D&D (2024) All about Ardlings

[Yaarel]

Very interesting stuff. The Leviathan Cross does work on multiple levels, as a symbol of Sulphur the smell of sulphur is linked to the infernal in a lot of fiction, the Leviathan Cross is also created by the Knights Templar who were accused (most likely unfairly) of worshipping Baphomet, and the Church of Satan borrowed the symbol. I can see why they'd use the symbol, fairly or unfairly.

The Leviathan Cross

Heh, be careful to distinguish historical accuracy from wild pop culture legends.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Heh, be careful to distinguish historical accuracy from wild pop culture legends.

I'm just going by the link, I'm not an expert in the Knights Templar.

 

[Tonguez]

I'm just going by the link, I'm not an expert in the Knights Templar.

Yeah the the arrest of the Templars was pushed by King Philip IV of France who was in debt to the Templars as they had financed his war with England. This was during the era of the French Popes and he was able to find a witness who claimed that the Templars forced recruits to spit on the Cross, worshipped idols in the form of a mummified head (possibly that of John the Baptist) and encouraged homosexual practices - pretty much the same accusations used against Jews, Witches and other heretics during that era. The whole Templar trialtorture was political in nature.

Relevantly though, the LeVay co-opting of alchemical or Catholic symbols and tying them to the regressive humanism of the Church of Satan should not be misconstrued as a connect to the infernal

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Yeah the the arrest of the Templars was pushed by King Philip IV of France who was in debt to the Templars as they had financed his war with England. This was during the era of the French Popes and he was able to find a witness who claimed that the Templars forced recruits to spit on the Cross, worshipped idols in the form of a mummified head (possibly that of John the Baptist) and encouraged homosexual practices - pretty much the same accusations used against Jews, Witches and other heretics during that era. The whole Templar trial was political in nature.

Relevantly though, the LeVay co-opting of alchemical or Catholic symbols and tying them to the regressive humanism of the Church of Satan should not be misconstrued as a connect to the infernal

Honestly Spirit Hallow is just a Halloween Store (though oddly no candy), it really doesn't care about history accuracy, I mean have you seen their Nun customers? I'm pretty sure Nuns historically haven't shown enough skin to make sex worker blush. There Ancient Empires section isn't any better for Historical accuracy. Man I love Spirit Halloween.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Getting back to Ardlings... they are built for GRAPPLING.

Unarmed attack to grab someone, bonus action fly 15 feet up with them, your Angelic Flight ends, you both fall, you both take 1d6 damage, you both automatically end up prone if you took damage from a fall, it's still your turn so you use half your movement to stand back up. You are now in the optimal grappling position!

This is the easiest way to get a grapple build going right at lv1. It does cost you 1d6 damage (half if raging! half if you can convince your GM to apply Tasha's falling-onto-creature rules!), but still!

insert furry wrestling league picture here, I am not googling that

 

[roger semerad]

Getting back to Ardlings... they are built for GRAPPLING.

Unarmed attack to grab someone, bonus action fly 15 feet up with them, your Angelic Flight ends, you both fall, you both take 1d6 damage, you both automatically end up prone if you took damage from a fall, it's still your turn so you use half your movement to stand back up. You are now in the optimal grappling position!

This is the easiest way to get a grapple build going right at lv1. It does cost you 1d6 damage (half if raging! half if you can convince your GM to apply Tasha's falling-onto-creature rules!), but still!

insert furry wrestling league picture here, I am not googling that

ask and you shall receive.

 

[Perun]

I'd prefer if ardlings were folded into aasimar. I'd actually prefer if they went back to the 2e Planescape Complete Planewalker's Guide version, and provide a table of abilities for both aasimar and tieflings (separate for each race) that you could chose from (e.g. pick a cantrip from list A, at 3d level pick a 1st-level spell from liste B, at 5th level, pick a 2nd-level spell from list C, pick energy resistance option from list D and a proficiency bonus from list E, flavour appearance accoding to taste).
I'd also prefer to see the return of bariaurs as a playable race, but I think I'm in the extreme minority there, so...

 

[Corinnguard]

I'd prefer if ardlings were folded into aasimar. I'd actually prefer if they went back to the 2e Planescape Complete Planewalker's Guide version, and provide a table of abilities for both aasimar and tieflings (separate for each race) that you could chose from (e.g. pick a cantrip from list A, at 3d level pick a 1st-level spell from liste B, at 5th level, pick a 2nd-level spell from list C, pick energy resistance option from list D and a proficiency bonus from list E, flavour appearance accoding to taste).
I'd also prefer to see the return of bariaurs as a playable race, but I think I'm in the extreme minority there, so...

Aasimar (15 RP) – d20PFSRD Tiefling (13 RP) – d20PFSRD

While the variant abilities in both links were made for Pathfinder 1st edition, I could see them being converted over to 5e. Having their variant physical features in 5e would also be a nice touch.

 

[Scars Unseen]

I'd prefer if ardlings were folded into aasimar. I'd actually prefer if they went back to the 2e Planescape Complete Planewalker's Guide version, and provide a table of abilities for both aasimar and tieflings (separate for each race) that you could chose from (e.g. pick a cantrip from list A, at 3d level pick a 1st-level spell from liste B, at 5th level, pick a 2nd-level spell from list C, pick energy resistance option from list D and a proficiency bonus from list E, flavour appearance accoding to taste).
I'd also prefer to see the return of bariaurs as a playable race, but I think I'm in the extreme minority there, so...

Honestly, I'd go further than that and instead of just having features that you pick from at character creation, you pick features and then expand upon them as your character grows in level, with choices made well beyond 1st level. Then I'd do that with every other race too. Go full 2E "Complete Handbook" style of dedication to each race (only better written and more consistent) with mechanics, potential cultural hooks, etc.

Pretty much the opposite of the current regime's barebones, "don't do anything interesting for fear of stepping on the DM's toes" approach.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

Honestly, I'd go further than that and instead of just having features that you pick from at character creation, you pick features and then expand upon them as your character grows in level, with choices made well beyond 1st level.

Pathfinder2 does that... Each ancestry has its own levelled feats list.