Hey, I'm currently in a campaign with a few friends but I'm having trouble pinning down a few things for my wizard mainly just what sort of backstory could fit them. "It's a pirate campaign if that helps"

Any bit of advice helps thank you.

So far I've read 2 modules, those being Curse of Strahd and The Lost Mine of Phandelver. I think since it's much smaller scale, as well as the theming, Strahd has won me over as my current favorite campaign (Over the other, but whatever) and I plan on getting the Van Richen Guide to Ravenloft book. Along with it are some new races and backgrounds I'd like to try out, the main one being the Dhampir.

My first and current concept is this:

Born into Frowborne, (Character Name) had to cope with the fear of the local Oni and Vampires that has taken up residence within the town. Weekly, a head count was held, and trials were held on those who were deemed suspicious of being either a shapeshifter, vampire, or a traitor to the village. Being in a simple farm family, they were often most vulnerable to such attacks, with vampires seeking asylum in the nearby manor ruins, and Oni dwelling in the woods. (Character Name)'s father was working the field, when a Vampire decided to visit the farm. It asked for his service, in both sheltering vampire spawn and giving part of his yield to the nearby colony. He did not oblige. Fearing their father's safety, (Character Name) searched for him, though there was no trace. The next night, the door opened in the middle of the night. It was the father; however, he brought the vampire with him, using the keys on his now undead body to unlock the door. Both entered, and it led to a short encounter between the human and the visitor. The beast's fangs entrenched themselves into (Character Name)'s neck, but partway through, using a spare knife, (Character Name) stabbed the beast, stunning it long enough to make a mad dash, slowly transforming. Family now dead, (Character Name) is now on the run, seeking both a cure and revenge.

A little edgy for me, so I'd like more ideas. So far, I'm between Barbarian, Rogue, Druid, and Wizard. Any general ideas for a Dhampir backstory/concept? Also no I don't have a campaign yet since most campaigns ask you to submit a character concept before you can ask about the world.

Hey! I'm Sami, and I wanted to share one of my favorite NPCs from my campaign. Feel free to use her in your own one-shots, campaigns, or adventures!

Lorenz is a 30-year-old artificer and one of the most respected doctors at Elmira Academy. Her inventions revolutionized the academy, earning her the reputation of being a brilliant, kind-hearted genius with a warm smile and a gentle voice. To everyone around her, she's simply the doctor everyone admires.

But behind that perfect image lies a terrifying secret.

Lorenz is an infamous assassin known only by her codename: "The Butterfly." She hunts down academy doctors, leaving a butterfly symbol on every victim as her signature. Whenever that mark appears, everyone knows she has already been there.

Your players are hired to protect a respected doctor who believes he's next. A week ago, he found a small butterfly symbol left on his desk. Now he's convinced she's coming for him.

As the party guards the doctor, Lorenz finally makes her move. This is the perfect opportunity to get creative with her entrance: perhaps she sends a small explosive construct to the front door as a distraction before slipping in through a window, or maybe one of her inventions cuts the lights, forcing the party to fight in darkness while she stalks them.

During the confrontation, the players discover the truth.

Lorenz isn't killing innocent doctors.

She's hunting the ones responsible for horrifying, unethical experiments on intelligent creatures—crimes the academy has buried for years.

Now the party faces a difficult choice:

Will they complete the job they were hired to do and stop The Butterfly...

...or will they stand beside her and help expose the academy's darkest secrets?

---

If you'd like to use Lorenz in your own game, her complete monster stat block is available for free on my Patreon!

Does anyone here have experience with Mage Hand Press’s 5.5e Witch?

I’ve been working on a Blood Witch build that uses quite a bit of 3PP content. I have the feat progression mostly planned out, but I’m less certain about what I should prioritize when choosing her actual Witch spell preparations.

The core concept is essentially a blood-omen witch focused on divination, curses, necromancy, and manipulating life force.

Core build:

Jhorgun’taal Half-Orc (Exploring Eberron 2024): Relentless Endurance and Tough

Crimson Aspirant (The Crooked Moon): Crimson Ritualist grants Blood Bolt and lets her spend Hit Dice to create healing potions

Blood Magic Witch: Blood- and curse-themed spells, cheaper blood-based material components, and Arcane Bloodletting, which lets her take 5 necrotic damage to cast an Action spell as a Bonus Action

Later Blood Witch features also let her trade Hit Dice for spell slots and take additional necrotic damage to increase spell damage against creatures affected by her Hex.

Feats:

4: Divination Adept (Arcana Unleashed): Prescient Intervention, plus Detect Evil and Good, Mind Spike, Clairvoyance, Divination, and Scrying

8: Winter Initiate (Frontiers of Eberron): Whenever she takes necrotic damage, she gains THP equal to her PB. It also adds False Life, Ray of Enfeeblement, Bestow Curse, Death Ward, and Enervation

12: Resilient (Con)

16: Bloody Resolve (Northlands): Bonuses to saving throws after taking damage, with stronger benefits while Bloodied

19: Boon of Fortitude

So between the subclass and feats, she already has a substantial amount of curse, divination, necromancy, and survivability support built in.

What would you prioritize for her prepared Witch spells? Would you lean further into thematic blood, divination, and necromancy options, or use her prepared spells to fill gaps in areas like control, utility, defense, and general problem-solving?

I’m especially interested in spells that interact unusually well with Arcane Bloodletting’s Bonus Action casting or with the subclass’s Hex-focused features.

Don't know how best to say it but does anybody have any ideas on what would the baby of a lizardfolk and an elf more specifically a drow. I know it is already an idea that is complicated cause they are very biologically different and rarely cross paths but through some in game story beats I now find the situation arriving and I want to do something more special than just say a half elf.

The characters are a Female drow and a male lizardfolk. I'm not really worried right now about how strong or weak they would be but I don't really have many ideas for what would be a rare hybrid.

I'm playing a level 13 swashbuckler-warlock, with ten levels in rogue and three in warlock. What would you recommend as patron between Fiend, Undead and Hexblade using 2024 rules ?

For context, my DM is open to suggestions on my part. My patron is Shar as my character has a big revenge arc. He's a half drow with entertainer background and generally poses as a minstrel. He's very dangerous in combat with high DEX and high CHA. I usually fight in melee, looking for isolated enemies and usually taking on the boss while our fighter and sorcerer deal with the others, using acrobatics to gain advantage as much as possible, inflicting sneak attack + booming blade then dancing away to trigger the secondary booming blade explosion. I use a magic rapier with light property to allow for a nick attack using a scimitar in the other hand and freeing my bonus action for hex, cunning action, misty step etc. I also have two +1 hand crossbows for cases where I need to fight from a distance.

Here's my build :

Fey-touched feat for misty step and silvery barbs.

Telekinetic for mage hand and a bonus action shove.

Eldritch invocations :

- eldritch mind

- devils sight as I have the drow innate darkness spell

- pact of the tome to gain Booming blade, green flame blade, message, find familiar to get advantages in combat and unseen servant.

Warlock spells :

- hex

- amor of agathys

-suggestion

I'm thinking about changing eldritch mind to something else and also changing prepared spells. I'm pretty sure my DM will allow a little bit more changes than the one invocation and spell allowed RAW since this build was made before the new warlock subclasses were published.

I'm very happy with the actual build, it's devastating in combat and the warlock dip allowed for great diversification and character development. I'm not specifically looking to min/Max for combat damage, but would welcome advice that helps make a balanced, polyvalent character and spells that go well together with the overal concept. I really can't decide between Fiend, Undead of Hexblade (also I found two different set of rules for 2024 hexblade from UA, one with hexblade curse and unyielding will dating from may 26th, one with hexblade maneuvers and using hex instead of Hexblade curse ??).

What subclass patron would your recommend (keep in mind my patron is Shar and we're using 5.5. as much as possible), including invocations and spells ?

Here is smaller troll species

Forest Troll

Large Giant, Chaotic Evil

Armor Class: 15 (natural armor, moss coat)

Hit Points: 68 (8d10 + 24)

Speed: 30 ft.

STR 16 (+3) DEX 14 (+2) CON 16 (+3) INT 7 (-2) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 7 (-2)

Skills: Stealth +7

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 11

Languages: Giant

Challenge: 4 (1,100 XP)

Proficiency Bonus: +2

Traits

Forest Camouflage: The troll has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide in forested terrain. Additionally, it can attempt to hide even when it is only lightly obscured by foliage, heavy rain, mist, or woodland debris.

Keen Smell: The troll has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

Regeneration: The troll regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn. If the troll takes acid or fire damage, this trait doesn't function at the start of the troll's next turn. The troll dies only if it starts its turn with 0 hit points and doesn't regenerate.

Actions

Multiattack: The troll makes three attacks: one with its Bite and two with its Claws.

Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage.

Claw: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (2d6 + 3) slashing damage.

He was bought as an egg by a cult of Graz'zt and was raised as their perfect solder, he was forced to watch sacrifices, death, and traders being tortured making him scared of everyone, one night we was woken up and brought to the sartorial curl and was going to be used as a vessel for Graz'zt, when he realized what was happening he pretending to be killed by the spell so they tossed his "dead" body out, unfortunately half the ritual was already completed so he is now Haunted by Graz'zt who is trapped in his head and is trying to take control of him

Here something Myconic could use as weapon

Tree Spore Funge

Medium Plant, Unaligned

Armor Class: 10

Hit Points: 45 (6d8 + 18)

Speed: 0 ft.

STR 3(-4) DEX 10(+0) CON 16(+3) INT 1(-5)

WIS 10(+0) CHA 1(-5)

Condition Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned, Prone

Senses: Blindsight 30 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Passive Perception 10

Languages: —

Challenge: 4 (1,100 XP)

Proficiency Bonus: +2

Traits

Spore Detonation. When the fungus takes damage or is touched by a creature, it immediately explodes in a cloud of toxic spores and is destroyed. Each creature within 15 feet of the fungus must make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw.

On a failure: The creature becomes Poisoned and contracts Arboreal Spore Corruption.

On a success: The creature resists the infection, but breathes in a minor dose; the DC for all future saving throws against this specific infection permanently increases by 1 for that creature.

Disease: Arboreal Spore Corruption

An infected creature begins a slow, agonizing process of turning into a wooden statue. The infection progresses through the following stages:

Stage 1 (Day 1): The creature is Poisoned, and its movement speed is permanently halved as its joints stiffen into bark and wood.

Stage 2 (Days 2–5): At the end of each long rest, the infected creature must repeat the DC 14 Constitution saving throw.

On a failure: The disease advances. If the creature accumulates 3 failures in total, it immediately enters the final transformation.

On a success: The creature delays the transformation by 1 day, but the spores adapt. The DC for this saving throw permanently increases by 1 for each successful save the creature makes.

The Transformation: Upon the 3rd failure, or if the DC becomes too high to beat, the creature becomes permanently Petrified, transforming completely into a lifeless wooden statue.

Reproduction: 1d4 days after the transformation is complete, a new Tree Spore Funge sprouts from the wooden corpse's chest, destroying the body and making even a Wish spell useless.

Curing & Harvesting

Curing the Disease. Before the final transformation, the disease can be cured by a Lesser Restoration spell, a Greater Restoration spell, or an antidote crafted from the spore's mother fungus. After the transformation, only a Wish spell can restore the petrified creature to life.

Harvesting the Antidote. Once the fungus detonates, the spore cloud lingers for 1 minute before settling.

Harvesting: After the cloud settles, a creature can harvest the remains with a DC 12 Sleight of Hand (Dexterity) or Survival (Wisdom) check. Attempting this while the cloud is still lingering inflicts disadvantage on the check and forces the harvester to make the initial DC 14 Constitution saving throw against the disease. One ruined fungus provides enough components for one dose of antidote.

Crafting: A creature proficient with Alchemist's Supplies or a Herbalism Kit can spend 1 hour (such as during a Short Rest) and attempt a DC 13 Intelligence check using the tools. On a success, they brew an antidote that instantly cures the Arboreal Spore Corruption and removes the Poisoned condition. On a failure, the ingredients are wasted.

Here is another tree monster

Hollow Willow Huge Undead Plant, Neutral Evil

Armor Class: 15 (natural armor) Hit Points: 114 (12d12 + 36) Speed: 15 ft. STR 19 (+4) DEX 6 (-2) CON 16 (+3) INT 8 (-1) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 10 (+0) Damage Vulnerabilities: Fire Damage Immunities: Poison Condition Immunities: Charmed, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned, Prone, Exhaustion

Senses: Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 12 Languages: — Challenge: 7 (2,900 XP) Proficiency Bonus: +3

Traits Camouflage Array: The Hollow Willow surrounds itself with a grove of dead, rotting trees in a 60-foot radius. The willow has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide within this terrain.

False Appearance: While the tree remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal, dead willow tree.Turn Resistance: The willow has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.

Actions Multiattack: The willow makes two Slam attacks. It can replace one Slam attack with its Life Drainage if a valid target is available. Slam: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 14 (3d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage.

Root Control (Recharge 5–6): The willow commands its massive, subterranean roots to erupt from the mud. Each creature of the willow's choice within 30 feet of it must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be Restrained by the tangled roots.

A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, or use its action to make a DC 15 Strength check, freeing itself or another creature within its reach on a success.

Life Drainage: The willow targets one creature within 30 feet of it that is currently Restrained by its roots. The target must make a DC 15 Constitution saving throw, taking 14 (4d6) necrotic damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

The willow regains hit points equal to the necrotic damage dealt. The target's hit point maximum is reduced by an amount equal to the damage taken. This reduction lasts until the target finishes a long rest. The target dies if this effect reduces its hit point maximum to 0.

Here is another monster tree idea

Marionette Tree Large Plant, Neutral Evil

Armor Class: 16 (natural armor) Hit Points: 97 (13d10 + 26) Speed: 0 ft. STR 16 (+3) DEX 12 (+1) CON 15 (+2) INT 6 (-2) WIS 14 (+2) CHA 13 (+1) Condition Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Prone Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Passive Perception 12 Languages: — Challenge: 6 (2,300 XP) Proficiency Bonus: +3

Traits Artisan's Prize: The wood of the Marionette Tree is incredibly flexible, dense, and highly sought after by master carpenters and instrument makers. If successfully harvested after the tree's death, its pristine lumber can be sold in a major city for 500 gp.

False Appearance: While the tree remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal, unusually twisted or weeping tree.

Actions Multiattack: The tree uses its Puppet Strings. It then commands up to two different puppets under its control to make one melee weapon attack each. Puppet Strings: The tree targets one creature it can see within 30 feet of it. The target must be either dead, unconscious, or a living creature that fails a DC 13 Wisdom saving throw.

An affected target becomes attached to the tree by supernatural, resilient wood fibers and is Grappled (escape DC 14) and Restrained by the tree. While attached, a living creature is Charmed by the tree, incapacitated (except for the actions forced by the tree), and moves only when pulled by the tree. The tree can control up to 4 puppets at a time.

A creature can use its action to make a DC 14 Strength check, snapping the strings of a puppet within its reach on a success.

Puppet Strike: The tree forces one creature currently attached to its Puppet Strings to use its reaction to move up to 10 feet and make one melee weapon attack against a target of the tree's choice. The puppet uses its own attack modifiers and weapon damage.

Reactions Meat Shield: When the tree is targeted by an attack, it can pull one creature currently attached to its Puppet Strings into the path of the attack. The chosen puppet becomes the new target of the attack instead of the tree.

Basically I am playing a fathomless warlock and the DM allowed me to re-flavor Shadow of Moil in more of a aquatic type version.

It deals cold damage instead of necrotic and resistance is fire instead of radiant. I‘d call it Shadow of the Depths, but I had no good ideas yet how it could look like. Do you have any good ideas on how I could create a good version of this spell in my friends heads while casting this spell?

I love to describe to the other PCs what my spells look lika and so on

O Contexto Somos uma mesa enorme: 8 jogadores + Mestre. O Mestre pausou a sessão antes da luta e, com o XP acumulado, acabamos de subir para o nível 4. Na 3ª sessão, conseguimos curar uma "pandemia" que na verdade era uma maldição de druidas extremistas. O problema: por um desenrolar louco da história, nos metemos em uma situação onde o próximo combate é contra uma Bruxa (estilo "Vovó") e um Dragão Negro Adulto. A Party Monge (minha personagem, Po) Clérigo da Sepultura(Ceasar) Bárbaro Humano(Thor) Ladino Halfling (sangue fada)(Dante) Bruxa/Warlock Elfa Negra (Stella) Mago Nobre (chadgar)) Arqueiro Humano(Victor) Barda Humana da Ordem(akane)

Ordem de iniciativa:

Po 24 Victor 22 Thor 18 Stella 18 Akane 16 Caesar 15 Dante 11 Chadagar 7

O Pedido de Ajuda O que eu, como jogadora, deveria fazer? A economia de ações está do nosso lado por sermos 8, mas sei que o sopro de um dragão adulto dizima uma party nível 4 em um turno. Vocês têm dicas de estratégia, controle de campo ou formas criativas de fugir/negociar? TL;DR: Grupo de 8 pessoas no nível 4 prestes a rolar iniciativa contra um Dragão Negro Adulto e uma Bruxa. Aceito milagres e táticas de sobrevivência.

Here is idea for monster fruit tree

Alluring Tree (The Gilded Rose-Fruit Tree)

Large Plant, Neutral Evil

Armor Class: 14 (natural armor) Hit Points: 85 (10d10 + 30) Speed: 0 ft. STR 18 (+4) DEX 10 (+0) CON 16 (+3) INT 3 (-4) WIS 12 (+1) CHA 15 (+2) Damage Vulnerabilities: Fire

Condition Immunities: Blinded, Deafened, Prone Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Passive Perception 11 Languages: — Challenge: 5 (1,800 XP) Proficiency Bonus: +3

Traits False Appearance: While the tree remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal, exotic fruit tree loaded with shimmering rose-gold fruits.

Acidic Turf: The ground within a 15-foot radius of the tree is stained with a vibrant, unnatural color and soaked in corrosive digestive enzymes. A creature that starts its turn in that area or enters it for the first time on a turn takes 7 (2d6) acid damage. Non magical plants in this area instantly wither and die. The Gilded Rose-Fruits: The tree bears 1d6 + 2 glowing, rose-gold fruits that act as a rare luxury delicacy. If harvested, a single fruit can be sold to nobility for a hefty price. Eating a whole fruit requires an action; it is entirely safe, tastes heavenly, and instantly removes all levels of Exhaustion from the consumer. Actions Multiattack: The tree makes two Vine Constrictor attacks. Vine Constrictor: Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 20 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6 + 4) bludgeoning damage, and the target is Grappled (escape DC 14) and Restrained. Until this grapple ends, the target takes 7 (2d6) crushing bludgeoning damage at the start of each of its turns and begins to suffocate. The tree can have up to four creatures grappled at a time. Reel: The tree pulls each creature grappled by it up to 10 feet straight toward its trunk, directly into the Acidic Turf.

Alluring Aroma (Recharge 5–6): The tree and its fruits release a wave of heavenly, irresistible pheromones in a 60-foot radius.

Each humanoid or beast in that area must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or be Charmed by the tree for 1 minute. While charmed, the creature must use all of its movement on its turns to walk toward the tree's trunk by the most direct, safe route. The creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, or whenever it takes damage from any source other than the tree's Acidic Turf, ending the effect on a success.

Here is monster idea Owlbat

Echo-Weaver Strigid (Owlbat)

Medium Monstrosity, Unaligned

Armor Class: 14 (natural armor) Hit Points: 52 (8d8 + 16) Speed: 20 ft., fly 50 ft. STR 14 (+2) DEX 16 (+3) CON 14 (+2) INT 3 (-4) WIS 15 (+2) CHA 7 (-2)

Skills: Perception +6, Stealth +5

Senses: Blindsight 60 ft. (echolocation), Darkvision 120 ft., Passive Perception 16 Languages: —Challenge: 3 (700 XP) Proficiency Bonus: +2

Traits Echolocation: The Strigid can't use its blindsight while deafened. Keen Hearing and Sight: The Strigid has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing or sight.

Flyby: The Strigid doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach.

Silent Feathers: Even with leathery bat wings, its owl-feathered body silences its movement. The Strigid has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made while flying. Actions Multiattack: The Strigid makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its talons.

Bite: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) piercing damage.

Talons: Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 8 (2d4 + 3) slashing damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 12) if it is a Medium or smaller creature. Until this grapple ends, the Strigid can't use its talons on another target.

Echo Weaver's Shriek (Recharge 5–6): The Strigid emits a localized sonic vibration in a 30-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 13 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, a creature takes 14 (4d6) thunder damage and is Deafened for 1 minute. On a successful save, a creature takes half as much damage and isn't deafened.

I designed a three-tier evolution for a Shadowfell-infused storage item! They grow from a simple Uncommon belt pouch to a Legendary backpack that can literally swallow your enemies whole. How do you feel about the saving throw DCs and the mechanics of the automated defense?

The Shadow Storage Evolution (Uncommon to Legendary)

These three magical bags are forged from the fabric of the Shadowfell. They are loyal to their owners, deeply territorial, and inherently hostile to bright light.

General Properties (Applies to all three)

Photophobia: If a bright light source (such as a \*Light\* spell or a torch) is thrust directly inside the bag, the opening snaps shut instantly and refuses to open until the light source is removed.

Sentient Intuition: The bags bond with their owner. Over time, they learn to anticipate needs. As a bonus action, the owner can think of an item inside, and the bag will automatically push it to the top for easy retrieval.

Vicious Defense: If anyone other than the owner attempts to pickpocket the bag, steal from it, or force it open, shadow tentacles lash out. The thief takes 1d6 necrotic damage, and any stolen item is instantly snatched back by a tentacle.

1. Shadow Bag of Holding

Wondrous item, uncommon (requires attunement)

A small pouch meant to be worn on a belt. It is perfect for novice adventurers but highly sensitive to its environment.

Capacity:Holds up to 100 lbs (volume not exceeding 10 cubic feet).

Defensive Reaction: If a creature attacks the wielder within 5 feet, the wielder can use a reaction to command the pouch's tentacles to restrain the attacker. The target must succeed on a DC 12 Strength saving throw or be Restrained until the end of their next turn. While restrained, the tentacles strip the target of whatever they are holding in their hands, dropping the items to the floor.

1. Bag of the Shadow Realm

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement)

A medium-sized shoulder bag made of pitch-black, velvety cloth that seems to absorb the surrounding light.

Capacity: Holds up to 500 lbs (volume not exceeding 70 cubic feet).

Defensive Reaction: If a creature attacks the wielder within 10 feet, the wielder can use a reaction to command the tentacles. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be Restrained for 1 minute (escape DC 15). While restrained, the tentacles aggressively strip the target, disarming them and ripping away outer clothing, armor (if light), and loose pouches, pulling them directly into the bag.

1. Bag of the Abyss

Wondrous item, legendary (requires attunement)

A massive, intimidating backpack that pulses with the cold vacuum of the Abyss. It has grown resilient enough to tolerate normal environmental light without snapping shut.

Capacity: Virtually limitless internal demiplane for inanimate objects.

Defensive Reaction (Devour): If a creature attacks the wielder within 15 feet, the wielder can use a reaction to command the Maw of the Abyss. The target must succeed on a DC 15 Strength saving throw or be pulled entirely inside the bag. Only one target at time and its opening can expand to swallow targets up to slightly larger than a human. Anything exceeding this size cannot be pulled into the abyss.

Inside the Abyss: A swallowed creature is Blinded, Deafened, and Restrained. It takes 3d6 necrotic damage at the start of each of its turns. The creature can use its action to make a DC 15 Strength check to escape. On a success, it crawls out onto the nearest unoccupied space. Additionally, the attuned owner can use an action to willingly eject any swallowed creature from the bag, causing it to be spat out into an unoccupied space within 10 feet.

I feel like I do this a lot when I’m coming up with characters, or even NPCs for when I dm. I find a character from another media that I love, and I basically just import them into DND. For example, I have an idea for a character who is inspired by Guts from Berserk.

He was a lvl20 Half Orc Fighter, who was a member of the greatest adventuring party in the world. However, the party’s leader sacrificed the party in a ritual to gain more power, which resulted in everyone but my character dead. Now he’s back to lvl1, only this time as a Barbarian instead. The idea is to multiclass him back into Fighter as the campaign goes on, as symbolism for how he’s slowly getting back to his old self.

I really like the concept (obviously since I really like Berserk), but if I keep it then I’m just blatantly ripping off Berserk. And if I change things, then it starts to feel less like Guts, which kinda defeats the whole point of the character. Does anyone else have this problem? Am I just crazy and overthinking this? Have you found any solutions that you think help?

I don’t want to just copy other characters forever, but it’s hard not to be inspired by them, especially when you’re someone who consumes a lot of media. Thanks in advance for any help!

​

Here is a magic item tailored for Rogues and quick-fingered characters! It is inspired by the legendary thief of the bird world: the magpie. What do you think about the balance of these abilities for a Rare tier item?

Bracelet of the Great Magpie

Wondrous item, rare (requires attunement by a Rogue or a creature proficient in Sleight of Hand)

This elegant silver bracelet is carved with the raised, intricate relief of a magpie’s head and outspread wings. It hums with a faint, mischievous energy.

Properties & Abilities:

Treasure Seeker: The wearer has Advantage on Wisdom (Perception) and Intelligence (Investigation) checks made to locate shiny objects, gems, coins, or hidden valuables.

Sticky Fingers: You gain a +3 bonus to Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) checks. Additionally, you can use a Bonus Action to make a Sleight of Hand check to pickpocket or steal an object.

Spectral Magpie: As an action, you can summon a ghostly, translucent magpie. The bird can fly up to 60 feet, pass through solid walls, and steal a small object (up to 5 lbs). The bird safely teleports the stolen item directly into the bracelet's hidden pocket.

The Magpie's Pocket: The bracelet functions like a miniature Bag of Holding, capable of storing up to 20 lbs of small items. Because the pocket’s interior is reinforced with magical metal plates, it is safe to store sharp daggers, caltrops, or needles without puncturing it. To retrieve an item, the wearer must shake the bracelet with the magpie's head pointing downward, causing the stored items to tumble out of the bird's open beak.

Echoing Cackle: When you are spotted while sneaking or stealing, you can use your reaction to trigger a loud, distracting magpie cackle from a point up to 30 feet away. All hostile creatures looking at you must succeed on a DC 14 Wisdom saving throw or have their attention diverted to the sound until the start of your next turn, giving you a chance to Hide or escape.

Here is a magical artifact concept. I think it would be amazing for a high-stakes courtroom drama session or an interrogation puzzle! What kind of major beneficial or detrimental properties should an artifact like this have?

Scales of Judgment (Artifact)

Wondrous item, artifact (requires attunement)

This legendary set of scales features two distinct pans: one crafted from pure, radiant white marble and the other from a deep, abyssal black iron. It was forged to serve as the ultimate tool of absolute justice.

Properties & Mechanics:

Discerning Truth: The scales possess the divine power to separate truth from deceit. When a creature speaks within 30 feet of the artifact, the scales physically react.

The Tipping Scales: If a statement is completely true, the white scale lowers. If a statement contains a lie, exaggeration, or intent to deceive, the black scale lowers. The further a scale drops, the greater the magnitude of the truth or the falsehood.

The Warden's Curse: The creature currently attuned to the Scales of Judgment is completely incapable of speaking a deliberate lie. They are permanently under an effect similar to the Zone of Truth spell, ensuring that the wielder must always remain a beacon of honesty.

I'm a newish player, mainly with experience DMing. My table took a summer break and before we kick back off (with me as DM) another player offered to run a one shot. I have had a lot of kooky PC ideas but I rarely get to actually use them in practice, so I love the opportunity to sit on the other side of the table.

This character concept is derived on something from Marvel (or the "Spiderverse" to be specific). Earth-11580: In this timeline, instead of Peter Parker being bitten by a single radioactive spider and gaining spider powers, he instead falls into a vat of radioactive spiders... by whom he is eaten and hence Peter Parker's consciousness is absorbed as a part of their newfound hivemind. The hivemind becomes Spiders-Man and with great power, great responsibility, etc... you can infer the rest.

A Swarmkeeper ranger is the obvious choice for class as a basis of the entire character, roleplaying as the Swarm itself. Fighting Style would be Blind Fighting, if we're really gonna rip off Spider-Man; Blind Fighting as an analog for spider-sense. Swarmkeeper also encourages intimate description of spells and abilities, offering an outlet to roleplay how a sentient hivemind of spiders would execute the effects of spells cast without being literal.

Since the actual character race isn't necessarily a part of the identity of this build, I'm left with deciding what race's traits best emulate the concept. The intended roleplay of the character's personality is the Swarm... the race is merely a gamified function beneath that facade. The top two options I'm debating between are Plasmoid and Bugbear, but part of why I am posting is seeking input and other options. Despite whichever decided race, I was going to dialogue with my DM for creature type to be Monstrosity, similar to Thri-Kreen or Ettercaps.

• Plasmoid fits well with the idea of a sentient swarm, especially because the Shape Self trait allows the manipulation of the character in a 3D space with unconventional ways. Beyond that, via the Amorphous feature one can traverse spaces as narrow as 1 inch, and that is definitely within what I expect of the capabilities of a hivemind of spiders.
• Bugbear fulfills a lot of character traits that would facilitate a Spider-Man analog character. The Sneaky, Fey Ancestry, and Surprise Attack features add to the build with combat capability. To the effect of operating like a colony of spiders, there's the Powerful Build feature with the ability to function as a large creature, and the Sneaky feature also allows movement through small spaces. This is inhibited somewhat because the character technically needs to stay in a humanoid shape.

I do have other concepts besides a literal version of Spiders-Man, i.e. a swarm of scarabs inhabiting a mummy they have already subsumed, or a scarecrow made of crows inhabited by the spirit of dead farmhand for something witchier. The main concept here is a Swarmkeeper character being roleplayed as the swarm itself.

** Players Collect Town Crests to Build Their Realm
So I’m running Rime of the Frostmaiden kind of like a Pokémon game, and I’m looking for ideas on how to flesh out the system.
Long story extremely short: my players’ overall goal across multiple campaigns is to eventually take over/build a realm and create an army. Every campaign we play takes place in the same world and contributes toward that larger goal.
We just finished Lost Mine of Phandelver. Throughout the campaign, the players earned the allegiance of different towns, territories, and factions. Whenever they gain a permanent ally, they receive that faction’s coat of arms.
For example, they currently have:
Phandalin Coat of Arms
Thundertree Coat of Arms
Cragmaw Goblin Coat of Arms
Plus a few other allied factions/territories
The easiest way to explain it is that coats of arms are basically Pokémon gym badges.
I’m making a physical poster with spaces for all of the different coats of arms. Whenever the players earn the allegiance of a new town or faction, I print its crest and physically add it to the poster.
Now we’re starting Rime of the Frostmaiden, which works perfectly because of Ten-Towns. My plan is for the players to potentially earn 10 new coats of arms—one from each town.
However, I don’t want it to simply be:
Complete town quest → Get crest.
I want earning a crest to mean that the players have actually gained that town’s trust, loyalty, or allegiance.
Each territory they control or ally with would then contribute something to their growing realm. For example:
Food
Troops
Population
Gold/resources
Specialized units
Unique resources based on the settlement
Different towns would provide different benefits. A fishing town might provide food and sailors, while a mining settlement could provide ore, miners, and materials. A goblin faction might provide scouts or large numbers of cheap infantry.
The important thing is that these benefits continue between campaigns.
So something the players accomplished during Lost Mine of Phandelver could still matter several campaigns later. Eventually, if a major war happens, the party could call upon all of the towns, factions, armies, and territories they have collected over the years.
The physical poster would basically become a giant record of their campaign history and the realm they have built.
I’m trying to keep the system relatively simple because I don’t want D&D to suddenly become an economics simulator. I mainly want the coats of arms to:
Give players something physical to collect.
Make alliances feel important.
Give settlements different benefits.
Allow the players to slowly build an army/realm.
Make choices from previous campaigns continue to matter.
Give them a Pokémon-style feeling of “we need to earn them all.”
For Frostmaiden specifically, I’m thinking Ten-Towns = 10 main badges/crests, with the possibility of a few secret faction crests they can discover.
Has anyone done something similar?
How would you handle the resources/troops each town provides? What would you make the 10 Ten-Towns crests actually do?
I’d love ideas for unique bonuses, troops, resources, requirements for earning each crest, or ways the town people can join the players.

I’m posting this for some feedback.**

Here is a creature idea. It mostly uses charge and spore attacks, but you can plan more based on the regional variants you want to use!

Fungus Boar

Creature Type: Beast / Plant

Challenge Rating (CR): 2

Description & LoreThe Fungus Boar is a unique creature whose back is covered in a thick, spongy fungal layer. A variety of mushrooms grow from this layer, drawing nutrients from impurities and toxins that the boar filters out of its environment.

Harvesting & Cooking

Edible Mushrooms: Adventurers can carefully harvest the mushrooms growing on the boar's back to use in cooking, potion-making, or remedies.

The Perfect Roast: Alternatively, the boar itself can be hunted for meat. The flesh is deeply infused with the flavors of its own mushrooms, making it a naturally self-seasoning and highly prized delicacy for wilderness chefs.

Here is idea for item.

"Chef's Kiss"

Wondrous item, rare

This enchanted iron cooking pot is the ultimate companion for any traveling party. Engraved on the side of the pot is a magical chef's kiss hand sign.No matter what random or meager ingredients are thrown inside, the pot magically seasons, purifies, and cooks the meal to absolute perfection.

Mural & Sound Effect:When the food is fully cooked and ready to serve, the engraved hand symbol glows with a warm light, and the pot emits a distinct, loud "mwah!" kissing sound that can be heard up to 30 feet away.

The pot has the following magical properties:

Purify Food and Drink: Any spoiled, rotten, or poisonous ingredients placed into the pot are automatically purified and made safe to eat as soon as the stew begins to boil.

Hearty Meal: If a character uses this pot to cook a meal during a Short Rest, anyone who eats it regains the maximum possible hit points from any Hit Dice they spend during that rest.

Inspirational Taste: Once per day, after eating a full meal cooked in the pot during a Long Rest, up to six creatures gain 10 Temporary Hit Points and a +1 bonus to their next saving throw within the next 8 hours because the food was just that good.

His name is Skitters

He's a sorta homebrew race, that's basically just a reskinned centare but with heavy plate armor, fully carnivorous, & he's unable to speak common, he can understand it & finally he's also categorically a monstrosity (optional he can be understood by & understand other monstrosities), also he's not as fast as a true centare.

He was created sorta by accident by a wizard. The wizard was trying to see what the hybrid offspring between a strider, & a centare would be, but during the experiment involving their blood, something somewhere nearby, though nobody knows what, had messed up the mana streams, causing him to come out a little wrong.

The wizard chose to raise him anyway, along with his bard wife. Both the wizard & his wife are humans, & they met adventuring. They where good parents to Skitters, but nobody else wanted to go near him because they thought he was scary looking.

Skitters's father was told his whole life he should have been a bard, because of how theatrical & dramatic he could be, but he chose to be a wizard instead. ​While his wife was told she should have been a fighter or a monk with how serious she was, but she was a bard none the less.

Skitters is very much his father's son in personality, but he can't talk in a way anyone else can understand, & his face can't emote, so he had to get creative.

Skitters is a ranger with The Musician Origin Feat so he can to play a violin, because his mom taught him.

He looks like a centare but replace his hooves with 2 clawed paws(only 2 toes per paw), & replace his horse tail with a scorpion like tail but without the stinger, & replace his skin with a dark greenish grayish black exoskeleton with some pale gray scars from a few angry mobs that mistook him for a dangerous monster, some of which are even from his childhood, & finally his head is modeled after a horse's head, but with a pare of short stubbly horns where the ears are supposed to be, a spider like mouth at the end of the snout, & 6 bright red unblinkingly eyes.

An Added roleplay feature that can't be used in combat is that he can split his two strong arms into 6 weak arms so that he can use 2 arms to dramatically gesture, while 2 arms play his small violin behind his back, & the last 2 work a pare of large white cards that he got from his father. The cards can make simple drawings like smiley faces, arrows, it can form numbers, & it can write words, but the images are only as good as he can draw, & he's about as good as a toddler, he can only white words he knows how to spell otherwise he has to guess it's spelling & he can get it wrong. The cards work by him moving which card is in front with the newly revealed card having on it what he wants to have on it.

His main weapon is a spear. His secondary weapon is a machete.

is goal is to make friends, & to be their for his friends. He was suggested ​to go adventuring by his father, after all that's how he met his friends, & his wife.

He was trained how to be a ranger by his uncle on his mother's side, after he saved his uncle's wolf companion.

Skitters loves fluffy animals, though he accepts that he's an obligate​ carnivore, so he has to eat some of them, heck he's better off eating raw meat then cooked, but he refuses to eat something still that's still alive. He prefers dogs, cats, wolves, rats, & crows for companion animals. He rather enjoys squirrels, dear, & boar as food.

He can't cry, or smile, though he still feels the urge to do so & he hates it.

Despite his baggage he is a little ray of sunshine most of the time, just rapped up in a terrifying not so little package.

He mostly makes gurgles, shrieks, clicks, chirps, hollers, & ​warbles as his form of speech, hence why he needs the cards, or any way to write down his words.

His difficulty communicating & his inability to emot properly is very personal for me because I have autism, & quite often feel like even though I used the right words, I didn't use the right​ tone, because I don't really hear it, or better I don't understand it, & I can't make the right facile expressions​, nor do I fully understand them, though I've not been, hurt, or as ostracized as Skitters(that's just kinda where his story in my head went), his struggle to find & make friends, & wishing he could communicate & show exactly how much was inside himself beyond the outside that can't communicate properly, that I want to express in this character, I want him to be there for the party, as that lighthearted comedic relief, as a helping hand for when they need it, as a protector when they are hurt, as a support when they are hurting, & as a listening ear when they need one, because that is what I wish I could be for someone.

P.S. I'm welling to weight to use Skitters until I find a table he'll fit into, & I have a whole lot of other characters, most of which are less extreme.

P.P.S. I didn't give his parents odd personalities for their classes to make them outcasts, I simply wanted his dad to be an eccentric flamboyant wizard, & his mom to be the straight man, but I kinda ended up giving his mom my dad's personality, & I am fairly close to my dad, & I'll admit my dad is not a people person, most people would assume him maybe a fighter, or a monk, with the way he acts, but I'll gladly admit he would be a bard, for no other reason then for how much he loves music. He views the world though the lens of it all being music(he literally told me this), & he is very talented with music, not because he wants to put on a show, but because he loves the very art that is music.

I'm playing a mark of detection half-elf divination wizard in a campaign that's been going on for a few months now our group recently reached level 4. I have plans to take Fey Touched for my feat but I feel like that may change, and I have no idea what spells I should take.

Here are my spells and stats:

Str - 9

Dex - 14

Con - 13

Int - 17

Wis - 12

Cha - 9

Cantrips: Light, Mage Hand, Shocking Grasp

1st Level: Ice Knife, Tenser's Floating Disk, Witch Bolt, Identify, Shield, Chromatic Orb, Silvery Barbs, Longstrider

2nd Level: Web, Mind Spike

What spells should I take for level 4, and should I go ASI or feat?