D&D 5E Some Thu'um?

[Istbor]

Thinking of incorporating some Thu'um like magic in a homebrewed campaign world I am running.
The players got hooked on rumors of giants to the far North reappearing. Rumors that tell of their race's mastery over dragons in ancient times.

So I occurred, why not make some of the more interesting or useful 'shouts' from Skyrim as discoverable ancient spells/magic.

Not sure on how I want to regulate it yet, I want them available to anyone who desires to use them, regardless of class. Was thinking of it being similar to type of rune magic, or an item you find that may or may not require attunement.

I think some of the core ideas of particular shouts should be easy to build into spell like abilities and can make for additional options and versatility. The party itself has only one caster, a bard. Which makes the idea even more interesting to me should she find them interesting.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Some of the shouts have easy spell analogs – haste, minor illusion, thunderwave, fire breath, and so on. I think treating them as a magic item or boon makes sense.

But what about needing dragon souls to unlock them? Would you keep that? I could see things getting cutthroat between PCs if they’re all fighting over who gets the dragon’s soul at the end of the battle.

 

[Istbor]

No I wasn't planning on using that element in it. Thinking more that if I go the item route, the rune or whatever, comes with soul included. Or maybe not even worry about the soul aspect at all. Instead say that this power was stolen long ago from the very dragons these giants gained mastery over. Perhaps that is why they even bothered to do so, as they coveted this ability and wanted it for themselves?

I agree with your assessment, many could basically copy a spell, with the benefit that anyone could potentially use it, and it does not take up a slot.

Then they question should be... will they have a similar tier system as the shouts in Skyrim do? Part of me wants to wait and see how hard the players bite on this concept. If they are fairly 'meh' over it, then I won't get to complex with it.

 

[Jediking]

You could use them similar to Eberron's dragonmarks. When a PC finds a rune/shout, they absorb that power and are able to use it. Depending on the spell or what level they are you can upgrade the power in strength (ex. use as higher level "slot", the damage cantrips receive at each new tier) or in available use (from once every long rest-> every short rest->based on ??? Mod).

And if the Giants are near the runes, and they have giant lungs... that could be fun too

 

[Azurewraith]

Sounds interesting just be careful with what you hand out as when every one starts chucking around haste and fireballs shiz will get out of hand real quick.

You will have to let us know how it goes im certainly intrigued

 

[Istbor]

Sounds interesting just be careful with what you hand out as when every one starts chucking around haste and fireballs shiz will get out of hand real quick.

You will have to let us know how it goes im certainly intrigued

You raise a point that I have been mulling over as well. I want this to feel fun and powerful, but not so much so that it trivializes the game. While I wouldn't see that happening while fighting giants who crafted these items, should the party leave that domain, they would have a clear advantage.

So I am carefully considering which will be in and which will not. Was not really planning on a haste like shout for obvious reasons.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

One of the balancing factors of thu’ums in the game is the cooldown time before you can use them again. I’d make the use of a shouts recharge on either a long or short rest.

 

[fixitgeek]

I could also see creating an easy access Prestige Class. That way investing in it takes resources and has balance to it. Put the shouts on a tiered system with limited numbers of uses per long/short rest and perhaps level them like a warlock spell progression where they get more powerful per level but you can only have mastery of one at a time.

 

[Istbor]

That... is actually a pretty great idea. Not sure why I didn't consider that. Thank you very much Fixitgeek.