USGA_Elite Character Discussions

This thread is for discussing USGA_Elite's character please do not post anything here that is not related to USGA_Elite's character and yes collaborating with USGA_Elite is consider fair postings.

Please make your rolls in here and outline what your are doing so that I can give you feedback on the world. Do note though this game borrows heavily from the Forgotten Realms so you can use information from that setting to outline your background.

so i see that we already have one bard in the group. that was honestly my first pick so is there another role yall would want me to fill?

im thinking of a halfling monk or rogue

if you want to play a bard there is no reason we cannot have 2 bards -- I have a group that made a whole troupe

however we actually do not have a Bard --- Barb as in short for Barbarian-Paladin

Here are my rolls.Results : 12, 15, 11, 15, 13, 17

Well eventually yes --- but there is a Caveat -- you can only start the game with 10gp all the rest needs to be spent on resources of some sort, however if you need help with that just ask

I also just added an equipment spoiler please use that to show your gear as that speeds things up dramatically on my end

Okay I will revisit this and post something here in the next day or two -- but it should work just fine

BTW I thought you wanted to play a Bard ?? ;)

Well now that I know bard is available I would like some input from the group if y’all would rather a bard or a monk coming along. If I do monk I am interested in doing the "Way of the 4 Elements"

Ask that in general chat just in case they are not paying attention to your creation thread

We have a barbarian/paladin and a wizard. Do what you like to play. Remember that this will be a game with a wilderness theme. So be careful with the bard, as they can be very city-based

Well its wilderness and village so there are elements of many potential things here it all depends upon what you the players choose to pursue and Bards are fairly good all the way around if you ask me -- of course Monks can be pretty good themselves

I will go with my first choice and play a halfling bard then. I’ve got the bones of the character already. Working on flushing it out.

Okay sounds good

I’m a little confused on how to use the equipment spoiler.

And when entering your spells, the drop down menu on the right, is that the stat used I’m my casting of the spell or is it the stat the target uses to save from it?

Also on the skills. Is there a way to mark expert? Or is it just proficient or not proficient?

If you are talking the character sheet you can alter the skill name to add the verbiage "(expert)" to denote that but other than you can cover it in the Feats/Abilities column
The former if you put in your Attribute it calculates both your Attack Bonus and Spell Difficulty Class based on that
That is a template that you fill in -- aka what equipment you received for your class and your background -- what you sold because you chose not to keep it then what you spent all your extra coin on. Check out some of the other players creation threads

Ok I am getting closer to having everything done. One thing I didn’t see was a wagon repair kit. Could I get one of those and how much would it be?

Also if I wanted something made out of wood, like a little stage or something, would it be better to just buy the carpenters tools and wood and do it or just pay to have it done? Something like that isn’t on the list and I didn’t see anything about hurting a carpenters service anywhere.

Okay to make it simple use the stats for a Carriage and call it a Stage-Wagon and we will know that that means. Basically think a gypsy style wagon that one of the sides comes down to create a walk out on stage.

Hmm a Wagon Repair Kit okay I can create one of those along with some guidelines to go with it but you will need Smiths Tools to use that kit and this kit simply augments the Smiths Tools to allow you to fix wagons so some equipment and some parts.

Wagon Repair Kit (10gp)[10 lbs](6 Uses*)
This repair kit requires Smith's Tools to utilize. Roll 1d6 if it is equal to or less than the remaining uses the necessary parts are available to make the current fix. It costs 1gp to replace a use. Thus additional packs (6 uses) can be bought (6gp)[6 lbs] but they cannot be combined.

Ok so my wagon will be Stage-Wagon. got it. Same cost as a wagon or a carriage?

Not being proficient with a tool set doesn't stop you from using them right? you jest cant add your proficiency bonus correct?

Same as a Carriage but we call it a Stage-Wagon to differentiate the build.

Not proficient in tools means that you are not so good at it but yeah you can still use them most normal repairs are pretty simple

That being said what did you take as a Background?

So for background I choose Entertainer with the flavor of being a street hustler.

Ah okay I was thinking perhaps you could have swapped the Tool Proficiency using your background but the ones you have are probably going to be needed. Not all backgrounds are so well attuned as the Entertainer seems to be. So yeah simple repairs can be done by your character but your character is not going to be very good at it.

Actually I could see there being more value in having proficiency with tinker tools or smith tools for what I have in mind rather than the disguise kit. If I could swap smith tools for disguise kit I would happily do so.

Also with my spells, i never really understood, if i have a focus do i still need all the components for those spells and I would need to put all those on my purchased items correct?

As per the straight PHB Guidelines yes you can make that Tool Proficiency swap -- so feel free to do so -- also I will allow Tinkerer to work instead of Smith if you want that one

Per the Guidelines for Spell Focuses -- they replace all minor components which are any component that does not have a present cost associate with it -- if it lists components but no prices these are generally considered minor components and a Spell Focus can be used instead.

Perfect thank you. When do you need me to be finished with everything by? I'm fairly close to being done. just trying to spend the rest of my money.

The sooner the better but how ever long you need -- if you want assistance with spending the coin I have helped other players do so and would have no problem helping you as well

How does the getting a + weapon work? I don't see that info anywhere. I saw it once but can't remember now.

How does the getting a + weapon work? I don't see that info anywhere. I saw it once but can't remember now.

Each +1 cost x5 the price of the item so a full +1 To Hit and +1 Damage costs x10 with the max being a full +2 for a x20 cost however you can get odd ones as well -- +1 To Hit +0 Damage or +0 To Hit +1 Damage costs x5 and a +2/+1 or +1/+2 cost x15

Level 1 Health
9 hp

so my total health should be 15. is that right?

Okay I am pretty sure that no class any longer as a 1d4 hit die for it so you are off some

Hit Die: 1d6 = 1d4+2+Con Mod
Hit Die: 1d8 = 1d4+4+Con Mod
Hit Die: 1d10 = 1d4+6+Con Mod
Hit Die: 1d12 = 1d4+8+Con Mod

I thought I was supposed to take my hit die and subtract 4.

Or am I supposed to add 4 to each of those rolls? Barr’s hit die is a d8

Right your Hit Die is 1d8 from which you subtract 4 giving 4 which you then add to a 1d4 so you end up with a 1d4+4 instead of 1d8 thus instead of 1 to 8 you get 5 to 8

Ohhh now I understand. Using the same rolls that makes my health a 22. Much less squishy. Ok I have submitted my character sheet. Let me know if I have messed anything up or missed anything

So would the Mask be an appropriate patron for a street hustling showman?

Mask would work just as long as your character is of one of the allowed alignments (LG, NG, CG, or LN)

Are we to submit our backgrounds to you in any kind of way? how much are we to share with other members of the group?

You can post your backgrounds here in your Character Discussions threads -- if you have parts you would rather I see only you and use Note to restrict who can see it -- but you do know stuff about one another of course once I see your backgrounds and those of the others if I notice anything I think might be a nice cross-over I might make the suggestion and let you the players decide -- of course you the players and make suggestions to cross-overs as well

Backstory:

Ashton and Mai (May) were a traveling duo spreading laughter and merriment everywhere they went. Rolling into a town or settlement they would set up their stage and as Ashton won over the crowd with feats of amazement and wonder with knife and axe throwing his sister Mai worked her way from pocket to pocket through the crowd. Plenty of time they got busted but if it was Ashton who took the fall and got locked up then Mai would just sneak in and bust him out. If it were the other way Ashton would simply convince the guards they wanted to let her go.

This was how it went for the duo until it wasn’t the law who caught them but rather a thieves guild. Catching both of them they didn’t have many options. But instead of intense torture and probable death Ashton convinced they were more valuable as employees the fertilizer. So Mai stayed with them and Ashton was sent back on the road using his traveling show as a ruse but really taking contracts for the guild and their associates.

Either with an assignment or if there is and underbelly to meet up with them. I imagined this arrangement has been like this for a few years so I am not watched as close now there is some trust built up. Does that work with what you have lined up?

Anything and everything works with what I have lined up because I line things up once the players have completed their characters. I have a starter concept in place but the players are not required to take that path and so far one of the groups has not -- at least initially.

Also from what it sounded like you are working for a nefarious organization (yes/no) although there is an alternative group you could have been caught by that is not so nefarious but still secretive

I feel like not so nefarious but more secretive is what I was going for. Nefarious sound more "evil" than the path I was working toward. You know more the doing good in the shadows while hiding in plain sight kind of feel. Does that group have a name or is it one you creating now?

Okay then I will go with that group but due to how you were brought in you are still on a trial basis -- but yes they are not an evil group but secretive mostly what they seem to want is information and keeping bad folks from doing bad things or getting their hands on things that would let them do really bad things

Doing what is generally perceived to be bad to stop more bad. - possible company moto lol. Sounds perfect. Is there anything you are missing from me or does all my stuff look to be in line?

Okay - no we did not establish that there was a contact here for Ashton to meet up with nor did we establish exactly what his current assignment was while being here.

So I can give you some general assignment if you like -- and/or you can suggest an assignment -- of course whatever this assignment might be it cannot be construed as being potentially harmful to the village or its citizens since you did take that oath and all -- so what kind of assignment(s) would you like to be on -- it could be one or more than one

The group I was having you hook up with currently does not have a contact for you to meet here or at least they did not mention that there was one -- as such your character can assume that he is to be contacted by some means eventually -- maybe someone already there or someone arriving later on -- however he often simply gets messages via little coded notes attached to birds or via the bird directly or some other equally secretive means -- sometimes he actually gets a real live humanoid body but that is fairly rare -- while he seems to be trusted a bit more than initially he still seems to be at arms length -- he does receive letters from his sister and she is being treated well-enough although she's fairly bored and would much rather be with him.

I don't know why but I completely missed the above message before lol.

As for assignment I was thinking something along the lines of an item or information on a surrounding area that the "company" had interest in.

Also I never asked, are we or can we use the optional class features?

Optional Class Features ?? What do you mean by that?

Scroll down to the part titled "Optional Class Features"

Your text to link here...

Okay I followed that link and could not find the text "Optional Class Features" anywhere on the page that was rendered??

Weird...anyway it’s a couple features expanded spell lists that came out with Tasha’s.

Here is that link again. It might work this time.

DnD Beyond Bard

Sorry if it's poor form to comment on another players Char Creation forum, but the problem with the link is that USGA_Elite has access to Tasha's and DeJoker doesn't. Here's the same link, one is logged in, the other isn't.




That said, if you'd like to check it out you can use my link to join a dummy campaign I created and shared content:

https://ddb.ac/campaigns/join/18230443409805985

Awesome thank you!

Okay if its in Tasha's I can look it up in my book -- that being said there is a likelihood of that being a no not as is -- as most of things in Tasha's I found to be OP as it seems other GMs feel so as well

Still do not be discouraged -- I have already included something from Tasha's but after adjusting to be balanced -- aka nerfing it some so if you have something in particular you are wanting me to look at please do so and I will examine it and reply here with my conclusion

Mainly this to make the bardic inspirations more versatile and the expanded spell list (I really like the spell slow)

Magical Inspiration
2nd-level bard feature
If a creature has a Bardic Inspiration die from you and casts a spell that restores hit points or deals damage, the creature can roll that die and choose a target affected by the spell. Add the number rolled as a bonus to the hit points regained or the damage dealt. The Bardic Inspiration die is then lost.

Okay I am okay with that with the following caveat in order to keep it from being abused so-to-speak. Further the version of Bardic Inspiration you have must be chosen then but can be augmented as you gain levels.

Bardic Inspiration
The Bard can inspire others through stirring words or music. To do so, they must make a performance check DC of 10 on their Turn and choose another creature other than themselves within 60 feet of them who can hear them. That creature gains one Bardic Inspiration die (d6). Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can use that Bardic Inspiration die. A creature can only have 1 Bardic Inspiration Die. The Bard can use this feature a number of times equal to their Charisma modifier (minimum of 1). They regain 1 Bardic Inspiration when finishing a Short Rest. At first level the Bard gets Mundane Inspiration and when they gain a new level they make keep that or swap it for a different type of Inspiration. At higher levels the Bard can choose additional Inspirations. The die and the number of Inspirations a Bard has are as follows: 5th level d8 and 2 Inspirations, 10th level d10 and 3 Inspirations, and 15th level d12 and 4 Inspirations.

Mundane Inspiration
1st-Level Bardic Inspiration
If a creature has a Bardic Inspiration die they can roll that die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw they make. The creature can wait until after if rolls but before the results are known before deciding to to use the Bardic Inspiration die.

Magical Inspiration
3rd-Level Bardic Inspiration
If a creature has a Bardic Inspiration die and casts a spell that restores hit points or deals damage, the creature can roll that die and apply it to the target affected by the spell. They add the number rolled as a bonus to the hit points regained or the damage dealt up to a maximum of 50% of the original healing or damage done. The Bardic Inspiration die is then lost. The creature can wait until after if rolls the healing or damage but before the results are known before deciding to to use the Bardic Inspiration die.

Inspirational Action
5th-Level Bardic Inspiration
If a creature has a Bardic Inspiration die the can expend that Die to gain a Bonus Action that Turn. Only one Bonus Action can be used in a Turn. Further this Bonus Action can only be used to Attack (one weapon attack only), Dash, Disengage, Hide, Use an Object, or Cast a Cantrip.

Restful Inspiration
7th-Level Bardic Inspiration
The Bard can infuse their Song of Rest with Inspiration anyone receiving the benefits of the Song of Rest may also apply the Bards Bardic Inspiration die to that roll or they can use it to end the affliction of one condition the condition can be one disease, one poison, blinded, deafened, or paralyzed. This does not grant the subject(s) a normal Inspiration Die but it does consume one of the Bard's Inspirations.

Does that sound fair to you?

Pretty fair but I have to admit I don't like that at level 15 I would still only have 4 inspirations as I also use those dice to fuel my blade flourishes. Why not leave it tied to my charisma mod as is in the PH? Also I'm not sure I understand the Inspirational Action. Doesn't everybody get a bonus action on their turn already?

All I am doing is augmenting your Bardic Inspiration -- attaching it to something else would require a much deeper and more time consuming look into game balance.

Still perhaps we might add a Feat (if there is not one already) that increases the number of available Bardic Inspirations but again I would have to look at that in regards to game balance. Or maybe we create a spell that allows you to refresh your Bardic Inspirations.

However do keep in mind at higher levels (cannot recall which one) you recover all your Bardic Inspirations after a Short Rest and what we do not want is that to be OP which it easily could.

At 5th level they come back after a short rest but having only 3 isn’t very many especially with it being what I use for my subclasses abilities. I honestly thought the bard got too few of inspirations to start with. Considering all the things they can do with them and it’s basically the main feature of the class. Compare it to ki points or sorcery points.

And I stop don’t understand about the Inspirational Action

I don’t have a problem if you don’t want me to use the Optional features but I don’t understand the need to rewrite the class honestly

I did not rewrite the class -- and the only difference between the Optional Feature in Tasha book and what I posted was the fact that I added 2 more and bumped the level up 1 on the one you were requesting which I would have done anyway. Oh and made the whole concept of additional Inspirational features a bit more complete thus giving you a couple more options which btw you do not have to use. And like I said if the issue with not enough Bardic Inspirations is something you want to deal with then the potential Feat and/or Spell might be the means to that end. So just to be clear below is the original Magical Inspiration which btw is pretty much the same thing you posted.

Tasha's Cauldron of Everything
So really what is the difference between what I presented and what is listed above, besides the things I already mentioned??

Final Note : As it stands you can have the original Feature for Bardic Inspiration which I have called Mundane Inspiration or you can opt for the Magical Inspiration -- your choice then later on you can have 2 of these Inspirational Features and then eventually all 4

Agh I think I understand where our confusion is. I thought you were saying I would only get 4 bardic inspirations at 15th level. You are saying that is when I can use all 4 types of inspiration

Yes that is correct and I may add a 5th but its a bit more complicated so I am mulling it over and trying to decide if I should or should not and if I do exactly how to do it but its a long way down the road anyway so no rush

Ok so it works more like a sorcerer metamagic options then. I apologize if I seemed irritated or anything, I just wasn't understanding.

Well I would equate it more like specialized spells and specialized spell slots -- the specialized spells are the abilities you know that can be activated using an Inspiration Point and your Inspiration Points are like your Specialized Spell Slots.

So the only thing I am still a little unclear about is the amount of inspirations I have. Right now at level 3 how many inspirations do I have?

Level-1 Mundane Inspiration
Level-2 Mundane Inspiration
Level-3 Mundane Inspiration --or-- Magical Inspiration -- but not both
Level-4 Mundane Inspiration --or-- Magical Inspiration -- but not both
Level-5 Choose 2 (Mundane Inspiration, Magical Inspiration, or Inspirational Action)

Every time you gain a level you can change which Inspirational Abilities you know much like a Sorcerer changes what spells they know.

Does that help you see how it goes ?

Yes that helps with that. But do I have 3 bardic inspiration dice or do I only have one? How many times per short rest can I use my inspiration?

Per the PHB Guidelines you have:
Altered the recover due to the alteration in how long a Short and Long Rest are for this game as follows:
You regain 1 expended use when you finish a Short Rest or all expended uses when you finish a Long Rest.

So the number of uses does not change at all from the basic guidelines and you can still recover them almost as quickly as before or perhaps a bit quicker.

I also stated that if you find this number to be too constraining due to your specific build then perhaps we could design a balanced Feat (if it does not exist already) that would increase the number of times you can use this feature

Ok awesome that's where the route of this confusion lies. I would like to look at a feat, spell, item whatever would be most balanced and feel right to get more uses of it but that can wait a bit. Thank you for working with me on this.

Your welcome but that is what a GM is supposed to do ;)

Hey USGA_Elite I look at the results you rolled for Ability Scores and I see (12, 15, 11, 15, 13, 17)

I look at your character sheet and I see Str 11 Con 13 Dex 15 Int 12 Wis 15 Cha 17

Which if I match them up they are exactly the same so this means you did not take any of the Hin (Halfling) racial bonuses you get for your Ability Scores -- The generic one is +2 Dex and the Lightfoot on is +1 Cha. This came to light as I was trying to figure out which sub-race of Hin you had selected and figured I could just glance at your stats. That did not work but I did see you had taken Naturally Stealthy so that means Lightfoot. Did you just forget to add the racial Ability Score bonuses? Or am I missing something?

Nope just straight up forgot! lol Thanks for the catch! I'll add those now.