zstix / Gus Dorrenson

Welcome @zstix

This thread is for your character creation. Take a look at welcome and character creation.

If you have any questions you can post them here or if you think they are general on the Q&A

I've got the basics entered into my character sheet, but I still need to go back in and add details.

The high-level concept is a cook who travels to learn new recipes and find new ingredients. He's always optimistic (almost annoyingly so) and believes that any issue can be solved by a well-prepared stew. He's a bit of a packrat (never knowing what might be good for the next meal) and his backpack is comically big for his small gnomish frame. When in a fight, he'd probably use his chefs knife and frying pan.

If that sounds cool, I'd like some help figuring out how a 'cook' trait would work. Maybe something around healing or perhaps diplomacy via food.

I'm also not sure what magic item makes sense. A bag that holds more than than it appears might make sense. It would be a funny image to see a little gnome slowly pull a full kitchen-worth of stuff out of his bag to cook a meal.

If you don't mind another player's thoughts on this ...

You specifically mentioned healing and diplomacy. We can play with that. Basically, let this new trait give the base abilities of both the Healing trait and the Charismatic trait, but only in conjunction with a freshly prepared meal. So, it is versatile in that it gives the advantage of multiple traits, but is limited by circumstance. So, for example, the healing can't work in combat, but can during downtime.

Something like:

Cooking: A hearty meal is its own magic. You are a master of the well prepared, hearty meal. After spending a full hour preparing your hearty meal, your meal provides the following advantages:
- The meal provides sufficient nourishment for a full day.
- Anyone consuming it will heal two HP.
- Provides Advantage for you on any die rolls when dealing with others during the meal. You also have Advantage when talking others into joining you for your meal.

Obviously, this is just a general idea. The GM will have to balance things. (Is a full hour really necessary? Can it cure disease, too? Things like that.) But, something like that should work.

Oh I like that approach to a healing mechanic: something for recovery / bonding after a fight rather than an in-combat tactical action.

Perhaps a meal could offer a one-time advantage on a roll of the eater's choice (to simulate being "well fed").

That said, I'm open to whatever mechanic makes sense.

magical item - Myriad Seasoning Shaker : Once a minute you can change the contents of the shaker to any other common seasoning you are familiar with.

As for a trait these are my initial thoughts. It requires a bit more preparation but becomes versatile. I will think of it (try to streamline it as this systems focus is simplicity) and we can nail it down.

Cooking: A well prepared meal is its own magic. You are a master of the culinary arts. By spending half an hour preparing a dish for 4 and passing a standard test the dish can give a special benefit. Roll with advantage if you spend a full hour. Multiple dishes or effects in a single dish can be prepared at once but all use the same roll and each dish requires its own success. (max of 3 dishes for 4)
A full serving of a dish can provide one of the following benefits when consumed:
- The dish is twice as nourishing. Feed 8 with 1 dish or 4 can last all day on one meal.
- The revitalizing food allows them to heal two HP
- The nourishing food allows a save with advantage against any ongoing illness with advantage after a day of rest.
- The stimulating mix allows advantage on tests against fatigue, exhaustion, and to remove the effects of intoxication.
- Those that eat the dish view you favorably so all social tests you roll with them have advantage for the rest of the day.
While preparing a dish you have Advantage when inviting others into joining you for your meal.
You have advantage to recognize edible, healthy, or harmful substances.

Great magic item and I love the feat.

The edible substance identification is a nice addition too. I'll add this stuff to my character sheet and fill in the remaining details in the next hour or so. Thanks for helping craft this build!

I filled in the character sheet except for the details about the quartmaster trait. Is there anywhere I can look up the trait details?

Let me know if you'd like me to do anything else. If everything looks good, let me know and I'll say "hullo"

The official quartermaster trait applies to a mechanic we do not use, dealing with equipment wearing out. However, the idea of knowing how to procure or maintain materials can be adapted.

options include . . . with details to be hammered out
Artificer : Roll a test to create or shape an item any item you wish . . . .
Packrat : Roll a test to see if your bulging pack "just so happens to have" a small item that fits your current needs . . .
Quartermaster : Roll a test to know how to obtain, through any means necessary, items of interest . . .

I think the packrat angle would work well from a roleplaying perspective.

Packrat : You start with a larger custom pack of sturdy build with loops, hooks, pockets, flaps, mesh, and more that holds more than most might even suspect. You habitually squirrel away items found and add minor items to purchases with all of it going into your pack. Roll a test to see if your bulging pack "just so happens to have" a small item that fits your current needs. Roll with disadvantage for larger items.
There needs to be a limit to how much you can "pull" out of your pack but these are my initial thoughts.

Go ahead and submit your character as directed by the character creation process and I will look it over.
If you have not selected something else your pack could even qualify as your minor magic item that has an additional benefit.

Ah.... I was hoping your weapon was the frying pan. Sigh

I debated it but didn't want to come off too much like Samwise from LOTR. That said, I fully plan on using the frying pan in addition to my chef's knife.

This doesn't matter anymore, but while looking through the Tiny Compendium 2019, I saw a Halfling Heritage. Most of it is irrelevant due to Psybermagi's reimaging with the Duende, however, one of the heritage traits was Halfling Cookpot:

Halfling Cookpot: When Halflings have time to cook, they can spend one hour preparing a meal for their friends. The Halfling may make a Test. If successful, roll 2d3 for a pool of Hit Points. These Hit Points must be shared in total among those who partook of the meal, allowing them to heal. A Halfling may only do this once per day.

So, just as another data point for how to handle such a trait.

Just for fun, they also included these additional options. The first four add abilities to Halfling Cookpot. Do note that the last, Liquid Courage, is completely independent! In a way, it is functionally giving you two healing potions a day for the cost of the alcoholic drink being imbibed.

Gourmet Chef: I learned with the very best, studying under Ramm Zay, Feeary, and more! When making a Test for the Halfling Cookpot Trait, you gain Advantage.

Hundred Weight Feast: Dagda’s Cauldron couldn’t feed as many as I can! It’s also great on salads. When using Halfling Cookpot, you restore 3d3 instead of 2d3.

Fast Food: Whadda ya want, dear? You may use the Halfling Cookpot Trait twice per day.

Exotic Ingredients: I only cook with the very best. Kraken Liver anyone? Each obscure or strange ingredient you add to a dish when you use Halfling Cookpot adds +1 to the total Hit Point pool generated. If you have the Alchemist Trait, you may add +2 instead, but all who eat must make a Save Test or lose 1d3 Hit Points.

Liquid Courage: It might be the beer googles talking, but he don’t look that big... Twice per day, when imbibing an alcoholic drink, you heal 2 Hit Points back.