D&D 5E Dhampir Barbarian

[Iry]

Nothing scales above DC30, so a +50 bonus is not terribly useful. But it could be used cleverly in some situations. I'm not convinced that such usage would actually break the game, since most actions of great importance tend to be skill challenges. But it certainly looks impressive.

That said, the easiest solution is to just drop the "to an ability check" part.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

Nothing scales above DC30, so a +50 bonus is not terribly useful. But it could be used cleverly in some situations. I'm not convinced that such usage would actually break the game, since most actions of great importance tend to be skill challenges. But it certainly looks impressive.

That said, the easiest solution is to just drop the "to an ability check" part.

+50 isn't any better than +30, since both mean auto-success on any skill roll. Both are game breaking, and make skill monkey characters redundant. Skill checks of over 30 are meant to represent the virtually impossible, like swimming an ocean or persuading a dragon to give you all it's gold. Something the DM might be happy for a highly specialised skill-based character to have a chance at with magical assistance and a lucky roll, not something a guy with a magic bite can do automatically.

 

[Paul Farquhar]

First of all, how would one get a +50 bonus from 1d4 or 1d8 plus damage mod?

It's pretty easy to get to silly numbers on a weapon damage roll. Paladin smite, Battlemaster manoeuvres, Enlarge, Rune Knight Giant's Might, etc etc. And you don't need to get to +50 to break the game, +15 is enough to equal the most skilled rogue.

 

[Horwath]

I would let them combine, to a degree.

While not in rage, it works normally as described for a dhampire.

In rage your bite is 1d10+str+con+rage

 

[Hawk Diesel]

+50 isn't any better than +30, since both mean auto-success on any skill roll. Both are game breaking, and make skill monkey characters redundant. Skill checks of over 30 are meant to represent the virtually impossible, like swimming an ocean or persuading a dragon to give you all it's gold. Something the DM might be happy for a highly specialised skill-based character to have a chance at with magical assistance and a lucky roll, not something a guy with a magic bite can do automatically.

It's pretty easy to get to silly numbers on a weapon damage roll. Paladin smite, Battlemaster manoeuvres, Enlarge, Rune Knight Giant's Might, etc etc. And you don't need to get to +50 to break the game, +15 is enough to equal the most skilled rogue.

...
First, a d4 or d8 plus mod as a bonus to a skill check is already doable without the Dhampir's bite. Advantage, plus guidance, plus bardic inspiration, plus certain battle master maneuvers, plus enhance ability, plus expertise, plus reliable talent... you can already get high numbers fairly easily.

Additionally, a number of people have already stated and acknowledged that limiting the bonus to the base weapon damage is probably the intent and balanced. This includes my post which you quoted above, but seem to have conveniently left out and did not acknowledge.

Also, it has also been mentioned, including by me, that there are no auto successes in 5e like their were in 3x. Just because you have a high bonus or even a natural 20, that does not mean you succeed. No matter how high your roll, you aren't going to convince a dragon to give you their hoard. And a reasonable DM won't even let you attempt that check, even with a +50 bonus to the relevant ability/skill.

I'm starting to wonder if you are approaching this conversation and arguing in good faith, or simply looking to repeat how much you hate high bonuses. The original post was asking about the balance concerns of combining the Dhampir's bite with the Path of the Beast barbarian's bite. It's not about whether high skill check bonuses are game breaking (which I don't think they are if the game is being run by a reasonable DM).

 

[TwoSix]

No, I think

is broken 1/week. A +50 bonus to an ability check shouldn't happen in 5e period. Such a bonus exisiting fundsmentally devalues what an ability check can be permitted to do.

Getting +big takes work, but even +medium is broken.

Gotta disagree. The game is built around the assumption that you normally succeed, getting a guaranteed success once isn't a huge issue. There's no mechanic that lets you arbitrarily decide to set a DC or AC to 60 to achieve something otherwise ridiculous.

 

[Iry]

+50 isn't any better than +30, since both mean auto-success on any skill roll. Both are game breaking, and make skill monkey characters redundant. Skill checks of over 30 are meant to represent the virtually impossible, like swimming an ocean or persuading a dragon to give you all it's gold. Something the DM might be happy for a highly specialised skill-based character to have a chance at with magical assistance and a lucky roll, not something a guy with a magic bite can do automatically.

It's certainly a potent ability in some specific circumstances, but even a Level 1 character can hit DC30 on a lucky day. That's just a consequence of having a variable die (D20) that is larger than the highest possible base bonus (+17). I get it, +50 looks really impressive and would make the whole table gasp in shock and joy, just like a huge critical hit. But unlike a huge critical hit, there is almost never any benefit for going beyond DC30 (and those are mostly jump abilities).

It should be changed.+50 is pretty silly. But it doesn't actually break the game or anything, even if your allies let you smack them for 50+ damage right before you need to make an important roll.

 

[Hawk Diesel]

Another thing that I think could help for balancing the Dhampir's Bite Enhancement is setting a timeframe in which the bonus must be used. It does state your next attack roll or ability check, so you don't really have the ability to bank the bonus. To me it seems like you can choose whether it goes to your next attack or ability check, not that it just applies to whichever comes first. But if you are careful, you could hold it a while until you have to make a relevant check. I'm not sure it breaks anything to have it last until you use it or finish a long rest, but having to use it within the next 10 minutes to an hour also wouldn't be terrible. That would make it similar to bardic inspiration or enhance ability.

 

[shadowoflameth]

One uses Strength and the other Con. The path of the wild allows you to do a different bite attack using a different ability. Use one or the other. You don't lose the ability to do the Dhmpir bite when you rage, but remember that it doesn't get the rage bonus to damage because it does not use strength.

 

[Weiley31]

As a DM I will say:

If you have Extra Attacks, you may sub your Teeth/Bite attack in place of one of your Extra Attacks.

Which means that Dentures and what not is probably now a legit weapon type at my table.

And since it is a Simple Weapon, yes. Yes Dhampir Monks can make their Teeth/Dentures into a Monk Weapon.