Doors and Shadows 5e game OOC (Open for one more.)

[thinkslogically]

((yup, that's an alternative, but seems more plant/land based than I'd like for a walking maelstrom

I've got plenty else to rely on in terms of spells and stuff though, so I don't mind if it's a no. Everyone getting a free feat might be an (overpowered?) option though

I know, I'm pushing my luck. Please don't murder my guy!))

[Draco Ex Machina]

I'd actually been considering getting everyone a free feat at the beginning, so I'm considering it.

You've already got some excellent stats though, thinks. So I'm not sure you should be worried too much about whether you can have shillelagh or not. You're a pretty solid spellcaster as is.

EDIT: You know what? Leaning more towards starting at level 1 if I do this, but go ahead. Everyone starts with a free bonus feat. I've been wanting to experiment with how it affects balance, so this is as good a time as any.

[thinkslogically]

I know, that's why I feel like I'm pushing my luck Not being able to melee at all would certainly be interesting, so I'm genuinely ok with either way

If you're sure though, I'll most likely pick up Magic Initiate (druid) now, and take War Caster at level 4 (sorc) after a couple of levels of tempest cleric.

Most of my other characters are utility based, so making a straight-up combat character is going to be fun

Edit: my choices would be-

Cantrips:
Shillelagh
Magic stones

L1:
Entangle

I'll let you decide if that's too cheesy

[spiderwrangler]

_: 4D6.HIGH(3) = [4, 5, 3, 3] = 12
4D6.HIGH(3) = [6, 6, 2, 1] = 14
4D6.HIGH(3) = [3, 2, 2, 6] = 11
4D6.HIGH(3) = [4, 3, 5, 2] = 12
4D6.HIGH(3) = [4, 4, 3, 3] = 11
4D6.HIGH(3) = [5, 6, 4, 1] = 15

"Trill", a Kenku ((Volo's Guide)), Bard, Sailor

STR: 11
DEX: 16
CON: 12
INT: 12
WIS: 12
CHA: 15

Expert Forgery. You can duplicate other creatures' handwriting and craftwork. You have advantage on all checks made to produce forgeries or duplicates of existing objects.

Mimicry. You can mimic sounds you have heard, including voices. A creature that hears the sounds you make can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your Charisma (Deception) check.

Languages. You can read and write Common and Auran, but you can speak only by using your Mimicry trait.

Skill Proficiencies: Acrobatics, Athletics, Deception, Perception, Performance, Sleight of Hand, Stealth
Tool Proficiencies: Navigator's Tools, vehicles (water), Lute, Lyre, Drums
Armor: Light
Weapons: Simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Saving Throws: DEX, CHA

Equipment: Light Crossbow and bolts, entertainer's pack, a lyre, leather armor, dagger, club, 50ft silk rope, common clothes, 10 gp, an old key on a bit of string that she wears around her neck as a lucky charm.

Personality Traits: I never pass up a friendly wager. My language is as foul as an otyugh nest.

Ideal: The sea is freedom - the freedom to go anywhere and do anything.

Bond: Ruthless pirates murdered my captain and crewmates, plundered our ship, and left me to die. Vengeance will be mine.

Flaw: I can't help but pocket loose coins and other trinkets I come across.

Cantrips: Minor Illusion and Vicious Mockery
1st Level: Bane, Healing Word, Sleep, Thunderwave

Free Feat: Lucky

[Draco Ex Machina]

I know, that's why I feel like I'm pushing my luck Not being able to melee at all would certainly be interesting, so I'm genuinely ok with either way

If you're sure though, I'll most likely pick up Magic Initiate (druid) now, and take War Caster at level 4 (sorc) after a couple of levels of tempest cleric.

Most of my other characters are utility based, so making a straight-up combat character is going to be fun

Edit: my choices would be-

Cantrips:
Shillelagh
Magic stones

L1:
Entangle

I'll let you decide if that's too cheesy

It's a LITTLE Cheesy. I'd prefer it if you did come up with some more story related or flavour inspired spells for your feat, especially considering you're already pretty powerful.

Coming up with a good spin for it works too though, just convince me with persuasion instead of pleading.



Anyways, looking really good guys. I'd like to get just one more person, so I might wait a day or two to get started.

[Arch Lich Burns]

After some thinking, I decided to go with peacock aarakocra to be a much more flashy fighter, and the fast fly speed helps.

This is what I got so far.

► Show Spoiler

Entertainer- Gladiator/wrestler: acrobatics, performance, disguise kit, musical instrument (guitar)
monk: athletics, stealth
Feature: Mobile

Equipment:
inexpensive weapon (net), the favor of an admirer (trinket), a costume, and a belt pouch containing 15 gp
ÔÇó javelin
ÔÇó DungeoneerÔÇÖs Pack Includes a backpack, a crowbar,
a hammer, 10 pitons, 10 torches, a tinderbox, 10 days
of rations, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of
hempen rope strapped to the side of it.
ÔÇó 10 darts


Personality trait: I get bitter if IÔÇÖm not the center of attention.
Ideal: Beauty. When I perform, I make the world better than
it was. (Good)
Bond: I idolize a hero of the old tales and measure my deeds
against that personÔÇÖs.
Flaw: IÔÇÖm a sucker for a pretty face.

Aarakocra:
Str: 15
Dex: 16
Con: 13
Int: 7
Wis: 16
Cha: 12

[Draco Ex Machina]

Looks good guys, I'll start putting some charactersheets for you together this weekend.

[thinkslogically]

It's a LITTLE Cheesy. I'd prefer it if you did come up with some more story related or flavour inspired spells for your feat, especially considering you're already pretty powerful.

Coming up with a good spin for it works too though, just convince me with persuasion instead of pleading.

Well, the idea is largely that he's been created out of this storm (somehow), so the magic that infuses this guy and springs out of him is inherently chaotic and destructive. As useful as it may be, his magic has little utility and no restorative aspects. This may well change as he develops as a character through the game, but his nature is almost entirely magical, and certainly not gentle. So he's going to be pretty damn good in combat, but since he knows nothing about the local cultures, poisonous plants, personal property, systems of money etc. etc. he is going to be really reliant on the rest of the party (or some kindly NPCs) to keep him alive otherwise.

Saying that, I missed that "Gust" was on the druid cantrips list, so I've taken that instead of Magic Stone because it definitely makes more sense. Entangle was the best-themed spell on the L1 druid list that I could see that would be in line with the concept (themed perhaps as slimy seaweeds/kelp) for the storm / ocean motif, but I've got no particularly strong feelings about it. Create / Destroy Water is the only other one that would work, but it's already on the cleric list and will be a race trait at L3 anyway.

Anyway, see what you think. I've updated my original post with the rest of the character information, just let me know if there's anything I've missed.

Couple of questions:
Out of combat, could I use create water (without a container) and then use shape water before the created water hit the ground as rain? Or would I need to create the water into a container first and then shape it to make that work?

Also, how do you interpret the use of Magic Initiate L1 spell? Is it a "free" once-per-long-rest spell, or does it require a spell slot. My interpretation is the former since the feat could be taken by non-casting classes, but you're the DM

[spiderwrangler]

That's how I read Initiate too.

[thinkslogically]

((Burns, I am loving the idea of a stealth peacock by the way ))

[Quarg]

Okay...well considering I'm not playing any games at the moment, beyond getting scragged by my ancestors, this sounds interesting if you need any more characters...

[thinkslogically]

((I'll go out on a limb and suggest that you may well be the 4th player Draco's been waiting for Quarg ))

[Quarg]

Well do I read things right and so far there is a monk, a bard, and a cleric?

[thinkslogically]

I'm going to multiclass at l3 into sorcerer to basically just be a walking tempest with a focus primarily on (aggressive) casting, but yeah I think that's right Not sure how the others are planning on progressing later right enough.

The races are also all unusual, with a water genasi (me), a kenku (spider) and a peacock aaracockra (burns).

[Quarg]

I am thinking of just porting poor Thedor over or seeing if I can...maybe with one or two changes...

[thinkslogically]

Haha! Controversial! I'm still living in hope that we'll get to pick that campaign back up again one day Elara the Bard is going to wait a little longer I think!

Was thedor a paladin? I forget now...

[Quarg]

Haha! Controversial! I'm still living in hope that we'll get to pick that campaign back up again one day Elara the Bard is going to wait a little longer I think!

Was thedor a paladin? I forget now...

Yup, and I'm not sure why it would be Conterversial...he was a 1st level character when created...yeah, the background sort of works considering how open this world is...the most problematic is the rather good rolls I got when creating him in the first place.

Unless of course I'm missing some ediquite thing of the DnD world I never got taught in the first place...

[thinkslogically]

Oh no, I mean "controversial" in the sense that it sounds like you're giving up on layf's game coming back, that's all!

I have no issue with thedor at all

[Arch Lich Burns]

I plan on dipping into rouge a bit, possibly. As thinks pointed put, a stealthy peacock is amusing.

[Quarg]

Oh no, I mean "controversial" in the sense that it sounds like you're giving up on layf's game coming back, that's all!

I have no issue with thedor at all

I'm not giving up...I'd be creating the alternative reality Thedor...like the version of Worf who married Deanna versus Dax...

[thinkslogically]

awesome

[Quarg]

Well, here is the idea:

► Show Spoiler

Name: Thedor Laur├½ lira HilÔÇÖdar
Height: 5ÔÇÖ10ÔÇØ
Weight: 210 lbs
Description: A half-elf Captain of the Eastersun Royal Guard with ties to its nobility acting as a diplomat when required. Described as a tall, broad shouldered man with brown hair and mustache he is seldom taken for a half elf except for his ears and/or blue silver eyes. Many places that he goes he is mistaken for a wandering bard due to his proficiency with a shawm and his wild tales of places beyond the western sea.

Story Background: Thedor
STR 15
DEX 16 (+1)
CON 13
INT 10 (+1)
WIS 15
CHA 15 (+2
Class: Paladin
Background: Soldier: Officer
Feature: Military Rank
Alignment: Neutral Good
Skills: Athletics, Insight, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Stealth
Traits: I donÔÇÖt pay attention to the risks in a situation, never tell me the odds.
Ideals: Art should reflect the she soul; it should come from within and reveal the truth of the artist.
Bonds: Something important was taken from my God, and I shall recover it and punish those who stole it.
Flaws: I have trouble keeping my true feelings hidden. My sharp tongue lands me in trouble.
Proficiencies: Shawm; vehicles (land)
[Equipment]
A badge showing his captainÔÇÖs rank and the royal arms of Eastersun, but also the shield of his family, a winged black wolf, with blue eyes, flying in a field of silver.
The halves of a foreign musical instrument, a Rackett, covered in dull magical symbols that was cut into two.
A tenor shawm
A rapier with a hilt pierced with geometric symbols.
A longbow with twenty arrows.
TravelerÔÇÖs Clothing
Studded Leather Armor
ExplorerÔÇÖs Pack
A small copper ring with the symbol of a scale and acubus on it.
Paper and ink.
funny broad black hat with blue feather (foreign)

► Show Spoiler

Name: Thedor Laurë Falstaff
Height: 5ÔÇÖ10ÔÇØ
Weight: 170 lbs
Description: A half-elf from the Eastersun Islands currently working as an Auditor for the Protector of Eastersun. Thedor does have some dragonblood from his elven mother being from House Phiarlan, that has become allied with the Falstaff family of Eastersun. Described as a tall, willow of a man with brown hair and mustache he is seldom taken for a half elf except for his ears and/or blue silver eyes. Many places that he goes he is mistaken for a wandering bard due to his proficiency with a shawm and his wild tales of places he has been.

STR 10
DEX 16 (+1)
CON 14 (+1)
INT 10
WIS 10
CHA 16 (+2)
(Redone the original numbers per point buy)

Class: Paladin
Background: Faction Agent
Feature: Safe Haven
Alignment: Neutral Good
Skills: Insight, Perception, Performance, Persuasion, Stealth
Traits: I donÔÇÖt pay attention to the risks in a situation, never tell me the odds.
Ideals: Art should reflect the she soul; it should come from within and reveal the truth of the artist.
Bonds: Something important was taken from my God, and I shall recover it and punish those who stole it.
Flaws: I have trouble keeping my true feelings hidden. My sharp tongue lands me in trouble.
Proficiencies: Shawm; vehicles (water)
[Equipment]
A badge showing his rank and the arms of the Protectorate of Eastersun,
but also the shield of his family, a winged black wolf, with blue eyes, flying in a field of silver.
The halves of a foreign musical instrument, a Rackett, covered in dull magical symbols that was cut into two.
A tenor shawm
A rapier with a hilt pierced with geometric symbols.
A longbow with twenty arrows.
TravelerÔÇÖs Clothing
Studded Leather Armor
A set of Navigator's tools
Paper and ink.
funny broad black hat with blue feather (foreign)

Story line

Thedor is returning home from his last mission, to deal with a particularly problematic noble who was attempting to turn a religious cult into an army to act against Eastersun and their allies. Thedor 'captured' the cursed magical object, that allowed said noble to place people under his sway, but is now forced to quietly retreat away from the rather perturbed religious fanatics called the Mummers. In the last port of call, Thedor found himself trapped at a local safehouse with armed Mummers actively searching all who boarded the ships from the quay. Thedor was able to get passage on a ship, and lighted out to it with the Captain, by promising to fill in the slot of the former navigator turned arrested sot. (I prefer this to the complete memory loss truthfully, he has a reason not to know the passengers as he was a member of the crew)

[Draco Ex Machina]

Welcome, Quarg. Looks good. Pleasure to have you with us.

Remember, I told these guys they could all have a free feat. I wont make you take it, if you don't want it.

Aaaand, I rolled up a set of numbers that you could use if you wanted. Not going to lie, it's the best set of numbers I've rolled for this game.

► Show Spoiler

_: 4D6.HIGH(3) = [1, 5, 2, 4] = 11
4D6.HIGH(3) = [5, 4, 4, 1] = 13
4D6.HIGH(3) = [5, 5, 6, 4] = 16
4D6.HIGH(3) = [1, 6, 5, 1] = 12
4D6.HIGH(3) = [6, 2, 4, 6] = 16
4D6.HIGH(3) = [6, 2, 4, 6] = 16

[Quarg]

*Laughs*

Yeah, I will be taking the free feat and those damn numbers.

Are you setting a maximum total score for Attributes 1st level? (This might be a rule in 5e, I really don't spend much time playing DnD anymore...)

[Arch Lich Burns]

Max for a stat in 5e is 20, except a lv 20 barbarian.