Character Creation

[drpete]

Though you are welcome to optimize the system, you are under no obligation to... it's more that you should make sure that you know everybody is going to need to pull their weight for the good of the group... if you don't have good stealth, investigation, perception, or survival, you can at least "help", but don't leave all that up to just 1-2 people, cause they can't be everywhere at once

[Rex]

My cleric could be a guide or hunter.
Wis 16 +3
Survival +5
Perception +3
Stealth +2
Doesn't really apply but I have animal handling at +5 so some sort of underground critter the dwarves use to hunt with would be cool.

[Rex]

These look sort of cool.

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Cavvekan

[drpete]

Things like that... should you get dogs, or mounts, etc... they will provide a tangible benefit... something that seems appropriate. Help on the hunting tests, for example, or let you avoid your first level of exhaustion on the journey for mounts.

[drpete]

Looking things over, I see:

Birbal Fistmaul - A Dwarf monk (who is mysteriously 5th level?)
Brana Hreysti - A Dwarf Life Cleric
Rankar - A Dwarf Ranger
Sabyllos - A Half-Elf Warlock

These guys seem pretty close to ready to go.

Scott308 has started something, and ravenn4544 has (so far) just "checked in". I'm thinking that I'd like to kick us off at some point in the not *terribly* distant future. How's that sound?

[Rex]

Sounds good to me, but I think my character is ready.

I do have a question about my spells. My Sacred Flame Cantrip doesn't show up under Attacks, but it is an attack correct?

[Rex]

I also have and can use cartographers tools if that helps with being a guide.

[ybn1197]

Looking things over, I see:

Birbal Fistmaul - A Dwarf monk (who is mysteriously 5th level?)...

Sorry. Got two different game recruitments confused. His level has been fixed.

[Scott308]

I'm going to switch to a rogue. I'll have stealth covered and can probably pick up investigation. We'll see where it goes.

[drpete]

Rex, cartographers tools skill would definitely help if you act as a guide, and will let you make maps while traveling. Give me a little time to think on that one... I think having a map would decrease the peril rating, and just having the skill would be a bonus to your guide roll. Having that skill would let you do a role, and also map. Not having the tool skill, you could only make a map if you don't also help with the roles... but I want to think about it a bit.

[drpete]

I do have a question about my spells. My Sacred Flame Cantrip doesn't show up under Attacks, but it is an attack correct?

Sacred Flame seems to be a spell you can cast, but the target does a save instead of you rolling an attack. I think that is the difference.

[Pulpatoon]

Looking things over, I see:

Birbal Fistmaul - A Dwarf monk (who is mysteriously 5th level?)...

Sorry. Got two different game recruitments confused. His level has been fixed.

And here I was hoping that ybn1197 was the only one on the ball, and we were all going to be surprised by getting to advance our characters to Level 5!

[drpete]

Ok, folks. Finish up, and we'll get things started. As you think about your character's future, you can feel free to plan on using non-phb material for sub classes and future spells. I imagine that I'll be invested into D&D Beyond by then

I know Raven was/is traveling, but I expect the initial situation to be one where a new player could be dropped in fairly easily during a lull in the action.

[Scott308]

Looking at the characters, I've got a couple of things I noticed. I'm not trying to tell anyone how to play their character, and I don't mean to single people out, but some things may not be readily apparent to those unfamiliar with 5e.

Rex- I don't know if you looked at Spare the Dying, but that cantrip keeps characters alive. When you have used your spell slots and don't have any healing spells, this at least stabilizes unconscious characters and keeps them from needing to make death saves and potentially dying. As it's a cantrip, you never have to worry about having a spell that can keep someone alive. You can make a Medicine check to stabilize, but that can fail. Spare the Dying will always succeed. Play your character as you see her, by all means. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of the spell. It could be easy to overlook if you just see it as another healing spell when you already have Cure Wounds and Healing Word, but it really performs a different function .

Kalstone- I see you are proficient in Stealth. On the surface, this looks good, but you are wearing scale mail, which gives you disadvantage on Stealth checks. You can absolutely keep both of those. Maybe you are hoping to get a chain shirt in the future? The chain shirt would not grant disadvantage on Stealth checks and is only one step below scale for AC. It weighs much less, but it does cost the same so you may not have enough gold to buy it yet, even if you sold the scale for half the value. You could also go with hide armor, which does not impose disadvantage, weighs even less, is much cheaper, but would worsen your AC by two compared to the scale. Or, you could use that proficiency slot on something else. The other thing I noticed is your gold. How did you manage to come up with that number? It seems awfully high for a beginning character.

A general note for everyone- you can equip both melee and ranged weapons on the Inventory tab, that way you can see all your options. Obviously, it doesn't mean your character is wielding a melee weapon in one hand, carrying a shield in the other, and holding a bow in their other hands. It just means that those are the standard weapons you will use for melee or ranged combat depending on the situation, and allows you to see your options.

[Rex]

Thanks Scott,
I sort of read spare the dying and didn't see much use in it. I switched since you did an excellent job of explaining it. Having been playing my Druid in Dave's game for a bit now I kinda feel the cantrips you choose are more important than the 1st level spells.

[Scott308]

Cantrips are really the spellcasters' bread and butter, since you have unlimited use. I like Mending. I think it can be a really nice utility spell that can come in handy, but Spare the Dying- when I play a Cleric- is a must have. I think it is too important to skip. It allows you to have a life-saving spell even when you have used your spell slots on healing. At low levels, it absolutely keeps characters from dying.

[kalstone]

Kalstone- I see you are proficient in Stealth. On the surface, this looks good, but you are wearing scale mail, which gives you disadvantage on Stealth checks. You can absolutely keep both of those. Maybe you are hoping to get a chain shirt in the future? The chain shirt would not grant disadvantage on Stealth checks and is only one step below scale for AC. It weighs much less, but it does cost the same so you may not have enough gold to buy it yet, even if you sold the scale for half the value. You could also go with hide armor, which does not impose disadvantage, weighs even less, is much cheaper, but would worsen your AC by two compared to the scale. Or, you could use that proficiency slot on something else. The other thing I noticed is your gold. How did you manage to come up with that number? It seems awfully high for a beginning character.

I'm waiting until we decide if my character is needed to be the guide or the scout to finish him up.

[drpete]

Alright, well, finish up those types of choices, and we'll get rolling, hopefully this weekend. We won't be instantly starting out with a combat, but things should be pretty fixed.

[Pulpatoon]

I'm waiting until we decide if my character is needed to be the guide or the scout to finish him up.

Based on the numbers as they stand right now, here's the logical distribution of roles:

Guide
Brana the Cleric: WIS +3, Survival +5

Scout
Ornthalas the Rogue: Stealth +7, Investigation +2

Hunter
Raknar the Ranger: Survival +4

Look-Out
Sabyllos the Warlock: Perception +3

That leaves Birbal the Monk to wash the dishes.

BTW, I notice that out of our entire crew, we don't have a single point of INT bonus among us.

[Rex]

Might as well add the monk as a hunter since I think we can have more than 1. Interesting point on INT.