The Harbinger of Ferocity

D&D Beginner [Searching Group + DM]

Advantage and disadvantage could be very loosely understood as a factor the Dungeon Master assigns when they believe it is appropriate. Players can and should justify why something would or would not grant them advantage or disadvantage based on events, but Fifth Edition leaves that up to the Dungeon Master to rule on. For example, if one were to leap upon a table and swashbuckle from it while kicking plates off it, the player could argue that they have advantage; after all, their character is a swashbuckler and high ground would regularly give advantage.

While the Dungeon Master arbitrates such cases advantage is always applied, as with disadvantage, if the rules explicitly say they are. Thus some spells that grant advantage like Faerie Fire always do. The only exception to this is if they would cancel out.

If you had two disadvantageous factors and one advantageous one, you would make a single roll rather than four. Advantage and disadvantage always cancel one another out despite how many there might be on either side; the result is always a neutral roll.

Hopefully that answers the first question I can help with, @Mesonyx.

D&D Beginner [Searching Group + DM]

I have heard the series implements a number of house rules, so when you do review it try to take everything with a grain of salt. I would recommend reading the Fifth Edition Player's Handbook first and or browsing the internet some to answer your questions or it might turn slightly more confusing than going in uninitiated already is. Then again, I am not sure how many they have or how extreme they are, so they might have already improved on a very solid system or just gone with what their players enjoy.

Regardless, if you do have any further questions and wish to learn the game, @Mesonyx, I am willing to assist as well.

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

@Lucius Cypher, I would say feel free to. There's no time like the present to elaborate on characters and their motives. I certainly am acting on that opportunity.

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

It was not a long walk to the landing before the stairs that had provided shelter, rather that it felt as though it had been a journey. The survivors, a title rightfully earned by the guards of Greenest atop the wall today, were tending to their own just in the same way the outsiders had taken care of their own fallen. The difference in these matters were that Orchid, though rendered quite unconscious, was not nearly as maimed as the mere men had been; some had suffered arcing burns across the breast and legs where the lightning followed their chain, others had limbs seared clean, others were blinded by unearthly blue-white heat. The list of causalities went on in variance, but all were most characteristic of unchecked electricity.

Brannor did not need the reminder that the sky and its armaments were well beyond the capacity of regular folk, or even those who might be considered heroic in caliber. Thus when he laid the orcish warrior down beside a now empty rack of arms, his boot sweeping aside some loose arrows that had been abandoned in the chaos, he was wise enough to remember he was blessed in a number of ways that had bought him a brush with a dragon and the fortune to live to tell such a tale. The only other sojourn he took in the calm after the storm, short of the effort to acquire the shield Orchid had abandoned on the wall and return it next to the sleeping figure, was one he set himself to solely in mind. He saw to sit himself down beside his companion and attune himself.

There needed to be time made to collect insight.

So when he unsheathed both sword and bow, with the latter resting beside the wall with its quiver and the former across his lap, he gave no added response to the men and women working their ways down the stairs following the battle. Instead, he closed his eyes and shut out the urges around and within him, as odd a gesture it was and certain to draw scorn at that. In this effort, hand resting upon the runed engravings of the sword's fuller, he unknowingly traced their designs methodically.

For Brannor and the supernature he was tied to internally, he asked only what else awaited them tonight; it was an unspoken, unmentioned plea, in spite of what he knew all along. After all, the Silver Lady did not illuminate the town for her own amusement on tonight of all nights. She did so to reveal the shadows from their hiding places, as even in darkness, a place so coveted by evil, light still found a way.

And she had a weapon born of her whims in her service.

@Hekazu@Ryonara@Lucius Cypher@Gordian Nought@Norschtalen

D&D 5e - Hoard of the Dragon Queen

It is unfortunate to hear that situation has played out, @Gordian Nought. While it probably means little from someone you do not know well and from the internet where words likewise hold little value regularly, you still have my condolences.

...

@catchamber, I would offer the strong suggestion, in addition to those hard limits, having a closer interpretation of "Read As Intended" (RAI) versus some of the "Read As Written" (RAW) usual tricks and the general Gentleman's Agreement I referred to. That way we are not seeing anything from Diplomancers, Planar Shepherds, Red Wizards, Dweomerkeepers and the like. The builds are almost universally transparent and recognized now too, so it would be easy to say, "That's not really appropriate, do you think you are X, Y and Z, really?"

That's not to say a character should not be allowed to invest heavily in Diplomacy, or a warlock prevented from going binder so they can then prestige into Hellfire Warlock to do powerful Eldritch Blast casting, or a sorcerer from being a Swiftblade/Abjurant Champion/Spellsword/Dragonslayer and so forth. Just that the over intent is to provide a standard of "Reasonable optimization for the purposes of roleplaying an archetype rather than optimization for the purpose of raw power."

That and I would play cards like what you described with magitech and psitech close to your chest as the Dungeon Master. Artificers, especially Psi-Artificers do not need any added help or incentive.

...

This has pretty massive potential provided you find the right balance among the Guild's various personalities and identity related abilities. There are a fair number familiar with the system as is and the nebulous, largely undefined existence of the Guild as a meta roleplaying concept gives access to just about any environment. At the same time I admit I have no idea how you intend to "balance" anything beyond a Gentleman's Agreement of the players to not come unhinged with their builds, or if you have some limit in mind in particular.

The 'Explain The Appeal Of......' Thread

With that settled, I ask someone explain the appeal of the following roleplay concepts, as we have all seen them and some may have even been involved. what is the appeal of "school" roleplaying? Namely high school roleplays.

I had and even yet still hold great disdain for public education and that period of life. To not disgress from my point, why would anyone want to emulate being children, potentially again and in that environment? I can understand the allure of college where you find a bit of freedom children have, topical as that is but that isn't my point, and the responsibility of an adult but less than.

...

If you do intend to go through with this in some regard or fashion, I will certainly be the first to say I cast my lot in.

Dungeon Master

"Welcome 'friend',

I do hope you are not bothered by the abrupt intrusiveness of these, how should we say... change of events? I admit, had there been an easier ends to this endeavor I would have gleefully taken that path, alas getting you here was no small effort for even I to accomplish. However, this is all well beside the point which we both are to confront. You are here now and before you have the impudence to ask, yes, nothing is quite as it seems. I hope that this does not bother you, but if it does that is just a terrible misfortune to meet now, is it not? All the same, you have been so meticulously drawn up from your realm into mine. Yes, I did state 'mine', as it is just that; this world and its functions are my own doing. The entire construct is and was for my own protection, as added insurance you would not cheat fate as it were; who knows what inexplicable events you would conjure up and ruin my efforts.

Oh?

You are uncertain why this chance has befallen you? The simplest answer is that I wish to test you, but that would be lying. Truth would have it that not only do I wish to put your mettle through a trial unlike any other, I am partial to doing it in an amusing fashion - one that keeps you from doing horrible things to me. I note this because try as you might, you are not about to escape my challenges. No, I think I shall instead punish you for such efforts to turn this against me. We simply cannot have you ruining this special occasion, that of finding yourself into my realm, with you gallivanting about to break its rules; that would be numbing to both our minds. So please do not try my patience as I will simply cast you back from the heavens above in a halo of burning failure, that of which stings twice as much in that you failed - not even in the glory of being tested.

Honor denotes that I should state your challenges and divulge a fragment about each of them, although do not expect me to spoil all of my secrets. I should say that the other challenger has proven... less than amusing; I believe I might have erred there, but only in slight. As for you, I will see to it that the pawns placed before you are suitable to your skill. She will not be however, so I formulate within my mind the rationale that one of you will likely eclipse the other. All else barring such a probable exception? That might vary, wildly at that. I suppose I might add that death here means nothing. You will be none the worse for wear than when you began, albeit you only have this opportunity to not disappoint once.

Yes, once.

Fall and I claim victory, simple terms for something so arcane, that I do understand. Succeed and you win my kudos, perhaps something more if it was particularly worthwhile. Try me not by asking for more, I could find many others as you can imagine, so take some shred of pleasure at this invitation and chance for reward. An experience is undoubtedly worth more than most any prize material, is it not? I am content to think so, so I choose to. Such are my ways I suppose, yet at this point you have almost certainly made your choice, at least in heart you have.

So what say you, 'friend'? Care to gamble with your life in a trial of skill outside all time and space, compelled by a strange voice you do not recognize, one that has come from afar and over an immensely distant void in your dreams? Do not doubt the reality you find yourself in, just take comfort in that I will not change it on you. After all...

What do you have to lose?"

~ Yours Truly,
The 'Dungeon Master'

What oddities lie in store, one can only wonder, though one truth is clear. Someone, perhaps something, beyond apparent understanding has beckoned you from the dark depths of the unconscious with a call you have not heard before with an almost divine accuracy. It tells you these things and abides by some bizarre, even twisted sense of honor between its formal ramblings. Many questions writhe about, begging for answers, however small they might be. Sadly, there seems not to be any time for that. There exists only the option to pledge your hand bravely, or even foolishly, at this mysterious challenge or decline swiftly - lest this seeming weaver of dreams hides his deceit in wait.

Mundane, heroic and mighty heroes born of science, magic or grit need not worry in their application, but godlike powers need not apply. As in the end, what series of challenges and battles could such an entity face? Evidently this test is meant for those who would still be considered mortal. The cryptic power at hand seems not to even budge in such a case otherwise, almost as if knowingly resisting even the thought of the attempt to work against their intent.

If you think that you might enjoy a series of scaling conflicts played out, this might be for you.