r/3d6

Hello optimizers,
I'm starting a new campaign soon and have decided to play an Artificer Attelerist.
We start at level 5 and receive 800 gold pieces as well as the choice between 1 Common and 1 Uncommon Item or 1 Rare Item (all official 5e and 5.5e books are allowed)

Which starting items would you choose?

Thx and BW

Basically the title, take any species and class and on top of your class ASIs/feat choice on level up you get 5 extra ones. Go absolutely wild with it, multi class, use literally anything on dndbeyond, just have fun with it.

Before I begin:

• This is an attempt to hone this original idea I posted here last month.
• Several people on that other post pointed out the Warmage class created by Mage Hand Press. It’s very cool, but was hoping for something simpler that uses the Artificer chassis. So here I am again.
• I’m going to try to refrain from commenting in the post to reduce clutter. I’ll put some thoughts in the comments.

#LEVEL 3

Tools of the Trade:

• You have proficiency in Arcana and can choose any two cantrips from the Artificer spell list. These do not count against your known cantrips.
• Crafting time for any spellcasting focus (or wondrous item?) is halved

Cartographer Spells:

• At Artificer levels 3, 5, 11 and 15; you can choose any two cantrips or a cantrip and a ritual spell from the Artificer, Cleric, Wizard or Druid spell lists. These count as Artificer spells for you and do not count against your known spells or cantrips.
• Note: At level 11, you can elect to place any cantrip empowered with a 1st, 2nd or 3rd level spell slot into the Spell Storing Item.

Tactician:

• You may use your Intelligence instead of your Dexterity modifier for Initiative.

Cantrip Mysteries:

• Instead of “Weapon Masteries” … get it????
• These only apply to your Artificer cantrips
• Choose any 2 Cantrip Mysteries. You can switch out Mysteries after a long rest. You can learn an additional Mystery at levels 5, 9 and 15.
• You must expend an Artificer spell slot to empower a cantrip. If the effect has a duration, the length of the duration 1 round for a 1st level spell slot and 1 additional round for each level above 1st.
• If an enemy has resistance to a.damage type, rhey also have advantage on the save of any effect. If they have immunity to the damage type, they have immunity to the effect.
• The list of Mysteries is at the end of the document.

Empowered Cantrips: (This needs a different name)

• Unlike the Cantrip Mysteries, these are applicable to any cantrip that meets the requirement.
• When you deal damage with a cantrip, you can use your bonus action to increase the damage against one target by expending an Artificer spell slot. The damage is 1d8 for a 1st level slot and 1d8 for each level above 1st.
• When you cast a cantrip that requires concentration but does not deal damage (Blade Ward, Resistance or Guidance), you can expend an Artificer spell slot to remove the concentration requirement. In addition to removing the concentration requirement, each spell slot above 1st doubles any effect of the cantrip. (That is to say a 2nd level spell slot would make it so Resistance wouldn't require concentration and would reduce 2d4 damage of the associated damage type.)
• If a cantrip requires a saving throw, you may use your bonus action to expend a 1st level Artificer spell slot to change the save to Intelligence. Any spell slot level above 1st subtracts an additional 1d4 from the the saving throw. (That is to say, with a 2nd level spell slot, all targets would make an Intelligence saving throw with an additional 1d4 subtracted from it.)

#LEVEL 5

Helping Hand:

• You know the Mage Hand cantrip and always have it prepared. If you already know the Mage Hand cantrip, you may choose another cantrip from the Artificer spell list. It is a permanent summon unless destroyed.
• You can use a magic action to move it 30 feet and deliver any cantrip. This includes ranged, touch and AOE. In addition, you can deliver a cantrip with a range of self as if it were a range of touch. It cannot do this if it is holding something else.
• As an action or bonus action, you can command your Mage Hand to perform the "utilize" action with something it is holding or takes from you.
• Opportunity attacks trigger when leaving range of your Mage Hand.

#LEVEL 9:

Expanded Empowerment: (I hate this name)

• You can cast defensive or beneficial cantrips as a bonus action or as a reaction when you or an ally in range of you or your Mage Hand is attacked.
• When you expend an Artificer spell slot to empower a cantrip, it gains two effects (for example, extra damage and changing the save or removing concentration and a mystery).

#LEVEL 15:

Cooperative Cantrips

• If an ally within 30 feet of you casts a cantrip, you can use your reaction to expend an Artificer spell slot to empower the cantrip.
• If you cast a cantrip and do not use your bonus action an ally can use their reaction to expend one of their spell slots for empower your cantrip. You choose how the cantrip will be empowered.

Three Effects: (Need a better name)

• When you expend an Artificer spell slot to empower a cantrip, you can choose three effects.

---

#Cantrip Mysteries:

Note: I'm thinking about excluding any bladetrips from this both for flavor and to manage potency. Would like your thoughts.

• When you deal damage with a cantrip that does radiant damage, the target must succeed on a Constitution Saving Throw or all attacks on that target have Advantage for a duration depending on the level of the spell slot expended. (Starry Wisp, Word of Radiance, Sacred Flame)
• When a target fails the save against a cantrip that deals psychic damage (basically Mind Sliver), they have disadvantage on attacks against anyone but you for a duration depending on the level of the spell slot expended
• When you deal necrotic damage with a cantrip (basically Chill Touch and Toll the Dead) the target Frightened on a failed Wisdom save for a duration depending on the level of the spell slot expended
• When you deal Thunder damage from a cantrip (basically Thunderclap), the target is knocked prone if it fails a Constitution save for a duration depending on the level of the spell slot expended
• When you deal fire damage from a cantrip (Firebolt and Produce Flame), it causes 1d6 damage on subsequent rounds if the target fails a Constitution save for a duration depending on the level of the spell slot expended
• When you deal cold damage with a cantrip (Ray of Frost), it reduces movement to 0 for a duration depending on the level of the spell slot expended
• When you deal acid damage with a cantrip (Acid Splash), it reduces target’s AC by 1d4 on failed Constitution save for a duration depending on the level of the spell slot expended
• You can cast Light on an enemy’s armor (touch) to cause blindness on a failed Constitution save for a duration depending on the level of the spell slot expended
• Dancing Lights can be cast on a single enemy who will be Charmed (like Hypnotic pattern) if they fail a Wisdom saving throw . On subsequent rounds, if you move the Dancing Lights as a bonus action, the target will follow them. Each spell slot level expended above 1st either adds an additional round of Charmed or targets an additional creature Thorn Whip restrains the target for one round on a failed Dexterity save. Each spell slot level expended above 1st restrains the target for an additional round.
• Shocking Grasp stuns the target on a failed Constitution save for a duration depending on the level of the spell slot expended
• Spare the Dying brings the target back to 1 hit point. Each spell slot level expended above 1st level adds an additional [5 or 10] Temporary HP.
• If you use Message to communicate with an ally, you can whisper words of encouragement. They gain 1d10 temporary hit points for each spell level used.
• Cantrips that deal Force damage (Sword Burst) push the target back on a failed Strength save, 5 ft for every level of the spell slot expended

Assuming you have the stats to multiclass, is a single level dip worth it for either hunters mark or divine favour? Let’s say going to level 12, so an 11/1 split.

Was also considering if after 11 in fighter, going 3 levels for vengeance paladin advantage to nova bosses would be worth it.

tl;dr I'm looking to have the most fun possible without slowing down the party or ending up dead. The goal is to build a sound themed melee bladesinger with strong investigative skills and high mobility. I'm open to any input (both flavor and mechanics).

Species: Eladrin
Class: Bladesinger wizard
Stats: Point buy
Campaign: Levels 5-12 with slow progress. Our table is roleplay heavy but still runs semi-challenging combat (decent potential for death, but PCs don't need to min-max DPR). First session is in 4 weeks. There are 3 PCs total in the party. 2024 rules by default / 2014 allowed with DM approval.

I’m not worried about building the most optimized character - I know that it’s more optimal to stay at range or utilize spells like conjure minor elemental. My primary goal is to build a fun character that won’t slow down the rest of the party. Oh… also I’d prefer to stay alive.

Open to multiclassing ideas, but I want to get to level 6 bladesinger as fast as possible.

For this campaign we're trying something new - we rolled six random words for character inspiration. My words are: Seasons, Discord, Intrigue, Blade, Pathway, Outcast

My immediate thought was an eladrin whose seasons were thrown into discord when she became an outcast. This discord also manifests in her bladesong (flavored as actual music) in the form of spells like Cacophonic Shield (a disjointed melody) and Booming Blade (the discord echoing into those she fights). In alignment with the blade prompt, I'd prefer to focus primarily on melee with spells used to augment her abilities. I want to lean heavily into movement abilities like Fey Step for the pathway prompt. For the intrigue prompt, I'm working with the DM to come up with a series of events that lead to her becoming an outcast. I'm aiming for high perception, investigation, and insight to aid her in this quest.

For feats, I've currently selected Warcaster and Magic Initiate: Wizard (Sage background). Advantage on con saves sounds useful and reactive Booming Blade sounds fun (although I'm worried about competing with defensive spells). MI:Wiz is being used to get a free cast of Mage Armor and some extra cantrips. Very much open to other ideas.

She is currently using a longsword (one-handed) because I like the aesthetic. Open to using other blades. In my head I don't see her duel wielding, but I could be convinced if anyone has a cool/fun idea.

I currently have the following spells selected:
Cantrip: Booming Blade, Prestidigitation.
1st: Absorb Elements, Alarm (R), Detect Magic (C, R), False Life, Find Familiar (R), Identify (R), Jump, Mage Armor, Shield.
2nd: Alter Self (C), Knock, Skywrite (C,R).
3rd: Cacophonic Shield

I'm also considering these spells, but might want to reflavor them:
Cantrip: Shocking Grasp, Chill Touch, Green-Flame Blade, Firebolt (or something else for range?)
3rd: Phantom Steed (R), Sending (might wait for more spell slots first).

I can already see a few weaknesses:

• She doesn't have a way to deal with flying enemies.
• I love Cacophonic Shield, but I'm not sure how well it scales.
• I also love Booming Blade but have never used it / don't know how often the extra damage is set off.
• She'll have high AC, but some low saves. False life helps with extra HP. Will that be enough at higher levels?
• Anything else I'm missing?

I don't know much about the rest of my party yet, but here are their prompt words and ideas (Both players are open to ideas, if you want to share any):
PC 1: Jelly, Death, Tamer, Hidden, Far, Field. This player has already said she is building a GOO warlock focused on crowd control and summoning. I believe both her and her pets will have the ability to turn invisible. Her character is going to be horror themed - I'm assuming the frightened condition will be common.

PC 2: Dream, Horn, Different, Lie, Friend, Cost. This player is aiming for a changeling built around dreams, illusions, and mind reading. I don't know her combat style. She might be an archfey warlock.

Idk if it was on this sub or somewhere else but I saw someone mention their DM had little loading screen fun facts on folding cards that they put on their DM screen whenever they have to look something up. I would love to suprise my DM with some home made loading screen cards. I am however quite new to DnD, so I'm wondering if anyone knows some fun facts I could use for these cards.

Playing a Light cleric though Teirs 2 and 3 in an upcoming campaign with a fighter paladin artificer wiz and rogue. what are some ways to make the most of the cleric kit spells etc? ive played a fighter and wizard before but never looked into cleric before this character. please leave all your best tips for me so i can be the best cleric ever for my party

So, after Arcane Trickster 3, I went Wizard 1 (maybe I'll add another wizard level afterwards).

the objective is to be mainly a Rogue with some added spells.

what would be good wizard spells (that I won't get from arcane trickster) to complement my Rogue build?

Hey ya'll,

I've been in this group for about 5 years now, and we've stuck to D&D 5th edition (2014).
What I have noticed though, is that most of the people in the group seem more inclined towards roleplay rather than combat or exploration gameplay-wise.

We do engage in combat, but not very often, and most of our time is spent talking to NPC's and hashing out group decisions (and drama of course haha).

This isn't inherently a problem, however, D&D seems to be really focused on combat, that's where the vast majority of rules and mechanics are focused on anyway. I feel we could benefit from switching systems that have actual mechanics tied to said roleplay.

Is there a system that perhaps would fit bettter with a group like this? What would you guys reccomend? It would preferably be something simple since we're buzy adults with little time to read 200+ pages of player handbooks.

Thanks!

TLDR: What alternative systems would you recommend to use for a roleplay focused group?

[5.5e 2024 PHB]

Do we have the right amount of spells for this elf species, druid, Circle of Sea, magic initiate character lv 3

Cantrip: 7

2 from Class Level 3 (Druid)

1 From Class Feature Magician (Druid)

Ray Of Frost Subclass

2 from Magic Initiate (Druid)

1 from Species

1st Level: 6

Speak with Animals Class Feature

Find Familiar Class Feature

Fog cloud Subclass

Thunderwave Subclass

1 from Species

1 from Magic Initiate (Druid)

2nd Level: 2

Gust of Wind Subclass

Shatter Subclass

Math

6 prepared spells

6 Automatic lv 1

2 Automatic lv 2

7 cantrips

Total Spells 21

Hey y'all. I'm in a Tyranny of Dragons campaign and the DM is running it vanilla (updated to 5.5e statblocks where needed), but he's running combats pretty offensively and at level 7 I'm in need of a third PC because my last two are dead without chance of resurrection. To be clear, we're all on board with it being relatively high lethality and I'm loving it, but I would now like to not die.

My first two were a yuan-ti daolock (killed when a monster grappled me and dragged me through the druid's spike growth) and a tortle watchers paladin (killed outright from full hp when rolling low initiative and getting attacked by 2 5-armed trolls including a named one) before getting a turn.

The party is 5 people including myself. The other PCs are:

- Fire genasi gloom stalker 5 rogue 2, will be going assassin next level

- Bugbear spores druid

- Goliath life cleric

- Goliath barbarian 2 battlemaster 5

The two goliath players are there about 2/3 of the time due to real life scheduling issues. It was only 3 of us playing last night when my pali got killed.

We're in need of a face so I do feel locked in to a charisma character. I don't really want to repeat a class (dips are okay) so that leaves me with sorc or bard.

We've got a custom array (everyone has the same, rolled at the start of the campaign) and it's really good - 16, 15, 15, 13, 12, 12.

I'm still not overly-familiar with 5.5e as most of my games are in 5e. We're all competent players otherwise.

I'm thinking possibly a high elf swords bard with the Tough starter feat, high elf so I can pick up a good offensive cantrip, but I wanted to get advice. As a 5e player this sounds good to me but I dunno if I should multiclass. Bardlocks or bardadins are great, and ofc there's great synergy for sorcadins and sorc/bards too. Maybe I can even run a pure sorc and focus on defensive spells, or even pull off a different multiclass because the stats are good enough that 2 spellcasting stats isn't horrific.

Aside from being a face we're a little bit lacking in skill monkey utility (ranger/rogue is pulling ALL the weight here) and if the goliaths are away we're lacking in frontline combat significantly - the druid has to diversify their spell list for healing/cc/utility so they can't focus on one thing, and the ranger/rogue is ranged.

Very much open to suggestions. What do we think?

its gonna be a sun soul monk, celestial warlock. hes gonna be like a holy bounty hunter vibe, but its tricky because the sun soul's beam attack is a ranged spell attack, so that mixes well with the celestials level 6 boost to fire or radiant damage, but each attack counts as a cast right? also just any boosts to radiant or ideas would be appreciated, ive got an image in my head of him with a huge ass revolver with a three shot cylinder (after multi attack) that he uses ki to refill a chamber, that deals martial arts die + dex + cha(at 6th level celestial). any ideas for feats race or background?

Edit- i get that sun soul shot isnt a spell, but inherently casting comes from it being a ranged spell attack, no?

Edit2- also i dont need wisdom for anything in sunsoul, i can get armor from warlock

Edit3- ok so im just gonna wing it, ill ask my dm if i can fudge the spell thing but who knows, hes cool, ill be fine, but thanks for your help guys i its gonna be really MAD, but well see.

Hi all, I am set to join a long running campaign (Level 1-15) and am thinking of creating a Dragonborn Barbarian leaning towards Path of the Zealot but that is not deadset. I was wondering what would be good Draconic ancestry, origin feats, weapons, stats, etc. for this build. I dont want to min/max I just want to make a character that can consistently do damage and have fun with it.

So, tomorrow I'm participating in a One Shot centered around fighting fiends. We start at lvl 5 and I really wanted to make an Unarmed Fighting build.

For now, these are my 4 possible builds:

- Mercy Monk lvl 5: not much to say, furry of blows + deflecting damage + better movement + hand of harm/ healing. I would take the grappler feat with tavern brawler.

- Battle master lvl 5: also a classic, good survivability with second wind, Unarmed Fighting as a FS, grappler + tavern brawler, and the maneuvers are really cool and useful

- Conquest Paladin lvl 5: maybe not really common, but with the UF, grappler and TB combo, plus 7 smites on unarmed strikes which are pretty sure to be boosted since we are fighting fiends. Also good survivability with lay on hands, and the channel divinities of conquest are really good.

- 3 berserker / zealot barb 2 fighter: the only multiclass, I get 3 rages + divine fury / frenzy, 2 second wind, UF + grappler + TB, and action surge. I do loose on the second attack and Ability Score / feat. So it feels a little more high risk high reward

They are all pretty simple builds, I just want to enjoy the one shot, so please tell me what you think and which one you would choose, although they are all pretty similar.

Bit of a click bait on the title, but please hear me out and check the math.

We get a free object interaction per turn.

Nick allows you to get the extra attack of a light weapon as part of your normal attack, but gives little specification to order of operations and which weapons need to be light.

Therefore this seems plausible.

Stow current weapon. Pull out the dagger and throw it (free draw as well as free attack). Attack an enemy with the weapon you previously stowed (free draw). Continue doing whatever you wanted to do.

This seems kind of silly but at the cost of a weapon mastery “slot” and it being necessary you attack, is anything stopping you from doing this?

Bonus question because this has been somewhat answered (at least one other light weapon attack needs to be made for this):

I have a spear (not light) in one hand, my other hand is free. I am a level 5 barbarian with extra attack. Can I throw two daggers then attack another enemy with my spear? This seems to work, even if it's kind of dumb.

So, Arcane Unleashed: newly updated Arcane Archer. I have to admit, I like it. I really, really do. Probably the only Fighter build I actually want to play.

Except I only really want to take it up to level 11. Maybe level 12 to get the double-epic boon finisher. Question is, what do people think is the best multiclass to go into after taking the Arcane Archer all the way to level 11?

Please don't try to convince me to go full Fighter either; I'm not interested.

I'm not an inexperienced player, so I know the basics (don't dump your main stat, don't multiclass just for vibes, you probably can't go wrong with a full caster) but I tend to favour characters that are good enough to not be a burden, then put points into "fun" skills (e.g. Dropping DEX for INT so I could take History and Arcana on a Sorcerer). This has created a problem. My "good enough" characters have ended up feeling useless compared to the min-maxed characters.

This table is also unpredictable (lots of random role tables that end up assigning penalties and a "crunchy crit" table that could result in you losing a limb or dying instantly) so trying to chase unfilled niches doesn't work - being the only WIS caster today doesn't guarantee that someone won't show up with a fully optimized cleric tomorrow, with whatever the best new feats and gear are from the latest splat book. It also makes RP a never-ending cycle of "ask new character about themselves > character monologues > character dies" so that pillar is also less fun that it would be in a more narrative-based game.

What I'm looking for are suggestions about characters that are self-sufficient enough in combat to stay alive even if no one is willing to sacrifice a bonus action for healing word for the sake of "their build" while also having enough complexity to be interesting in their own right. (I've tried a barbarian and a rogue but found their turns too predictable to be interesting, and I'm assuming I'd have the same problem with most martials). The optimizers are strong enough that buffs never really come into play either, so I'm not really looking for something like Life Cleric or Lore Bard either.

Edit: I see a lot of people saying Artillerist Artificer. Perhaps not surprisingly, the only character who's almost certainly not going to die any time soon is playing an Artificer. I can confirm that they're very good at not getting hit, and if they use all of their Flash of Geniuses on themselves they basically never fail a check/save. I'm also realizing that he's totally cheesing Find Familiar now that I look up the spell since he's been casting Shocking Grasp through it and making some kind of melee attack every turn so that actually explains a lot.

I've been wanting to play a gish that basically breaks down to Wizard 15 (bladesinger), paladin 2, sorcerer 3. As a custom lineage or half elf drow using shadowblade as my main weapon. Using quickened spell from metamagic and extra attack from BS I think it would essentially come out to doing bonus action quickened booming blade 5d8 shadow blade + 3d8 booming blade + 5d8 divine smite 22.5 + 13.5 + 22.5 = 58.5 our action then dittos our bonus action's dmg giving us another 58.5 or 117 then we do one final normal shadow blade attack using blade singer extra attack to continue off a cantrip but we lose booming blade damage giving us 22.5 + 13.5 = 36 giving us 58.5 + 58.5 + 36 = 153 as a nova

Assuming even if we're MAD we could reasonably get STR 13, DEX 19, CON 10, INT 18, WIS 8, CHA 14 using half elf for +2 cha and +1 to any two other scores and the 3 ASI's from wizard I know CON is low but we can also reasonably be well defended by using good armor and we have access the shield spell which is +5 ac I'm sure I've built this somewhat unoptimized so what is someways I could fix that or make this build overall stronger

Hi guys I've been playing in a campaign for around a year and a half now, this is my first ever time playing DND with this group and everything is going great. I've had two characters during the campaign which was a human fighter (I know generic) and a tiefling cleric.

I've become accustomed to playing these but I've never dipped into multiclassing before and have a good story set up for this new character around the soulknife class so that route is definitely the one I'm going, I'm just curious if it's better to just go down the soulknife route all the way or should I dip my toes into multiclassing for an overall better combat experience. Any help is greatly appreciated cheers! 😁

Tactical Shift

PHB-2024, pg. 92

Whenever you activate your Second Wind with a Bonus Action, you can move up to 15 ft. without provoking Opportunity Attacks

Is the movement from this ability additional to your base movement or does take from that total movement in a round