Donjons-and-Disasters

[donjons-and-disasters]

Apparatus Class 5e (v1:) The D&D class for fans of Soul Eater and Transformers

The following is a homebrew class I have been developing for the last few weeks. This is the first, untested version of it so fair warning: It may be a bit rough around the edges. Let me know what you think!

Apparatus

An Ogre scoffs at the two unarmed littles in front of him until they clasp eachother’s hand and one becomes a long blade stabilizing his already competent warrior ally’s grip, her determined stance making the monster uneasy.

The knight survives an onslought from the Goblin hoard and, with the coast clear, his armor detaches and reforms into a freshly battle scarred Orc, showing the damage she protected her ward from.

Upon hearing they must reach the capital before the necromancer’s armies, a metallic humanoid unfolds his expanding body into a sleek, self driving carriage that his party loads into and sets off towards the rising sun.

The ultimate ally is one whose full potential is only realized teaming with another. This is what the Apparatus does: Transform into sentient equipment to grant their competent allies awesome feats.

Constructive Nature

An Apparatus is closely entwined with constructs, being part object and part creature. This extends into their presence as they embody traits of their transformation even while walking on two legs. However, not all Apparatuses are the same:

The most common sources for an Apparatus are magical or technological: Either their transformation being symbolic of the internal power the universe has granted them, or being constructed as half flesh and mechanism by mad engineers.

A Spirit of Cooperation

An Apparatus is most useful when wielded by someone. Alone, they are objects without a purpose. When bound to someone, their transformation gains meaning. Apparatuses often align with powerful warriors who know best how to wield them or to important people that must be protected covertly. If not clashing with other soldiers’ arsenals on the battlefield, they might remain in an unskilled noble’s scabbard to guide their aim true against an assassin.

As a literal tool, many Apparatuses find themselves in subservient roles. Many are made for the express purpose of being a living weapon, while others are meant to slave away at mundane tasks which the well-off would prefer not to do themselves. Most successful Apparatuses find success in the shadows: Employed by thieves guilds, the spies of royalty, or as a successful experiment of a crazed mage.

Apparatuses also hide in plain sight. Being able to transform into mundane objects means that they can be transported wherever those objects may be found. This gives many Apparatuses secure positions as spies gathering info from the back of merchants wagons or as a surveying set piece propped up in an aristocrats home.

Creating an Apparatus

When making an Apparatus, think how their transformation came to be. Perhaps they live in an isolated warrior tribe which has survived by way of their secret living weapons. It could be as an experiment to enhance a feudal army, one product of many in a larger system. Warforged, golems, cyborgs and other construct adjacent creatures could have societal rituals regarding transformation, or transform invaders as punishment.

How did you come to adventure? Have you fulfilled your original purpose, now seeking someone new to bind yourself to? Or have you escaped a vile duty you were created for, on the run from your creator(s) and trying to forge a better living despite your origins? Maybe some mishap has occurred with your form and you are on a journey to find the person responsible to get answers out of them.

QUICK BUILD

You can make an apparatus quickly by following these suggestions. First, Constitution should be your highest ability score, followed by Wisdom. Second, choose the Soldier background.

The Apparatus Table

Class Features

As an Apparatus, you gain the following features:

Hit Points

Hit Dice: 1d6 per apparatus level

Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + your Constitution modifier

Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + your Constitution modifier per apparatus level after 1st

Proficiencies

Armor: Light armor

Weapons: Dagger, Club, Sling

Tools: Choose one from Tinkers’ Tools or Smiths’ Tools

Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution

Skills: Choose two from Athletics, Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Medicine, Survival, Intimidation, Perception, or Insight

Equipment

You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:

(a) 3 daggers or (b) a club and a sling with 10 sling bullets

(a) a dungeoneer’s pack or (b) an explorer’s pack

Your chosen proficient tool set and Leather armor

Rigging Type

Upon taking this class, you become able to transform into a kind of equipment that your party members can use. Choose your Rigging type from Weapon, Armor, or Vehicle. Your Rigging type grants you features at 1st level and again at 5th, 11th, and 17th level.

Constructive

You can be healed by means which repair equipment: Being targeted by spells which repair broken items or by a toolset meant to repair and upkeep equipment like Tinkers’ or Smiths’ Tools. When this is done on a short rest by a creature who has the spell prepared or is proficient with the applicable tools, you can regain (1d6 + Constitution modifier) per Apparatus level in HP when that rest ends. This only applies when your Current HP is half or less than your Maximum HP, and healing from this will not cause your Current HP to surpass half of your Maximum HP (rounded down.)

Partial Transformation

As you get more comfortable with your new transformation, you can isolate it to certain parts of your body while retaining the rest of your standard form. You can now take any action listed in your Rigging Type while in your standard form, whether it is your own action or one the Rigging Type grants to an equipper. You are automatically proficient in all these actions given you are the equipment you’re using. If these actions would normally target an equipper or use a equipper’s ability scores, they target or use yours instead.

Equipper Resonance

You can pull off great feats when resonating with your equipper. At 2nd level, you gain two resonances of your choice. Your resonance options are detailed at the end of the class description. When you gain certain Apparatus levels, you gain additional resonances of your choice, as shown in the Active Resonances column of the Apparatus table.

Additionally, when you gain a level in this class, you can choose one of the resonance options that are active and replace it with another resonance you could activate at that level.

If a resonance has prerequisites, you must meet them to activate it. You can activate a resonance at the same time you meet its prerequisite. A level prerequisite refers to your level in this class.

Soul Bonding

The spirits of Apparatus and equipper can align for equipment mastery. While equipped by an ally, you may choose to grant them a +1 bonus to all d20 tests they make using you. In addition, you may telepathically speak with a equipper while equipped.

Ability Score Increase

When you reach 4th level, and again at 8th, 12th, 16th, and 19th level, you can increase one ability score of your choice by 2, or you can increase two ability scores of your choice by 1. As normal, you can’t increase an ability score above 20 using this feature.

Using the optional feats rule, you can forgo taking this feature to take a feat of your choice instead.

Arcane Transformation

Transmogrifying magics emanate beyond your physical form. All d20 tests from your Rigging Type features gain a +1 modifier. Your Form granted by your Rigging Type is considered magical for the sake of resistance and immunity.

Reliable Tool

When a d20 test is made using the Form from your Rigging Type, you may choose to forego the roll and instead replace it with the minimum value required for the action to succeed for you or your equipper. This must be called for before rolling the d20 and applies before any reactions which can effect it. You must finish a short or long rest before using this feature again.

At certain Apparatus levels, you gain additional uses of this per rest, increasing to 2 by 15th level and 3 by 20th level.

Living Symbol

Your partner’s magic flows through you as easily as your own. You may use your body as an arcane focus for any spells you have access to, or you may be equipped by a spellcaster as their arcane focus.

Optimal Burst

As a bonus action, you may activate a burst of optimization which adds a modifier equal to your proficiency bonus to all d20 tests using or affected by the Form of your Rigging Type for 1 minute. You must finish a short or long rest to use this feature again.

Bonded Transference

While your equipper makes a skill check, they may add your modifier for the specified skill to the total of the roll as well.

Automatic Master

Your body holds no more secrets from you. When making skill checks utilizing the Form from your Rigging Type personally, you may add your proficiency bonus twice to the check.

Transient Construction

You are able to reap the durability of your transformations even when you aren’t transformed. Your Armor Class must be at minimum equal to that of an Iron or Steel object (19,) and you gain an amount of Temporary Hit points at the end of a successful long rest equal to a medium sized resilient object (4d8.)

Rigging Types

Through some great transformation, you assume a type of Rig. These determine the kinds of items you can transform into. Some Apparatuses become so through a magical manifestation of their soul, becoming things symbolic of the person they are inside. Others are technologically malformed into beings part mortal, part mechanism, pushing the dominant side of that ratio towards the latter as their body can handle more attachments.

The types are sorted by what you can become: A Weapon, Armor, or a Vehicle. Choose one from this list and add it’s features when you reach the specified levels:

Weapon

You may transform your living body into a weapon to be equipped by other warriors. You aid them in their mission by guiding their strikes where they may normally miss. Becoming the right weapon for each opponent, all you need is someone skilled to cut down foes with you.

Weapon Form

When you gain this subclass at 1st level, you may use your bonus action to transform into a weapon. As part of the bonus action, you can be equipped by a willing ally in 5 feet. Whenever you are equipped willingly, the equipper will always be considered proficient attacking with your Weapon Form. Successful hits deal 1d6 + the equipper’s ability score modifier for that attack + your Apparatus level in damage.

When you use this bonus action, you must declare what kind of damage you deal out of bludgeoning, piercing or slashing and one of the following weapon options:

Melee: Gain the finesse and versatile (1d8) features as a melee weapon with 5 ft reach

Ranged: Perform ranged attacks to a range of (30/120) and generate your own ammunition if none is utilized during an attack action

You cannot take any of your normal actions while transformed unless otherwise listed in later features gained through this Rigging Type. While transformed, your movement speed is 0. You do not need to breath while transformed.

You may be targeted by attacks and spells while in your Weapon Form, sharing all traits with your standard form. Your Armor Class adds the proficiency bonus of a equipper when you are equipped willingly. If you are lowered to 0 HP while in this form, you revert back to normal and go unconscious in an unoccupied space within 5 feet.

You may use a bonus action while in Weapon Form to change the damage type, weapon option, or both. You may choose a new weapon form like this a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus per short or long rest, including the first time you transform between rests. At any time while in Weapon Form, you may use a bonus action to revert to your standard form.

Guided Ambush

While equipped at 1st level, you may use an action to ready an attack. When the attack circumstance is triggered, the equipper makes an attack roll using your reaction instead of their own.

Autonomous Attacks

At 5th level, you can command your weapon form to make additional attacks:

You may use a bonus action on your turn to add an extra attack to the next attack action utilizing your Weapon Form.

While equipped by an ally, you can use an action on your turn to cause the equipper to make an attack without using any of their actions for the round.

When an enemy would step outside of your reach while in Melee form, you may cause your equipper to take an opportunity attack equipping you, using your reaction instead of theirs.

Combined Critical

At 11th level, your intentional cooperation with a equipper can create devastating results. When a equipper lands a critical hit using your Weapon Form, you may add an amount of damage equal to one damage die + your Apparatus level to the total.

Weapon of Mass Destruction

At 17th level, when utilizing your Autonomous Attacks feature, you may add two attacks to the next attack action instead of just one.

In addition, equipper’s gain advantage on the next attack they make towards a target which had been successfully hit by your Weapon Form previously in the same turn.

Armor

You hollow yourself to wrap an ally in protective plating. Becoming the barrier between your ward and their enemies, all incoming threats must first break you. Not only do you protect from physical threats, your spiritual aura rejects unwanted arcane influence on the wearer.

Armor Form

When you gain this subclass at 1st level, you may use your bonus action to transform into a suit of armor. You cannot take any of your normal actions while transformed unless otherwise listed in later features gained through this Rigging Type. While transformed, your movement speed is 0. You do not need to breathe while transformed.

As part of the bonus action, or as a bonus action while transformed, you may equip yourself to a willing ally within 5 feet of you and apply an amount equal to your Current HP to the wearer as Temporary HP. Whatever amount of Temporary HP remains when you use a bonus action to unequip yourself becomes your new Current HP. You cannot be targeted by attacks while equipped.

If you are lowered to 0 Current HP or the wearer is reduced to 0 Temporary HP while you are equipped, you revert back to normal and go unconscious in an unoccupied space within 5 feet.  Once you have taken a total amount of damage in your Armor Form equal to your Maximum HP, even if it doesn’t lower your Current HP to 0, you revert to normal in an unoccupied space within 5 feet and cannot take this bonus action again before finishing a short or long rest.

Defensive Measures

While equipped at 1st level, you can perform a couple of actions on your turn:

Hide: Make a Stealth check for your wearer adding both your wearer’s Stealth modifier and your Apparatus level to the total, following the rules for hiding.

Shove: Take the Shove action against a target within 5 feet of the wearer adding both the wearer’s Athletics modifier and your Apparatus level to the roll.

Adamantine Simulacrum

At 5th level, the Temporary HP applied from your Armor Form is considered resistant to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.

In addition while equipped, you may use your reaction to any critical hit your wearer receives to reduce the damage taken down to a normal successful attack.

Force Field

At 11th level, the Temporary HP applied from your Armor Form becomes resistant to magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage and immune to force damage.

In addition while equipped, you may use your action to apply a force field to your wearer. Until the start of your next turn, they have advantage on saving throws made against spells and magic actions.

Nullifying Shield

At 17th level, the Temporary HP applied from your Armor Form becomes immune to all bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage and resistant to all other damage types the wearer is not already resistant to.

In addition, if the wearer has a resistance to a damage type not gained from your Armor Form, it upgrades to an immunity while you are equipped.

Vehicle

From arms and legs to axels and wheels, you are able to transform into transport for your party. Your new form cuts down on traversal time, provides your caravan with a mobile shelter, and a large weapon rolling into hostile pedestrians.

Vehicle Form

When you gain this subclass at 1st level, you can take an action to transform into an autonomous land vehicle. Your Vehicle Form has the size and carrying capacity of a wagon.

You cannot take any of your normal actions and retain your standard stats while transformed unless otherwise listed in later features gained through this Rigging Type. Your movement speed becomes 15 feet per turn, or 2 miles per hour, and your minimum possible AC becomes that of a Wooden object, or 15, while transformed. You do not need to breathe while transformed.

You may choose to equip any number of riders with Safety Harnesses when they first mount you. While the Harnesses are equipped, a rider has advantage on all skill checks and saving throws to be moved from their space.You may use a bonus action to remove a Harness from any number of riders at once.

You may remain in this form for a number of hours equal to your proficiency bonus. Once you have met the maximum time to be in this form, you automatically revert back into your standard form, dropping all riders and stored equipment in an unoccupied space within 15 feet, until you finish a short or long rest. This same result happens when you are brought to 0 HP while in Vehicle Form, also falling unconscious.

You may take an action while in this form to revert back into your standard form at any point.

Furiously Fast

While transformed at 1st level, you gain access to the following actions:

You may take a reaction to a successful attack landing on an ally riding you in this form to halve the damage they take and transfer the other half of damage to your Current HP. If there is a larger and smaller half, you take the larger half.

You may take your action and bonus action to Dash, moving your wheels on command even with no mount to pull them.

A rider can use their action to drive you from the front seat, increasing your base speed on your next turn to 30 feet, or 4 miles per hour.

Battle Tank

At 5th level, your minimum AC in Vehicle Form increases to that of an Iron or Steel object, or 19, and your Vehicle Form becomes resistant to non-magical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage.

In addition, when an ally riding you is forced to make a Strength or Dexterity saving throw, you may use your reaction to add a modifier to the triggering save equal to your Apparatus level.

Amphibious

At 5th level, your vehicle form gains a Swim speed equal to it’s normal movement speed. While submerged in water while transformed, you produce a protective translucent dome around your party members which keeps water from touching any riders. You may use a bonus action to activate or deactivate this dome at any point. Each hour spent in this form counts as two when considering your total transformed time between rests.

Trunk of Holding

At 11th level, your Vehicle Form gains a demiplane of space called the Trunk of Holding. While in Vehicle Form, allies may store items in your Trunk of Holding if you are willing. This Trunk can hold up to 500 pounds, not exceeding a volume of 64 cubic feet. Items stored in your Trunk do not count towards your total carrying capacity. If you are willing, an ally can use an action to retrieve an item from the Trunk.

When you revert into your standard form, the items in your Trunk revert with you rather than be deposited away from you like normally stored items. Any items in your Trunk of Holding can be accessed when you return to your Vehicle Form next.

Avian

At 11th level, your vehicle form gains a Fly speed equal to it’s normal movement speed.

All-Terrain Machine

At 17th level, your minimum AC in Vehicle Form increases to that of an Adamantine object, or 23, and your Vehicle Form ignores all form of mundane or magical Difficult Terrain.

Equipper Resonances

The most powerful an Apparatus can be is when equipped by a competent ally. Binding the souls of tool and user can unlock powerful combination maneuvers and bring out hidden strengths within either partner.

Durable Tool

When an ally equips you for the first time between long rests, increase your Current and Maximum HP by an amount equal to your Constitution modifier + Apparatus level. This applies before the equipper receives any other effects from equipping you and ends when you stop being equipped.

Wind Shell

When equipped by an ally, an invisible eminence repels threats to your bond: Reduce the total of all ranged attacks targeting your equipper by 1d6.

Toxic Relationship

Your form brings out the worst in your equipper: All Charisma (Intimidation) skill checks made by a willing equipper also add a value equal to your proficiency to the total.

Dual Cloaking

Once per short or long rest, you may use an action to cause yourself and one equipper to become Invisible while transformed. This lasts for up to 1 hour, or until you or an equipper make an attack, Magic action or use an object, whichever comes first. You must finish a short or long rest to take this action again.

Soul Reaper

The bond of your souls opens you up to claiming others: When an equipper would reduce an enemy to 0 HP while equipping you, you may use your reaction to cause that equipper to heal HP in an amount equal to 1d6 + your Apparatus level. This amount cannot exceed the Maximum HP of the target killed and does not increase the equipper’s HP beyond their Maximum. Once this feature is used, you must complete a short or long rest to use it again.

Anchor Partner

You may designate an ally as your Anchor Partner at the end of a successful long rest. Until the next long rest, whenever you use the action to transform listed in your Rigging Type, you can choose to teleport to the Anchor Partner’s position regardless of distance so long as you’re on the same plane of existence. In addition, your Anchor Partner can use a bonus action to summon you and you may teleport to their position if you are willing. As part of the action, you are equipped by the Anchor Partner.

Equipment  Rejection

If you become unwillingly equipped, you may use a reaction to activate a defense mechanism. Impose a Dexterity saving throw on the equipper where the DC equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Constitution modifier. On a failure, the equipper becomes Blinded or Deafened of your choice until the start of your next turn. On a failure or success, unequip yourself from the equipper and move to a space 15 feet away. You must finish a short or long rest to use this feature again.

Enlightened Tool

While willingly equipped by an ally, you may use a bonus action to emit dim light up to 15 feet of your space. You may use a bonus action to deactivate this light.

Transient Maneuvering

While willingly equipped by an ally, you can choose to use actions from your standard form you normally wouldn’t be able to in your transformation, partially reverting to normal for advanced techniques. Once you have finished a turn using standard form actions in your transformation, you cannot do so again until finishing a short or long rest

Shared Riposte

While willingly equipped by an ally, you and your equipper’s AC both increase by +1.

Extended Senses

While willingly equipped by an ally, that equipper can also Hear and See everything you can, and their Perception checks are made adding your Apparatus level to the total.

Remote Detection

While unequipped in your Rigging Type form, the last ally you were willingly equipped by knows your exact location so long as you two are on the same plane of existence. If you are unwillingly wielded, the last equipper also knows the creature type of the unwilling wielder.

Will of Two Bodies

While willingly equipped by an ally, you and the equipper both gain advantage on Strength, Dexterity and Constitution saving throws.

Will of Two Minds

While willingly equipped by an ally, you and the equipper both gain advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma saving throws.

Telekinetic Tool

Prerequisite: 5th level

You may use a bonus action to initiate a telekinetic bond with an ally within 30 feet. For the next minute so long as you remain within 30 feet of this ally, you gain the following benefits:

You gain a Fly (Hover) speed of 20 feet

The ally may take actions normally granted to a equipper through your Rigging Type form sourced from your currently occupied space

The ally gains any modifiers you would normally apply to a equipper from your Rigging Type features

Once a minute has passed, these effects end and you must complete a short or long rest to do this again.

Practiced Technique

Prerequisite: 5th level

Upon finishing a short or long rest, roll two d6’s. Set aside the values rolled on them. While at least one value is saved, you may use a reaction while willingly equipped in one of these two ways:

In reaction to an equipper failing a d20 test, add one of the values to the total, potentially changing the failure into a success

In reaction to a successful attack on an equipper, subtract one of the values from the total, potentially changing the success into a failure

You must complete a short or long rest to regain any spent values.

Combined Perseverance

Prerequisite: 5th level

While willingly equipped by an ally, the first time either you or your equipper would drop to 0 HP or lower between a short or long rest will instead cause that target to drop to 1 HP. When this effects one of you two, it cannot occur again until you’ve finished a short or long rest, even if it’s target is different than last time.

Tool-Eater

Prerequisite: 5th level

You may take an hour long ritual to consume a Magic piece of equipment which matches your Rigging Type form. Doing so modifies all actions for, and bestows all effects/modifiers listed in the Magic item’s description to, a willing equipper. The next time you perform this ritual, the previous item is deposited into an unoccupied space within 5 feet of you and all actions, effects and modifiers are replaced by those in the new item’s description.

Scrying Fragment

Prerequisite: 7th level

While transformed, you may use an action remove an inconsequential amount of your form which becomes the Scrying Fragment: It is a Tiny item able to fit comfortably into the palm of most Humanoids hands. You may choose if this Fragment is visible to other creatures or not. It remains even while you revert back to your standard form. You can fuse it back to yourself using an action while it is within 5 feet of you. You may only have one Scrying Fragment detached at once.

While the Fragment is detached, a willing equipper can use an action to see every direction around the Fragment’s position. It has normal vision and darkvision out to 30 feet. You also detect everything the equipper does when they take this action.

Power Fragment

Prerequisite: 9th level

While transformed, you may use an action remove an inconsequential amount of your form which becomes the Power Fragment: It is a Tiny item able to fit comfortably into the palm of most Humanoids hands. It remains even while you revert back to your standard form. You can fuse it back to yourself using an action while it is within 5 feet of you. You may only have one Power Fragment detached at once.

While the Fragment is detached, an ally can add it to their inventory. You may choose to grant a known ally +1 to all d20 tests, damage rolls they make and healing they receive while the Fragment is on their person. In addition, if a Power Fragment is in the inventory of an equipper, the +1 bonus increases to +2 for all actions granted to them by your Rigging Type.

Teleportation Fragments

Prerequisite: 13th level

While transformed, you may use an action remove an inconsequential amount of your form which becomes a Teleportation Fragment: It is a Tiny item able to fit comfortably into the palm of most Humanoids hands. It remains even while you revert back to your standard form. You can fuse it back to yourself using an action while it is within 5 feet of you. You may detach an amount equal to your proficiency bonus + half your Apparatus level at once.

While Fragments are detached, allies can add them to their inventories. You may take an action to teleport all known allies with a Fragment in their inventory to the unoccupied space within 100 feet of a Fragment which is not in a creature’s inventory. Once this action has been taken, the unequipped Fragment shatters, unable to be reattached or used again in the future.

Akimbo Weapon

Prerequisite: Weapon Rigging Type

You may choose to turn into two smaller weapons rather than one standard sized weapon when taking the bonus action to transform. When this is done, change the damage dice from d6 into a d4, and Melee weapons lose the Versatile feature. In place of these, your transformation gains the Light feature. When using the bonus action to transform back into your standard form, you may choose either weapon’s space to occupy.

Long-Range Weapon

Prerequisite: Weapon Rigging Type

You may choose to elongate your weapon form when taking the bonus action to transform. Doing so grants Melee weapons the Reach (10 ft.) feature and increases Ranged weapons range to (120/600.)

Spiritually Guided Strikes

Prerequisite: Weapon Rigging Type, 5th level

When willingly equipped by a spellcaster, they may choose to make spell attacks using your weapon form instead of weapon attacks, utilizing any ability score they use to cast spells in place of Strength or Dexterity.

Residual Energies

Prerequisite: Weapon Rigging Type, 9th level

The magic which flows through you remains dripping from your blade: Damage rolls made by attacks from a spellcaster equipping you can add 1d6 more damage of a type which is found in a spell that equipper cast using you as the arcane focus since your last long rest.

Protective Visor

Prerequisite: Armor Rigging Type

A retractable face covering is added to your arsenal, protecting wearers of numerous infiltrating threats: While willingly equipped, an equipper’s head is completely sealed, preventing any liquids or gases from touching their face. Inside the visor is breathable air.

Defence Maximization

Prerequisite: Armor Rigging Type, 7th level

When willingly worn by an ally, any suit of armor they wear simultaneously can add their full Dexterity modifier to their current Armor Class than its standard limitation.

Personal Ride

Prerequisite: Vehicle Rigging Type

When using the action to transform into your Vehicle Type, you may instead choose to turn into a Medium sized vehicle with a base speed of 30 feet only able to be riden by one ally at once. Time spent in Personal Ride form counts towards your total transformation time between rests.

Mounted Cannon

Prerequisite: Vehicle Rigging Type, 5th level

Gain a cannon mounted on your Vehicle Form which allies can use their action to fire while riding you. The cannon’s attack has a range of (120/600,) uses the rider’s Dexterity modifier for the attack and damage roll, and is considered proficient for all allies you are willing to ride you. On a hit, it deals 3d6 + the rider’s Dexterity modifier + your Apparatus level in Force damage. This action may be taken a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus between short or long rests.

Complimentary Shield

Prerequisite: Weapon or Armor Rigging Type

As part of the action spent transforming or being equipped willingly, transform also into a Shield which can be equipped into an equippers free off-hand. This Shield provides +2 AC to the equipper while equipped.  When using the bonus action to transform back into your standard form, you may choose either the space of your standard Rigging Type form or the Shield to occupy.

[donjons-and-disasters]

Damage Thresholds: Get that math out of my game!

Hit Points are an easily teachable formula for calculating a character’s life force found across all manner of games. Having a visual reference telling you how close to defeat you or an enemy might be is crucial as a player simulating their character’s experience. In many instances, it’s easy enough to do quick math (especially if it is a video game doing the math part for you!)

However, a problem arises as you get to higher levels in a tabletop game: The numbers get big. Plenty of math skills are required to add damages, apply modifiers, and multiply or divide sections of damage based on resistance or immunity. No one experiences the hardships of math as much as a Game Master. Running several monsters, NPCs and more per encounter could mean stopping everything for a series of calculations and bringing a session to a screeching halt (several times.)

To overcome this, I have engineered a quick method to determine the damage taken by NPCs without a calculator. I call it the Damage Threshold system. Basically:

Instead of subtracting a number from another, you split a creature’s Max HP into Health Cells.

Then, find a Damage Threshold: Divide the total HP amount by the number of Cells.

When running this creature in an encounter, fill in half a cell when an instance of damage is less than the threshold and a full cell when it matches or exceeds it

You may choose to apply overflow damage to another cell if you’d like, whatever minimizes work to a productive degree for you

Healing applies the same philosophy, just in terms of what is gained instead of lost

A creature is considered at 0 HP when all Cells are filled

This system replaces normally lengthy health calculations happening every turn of an encounter with a quick binary determination: Was the threshold met? This can be an especially helpful tool if you’re like me and have huge fights involving multiple factions, several minions and named enemies, and friendly NPCs the party can’t stop collecting.

There is one downside to this system. The damage floor has raised: When your boss gets dogpiled by numerous weaker enemies that would normally be doing pitiful points of damage, each is taking off a fraction of health. Oh that attack normally would have been 1-2 HP? Nope, now it’s a twelfth of their total life force. Speaking purely from a 5e point of reference, running parties of Action Surging Fighters + Flurry of Blows Monks + spellcasters with Magic Missile, Haste or summoned creatures, the action economy rears its ugly head to turn your well crafted boss fight into dust. Now, it only needs to be successfully hit 10 times for 1 point of damage each to die, which some party's can accomplish in a single turn if luck is on their side.

This isn't perfect by any means, but it has worked out for me in the last few years I had been running my current campaign. I didn't feel it would be ethical for me to share this without it's downsides; I do think it's positives far outweigh the negatives personally! I would love to hear about other people's opinions. Maybe experiment with this system for your next encounter and see how much time is saved or stress is relieved. Have fun throwing whole armies at your future parties!

[donjons-and-disasters]

Basic Guide to Homebrewing 5e ('14) Classes

One of the most engaging things about TTRPGs is the ability to make custom content. Unlike modding a video game, making homebrew content doesn’t have a high skill floor (learning to code, 3d model, etc.) All that is needed is a firm understanding of the rules to make a balanced gameplay option which can be slotted in with everything official, and even then, it’s not always necessary for your table to have fun with it!

I have been playing 5th edition Dungeons & Dragons for ten years as of now, and running it for most of that time. I’ve created numerous pieces of homebrew content for my campaigns, or just for fun. After having my content reviewed by both personal friends and other experienced home-brewers across the internet, I feel I have a good understanding of the fundamentals to make something viable:

The most difficult thing by far is making a full-on class. There are so many things to consider in terms of balance, viability, fulfilled roles, etc., that many creators stick to making subclasses despite the ideas flowing from their head. That is why I wanted to make this little guide to explain my findings analyzing 5e (‘14) classes so other people can have an easy-to-understand foundation to their ambitious creative pursuits.

Starting Class Features

HP/Hit Dice: 

D6: Damage focused full-casters (Sorcerer, Wizard)

D8: Mixed function classes - Healing full casters (Bard, Cleric, Druid,) dexterous martial classes (Monk, Rogue,) and exceptional spellcasters (Warlock w/ Pact Magic in place of spellcasting.)

D10: Attack based classes (Fighter, Paladin, Ranger)

D12: Tanks (Barbarian only RAW)

Keep these design philosophies in mind when deciding what is an appropriate Hit Dice for your class. Statistically speaking, it’s likely to be a d8, but don’t be afraid to make a bold decision like having a low HP martial class or a high HP caster so long as the class’ design can justify it as being well balanced (and the players have fun playing it!)

Armor: Only two classes in the entire game have proficiency with all armor and shields: Fighters and Paladins. Most classes will have only light and medium armor, maybe shields. Consider what would be appropriate for your vision of the class, as there are feats that can open characters up to new armor proficiencies if they are interested.

Weapons: Pretty much the same as before: If you’re making a martial or attack heavy class, let them be proficient with everything. If you want to specify the playstyle more, consider giving a limited selection of low power weapons to encourage the player to use the class’ other non-weapon based features. They can take feats or multiclass if they really want expanded options beyond that.

Tools: Many classes have no proficient tools, so it’s totally fine to have none for yours as well. Though, you may want to consider the options if your class is skill check based. Rogues are proficient with Thieves Tools because they can get Expertise in Sleight of Hand and get some serious use out of that. Is there a tool set that maybe goes underutilized in the majority of play you’d like to give characters the ability to practically use?

Saving Throws: When choosing Saving Throws, you should pick one, “Weak,” and one, “Strong,” ability score. Typically, classes have weird proficient Saving Throws because the ones that are thematic would make them overpowered. Some Throws are just more common to make than others!

Weak Throws

Strength

Intelligence

Charisma

Strong Throws

Dexterity

Constitution

Wisdom

Again, feel free to mix things up a bit if you can justify it as being balanced. Saving Throws are typically only thought of as an extra bonus that a class gives you and not usually a mechanic which a class can focus on and make interesting.

Skills: Classes usually let a character pick 2 or 3 proficient skills out of a thematic list, with Bard being the only exception able to select any 3. Don’t give this too much thought: Skills are granted through backgrounds as well, which can be custom rules-as-written and allow a player to choose any skill they want to gain from it. Just make sure it’s a varied list of about 8 skills that make sense for the class.

Equipment: Classes give 4-ish pieces of equipment, with 3 being options between a.),  b.) and sometimes c.). Make sure that the given options are things the class is proficient in. Give more weapon and armor options to attack based/martial classes, and limit weapon and armor options to utility or caster classes. Make sure starting weapons and armor are of a lower tier option so that the character can grow into the new equipment they discover in game. Grant an option of a few thematic packs and make sure if a specific item is required to perform this class’ features, such as Tinkerers or Thieves Tools, that every character of that class is guaranteed to get them.

Flavor

Examples: 5e classes give three examples of characters using that class, usually to demonstrate the abilities of the different base subclasses or to show off how versatile the class can be. Include characters of different races in different scenarios that can, in a few sentences, clearly communicate what that class or one of it’s subclasses is about. Following the examples, a proper introduction paragraph segues into the class description.

Two Flavor Pillars: After the examples and intro, most 5e classes have two titled sections where they describe what the archetype of the class is. Consider taking one section to describe what the class does, and another for why characters might become that class.

Creating [your class]: Finally, before getting into the mechanics of everything, prompt the player with questions to get their imagination going. The questions should first be about the background of the character becoming the class they embody, and second be asking why someone of that class/background would be out adventuring or be available for the campaign’s plot hook.

1st level Feature

The first feature a class grants is extremely important. It has to be thematic to the class a character is leveling into, strong enough to incentivize players to choose it, versatile for multiclass dips, and balanced enough to keep it from being a no-brainer choice over all other level options.

What further complicates this is that staying on topic sometimes requires a Subclass feature at 1st level: Clerics, Sorcerers and Warlocks do not engage in fields of magic, they acquire them instantly from a definite source. Meanwhile Bards, Druids and Wizards can specify what they pursue after getting baseline training/education. In addition, the first level (and occasionally 2nd and 3rd) have up to two features, with Rogue being the only exception at 3 starting features.

One of these can be an ability which scales with class levels. Some examples include:

Sneak Attack (amount increases by Rogue level)

Lay on Hands (pool determined by Paladin level)

Marital Arts (dice class increase at certain Monk levels)

Second Wind (healing based on Fighter level)

Bardic Inspiration (dice class increase at certain Bard levels)

Favored Foe (dice class increase at certain Ranger levels)

Arcane Recovery (spell slot recovery determined by total Wizard level)

Many classes have an additional feature that doesn’t scale by level, necessarily. These include features which incorporate an ability score or gain a flat bonus, like:

Fighting Style

Expertise

Unarmored Defence

Natural/Deft Explorer

Druidic

Thieve’s Cant

Spellcasters are an exception as their spellcasting is considered one of these two starting features. So the other one is usually either their subclass feature or belongs to one of the above categories.

2nd level Feature

Usually, the 2nd level feature rewards a player with stronger abilities for dedicating further to this class. If a scaling ability was not introduced level 1, it will be here. Examples of 2nd level scaling abilities include:

Ki Points

Sorcery points

Channel Divinities (new options and additional charges at higher Cleric levels)

Action Surge

Wildshape

Spellcasting (for half casters.)

Song of Rest

Font of Magic

Think about what all characters of this class will have the baseline abilities to do and think about how it will grow with levels or define a play-style. Consider if there are dice involved and whether or not they increase in class or amount for later levels. Maybe it’s a pool that increases in set amounts per milestone in this class or which is determined by the actual number of levels. In addition, some subclasses are granted at 2nd level, mainly for full casters that don’t get it 1st.

If not a subclass feature, consider another that gives players more creative control over their character:

Eldritch Invocations

Infusions

These give players options to get closer to the vision of the character they have in their mind. Many of these features are able to be changed at a level up, and can make a number of other features at higher levels where this base feature is enhanced (like unique Invocations or Infusions locked behind prerequisite levels.) By all means, minimize your work by making sequel features instead of completely new ones each time!

The only exception (again) is Rogue which gains an unscaling ability at 2nd level in Cunning Action which defines their play-style. Consider waiting until 2nd level if the flat ability you want to define your class’ play-style would be a bit much for 1st level characters.

3rd level Feature

This is the latest that classes gain subclasses, usually reserved for martial or half-casters classes. Taking three levels in a class is usually the furthest multiclass builds go, as you begin to lock characters out of their strongest class abilities if they can no longer achieve 17th level in either class. Plenty of subclasses utilize pre-exisiting scaling abilities as the base of their features, including modified Wildshapes and new Channel Divinity options.

Sorcerers gain Metamagic at this level, allowing player’s to further define their unique playstyles like the other 2nd level features mentioned previously.

 In addition, full casters do not get features this level because it is the first one they gain a new level of spell slot for, which acts as their feature for this and every odd numbered level until 17th.

4, 8, 12, 16 and 19th level Feature

Ability score increase. These are the set levels every class gains an ASI. Martial classes typically receive more at different levels, so consider adding more when you’re hitting writer’s block with class features. In addition, consider features that aren’t exactly ASI’s but increase relevant ability scores like Barbarians’ level 20 feature Primal Champion.

5th level Feature

Characters are typically considered to have raised a tier at this level, gaining features which jump in power much greater than the previous four. As such, there are some optimal choices many classes already get at this level:

3rd level spells for full casters

Extra attack for martial classes/half-casters

Evasion for Rogues

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: Feel free to pass up on making a unique class feature this level if another one of these features is relevant.

6, 7, 9 and 10th level Feature

After 5th level is when the leveling structure becomes more unique for each class. The first five levels are streamlined towards making a strong foundation, and after this point, it’s more about solidifying a playstyle or deep diving into a character’s flavor. As such, many classes grant subclass features here. Classes have anywhere between 3-5 subclass features: Add more if the subclass is very important, less if there are ways to express individuality in other base features.

It is also important to keep in mind that full casters should be gaining subclass features on even numbered levels until they reach 17th level to avoid scaling too harshly against other classes with both a new level of spell slot AND a yummy feature gained on a level up.

If you haven’t already, consider granting Expertise as a feature. Rogues gain it at 6th level, and Bards much earlier. It can be a simple solution to making a class which has a heavy emphasis on skill checks become stronger without needing to waste so much brain power on a complicated feature.

11th level Feature

This is when characters upgrade into their next tier, with a similar jump in power to their 5th level feature. Sometimes, it’s as simple as enhancing that 5th level feature, like granting another attack in Extra Attack for Fighters, but usually it’s a unique feature that builds upon the now strong foundation of this class.

A character this dedicated has officially chosen this as their main class all the way until the endgame (rules as written, anyway,) given that 11 out of 20 of their total levels are dedicated here. Give them something special as a reward for choosing a main, something that will trivialize the challenges of the last few levels while leaving room to grow against higher CR foes.

13, 14 and 15th level Feature

Much like 6, 7, 9 and 10, classes go their own unique ways here. Subclass features, class features, spell slots, whatever is relevant should be added. At this point, start adding those features that were too ridiculous for low level characters, because the enemies that are scaling with them at this point will be getting exponentially more difficult to defeat without death defying and high damage abilities.

17th level Feature

This is the final time characters upgrade into a new tier. Full casting classes gain 9th level spell slots (That’s Wish: they don’t need anything else, trust me,) upgrades to scaling features, and a few powerful subclass features. This is basically the finishing line, the strongest feature the class can receive. Treat this like the main event: every level a character invested in this class built up to this moment, the mastery of their craft.

18 and 20th level Feature

Everything beyond 17th level should be looked at as a bonus. These characters are already beyond busted, there is no reason to hold back on things that were considered too powerful before. Some subclasses will have features here, but it should be reserved for classes which completely change playstyle based on subclass.

Also, consider thematic options that might not have an effect on gameplay but will make that character ascend beyond the typical mortal. Timeless Body is a good example, as it literally just extends the life of Druids at 18th level and Monks at 15th level: No mechanical difference, but a fantastical reward that makes higher level characters of these classes feel they've earned something.

Archetypes

Martial: Martial classes are classes which do not have access to spellcasting without a feat or special subclass that grants it. The martial classes in 5e are Barbarian, Fighter, Monk and Rogue (and furthermore Blood Hunter and Gunslinger for non-official examples.) These classes are much simpler to play, with significantly less resources and options to keep a track of. Simply having access to no spells greatly reduces the amount of decisions to make each round, level or long rest.

Martial classes all gain their subclass feature at 3rd level, with the first two levels being dedicated to the fundamental abilities each member of that class would have and the scaling abilities which improve as levels are invested into the martial class. The signature moves of each martial class (Rage, Action Surge, Ki Points, Sneak Attack/Cunning Action) are all gained before a character specifies into a subclass. Typically, this is because martial classes are trades which characters either train or improve in throughout a campaign. The first two levels are mastery of the fundamentals while 3rd level demonstrates a unique understanding or skill-set that emerges from that work.

Martial classes can implement magic, but circumvent traditional spellcasting. This can be prominent in the base class, like Monk’s Ki, or gained through a subclass that grants magical capabilities. Some martial subclasses act as, “third casters,” which are spellcasters with access to weaker spell slots than half-casters. These third casters also don’t have their own spell list, instead being flavored as a hybrid with another existing spellcasting class (Eldritch Knight as a Wizardy Fighter, or Profane Soul as a Warlocky Blood Hunter.)

Spellcasting: Two of the archetypes, as well as some subclasses for martial classes, utilize spellcasting. These rules are universal so it’s good to understand them fundamentally before diving into the classes which utilize them. Spells are divided into two categories: Cantrips and leveled spells.

Leveled spells are powerful tools which utilize a finite daily resource, the spell slot, when cast. Certain spells are more powerful, requiring higher levels of spell slots which a caster will have less access to. Many spells have a guaranteed damage effect even if the attack roll misses or the save it imposed was succeeded, an extra benefit to spending a spell slot. Spell slots all regain on a long rest.

If a caster has no more spell slots left to cast spells, they will have to rely on other abilities to survive combat. If they have no other abilities through their class or effective weapon/armor proficiencies for martial fights, they often rely on Cantrips. These are weak, “Level 0,” spells which have no guarantee of effecting a target. They can be cast infinitely in a day as they have a similar success rate to weapon attacks.

Half-Caster: Half-casting classes gain their spell slots at second level and gain access to about half as powerful spell slots as full casters would. The two base half casters in the game, Paladin and Ranger, have a combat focus where their limited spell slots are instead mostly used to cast class specific spells that enhance their attacks. Think Smites, Hunter’s Mark, Zephyr Strike, those kinds of things that other spell lists don’t have access to.

Half-casters make great use of bonus actions and resource management. Though they won’t gain the same fighting prowess that makes them consistently useful like martial classes, they can explode onto the scene with, “secret weapon,” -esque attacks held just for such an occasion. Though they won’t gain access to versatile utility spells like full casters, they will gain other magical base class abilities that serve useful functions (Divine Sense & Lay on Hands, or Favored Enemy/Foe & Natural/Deft Explorer.)

Another unique feature is that half casters do not have access to cantrips. Cantrips are meant to be reliable tools that expend no resources in case a spellcaster runs out of spell slots. Half casters have no use for these as they have weapon and armor proficiencies and d10 hit dice that fulfill that purpose.

An Exception - Artificer Analyzed: One unique class which breaks the mold of traditional archetypes is the Artificer. It counts as a half caster when determining multiclass spell slots, though it gains spellcasting at first level before other half casters. This indicates that the level which spell slots are gained, whether it is 1st or 2nd, is not key to defining a half caster, and neither is the presence of Cantrips. Being capped at 5th level spell slots is all that defines a half caster, and even then, I’m sure there is more customization which can be justified if it is balanced properly and denoted how it effects multiclassing.

Full Caster: The final archetype is the full-caster, classes which are completely based around casting spells. Full casters gain their spell slots the 1st level they gain in this class, choosing Cantrips and spells from a curated list specific to the class. Full casters are the most plentiful and the most varied in 5e, including Bard, Cleric, Druid, Sorcerer and Wizard.

Cleric and Sorcerer gain their subclass at 1st level given that they are granted their magic from a specific source. Wizards and Druids gain subclasses at 2nd level, indicating a fundamental knowledge/wisdom they must achieve before they gain specified magic. Bard is the only full caster to gain it’s subclass at 3rd level, gaining other fundamental support features for the first two levels.

Subclasses are gained at later and later levels depending on the utility function of the class. Clerics gain access to powerful healing, being useful in 100% of parties, while Sorcerers subclasses give them powerful innate abilities that eclipse the power scale of other early game characters. Wizards have more utility based spellcasting that won’t become exceptionally useful until they get to 2nd, 3rd or higher level spells, and both Bards and Druids have other innate class abilities that define their playstyle moreso than the spellcasting itself (Bardic Inspiration and Wildshape,) hence their later subclasses.

In addition, full casters gain the least features out of all classes. This is because their spell slot improvement is strong enough to be considered a feature. They gain more uses of their current spells, as well as access to stronger base level spells and the ability to upcast certain lower level spells using higher level spell slots. All of these gains equates to a feature, especially when you consider the jump in power a full caster goes through gaining access to things like Fireball or Wish.

Some full casters, “Know,” spells while others, “Prepare,” spells. The difference between the two is that Knowing a spell means it can only be changed on a level up, while Preparing a spell means it can be changed on a long rest. Bards and Sorcerers Know spells, interesting as they are the only Charisma full casters in the game. I personally believe this is because having a high Charisma is a powerful tool in an RPG, making it possible to influence the behavior of NPCs and thus affect the story/encounters of a campaign, and taking away the utility of spell flexibility as an act of balancing.

Clerics, Druids and Wizards Prepare spells, and from different sources too: Clerics and Druids gain powers from the source of their magic (a god or nature,) while Wizards carry a spellbook they can add a list of spells to and swap between. This means Clerics and Druids can pick from their entire spell list when swapping, while a Wizard must find their spell somewhere during the campaign or gain one on a level up to add to their spellbook before being able to use it.

An Exception - Warlock Analyzed: Warlock is an interesting class because it’s spellcasting operates seperately from the other casting classes. The Pact Magic feature grants them a few spell slots which recharge on short rest, with improvements to spell level and more casting options coming with more Warlock levels invested. Their Invocations often grant them a spell able to be cast without a spell slot that becomes central to their playstyle, like False Life or Disguise Self, and Mystic Arcanum grants them access to 6th level and higher spells once per long rest.

In addition to these changes, multiclassing into Warlock does not contribute to a multiclass spell slot scale. Instead, those extra spell slots gained from Pact Magic can simply be used for other prepared spells, still regaining on a short rest. It effectively operates as another feature on top of spellcasting rather than integrating into spellcasting like other caster classes would. In addition, Warlocks Know spells like the other Charisma full casters.

Conclusion

There are some definite patterns that can be identified when analyzing trends across classes. It's also interesting to see where those classes break the rules to warrant the necessity of a new class existing.

Also: This is just for the nerds out there who are really into balance like me. Remember that you can make whatever you want and put it into your campaigns, rules be damned! So long as everyone at the table is having fun with what you bring, it doesn't matter if any of these rules are followed. These are just here for those engineer brained game designers who want to make a vision come to reality potentially beyond their own table.

[donjons-and-disasters]

What are Hit Points anyway?

The Dungeons and Dragons fifth edition basic rules call Hit Points "durability" and the "will to live." They simultaneously represent your immediate health and an incorporeal determination inspiring prolonged survival.

But what does that even mean?

There are numerous things that can happen to a character which would be considered fatal under normal circumstances but don't reduce Hit Points. Many poisons apply the Poisoned condition alongside the Poison damage type, but not all.

Separately, RAW does not mention disabling injuries in standard combat. Conditions like Blinded, Deafened and Paralyzed roughly simulate these things in spells. Players have to come up with house rules to determine the breaking of limbs through standard attacks, fall damage, etc.

So that begs the question: See title.

Well it doesn't seem like Hit Points are anything more than pain endurance. The first thing that happens to PCs when HP is reduced to 0 is falling unconscious, a common reaction to extreme pain. However, no amount of HP loss on it's own will result in a broken or lost limb, applied condition, or mechanical debuff unless stated in a specific feature which applies to the attack (Vorpal sword, stunning strike, etc.)

It could be argued, then, that broken limbs and other disabilities do not affect HP. Someone could be rendered paraplegic and, so long as it doesn't hurt, all that happens is they become Paralyzed. It's highly unlikely that an injury with this result is painless, but there's magic so anything can happen.

"Hurt" also applies to feelings, too. The will to live is an invisible concept affected by emotion. So maybe if the injury which Paralyzes you physically hurts, so long as you're not torn up about it, it would deal less HP damage. Someone who is really self actualized would be untouchable (probably why Wisdom is added to Monk's AC.)

I do think it is funny how Vicious Mockery works with the context of HP as "will to live:" You are insulted so hard that your brain cannot think of a reason for you to keep living. It could very well not have any physically painful sensation, just drain the "will to live" out of you. Same applies for all other Psychic damage, it could be a emotional damage in place of physical pain.

What's the point of saying any of this?

Well, for starters, I think it's important to have a firm understanding of the rules to improvise situations as a GM. The tone of your campaign could be more gritty/realistic than 5e rules describe, requiring a fundamental knowledge base to jump off of for future rulings.

It's also important for prepping content, too. With the knowledge that HP also encompasses your general motivation to be here, what are some non-sensory ways to affect HP? Does a curse simulating depression lower Max HP? Is there grounds to create a "Morale" damage type which literally reduces your will to live? The possibilities are endless when you understand the rules as written.

I think these are all my thoughts on the subject. Feel free to respond with any ideas you've had reading through this! Are there any rules I missed which are important to consider for this understanding? Hope you've gained something reading through this and torture your players scrumptiously with it!

[donjons-and-disasters]

Decolonizing my Setting

As any annoying leftist writer would, I started developing my current D&D setting years ago based on American imperialism. I took inspiration from the real-life colonization of the Americas and Africa when designing the continents and ascribing histories to certain races. While making it, I felt as though I were doing a good thing, like I was making an alternate universe where the players could use magic and swords to topple symbolic capitalist vampire overlords.

However, my party has changed over the years. My initial party was all white after some people grew apart, and my new one was until our newest player joined a little over a year ago. Our POC player was also new to the game, so she didn't know exactly what was normal or what to be offput about. It wasn't until one of our campaigns that some very ill presented characters revolving around race and slavery that this topic became explicitly talked about. It wasn't just our POC player, most of the party was put off, and we collectively decided to discuss it.

However, as we were criticizing another person's campaign, this player messaged me about things I had presented of a similar nature in my campaign that made her feel uncomfortable there too. I hadn't even realized that in my attempts to make a politically charged setting, even from a progressive point of view, my whiteness informed what content I presented.

Some things actually are fantasies to me. Not in the sense that I want them to happen, but in the sense that they aren't a part of my reality. Racism, sexism, SA, human trafficking. These are things I don't have to deal with but to someone who belongs to different demographics than me, they could be daily bits of life or horrifying pieces of their own past/history. Having them in my campaign could mean bringing the awful reality they're trying to escape from into their fantasy world. And those reminders, the constant discomfort and othering, is all my fault as DM.

I've taken this hard. I've prided myself on being very good about these things, making leftism and revolutionary thought key pillars of my personality. As a white person, I'm trained to see race everywhere, may as well adjust my lens to see it as accurate as I can, right? So to think that all the work that I've done has amounted to me adding stress into my friend's life really sucks. What's the point of knowing all this stuff if I'm still going to have the same affect as that racist shit-heel I was in high school?

I've taken to revamping my setting. At this point, there are some things I have to accept as facets of the world, as parts of character backstories and established lore for the almost 4 years this campaign has run. However, there are plenty of things I can do to remove the unwanted things. Here are some of my plans. Hopefully someone else finding themselves in my shoes can get some use out of my process to refine their setting into something that works for every player at the table. I'd love to be an example of someone atoning for mistakes, and a resource for others who need to do the same. Here we go:

If it is not revealed yet, change it. It's as simple as that. Real life struggles people go through in the white supremacist, patriarchal, heteronormative empire can be replaced with something less charged, more whimsical. This doesn't mean there can't be threats or bad people, just try to make them unique to your setting using the fantasy tropes at your disposal.

If it has been revealed though not yet relevant to the campaign, blame it on skewed perception. Bits of history are misinterpreted by lack of evidence, propaganda, or willful ignorance all the time. If something problematic is known but not engaged with in-session, find a way to communicate to the party that their initial understanding was wrong through the above methods.

If it is relevant to the campaign, find a way to recontextualize things and move on. Is there an uncomfortable topic key to the current adventure the party are engaged with? Find a way to swerve them! If there is no way to pull away from how explicit it is, you can always jump ship and pull the party into a new adventure.

If the whole thing is too much, reset it. With magic, anything is possible! Zoop the party away into another plane that acts as a completely different setting. Send them to an alternate dimension where everything is the same EXCEPT for a few key things. Just have a God or other almighty being come through and destroy whatever it is you want to get rid of. Don't worry about narratives or plotlines or whatever: If the players are uncomfortable, they'll be more engaged with whatever new thing you present them.

Here's a good list for things to watch out for. Even if they aren't relevant to your current party, you don't know who is going to come into your life that could be pushed away by these topics. I think it's better to have the integrity to be conscious even when it's not relevant for that reason alone.

Racism. From an American perspective, slavery is tied heavily with this, and the fantasy genre being informed primarily by ancient history has a lot of slavery in it. Ensure you aren't presenting any playable character races as being innately primitive, either. There's a reason that even WOTC got rid of the Int debuff for full orcs.

Xenophobia. Can blend with racism a lot of the time, but especially if you have immigrant friends or friends from immigrant families, it's best to be cautious about "evil empire" type countries or prejudice against foreigners in-game.

Misogyny. Some fantasy genres really lean into objectification of women as damsels in distress, rewards for completing quests, evil and manipulative queens, or ugly hags in the bogs. These all lean into stereotypes, so be conscious. Also, with things like Game of Thrones or Berserk being as popular as they are, SA is becoming a "gritty and real," thing alot of people are putting into their grimdark settings. It should not be assumed to be okay with anyone, so be very careful.

Ableism. Plenty of spells and magic effects impose conditions like Blinded or Deafened to characters. Be sure to not define characters by a disability or impairment they have. Also, games like Call of Cthulu have sanity mechanics which are a whole other can of worms when considering mental health. Be careful especially if a player in your group has a diagnosis that could influence their perception of reality.

Homo/Transphobia. Sex isn't just about reproduction, but the great thing about a magic setting is that assigned sex at birth or gender doesn't have to determine who can have kids together! Be inclusive about these things. Editing a race to have fluid body parts may help a trans player, to have a magic reproduction ritual may help a gay player, or to have more (or less!) sexes than 2 may help an ENBY player feel more at home at the table.

This isn't comprehensive, but I wanted to at least show my work when it comes to this. It should be important to any DM that they are making a setting and presenting a campaign which is inclusive to all players. If anyone has stories they'd like to share, please go ahead. This is a safe place to share our collective mistakes and what we've done to move past them. No shame here, all of our actions are informed by our environment and the best we can do is make it up to who we hurt along the way.

[donjons-and-disasters]

TTRPG: A Collaborative Creative Project

RPGs are creative endeavors. Though there are premade settings, adventures and character sheets, I have always felt it was easier to get immersed in something original. Running your own setting allows you to surprise players since there is no module they could reference for what to expect, and it becomes less controversial to take creative agency over the setting if it is wholly your creation. Premade characters have a bit more agency as they're usually just a name and stats, then whoever that character is becomes dependent on how the player plays them. It's not like how there are deep cultures and complicated politics which must be adhered to so player immersion doesn't break running a well known setting like Faerun, the Forgotten Realms, Greyhawk, etc.

One unique thing about running a game is that the setting is the entire table's creation. Obviously it is the primary role of the GM to create the initial sandbox that players explore, but as the players take actions in the campaign, that will trigger a domino effect that changes the world. In addition, parties that start at higher levels are more likely to have an established place in the setting which excuses the experience they already start with. One of my favorite things is to fit the towns, NPCs, groups and Gods my players bring to the table into what already exists, and this engages them more than if they were just little side things that go mostly ignored for a mainline plot.

That brings me to a very common sentiment which I also agree with: If a GM wants to control the outcomes of the campaign, they should write a book. Even if there is a good narrative opportunity or your favorite part of the setting could be explored if they take this route, railroading players away from their intentions is a likely way to break their immersion. It can remind them that this is just a game, or give them a sense they have no control, or plant this idea that the GM's vision matters more than theirs. Remember that RPGs are collaborative experiences, not just for the players to unite against the challenges their GM throws at them, but for the GM to work with the players to get them to the experience they want to have.

Side note: This isn't to say you can't railroad a party. Sometimes, it can be satisfying. Like a BBEG forcing the party into a corner, syncing up this feeling of resistance in the players to their characters urgency to make a memorable encounter. Some players/parties are also just not there to make the choices, but rather be presented with something that they can react off of (Heroes are reactive and villains are proactive, after all.) Railroading is a valid tool that has appropriate applications, just like any other method of running a game.

For my GMs out there, just remember to be loosey goosey. It can make some of the most memorable things in a campaign. For instance, there was an amnesiac character who in the first session of my current campaign mispronounced alcohol as "al-coco-hall." Everyone was like, "yeah whatever buddy," until they came to a bar that served "Al-cocoa-hol," which is now the amnesiacs favorite drink and the most disgusting thing to the rest of the party. Even all these years later, he still asks for it to be imported wherever they travel and keeps a small keg of it on the caravan. Little moments like this are just as important as the high stakes/intensity encounters you spend hours meticulously crafting. Do what you can to bring players into the world, rather than just show it to them, and it will take your campaign from fun to immersive (no matter how silly!)

[donjons-and-disasters]

Plot Relevant Multiclassing

I, and a few of the people I play with, don't treat multiclassing as a means to make the strongest character. I've played with min/max power fantasy players before and I gotta tell you, that shit sucks. To play with someone who would rather bust the mechanics of the game to say they beat the encounter better than everyone else is an exhausting thing to deal with as a fellow player, as it makes characters feel especially inferior because of a player's IRL knowledge (usually just finding busted builds on reddit or something since the most OP ones have already been identified.)

No, we multiclass for story purposes. Each class indicates something different for each character. For instance, my Firbolg character started off as a 3rd level Wizard to indicate his calculated approach to his Fey Court occupation as a Chancellor. As the campaign has advanced, though, he has developed relationships to NPCs and to the party which are warming him up. Since I had the Wisdom for it (and he has connections with the Druids at the court,) I decided he would multiclass into Druid. Each level into Druid indicates a deepening of his emotional intelligence, while each level into Wizard will come when he has to depend more on his logic.

Same thing with my partners Tiefling character from my campaign. She's a Rouge/Monk, and each level she takes is assigned based on what kind of character development she went through since the last level: Being toughened up with angsty, traumatic events means advancing in her Assassin subclass, while each time she gets introspective or comes to term with aspects of her personality she suppresses (like the affection she feels over NPCs or her caretaking nature despite her dangerous occupation) then she advances her in Way of Shadows, like she's doing shadow work.

I find this to be a more rewarding experience than following a preset build. I enjoy doing that, but then things always happen in a campaign which change the way I perceive my character and the trajectory I initially had in mind for them. It makes me feel like a character is more integrated into the game world, a facet of the bigger picture rather than a set destiny that will always come up regardless of the other players you're creating this experience with (and yes, the DM counts as a player, because they are also playing the game.)

[donjons-and-disasters]

Tabletop Roleplaying Games: The Penultimate Hobby

Hello people of the internet! My name is Orch (pronounced like Orc) and I am extremely passionate about TTRPGs, specifically Dungeons and Dragons. I have been running the game for about 7 years since mid high school and been playing it since before then. It has helped me connect with some of the most important people of my life and guided me through difficult times like quarantine. In the last year, I have ran therapeutic campaigns in a formal setting alongside licensed counselors in addition to my current ongoing 3 year campaign and playing in two other campaigns with my personal group.

There is a fantastic book that, if you don't read, you should at least skim the notes of called Tabletop Role Playing Therapy by Megan Conell. Reading it was a revelation for me, putting names to concepts I had been subconsciously utilizing in my own campaigns. It also pools together some of the most recent research on the subject to describe what kinds of benefits it has. I'd also recommend looking up TikTok pages of parents running campaigns for their children and just seeing the growth it supports in action.

I want to take this post to simply state my case for TTRPGs potentially being one of the best hobbies all around. It is the most fun, creative, skill-building, socializing, bonding, confidence building activities that anyone can partake in.

Starting with some of the more clinical things, TTRPG players build reading comprehension and math skills. Having to roll dice and add values together constantly flexes those basic math muscles, making it easier to do more complicated math in day to day life. It also requires reading and interpreting rules, such as the descriptions of your characters actions or of rulings when particular scenarios arise in session. Not only that but many fantasy settings also include riddles or reading passages of lore to solve puzzles and advance through dungeons.

There is also this concept of Bleed In/Out. It sounds a bit daunting, but its actually really fascinating: Basically, it describes how behaviors from a player "Bleed In," to their characters actions, or how a character's experiences, "Bleed Out," into its players real life. Playing the role of something that you aspire to be in real life, of a fantasy of your ideal you, gives you the tangible experience needed to be like that away from the table. Say you want to be more bold since you're shy in-person, so you play a brash character that gets to take social risks with the party and NPCs that you normally wouldn't in a real-life scenario. You simulate all the same emotional reactions being confronted with arguments, debates, questions, embarrassment, and whatnot in a safe space. This acts as a form of exposure therapy that then will make being a bold person easier in your day to day life.

It's also an inherently social activity. RPGs are composed of parties of players which all have to interact with one another to gameplan how to overcome encounters together and accomplish goals in the game's setting. For demographics which may not get much socialization, playing D&D once a week could be the thing keeping them in community. In addition, creative problem solving skills develop alongside teamwork and communication skills.

If you have kids, I highly recommend getting them started in a campaign as early as possible. Though I can't think of any names, there are examples you can look up seeing how timid kids are their first time playing D&D and how much confidence and creativity they grow after playing for years.

Not only does playing an RPG have all these benefits, but so does running one. As a DM, I can attest to how many weird fields I got into to make an immersive, deep, inclusive, tasteful and interesting setting for my players to explore. You don't need to do this, as there are plenty of modules from the decades that you can use or pull from, but I always felt more confident running my own setting where I knew whatever I said was true, that I wasn't going to get anything wrong because it was my creation. I've gotten into history, civil engineering, geology, economics, political science, linguistics, culinary arts, fashion and so, so, SO much more just to make a good setting. Not only that, but you develop skills like worldbuilding, character writing, acting, improvisation, visual arts for character/creature design, maps and flags, on top of all of the other things a normal player gets as well.

I think that's all I'm going to write about in this post. I could go on forever about the endless benefits of playing RPGs. I probably will over the course of my planned future posts. My hope is that this sparks some interest in aspiring players or Game Masters and that you'll follow up with my future posts detailing my experiences with playing, GMing, tips and advice for mechanics and player relations, tools that make all this easier, and hopefully the creative inspiration to do your own thing in the future.