things or just like simple characters.
One of my players made their character part of an organization of secrets. I ended up making that organization part of a group of organizations that preserve peace through the land. It helped the plot and the player liked the idea. It helped tie the party to the organization as well. Made the plot move by smoothly.
So proud of you guys!
Kyle McCool Thanks!
Can we get a compilation of the intros? They are just pure gold!
oh my god yes please!
Red Dragon Sorceress with entertainer background. Ultimate 🔥 Dancer. Add in Subtle spellcasting to magically boost abilities during performances and I personally have the view of the character as variant human with prodigy expertise in performance. She fully sees herself as a dragon, bit her avorice is not toward gold but rather for life experience and adventure. Knowledge and stories are her precious gems. CG
Still just a thought experiment, haven't seen her in play: but she is one of my favorites from my traveling circus of odd characters.
I like the Role Play aspect, because Anyone can have a pile of gold coins, but only a handful of people on the planet have climbed the west face of Mount Gorragan, and watched the sunset through the glass shrine of the god Astreus.
Indeed and it is much easier to carry. Her final goal would be to be able to cast Wish to fully assume her "true" form as an adult red dragon, preferably with the abity to shapechange back to her mundane form for ease of socialization.
I've really enjoyed watching you guys grow as a channel! It's awesome you got to meet Chris Perkins and some of the humans that follow you!
My alchemy skill gets used for cooking! My travel rations are amazeballs.
I love this! Particularly for your use of the word amazeballs and the fact that it's applied to alchemically cooked rations
Is it just me, or would anyone else love for these guys to do a Critical Role breakdown video each week. Damn I would just love their insight
There was a time I couldn't imagine making a character on the fly like that. Just the other day though I had ten minutes to roll a half orc fighter. I had no idea what I wanted him to be, but by the end of the session I settled on a childish Oaf.
He was actually convinced to join the villains team after being promised omelletes. I absolutely love role playing him lmao.
This may be a stupid question, but what is a ribbon ability?
I have no clue what that is either, never heard of it actually lol
I wanna know to lol
An ability with little/situational mechanical value but is thematic. Example would be the Storm Sorcerer 'Storm Guide' ability
Jam Newton thank you!
Going off of context, a ribbon ability would be decoration; something like proficiency with a gaming set that might not mean anything gameplay wise, but adds something to their character, who they are and how they spent their time before the game began.
My favorite custom background I ever made: adopted son of sarenrae. Ribbon ability was basically ask dm for help.
you guys. you guys. Love your work and am so happy for you that it is working out and letting you do things like go to pax south. Hopefully you can make 2018 a great year for Web DM. May the dice ever roll in your favour!
And another day passes that I miss web dm
An order of halfling monks sounds like a LOT of groin-punching for normal-sized opponents.
In the world I'm playing in, my DM has made a Half Dwarf race, and I had an idea. I ended up with a Half Dwarf Cleric of the Light domain who is terrified of the dark. One day, as a child, she wandered off into the mine where her family lived (and her dwarf father worked). She wandered too deep, and was abducted by goblins. She was kept in a pitch dark dungeon cell, listening to the goblins discuss her fate in a language she didn't understand. She was rescued last minute by an adventuring party, and was given an amulet by that party's paladin, who worshiped Solaris, the god of fire. The background I gave her is the Haunted One from Curse of Strahd.
17:24
Pruitt makes what seems to be a pretty common mistake regarding the Sage's "Researcher" feature. The feature does not give the character access to details about stuff (that's what skills are for). Rather, if a character *doesn't* recall a particular piece of info (ie. failed the skill check), then Researcher grants the character a pretty good idea of where to find the information.
It's actually a pretty awesome way for the DM to move the story forward if the players would otherwise just be casting about at random. The information might be in the depths of a disorganised infinite library that has a ghost problem. It might be a book in the possession of a humorously-unsympathetic book collector. It might be in the head of a famous/reclusive/missing expert.
You couldn't handle what I had in store for you... #SeeYouBoysAtGenCon ;-)
I flesh out my characters before the first session, but I keep them putty and workable the first two or three sessions. So I think I know what I'm doing on the way in, and their attitude changes. Except my Bard. He was just as hilarious as I thought on the way in.
These cold opens give me life.
Your artificer/alchemist who can Macguyver whatever equipment they need sounds like a great Rick Sanchez build. Lol
I put down some PBIF for my Dragonborn Cleric.. And wound up swapping most of them out after the 4th session, since I realized that I've been playing the guy WAY different..
My background for my Open Hand wood elf Varis was that he came from a family of gifted magic users. However, he was born without the gift of magic and wasn't very good at it. That prompted him to be the black sheep of the family and he was tortured and bullied by his family and village for not being a gifted at magic, whether it was a sorcerer or wizard. He eventually runs away and promises to kill everyone who treated him like shit. He finds asylum at a forest monastery that he heard a legend that the grandmaster knows the death blow/punch. The monks agree to take him in, exchange for him doing chores and yard work since he was faster than most humans and elves there. There he finds enlightenment and trained with the monks in their ways of martial arts.
I was really hoping you were going to talk about the Hermit background. Really trying to help a player who hasnt come up with thier own secret.
Funny you bring up throwing acid like a barbarian. A character I want to run, if I ever get to play in eberron or any other extremely high magic setting, is a disgruntled potion maker who learned he was really good at glassing people with his work when he finally quit with "style"
I’m playing Tyranny of Dragons, and I’m making a character originally from Greyhawk who got teleported to Faerun through some funky messing by higher powers with the space-time continuum (or the D&D equivalent). So sadly can’t use the great ideas, but the next time I’d love using this advise (especially the custom background) for making a character.
Thanks guys!
owly33 you’re welcome
I almost exclusively use custom backgrounds now. After playing 5e for about a year, I started making my own personality traits, ideals, bonds, flaws. It honestly isn't too difficult to go bare minimum and say, "what are 2 personality traits that define my character? Who does my character idolize and why? Who or what is the most important item in their life? And lastly, what is just one bad thing about my character?" I have a friend or two that says stuff like this, "I went over every single personality trait in the book, and none of them fit the character I want to make!" Seriously, if you can't be creative enough to come up with one personality trait on your own, I fear for the rest of your d&d experience...
I think I've watched all your videos at this point and I gotta say keep them coming. If I could make a request, do you think you could do a video on how to run shorter campaigns? I recently started DMing and I have friends that want to play but scheduling is a problem, my solution is to run one shot campaigns with whoever is available so that I can get more practice and to figure out who really wants to play.
To be more concise I can't figure out the pacing of a one shot campaign. I'm trying to run it at lower levels so I don't overwhelm potential new players, but I also don't want it to be boring. Looking for some juicy plot hooks haha
Former soldier turned mercenary, bastard born
Guys, you are the most entertaining and cool D&D channel I've seen! I tip my ushanka to you!
Love to see Left Nerd and Right Nerd getting super comfy and just a bit high on dat UA-cam fame!
Also, what's up with all the hoses and firefighting equipment in the... background?
🔥🔥🔥
It's about time !!!!
Purpleheart dice for 400$? Were the numbers incrusted with gold? I need to start my mill and switch to dice making from knifemaking...
Loved it,
Have y'all looked at starfinder at all ? ( Space Pathfinder in a way) they did there own version of the background system
Hell I would like to hear what you guys think of starfinder period if you've looked at it.
Back ground Goliath village wiped young survivor swears vengeance upon the Frost giants who perpetrated the deed. Gets adopted by a Group of exploring Dwarfs . Who train him in fighting and blacksmithing. He becomes a Caviler to defend the Dwarfs from the Giants of the area .
However short a Back ground is I find DMs tend to ignore many of them because they don`t fit a module or pre set up dungeon.
Best intro in a long time
Do you think you guys can do a show about material components?
This is a great channel
Caleb Manning thanks!
So we were playing pathfinder and one of the characters in our group had the friend in every town “power” so every new town we’d go to wed find this “nurse joy character who would show us around
I didn't know I had half-elfs in my world until EVERYONE rolled half-elf. Now I have a half-elf city state.
Love you guys, continue the good job!
Pruitt's Hello Kitty shades tho. 👌
Morgan Nuncio hello..
JPruInc Howdy!
Kind of hard to resist immediately switching to the Acq-Inc game. Luckily I'm also very interested in backgrounds.
Bond Traits Ideals Flaws are a nice timid step into RP mechanics in D&D, but it still feels pretty peripheral to the experience. I wish it was something more critical integrated like in a game like Burning Wheel.
Also, who is the mysterious third member of this show?
Only just subbed. Keep it up guys, I look forward to this.
robert faer thanks!
Man that Alka-Seltzer works fast!
So in a campaign me and my friends are doing my fellow players are wishing I’d invest a bit less in their backstories as I’m actively investigating them in my downtime.
Great episode. In the part where you recorded a bit at PAX you mentioned dice where you could only see the numbers with UV light. Super interested but cant find anything on the google. Do you guys remember the company that made them?
Not exactly background, but my new player is a High Elf Cleric, and Elves in my world are from across the sea, and rarely show up on the mainland. So he's meeting the local blacksmith, and says, "The lord of the castle bids you craft this item for my friend." And the blacksmith says, "Aye, I will, for the word of an Elf is true, and everyone knows an Elf cannot lie." Suddenly, the player is concerned. "Wait, what? Elves can't lie?" And I explain to him that Elves are almost legendary, and this guy is probably the first in his family to even SEE one. So everything the common folk know about Elves is based on gossip and myth. Basically, my player is going to be the first real Elf to represent his Race to this village. "Aw, no pressure," he mutters. He addresses the blacksmith, "Good man, see to it, and I will tell your lord of your cooperation." (which wasn't actually a lie, as far as I could tell) None of the PCs have an Alignment written down, as I like to see where the players push their characters to, before they choose a real Alignment. I'm sure he'll pay the blacksmith, but he's level one, and has about ten GP. Now I have to look up how much it is to forge a 6-foot, steel quarterstaff.
The $400 dice at pax sound nice, but do they roll PC stats as well as Pruitt's special little dice?
Great episide as always. Could you do an episode on the book of vile darkness? Also an episode on the heroes as the villains? Like the characters believing they were saving everyone but in fact the seeming villain was actually the hero all along.
I was planning a campaign where a Lich was stealing the souls of nobility and aristocrats and the characters are sent to stop him. When they find him it turns out he was stealing the souls of corrupt and evil nobles and aristocrats. All this so he could stop an unspeakable evil. I want to make it a bit more complex and not so obvious. Or major plot twists in general. That would be nice.
It would actually be my first real time playing (due to the size of the group I will be a DMPC test run shows Im good at not metagaming at all also my wife is going to play too and shes excites) so yea. Unnecessary context but there we are. Thanks guys!
Also a COC video? Really interested in playing that as well would love to hear your input. And any cool lesser known games? Like the Ghostbusters RPG?
We finally get to see that you guys actually have legs
Cool cat scarf
What would you guys think about getting an armor ir weapon proficency trough background.
Somethink like, your position had you train for battle, you get proficency for an armor type that is 1 category heavyer than what you can already wield.
(something something if you already have heavy armor proficency get +1 too ac or reduce the strength requierment or so on)
That should not work in the mechanics. Weapon and armor proficency is handled by the class, not background.
Any class can use any armor even if they are not proficent in the use of that armor. The downsides however are rather heavy which is why you typically do not do it. To add a mechanic that gives you +1AC or lower STR requierment is just bad because it go very bad. Since only Heavy armor have STR requierment it isn't that much problem as it typically is only the strong that has heavy armor. If you give +1AC you can easily good way to hard on AC. Heavy Armor is also typically those that have the highest AC. I got a Forge Cleric with a shield and plate armor. His AC is 21 at level 5. So if you give another +1AC to that it is just silly. That is without stuff like haste or shield of faith.
Hey Web DM it's great you have a Chris Perkins signature! I'll one up you. I have Chris' handwriting and signature all over a Dungeon Magazine concept I put up and he thoroughly panned (rightly so - twenty years on it still stink). I wonder what it's worth on eBay?
Oh my god, I have done that same style of signature since I enlisted 8 years ago. Am I meant to be a pharm-tec?
Space Iguana if you’ve ever handed anyone a pill...you’re basically a pharm Tech?
My group's Orc Barbarian is a Folk Hero. But, he has 1 intelligence. The story is that he accidentally charged into a bandit hold and ran over the leader. Some random ass villager lead him back to the village and they made him their hero, statue and all. Since he is too stupid to tell them his name, he was given the name "Bragg Iron-Balls". He also earned 2 servants, who are pretty much babysitters for him that try their best to understand his 1 INT babble.
he's most likely secretly 1000 IQ mastermind Orc acting stupid for free shit