Gate Pass Gazette Gate Pass Gazette #3 Introduces The Spiderfolk!

The third issue (well, 4th -- there was a free Issue #0!) of Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition's official magazine, the Gate Pass Gazette, is now available to subscribers! As always, it's jammed full of new content, including the long-awaited Spiderfolk heritage, new archetypes (subclasses), exploration challenges, monster variants, and magic items!

Get more from Gate Pass Gazette on Patreon

Level Up: A5E magazine: get all issues when you subscribe!

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Cunning Curses
Usually relegated to the role of bizarre junk, this article aims to instead to give you the kind of cursed item we know from stories: those that tempt the owner with great power--at great cost. By Cassandra Macdonald

Paths of Courtly Intrigue
There is debate on whether the pen is mightier than the sword, but there’s a canny sort of adventurer that sees no reason to choose between the two. These archetypes are for those that move through places of political power, negotiating, making deals, and ensuring knives are found in the right backs when it comes to it. By Tyler Omichinski

Those of the Web
A new Heritage in the form of the spiderfolk, a mysterious arachnoid people with a connection to the Ethereal Plane, and a related new Culture: the Ethereal Scout. By Pedro Coimbra.

Mount Jino
Once home to a magnificent wizard's castle, Mount Jiro is a crumbling mountain now littered with ruins and populated by magically-created monstrosities and natural predators alike. Meanwhile, the bog below is home to its own hazards and opportunities. These challenges, monster variants, and NPCs can be used in conjunction or individually. By Marc Kenobi.

 

[Anselm]

The third issue (well, 4th -- there was a free Issue #0!) of Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition's official magazine, the Gate Pass Gazette, is now available to subscribers! As always, it's jammed full of new content, including the long-awaited Spiderfolk heritage, new archetypes (subclasses), exploration challenges, monster variants, and magic items!

Get more from Gate Pass Gazette on Patreon

Level Up: A5E magazine: get all issues when you subscribe!

www.patreon.com

View attachment 156952

Cunning Curses
Usually relegated to the role of bizarre junk, this article aims to instead to give you the kind of cursed item we know from stories: those that tempt the owner with great power--at great cost. By Cassandra Macdonald

Paths of Courtly Intrigue
There is debate on whether the pen is mightier than the sword, but there’s a canny sort of adventurer that sees no reason to choose between the two. These archetypes are for those that move through places of political power, negotiating, making deals, and ensuring knives are found in the right backs when it comes to it. By Tyler Omichinski

Those of the Web
A new Heritage in the form of the spiderfolk, a mysterious arachnoid people with a connection to the Ethereal Plane, and a related new Culture: the Ethereal Scout. By Pedro Coimbra.

Mount Jino
Once home to a magnificent wizard's castle, Mount Jiro is a crumbling mountain now littered with ruins and populated by magically-created monstrosities and natural predators alike. Meanwhile, the bog below is home to its own hazards and opportunities. These challenges, monster variants, and NPCs can be used in conjunction or individually. By Marc Kenobi.

Love the new subclasses. Very cool support for a campaign baked into that whole section.

 

[Aoirorentsu]

Can you provide more details on the "Paths of Courtly Intrigue"? Like, what ARE the subclasses? What sort of things do they do that make them more suited for games with strong political themes?

 

[Faolyn]

Can you provide more details on the "Paths of Courtly Intrigue"? Like, what ARE the subclasses? What sort of things do they do that make them more suited for games with strong political themes?

Rouge - Courtier: "Whether of noble birth or a commoner, courtiers have learned to move in circles of power. Equally skilled with sharp words and sharp blades, they can be bodyguards, spies, or rakes out for their own game." On first glance (I literally downloaded the issue a few minutes ago), I'd describe it as similar in concept to the Mastermind, but less evil and better-mannered. A good diplomat class.

Wizard - Court Magician: "As deft with politics as they are with magic, court magicians are a common sight in large cities and wealthy nations where they serve as learned scholars and trusted advisers. These wizards weave deals, prepare nobles, and subtly influence the workings of power through means both magical and mundane." This... actually feels like a very good court magician, like the type you'd expect to see in a fantasy movie or comic, advising the ruler. I think that with some reskinning it'd also make for a good adventuring wizard as well.

Fighter - Militarist: "As comfortable in a war council as they are on the front lines, militarists are always looking for ways to exploit the weaknesses of their enemies." I'm actually surprised this isn't a Marshal archetype--and that there isn't a Marshal archetype in this article.

Adept - Tranquil Master: "Calm and unassuming, tranquil masters are as much about limiting conflict as they are at swiftly putting it down. In addition to their formidable mental fortitude, such adepts use a variety of soothing roots and herbs for the warm drinks they use to ply their craft." Basically, a tea master/tea-leaf reader-type. An Uncle Iroh type, maybe, although I never finished watching AtLB so I could be off.

 

[wellis]

Does Level Up have its own setting for all this? Or is it very setting neutral/Forgotten Realms?

 

[Vildara]

Wow. The cursed items are really good. Thank you so much for those, Cassandra Macdonald. I dig them!

 

[Vildara]

Does Level Up have its own setting for all this? Or is it very setting neutral/Forgotten Realms?

More generic, but it does integrate nicely with the ZEITGEIST. and their modules are set in ELISSAR

 

[Anselm]

More generic, but it does integrate nicely with the ZEITGEIST. and their modules are set in ELISSAR

I thought Zeitgeist was the 'official default' setting in the same way Forgotten Realms is for O5E. You can use the stuff in generic fantasy X setting but they refer to that one in the source books.

 

[Faolyn]

I thought Zeitgeist was the 'official default' setting in the same way Forgotten Realms is for O5E. You can use the stuff in generic fantasy X setting but they refer to that one in the source books.

I think it's too different from the standard D&D-style fantasy to be considered a default.

 

[Anselm]

I think it's too different from the standard D&D-style fantasy to be considered a default.

Yeah maybe it's an assumption but all the side bars in the AG reference it.