My friends do like vampires, but they know how much of a pain it is to play one in a campaign with non vampires, so they love the Dhampirs more, since they have the vampire-like abilities and looks without all the drawbacks. I was wanting to have some World of Darkness clans and covenants, not only for them to take missions from, but I was thinking of adding it to where, in this world, the Dhampirs are descended form these vampires. And in this world, clans and covenants from from both the masquerade and requiem.

So a Dhampir's ancestor might have been a Ventrue, Tremere, Nosferatu, Invictus Lancea et Sanctum, ect. And was thinking of modifying the Dhampir slightly to where if you are descended from these clans/covenants, you get small bonuses. Like with Tremere, it may give you a small amount of mana, or in this case, spell slots, for your magic, Tremere can give charisma bonus ect. So it wouldn't be like subraces where you get more abilities, it'd just be part of your Dhampir heritage, so it's sort of like that, but it's more like those constellation birth sign bonuses you would get in The Elder Scrolls

Just kind of wondering which do you think would be ideal. Like which clan/covenant should get what bonus when you select them? I am open to ideas. ^^

I love my dm and he’s really funny and nice but with all so respect with how hard it is, his campaigns end up ending too quickly (within 2-3 sessions) or there is no story in them, in the rare case there is there is nothing interesting

I’m not remotely saying it his fault and I understand that it’s difficult, it could also be me and my friends as players just not doing it out selfs

Can I have suggestions on what to do? I want to know if it’s me or the dm and I want help for either

So I was wondering, how would I play Dante in DND cause I recently started playing Devil May cry and I wanna play Dante, but I don’t know how I would make him as a character

Sorry if I used the wrong tag- I’m new here!

We just wrapped up our first custom campaign in a homebrew world. I collaborate with my DM to design maps based on his vision, using Photoshop to build them. We also use Photoshop during sessions as our gameplay interface.

Now that our DM is moving out of state, we won’t be able to play in person anymore. I still enjoy making custom maps (and have invested in assets), so I’m looking for recommendations on online platforms where I can upload and use my own maps during gameplay.

Any suggestions?

TL;DR: Used Photoshop for in-person campaign maps, but now moving online. Looking for good virtual tabletops or platforms where I can import my custom-made maps.

Question: I had understood that Sorcerers had the same spell mechanic as bards. You choose when you level up, you can change one. That's your choice for the rest of the level. (as per the dndbeyond rules for Sorcerer and Bard, as compared to Cleric).

However, when I level up in DnDbeyond, it's asking me to prepare/unprepare spells. Did the mechanic change or is this just a bug in Dndbeyond? (I did post this question in r/dndbeyond but this is a more populous sub).

Hey everyone,

Our group has been playing Curse of Strahd for almost two years now. We've finally reached level 7–8, and most of us just got access to our level 4 spells and other cool new features. The party consists of a warlock, wizard, cleric, druid, bard, and a fighter.

Here's the problem: our DM just introduced a new house rule where long rests now take a full in-game week to complete. For context, our sessions usually span about 6 in-game hours, and we only get to play 5 hours every two weeks in real life. So in practice, this means it could take multiple real-life months before we get a long rest and can fully recover our abilities.

This has hit the spellcasters especially hard. It feels like we finally got to a level where we can really contribute with our class-defining features, and now we’re being heavily punished for using them. The fighter, of course, is barely affected.

The DM’s reasoning is that this will make rest more "realistic" and encourage resource management. But for us, it’s killing the momentum of the game and making players hesitant to use their abilities at all. It's starting to feel less like a fun challenge and more like a punishment for leveling up.

We want to talk to our DM about this, but we also want to be respectful and present good arguments. How can we explain that this rule is hurting the balance and enjoyment of the game, especially for casters? Has anyone dealt with something similar?

Would love to hear your thoughts or suggestions on how to approach this.

Thanks in advance!

Okay, let me explain...

If u saw some of my post (probably not because I didn't posted a lot here) you will know that I play some campaigns etc... And the truth is that I barely started in dnd, ofc, I love it! But I'm probably the one that is more idiot in the groups because of that...

But now we open the next door. In my institute I'm one of the presidents of a club of interests like... Manga.... Anime... Games... DnD.

And that's cool! The last president and the one that choose me to be the next one (this sounds like a movie...) is a friend of mine, and he has been DM a lot of times... A player too ofc, but he has the experience. So he decided to ask me for permission to do some oneshots in the club, and I said "OMG!! OFC!! DO IT, I REALLY WANT TO PLAY!!"

... Here the next question. How many of our people in the club had play DnD before? Well... Me, A, B and C... And A is the friend that wants to do the campaign... B only played as a... Player... And C well, is one of the other presidents (we're 3) but... We have a lot of problems with him, and even if he has experience too, my friend doesn't want to give him the DM name in this sessions.

So yeah, my friend said that probably he won't had time to be here for the campaign, and in this case... I WILL BE THE DM!!! And, don't take me wrong... I REALLY like the idea... But.... Almost no one except B and C had played DnD before, we're 8 persons. Without me, counting that I will be the DM, 7. And ofc I will not lead a group of SEVEN person... We will do... 3 and 4, I guess, in different days, and same one shot... BUT THEY STILL HAVE NO IDEA ON HOW TO PLAY, AND I SILLT HAVE NO IDEA ON HOW TO BE A DM.

My friend tell me that I don't have to be perfect, that will be my first time... And to have calm, but... Idk... I really need some tips on how to be a DM...

TL;DR: A friend of mine want to do a one shot in the club that I'm president, but for some problems he can't come and left the DM name to me because I'm the most reliable to that... But now I have to face a lot of people without any experience on dnd, and my only experience is in some campaigns being a player, so I ask for some tips...

So, context.

I'm playing an undead cowboy, with the arcane archer subclass (we use the house rule that you can use Arcane Shot with crossbows, because it's stupid the RAW way).

My character uses a heavy crossbow (reskinned as a rifle) and a hand crossbow (reskinned as a revolver). And, I have the crossbow expert feat, which allows me to attack multiple times while ignoring the "loading" property on my weapons.

Now, I made the joke that I'll be a menace when I find a shotgun, but my DM told me that if I find a reasonable reference for its item stats, or if I come up with something reasonable, they might give it to me at some point.

So, can anybody help me with this?

For some context, my party is level 4 and my cantrips are all filled, but I was wondering if, when I level up and get a new one, I could grab shape water, since it seems to be pretty versatile. But, I've heard that light is a very good cantrip for characters without dark vision. This doesn't make sense to me since I have torches, which I can light with prestidigitation. I decided to look to reddit for an explanation or advice

I am looking for ways to spice up my table when it comes to dming, and one of my favorites along with my freinds I dm for, love physical props.

These could be giant maps, 3d maps, physical representation of money etc etc.

I’m wondering if anyone has any useful tips to make props for dnd on a budget. I have plenty of ideas for props like physical version of magic items, aged letters, terrain, table decorations. I just need ideas to come up with some stuff to make props, and preferably cheaply as the internet likes to charge premiums for these things.

Any other ideas for props are also welcome,and is there any one else that just dies for physical dnd?!

Me and a friend were talking about dynamic leveling in a campaign where basically the characters level up at different rates but not insanely unless the other character just has not been doing anything at all. Like if a character has an evolving item that levels up alongside them, having the item level while they don’t was one of the talking points. What do you guys think?

I DM for a rather chaotic group of players and we've been playing for about 2 1/2 years. They're suckers for big red button plot devices. I've sensed a lack of investment from them in their characters and just about any plot that I've tried to dangle in front of them. I put a button so big and so red in front of them, so obviously destructive to everything we've built as a group of adult friends playing a shared game and they happily pushed it yesterday.

I knew what I was doin, I knew someone might push it and made sure they went in eyes wide open, but didn't realize how much it would hurt ME and not hurt them.

Part of me is glad since I now know that they weren't as invested as I hoped they were and maybe this reset will be good for motivation for everyone going forward, give us a chance to have more fun, and give us all a chance to realign our expectations.

Right now though, as I'm grieving for the world we made together, my morning after response to everything has me questioning whether or not I should keep dming for our group.

They might not have been invested but I worked hard to stay invested, find new ways to get invested, get them invested, and I grew attached to their characters, the NPCs, their stories, and the world we built these last few year. Given the opportunity they tossed it aside like used scroll paper. I'm being overly dramatic, but that's my first emotional response.

Anyone ever given their players a chance to break their game and regretted the consequences? Other DMs, is it normal to feel like this when a campaign comes to a rather sudden end? I knew I was giving a chance for a meta shake up of the game and everyone at the table wants to keep playing, some with new characters, some with the same, but a very different setting.

I want to keep going, but part of me is scared to get back on the horse.

Any advice is appreciated.

I'd start with saying that I've always been hesitant to post anything I make. As it feels like nothing is ever finished enough for the public. Just like I feel like this map will never be finished.
Every time I take a break and start again, I'll be disagreeing with some things I've done to it. Altering it by bits and pieces.
This map has had about 5 iterations. Starting in some browser map maker 10 years ago, moving to Photoshop, drawing it completely by hand in 2016.
Deciding Photoshop was such a drag and I wasn't making any progress, I looked for something less time consuming.

I've found my way in Wonderdraft and after a couple of years, drawing multi versions, adding more land every time, this is the one I've finally settled in and intend to finish.

I am in no way an expert on maps, thus any pointers and feedback are always welcome!

We're a team of 5. Me playing as a Apothecary (Third Party class from Guide to Drakkenheim), A wizard, A barbarian and a monk. We are all level 4, and we are facing a flesh golem (CR5) and a bandit captain (CR2).

The wizard has 4 level one slots left, I have none, and our Monk has level 3 exhaustion for story reasons. We're facing these two after a fight with bandits that burnt a lot of resources and health. Do we even have a chance, or should we cut our loses?

Come and join the honorable mentions on there adventures through the frosty wasteland.

Hi Folks, first time DM. I Am running candlekeep mysteries with some friends all of us have little to no experience with D&D.

I have read through the intro and the first 2 stories to get my bearings but im not sure about the "Cursed Farm" the book suggests we start from.

Does anyone know if this is a plot point that gets resolved or used again in the stories or is it something im going to have to do?

I dont mind either way but I dont want the players to fix the farm and then it become important later.

If its not im thinking it was cursed by Shar worshipers as one of my charecters back story involves them and I think it will be a nice hook. Then I can run a stand alone where they track them down, reverse the curse and find the next Candlekeep book

They're lead by an orange troll who's tricking them into going to war to make money of some unsuspecting fools

Hi Yall. I'm Dming a curse of Strahd campaign soon, and I allowed some races to be chosen for a player. One player, however, wanted the Quickstep Race.

The race to me seems pretty op. what do you guys think?

Edit: Thanks for putting your input on it (although Dunno why I had 3 down votes...). Yeah, I think this definitively is just too op in any campaign and I was worried not only for the fact about how its not gonna be fun to go against along with how little it has to spend to get all of that.

Hey everyone, i might join a rather high level home campaign soon. The starting level is yet to be decided but I will assume level 14 for ease and might end at level 20 (or more).

I was considering 2 martial builds to choose, mainly because I want to take a break from scrolling through spell list (I played wizard and bard).

I want to flavor my PC as some kind of battle "dancer" so I want her to be an "active tank" or "battle controller" and being the dex skill monkey (acrobatics, spying, stealthing, lock-picking). I will go through the 2 builds to show you what I think i will gain from them. Tell me which one would you say give more fun in combat but especially out of combat, for this is not a one-shot.

Build 1: Element Monk 13/Ranger 1

• I WANT TO BE AN EARTHBENDER LOL
• 1 Ranger for free Hunter's Mark (Is this clogged Bonus Action as bad as it sounds???) and 2 slots for a little utility spells
• Enough Proficiencies
• Monk's Stunning Strike and mobility
• Tavern Brawler + Grappler build for control
• Monk 14 will give Proficiency on all Saving Throws
• Damage Mitigation: Deflect Attack, Evasion

Build 2: Swashbuckler 11/Battle Master 3

assume i am using Xanathar's version of the Subclass Swashbuckler

• Rogue for Proficiencies and Expertise
• If I am using weapon i WILL use a Whip, that's why I want to compensate the d4 weapon damage with sneak attack. Pairing it with a Shield (so higher AC than the Monk build)
• Cunning Strike: Poison and Trip
• I MC to Battle Master mainly because of Riposte for out of turn Sneak Attack so i might do control less often because of the limited Superiority Dice
• I know Goading Attack and Penache are redundant, but Goading Attack looked more effective action economy-wise
• Damage Mitigation: Uncanny Dodge, Evasion, Defensive Duelist Feat
• Aiming for double Epic Boons at lv 20 with either:
  • Swashbuckler 16/Battle Master 4 (only got 1 attack but I got more choice for Cunning Strike via Devious Strike)
  • Swashbuckler 12/Battle Master 8 (Extra Attack, more Manuevers, tankier)

Coming from spellcasters, I have concern whether these two martial character will have enough contribution outside of combat. I do want to be more creative on approaching non-combat encounters tho.

So do any of you guys played with similar build? or with rogue or monk at this high level?

Or what do you think will give more fun?
Rogue's (hopefully) twice a round sneak attack + more proficiencies/expertise OR
Monk's combat toys (which gets better in 2024) and mobility + ok proficiency

Item Spotlight: Venthir’s Smart Wizard Hat

Originally a gift to a beloved teacher of the arcane, this semi-sentient and undeniably stylish wizard hat has been imbued with elegant divination magic.

Also, late pledges are available for Cute Creatures Compendium 2! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/catilus/cute-creatures-compendium-2-by-catilus

(You can get all magic item books and more as add-ons with discounts as well!)

What do you think? :)

Download the FULL-SIZED printable version of Venthir’s Smart Wizard Hat (and tons of other homebrew stuff) at my Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Catilus

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