[OOC] D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

[Hekazu]

There indeed are many "Idiot" barbarians out there, just as there are "Chaotic Stupid" rogues and "Lawful Stupid" paladins. They are the easy entryways to the game though and for someone that easy way might be the Drow girl in skimpy clothing and a flirtatious attitude, even if said thing is nearly impossible lore-wise for a multitude of reasons. That's why they are tropes: They are easy to approach so you see them often.

I don't think we have too many of those though: Orchid is no idiot (if a bit foolhardy), Brannor is no unwavering bulwark of faith, Parum's self-esteem does not seem to be through the roof (and they are not flirting with everything, something I believe to also be a Bard trope), Kyra is not some acolyte straight out of seclusion and Torus isn't the typical tree-hugger either. We've got quite the group of trope-breakers in our hands.

[Ryonara]

@The Harbinger of Ferocity

I've certainly experienced that last one. Personally I don't mind playing up cliches a bit. Some of the best stories I've read from D&D involved a half-orc barbarian doing what you'd expect a half-orc barbarian to do. That being said I do like the characters here, since they're both familiar cliches but do things a bit different. Orchid is a barbarian sure, but he has a bit of a ranger flavor to him, almost druid based off his flashback. Travos is a druid but I've never seen a druid with a past like that. Brannor strikes me as an oddity somehow, and I'm almost certain he's some sort of fae spirit. I also don't usually see paladins who have a more natural bent. And I don't know much about Kyra, but I'm sure she has something interesting too. She is the first character I've ever seen with the Folk Hero background, so it'd be interesting to see how that opens up.

I also noticed that our party is very nature inclined. Orchid came from a sect of druids, Travos is a druid, Brannor is an outlander and seems more focus on a druidic religion rather than a deity one, and Kyra is a cleric of Chauntea, an agricultural god.

[Lucius Cypher]

BTW here's the battle map.



Will update on my next turn!

[Gordian Nought]

Great map, Lucius Cypher!

So fast and furious! Exciting posts, everyone.

Should be through with work in a few hours. On my mobile device currently. My contribution will be up soon once I acquire the necessary materials.

A computer. A glass half full of single malt whiskey. And a little creativity.

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

It is an unusuality that all of our characters for the most part share roots in natural themes, but that is ground I personally would like to explore once this long night in Greenest is over. I have not seen much cohesion of that core aspect before among players, let alone by independent agency - usually you see the spread we were talking about earlier more than anything.

[Hekazu]

@Lucius Cypher
Yup, 18 is high enough for Orchid to climb. Pardon me for forgetting the turn change announcement.

@The Harbinger of Ferocity
It would be your turn now.

[Gordian Nought]

I love how Brannor's mind works. So delightful, @The Harbinger of Ferocity!

I've also enjoyed Faerie Fire with its descriptions, in this campaign and through the years. The magical Herpes of the D&D world.

Now, @Hekazu, I have an inquiry in regards to your personal interpration/ruling on Bless/Bane in 5e. The "Whenever" and duration of 1 minute implies, to me at least, continuous potential applications, when the desire/need arises, as long as concentration is maintained.

Obviously, this is my reading. Just curious as it may affect the future actions of Orchid, Brannor and Parum. Especially since @Lucius Cypher is navigating the party's fearless daredevil.

What say you, DM? :)

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

I am both curious and honored to your rationale in regard to our resident knight-aspirant of the wild domain, @Gordian Nought. Just as I am interested in what other readings of the Bless spell exist. Is there a standard contrary interpretation to its normally assumed function? I know in this edition it is legendarily good spell and a staple of those playing clerics and paladins but all answers I have seen were akin to that linked.

[Gordian Nought]

Agreed and gracias, @The Harbinger of Ferocity.

That attached link is in line with my thoughts, but other DMs, I've played with, have felt it too powerful, in my experience of 5e, at Level 1, in contrast to the cantrip, Guidance, where RAW specifically mentions "Once."

Not sure if it is RAI as well, though, in Hekazu's eyes. He inherently possesses fiat over this campaign, so he trumps my preference any day of the week and twice on Wednesdays.

[Gordian Nought]

@Norschtalen, I only made mention of it owing to the phrasing you used with it. I was unsure if you thought it a spell that would be discharged as some similar ones are. I would not want us to unintentionally use it once and be done with it. Sanctuary also does not have a duration of concentration, so you could actually do both.

@The Harbinger of Ferocity

Oops. Unsure why I glanced over this. But you seem to have addressed this. Apologies.

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

Coming from optimization circles, it is actually well balanced owing to the competition of spells for concentration, which is the real problem, in particular for the person casting. At lower levels it certainly holds well above its own, but as our repertoire of spells advance, it becomes harder and harder to choose which spell for which situation and its scaling as a whole tapers off.

The positive aspect for us players is that Kyra appears to be a ranged cleric, meaning her concentration is less likely broken; opens up my opportunity for Brannor to instead use smite spells more or Divine Favor.

[Hekazu]

@Gordian Nought@The Harbinger of Ferocity
The wording on the matter of Bless is quite clear. "Whenever" and "until the spell ends" in the same sentence, in addition to no mentions of losing the benefit unless the caster's concentration is broken. Bless is good for multiple uses.

In any case, it would be @Ryonara's turn now.

[Norschtalen]

This would be the first time a GM thought Bless worked like that! I thought so myself, but all the GM's who I've played a cleric with says that Bless can only be used once per casting, and only for as long as the casting lasts. I suppose having a miniature bardic inspiration that you can cast on three different people at once seemed too good to be true, but I'm glad that you'll let me use it like this. It certainly makes Bless and Kyra more useful.

[Hekazu]

@Norschtalen
Well, it is a 1d4 and only a 1d4 per target and only as long as the spell lasts... and there definitely are more powerful options when it comes to concentration spells. Well, not this early, but Bless is supposed to be good early. Perhaps the DM's have been afraid of it being too powerful, but the wording is clear especially when compared to the Bardic Inspiration it resembles: The BI specifically states that it is for one die only. If they wanted to limit Bless and/or Bane, they would have stated that in the spell description. The errata has nothing on the subject either, so I do not see why it would not be used as written.

[Hekazu]

@Norschtalen
Your turn!

@The Harbinger of Ferocity@Gordian Nought@Lucius Cypher@Ryonara
Also calling all others for an announcement: I am going to be away from my books for the weekend, so while I can read what happens here and perhaps even post somewhere else, I will be unable to advance the game from Friday afternoon until Sunday evening. Technically given how we've currently set this up, you may be able to go through an entire round before I need to say anything so there would be no visible delays.

On another note, I thought about Bless and the Advantage mechanics, and given how advantage and Bless are written (Advantage is rolling the d20 twice and taking the higher while Bless is adding to a single check), I believe one does first roll the two d20's, pick the bigger number and then add a single roll of Bless. Technically it changes very little, but that's how I interpret it. Do you people have other theories on the matter?

[Lucius Cypher]

Bless

1st-level enchantment

Casting Time: 1 action

Range: 30 feet

Components: V, S, M (a sprinkling of holy water)

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You bless up to three creatures of your choice within range. Whenever a target makes an attack roll or a saving throw before the spell ends, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to the attack roll or saving throw.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st.

I pulled this description from here so it might be wrong, but I see nothing that says it can only be done on one attack or saving throw roll. Hypothetically speaking if you bless someone who can do extra attacks, you can use your bless for each one of those attacks.

I can kinda see how your GM might have thought this was too powerful @Norschtalen, if you can interpret it that way I just mentioned. This is effectively giving someone a minute-long +1 (At a minimum) to their attacks and saves, which oddly enough is good at both low and mid level. At low level the DCs and ACs are generally lower, so one or two points can make a big difference between a hit or miss. Even at mid level like 5 or 6, that's when martial classes would start getting their extra attacks, or some classes start to get really crazy like two-weapon fighters or monks. Usually those times gain multiple attacks for less damage/accuracy, but with a bless it can help offset that penalty.

Even at higher levels a +1d4 to a save can be really helpful considering how deadly those things can be. The only problem is that by the time you get to that level, there are plenty of other spells that compete with the strength of Bless. I don't know what spells since I've never played a cleric, but I'm sure there is one. So really it's not as if Bless is a bad spell later on, quite the contrary: it's very good, it's just that it has a lot more competition from equally as useful higher level spells.

[Norschtalen]

That might have been what he was thinking, I didn't argue it myself. I can kinda of see how that might be the case however since my party had a two-weapon fighter who always had near misses. I'm sure if he had my Bless when he fought he would have been more of a damage dealer than a meat shield.

Edit: And posted! I also decided to color my dialog pink so it's easier to see it.

[Lucius Cypher]

Hey, Orchid will be fine! Even if he falls off the ramparts, he still has Relentless Endurance to survive to 1 HP.

Though admittedly with how death saves work, I don't know how high he has to fall before the damage done to him will be considered "Instant Death".

Also a quick question @Hekazu, I'm perfectly aware that the dragon is huge size and I know that Orchid can't technically grapple it (I think it's only medium size or smaller). But could he still make a grapple attempt to simply hold onto the dragon, instead of trying to hold it in place? I imagined there being some sort of aerial face stabbing action going on later into this fight, and Orchid is going to really need that bless and rage ASAP. Oh, and Fairy Fire. That would be helpful for Orchid.

[Hekazu]

@Lucius Cypher
Sure, I'll find the section in my DMG real quick.

Says here that it will be the "grappler's" Athletics/Acrobatics versus the target's Acrobatics to successfully climb on. While in the creature's space, you move with it and have advantage on attack rolls made against it (friendly reminder that advantages do not stack). You can move around as if on diffcult terrain, but be wary: the other creture can force you to a contested check of creature's athletics versus "grappler's" Athletics/Acrobatics and on a failure off you go.

And given you mentioned instant kills, the rule for that is if you ever end up in negatives at or or below the opposite number of your maximum hit points, you die. Falling deals 1d6 damage for every 10 feet you fall, to a maximum of 20d6. In short, you won't want to find yourself soaring through the air without wings.

[Hekazu]

@Norschtalen
You may want to reconsider your action: Guidance is a concentration cantrip and using it would end your Bless. Do notify me if you for some reason do not want to, otherwise I will be waiting for an update.

I'm going to sleep now and will do my best to post before I have to go tomorrow.