Pressgang Booth

All character creation type activities will happen here.

Current Character Creation Rules:
Stats - Point Buy
Level - 5
Allowed Sources - All published WotC material. UA on case-by-case approval.
Starting Equipment - Standard equipment, 500 gp/player
Magic Items - Everyone can start with either two Common Magic Items, or 1 Uncommon Magic Item. It will be a high magic setting, so expect plenty of opportunities to acquire things.
HP - Max first level, Roll or Average/Class for each level above that (whichever is highest).

There are 6 officer positions in the UA that need to have some kind of representation. The Captain will start as an NPC, but all the rest can be filled by NPCs or Players, I have no strong leanings either way. Multiple players can fill the same role (for example, there could be three people that can serve as a Bosun, though only one can make checks at a time).
Captain
First Mate
Bosun
Surgeon
Quartermaster
Cook

Consider if you want to have your character fill an Officer's role, or just a member of the crew.

I gave Zale the Sailor background. He has the Tavern Brawler feat for shenanigans.

Will have a look at magic items. I don't have the DMG. Is this document an acceptable source?

With his skills, I think Zale would make a good Cook.

I'm considering giving my Swashbuckler a level of Fighter to get either the Mariner or TWF fighting style. Is UA Waterborne acceptable?

That document is an acceptable source, though there are a number of common items in Xanathar's Guide that you could also choose if you don't find something on that list that strikes your fancy. I've approved Zale in the meantime. Zale would make a solid Cook I think.

Jabes, that UA is acceptable.

I'm putting together a wizard that should be a good candidate for either the captain or first mate positions. I know one of you is putting together a storm sorcerer, who I figured uses powerful AoE attacks, so I've gone with mostly control and single-target to avoid stepping on any toes.

Taking first level HP to be 8, plus 10 for levels above that, taking the 5 from rolls, and then average (4) for the other three makes for 35HP.

A question about UA, is Sea Sorcery off the table? I'm considering it.

I'm OK with that one!

Sweet!

I will be playing Srisa of the Eastern Reef, daughter of Triton royalty who is in exile from the deep as part of a ten year rite of passage. I figure she'll be a Redemption Paladin of Persana and a ship's surgeon. Her Lay on Hands ability can heal wounds and cure disease, and she herself is immune to all diseases.

She could also fulfill the role of a negotiator / diplomat. She'll be able to use her channel divinity to gain a total of +12 to a cha (persuasion) check (assuming 18 Cha).

Uncommon magic items ... Clearly we should all take immovable rods, chain them together, and then Srisa will just swim up to enemy ships, set the rods in front of them, and watch them destroy themselves. XD Just kidding.

What's the story on swimming in plate armor, Dramasailor? I believe RAW it doesn't have an impact, but I should probably check with you first. If not, I'll probably take +1 plate and play the role of battlefield medic.

So, Dramasailor, I've something to pass by you. I was hoping to do a 'gunslinger' using dual hand crossbows with an Arcane Archer fighter. To my dismay, Arcane Archer specifies a shortbow or longbow. Would you be okay with allowing it with crossbows or not?

Yeah, that's fine by me. It shouldn't throw anything out of whack in terms of economy. Plus, if it gets too out of hand, you may find that pirates have learned some arcane methods similar to that *devil grin*.

Since I was late to the party I will have to change a few ideas around.
Air Genasi, Storm Sorcerer, Quatermaster.
Grew up in the mountains and could only ever dream of the sea he saw everyday so far away and the freedom it represented.
Long story short he found way down and joined a ships crew not long after. His natural affinity to the weather and previous knowledge of its patterns made him suited for navigation.

Zephyranthes Ariti

A sea sorcerer and a storm sorcerer? You guys should team up and be a superhero duo!

How bloodthirsty are all of your characters going to be? Or perhaps a better question is what are your characters' alignments? I don't plan on playing Srisa as a squeaky clean paladin, but if we're making a pretty amoral or even an evil team here, I'll switch to be Oath of Conquest or something with a bit more sass. She will still have all the healing power and fulfill a similar role but with fewer moral quandaries.

I went for neutral. Not necessarily willing to kill, but has no qualms about self-defence.

I have Submitted Cecillia: aasimar sea witch. Orphaned as far as she can remember, she grew up learning to be a musician, not aware of her celestial heritage. On a job providing entertainment for sailors during a voyage a kraken tore the ship asunder, and pulled her down into the depths. Long story short some of her celestial abilities awakened, and it seems she was cursed (blessed?) by the kraken itself, giving her strange magic and blue skin (actually really glad I found a portrait with blue skin so that I could include the detail). She now acts as an adventurer/mercenary in addition to musician, feeling a need to protect others.

I just need to write up the backstory and pick out my items with the extra gold, my uncommon item will be the stone of good luck.

To answer lenpelletier I am playing neutral/chaotic good-ish. Nice and helpful to people on her side, but will tear up anyone who isn't.

Edit: Aw yeah 1 extra health point.

Roscoe is self-serving. Won't slit your throat without a very good reason. Won't help without something in return either, though he understands goodwill sometimes makes better currency than gold.

I will also roll for better than average hp! Nope! Average it is.

I'm going to switch Srisa to Oath of the Ancients. I will give all the nature-themed stuff an oceanic flavour - instead of vines, my channel divinity will ensnare people with anchor chains or kelp, for example.

I think the Oath of the Ancients is more applicable personality-wise for a pirate-themed adventure, given that the tenets are all about being jovial and delighting in song and such.

Okay, Srisa of the Easter Reef is submitted. D&D Beyond character sheet.

Hmm, I learned that +1 Armor is considered a rare magic item, but a +1 shield is uncommon. I suppose I'll go with that instead. Naw, Cloak of Protection is better. With 500gp, the best armour I can afford is Splint. Any penalty for swimming in heavy armour, Dramasailor?

As a Triton, no, you wouldn't suffer any penalties.

Currently we have:
campeador - Zale (Water Genasi Monk)
lenpelletier Srisa (Triton Paladin)
somebox Cecillia (Aasimar Sea Sorcerer)
Bleak - Need submission
DM_Apexwolf - Need submission
Jabes.plays.RPG - Need submission
Oxbox - Need submission
Remus - Need submission

Sorry Drama. End of week and weekend got crazy. Will have the character submitted today.

It's all good! Just keeping the group up to date as people work through all the choices. I'd like to get us rolling by mid-week, provided everyone gets polished up by then. I know the pending holidays will have an impact on the US-based players. :)

Using an advance focus and having a dagger. The blade is made of a high density crystal used as a focus.
He uses a chained with blades on either end like Blades of Chaos but connected to each other not separate weapons.
Taking the HP average as 4 is pretty good on a d6.
Hoping Multiclassing is ok. Want to go one level of fighter to get some weapon profs and a bit more HP for a total of 39.

For the Kusarigama(blades of chaos) I wanted to use the lance stats but add finesse as a trait. Not much brute force is used for that weapon. Taking the damage down to d8 to offset the additional trait advantage.

HP:
Level 1 (Rogue max): 9hp
Level 2 (Rogue average): 6hp
Level 3 (Rogue roll): 9hp
Level 4 (Rogue roll): 8hp
Level 5 (Fighter roll): 7hp
TOTAL: 39

I didn't realize we were allowed to choose the average after rolling. Giving it a try...

Oops, 1st Level should be maximum, right? Do I ignore the first roll, or the last? Hehe!

Ignore the first roll. :)

1st (maximum): 11
2nd (average): 8
3rd (average): 8
4th (roll): 8
5th (roll): 10

45 HP in total.

Updated my sheet. Thanks!

I’m going to Play Oxandren a chosen of Valkur Paladin Storm Sorcerer. He will wade into battle with reckless abandon to protect his crew and smite his enemies.

I will take the Bosun position if no one else has.

Oh and taking Cloak of the Manta Ray for my uncommon magic item.

@DM_Apexwolf - What class are you using other than fighter? The weapon itself I'll have to think more on, because as described Lance isn't a good base, and 1d8 may not be the right target damage wise.

Blades of Chaos from Gods of War are more chained short swords, correct? Rather than the kama on one end of a weighted chain.

Are you looking to be making double attacks? Or looking more for a way to have a 10 or 15 foot reach weapon, perhaps with Versatile damage depending on use?

Wanted the reach to keep myself at a distance. The other four levels are sorcerer of the storm so I can keep myself at a distance if they get close with Tempestuous Magic. Yes Blades of Chaos are short swords but I figured the idea of them would picture better with a more popular reference. This is my inspiration for my character. The weapon just fits air genasi to me. I am good with taking the damage down to the d4 to keep it dagger if you prefer.

I wanted him to be trained in an exotic style of fighting from growing up in a monastery high in the mountains. I can keep it the typical kusarigama with a sickle on a weighted chain, that works for me. Use it like two weapon fighting with a whip and sickle just make it into one weapon. d4s/b Two-handed, finesse, reach, special(disadvantage with 5 feet)?

Oh and I can flavor Lightning Lure to act as the weighted chain wrapping the enemy and lulling them close then slicing them with the kama all while having lightning course through the weapon.

We'll go with this as an item I think, if it's good by you:

Windblades
A favorite weapon of denizens of the Plane of Air and their Material Plane offspring, these curved slashing blades are connected by a chain, enabling the user to lash out at a distance in a flurry of slashing strikes.
Damage 1d4 Slashing
Finesse, Special, Reach (10'), Versatile (1d6)
Versatile: When attacking an enemy further away than 5 feet, the momentum of this weapon increases the damage potential of this weapon.
Special: Bladestorm - After making an attack with the Windblades, you may use a bonus action to attack with the second blade, dealing 1d4 (1d6) Slashing damage on a hit. You do not add your ability modifier to this damage.


My thought is if you are in melee range with someone, you can do 1d4/1d4 with Attack and Bonus Action offhand attack. If you have the enemy at range, however, the attack(s) get stronger to emphasize the whipping and pulling motion of the reach attack.

What's everyone else think as well? I like the idea that staying out of range keeps him more deadly with the weapon, but having a penalty of sorts for being close in. I know this isn't the normal Versatile use and I'm totally open to other suggestions/thoughts.

I think that's damn cool!

Sounds pretty nifty.

I like. They aren't game breaking either. Any book reference or you on the fly?

Purely on the fly, hah.

I decided to take the Winged Boots for my uncommon item.

It feels like cheating...

But if you are ok with it, I’m 100% going to use it.

We believe in you Srisa!

Bleak and Remus, how are you coming on characters?

I'm having a devil of a time choosing a magic item! Other than that, I think Roscoe is ready.

Should have mine ready sometime tomorrow, been kinda busy

Jabes, just take the gauntlets of ogre strength and attack with strength. ;)

I considered that, actually. Mechanically it's great but doesn't feel thematically consistent. Yeah, I'm daft that way.

You could always make one of your weapons a [insert name here] of Warning. Seems the kind of thing that Roscoe may do.

A Weapon of Warning is actually my top contender right now. Though I'm very tempted to take something more quirky. :-)

Speaking of quirky, I am considering an Alchemy Jug for drunk shenanigans, or Heward's Handy Spice Pouch to aid Zale's cooking. But the optimal choice would be Gauntlets of Ogre Power. Monks can choose to attack with strength instead of dexterity, can they not?

Yeah, they can treat the attacks as Finesse, basically.

That’s why we like you Jabes.


I want to reflavour my winged boots to some sort of wind gust that keeps me aloft.

I'm good with you having boots that on demand emit a small dervish that grants your flight rather than actual wings

Will I twirl my heavy armor?

My character's mechanics are all done, I'm just still typing up backstory. It should be up tomorrow.

If I take Two-weapon Fighting Style that would negate the not adding ability modifier, correct?

Yes, it would. Basically the special was to allow the single weapon to behave as a two weapon fighting set up. Anything that would modify the bonus action TWF attack would likewise modify the special.

Sweet. Done.

Another inquiry if you don't mind Drama. Would we have had time to use downtime rule to earn proficiency in a tool. Say Navigators tools for Zephyranthes?

Hmmm. Yes. I think everyone could pick 1 additional tool or language if they want to reflect enough downtime over the past 5 levels to acquire such a thing.

There are 10 instruments, between the eight of us and the remaining crew we could easily be the most musical crew this side of Faerun.

No ship is complete without a bangin' band.

I already have the Tsungi Horn as my proficent instrument.

Srisa will have to clap along, I'm going for herbology herbalism kit proficiency.

Hey Dramasailor, are we using the following XGtE rules about tools and skills combining in this game?

Yes, because they are awesome.

Forgot to say, I put my character up last night.

Approved!

How's the character coming along Bleak? I'd like to get us rolling this week, if at all possible. :)

Sweet. I'm gonna be the best navigator ever.

I'd like to apologise for the major delay in my character. It's statistically done, but work has made me just a little too busy and somewhat drained of inspiration to finish off the flavor side of things. I've switched up to an Inquisitive rogue, built to fulfill the quartermaster duty.

I'll make sure it's up for tomorrow afternoon. I'm aware that's a week late, so thanks for your patience.

Thanks for the update Bleak! I know the holidays can be a huge drain on all of us here in the states, and for those abroad, this time of year seems to always get busy with other holidays and things pushing to the foreground.

Rolling health, finally. It's mostly come down to an inspiration issue now, but that's not really any excuse for delaying the game this far.

Magic item will be a Cloak of Protection.

Nice rolls.

Alrighty, in an effort to not see our ship sink before we sail, I'm going to get us rolling across the waves. Bleak, when you get your character submitted, you'll wake up in your bunk on the boat ;-).

Thanks. And sorry once again.