D&D 5E Darksun Version 4.0

Zardnaar · Jun 14, 2018

Jacob Lewis said:
Inferior weapon: roll 2 damage dice and discard highest roll. Like disadvantage, right?

Yes but it uses a lot of dice, a simple downsize or -1/-1 is easier/quicker to use. I have thought about disadvantage and advantage on damage rolls mechanics on other stuff just not for inferior weapons.

Jacob Lewis · Jun 14, 2018

Zardnaar said:
Yes but it uses a lot of dice, a simple downsize or -1/-1 is easier/quicker to use.

Not really, but ok.

Coroc · Jun 15, 2018

[MENTION=6667921]Jacob Lewis[/MENTION] That would be another idea, but i still like my solution more, unless you would rule that inferior Magic weapons would not have to make two dice rolls.

It has to be analysed statistically though. With a 2xd20 someone has found out a number which would reflect disad quite well it was -2 or so if i remember, so i guess 2 die rolls for weapon damage would result in about a -1 which would be desirable. Has to be analysed though.

Zardnaar · Jun 15, 2018

It's more dice rolling on every dice roll. It's a lot slower than tweaking your character sheet to hit and damage numbers by - 1/-1.

Jacob Lewis · Jun 15, 2018

Zardnaar said:
It's more dice rolling on every dice roll. It's a lot slower than tweaking your character sheet to hit and damage numbers by - 1/-1.

You keep saying that as if it were true. Grab an extra die. Same type as your regular damage die; you don't even need to think about which die to use. Roll them together and compare. No adding, no subtraction, no modifications. Which is lower? Use that one. No one thinks the same mechanic used for advantage and disadvantage is slowing things down. In fact, it is probably one of the best (not that there are many) innovations of 5e. And I have never played at a table where dice were in small supply, or designated the responsibility of a single person who thought one of each would be sufficient for the whole table.

By comparison, your method--which is reminscent of older and outdated ideas--requires more mental conversion and math. It may be simple and minor, but that kind of thinking is what adds up in the bigger picture. Which die is a step down from the normal? Don't forget -1 on your roll, and three other modifiers already in play! All the little things add up.

It was just a suggestion. It's not slower than what you're suggesting. That's why I brought it up. Do what you want with your project. Good luck with it.

Zardnaar · Jun 15, 2018

Jacob Lewis said:
You keep saying that as if it were true. Grab an extra die. Same type as your regular damage die; you don't even need to think about which die to use. Roll them together and compare. No adding, no subtraction, no modifications. Which is lower? Use that one. No one thinks the same mechanic used for advantage and disadvantage is slowing things down. In fact, it is probably one of the best (not that there are many) innovations of 5e. And I have never played at a table where dice were in small supply, or designated the responsibility of a single person who thought one of each would be sufficient for the whole table.

By comparison, your method--which is reminscent of older and outdated ideas--requires more mental conversion and math. It may be simple and minor, but that kind of thinking is what adds up in the bigger picture. Which die is a step down from the normal? Don't forget -1 on your roll, and three other modifiers already in play! All the little things add up.

It was just a suggestion. It's not slower than what you're suggesting. That's why I brought it up. Do what you want with your project. Good luck with it.

Its also the way it interacted with 2d6 weapons. You have to roll 4 dice and its probably a huge damage nerf. Also raises issues with the great weapon fighter style so you would be rolling damage with disadvantage and rerolling 1's. Its a pain in the ass. I asked my players and they preferred the -1/-1. They liked the idea of advantage or disadvantage on damage rolls just not all of the time.

The 5E PHB character sheet also has a space where you can write in your to hit/damage so you could just write "Bone longsword +4 to hit damage 1d8+4" (16 strength lvl 1, duelist combat style) so you don't even have to use math more than once.

Its easier than rolling 4 dice probably 2 sets of different colours and rerolling any 1's that show up.

I'm not a fan of that idea preferred the metal weapons go up a dice in the size category (or non metal go down one).

Jester David · Jun 15, 2018

Zardnaar said:
Thri Kreen
Ability Score Increase Your dexterity score increases by 2, your wisdom score increases by 1.

Speed 40’

Claws Your Claws are natural weapons you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them you deal slashing damage equal to 1d6+ your strength modifier instead of the usual bludegeoning damage.

Exoskeleton Your exoskeleton is durable and thick. When you aren’t wearing armor your AC is 13+ your dexterity modifier.

Extra Limbs You may draw an additional item per round and hold an additional two items, weapons or one two handed weapon.

Flurry As a bonus action you may make a claw or weapon attack against adjacent opponents.

Sleepless Kreen do not need to sleep but still need to rest.

Thri Kreen Weapons Training you are proficient with the Chatkas (treat as dart), and the Gythka (treat as a glaive).

Languages. Common, Kreen

Some feedback.

Claw damage seems high. 1d4 would be fine.

In Extra Limbs, does "hold" mean just hold, or does it mean wield. That might need to be clearer.
Also, it could be phrased as "gain an extra item interaction" or "you can interact with an additional item on your turn".

Flurry is okay, but it doesn't interact well with the other options in the game, as there's a high demand for bonus actions.
Instead, you could add the poison spray cantrip to represent their venomous bite and at higher levels (say 3rd) they can cast jump once per rest. Which are pretty iconic elements of the thri-kreen.

Zardnaar · Jun 15, 2018

Jester David said:
Some feedback.

Claw damage seems high. 1d4 would be fine.

In Extra Limbs, does "hold" mean just hold, or does it mean wield. That might need to be clearer.
Also, it could be phrased as "gain an extra item interaction" or "you can interact with an additional item on your turn".

Flurry is okay, but it doesn't interact well with the other options in the game, as there's a high demand for bonus actions.
Instead, you could add the poison spray cantrip to represent their venomous bite and at higher levels (say 3rd) they can cast jump once per rest. Which are pretty iconic elements of the thri-kreen.

I was thinking of just out right adding the poison bite and they can grow into it like the higher level Drow and Tiefling abilites. he claw was 1d4 but Kreen in 5E deal 1d6, I checked the MM a bit of upscaling from 2E.

I don't mind if Kreen end up a bit more powerful than the PHB races I can always include them in the powerful races option with the half giant, the other races will get a a bonus ASI to compensate. A kreen fighter using a greatsword benefits from a bonus action flurry. I wanted them to be able to make extra attacks with their claws but not X4 attacks like 2E. I kind of compared it with the Polearm Master/Crossbow Expert feats so the extra attack is worth roughly half a feat IMHO. The extra attack also plays nice with the duelist combat style so a kreen could have a shield, 2 swords+ something else and have 2 attacks a round.

I like your suggestions though this is mostly raw atm tidying it up makes sense. I can Email you the word document if you want to help.

Jester David · Jun 15, 2018

Zardnaar said:
I was thinking of just out right adding the poison bite and they can grow into it like the higher level Drow and Tiefling abilites. he claw was 1d4 but Kreen in 5E deal 1d6, I checked the MM a bit of upscaling from 2E.

I don't mind if Kreen end up a bit more powerful than the PHB races I can always include them in the powerful races option with the half giant, the other races will get a a bonus ASI to compensate. A kreen fighter using a greatsword benefits from a bonus action flurry. I wanted them to be able to make extra attacks with their claws but not X4 attacks like 2E. I kind of compared it with the Polearm Master/Crossbow Expert feats so the extra attack is worth roughly half a feat IMHO. The extra attack also plays nice with the duelist combat style so a kreen could have a shield, 2 swords+ something else and have 2 attacks a round.

I like your suggestions though this is mostly raw atm tidying it up makes sense. I can Email you the word document if you want to help.

The race might be more useful if you aim for balance with the PC races and they give it a bonus ASI for Dark Sun. (Which could, conceivably, be abilities replicating poisons spray and jump). They’re generic enough to fit in other sittings and have a history in other worlds.
Honestly that’s my reason for weighing in. Be nice to have a solid thri-kreen for my world & players
(The half giant less so, as the goliath fills the niche in other settings.)

I always think of Thri-Kreen like monks. They seem very monastic to me with their many weapons odd weapons and making lots of attacks. Or two weapon fighters striking with lots of swords. You want the race to support those options, and giving it a racial bonus action off-hand attack means you lose a cool racial power. The race is unoptimal for those builds as both the weapon proficient and extra attack are lost.
These seem like they’d be better as clerics or wizards for the better weapons and always having a free hand for components. Or rogues. Oh man... always having a rapier, a bow, and a free hand that can make an offhand attack...

Staccat0 · Jun 16, 2018

I can tell you put a lot of thought into this. Very cool.

The only thing that strikes me funny is the sub races thing. Setting the PHB lore aside, most of the subraces in the base book seem like minor variations within a population as far as most PCs are concerned. Tossing them all out for lore reasons is probably fine but feels kinda unnecessary. The PCs and their racial traits really just enable players to make cool characters. I’ve never seen the difference between a Hill Dwarf and a Mountain Dwarf come up outside of session 0. You’d probably see more lore breaking variation by rolling for stats vs using subraces.

I mention this mostly because I had a lot of luck with Thri-Kreens by breaking their iconic abilities up between subraces. Not necessarily as tribes or whatever but rather just as variations within their population. Not much balance necessary.