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Neptune #870971 Mon 16/01/17 19:03 UTC
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Heavy Armour Master would give him benefits, you are correct that Heavily Armoured would not.

But Nep is correct. No one in our game even considered taking Feats until they at least bumped their Primary Stat up to 20.

Last edited by Zeim; Mon 16/01/17 19:05 UTC.
Neptune #870977 Mon 16/01/17 20:02 UTC
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Lumi has even numbers in all his stats so the 2 point bump is more valuable, I believe.

The damage reduction has value at low levels but becomes a regrettable choice later.

Neptune #870979 Mon 16/01/17 20:09 UTC
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Yes, I think feats are too situational in 5e to rival ability score increases.

There are some exceptions that might rival them but are still lower priority.

Take a monk, frex, the Mobile feat allows him to engage and disengage from enemies without incuring Attacks of Opportunity. Pretty useful for a monk, who have a high movement rate and multiple attacks.

But is it better than a Dex mod increase +1? For a monk that's always applied to AC, hit and damage rolls, initiative, saving throws, and skills.

And after you've increased Dex to 20, what about Wis mod? Also applies to monk AC, DC of their special abilities, and saving throws and skills.

As standard, monks can spend Ki to disengage without provoking AoO, and how useful is it to run through a battle, slapping multiple enemies? Better to focus on one at a time maybe?

With sufficient room to manouevre, there might be occasions when Mobile feat allowed you to move into range, slap an enemy, then move back out of range. But then who is that enemy going to attack? One of your companions, most likely, possibly flanking them too.

So 'The Best Feat for Monks' ends up being a long way behind ability score increases in terms of usefulness.

Neptune #870982 Mon 16/01/17 20:13 UTC
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Same goes for multi-classing. With the real benefits of a class coming at 3rd level, it diminishes the benefit. The trick is to find stat synergy. For a paladin, the only multi-classing I see as reasonable is bard. Gain inspiration and spells, leverage that charisma.

Neptune #870986 Mon 16/01/17 20:26 UTC
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What about Sorcerer or Warlock? Both use Cha as their main as well?

The munchkin element in this is simply that add a spell caster class that allows multiple level 1 spells. That allows for more opportunities to add 2d6 radiant damage from more Smites.

For the non munchkin element, it plays into the long term character creation idea of him becoming a gardian dragon of the wood kind of a character. Druid would probably fit better, but doesn't leverage the Cha benefits that are already built in, plus we have a druid in the extended group now. Heck we might even have another Paladin, though I don't think so.

In short it varies the tools the character brings to the table. Is that necessary? Not really. Is it kinda cool? Possibly? Is it frustrating? Possibly?


Last edited by Pandemonium; Mon 16/01/17 20:29 UTC.
Neptune #870987 Mon 16/01/17 20:27 UTC
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And we saw a Paladin/Warlock multi-class at Gencon that synergized fairly well too.

Best Feats, IMO, are "Alert", "Defensive Duelist", "Elemental Adept", "Great Weapon Master", "Lucky", "Martial Adept", Observant", "Polearm Master", "Savage Attacker", "Sentinel", "Shield Master", "Tough", and "War Caster".

Some of these are situational, and some aren't useful for certain classes who already get those benefits as part of their class.

Neptune #870989 Mon 16/01/17 20:32 UTC
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Alert is on the short list as well.

Though because both Strength and Charisma are 16 the 2 point stat bump might be the real ticket. As noted in the discussion by you guys who have had a lot more time playing it, +1 (5%) bonus in a lot of things is pretty darn nice.

I also considered Shield Master because Talon could be used one handed. It takes away from his damage potential, but that can be fixed by a few well placed Smites. It would also make him tougher to hit, but a fair amount.

Last edited by Pandemonium; Mon 16/01/17 20:33 UTC.
Neptune #870994 Mon 16/01/17 20:50 UTC
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...and it has the benefit of giving you a +2 (or more) to all your magic Dex saves against spells that target only you, AND even better, if you are subject to an effect that allows you a Dex save for 1/2 damage you can use your Reaction and if you save you take no damage. Rogues already get a version of this feature (Evasion) so it doesn't help them, but it is great for others.

Still, everyone in our game thought the Stat bump was better. We didn't really start considering Feats until 12th level.

Exeter #871005 Mon 16/01/17 21:29 UTC
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Originally Posted By Exeter
If it bothers you that much, Ryssa would take the sword. grin


The thought occurs that this is now a valid option regarding the +1 long sword N-party got but didn't have anyone who needed it. grin

Neptune #871009 Mon 16/01/17 21:43 UTC
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Yes, and it is unlikely we will play to 12th level, so picking something for shorter utility, and more flavor is probably a better choice.

Heh, Talon and Talon II the sequel!

Neptune #871011 Mon 16/01/17 21:55 UTC
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I'm leaning towards Great Weapon Master. Quasi-power attack and cleave is nothing to be sneezed at, and any chance to bend the action economy is worth looking at.

Neptune #871016 Mon 16/01/17 22:22 UTC
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I am sure that ... when you get to that level ... the choice between stat bumps and feats is not so clear. But at this level, it seems to me that 'stats are king' <g>

But that might just be me <wink>


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Neptune #871021 Mon 16/01/17 22:57 UTC
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Yes, unfortunately, to avoid duplicates, I have eliminated the doubled magic items, so the +1 LS that Kallista had and the Staff of Defense that Balthazar had did not survive the Dragon attack. There's only one of each, Luminmorn has Talon and Kriv (?) has the Staff of Defense.

Neptune #871047 Tue 17/01/17 03:29 UTC
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Probably Kriv unless and until someone puts forward a better claim, given Eldritch Knight shenanigans.

Neptune #871083 Tue 17/01/17 14:46 UTC
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It's actually a very good use of it, AJ. You get to use the Mage Armour every day on somebody, get to have the +1 AC and the Shield spell Reaction for at least the first round of combat before your turn, and then can stash it away for your normal weapon. The only loss is a continual +1 AC and continual ability to use the Shield Reaction. But the only class that really works for is one that does nothing but cast spells and can afford to hold onto the staff all the time and not need to hold another weapon, and at the moment you don't have any of those.

Last edited by Zeim; Tue 17/01/17 14:47 UTC.
Neptune #871311 Thu 19/01/17 17:10 UTC
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Question on the Great Weapon Master feat. It gives a bonus attack on either a crit or dropping the target to zero on your turn with a melee attack. If that bonus attack also crits or drops its target, does the feat trigger again?

Neptune #871326 Thu 19/01/17 18:50 UTC
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No, because it allows you to make that attack as a "Bonus Action". You only get 1 Bonus Action on your turn, so even if you did kill a creature with the extra attack and received another Bonus Action, you would not be allowed to use it.

Neptune #872093 Mon 30/01/17 16:42 UTC
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Level up completed, just this latest treasure share to add to sheet. smile

Neptune #872108 Mon 30/01/17 18:44 UTC
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Die roller paid me back for the max on the Paladin HP roll. Warlock HP roll a 1. Should have gone average. smile

So converting the book to a Warlock spell book. smile

Ignored the Pact since I don't have to choose yet.

Neptune #872121 Mon 30/01/17 21:03 UTC
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Book?

BTW, Warlocks don't use Spellbooks, nor do they memorize spells. They just have a list of spells they know and they can cast any of them, at any time, up to their allowable Spell slots.

They also recover ALL of the spell slots at every short rest (which makes up for the fact they get so few slots).

Neptune #872235 Wed 01/02/17 06:00 UTC
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That works. Thanks.

Neptune #873308 Wed 15/02/17 14:58 UTC
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Can we see what looks like a tumbledown section of tower to the left of the main entrance? Might be worth scoping this out as an alternative entrance? smile

Neptune #873327 Wed 15/02/17 16:58 UTC
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You can certainly scout the entire castle using any means you like taking all the necessary precautions and assuming all the possible risks smile I gave you the "far distance" description so as to not lead anyone by the nose-ring.

You can assume at least 40' of clearing with little cover as you approach the castle from any side. But I'll provide such details as you take action. The rest plays out in character.

Neptune #876725 Mon 03/04/17 16:03 UTC
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There are lots of questions that a "readied" action raises. As a reaction, you lose your reaction. They must be regular actions so that does not include bonus actions, but you can use a "move" as the reaction: "I run away if I hear a noise" as an example.

Here's the text from the PHB (actually, one of the SRDs):

Quote:

"Sometimes you want to get the jump on a foe or wait for a particular circumstance before you act. To do so, you can take the Ready action on your turn, which lets you act using your reaction before the start of your next turn.

First, you decide what perceivable circumstance will trigger your reaction. Then, you choose the action you will take in response to that trigger, or you choose to move up to your speed in response to it. Examples include "If the cultist steps on the trapdoor, I'll pull the lever that opens it," and "If the goblin steps next to me, I move away."

When the trigger occurs, you can either take your reaction right after the trigger finishes or ignore the trigger. Remember that you can take only one reaction per round.

When you ready a spell, you cast it as normal but hold its energy, which you release with your reaction when the trigger occurs. To be readied, a spell must have a casting time of 1 action, and holding onto the spell's magic requires concentration. If your concentration is broken, the spell dissipates without taking effect. For example, if you are concentrating on the web spell and ready magic missile, your web spell ends, and if you take damage before you release magic missile with your reaction, your concentration might be broken."


As a reaction, the triggered action goes AFTER the trigger occurs. The only way this makes sense is that if a goblin peers around the corner, the trigger for Jaliera is the "move" portion of the goblin's action which means she gets her reaction BEFORE the goblin fires.

Even though the text calls for it "per round". The round for Jaliera is from her turn in round 1 until her turn comes up again in round 2.

But what if the goblins have readied actions? You all saw 3 goblins. They took a turn and fired, it wasn't a reaction to Kriv's breaking down the door. They hadn't gone yet and took their actions (note: Goblins get a bonus action to hide). But other goblins might be lurking that DIDN'T go. They might all have readied bows for when they see you. So, what's good for the goose, is good for the gander, right? That means that Chandan could summersault through the door and look for someone to attack, but the goblins with readied actions will get to shoot BEFORE he gets his attack.

There's lots of discussion about "readied action" on the Internet because it can be confusing. I figure that this is a good time to lay out how I interpret things - right or wrong.

And my attitude is that as long as I'm consistent, it's all good.

Oh, one more thing. Zeim said: "and you can't change your mind, or you lose your turn."

Since it's a reaction, if you get the chance to use an opportunity attack, you can until you use your reaction. So, you can forego your reaction for the opportunity attack. You don't get both.

Neptune #876727 Mon 03/04/17 16:14 UTC
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<sigh> so much more confusing and ambiguous than 'the earlier eds' <weg>


MikeD
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