Likewise!
I saw Ghan was down as a top tracker.
Is that because he has the Survival skill and high Wisdom?
How many skills do characters have?
Bitur (indeed anyone!) is welcome to have a ‘Pass without Trace’ from Ghan, if that helps him.
Will we ever schedule a real-time session one weekend say?
Interesting concept, Glee is in England to make it extra hard.
I’m New Jersey of course and I know Naf is nearby. Elendil’s Heir is also Eastern time.
What time zone are you?
I’m in Chicago, so I got Central time myself.
I’m in the Chicago area, as well.
I’m retired so I could consider it. (I’m on GMT.)
I am going to be particularly busy from now through Nov. 3 (Election Day), but am willing to try.
Hoopy, tell us more about Grávund, please, unless you’d rather wait to reveal all its bells and whistles during the adventure. I’m intrigued by this mechanical badger of yours.
I’ll happily share the info. Grávund is what is called a “Steel Defender”. It is a feature of the Battle Smith subclass of Artificer. The defender can take on any sort of appearance of a 2 or 4-legged creature, though the archetype is a riding dog along the lines of a mastiff.
The stat block can be found here: https://5e.tools/bestiary.html#steel%20defender_erlw
The class description for the defender goes as follows:
By 3rd level, your tinkering has borne you a faithful companion, a steel defender. It is friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See this creature’s game statistics in the steel defender stat block. You determine the creature’s appearance and whether it has two legs or four; your choice has no effect on its game statistics.
In combat, the steel defender shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take one of the actions in its stat block or the Dash, Disengage, Help, Hide, or Search action.
If the mending spell is cast on it, it regains 2d6 hit points. If it has died within the last hour, you can use your smith’s tools as an action to revive it, provided you are within 5 feet of it and you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. The steel defender returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored.
At the end of a long rest, you can create a new steel defender if you have your smith’s tools with you. If you already have a steel defender from this feature, the first one immediately perishes.
Also Eastern time zone.
Fascinating - thanks, Hoopy. I see the Steel Defender has stats just like a PC or NPC. If I may… is it actually alive, in real-life terms, or Tolkien or D&D terms? If so, is it sentient? Can it only function with you around to give it orders, or can it operate autonomously? If the latter, for how long, and how complex could its instructions be? Can it be ordered by you to obey others? Does it have any kind of Three Laws programming or the like? Could its control ever be taken away from you remotely?
The Steel Defender is not so much sentient as smart like a very smart war horse or war dog. In fact, they are most typically mastiff looking. Basically the artificer makes the defender and then powers it with magic while imbuing it with a minor spirit very much like a familiar.
Note: Most familiars are now just spirits with a temporary physical form. They can even be dismissed temporarily into their own pocket dimension. Basically a small den in the Wraith/Light World of the Elves (for my M.E. game). But there are actual physical familiars also that are usually more powerful but bring the hazard of being killable.
There is a certain Black Cat at the workshop that is quite real and very scary. He is the forefather of all the Lorien Cats and was born under the Light of the Trees.
Very interesting - thanks! Any thoughts on my other questions?
Can it only function with you around to give it orders, or can it operate autonomously? If the latter, for how long, and how complex could its instructions be? Can it be ordered by you to obey others? It can operate somewhat autonomously. It can be left to guard. Or sent to retrieve and other simple instructions like that, but it is meant to be with the artificer most of the time, under his direct command.
Does it have any kind of Three Laws programming or the like?
No, it can hurt other creatures on command. Not a robot but a minor spirit. Some are basically evil and some are even mischievous. It is pretty close to a familiar. The badger would not be evil or mischievous as a Lawful good engineer has built and cared for it.
Could its control ever be taken away from you remotely?
Anything is possible with magic, but there is no standard mechanic for this other than some charm related spells.
Right now I’m trying to let the party know each other and allowing for interactions. Also letting people familiarize with how I’m running the world.
If you want me to speed it up a little I can. Let me know here please.
Hmmm.
This would be a good fir for me, as I play a lot of 5E and have read LotR many times.
I can follow the thread, and if you need another brain to pick feel free to message me. Althernatively, if you have room for another, let me know and I’ll think of a character.
Do you allow Xanathar’s Guide to Everything? (mainly for the subclasses). If not, no sweat.
@MHaye I’m allowing almost everything official for classes, so XGE is fine. For feats & backgrounds UA stuff is allowed. Heavy restrictions on races but usually a way to allow some flexibility. I also have a list of custom races.
Ursanoids Large humanoid bears 7-9’. Due to size & shape little armor fits and few small wpns work. Cannot use bows at all. They are fierce warriors. Racial tendency towards maces, mauls, axes, hammers, fists & claws. NOT shape Changers! Mvmt 30’; Relentless Endurance: When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can’t use this feature again until you finish a long rest. Prof. in Intimidation. Advantage on Perception & Survival checks that rely on smell.
+2 Str, +1 Con 7-9’ terrible w/ bows; Get 30’ Swim or Climb
Ages 10-15 25 35 40 45
Selkies : Seal people, Shapeshift to a seal form, as human form small ears and very light fur of Body. Adv. Smell Perception, Choose 3 stats Shapeshift to a human form 30’//60’
Ages 14-20 40 60 85 120
Beorning +2 Str/Con +1 Str/Con; Bonus Action shape change to Bear; Animal Handling; Most animals don’t attack
Elves Immortal & Dark vision 120’ Ages: 15-30 31+ 3000+
Durinfolk Free Grudge Bearer Feat (Orc Kind)
Druadan Woses +2 Wis; 4’0-5’0 70-120#; DV 60’ . Survival can Expert , Nature, Fire Resist; Durable Feat
Ages: 12-15 25 35 50 70
Drûgs, Woses, Pukelmen, Great Foraging, Meditate so ½ sleep. Can make & use poisons that do 2d6 or on a DC11 Con save a d6. Choose an extra Save proficiency. Thus far they have only Druids & not Clerics. They generally don’t trust other races.
Hobbits Prof & +1 with Slings, Short bows, Rocks; Free Bountiful Luck Feat
Ages: 19-32 70 90 110 144
Speaking of which I have to update the Dwarves.
Grudge Bearer vs. Orc-kind: Advantage in 1st round; Their Opp Atts are at disadvantage; 2x Prof Bonus for Int check on Orcs. @NAF1138 & @Hoopy_Frood
| Player | Character | Class- Subclass | Race | Sex | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NAF1138 | Gwaelur | Fighter - BattleMaster | Khazad Dwarf | M | The Tank |
| Glee | Ghân-buri-Ghân | Druid - Shepherd | Wose | M | Healer & Support |
| kenobi_65 | Ceol | Paladin - TBD | Rohirrim | M | Holy Knight |
| Hoopy_Frood | Bitur son of Bofur | Artificer - Battle Smith | Khazad Dwarf | M | Skillster & Brick |
| John_DiFool | Hejren | Wizard -Divination | Wood Elf | F | Artillery |
| Elendil_s_Heir | Thoroncir | Fighter- Cavalier | Dúnedain | M | Leader/Protector |
| NPC Renee | Gilraen Telcontar | Cleric - Life of Estë | Dúnedain (½ Elf) | F | The Princess/Healer |
Thanks.
I had two basic ideas.
A Barbarian from the shores of the Ice Bay of Forochel, with the Path of the Storm Herald. Terrain choice would be Tundra.
A halfling Bard that wants to be like his idol Bilbo Baggins, who knew everything about everything. He would have to face the lure of easy multiclassing (he’d want a level of Wizard and a level of Cleric (Knowledge), eventually).
That last sounds fun, actually. Start as Bard 3 / Wiz 1 / Clr 1 and wander round in a breastplate. Starting class would be Bard.
The Hobbit Bard sounds very interesting. Probably a Took or Brandybuck?
Keep in mind, Int & Wis skills are well covered but the party has little in Cha & Dex skills.