D&D 5E messy's 5e newbie questions thread

Beleriphon · Jun 23, 2019

messy said:
ccs is closest to what i mean. i heard there was a revised beastmaster ranger (and a few other classes; possibly the four elements monk?) posted by wotc, presumably to make these classes a little stronger.

17. why was mage armor changed to +3? is this part of bounded accuracy?

18. where are the magic item creation rules? in the dmg?

As noted its a formula that is AC = 13 + Dex mod. That's it.

There are something sort of like them Xanathar's Guide to Everything.

As a quick note on a previous question. There aren't skill checks per se. There are attribute checks, which if you are proficient in a skill the DM feels is appropriate (with some solid examples provided) you get to add the proficiency bonus.

For example jumping over a pit is a Strength check, if you have Athletics proficiency add the proficiency bonus. Maybe you can explain why Acrobatics proficiency applies as well, but it still a Strength check. That's why you'll see many checks presented as Wisdom (Perception). The rules want you roll a Wisdom check, and add proficiency if have it for Perception.

robus · Jun 24, 2019

Doesn’t Xanathar’s Guide add some magic item creation rules (ok guidelines...)?

messy · Aug 19, 2019

19. in prior editions, a clone was two levels lower than the caster. this doesn't seem to be the case in 5e! am i reading this right? this seems like a major upgrade.

20. similarly, the 5e version of simulacrum has half the caster's hit points, whereas in prior editions it was half the caster's level. again, this seems like a significant upgrade! am I missing something?

21. as far as i can tell, the warlock potentially has five different sources of spells known: spells known, pact boon, patron expanded spell list, eldritch invocations, and mystic arcanum. why so many? by the book warlocks get spells up to 9th level anyway. why not just give them the standard cleric/druid/wizard spells known progression?

22. is there a 5e equivalent to the feint from 3e? in other words, something that allows one to use something like 3e's bluff skill to set up a sneak attack.

jasper · Aug 19, 2019

2. From my AL hand out.
You can choose a monster race from Volo’s. This counts as your +1. The monsters are Aasimar, Firbolg, Goliath, Kenku, Lizardfolk, Tabaxi, Triton, Goblin, Bugbears, Hobgoblins, Orcs, Kobolds, Yuan-ti.
From Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes which a +1. You choose the following: Page 61 Eladrin Elf subrace. Page 62 Sea Elf subrace. Page 81 Duergar dwarf subrace. Page 96 Githyanki or Githzerai race. Page 113 Deep Gnome.

iserith · Aug 19, 2019

messy said:
22. is there a 5e equivalent to the feint from 3e? in other words, something that allows one to use something like 3e's bluff skill to set up a sneak attack.

Unless there's a subclass that offers something like this, I don't believe this is a combat option. Sneak attack is pretty easy to get since you only need an ally adjacent to the enemy. If there is no ally adjacent to the enemy, you can try to hide as a bonus action to gain advantage, provided you can hide in the first place, then attack with sneak attack. Spending Inspiration also gives you advantage which will give you sneak attack.

Arcane Tricksters of sufficient level can use mage hand to distract a creature, giving them advantage. Inquisitive, I think, have a thing where you can basically guess a creature's motives and strategy (Insight) which is opposed by the creature's Deception.

Otherwise, it's up to the DM to decide if a player's description of a feint or the like will achieve the goal you mention above.

MarkB · Aug 19, 2019

messy said:
19. in prior editions, a clone was two levels lower than the caster. this doesn't seem to be the case in 5e! am i reading this right? this seems like a major upgrade.

It was only one level lower in 3.5e, and that was to bring it in line with other forms of resurrection. Since 5e does away with such level losses, it does so for Clone also.

20. similarly, the 5e version of simulacrum has half the caster's hit points, whereas in prior editions it was half the caster's level. again, this seems like a significant upgrade! am I missing something?

Having half the original's levels would be problematic in 5e, since NPCs are not built using the same rules as PCs and don't have levels.

Hawk Diesel · Aug 19, 2019

ccs said:
There's no need for a skill for every stat. Never has been.
Though I suppose if the situation seemed appropriate you could ask for an Athletics (Con) check.

Why have I never thought of this?!?!?! I can think of many cases where Athletics (Con) makes so much more sense than a flat Con check or save. Thank you for reminding me that, when appropriate, the modifying stat for a skill proficiency can change.

iserith · Aug 19, 2019

Hawk Diesel said:
Why have I never thought of this?!?!?! I can think of many cases where Athletics (Con) makes so much more sense than a flat Con check or save. Thank you for reminding me that, when appropriate, the modifying stat for a skill proficiency can change.

An easy way to remember this as DM is to only ask for ability checks, then the player adds the skill proficiency that he or she best think applies given his or her description of what the character is doing. The rules say that players may ask if a particular skill proficiency applies to an ability check the DM has already called for. So this is just an extension on that which assumes a "Yes" answer to that question based on good faith play from the player.

The trick in my view is that players will need to provide the appropriate detail BEFORE the DM asks for the ability check. Otherwise this can lead to the shenanigans of trying to add more to the description of what the character is doing after the fact just to get the proficiency bonus applied. That is what you do BEFORE the call for the roll, not after.

messy · Sep 4, 2019

23. multiclassing seems to follow the 3e model, but when leveling up in a new class you only gain proficiency in some of the new class' armor, weapons, skills. does this make multiclassing even weaker than it was?

24. is the battle master fighter the 5e equivalent of the 4e warlord?

25. a ranger with a bow does d8+dex damage. at level 2 he can cast hunter's mark, increasing the damage to d8+dex+d6. at level 3 the colossus slayer ability increases damage to 2d8+dex+d6. with this capability, why do people think the ranger is underpowered?

iserith · Sep 4, 2019

messy said:
23. multiclassing seems to follow the 3e model, but when leveling up in a new class you only gain proficiency in some of the new class' armor, weapons, skills. does this make multiclassing even weaker than it was?

You also gain spells if you multiclass into a spellcasting class, plus certain class features.

Multiclassing is an optional rule in D&D 5e (not sure about D&D 3.Xe) and I believe the general consensus is that it doesn't make for more "powerful" characters except for certain builds or in the context of certain campaigns.

messy said:
24. is the battle master fighter the 5e equivalent of the 4e warlord?

No, not really. One could probably draw some parallels, but having been a big fan of D&D 4e's warlord, I wouldn't say they're equivalent.

messy said:
25. a ranger with a bow does d8+dex damage. at level 2 he can cast hunter's mark, increasing the damage to d8+dex+d6. at level 3 the colossus slayer ability increases damage to 2d8+dex+d6. with this capability, why do people think the ranger is underpowered?

Generally it has to do with the ranger's other features and, in particular, certain subclasses. I don't share that viewpoint because "underpowered" is a relative term and frequently it's posited as relative to something that doesn't actually matter in my view (though it seems to matter to others). But that's the argument as I understand it, especially when it comes to beast master.