Charlaquin
Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
I still find the “typically warlike and aggressive” thing a bit distasteful, but this is at least an improvement.
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D&D 5E Blue ONE, An attempt at a TRUE 5e Basic version
- Thread starter Sacrosanct
- Start date
Faolyn
(she/her)
Warlike, I agree. But aggressive doesn't have to be a bad thing, if it's spelled out how they're aggressive. They could like friendly contests of strength (wrestling, boxing, and other very physical sports could be very popular among them), and they would be more likely to be the one to start something happening than wait for someone else to do so--this could be anything from starting a fight to being the first to try out a new dish at dinner.And, as @DND_Reborn mentioned, they could very well have a philosophy incorporating wisdom into their strength, because mindless aggression is pointless and self-destructive. And in order to keep the aggression from being toxic, orcs could be quick to anger, but also quick to forgive as well--they may get riled up easily, but they lose steam just as fast.
Tales and Chronicles
Jewel of the North, formerly know as vincegetorix
I think the old Goliath write-up from VGtM would be the best, non-offensive (I think, IIRC) version on how to describe Orcs.
''
Their hearts are infused with the cold regard of their frigid realm, leaving each goliath with the responsibility to earn a place in the tribe or die trying.
Driven Competitors. Every day brings a new challenge to a goliath. Food, water, and shelter are rare in the uppermost mountain reaches. A single mistake can bring doom to an entire tribe, while an individual's heroic effort can ensure the entire group's survival.
Goliaths thus place a premium on self-sufficiency and individual skill. They have a compulsion to keep score, counting their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to compare to others. Goliaths love to win, but they see defeat as a prod to improve their skills.
This dedication to competition has a dark side. Goliaths are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a goliath slays a dragon, he or she might seek out a larger, more powerful wyrm to battle. Few goliath adventurers reach old age, as most die attempting to surpass their past accomplishments.
Fair Play. For goliaths, competition exists only when it is supported by a level playing field. Competition measures talent, dedication, and effort. Those factors determine survival in their home territory, not reliance on magic items, money, or other elements that can tip the balance one way or the other. Goliaths happily rely on such benefits, but they are careful to remember that such an advantage can always be lost. A goliath who relies too much on them can grow complacent, a recipe for disaster in the mountains.
This trait manifests most strongly when goliaths interact with other folk. The relationship between peasants and nobles puzzles goliaths. If a king lacks the intelligence or leadership to lead, then clearly the most talented person in the kingdom should take his place. Goliaths rarely keep such opinions to themselves, and mock folk who rely on society's structures or rules to maintain power.
Survival of the Fittest. Among goliaths, any adult who can't contribute to the tribe is expelled. A lone goliath has little chance of survival, especially an older or weaker one. Goliaths have little pity for adults who can't take care of themselves, though a sick or injured individual is treated, as a result of the goliath concept of fair play.
A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips away in the night to seek the cold will of fate.
In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in battle, at the peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay of old age. Few folk have ever meet an elderly goliath, and even those goliaths who have left their people grapple with the urge to give up their lives as their physical skills decay.
Because of their risk-taking, goliath tribes suffer from a chronic lack of the experience offered by longterm leaders. They hope for innate wisdom in their leadership, for they can rarely count on a wisdom grown with age''
It does not make them a happy-go-lucky race, but its a good step from their base presentation in the MM.
I also like to double-down on a often forgotten theme from Tolkien's Orcs: industrialization of war. I make them pretty much like the Orthanc orcs with smoke-powder knowledge, huge war-machines innovations etc
They had to learn to take the better lands to escape the barren lands they are stuck with by force or cunning. And that requires something more efficient than a rampaging hordes of rabid slayers.
''
Their hearts are infused with the cold regard of their frigid realm, leaving each goliath with the responsibility to earn a place in the tribe or die trying.
Driven Competitors. Every day brings a new challenge to a goliath. Food, water, and shelter are rare in the uppermost mountain reaches. A single mistake can bring doom to an entire tribe, while an individual's heroic effort can ensure the entire group's survival.
Goliaths thus place a premium on self-sufficiency and individual skill. They have a compulsion to keep score, counting their deeds and tallying their accomplishments to compare to others. Goliaths love to win, but they see defeat as a prod to improve their skills.
This dedication to competition has a dark side. Goliaths are ferocious competitors, but above all else they are driven to outdo their past efforts. If a goliath slays a dragon, he or she might seek out a larger, more powerful wyrm to battle. Few goliath adventurers reach old age, as most die attempting to surpass their past accomplishments.
Fair Play. For goliaths, competition exists only when it is supported by a level playing field. Competition measures talent, dedication, and effort. Those factors determine survival in their home territory, not reliance on magic items, money, or other elements that can tip the balance one way or the other. Goliaths happily rely on such benefits, but they are careful to remember that such an advantage can always be lost. A goliath who relies too much on them can grow complacent, a recipe for disaster in the mountains.
This trait manifests most strongly when goliaths interact with other folk. The relationship between peasants and nobles puzzles goliaths. If a king lacks the intelligence or leadership to lead, then clearly the most talented person in the kingdom should take his place. Goliaths rarely keep such opinions to themselves, and mock folk who rely on society's structures or rules to maintain power.
Survival of the Fittest. Among goliaths, any adult who can't contribute to the tribe is expelled. A lone goliath has little chance of survival, especially an older or weaker one. Goliaths have little pity for adults who can't take care of themselves, though a sick or injured individual is treated, as a result of the goliath concept of fair play.
A permanently injured goliath is still expected to pull his or her weight in the tribe. Typically, such a goliath dies attempting to keep up, or the goliath slips away in the night to seek the cold will of fate.
In some ways, the goliath drive to outdo themselves feeds into the grim inevitability of their decline and death. A goliath would much rather die in battle, at the peak of strength and skill, than endure the slow decay of old age. Few folk have ever meet an elderly goliath, and even those goliaths who have left their people grapple with the urge to give up their lives as their physical skills decay.
Because of their risk-taking, goliath tribes suffer from a chronic lack of the experience offered by longterm leaders. They hope for innate wisdom in their leadership, for they can rarely count on a wisdom grown with age''
It does not make them a happy-go-lucky race, but its a good step from their base presentation in the MM.
I also like to double-down on a often forgotten theme from Tolkien's Orcs: industrialization of war. I make them pretty much like the Orthanc orcs with smoke-powder knowledge, huge war-machines innovations etc
They had to learn to take the better lands to escape the barren lands they are stuck with by force or cunning. And that requires something more efficient than a rampaging hordes of rabid slayers.
Charlaquin
Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
True!
Sacrosanct
Legend
Well, as much as I'd love to keep every class to 1 page, I don't think it's possible with Wizards without making them so basic, they don't get anything other than spells. So I relented and expanded to two pages.
A couple questions/comments..
Does constitution modify each die you roll for hp? I didn't see where your rules explicitly said so. I was going to ask the same about dexterity modifying AC as I didn't notice that in your first version but it seems it is now confirmed that dexterity does modify AC.
Does heavy or medium armour restrict the dexterity modifier to AC?
I noticed your fireball damage in the spell's description is 8d8. Elsewhere, in an example you say fireball damage is 6d6. I assume you want fireballs to 8d6?
I think rolling a bunch of straight d4s is a bad idea for randomly generated stats. Too easy for one player to get 4 4s and another player to get 3 1s and 3 2s. The old 3d6/4d6, with a modifier derived from the scores, produced a bell curve so extremes were less frequent. Not saying you should use 3d6/4d6 but could maybe do a more curve-y chart with 2d6 or something. Eg. 2 gives a -3 mod, 3 gives a -2, 4-5 gives a -1, 6-8 gives a 0, 9-10 gives a +1, 11 gives a +2, 12 gives a +3.
Or could even do a d10 with a 1 being a -1, 2-4 being a zero, 5-7 being a +1, 8-9 being a +2 and a 10 being a +3.
Does constitution modify each die you roll for hp? I didn't see where your rules explicitly said so. I was going to ask the same about dexterity modifying AC as I didn't notice that in your first version but it seems it is now confirmed that dexterity does modify AC.
Does heavy or medium armour restrict the dexterity modifier to AC?
I noticed your fireball damage in the spell's description is 8d8. Elsewhere, in an example you say fireball damage is 6d6. I assume you want fireballs to 8d6?
I think rolling a bunch of straight d4s is a bad idea for randomly generated stats. Too easy for one player to get 4 4s and another player to get 3 1s and 3 2s. The old 3d6/4d6, with a modifier derived from the scores, produced a bell curve so extremes were less frequent. Not saying you should use 3d6/4d6 but could maybe do a more curve-y chart with 2d6 or something. Eg. 2 gives a -3 mod, 3 gives a -2, 4-5 gives a -1, 6-8 gives a 0, 9-10 gives a +1, 11 gives a +2, 12 gives a +3.
Or could even do a d10 with a 1 being a -1, 2-4 being a zero, 5-7 being a +1, 8-9 being a +2 and a 10 being a +3.
Sacrosanct
Legend
The thing about just putting rough thoughts to paper is that you leave a lot on the table that people notice 
Yet again another update. Includes the above changes to Wizard. I've also added a FAQ section in the back. I think that will be helpful based on some of the questions in this thread, and having them in a single location would be helpful.
So....that begs the question, what other questions do you think need to be in the FAQ?
Yet again another update. Includes the above changes to Wizard. I've also added a FAQ section in the back. I think that will be helpful based on some of the questions in this thread, and having them in a single location would be helpful.
So....that begs the question, what other questions do you think need to be in the FAQ?
Faolyn
(she/her)
Heh--would it be too much to suggest a Nature bond that grants something like the ability to speak to animals? And add a few more druidic-type spells as well. Your Fey bond is very people-oriented, not nature-oriented. Suggestions for spells (I'm too lazy to look up what's SRD-compliant at the moment):
Cantrip: druidcraft, produce flame
1st Level: animal friendship, entangle, fog cloud
2nd Level: animal messenger, beast sense, enhance ability, moonbeam, spike growth
3rd Level: daylight, meld into stone, plant growth, speak with plants, water walk
4th Level: charm monster, control water, hallucinatory terrain, locate creature, polymorph
5th Level: insect plague, reincarnate
Cantrip: druidcraft, produce flame
1st Level: animal friendship, entangle, fog cloud
2nd Level: animal messenger, beast sense, enhance ability, moonbeam, spike growth
3rd Level: daylight, meld into stone, plant growth, speak with plants, water walk
4th Level: charm monster, control water, hallucinatory terrain, locate creature, polymorph
5th Level: insect plague, reincarnate
Sacrosanct
Legend
Some changes:
Fighter:
Combat Veteran (7th level): As an action you can remove either the charmed or frightened condition from yourself. (replaces improved Critical. I was looking for something more unique than just more damage)
Wizard:
Fey: Your skin takes on a bronze appearance, and insects and small woodland animals seem to flock to you. You can speak with animals and have advantage on Charisma checks when trying to persuade a beast. Once per long rest, for up to 1 hour, you can transform into a beast up to a CR equaling 1/3 of your level, rounded down. Your equipment is transformed with you. If you are brought to 0 HP, you revert to your natural form.
Fighter:
Combat Veteran (7th level): As an action you can remove either the charmed or frightened condition from yourself. (replaces improved Critical. I was looking for something more unique than just more damage)
Wizard:
Fey: Your skin takes on a bronze appearance, and insects and small woodland animals seem to flock to you. You can speak with animals and have advantage on Charisma checks when trying to persuade a beast. Once per long rest, for up to 1 hour, you can transform into a beast up to a CR equaling 1/3 of your level, rounded down. Your equipment is transformed with you. If you are brought to 0 HP, you revert to your natural form.
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
I like this for combat veteran. Do you think adding other conditions, like Stunned, would be good? I wouldn't imagine adding more than one or two more, though.
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