# They killed me! (D&D) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 6, 2018, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150 "2018-08-06T01:54:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/21 "2018-08-06T18:59:43Z")
Just go with a paladin/warlock. Best multiclass combo in the game. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/22 "2018-08-06T19:08:38Z")
Ah, the dreaded critical miss house rule. It’s definitely not in the rulebooks, and it makes games far deadlier, often to the point of absurdity (such as in this case). If y’all are content with it that’s cool, but I’d try for a gentle conversation with the GM about moving away from it. If you have a wizard, monk, cleric, and fighter, honestly you’ve got the bases covered. Is there a Face in the party–someone that can handle hard charisma checks? I’m playing a rogue and having a blast (technically a rogue/fighter multiclass, with the inquisitive and battlemaster archetypes). Otherwise, though, given the bases already covered, I think you’ve got a lot of freedom to choose whatever floats your boat. How’s that boat floating? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/23 "2018-08-06T19:10:42Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Just go with a paladin/warlock. Best multiclass combo in the game. Thief/Paladin…not so good. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/24 "2018-08-06T19:24:24Z")
I enjoy critical failure house rules, but defaulting to “you hit an ally” even when it would result in a dead PC is a bit much. Not my game, though! Anyway, I’m currently playing a fighter (battlemaster) 5/cleric (war cleric) 3. It is a _very fun_ combination with lots of tricks and options, though it’s also helpful that I had pretty good stat rolls at character creation. But he’s also filling in healing for a party without a dedicated cleric. If it were me, I’d be looking to fill a niche that doesn’t exist in your party. A charisma-based character would be good. Warlocks are tons of fun and relying on eldritch blast isn’t any worse than a fighter relying on a sword (and you can always go with the blade pact or whatever it’s called if you would prefer to use a weapon). ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/25 "2018-08-06T20:22:46Z")
I was fine with it, because it was fun, and funny. It moved the game forward, and helped create party cohesion. And I’d spent the last two hours of the game leaving headless gummi bears in front of our fighter. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2018, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/26 "2018-08-06T21:45:09Z")
Your party could probably use a face character, and also someone who can use thieves’ tools (unless one of the others picked them up from a background). So bard might be a good choice. Inspiration is also a great way to annoy the DM. Especially given the existence of your crit-miss houserule: Find out from your DM whether “a 1 on the roll” means just on the d20, or on the _total_ roll of dice. If you do go with a high-charisma character like a warlock, bard, or sorcerer, I heartily recommend the Inspiring Leader feat (though probably not on a paladin, unless human: They’re better off maxing both Cha and their combat stat ASAP). Everyone getting level+mod temp HP every short rest is a lot of healing that you won’t have to do. **LHoD** , I hadn’t heard of the inquisitive rogue archetype. Where might it be found? Not that I’m going to be re-making him, but that might have been an even better sub-class for my arcane trickster. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/27 "2018-08-07T11:36:35Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > **LHoD** , I hadn’t heard of the inquisitive rogue archetype. Where might it be found? Not that I’m going to be re-making him, but that might have been an even better sub-class for my arcane trickster. It’s from [Xanathar’s Guide to Everything](https://www.amazon.com/Xanathars-Guide-Everything-Wizards-Team/dp/0786966114), an excellent and very useful book. Other archetypes featured there include the Kensai Monk, the Cavalier, the Swashbucler Rogue and the Celestial Warlock. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/28 "2018-08-07T18:22:39Z")
The answer, as always, is [Gnome Bard](http://criticalrole.wikia.com/wiki/Scanlan_Shorthalt)! Any chance that you could play your former character’s childhood friend - the one you were on your way to meet? That might give your new character a natural reason to join your group. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/29 "2018-08-07T18:58:01Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > Any chance that you could play your former character’s childhood friend - the one you were on your way to meet? That might give your new character a natural reason to join your group. That’d be awkward. “Oh you’re Dorn’s friends! Where’s he at? Ooh, that’s a big sword you got there.” ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/30 "2018-08-08T08:09:36Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > That’d be awkward. > > “Oh you’re Dorn’s friends! Where’s he at? Ooh, that’s a big sword you got there.” “Killed by perytons.” Gives extra FUN! when New Guy discovers what happened to Old Guy. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/31 "2018-08-08T13:18:04Z")
Or more accurately, “died in battle against perytons”. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/32 "2018-08-08T16:07:19Z")
Yes - More like killed by lumbering half-orc with a massive battle axe. I think I’ve decided to strike a cosmic balance with **Chronos** , and have been working on a Blade Pact Warlock with a fiend patron. I’m borrowing heavily from Elric. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/33 "2018-08-08T17:06:55Z")
Fine, be that way. I’ll just bard extra hard tomorrow night! ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/34 "2018-08-08T17:19:58Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Yes - More like killed by lumbering half-orc with a massive battle axe. > > I think I’ve decided to strike a cosmic balance with **Chronos** , and have been working on a Blade Pact Warlock with a fiend patron. I’m borrowing heavily from Elric. Check out the Hexblade from _Xanathar_. It’s tailor-made for the Blade Pact; it even lets you use a greatsword with Charisma as your attack/damage stat. I’m playing a Hexblade now in my own game, BTW, a Half-Elf by the name of Arrant D’Andrea. He is kind of Elric-like, now that you mention it. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/35 "2018-08-08T17:28:14Z")
We have a guest bard who comes in from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2018, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/36 "2018-08-08T17:35:42Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > We have a guest bard who comes in from time to time. Hey, a gig’s a gig. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/37 "2018-08-09T10:14:43Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Ah, the dreaded critical miss house rule. It’s definitely not in the rulebooks, and it makes games far deadlier, often to the point of absurdity (such as in this case). If y’all are content with it that’s cool, but I’d try for a gentle conversation with the GM about moving away from it. I have a critical miss (1 on the die) hit an ally when firing into combat rule in the game I dm, but I am rethinking it, because the rogue who does the shooting doesn’t see it as a negative - she does it anyway, even though 1 in 20 of her shots hit an ally. Been thinking of introducing a feat that means you can safely shoot into melee, but I might just add a 2ac bonus to the target. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/38 "2018-08-09T13:27:18Z")
I hope that you at least don’t apply Sneak Attack damage to the ally. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/39 "2018-08-09T13:32:02Z")
> [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](#): > > Never been a huge fan of critical misses, especially not in D&D family of games. If you have an army of soldiers there’s no way at any given time 5% of them are hitting friendly targets and adventurers are supposed to be way better than an average soldier. I think that if you’re using critical hits (not just auto-hits on a 20) then you should have a balance for it. But I’d go with something like Disadvantage on your next attack roll that combat – as you regain your footing – versus wounding fellow party members, breaking your weapon, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Teuton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teuton/32/3864_2.png) [@Teuton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teuton)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2018, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150/40 "2018-08-09T17:14:30Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I hope that you at least don’t apply Sneak Attack damage to the ally. The first few times I just had the basic damage - die plus bonus - but now it’s minimum damage, which is essentially 7 (1d8+6 - the d8 is minimised to 1). These are level 4 characters with HP in the 20s, so it’s not normally so bad, but it really does hit more often than I’d like. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/they-killed-me-d-amp-d/819150.md?page=3)