Blog (A5E) A Question of Culture & Destiny

As you may know by now, a Level Up character’s origin is comprised of heritage, culture, background, and destiny. We’ve covered heritages and backgrounds in detail recently, so now it’s time to look at the other two pieces of that puzzle.

A Question of Culture & Destiny — Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition (A5E)

As you may know by now, a Level Up character’s origin is comprised of heritage, culture, background, and destiny. We’ve covered heritages and backgrounds in detail recently, so now it’s time to look at the other two pieces of that puzzle.

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Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition

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[Masha]

While I haven't converted her yet, my o5e swashbuckler rogue definitely had Excellence as her goal, as she wanted to be the best duelist. A +2 to attacks and damage would be pretty sweet.

Remember, it's not a blanket +2, it's only to a tradition of maneuvers, like the other is to a school of magic. Difference I perceive so far is that "free" spells like cantrips are more effective combat wise than free maneuvers. (damage wise, where the +2 to damage rolls is concerned) The free maneuvers we have seen so far only give basic damage, which is a calculated number, not a damage roll. So to benefit from Excellence you have to spend exertion and that is a limited resource. Unless they overhauled how cantrips work, that gives cantrips a big advantage when it comes to the Excellence destiny.

 

[thelordofthemorning]

Hmm. Having gone over it more carefully, I'm not sure I buy Mustbairn as Chaotic. Sure they oppose industry and "civilization", but they do so by being very in tune with the earth and the natural world and nature stuff has always been more Neutral to me (for me, Chaos is more Moorcock/Warhammer stuff, purple skies, raining actual cats and dogs, walls of flesh and eyes, twisted monstrosities and abberations, etc.; even good Chaos is weird, unrestrained, and refuses to be bound by any laws, including laws of nature). Part of it is I also like the idea of Alignment keeping it's focus on the cosmic and not issues of individual philosophy or morality, which in general works really well with Level Up's more restrained and limited approach to it.

But that's mostly a setting/lore thing that can easily be adjusted.

 

[Faolyn]

Remember, it's not a blanket +2, it's only to a tradition of maneuvers, like the other is to a school of magic. Difference I perceive so far is that "free" spells like cantrips are more effective combat wise than free maneuvers. (damage wise, where the +2 to damage rolls is concerned) The free maneuvers we have seen so far only give basic damage, which is a calculated number, not a damage roll. So to benefit from Excellence you have to spend exertion and that is a limited resource. Unless they overhauled how cantrips work, that gives cantrips a big advantage when it comes to the Excellence destiny.

True. Cantrips are still at will, so there's an edge there. @Morrus, you might want to change the Excellence ability so it only works with spells of 1st level or higher.

Hmm. Having gone over it more carefully, I'm not sure I buy Mustbairn as Chaotic.

Hmm... if Mustbairn halflings still get the Chaotic tag, then what would happen one fulfills their Dominion destiny and gets the Lawful tag? Do they explode like matter/antimatter?

 

[Steampunkette]

Hmm... if Mustbairn halflings still get the Chaotic tag, then what would happen one fulfills their Dominion destiny and gets the Lawful tag? Do they explode like matter/antimatter?

Nah. They just trigger any effect that pops off on Lawful -or- Chaotic.

 

[Faolyn]

We

Nah. They just trigger any effect that pops off on Lawful -or- Chaotic.

That's no fun.

 

[This Effin’ GM]

I’m already making plans for Eberron conversion and design

 

[thelordofthemorning]

Hmm... if Mustbairn halflings still get the Chaotic tag, then what would happen one fulfills their Dominion destiny and gets the Lawful tag?

An excellent point. In truth, assuming I am understanding LU's approach to alignment correctly, that it is limited to creatures innately connected with a particular force on a cosmic level like fiends/celestials/undead, as well as a small number of humanoids that have proven themselves dedicated enough to become sworn and beholden, or aligned one might say, with one of those forces as a result of their choices and actions, then I'm not certain I think any culture should give one. Destinies, sure, as they imply your character has really done something significant to fulfill it. I could even see and am personally considering a house rule of some sort applying it to certain classes at high levels (like, if you go above level 12 or 14 or something in cleric then you gain the same alignment as the god/higher power that you worship/serve, and if you can't do so or don't want to than you'll need to multiclass at that point; high enough it won't affect most games or most characters, but acknowledging that if you involve yourself deeply enough in cosmic matters those forces are going to either start affecting you or start demanding something of you in return.).

What I don't think it should be is available right away from level 1 based on a a simple origin choice. I just don't see a humanoid at that level being important enough or deeply involved enough or having accomplished enough to really qualify. At least based on how LU appears to be doing alignment to me, which admittedly could be off (pretty much limited to currently available preview material, I missed the playtest and definitely haven't read the full books, so working off incomplete information).

But again, easy to change as a DM, so not a deal breaker at all.

 

[thelordofthemorning]

I'm also still not a huge fan of "steamforged" being a core book culture as it fits in some settings but decidedly not in others, including the kinds of settings I tend to prefer. Again, not a huge problem to simply say "this culture is not available", but something to note.

Then again I'm also the sort who hates tinker gnomes and wish rock gnomes or their equivalent culture would go back to being miners/jewel crafters/"dwarf gnomes" instead, but I've long sense made peace with having lost that battle.

 

[Morrus]

I'm also still not a huge fan of "steamforged" being a core book culture as it fits in some settings but decidedly not in others, including the kinds of settings I tend to prefer. Again, not a huge problem to simply say "this culture is not available", but something to note.

The Narrator should always decide which cultures exist in their setting. We provide guidance on that. You can’t have Dragonbound cultures in a world without dragons! But we provide the cultures so you can make the decision.

 

[Faolyn]

I'm also still not a huge fan of "steamforged" being a core book culture as it fits in some settings but decidedly not in others, including the kinds of settings I tend to prefer. Again, not a huge problem to simply say "this culture is not available", but something to note.

Then again I'm also the sort who hates tinker gnomes and wish rock gnomes or their equivalent culture would go back to being miners/jewel crafters/"dwarf gnomes" instead, but I've long sense made peace with having lost that battle.

It's not that hard to make new cultures. A little tricky, since they're more complicated than backgrounds are, but not that much more. You'd probably have to look at the dwarf cultures first and see what makes your type of rock gnome different than them.