Terrene, a D&D campaign- The Reboot Discussion Thread.

Welcome to the Discussion Thread for Terrene: The reboot.

Its a bit unusual, but I'm launching the discussion thread first because I already have several interested players, and also, they have several questions that might need answering first.

Here's the basic FAQ:

• Terrene is an original world of my own making. It is still under development, its meant to be expanded during play.
• It is however, pretty much like any other D&D world, right down to the same monsters and magic.
• We will use 5th Edition mechanics- as a base. They will be adjusted as necessary or preferred. In particular, Initiative will be based on player availability. We will not wait until the player whose turn it is to show up.
• The story mode will be run in the game thread (to be launched soon), but the action segments will be played on my Discord Channel, on Saturday and Sunday evenings. I will later transcribe the events on the Game Thread.
• Characters will start at first level. They can be of any class and race (from an OFFICIAL D&D source) but cannot be evil.

Any other questions? Please ask them now. You can make suggestions as well.

First!

Actually I do have a few questions but I have to go pick someone up and will be back in a bit. Thanks for setting this all up Sijo!

How are stats determined? Point buy or rolling? If the latter, do we do the standard 5e method of rolling 4d6 and dropping the lowest?

The man who sleeps with a machete is a fool every night but one.

No, in 5th ed you're given a bunch of pre-selected numbers. You arrange them into your Attributes as you please. Then you apply your racial bonuses.

For those new to D&D 5th, here's a quick summary:

• 1) choose a race (I will provide a list)
• 2) set your attributes (strength, intelligence etc.) as explained above
• 3) choose a class (Fighter, Wizard etc.)
• 4) Choose a background (sailor, farmer etc.) again there will be a list
• 5) choose alignment (basically, are you good or bad? Again, more on this later)
• 6) Buy equipment using your starting money.

And that's it!

edited 26th Feb '18 6:46:50 PM by Sijo

Here's Kaliris:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JouRlw3-ePWj0HchBdR27Dn6y-xosrj15h9nBVqHnd0/edit?usp=sharing

edited 11th Mar '18 2:56:47 PM by Cwest5538

Wooze looks at Glass with a 'please take her away' look

5th Edition AD&D Character Creation Summary:

• 1. Choose a race: Dwarf, Elf, Halfling, Half-Elf, Human, Dragonborn (half dragon), Gnome, Half-Orc, and Tiefling (half-Infernal) Other races are available IF they are on an official book that I have access to.
  • please write all your racial abilities in your sheet (but not the Attribute bonuses)
• 2. Choose a Class: Barbarian, Bard, Cleric, Druid, Fighter, Monk, Paladin, Ranger, Rogue, Sorcerer, Warlock and Wizard. Again, please ask first for other classes.
  • please write all class abilities in your sheet.
  • You start at first level with maximum Hit Points, including those from your Constitution Bonus if any
  • The Proficiency Bonus at first level is +2
• 3: The Ability Scores are Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma. Take the numbers 15, 14,13, 12, 10, 8 and assign them to your attributes as you wish. Then modify them with your race's bonuses.
• 4. Choose an alignment. This is an indicator of how the character behaves. It has two parts, the Moral and the Ethics. The Moral is the important part: you can be Good or Neutral , but not Evil. The Ethics describes how the character tries to achieve his Moral-based goals- Lawful ones follow some code, Chaotic ones are impulsive, Neutral ones just go with the flow.
  • Note: You're NOT forced to follow this alignment. But if you end up playing your character in a different way, please adjust your listed alignment accordingly.
• 5: Background. A background gives your character a background feature (a general benefit) and proficiency in two skills, and it might also give you additional languages or proficiency with certain kinds of tools. These are: Acolyte, Charlatan, Criminal (Variant: Spy) , Entertainer (Variant: Gladiator), Folk Hero, Guild Artisan, (Variant: Guild Merchant), Hermit, Noble (Variant: Knight), Outlander, Sage, Sailor (Variant: Pirate) Soldier, Urchin ** Note: I will not be using ideals, bonds or flaws, nor the Inspiration rule.
• 6: You can either use the starting equipment for your class, or buy it with the starting money from your Class and Background to buy it.

Name: Bart "the" Bard
Class: Bard 3
Race: Human
AC: 13
Hit Points: 28
Background: Charlatan
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Stats:
-Strength: 13 (+1)
-Dexterity: 15 (+2)
-Constitution: 14 (+2)
-Intelligence: 11 (0)
-Wisdom: 9 (-1)
-Charisma: 16 (+3)

Saving Throws:
-Strength: (+1)
-Dexterity: (+4)
-Constitution: (+2)
-Intelligence: (0)
-Wisdom: (-1)
-Charisma: (+5)

Abilities:
-Spellcasting: Bart "the" Bard can cast spells using Charisma. He can also use a musical instrument as a arcane focus.
-Bardic Inspiration: Bart "the" Bard can grant a creature he can see with 60ft a d6 to add to any one d20 roll within the next ten minutes. The amount he can give is equal to his Charisma modifier.
- Jack of All Trades: Bart can add half his proficiency bonus, rounded down, to any ability check he makes that don’t already include his proficiency bonus.
-Song of Rest: Bart can use soothing music or oration to help revitalize his wounded allies during a short rest. If Bart or any friendly creatures who can hear his performance regain hit points at the end of the short rest, each of those creatures regains an extra 1d6 hit points.
-Expertise: Bart is an expert at Deception and Persuasion, his proficiency bonus is doubled when he uses these skills.
-Bard College - Valor:

• Bonus Proficiencies
  • Bart has proficiency with medium armor, shields, and martial weapons.
• Combat Inspiration
  • A creature that has a Bardic Inspiration die from Bart can roll that die and add the number rolled to a weapon damage roll it just made. Alternatively, when an attack roll is made against the creature, it can use its reaction to roll the Bardic Inspiration die and add the number rolled to its AC against that attack, after seeing the roll but before knowing whether it hits or misses.

-False Identity: Bart "the" Bard has a second false persona that he can assume when necessary. He can also forge documents as long as he has seen examples of said documents. His false identity is Dirk "the" Duke.
Skills: (A * means proficiency)
Acrobatics (+2)
Animal Handling (-1)
Arcana (0)
Athletics (+1)
Deception* (+7)
History (0)
Insight (-1)
Intimidation (+3)
Investigation (0)
Medicine* (+1)
Nature (0)
Perception* (+1)
Performance (+3)
Persuasion* (+7)
Religion (0)
Sleight of Hand* (+4)
Stealth (+2)
Survival (-1)
Equipment:
- Leather Armor
- Diplomat's Pack
- Lute
- Fine Clothes
- Disguise Kit
- Signet Ring
- 150gp
Spells:
*Cantrips

• Vicious Mockery
• Thunderclap

• Level 1
  • Cure Wounds
  • Thunderwave
  • Tasha's Hideous Laughter
  • Faerie Fire
  • Dissonant Whispers
• Level 2
  • Shatter

Spell Slots:
Level One: [] [] []
Level Two: [] []
Backstory;
Bart was never a good kid; he often got in trouble around where he grew up, pick pocketing, petty theft, and generally, being a snothead. His parents would often say he lacked focus in life, though he knew, in his heart, he was going to grow up and join the Bradley Street Gang.

This all changed when he acquired his first lute. He seemed to have a god-given talent for the instrument, and soon, he much preferred playing music over stealing from others. In his teens, he met a travelling band of musicians, actors, and entertainers, and decided to join them, leaving behind his home city of Stonebark. There, he met his mentor, Thoras Rinelad: a musician, swindler, and a heartbreaker. With Rinelad, Bart learned most of the skills he has acquired, especially how to pull a good con.
Though, there weren’t always good times. There was a power struggle in Ragar’s Band, named after an actor of legend. The actor’s branch was heavily invested with crime and smuggling, and were vying for a slight change of agenda. Thoras and Bart were among the few advocating against that, but due to a bad contract, were stuck in the band. Things progressively got worse, until Ragar’s Band was busted for murder while back in Stonebark. Thoras and Bart fled the city, but Thoras was shot by a member of the band, and later died.

Bart swore revenge on the band’s ways, and teamed up with people close to the victims of the band. Eventually, they located the band, and turned them in. Bart was unsatisfied with the lawful method of revenge, but acknowledged there wasn’t much he could do without stooping to their level. Bart left his group of acquaintances, to strike out on his own, and build a capital for his secret identity: Dirk “the” Duke.

Dirk “the” Duke is the leader of the fiefdom of Myrthellin, which doesn’t technically exist. “Myrthellin” was a small island off the eastern coast which existed thousands of years ago, and was absorbed by the continent. Despite this, people generally regard Dirk as an actual Duke, because he has a lot of money- or at least papers saying that he has a lot of money- and a really cool ring. Eventually, Dirk gained favor with the Prince of Orlium, a small kingdom on the eastern coast, and was invited to eat dinner with him and and group of his close friends and allies. At the dinner, an attempt was made of Dirk’s life, when the Prince’s court wizard tried to fry him with a Fire Bolt. Bart barely dodged it, and made the wizard the victim of the most scathing insult that he had ever come up with. The wizard looked as if he was physically hurt by this, so Bart kept at it, until the wizard collapsed from pain. Leaving the scene, Bart uttered “looks like words do hurt people.”

Curious about his new found ability to physically hurt people with words, Bart sought out various people with arcane skills to learn more, until he approached the College of Valor. They explained that he somehow learned a simple cantrip and shouldn’t be too impressed with himself. They then offered him a spot at the college to learn other spells and fighting techniques. Seeing as Bart wasn’t really doing much at the time, he accepted. He studied there for a few years, until he eventually grew bored, and left on his own, to seek fortune, fame, and fornication.

This quest was cut short when one of the kids he had borne was killed during a gang war. Bart put his desire to make the world a better place for his children through any means necessary over anything else, though he still allowed himself the occasional night with a woman. He was last seen fleeing a town with a kobold in tow, pursued by an extremely angry husband.

edited 31st Mar '18 1:46:40 PM by BismuthOmega

The man who sleeps with a machete is a fool every night but one.

Can you give me a brief overview of the cities and such, or would you rather me just name a city and describe it in a later post?

The man who sleeps with a machete is a fool every night but one.

I think I made up one so far. :P Remember I'm making this setting on the go.

You guys are *definitely* welcome with suggestions, especially with names.

Btw, the setting is your utterly generic "medieval Europe with magic" as any other D&D setting.

edited 27th Feb '18 6:36:34 PM by Sijo

For those who asked: since D&D has Half-Elves, Half-Orcs, Tieflings and even freaking Dragonkin yes I will let a human character inherit some stuff from a nonhuman ancestor, heck that's where some Sorcerers get their gitfs.

Discussion: Character Death

In the previous version of the game, I had a "No Deaths" rule in place; no matter how a character got hurt, the worst that would happen is that he or she would be in a coma, or lost, etc. but would reappear later alive. However some players seem to be willing to accept losing their characters this time (or wait until they can get a Cleric to raise them.) I'm putting it to a vote. Players: please give us your opinion on it now before we start the game.

edited 28th Feb '18 3:28:00 PM by Sijo

Is there a way to make it on a case-by-case basis? Like say I just don't like my character or something has come up and I might not be able to play for a while-then I can choose death?

I'm fine with the death system as it is in 5e, it's pretty hard to die unless your party is negligent. So, my vote is Yes to deaths. However, in the event a character dies, at what level will the replacement character be, if a replacement character is needed?

The man who sleeps with a machete is a fool every night but one.

A quick re-cap of Death for anyone not familiar with it!

---

Dropping to 0 Hitpoints

When you drop to 0 hitpoints as a result of taking damage, you fall to the ground, incapacitated. You cannot take actions, move, or otherwise react to your surroundings.

At the beginning of your turn, you must make Death Saving Throws. Roll a d20; if its 10 or higher, you get a Save. 9 or lower, you get a Failure.

If you reach three failures, you are Dead. On three successes, you Stabilize and, while you are still unconscious, you do not make Death saving throws anymore unless you take further damage.

A Nat 20 restores 1 hit point to you; a Nat 1 counts as two failures.

While bleeding out, any amount of magical healing will save and awaken you. Likewise, someone can make a Medicine check to save you, or use a Healers Kit. Certain spells also do this.

Being Killed Instantly

If your hitpoint maximum is exceeded twice over or more, you are killed instantly.

Death

In the case of death, you're dead. Obviously. Your character is gone until you are resurrected by medium to high-level divine magic such as Revivify, Raise Dead, Reincarnate, Resurrection, and True Resurrection. Someone who has died of old age cannot be raised.

These spells cost gold for there expensive material components, and at low levels, paying for a Resurrection can be the basis of an entire quest.

edited 28th Feb '18 3:39:38 PM by Cwest5538

Wooze looks at Glass with a 'please take her away' look

@Booky: Yes, in the original game your character could die only if you wanted to. Though it was unecesary because if you wanted you could replace it with a new one of the same level.

@Cwest, thanks for the summary. TBH I'm not happy with that system- too risky and too much rolling. In the old days, you needed to get down to an amount of Hit Points below zero equal to your maximum HP before being officially dead. I kinda prefer that.

To be fair, you don't really roll 1s on Death Saving Throws that often. Nor do you often roll three failures in a row. It isn't that bad of a system; it certainly adds some havoc and urgency to dying.

Wooze looks at Glass with a 'please take her away' look

I'm ok wit death.

BTW what's the makeup of the party so far?

edited 28th Feb '18 4:12:37 PM by Booky

I vote for Character Death as a game possibility.

Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives

DIE!

With my vote, I'm reasonably sure that's the majority.

Wooze looks at Glass with a 'please take her away' look

Without risk, rewards are all the more bitter, and all that. Yay for permadeath potential!

This looks neat. I need to go look up some DnD handbooks or something for more info, but I'm totally in otherwise.

edited 1st Mar '18 10:32:44 AM by DefRevenge24601

"DIO is the ultimate being! The being of the future! Dare you not to rival me!"

Ok, fine, the Ayes have it. But if your puny 1st level characters get killed in their first battle, I don't want to hear whining about it, K?

Also, it seems we have enough members to safely launch the game. But I will wait another day so you can post your sheets here. (Btw, yes the two above are approved.)

Any other issues to address before we start? like, I think Chris wanted us to use Milestones rather than experience points. But how does that work? Do characters raise in level after every mission? Sounds good to me, except I have no missions planned- not yet anyway, I was just going to let you guys wander and have encounters.

I promise I will have this all sorted out by this weekend (again, the plan is that I will be on Discord ALL DAY on Saturday and Sunday to run the game for the benefit of those of you who have things to do/live on different time zones, except if I have to go out for some reason.

edited 1st Mar '18 10:43:15 AM by Sijo

Ok, lemme write up a post on milestones!

---

Milestones

In general, Milestones- sometimes referred to as Story Awards, although these aren't the same thing- are awarded after completing encounters, missions, and adventures.

In general, one milestone is awarded after the characters do something impressive or that takes real effort, or just a long time. Negotiating with a noble to send help to a village, slaying a challenging monster, stealing a powerful artifact from a village, and accomplishing character-driven goals typically all reward milestones.

As characters level up, the amount of milestones- determined by the GM- needed to level up again increases. First and second levels may need to complete one mission or two encounters to level up; third levels may need to do two missions or three encounters, and so on. Most 1st and 2nd level characters level up quickly, as these are essentially "tutorial" levels and no-one likes playing them.

The biggest flaw and benefit to this system is that the GM can essentially decide when the players level up. Which can be useful, but can also be a tough decision.

edited 1st Mar '18 10:51:35 AM by Cwest5538

Wooze looks at Glass with a 'please take her away' look