daryen / Skeeve

Beast speech allows rudimentary communication with anything that can think but has no language.
Griffin yes, owlbear yes, dragon no, unicorn no (the speak Sylvan), etc
I haven't used giant eagles yet so haven't had to deal with that one specifically so it's an unknown at this time

Sweet! Thanks!

As said before, I am assuming that Skeeve can speak the language of the fey (i.e. Sylvan) and whatever the local common tongue is. So, I should have unicorns covered, too, but that has nothing to do with Beastspeaker. :)

@Psybermagi,

New question: Can I use a one-word Sunder spell to "break" magic? Since it is just one-word, it is likely temporary (maybe even just a round or two). But can the concept of "Sunder" be used metaphysically rather than just physically?

That seems reasonable.
My concept of it is the word is tied to an aspect of reality. So the magic "sunders" a target.
However a 1 word scroll will not be able to destroy anything stronger than a 1 word magic.

Also if you created a 3x Sunder magic spell you can disrupt something much stronger than just 3x Sunder anything scroll which will still be stronger than a 1x Sunder magic though less precise

But can it also disrupt? So, again, a 1-word magic can't actually permanently break the spell/magic. But it might be able to disrupt it for a little while. I do agree that for big magic, a 1-word magic isn't going to do much. But can it do something?

Yes

As an aside, I see that Skeeve has gained enough experience for a new Trait. Is there some timing that is required to get it. I.e. does it need to happen in some kind of down time? I don't know what I want yet, so we have time, but it is "money" "burning a hole in my pocket", so I wanted to ask.

I have a few options I am thinking of, but I'm not sure which will work best.
- A low utility but cool choice is Die Hard, for that "no, I'm not dead yet" benefit.
- The completely utilitarian choice is Healer, since we can't seem to get any of them to stick around.
- The other big choice is to find some way to expand my magic, whether a published "gem" specialization or something custom to this setting. (Skeeve really wants to be able to work the tiles without the need of Fiznik's spell storing gem.)

Also, is there a limit to the number of Traits one character can have? Just want to make sure of that, too.

Adding new traits or skills is a downtime activity, so as soon as you get somewhere safe to sleep, IE the Manor, you can add one.

I mixed a magic school with a martial arts discipline for a compat magic character in the game I play. I dont have the other source books but understand there are myriad magics already built for Tiny. You can mix some forms of magic and propose new one.
Ex : This should let you access the tiles functions much better Geomancy : the magic if patterns and dimension Arcane Barrier: Wall of force with 2 HP blocks all attacks till destroyed but all attacks automatically gain Focus against it. Shift: move any object or creature to anywhere in their current or an adjacent area. A Save is allowed if the target is unwilling. Weave Sense: You detect connections beyond normal perception including deciphering unknown languages. ???

Did you see my PM to you?

Ooo. That Geomancy sounds very interesting. I'll definitely keep it in mind! Still might take Healer, though. Not sure.

And I saw the PM now. I'm in on that!

Geomancy : The magic of patterns and dimension
Impede: By locking a section of reality into stasis you create a 10x10' translucent barrier with 1 HP. This prevents all movement and blocks all attacks until destroyed. All attacks automatically gain Focus against it. The dimensions can be halved to double the HP. 5x5=2HP 2x2=4HP, 1x1=8HP.
Shift: By folding reality you can move any object or creature you see in your area to another location in your area. Test with disadvantage to extend the range to or from an adjacent area. A Save is allowed if the target is unwilling.
Apophenia: You detect connections beyond normal perception including deciphering unknown languages.
Restoration: Your touch can repair items and heal wounds. You restore 1 point of damage per success rolled.

still not curing disease or poison as those are limited to Healer but this would help basic adventuring and you can get potions for the other stuff
Shift is a bit redundant with your existing magic so we can think of something else

On Shift, it depends. If it is more like a very short ranged dimension door, especially if he can use it on himself, that becomes very useful. If it is just a fancy Push, then, no, it isn't as useful as it becomes redundant. But a short range dimension door is cool because you don't physically move through the intervening space; you disappear then reappear. Plus, it would make a cool teleporting tie-in with the tile pads.

Actually, both the Wrinkle and dimension-door Shift would *both* tie in well with the tile pads.

I was thinking a short range teleport usable on any/all

Then that's perfect. I like that a lot, even if there seems to be a bit of overlap. Skeeve'll be taking that when he can!

I figure he learns this by finding a forgotten book in the Manor's library. (As a side note, Skeeve is regularly haunting the library when given free time. Not exclusively or anything, but he is still doing research when he can.)

The one question on the short-range teleport, now that I think of it: I am assuming that the source and the destination must both be visible to Skeeve. If using it on himself, then he just needs to see the destination. Is that correct? If so, can the path be obstructed? So, for example, can he look through a keyhole and "pop" into the other side? Can he look through a window and pop into the other side?

I cleaned up the spells a bit and yes, shift can go to any area you see, though windows, bars, key holes etc.

Ok, that will definitely be my next Trait! I'm pumped!

Thinking about the spells I want to work a bit more on Impeede and Shift. The basic ideas should work but I am trying to ballance it with existing traits and spells.

Impede: Test to create a translucent barrier until the start of your next turn or untill destroyed. Once created an action without a test is required to maintain a barrier.
The basic barrier is 10x10' and stops all movement and attacks. Attacks damage the barrier as if the attacker has Focus and the barrier has 1HP. The dimensions can be halved to double the HP. 5x5=2HP 2x2=4HP, 1x1=8HP.

Shift:Test to move any object or creature you see from an area nearby to you or vice versa. The shift cannot bypass sold barriers. Test with disadvantage to extend the range of the source or destination. A Save is allowed if the target is unwilling.
EX: 2d6 Touch to anywhere within 25' or vice versa, 1d6 touch anywhere within 50', vice versa, anywhere within 25' to anywhere within 25'. Shift through bars but not Impede or glass.

Tweaking things to make them balanced is cool. And I am good with solid things stopping the Shift. That makes sense. (I mean, obviously, I'll be happy if solid barriers don't stop it, but I more than understand if they do.)

Perceptive: What has been seen cannot be unseen. You gain Advantage when Testing to gain information about your surroundings or find things that may be hidden. You gain this even while asleep.

Trapmaster: It’s a trap! You gain Advantage when Testing to create, locate, and disarm traps. You also gain Advantage on Save Tests against traps.

In the other TinyD6 games you play does perception apply to all physical detection? It seems from these two traits that Perceptive is more about more general senses and not for trap detection. Skeeve checked the door but is not really trained with traps and such. I do not think that Perceptive allows advantage for finding traps. Please roll a regular test for that. You can still roll with advantage and I will give additional information but only if it is not trap related in the future.

While I am cool with that ruling and will abide by it, let me offer a little pushback.

When used with traps, Perception only lets you have the chance to find that something exists. It doesn't tell you want you found, exactly (though often it is obvious), nor does it tell you how it works or if it still functions. It just says, "You see something you didn't expect to see." That would seem to fit within the purview of Perception.

Trap Master also gives you the chance to find traps with advantage if you don't have Perception. It would seem to have a slight overlap because of this, but that's OK because Trap Master does *so* much more. It gives advantage on not only finding a trap, but also on knowing what kind of trap it is, how it works, disabling it without triggering it, and setting up a new trap.

So, yes, there is an overlap between Perception and Trap Master, but it is very specific: the ability to detect traps or the evidence of traps. But each also provides much more that distinguishes between them and makes each quite worthwhile and can be worth it for some characters to have both.

But to show why Perception should be able to detect that a trap exists, let me give two examples.

First, the one that actually happened: When Skeeve say the holes around that one door. That is definitely something he should be able to find using Perception. How they work (e.g. shoot darts, release gas, shoot poisoned darts, etc) would require Trap Master to roll with advantage. But Perception will still let him find those holes.

Second, as a though experiment, think of secret doors. I don't think there is any argument that Perception will let someone find secret doors with advantage. That seems obvious enough. But what about trap doors? I would think that if Perception will give advantage for secret doors, then it has to give advantage to find trap doors. Because, what are trap doors if not just secret doors in the floor instead of the wall.

As a compromise, how about we put it this way: Perception should give advantage to detect anything that can been seen, heard, or smelled. (I am ignoring touch because that's usually what triggers something and taste because, uh, duh.) If that seen, heard, or smelled observation leads one to believe a trap is present, so be it. Or, if a trap has nothing observable (i.e. nothing to see, hear, or smell), then Perception can't find it.

To go back to the first example, Skeeve should definitely have seen those holes using just perception. That it was a trap is incidental. Those holes were an unusual feature of that door and should be noted. It is entirely possible that they were nothing. Or they could have been holes to launch a dart trap (which was the case). But Perception should have definitely allowed him to find those holes. Any further examination of those holes would have required Trap Master to figure out if it really was a trap, what kind of trap it was, and the chance to disable it.

Does that make any sense?