Spore
2017-04-30, 06:18 AM
Greetings playground,
we have premiered D&D 5 successfully but I would like to be able to explain and use all combat options to my players as well as direct the game in the direction it was intended to be played.
1) Skill overlap:
Our DM doesn't announce ability checks but rather direct skill checks, mainly due to habit from Pathfinder. This is okay and I don't want to question his authority in that but does this take away from the freedom of the system? The skills are (intentionally?) vague as to what skill is used for what. I feel Acrobatics and Athletics overlap a lot. Charisma rolls overlap a lot, too: "You should pay us handsomely as we nearly died from that voodoo priest." is both a deception and a persuasion.
2) Class roles:
I am our tank as the barbarian (Ki Warrior (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Path_of_the_Ki_Warrior_(5e_Archetype)) with AC 17/Con 19) and I use a Greatmaul until I start using my unarmed attacks and War Ki for burst. I bind the largest enemy while our Phoenix Sorcerer (https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/26_UASorcererUA020617s.pdf) kills minions. Our arcane trickster rogue is our face/scout and deals ranged damage to the main big enemy. How do we work around the fact that we don't have a healer nor anyone that can increase my survivability? Should I rely on the dodge action? Should I let the enemies run rampant for a bit that the others can use their short rest dice as well (i.e. thin the minions before dealing with the big baddies)?
3) Short/Long Rest management:
My War Ki feature requires short rests but that is about it. Also our short rests take up 1 hour - for us not to abuse the mechanic and also to leave more place to roleplay a break - so I don't expect to have more than 8 War Ki (on 6th) to spend on a daily basis. This however impedes my HP regeneration as I will typically only have a single opportunity to regain hit points.
Long story short, without protecting magic, healing or any form of CC (other than Darkness) I expect to bite the dust quite early. A bit later than usual due to my long health bar but still earlier. Our very first encounter was a homebrewed Flesh Golem/Giant Zombie that used a souped up Stinking Cloud and showed me that even a Con save of +7 doesn't always safe me from detrimental effects. Which I like but it makes me think. 1-2 more turns disabling my action while close to an enemy with 4 attacks could've easily brought my very tanky character down to 0.
4) Magic items and itemization:
We are purposely undergeared (no magic items, about 1.000 gold total) so our DM has more leeway in letting us earn our items. How limiting or expected is it to have magical items by 5th level? I don't think he will offer magical items for sale or offer our Tinker Gnome Arcane Trickster possibilities to build some. What nonmagical items are important? I am thinking about tricks like ball bearings, alchemical fires, healing potions, anything that rewards creative play.
we have premiered D&D 5 successfully but I would like to be able to explain and use all combat options to my players as well as direct the game in the direction it was intended to be played.
1) Skill overlap:
Our DM doesn't announce ability checks but rather direct skill checks, mainly due to habit from Pathfinder. This is okay and I don't want to question his authority in that but does this take away from the freedom of the system? The skills are (intentionally?) vague as to what skill is used for what. I feel Acrobatics and Athletics overlap a lot. Charisma rolls overlap a lot, too: "You should pay us handsomely as we nearly died from that voodoo priest." is both a deception and a persuasion.
2) Class roles:
I am our tank as the barbarian (Ki Warrior (https://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/Path_of_the_Ki_Warrior_(5e_Archetype)) with AC 17/Con 19) and I use a Greatmaul until I start using my unarmed attacks and War Ki for burst. I bind the largest enemy while our Phoenix Sorcerer (https://media.wizards.com/2017/dnd/downloads/26_UASorcererUA020617s.pdf) kills minions. Our arcane trickster rogue is our face/scout and deals ranged damage to the main big enemy. How do we work around the fact that we don't have a healer nor anyone that can increase my survivability? Should I rely on the dodge action? Should I let the enemies run rampant for a bit that the others can use their short rest dice as well (i.e. thin the minions before dealing with the big baddies)?
3) Short/Long Rest management:
My War Ki feature requires short rests but that is about it. Also our short rests take up 1 hour - for us not to abuse the mechanic and also to leave more place to roleplay a break - so I don't expect to have more than 8 War Ki (on 6th) to spend on a daily basis. This however impedes my HP regeneration as I will typically only have a single opportunity to regain hit points.
Long story short, without protecting magic, healing or any form of CC (other than Darkness) I expect to bite the dust quite early. A bit later than usual due to my long health bar but still earlier. Our very first encounter was a homebrewed Flesh Golem/Giant Zombie that used a souped up Stinking Cloud and showed me that even a Con save of +7 doesn't always safe me from detrimental effects. Which I like but it makes me think. 1-2 more turns disabling my action while close to an enemy with 4 attacks could've easily brought my very tanky character down to 0.
4) Magic items and itemization:
We are purposely undergeared (no magic items, about 1.000 gold total) so our DM has more leeway in letting us earn our items. How limiting or expected is it to have magical items by 5th level? I don't think he will offer magical items for sale or offer our Tinker Gnome Arcane Trickster possibilities to build some. What nonmagical items are important? I am thinking about tricks like ball bearings, alchemical fires, healing potions, anything that rewards creative play.