D&D 5E (2014) [SPOILERS] Enhancing Tomb of Annihilation
- Thread starter dropbear8mybaby
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pukunui
Legend
The email I got gave me your post in full. Why did you get rid of it?
Did you manage to get the link working? It works for me. And FWIW it does take Shieldmeet into account. It shows up as day 32 in the moon phases tab.
Because I realised I had misinterpreted information from the Atlas.
pukunui
Legend
In doing my prep for this adventure, I've noticed that there's a whole slew of NPCs that are meant to be used as-is, despite the fact that, by default, they wear medium or heavy armor, which the adventure seems to frown upon. I'm talking about all the guards, veterans, priests, and so on. There's all manner of people trekking around the jungle - or sweating it out in forts and town houses - in chain shirts or splint armor.
And yet, conversely, we have a side quest in which the PCs are encouraged to encourage the NPC to get rid of her chain shirt. And we are told that anyone wearing medium or heavy armor has disadvantage on Con saves to avoid heat-related exhaustion.
I know I said earlier in this thread that I was going to make it so folks like Liara Portyr have armor enchanted with the temperate minor property, so they can wear medium or heavy armor and still be OK in the heat, but what about all these other folks? Surely they can't *all* have enchanted armor, nor can we necessarily say that, because many of them are native, or at least have been in Chult for a long time, they've gotten accustomed enough to the heat to be able to stand wearing heavier armor.
It's one thing for a firenewt to wear a chain shirt, since they're immune to fire damage, which also makes them immune to the effects of extreme heat, but I feel like it's another thing entirely for a creature like Queen Grabstab, who is supposed to use the goblin boss stats, to be wearing one.
The reason this has stood out for me is because I've been trying to discourage my players from having their PCs wear any armor, even light armor, when they get to the jungle ... and yet, if I've got all these soldiers and goblins and whatever else running around in breastplates and chain shirts and things, they're going to cry foul.
[/rant]
p.s. On a completely unrelated note, I just wanted to point out that the adventure doesn't specify what kind of naga Ukurlahmu was before the yuan-ti turned him into an undead one. According to the statblock in the MM, you're supposed to give a bone naga different spells depending on whether it was a guardian naga or a spirit naga in life. I chose the latter for my game, although it could be interesting to go with the former and have Ukurlahmu be related to Saja N'Baza of Orolunga somehow.
And yet, conversely, we have a side quest in which the PCs are encouraged to encourage the NPC to get rid of her chain shirt. And we are told that anyone wearing medium or heavy armor has disadvantage on Con saves to avoid heat-related exhaustion.
I know I said earlier in this thread that I was going to make it so folks like Liara Portyr have armor enchanted with the temperate minor property, so they can wear medium or heavy armor and still be OK in the heat, but what about all these other folks? Surely they can't *all* have enchanted armor, nor can we necessarily say that, because many of them are native, or at least have been in Chult for a long time, they've gotten accustomed enough to the heat to be able to stand wearing heavier armor.
It's one thing for a firenewt to wear a chain shirt, since they're immune to fire damage, which also makes them immune to the effects of extreme heat, but I feel like it's another thing entirely for a creature like Queen Grabstab, who is supposed to use the goblin boss stats, to be wearing one.
The reason this has stood out for me is because I've been trying to discourage my players from having their PCs wear any armor, even light armor, when they get to the jungle ... and yet, if I've got all these soldiers and goblins and whatever else running around in breastplates and chain shirts and things, they're going to cry foul.
[/rant]
p.s. On a completely unrelated note, I just wanted to point out that the adventure doesn't specify what kind of naga Ukurlahmu was before the yuan-ti turned him into an undead one. According to the statblock in the MM, you're supposed to give a bone naga different spells depending on whether it was a guardian naga or a spirit naga in life. I chose the latter for my game, although it could be interesting to go with the former and have Ukurlahmu be related to Saja N'Baza of Orolunga somehow.
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CapnZapp
Legend
As for Commander Portyr, there's even a picture of her in her big armor, so that will remain. As you say, she will have magical assistance such as Endure Elements (the d20 spell). And that's quite okay, she is the commander after all.
As for other NPCs, the easiest solution is simply to describe them not having heavy armor?
The only consequence is that nitpicking players will deduce higher Dex scores and class features than otherwise.
That is, if a NPC is listed as having AC 17 due to heavy armor, she will apparently have Dex 20 (+5) now that you describe her wearing studded leather instead. Or perhaps she's a little barbaric, so we'll add her Con to AC (so she doesn't have to have such a high Dex).
That's no biggie, as long as you accept that 5e NPCs no not play by the exact same rules of player characters - only a simplified facsimile of those rules.
Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app
As for other NPCs, the easiest solution is simply to describe them not having heavy armor?
The only consequence is that nitpicking players will deduce higher Dex scores and class features than otherwise.
That is, if a NPC is listed as having AC 17 due to heavy armor, she will apparently have Dex 20 (+5) now that you describe her wearing studded leather instead. Or perhaps she's a little barbaric, so we'll add her Con to AC (so she doesn't have to have such a high Dex).
That's no biggie, as long as you accept that 5e NPCs no not play by the exact same rules of player characters - only a simplified facsimile of those rules.
Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app
Well the obvious answer is to simply change their armour, or get rid of it entirely. If you want you could up their dex to increase their armour class slightly. The rules/adventure should be guideline not a straight jacket.
Using the NPCs from the MM is the easiest way to use them but nothing to stop you simply swapping their armour and AC on the fly.
Stormdale
Using the NPCs from the MM is the easiest way to use them but nothing to stop you simply swapping their armour and AC on the fly.
Stormdale
Aren't they all in areas where they have easy access to water in which case they don't have to make the con save at all?
pukunui
Legend
Oh, I know, and that is what I am doing. It's just annoying because there are so many of them. The PCs can even meet a Flaming Fist patrol led by a knight in full plate!
Mostly I guess, but that's just for the dehydration save. There's also the extreme heat saves, which I intend to use, and you can't avoid those by drinking lots of water.
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