I occasionally write 5e homebrew for my weekly game and thought it'd collect it here.
edit, minor typos, word choices
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Staff of the Master (Necromancy)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
You have resistance to necrotic damage while you hold this staff and undead do not consider you a living creature. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the necromancy school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Shadow Bolt (1 charge), Shadow Traitor (3 charges), Blight (3 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff blackens, crumbles into ash, and is destroyed.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
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I was thinking I'd should write up the full cycle, even if they won't see any play.
Staff of the Master (Abjuration)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
You have advantage on saving throws against spells while you hold this staff and gain the benefits of a nondetection spell. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the abjuration school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action (or reaction for shield) to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Shield (1 charge), Protection from Energy (3 charges), Globe of Invulnerability (6 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff loses its properties and becomes a nonmagical quarterstaff
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Random 5e homebrew
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Random 5e homebrew
Last edited by merxa on Tue Dec 07, 2021 9:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Random 5e homebrew
Staff of the Master (Conjuration)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
Conjuration spells you cast which last one hour instead last 8 hours while you hold this staff and you may either double the creatures summoned or increase their maximum CR by 2. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the conjuration school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Summon Lesser Demons (3 charges), Dimension Door (4 charges), Infernal Calling (5 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff vanishes.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Staff of the Master (Divination)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
You have 120 foot truesight while you hold this staff and gain advantage on any history checks. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the divination school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Detect Thoughts (2 charges), Clairvoyance (3 charges), Legend Lore (5 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff snaps in two and is destroyed.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Staff of the Master (Enchantment)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
Enchantment spells cast against creatures normally immune to being charmed must instead make any saves with advantage or are entitled to a Wisdom saving throw if the spell normally doesn’t allow one while you hold this staff and unless any target performed actions extremely different from their usual nature, they are not automatically aware of having been influence by such magic. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the enchantment school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Charm Person (1 charge), Charm Monster (4 charges), Dominate Person (5 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff becomes a nonmagical quarterstaff.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Staff of the Master (Evocation)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
All Evocation spells that can be upcasted are cast two levels higher (up to maximum of 9th level) without expending the higher level spell slot while you hold this staff and once per day you may substitute an evocation spell that deals fire, cold, electricity, or acid with one of these four damage types. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the evocation school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Melf’s Acid Arrow (2 charges), Melf’s Minute Meteors (3 charges), Gravity Fissure (6 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff harmlessly implodes in a vortex of elemental energy.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Staff of the Master (Illusion)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
All illusion spells cast benefit as if the subtle spell metamagic were applied to them while you hold this staff and creatures have disadvantage on any investigation checks against your illusion spell save DCs. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the illusion school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Invisibility (2 charges), Major Image (3 charges or 6 charges if cast at 6th level), Seeming (5 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff evaporates into shadowy nothingness.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Staff of the Master (Transmutation)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
If a transmutation spell targets one or more creatures, double the amount of creatures you are able to target while you hold this staff and you gain proficiency on concentration checks or expertise if already proficient. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the transmutation school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Longstrider (1 charge), Haste (3 charges), Fly (3,4,5, or 6 charges as if cast as a 3rd,4th,5th or 6th level spell).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff petrifies into brittle stone and becomes useless.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
Conjuration spells you cast which last one hour instead last 8 hours while you hold this staff and you may either double the creatures summoned or increase their maximum CR by 2. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the conjuration school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Summon Lesser Demons (3 charges), Dimension Door (4 charges), Infernal Calling (5 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff vanishes.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Staff of the Master (Divination)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
You have 120 foot truesight while you hold this staff and gain advantage on any history checks. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the divination school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Detect Thoughts (2 charges), Clairvoyance (3 charges), Legend Lore (5 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff snaps in two and is destroyed.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Staff of the Master (Enchantment)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
Enchantment spells cast against creatures normally immune to being charmed must instead make any saves with advantage or are entitled to a Wisdom saving throw if the spell normally doesn’t allow one while you hold this staff and unless any target performed actions extremely different from their usual nature, they are not automatically aware of having been influence by such magic. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the enchantment school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Charm Person (1 charge), Charm Monster (4 charges), Dominate Person (5 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff becomes a nonmagical quarterstaff.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Staff of the Master (Evocation)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
All Evocation spells that can be upcasted are cast two levels higher (up to maximum of 9th level) without expending the higher level spell slot while you hold this staff and once per day you may substitute an evocation spell that deals fire, cold, electricity, or acid with one of these four damage types. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the evocation school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Melf’s Acid Arrow (2 charges), Melf’s Minute Meteors (3 charges), Gravity Fissure (6 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff harmlessly implodes in a vortex of elemental energy.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Staff of the Master (Illusion)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
All illusion spells cast benefit as if the subtle spell metamagic were applied to them while you hold this staff and creatures have disadvantage on any investigation checks against your illusion spell save DCs. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the illusion school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Invisibility (2 charges), Major Image (3 charges or 6 charges if cast at 6th level), Seeming (5 charges).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff evaporates into shadowy nothingness.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Staff of the Master (Transmutation)
Staff, weapon, Legendary (requires attunement)
Simple weapon, melee weapon
4lb. 1d6 bludgeoning - versatile (1d8)
If a transmutation spell targets one or more creatures, double the amount of creatures you are able to target while you hold this staff and you gain proficiency on concentration checks or expertise if already proficient. In addition, you can concentrate on two spells at once as long as one of the spells is from the transmutation school. Any concentration checks are made at disadvantage while concentrating on two spells.
The staff has 10 charges. While holding it, you can use an action to expend 1 or more of its charges to cast one of the following spells from it, using your spell save DC: Longstrider (1 charge), Haste (3 charges), Fly (3,4,5, or 6 charges as if cast as a 3rd,4th,5th or 6th level spell).
The staff regains 1d6+4 expended charges daily at dawn. If you expend the last charge, roll a d20. On a 1, the staff petrifies into brittle stone and becomes useless.
Versatile.
This weapon can be used with one or two hands. A damage value in parentheses appears with the property—the damage when the weapon is used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Re: Random 5e homebrew
Careful with the double concentration, that lets you set up no-save autokill combos like sickening radiance + forcecage. Maybe that's the intent, but there are a lot of nasty one-two punches that can get activated with a 2 level fighter dip for action surge.
Re: Random 5e homebrew
I'm not too concerned on a few levels, but first from what I can see, sickening radiance provides a save? and forcecage is a level 7 spell and it still provides a save if you try to teleport out of it? But I think the most important consideration is that two characters could do the same combo more effectively right? And action surge still would not allow someone to violate the general rule of not being able to cast two spells a round unless the spell cast with your action is a cantrip? Admittedly we're discussing an edge case with using action surge and 5e rule verbiage can be garbage and sage advice often isn't much better, so table variation is expected here. Even still if we rule this is all ok, this combo comes online at level 15 and costs 1500gp a pop, and can be still be ruined by making a cha save to teleport out (per round). Alternatively the sickening radiance could also be dispelled or the forcecage disintegrated.
But yes, I am interested in hearing combos that could cause unforeseen game breaking effects.
Re: Random 5e homebrew
First, rules nit:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic ... 1%20action.
Second, countermeasures:
Forcecage + Sickening Radiance is touted as an insta-kill combo because of the perils of iterative probability. Targets only need to fail 6 saves to die from exhaustion, and both spells last for 10 minutes, which triggers 600 saves. If it is possible for them to fail the save, they probably will before the spell is over.
As you point out, spellcasters and teleport-capable creatures have ways out of this (assuming you don't have enough counterspells to keep up with them). However, most of the monster written for 5e, even very high level ones, are neither teleporters nor disintegrate casters. Whether it's an issue that two players can pull off this combo is up in the air. I think the problem here is with the forcecage spell and the monster design at high level rather than double concentration per se, but wanted to point it out.
I'll let you know if I find any other combos. Enjoying all the recent posts!
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic ... 1%20action.
There isn't a general restriction on casting two spells per turn, just on casting a leveled spell as an action after you cast a leveled spell as a bonus action. So if you get action surge, which gives you a second action, then you can cast two leveled spells just fine. Though I agree that 5e rules are often hot garbage, RAW is pretty explicit here.A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell, provided that you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn. You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.
Second, countermeasures:
Forcecage + Sickening Radiance is touted as an insta-kill combo because of the perils of iterative probability. Targets only need to fail 6 saves to die from exhaustion, and both spells last for 10 minutes, which triggers 600 saves. If it is possible for them to fail the save, they probably will before the spell is over.
As you point out, spellcasters and teleport-capable creatures have ways out of this (assuming you don't have enough counterspells to keep up with them). However, most of the monster written for 5e, even very high level ones, are neither teleporters nor disintegrate casters. Whether it's an issue that two players can pull off this combo is up in the air. I think the problem here is with the forcecage spell and the monster design at high level rather than double concentration per se, but wanted to point it out.
I'll let you know if I find any other combos. Enjoying all the recent posts!
Re: Random 5e homebrew
Yeah, I think this ruling is a little unfortunate, but typical of 5e.pragma wrote: ↑Mon Dec 13, 2021 4:41 pmFirst, rules nit:
https://www.dndbeyond.com/sources/basic ... 1%20action.There isn't a general restriction on casting two spells per turn, just on casting a leveled spell as an action after you cast a leveled spell as a bonus action. So if you get action surge, which gives you a second action, then you can cast two leveled spells just fine. Though I agree that 5e rules are often hot garbage, RAW is pretty explicit here.A spell cast with a bonus action is especially swift. You must use a bonus action on your turn to cast the spell, provided that you haven't already taken a bonus action this turn. You can't cast another spell during the same turn, except for a cantrip with a casting time of 1 action.
In general anything that can be combo'd with dual concentration can be done better with two PCs, which is generally the primary reason I'm not too concerned with handing out double concentration. Since both of these spells require concentration, the easiest method to stop it is to disrupt concentration of the caster -- in general any encounter with one enemy is going to have numerous problems with balance in 5e. But yeah, this combo will kill anything that can't escape it, dispel, or is somehow immune to it.Second, countermeasures:
Forcecage + Sickening Radiance is touted as an insta-kill combo because of the perils of iterative probability. Targets only need to fail 6 saves to die from exhaustion, and both spells last for 10 minutes, which triggers 600 saves. If it is possible for them to fail the save, they probably will before the spell is over.
As you point out, spellcasters and teleport-capable creatures have ways out of this (assuming you don't have enough counterspells to keep up with them). However, most of the monster written for 5e, even very high level ones, are neither teleporters nor disintegrate casters. Whether it's an issue that two players can pull off this combo is up in the air. I think the problem here is with the forcecage spell and the monster design at high level rather than double concentration per se, but wanted to point it out.
Thanks! I've been running the forstmaiden campaign and since the last bit includes a place for all 8 schools, I'll have an easy place to fit all these items in, so I might actually get to put these staves into play.I'll let you know if I find any other combos. Enjoying all the recent posts!
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The Adventurer's Almanac
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Re: Random 5e homebrew
Fucking Frost Maiden. I got my ass OHKO'd by a ghost in some mini-dungeon right outside of one of the towns. I think it was a mine or something? Cleared right through the rest of the dungeon and nearly got TPK'd since we were level 2. Gotta love modules.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Re: Random 5e homebrew
Wait, so the first encounter in a dungeon is rated Deadly for your party's level, you decide to YOLO the whole dungeon anyway, and it's the module's fault that you nearly TPK'd? Cool story.
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The Adventurer's Almanac
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Re: Random 5e homebrew
Oh no, the dungeon was full of goblins and shit. The ghost was just some dude at the end whose (apparent) direction in the module is to possess one of the PCs and leave the party to go do ghost vengeance shit or something. I don't know, I was too mad at getting OHKO'd after telling him to eat shit since we weren't going to let him possess anyone.angelfromanotherpin wrote: ↑Mon Dec 13, 2021 8:46 pmWait, so the first encounter in a dungeon is rated Deadly for your party's level, you decide to YOLO the whole dungeon anyway, and it's the module's fault that you nearly TPK'd? Cool story.
I actually still need to go back there and kill him for good. Or trap his soul in some hellish dimension forever. Fuck that guy and fuck his immortal soul.
Re: Random 5e homebrew
Stop me if I'm wrong, because I haven't read the 5e PHB, but since when do TTRPGs have encounter levels visible to the party?
Koumei wrote:...is the dead guy posthumously at fault for his own death and, due to the felony murder law, his own murderer?
hyzmarca wrote:A palace made out of poop is much more impressive than one made out of gold. Stinkier, but more impressive. One is an ostentatious display of wealth. The other is a miraculous engineering feat.
Re: Random 5e homebrew
There is admittedly some dubious low level encounters in the beginning of the module, and since it starts pretty much as a sandbox, it is easy enough for uncaring or unprepared GMs to not help guide the PCs away from the more deadly ones.
Like every module there's plenty of bullshit, but overall much of it is easy to avoid or edit as needed if you read ahead, and otherwise it gives you plenty of tools to have a fun sandbox. The biggest problem overall is there are some clearly unfinished, very undeveloped sections, which can be frustrating to run up against if you're aren't aware of them beforehand.
Like every module there's plenty of bullshit, but overall much of it is easy to avoid or edit as needed if you read ahead, and otherwise it gives you plenty of tools to have a fun sandbox. The biggest problem overall is there are some clearly unfinished, very undeveloped sections, which can be frustrating to run up against if you're aren't aware of them beforehand.
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The Adventurer's Almanac
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Re: Random 5e homebrew
Fighting a ghost at level 2 elicits the same reaction from me as when we got a bodak thrown at us at level 3: How the hell are we expected to survive this? 
Answer: The GM pulls his punches. Very sad!
Answer: The GM pulls his punches. Very sad!
Re: Random 5e homebrew
Well, I think another perspective is, especially in a sandbox, sometimes PCs encounter things more dangerous then their CR. Frostmaiden in particular tries to drive some of this home, and it fits in with the theme of a remorseless, brutal, never ending winter that exists because a god of Winter is making sure it exists. Winter can be brutal and uncaring. Besides, technically, a CR 4 ghost isn't off limits to throw at level 2 party, of course that assumes 5e CRs work as intended ^_^
Many(most?) people play d&d with the expectation that they can always succeed and never have to run away, enough so that if you deviate from that you should probably mention it upfront, but luckily I tried to emphasize this and my players seem ok so far. Miraculously no PC deaths yet, although one PC was kicked out of the group which required the player to roll another character.
Many(most?) people play d&d with the expectation that they can always succeed and never have to run away, enough so that if you deviate from that you should probably mention it upfront, but luckily I tried to emphasize this and my players seem ok so far. Miraculously no PC deaths yet, although one PC was kicked out of the group which required the player to roll another character.
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Re: Random 5e homebrew
It's not that big of a deal since we were able to handle it by throwing the item he was bound to into a bottomless pit, I'm just mad because I got sucker punched after talking shit and my DM rolled really well. We didn't actually have any way of fighting it, but clearly the situation resolved itself. I think that was the second or third session and it left quite an impression, so maybe it's working as intended.
But the gall of him!
But the gall of him!
Re: Random 5e homebrew
sounds like everything is working as intended then ^_^
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The Adventurer's Almanac
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Re: Random 5e homebrew
Yeah, you got any uh... Gloves of Ghost Strangulation in that vault of yours?
Re: Random 5e homebrew
in 5e, just hitting a ghost enough times with a mundane club will work, no need to get fancy. but if you can leave it alone, that's even better.
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OgreBattle
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Re: Random 5e homebrew
merxa wrote: ↑Mon Dec 13, 2021 11:36 pmWell, I think another perspective is, especially in a sandbox, sometimes PCs encounter things more dangerous then their CR. Frostmaiden in particular tries to drive some of this home, and it fits in with the theme of a remorseless, brutal, never ending winter that exists because a god of Winter is making sure it exists. Winter can be brutal and uncaring. Besides, technically, a CR 4 ghost isn't off limits to throw at level 2 party, of course that assumes 5e CRs work as intended ^_^
Many(most?) people play d&d with the expectation that they can always succeed and never have to run away, enough so that if you deviate from that you should probably mention it upfront, but luckily I tried to emphasize this and my players seem ok so far. Miraculously no PC deaths yet, although one PC was kicked out of the group which required the player to roll another character.
How do you handle the fleeing process? Does the Incredibly Tough enemy pursue and they gotta use spells or skills to make an escape?
Re: Random 5e homebrew
Admittedly d&d doesn't handle 'fleeing' especially well, and I haven't formalized any rule sets to turn it into a mini game or the like. My PCs have so far used special movement and spells that create large barriers to avoid some encounters. Another encounter the party mutually disengaged after both had taken heavy loses. Alternatively, I've had monsters flee, sometimes the PCs let them get away as they don't want to chase them into the unknown, but others they have doggedly pursued which happens in combat time, usually a few rounds is enough to make it clear if fleeing is successful or not.OgreBattle wrote: ↑Fri Jan 14, 2022 7:55 amHow do you handle the fleeing process? Does the Incredibly Tough enemy pursue and they gotta use spells or skills to make an escape?
If I were to create fleeing rules, I'd probably make some opposed athletics/acrobatics checks with bonuses for movement speed and type, then have some threshold based on the terrain, where at some point being far enough away allows for stealth checks or auto successfully evading pursuit, depending on how much the pursuers follow up and whether they can track the PCs.
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OgreBattle
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Re: Random 5e homebrew
X turns to do various skill rolls sounds fair so one doesn't wind up with a Mongol Woodelf WIzard meta
Re: Random 5e homebrew
posted in another forum about 5e summons, but may as well keep such things altogether here. This is a subclass for warlocks, conceived as a Final Fantasy style Summoner.
The Summoner
You have made a pact with a primordial spirit, an ancient essence inextricably tied to a particular type of creature. Such primordial spirits often take on the tropes expected of such creatures, but can sometimes exhibit surprising contradictions or beliefs far alien to mortal matters. They give free reign to mortals who form pacts with them, concerning themselves very little with their short, mundane lives, but have been known to take a keen interest or even directly intervene with summoners that find themselves in situations that specifically impact the concerns of the primordial spirit and the creatures under their domain.
Chose your partons kind or determine it randomly, using the Spirit Creature Type table.
Spirit Creature Type
d8 Type
1 Aberration
2 Beast
3 Celestial
4 Dragon
5 Fey
6 Fiend
7 Monstrosity
8 Undead
Expanded Spells
Aberration
1 Chaos Bolt, Longstrider
2 Alter Self, Spider Climb
3 Blink, Water Breathing
4 Evard’s Black Tentacles, Polymorph
5 Cloudkill, Telekinesis
Beast
1 Beast Bond, Speak with Animals
2 Beast Sense, Summon Beast
3 Conjure Animals, Haste
4 Dominate Beast, Locate Creature
5 Awaken, Commune with Nature
Celestial
1 Divine Favor, Heroism
2 Calm Emotions, Zone of Truth
3 Blinding Smite, Clairvoyance
4 Arcane Eye, Death Ward
5 Destructive Wave, Summon Celestial
Dragon
1 Absorb Elements, Mage Armor
2 Dragon’s Breath, Magic Weapon
3 Glyph of Warding, Protection from Energy
4 Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum, Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere
5 Legend Lore, Summon Draconic Spirit
Fey
1 Disguise Self, Faerie Fire
2 Enlarge/Reduce, Nystul’s Magic Aura
3 Nondetection, Summon Fey
4 Conjure Woodland Beings, Freedom of Movement
5 Modify Memory, Treestride
Fiend
1 Dissonant Whispers, Ice Knife
2 Detect Thoughts, Scorching Ray
3 Fireball, Stinking Cloud
4 Confusion, Wall of Fire
5 Immolation, Cone of Cold
Monstrosity
1 Earth Tremor, Fog Cloud
2 Barkskin, Maximilian’s Earthern Grasp
3 Erupting Earth, Lightning Bolt
4 Stoneskin, Storm Sphere
5 Maelstrom, Wall of Stone
Undead
1 Inflict Wounds, Ray of Sickness
2 Blindness/Deafness, See Invisibility
3 Animate Dead, Bestow Curse
4 Death Ward, Leomund’s Secret Chest
5 Antilife Shell, Contagion
1st-Level
Invoke Soulbind
As an action, you can expend one of your Warlock Spell slots to summon an exemplar of your patron, Its CR must not exceed your maximum Summon CR from the Summons CR Table. You temporarily recede from existence and in your place, within 30 feet of your last location, your pact summons appears and acts immediately. The summons last a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus. After the summons ends its turn on its last round, it disperses leaving you in its place unable to act until the beginning of your next turn. Once a summons of a particular CR is determined it continues to be the same creature. A summons with legendary actions performs them as normal. Summons with lair actions do not get access to these powers when summoned.
If the summons is reduced to zero or less hitpoints, it vanishes and you reappear in its place, incapicated until the beginning of your turn. In addition, at the beginning of your turn, make a constitution saving throw, DC is equal to the summons CR + 5, or gain a level of exhaustion. You cannot summon the same creature again until after a long rest. Any effects that would outright kill, destroy, or permanently disable a summons (such as being petrified) instead is treated as if it was reduced to 0 hitpoints.
During your travels, you may form a summoner's pact with creatures of the appropriate type, summoning them when you invoke your soulbind, as long as you have not already reached your maximum pact size.
Start play with an appropriate summons of your choice. As long as you have an available pact slot, you can attempt to form a blind summoners pact. the GM will determine a suitable creature from the region to answer the call of you and your Patron, you may immediately reject the soulbind, in which case the creature vanishes and you lose your action, otherwise all summoners pacts are permanent and can only be undone with the power of a deity, your patron, or the lasting death of your summons.
6th-Level
Summoner’s Companion
Any summons equal to half or less of your Summon CR can instead be summoned for 1 hour.
10th-Level
Summoners Accord
You can communicate telepathically (60ft) with creatures that share the same type as your patron and they will not typically be hostile toward you. Mindless, insane, or similar creatures will tolerate your existence unless attacked.
14th-Level
Summoners Fate
You can communicate with any of your summons as if sending was cast without expending any spell slots. Summons can initiate the sending. Additionally, you can expend a warlock spellslot to teleport you and 8 others to the location of any of your summons. When before your summons, you cannot invoke another soulbind, and as you are in the presence of their true selves, they suffer the consequences of harm normally and can die. If such summons has lair actions they can perform them assuming they are in their lair. As long as you have not long rested, you can expend another warlock spellslot to return to you and 8 others to your original location.
20th-Level (alternative to Eldritch Master)
Master Summoner
You can select this ability as an alternative to the Eldritch Master class ability.
Once per long rest, you can call upon your patron to directly intercede. While a patron can refuse this request, it is exceedingly rare. Work with your GM on determining your patron, but the patron should be at least CR 25 or higher. Unlike invoking a soulbind, you do not recede when calling your Patron, nor do you directly control the actions of your Patron. The patron remains for 10 minutes and acts according to their desires, but is usually helpful. Summoning your patron often gains the attention of other power planar forces, especially the more often the Patron is called. If the Patron is reduced to 0 hit points or suffers an effect that permanently disables it, the Patron vanishes and you are impacted as you would be normally by a summons but on a failed constitution saving throw instead gain 3 levels of exhaustion, or 1 level of exhaustion on a successful save.
Summons CR Table
Level / Summon CR / Maximum Pact
1 1 1
2 3 2
3 4 2
4 6 3
5 7 3
6 9 4
7 10 4
8 12 5
9 13 5
10 15 5
11 16 6
12 18 6
13 19 6
14 21 7
15 22 7
16 24 7
17 25 7
18 27 8
19 28 8
20 30 8
Sample Table (Dragon)
# / Creature and CR / Level Obtained
1 Allowyn (Faerie Dragon (Red)) CR 1 / Level 1
2 Bvnurix (Gold Dragon Wyrmling) CR 3 / Level 2
3 Unibrix (Wyvern) CR 6 / Level 4
4 Vernon Esquire (Young Bronze Dragon) CR 8 / Level 6
5 Cavic Grace The Kingfisher (Adult Brass Dragon) CR 13 / Level 9
6 Emerik Elno Rivington (Adult Silver Dragon) CR 16 / Level 11
7 Father Gleam the Last Sultan Of Dracolyn (Ancient Gold Dragon) CR 24 / Level 16
8 Vincent, Scourge of the Bloody Depths (Brass Greatwyrm) CR 28 / Level 19
Eldritch Invocations
Hardened Heart
When your summons is reduced to 0 health, you are not considered incapacitated, and you make the constitution saving throw vs exhaustion with a +5 bonus.
Lasting Summons
When summoning a creature, double the length of time they are summoned.
Summoners Endurance
You can invoke a soulbind without expending a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Summoners Managerie
Increase your Maximum Pact size by 2. You cannot change out this invocation if you would end up with more summons than Pact slots.
Twinned Souled
Prerequisite: 5th Level
When invoking a soulbind, you may decide to not recede, but remain, performing actions normally. You still suffer any effects from the summons being reduced to 0 health. You cannot invoke more than one soulbind at a time.
True Companion
Prerequisite: 7th Level
Select any Summons that qualifies for your Summoner’s Companion Ability, they instead begin a permanent cohort. You no longer need to expend a spell slot to bring the creature forth as they are always nearby (unless sent on some extended errand). When not nearby you can expend an action and warlock spell slot to teleport them within 30 feet of you. Companions are not counted as active soulbinds, allowing you to have your companion with you and summon another creature. Companions are treated as separate creatures, roll initiative and act independently.
Companions expect to be well treated, and rewarded for their services. Companions who drop to 0 health or suffer other calamities are entitled death saving throws and the like. You do not suffer the usual consequences if your companion drops to 0 health, instead, if the companion dies you gain 2 levels of exhaustion (no save). If a dead companion cannot be revived or raised, you lose your pact with that particular creature and this ability may be applied to a new summons. Otherwise, once determined, your True Companion cannot be changed. You cannot have more than one True Companion at a time
Greater Companion
Prerequisite: 12th level
Any summons CR equal to less than your level can instead be summoned for 1 hour. This improves your Summoner’s Companion Ability.
The Summoner
You have made a pact with a primordial spirit, an ancient essence inextricably tied to a particular type of creature. Such primordial spirits often take on the tropes expected of such creatures, but can sometimes exhibit surprising contradictions or beliefs far alien to mortal matters. They give free reign to mortals who form pacts with them, concerning themselves very little with their short, mundane lives, but have been known to take a keen interest or even directly intervene with summoners that find themselves in situations that specifically impact the concerns of the primordial spirit and the creatures under their domain.
Chose your partons kind or determine it randomly, using the Spirit Creature Type table.
Spirit Creature Type
d8 Type
1 Aberration
2 Beast
3 Celestial
4 Dragon
5 Fey
6 Fiend
7 Monstrosity
8 Undead
Expanded Spells
Aberration
1 Chaos Bolt, Longstrider
2 Alter Self, Spider Climb
3 Blink, Water Breathing
4 Evard’s Black Tentacles, Polymorph
5 Cloudkill, Telekinesis
Beast
1 Beast Bond, Speak with Animals
2 Beast Sense, Summon Beast
3 Conjure Animals, Haste
4 Dominate Beast, Locate Creature
5 Awaken, Commune with Nature
Celestial
1 Divine Favor, Heroism
2 Calm Emotions, Zone of Truth
3 Blinding Smite, Clairvoyance
4 Arcane Eye, Death Ward
5 Destructive Wave, Summon Celestial
Dragon
1 Absorb Elements, Mage Armor
2 Dragon’s Breath, Magic Weapon
3 Glyph of Warding, Protection from Energy
4 Mordenkainen’s Private Sanctum, Otiluke’s Resilient Sphere
5 Legend Lore, Summon Draconic Spirit
Fey
1 Disguise Self, Faerie Fire
2 Enlarge/Reduce, Nystul’s Magic Aura
3 Nondetection, Summon Fey
4 Conjure Woodland Beings, Freedom of Movement
5 Modify Memory, Treestride
Fiend
1 Dissonant Whispers, Ice Knife
2 Detect Thoughts, Scorching Ray
3 Fireball, Stinking Cloud
4 Confusion, Wall of Fire
5 Immolation, Cone of Cold
Monstrosity
1 Earth Tremor, Fog Cloud
2 Barkskin, Maximilian’s Earthern Grasp
3 Erupting Earth, Lightning Bolt
4 Stoneskin, Storm Sphere
5 Maelstrom, Wall of Stone
Undead
1 Inflict Wounds, Ray of Sickness
2 Blindness/Deafness, See Invisibility
3 Animate Dead, Bestow Curse
4 Death Ward, Leomund’s Secret Chest
5 Antilife Shell, Contagion
1st-Level
Invoke Soulbind
As an action, you can expend one of your Warlock Spell slots to summon an exemplar of your patron, Its CR must not exceed your maximum Summon CR from the Summons CR Table. You temporarily recede from existence and in your place, within 30 feet of your last location, your pact summons appears and acts immediately. The summons last a number of rounds equal to your proficiency bonus. After the summons ends its turn on its last round, it disperses leaving you in its place unable to act until the beginning of your next turn. Once a summons of a particular CR is determined it continues to be the same creature. A summons with legendary actions performs them as normal. Summons with lair actions do not get access to these powers when summoned.
If the summons is reduced to zero or less hitpoints, it vanishes and you reappear in its place, incapicated until the beginning of your turn. In addition, at the beginning of your turn, make a constitution saving throw, DC is equal to the summons CR + 5, or gain a level of exhaustion. You cannot summon the same creature again until after a long rest. Any effects that would outright kill, destroy, or permanently disable a summons (such as being petrified) instead is treated as if it was reduced to 0 hitpoints.
During your travels, you may form a summoner's pact with creatures of the appropriate type, summoning them when you invoke your soulbind, as long as you have not already reached your maximum pact size.
Start play with an appropriate summons of your choice. As long as you have an available pact slot, you can attempt to form a blind summoners pact. the GM will determine a suitable creature from the region to answer the call of you and your Patron, you may immediately reject the soulbind, in which case the creature vanishes and you lose your action, otherwise all summoners pacts are permanent and can only be undone with the power of a deity, your patron, or the lasting death of your summons.
6th-Level
Summoner’s Companion
Any summons equal to half or less of your Summon CR can instead be summoned for 1 hour.
10th-Level
Summoners Accord
You can communicate telepathically (60ft) with creatures that share the same type as your patron and they will not typically be hostile toward you. Mindless, insane, or similar creatures will tolerate your existence unless attacked.
14th-Level
Summoners Fate
You can communicate with any of your summons as if sending was cast without expending any spell slots. Summons can initiate the sending. Additionally, you can expend a warlock spellslot to teleport you and 8 others to the location of any of your summons. When before your summons, you cannot invoke another soulbind, and as you are in the presence of their true selves, they suffer the consequences of harm normally and can die. If such summons has lair actions they can perform them assuming they are in their lair. As long as you have not long rested, you can expend another warlock spellslot to return to you and 8 others to your original location.
20th-Level (alternative to Eldritch Master)
Master Summoner
You can select this ability as an alternative to the Eldritch Master class ability.
Once per long rest, you can call upon your patron to directly intercede. While a patron can refuse this request, it is exceedingly rare. Work with your GM on determining your patron, but the patron should be at least CR 25 or higher. Unlike invoking a soulbind, you do not recede when calling your Patron, nor do you directly control the actions of your Patron. The patron remains for 10 minutes and acts according to their desires, but is usually helpful. Summoning your patron often gains the attention of other power planar forces, especially the more often the Patron is called. If the Patron is reduced to 0 hit points or suffers an effect that permanently disables it, the Patron vanishes and you are impacted as you would be normally by a summons but on a failed constitution saving throw instead gain 3 levels of exhaustion, or 1 level of exhaustion on a successful save.
Summons CR Table
Level / Summon CR / Maximum Pact
1 1 1
2 3 2
3 4 2
4 6 3
5 7 3
6 9 4
7 10 4
8 12 5
9 13 5
10 15 5
11 16 6
12 18 6
13 19 6
14 21 7
15 22 7
16 24 7
17 25 7
18 27 8
19 28 8
20 30 8
Sample Table (Dragon)
# / Creature and CR / Level Obtained
1 Allowyn (Faerie Dragon (Red)) CR 1 / Level 1
2 Bvnurix (Gold Dragon Wyrmling) CR 3 / Level 2
3 Unibrix (Wyvern) CR 6 / Level 4
4 Vernon Esquire (Young Bronze Dragon) CR 8 / Level 6
5 Cavic Grace The Kingfisher (Adult Brass Dragon) CR 13 / Level 9
6 Emerik Elno Rivington (Adult Silver Dragon) CR 16 / Level 11
7 Father Gleam the Last Sultan Of Dracolyn (Ancient Gold Dragon) CR 24 / Level 16
8 Vincent, Scourge of the Bloody Depths (Brass Greatwyrm) CR 28 / Level 19
Eldritch Invocations
Hardened Heart
When your summons is reduced to 0 health, you are not considered incapacitated, and you make the constitution saving throw vs exhaustion with a +5 bonus.
Lasting Summons
When summoning a creature, double the length of time they are summoned.
Summoners Endurance
You can invoke a soulbind without expending a warlock spell slot. You can’t do so again until you finish a long rest.
Summoners Managerie
Increase your Maximum Pact size by 2. You cannot change out this invocation if you would end up with more summons than Pact slots.
Twinned Souled
Prerequisite: 5th Level
When invoking a soulbind, you may decide to not recede, but remain, performing actions normally. You still suffer any effects from the summons being reduced to 0 health. You cannot invoke more than one soulbind at a time.
True Companion
Prerequisite: 7th Level
Select any Summons that qualifies for your Summoner’s Companion Ability, they instead begin a permanent cohort. You no longer need to expend a spell slot to bring the creature forth as they are always nearby (unless sent on some extended errand). When not nearby you can expend an action and warlock spell slot to teleport them within 30 feet of you. Companions are not counted as active soulbinds, allowing you to have your companion with you and summon another creature. Companions are treated as separate creatures, roll initiative and act independently.
Companions expect to be well treated, and rewarded for their services. Companions who drop to 0 health or suffer other calamities are entitled death saving throws and the like. You do not suffer the usual consequences if your companion drops to 0 health, instead, if the companion dies you gain 2 levels of exhaustion (no save). If a dead companion cannot be revived or raised, you lose your pact with that particular creature and this ability may be applied to a new summons. Otherwise, once determined, your True Companion cannot be changed. You cannot have more than one True Companion at a time
Greater Companion
Prerequisite: 12th level
Any summons CR equal to less than your level can instead be summoned for 1 hour. This improves your Summoner’s Companion Ability.
Re: Random 5e homebrew
It's a cool idea, but being able to swap yourself out for a monster that could be (and quite possibly was) a difficult boss fight for your entire party, even for a few rounds, seems incredibly strong.
Re: Random 5e homebrew
yeah, could use with some play testing, and maybe the max summon cr schedule should be reduced. One headwind against the power creep is summons are pretty much permanent, so as you level it is unlikely for you to always be at the very top end of your summon curve, you are very likely to fall off, especially by mid levels, unless you begin skipping new summons every level to keep pact slots open for a particular target level.