D&D 5E (2014) Vrax the Rock Thrower

So, do you have any helpful suggestions for how Vrax can throw a rock even farther? *What did I miss?*

I missed the Sorcerer ability to Bend Luck, which adds another d4 and raises the maximum boosted stat check to 61. (62 at STR 30, but that's even further into special-case territory.) Is that all?

Did I miss anything else?
 

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Warlock, fiend pact, Dark One's Own Luck, +d10. 71! Now THAT's a far-flung rock!
Tthrower must be fiendlock (self only), while Bend Luck requires an ally Wild Magic sorceror (other only).
 

Don't forget that you're requiring multiple characters to cooperate for this superhuman effort.

But I thought that the basic rule in 5E was that things don't stack in 5E unless specified. So Guidance wouldn't stack with Dark One's Own Luck or Bend Luck or Inspiration. At best you'd take the best roll.

So Vrax would get +9 for the belt of Str 29, +12 for Expertise, +12 for Inspiration etc, for a mere +33 and thus a max of 53.
 

Don't forget that you're requiring multiple characters to cooperate for this superhuman effort.

I specified that Bend Luck would have to come from an allied sorceror. Vrax has to be a Fiend Pact Warlock to get Fiend's Own Luck. Whether Vrax or the sorceror has the Cleric level and Bard levels is an open question, though the Expertise suggests that Vrax has levels in Bard. Also, she can only try as often as she can take a Rest to renew Fiend's Own Luck, and *all* of the dice maxing is a rare occurrence.

Don't forget that this is Vrax's *life goal*! She will gather any and every resource she can, across all of 5E!

[/QUOTE]But I thought that the basic rule in 5E was that things don't stack in 5E unless specified. So Guidance wouldn't stack with Dark One's Own Luck or Bend Luck or Inspiration. At best you'd take the best roll.[/QUOTE]

There's a rule on page 205, which is specific to multiple castings of the *same spell*, such as Guidance, use the "most potent roll"; a platoon of clerics each casting Guidance gives the recipient at most +4 guidance.

"The effects of different spells add together while the durations of those spells overlap". For example, Resistance stacks with Bless for saving throws. I'd apply that precedent to different class abilities such as Bardic Inspiration, Bend Luck and Fiend's Own Luck.

I imagine damage modifiers stacking, such as +5 damage from 20 STR, +5 from Charger, +2 from Duelling, +2d8 from Smite, +1d6 from Hex and +1 from an enchanted sword. Correct or incorrect? (None of those specifically say "stackable".)

There are explicitly stacking AC modifiers, such as +2 from shield stacking with light armor and with DEX modifier.

5E has far *fewer* stackable modifiers than other editions, and that's clearly a design choice. PHB's index, under stacking, refers to the spell rule on p.205, and to Advantage and Disadvantage (which do not stack; you have the one, the other, or neither.)

PHB says on page 7 that *specific beats general*. Even if there were a general rule in PHB that stat mod and proficiency were the only modifiers on stat checks, then the details of Guidance, Bardic Inspiration, Bend Luck and Fiend's Own Luck would all override that rule.

If there was a memo telling the PHB's contributing authors not to write any spells or class abilities which gave stat-check modifiers, so that NOTHING other than stat and proficiency would apply to those d20 rolls; then Guidance, Bardic Inspiration, Bend Luck and Fiend's Own Luck are glitches in the PHB. If so, when will WotC issue a correction? Is there a no-stacking rule somewhere in DMG?

Usual disclaimer: if you want a house rule that only the highest damage modifier applies, and/or only the highest AC modifier, and/or only the highest class-ability modifier for stat checks, saving throws and attack rolls, then do what works for your table.
 


Vrax or other wizard true polymorphs a willing target to a rock (after 1h it's permanent), then tosses the rock while casting fly on it?
 

Heh. That'll teach me to post at 1 am!

You raise an important issue. If 5E wants to have NOTHING ever stack, then they still have some work to do. If they just want LESS stacking, then they're doing fairly well. And, again, I haven't seen DMG.

My motive is different from Vrax. Vrax wants to throw a rock as far as possible. I want to find and evaluate the limits of bounded accuracy.

Keep those 1AM questions coming, please!
 

Vrax or other wizard true polymorphs a willing target to a rock (after 1h it's permanent), then tosses the rock while casting fly on it?

If the goal is "a rock flies as far as possible after leaving Vrax's hand", then this is a great method.

Vrax's goal, is how far she can throw the rock using her Athletics and boosts which apply directly to her Athletics. Anything involving a self-propelled rock is different from her goal. (Because then her throw, itself, is not what determines the outcome.)

My goal is to find and evaluate the limits of 5E bounded accuracy, in this case regarding stat checks. I don't expect to ever play a 20th level character, let alone one specialized for rock-throwing. (Though there are people who play characters optimized for Grapple and Shove.)
 

Vrax's goal, is how far she can throw the rock using her Athletics and boosts which apply directly to her Athletics. Anything involving a self-propelled rock is different from her goal. (Because then her throw, itself, is not what determines the outcome.)

So how does Vrax determine what is breaking the rules when it comes to throwing a rock? Must the rock have a certain weight, material, size and/or shape? Must the rock be tossed with a single one of her hands? Are tools against the rules? What about magical gear? Are you not allowed to cast magic on the rock? Is magic allowed at all? Are all skills/feats allowed? What about positioning when casting the rock and does it have to be "ordinary" air through which it is tossed? Is it just the length of the initial toss until it touches the ground or is it the final place where it stops?

Vrax's goal needs to be determined with proper rules before she tosses the rock, otherwise she won't be winning any contest. And depending on those rules, your goal might not be directly linked to her goal.
 
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