[Recruiting] 80s D&D Cartoon Level 20 Endgame!

Ranger, Barbarian, Magician, Thief, Cavalier, and Acrobat!
I am Dungeon Master, your guide in the realm of...


You've traveled between Earth and the Realms for years, defeated countless foes, and earned the title of Defender of the Realms. As you've increased in power, so have your enemies. Now your guide and friend, Dungeon Master, has disappeared and only you can find him. Something feels different about this adventure, however, and you know that it may be your last!

✅ Venger! Dungeon Master! Uni! This 5e one shot is based on the 80s D&D cartoon in all its fun and cheesy glory! Expect lots of fighting, intrigue, and hopefully boisterous roleplaying!

✅ Character Gen: Characters start and end at level 20! 27 point buy or standard array. Use any official sources. No Unearthed Arcana. All characters are (variant) human. There are currently no options!

Hank the Ranger – Ranger – Energy Bow! (Arcane Archer Fighter played by BedzoneII)
Eric the Cavalier – Fighter/Paladin/Cleric – Griffon Shield! (? Cleric played by Shadowace)
Diana the Acrobat - Monk – Javelin Staff! (Drunken Master Monk played by timplausible)
Presto the Magician – Wizard – Hat of Many Spells! (Wizard played by Ezz.)
Sheila the Thief – Rogue – Cloak of Invisibility! (Arcane Trickster Rogue played by RageRed)
Bobby the Barbarian – Barbarian – Thunder Club! (Barbarian played by Jabes.plays.RPG)

•Your characters have lives on Earth but pick up epic weapons and cross dimensions to battle evil on a fairly regular basis. You don't have to play the characters/personalities from the cartoon but their classes/close approximations will be required. Your Rogue can be an Arcane Trickster, an Assassin, a Soulknife... Whatever you prefer. Your characters may even have multiclassed over the years but just have the final product obviously be based on your character of choice. Hank the Ranger seems more like an Arcane Archer, and Eric the Cavalier could easily be a Paladin, Cleric, or Fighter, so just make whatever you come up with awesome and recognizable. Extra DM brownie points will be given to anyone who plays Eric the Cavalier as the sensible individual he really was. :P
•Approximations of the iconic weapons will be provided, and they will be upgraded since these are epic level adventures. In most cases, extra magic items will be provided to collectively aid in this upgrading so I don't have to homebrew too much. These truly powerful weapons are jealous entities which want to be wielded as your sole magic item. Depending on your character, you can have +3 armour and +3 weapons which do not require attunement or have additional properties. You're level 20, you've most likely collected lots of cool things. Specifics and other possible magic items will be discussed once players are selected.

✅ Game Duration and Post Frequency: 5-6 posts a week depending on everyone's schedules. There will be 5 encounters so... 6 months IRL depending on how well you all stomp?

✅ Adult Content or Controversial Themes: Just the usual D&D murder and mayhem. This adventure really won't be that deep. If there are any things in particular that are triggering or just icky, please let me know. Things I always avoid: torture and sexual violence.

✅ Specialized Software and Resources: We can have a Discord server if you want but it is not required.

✅ Player Experience Requirements: This is an endgame adventure. Experienced 5e players are probably best for this and to help keep a polite eye out for any DM mistakes. I'd prefer experienced players but I'll gladly take on people who are committed, consistent, fun, polite, and can spelz gud.

✅ About the DM: I started playing D&D with 3.5 and continued through 4e into 5e. My first RL DMing was in 4e, and I've been playing and DMing both 4e and 5e PbP and IRL since 2012. I've only run two level 20 one shots before IRL but those turned out quite well. I'm a proud Lovecraft cultist but this game won't contain any sanity-smashing tentacles. Most likely.

✅ How to Apply: Post character concepts below, your experience with 5e and PbP in general, and a bit about yourself.

✅ LGBTQIA+ and other marginalized groups are always welcome! The DM belongs to two such groups, so the more the merrier!

✅ If you have any questions, let's chat!

Thanks Annex! I booked my slot!

Basic Concept: Sheila the Arcane Trickster

I've been playing some form of RPG since I was six, when someone would tell me to roll the dice for my character. I have been DMing/GMing for about 15 years now and have played and run 3.5, Pathfinder 1E, and 5e. I have yet to play a high end level character in 5e and want the experience to better familiarize myself.

I can spell quite well and even when I make a mistake and discover it, I will go back into a post and fix the mistake. I am a member of at least one marginalized group.

Not a D&D player but just wanted to say I love the concept.

I have a new game starting on Sunday and so won't be applying, but this looks brilliant.

And your advert...

Yes this is fantastic. While I'm in one lvl 20 game already I would like to allow someone else to get into this game, but if you happen to have problem filling slot of either Diana or Presto I would be thrilled to take any of them

I haven't seen the cartoon and just watched two series and would promise to watch more if I get into the game. Besides I would need to watch few more series before I understand what sub-class and which feats would best reflect the cartoon character.
I'm seasoned DnD player (all player levels) and DM. I've started PbP last summer and I believe I have finally get used to it :). I do like to "keep eye out for any DM mistakes" and do my best to make it polite, though I have been banned from one game for doing that - so probably I fail to be polite...

I'm not too fond of to tight character restrictions and Sheila is the only character I would be interested in. She is the only one I really remember from the cartoons, but since @RageRed already called dips then I'll hope you all have fun ;)

Welcome aboard, RageRed! I'll DM you info on the upgraded Cloak of Invisibility and we can work out the details of your Arcane Trickster.

This is a super interesting premise! I've never seen the show, but I figure it would be a good idea for my general DnD education to watch a few episodes. Apparently there's a fan-made series finale that matches up to an official script that never got made.

Anyway, this could be one of very few chances I get to play a high level character. A short game sounds perfect for this sort of premise, count me in! I'd be happy to play Eric the Cavalier, Presto the Magician, or Bobby the Barbarian (I recently played a monk, though much lower level). I'd be happy to take whatever choice of those 3 hasn't been picked.

I've got plenty of 5e experience and have been PbPing for a few years now. I haven't played a tier 4 character, but I'm very comfortable with the rules.

Regarding a character concept, I don't have one because I'm happy to play any of those three classes. I also haven't watched the show yet, but I'm looking forward to watching it, though I doubt I'll FINISH the show before the game starts. I'd like to work the characters real lives into their "fantasy" world character somehow.

Awesome! I await your PM and admission into the forum.

The show's 80s nostalgia for me but I definitely can't tell you every in and out of it. I'm hoping to capture the broad strokes and some of the more defining and interesting characters. If you want to, watch the highest IMDB-rated episodes to get a good feel for the show. I'd love some RP about moving from 21st Century lattes to pseudo-medieval ale and back again, etc. It's like jumping back and forth from Jumanji.

Here's the very well done fan-made episode based on the finale script featuring many of the original voice actors.

Please check back to see how things are progressing with the character selection so there's still a spot for you. Or bite the bullet and pick one now!

Hi there. I used to love watching this show when it was on. I'd like to play Eric, and I'm picturing him as a Champion Fighter with maybe some shield related feats. I've been playing and dming D&D since 1985, and have been through about every iteration there is. I've been playing PbP for a few years now. Not much experience with 20th level in 5e, but I've played plenty of high tier games in other editions, and am very familiar with the 5e rules.

I'll go ahead and pick Presto the magician then. I'd like to see what sort of insane shenanigans a level 20 wizard can get up to. I've never used the Wish spell before and I'm looking forward to it!

Welcome aboard, JoshuaMabry and Ezz.! I'll invite you to the game now and PM you when I get home from work in a few hours.

Awesome, thanks for having me!

That's 10/10, I'm not applying myself but I just adore the idea and I thought that you ought to get the kudos that you so rightfully deserve for it.

Thanks. And referencing Murdoch Mysteries shows you're a person of refinement and taste.
Thank you. I hope the game is as fun as the concept. :)

I grew up on these cartoons but must admit I don't remember a whole lot. That said, I haven't yet had an opportunity to play Level 20 in 5th Edition, and one-shots are my jam these days, so throwing my horned helm into the ring for Bobby the Barbarian!

If anybody else expresses interest, however, I'll be happy to defer to them.

Oh boy, oh boy. Not only did I watch this show when it was on and love it, but I even own the DVD collection.

I'm actually a little hesitant about playing level 20. In my decades of D&D play, I've actually never played any character higher than about 12 ot 13. And high level spells seem so "where's the challenge in that?" BUT, I'm willing to give it a go for the love of the cartoon.

Sadly, Eric has already been claimed. I would love to see him "redeemed" from how he was written. Trivia: did you know he was written to satisfy parent groups that wanted a character that sent the message "going against the group is bad"?

Anyway, who does that leave for me to play? Actually, it looks like Diana is the only one left. So call me Diana (full disclosure: behind the screen, I'm an old white dude - I'll do my best).

Now, is someone going to play Uni? ;)

Now... what would level 20 Diana be mechanically? Rogue seems like a top choice. I'm tempted to have some levels in Bard, for the showy acrobatics, but that would bring in spellcasting, which doesn't seem to fit. Swashbuckler rogue, maybe - the high mobility of that subclass would work well to simulate acrobatic combat. Monk, on the other hand, also seems like a good fit, since she is mostly a staff + unarmed combatant. Let me go off and study the options.

My 2 cents: I bet Way of the Sun Soul is closest for Diana as she was in the cartoon. Nevertheless if you DM is open to alter the lore of monk features as far as mechanics stay unchanged I would argue that most of the features of Drunken Master perfectly translate into Diana's fighting style and you could come up with special lore for Drunkard’s Luck feature which does not

If someone comes along who is a big fan of the show, I'd be happy to relinquish my seat, seeing as how I haven't seen any of it yet.

@GreyWord - I was just thinking the same thing about Drunken Master. Its abilities seem a great fit - they just need to be justified as skilled acrobatics instead of seeming drunkenness.

Now I'm thinking maybe 17 or 18 levels of Drunken Monk, with 2 or 3 levels of Rogue (for skill expertise: Acrobatics, cunning action, and maybe a subclass ability)

Welcome aboard, timplausible and Jabes.plays.RPG! I'll invite and PM shortly. And you beat me to posting that awesome Robson Michel art, Jabes, but there are many other great ones to share still.

This filled up far faster than I expected. If anyone else is interested, follow the adventure and, should there be any unfortunate player loss, I'll announce a look for replacements. Or if you're a reeeeeeaaaallllyyyy big fan, maybe you can take Ezz. or Jabes up on that offer.

Just another voice saying what a cool idea this is! Love it and hope everyone has fun. Even better, it's public so we can follow along!

The enthusiasm on this game is incredible, so much so I feel like I called dibs too early it's almost unfair. (Confession: I share some games with Annex, and may or may not have heard about this before everyone else). For that reason, let me offer my spot to someone else. Hank is now up for grabs so that one more of you can play in one of Annex's games.

Who's always wanted to play with that magic ever-loading bow of energy arrow awesomeness? *arcane archer anyone?

Same, if someone else wants to take the reins on Presto (the only character with a weird name, which makes me wonder if Presto is his real name), especially if you're a big fan of the old cartoon, let me or Annex know!

Don't all jump ship at once. I'm just getting started! :P
It's really (drum roll)... Preston!

That makes more sense, haha!

Not jumping ship by any means, more than I feel guilty about snatching up the ticket.

On another subject, I'm thinking about Preston's build. Definitely (primarily) wizard, but there's a combination of good luck and pure chance in him. Maybe 19 levels of wizard with 1 level of Wild Magic sorcerer. We can work out how that works later. Still need to figure out a subclass, though.

I've got all the wild and random magic you can ever hope for in that Hat. ^_^

As I said to Bezdone... If any truly rabid fans come along, you all can give up your seats. I just want everyone to have fun.

I'm here for a good time :-D

And Presto's definitely School of Conjuration: As a conjurer, you favor spells that produce objects and creatures out of thin air. You can conjure billowing clouds of killing fog or summon creatures from elsewhere to fight on your behalf. As your mastery grows, you learn spells of transportation and can teleport yourself across vast distances, even to other planes of existence, in an instant.

I'm inclined to agree. I watched a couple episodes this evening, it's hard to argue anything else.

This artist on Deviantart has some amazing artwork of each character from the series after they've grown older and wiser. The portrait of Diana is now 100% how I plan the think of her in this campaign. You have to sift through all his art to find the D&D cartoon characters, because they aren't tagged as such. But it's worth the effort.

RoBsOn on Deviantart

Good stuff, @timplausible! I've seen that monk portrait plenty of times before without realizing it was meant to portray Diana!

I came across another artists's rendering of grown-up Bobby:



I rewatched the first episode, as well as that fan-made finale that @annex linked to. Fun stuff!

In the cartoon, Bobby is Sheila's kid sister. Annex did say we don't have to play the actual cartoon characters/personalities but if @RageRed thinks it would be fun to do brother & sister then I'm game!

I plan to stick as close as I can to an adult version of Eric from the show.

I have the same plan with Diana - taking her character from the show and trying to extrapolate into an older version.

Yes, Bro!

Hello, adventurers!

Due to RL intruding on our fun, we have an opening for the role of Eric the Cavalier!

We're still early in the game so there shouldn't be too much disruption. I'll look over the submissions and make a decision in conjunction with the other players.

If you're interested, make a post including...
1) Who are you? What's your gaming experience? Can you commit to contributing regularly and meaningfully in a campaign which will hopefully last another year?
2) What appropriate class and subclass would you play him as (Cleric, Paladin, Fighter, etc.)? Bear in mind that The Shield will be his primary source of very cool magic item-based abilities.
3) Who is your Eric? I hope he's evolved in the past decades. What are his relationships like with the other characters? The players have crafted some well-rounded versions of their characters but I'm not expecting pages of backstory. We established Eric as a loving husband and father of two who still had some snark but was a much more mellow person. As I said elsewhere, extra DM brownie points will be given to anyone who plays Eric the Cavalier as the sensible individual he really was.

That's it! Get writing! Once a good crop of applications grows, I'll reap then separate the wheat from the chaff with the other players.

This sounds amazing. I will write something up tonight. I went back and found the episodes on YouTube a few years ago and went through them. Brought back great memories

1) Who are you? What's your gaming experience? Can you commit to contributing regularly and meaningfully in a campaign which will hopefully last another year?

I've been playing and DMing D&D on and off since the 80's and have played basic, 1e, 3.5 and 5 among other non d&d rpgs. I do have play by post expirence (mainly from another site - I found this site maybe a year or two ago) and can commit to posting regularly.

2) What appropriate class and subclass would you play him as (Cleric, Paladin, Fighter, etc.)? Bear in mind that The Shield will be his primary source of very cool magic item-based abilities.

In the show he was enough of a smart aleck that Paladin may not work. That could have just been because he was voiced by Potsie though. lol
A fighter would work, but I had not thought of him as a Cleric before. I Think that could really work here. Aside from being a healer, there are some good ranged spells that I think could easily be explained for his character.

3) Who is your Eric? I hope he's evolved in the past decades. What are his relationships like with the other characters? The players have crafted some well-rounded versions of their characters but I'm not expecting pages of backstory. We established Eric as a loving husband and father of two who still had some snark but was a much more mellow person. As I said elsewhere, extra DM brownie points will be given to anyone who plays Eric the Cavalier as the sensible individual he really was.

Sticking with Eric having a family as noted, I think he would have matured over the years to be a touch less cynical than he is in the show - a little snark may remain though. I could see him working with Presto and Elminster to have learned the spells he has available to him as a Cleric. He still has a big heart and does have a voice of reason regarding how to approach challenging decisions.

I'm your Eric!

First let's just get this out of the way. Eric is definitely Lawful Evil, he just looks really good doing it.

Trained in deception with a charisma score of 14 Eric is most certainly a charming man, and armed with his cleric of trickery buffs, he really makes everyone believe that he is a good guy. But he's ultimately serving his own brand and amassing power in a cult that probably revere him as some kind of God.

Sure he runs all those charities and heals the sick. He makes ample coin in free will offerings as well to do it. And manages the Worlds most effective Orphanage. Crime rate is near 0 in his city. And no one goes hungry.

This is all a second to the one thing Eric loves. Eric is the Son of Bhaal, he loves combat. He is the single most feared man in the realms, and for good reason. The moniker Eric the Red, it is in honor of the mountain of corpses he built his reputation on. "The trash takes itself out." He once said as quoted by his Hobgoblin Sidekick The Poet Jubal, before dying of mysterious circumstances after publishing the definitive story of Eric's life.

Eric has exceptional Notoriety, having Subdued both Tiamat and Zariel in the Killing Fields of Avernus. He went on to destroy the Black Sun, which was the Avatar of his Mortal Enemy Cyric, claiming with the act the title "Lord of Murder."

His Mount is Named Mirehoof, a green burning Nightmare. The two ride the skies in search of miscreants and smiting them and repurposing their possessions to serve his domain. Whether or not this makes him a pirate is immaterial, he seems to have convinced people this is the right way of operating.

Eric is tragically stupid. Self-serving stupid men find themselves in trouble often. Which is why Eric is super grateful to have such fine company as he keeps. Eric pays for the most lavish food and accommodation for his companions. It begs to question what he does in his spare time. The lack of adventurers from his domain seems to suggest he spends all of his time killing monsters, adventurers, bandits, and entities beyond recognition or definition. Selling the loot on the open market, and reinvesting in his kingdom's infrastructure and educational development. This treatment seems to be similar with his assosciates.

This bumbling through life has been remarkably profitable. Eric sees no reason to stop.

Sounds like a perfect recipe for a mirror-universe style D&D cartoon game Jomsviking! (Now you've put thoughts in my head for how such a game might be like.)

There's many ways to play that particular character. Diabolical Liar would be fun. But I think 80s cartoon means I have to play this Doofus as totally sanctimonious, he's never once questioned how he could possibly be wrong because all the people who have tried to prove him wrong lost.

Like Sterling Archer.

For your game I'd probably play him like Tom Arnold in True Lies. The voice of the unreasonable, truly over doing over kill. (But I'd play Barbarian Zealot and Cleric MC because it just... rules.)

I loved this program as a kid and is a main reason I got into RPG’s, and sadly Eric was my favourite character!

I love his sensible approach to things and his ability to point out the obvious dangers, even if everyone ridiculed him for it (especially that self righteous Ranger!) and painted him as a coward.

I was inspired to play a cavalier character for years because of him, as well as once creating him for another game which never took off sadly. He was an fighter with shield master feat.

I just want to say I love your concept and have an opportunity to express my love for this character, I hope who you get does him justice.

The cartoon certainly touched a lot of people positively. I hope I do it justice in my own way. Feel free to follow along and see how the story develops!

And thanks for the interest, everyone! Keep those character ideas coming!

See he's Lawful evil and stupid and self serving hahaha.

I'll leave this open until Monday night. Anyone else who's interested should speak up now!

Thanks for your interest, Jomsviking, but we've decided to go with Shadowace as our Eric.

No complaint here. Remembering well Eric's philosophy. "The group is always right, the complainer is always wrong."