Brendenh Character Discussions

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

Please make all rolls in here and outline what you are 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.

First thing's first, this is my first time in a pbp game, so I might have some questions along the way.

I've got a few ideas for characters I could make, but I'd like to hear some feedback on some of these ideas.

The first character I have in mind is a Rock Gnome Artificer. I know in the character creation parameters you limited the sourcebooks to PHB and SCAG, but I figured I'd ask about this one. My main idea behind the character is someone who was raised by parents who owned a potion shop. They are following in their parents footsteps and wants to adventure to learn more about alchemy. They're interested in journeying to the Far Reach because they want to learn from the resources there. If you're not ok with an alchemist artificer, then I'm ok with that. I have the info for the artificer on DND Beyond.

The second character I'm thinking of is a Dragonborn Paladin. Paladin's are usually my go to class when I'm making a quick character, and dragonborns are my ideal race for paladin. I can expand on this character and background if we end up sticking with this one.

The last character I have in mind is a fFolk Bard. Their main drive for wanting to adventure in the Far Reach is to uncover its secrets and bring life and excitement to the area. Again, I can expand on this character's background as well.

Let me know what questions come up. I'm excited to get started with this game.

First let me say all 3 characters would work within this game with caveats on the Artificer only

Okay how familiar are you with Forgotten Realms and the Island of Lantan and the Gnomes that live there? For while SCAG does not include the Artificer class per-sae they do exist within the Forgotten Realms as a whole. However, the Gnomes of Lantan that do that are perhaps a slightly different breed of Gnome than you would find in Eberron and I would like to maintain a semblance of their flavor if you want to proceed with the Artificer within the Forgotten Realms backdrop.

The artificer I'm using is from DND Beyond. I don't own the Ebberon source book. I bought it earlier this year as my wife wanted to play one in our home game. I'm not too familiar with the island of Lantan. If I end up using the Gnome Artificer, then they'll mainly be focused on being a support for the party, hence the alchemist. I'll probably select one or two offense spells, but the rest I'm wanting to use for aiding others or utility spells. I have no problem flavoring things to better fit the world. What's your implementation for the artificer in this game?

Okay well then will you be opposed to the suggested version of the Artificer that I presented to you. As that is what I am using within my game and I would rather not add another interpretation of the class. Further your character could still be support and in fact I believe even better than the one outlined in Eberron which I am assuming is what is found in DnDBeyond (which I do not have direct access to) you would just perhaps be a bit more eccentric as an engineer/scientist goes -- further I would supply you with the fluff that covers the Lantan Inventors (Artificers) who knows maybe you will adopt it as an alternate version of the Artificer for your own games.

However I am trying to ascertain if this is of any interest to you or not as I do not want to shove something upon you that you would not enjoy playing. If it helps here a few pictures that reflect the Gnome I use

Gnome Pic 1

Gnome Pic 2

Awesome! I'll look into what you've sent and compare it to what I've already got. Whatever works with the image I have in my mind.

Keep in mind, I'm wanting to lean more into an alchemist. I like the flavor the mechanics bring to a character using the alchemist subclass. If you feel like what you have in mind fits with an alchemist, go ahead and send it my way. I'll do my best to check in here as often as I can. From what I've seen, it looks like everyone is a bit anxious to start the game.

Oh it works well with all three lines of Artificing ;) and the Chemist branch actually deals with all three aspects of reagents Minerals (alchemist), Animals (apothecary), and Plants (herbalist) so not only will you have the Artificer added abilities to these you will have the basic abilities of each of these available to you as well. Also as a note the 3 branches of specialization are Chemist, Artillerist, and Mechanist. Note those a mostly aesthetical changes partially to remove confusion -- for instance the world already has Alchemists and they only deal with making concoctions from mineral reagents -- so to call the Artificer branch Alchemist is ill-fitting and actually wrong since they cover all three types of Reagents not just the one.

OK, sounds cool. So should I go ahead and make that character with what I have, or are you going to send something that affects the mechanics?

Yeah I should be posting something soonish -- still the only thing that will change is mechanics but the overall flavor/theme will not change -- thus you are basically a Rock Gnome who is choosing to be an Artificer (Chemist) -- those two are pretty straight forward -- your abilities as a Rock Gnome have been updated within the House Rules -- and this should help give you an idea (I hope) of where the Artificer is headed as well.

Basically the concept is that the Artificer (in your case) infuses concoctions with a bit of magic to create various potions, powders, bombs, and the like. Things that a Chemist might whip up in their laboratory given the proper ingredients. Further keep in mind I have been working to expand and quantify what someone can do with the various Tool proficiency that your character will know how to use (those being Alchemist Tools, Apothecary Tools and Herbalist Tools). Upon this we then go a step further when we step into the arena of the Artificer since they are the experts when it comes to these tools and what one can do with them.

The basic Class Features are as follows :

Hit Dice : 1d8 per Artificer Level
Proficiency : Light Armor, Simple Weapons, Hand Crossbow, Choose 3 Tools
Saves : Dexterity, Intelligence
Skills : Choose 2 from Arcana, History, Investigation, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Sleight of Hand
Equipment
The character starts with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by their background:
* Any Simple Weapon of choice
* Light Crossbow, Case with 20 bolts
* Studded Leather
* Any 2 Tools of choice
* Dungeoneer's pack or Explorer's pack

Okay Brendenh I have a question for you (and anyone else that might be peeking in) what kind of Technomagic base equipment can you think of -- and what 4 types of such equipment would you like your character to start with. I am not going to be using the Infusions outline in Eberron as they do not mesh with this world setting well nor do they convey the conceptual idea of what I feel Artificers should be about. Currently I have 7 basic items that most Artificers would potentially make Technomagic items out of these being....

Hats, Googles, Cloaks, Tunics, Gloves, Boots, Crossbows (Hand, Light, or Heavy) but I am sure there are more and I need at least 5 more fairly generic items to cover things that Artificers might make.

For instance Googles would represent visual enhancers such as Night Vision, Infrared Vision, Dark Vision, Microscopic Vision, Telescopic Vision, "Detect Magic" Vision, etc...

Hats would probably have mental and/or skill enhancers

Crossbows (also include firearms) reflect things that shoot energy as well as things used to shoot orb bombs and such

So again this is a dual question --- what kind of technomagic items can you thinks up --- and what kind of technomagic items would you like to start with (you get 4)

As for the ones you would like to start with -- if you cannot think of the device simply describe what you envision it doing

I am thinking of making Googles a standard device -- as most pictures have them wearing these and they are perhaps the most versatile item I can think of as well as being protective eyewear since things sometimes go boom

Okay Brendenh I posted a write up on the Lantan Rock Gnomes and the Artificer origins and how they play into the game world -- your character is basically a hybrid artificer as those are the ones that go adventuring. So you can decide just how much mad-genius and industrious-crafter your character is and how you want to go about portraying them.

But that should hopefully give you a solid foundation to work from -- look forward to hearing from you.

I can think of a couple of technomagic items. Bag (backpack or side-bag), walking stick, books (think pop-up books but apply some magical effect), tool kits, water-skin/canteen, and a pocket watch/locket. I'll have to think on what my character would want. So you just want 4 basic ideas for mundane items turned technomagical?

I'll be more leaning into a character that loves learning new things rather than the mad scientist type, but they might occasionally dip into a bit of madness here or there depending on how excited they get.

I'll get looking into what you posted about the Lantan Rock Gnomes so I can get to building the character ASAP. Do you have a link or something for what the artificer will get at each level? Looking for more mechanics stuff so I can understand how to build them better.

I have been working on that since you opted to play one -- prior to that it was a brain-child mostly since I had no reason to change it from a brain-child into actual mechanics.

I have given you some of the basics already -- and some of the basics are kind of reflected in the Artificer as it is outlined but the biggest change is how the magic is going to work as they use Technomancy or technology powered by magic so I am currently working on that -- again I think one of the perhaps standard items I am going to give all Artificers are a pair of goggles and then allow them to pick 3 others -- or assign them a few based on their area of expertise. Your character being a Chemist needs to pick up Alchemist Tools, Apothecary Tools, and Herbalist Tools as their 3 Tools they are allowed to acquire. The Artillerist and Mechanist would pick up a different set of tools as their focus is down a different path of Artificer

Have you looked at the Rock Gnomes re-defined abilities yet ?

Sounds good, I'll wait to hear what you have. I'll probably go ahead and assign Intelligence as the highest stat followed by constitution and dexterity. I've started looking over the lore behind the rock gnomes you have. Where are the re-defined abilities?

Where all altered Guidelines can be found Character Creation Guidelines > House Rules (please read) then look within the 2nd Thread under Race Types for the spoiler Gnome Sub-Race: Rock Gnome

I think the Technomancy thing will give you a pretty good idea of where I am going with the Artificer -- as one of the things an Artificer can make is bigger more advanced version of that Tiny Construct.

Do you mind if I just use the artificer info I have on DnDbeyond? I enjoy homebrewed material, but I honestly won't have the time to read through what you've sent to understand how your artificer works and build my character in time to start the game soon. I have read through the lore you posted and feel I can flavor things to fit the world. With how much I've been working, I wouldn't have the time to get through everything anytime soon. It has nothing against you, It's simply the free time I do have is limited.

I've been working 60+ hour workweeks in my warehouse.

I do not know what you have on DnDBeyond but if it is the same as the one posted for DnD5e then there is not much you need to learn as it is basically the same thing -- just post here what you are planning on doing with that version of the Artificer and I will make any translations that are needed and then you can just take it in smaller bit and pieces -- again the overall concept is not much different -- you are just a little less a cleric-type and bit more a bard-type in basics if that makes sense

I'm going to have to back out. I was looking forward to this, but my work schedule has me beat. It sounds like everyone else has their characters ready, and I don't want to keep everyone from playing. Good luck on with the game! It really seems well thought out.