Session Zero - And Lo, There Were Heroes

We had our fairly successful Session Zero today, other than one player not being able to make it at all, one player two hours late, and next to no one having read the previous guidelines blogs. Laughs were shared, and the finale was four hours in the making. So, without further other bullshit no one wants to read, here are (four of) our heroes!

Besiljka aka "Bessie" - Half-orc Barbarian played by Rachel. This one is partially a cop out as she's just going to use the character she built for our starter campaign, but since we hadn't made it very far, I'm allowing it. Plus she painted her miniature really, really fucking neatly to the point that everyone else is trying to talk her into painting theirs. And she speaks in a Russian accent. Outlander background plus being a Barbarian means the party will most likely need to rely on her when out in the wilderness. Smashy smashy, 

Rafeal McMasters aka "Duece" (It should be Deuce, but meh) - Half-elf Rogue played by Sean, surprisingly with the Charlatan background. Eventually he plans on taking the Swashbuckler subclass and going with a nautical theme, which is fantastic because it plays into Brian's character, which gives me a link I can work with from the start. 

Gabriel Magnuson - Fallen Aasimar Paladin played by Brian. He couldn't decide between a sailor or soldier background, so we discussed playing it like a former Pirates of the Caribbean Royal Marine type character, who may or may not have caught Rafeal doing shady shit one time and let him go. Derives his Paladinship from Meilikki which is an interesting choice, and we're already spinning how that came to pass as part of the backstory. 

Lenneth Whisperwind - Tiefling Bard played by Julie, who has probably put the most work into their backstory at this point. Farmer/Entertainer background (went with Ent for mechanical purposes) who has about as tragic a life as you'd expect a Tiefling living in the Forgotten Realms to have.

The Tiefling has already dealt with more crap than every other character combined and we haven't even started yet. Because we're all children, essentially, at least a dozen remarks were made about bust size and instrument choice, and I will never, ever think of drums without thinking of Tiefling tits a-bouncing on the skins. Playing some Ricky Ricardo "babaloo" type stuff.  Add that to all the "beard rubbing" comments between Sean and Brian, and I think we'll have a party full of "dual-wielders," if you know what I mean. 

Character five is up in the air right now. We have a player that doesn't look like they'll be able to do the early Sundays, and a replacement that may or may not be able to work it, so once we get closer to Session One, I may come back and edit this to add the final element of the party. Or we go with four. Four is good, too.

Rogue 1: A D&D Story

Tools of the Trade

As an addendum to the previous post; 

Players will need dice, either for rolling up their skills, rolling for tests, or determining damages. A "standard d20" set includes all the various types of die used in DnD, from the caltrop d4 up to the ubiquitous d20 itself. No one is under any obligation to pick these up - dozens of sets are available to use, but each player is welcome to bring their own. 

We'll be using a variety of maps, including regional maps for the overall setting, town maps as applicable, and battle maps broken up into one inch squares that equal five or ten feet of space, depending on the need. These are more abstractions than anything else - when using a battle map, for instance, there won't be a lot of line of sight debates, as it should be fairly obvious what is going on and really, it's just a way to see where things are in relation to other things. 

And since we're on the subject of battle maps - miniatures. Players can bring any brand of mini they want to represent their character, so long as the base size is equal to or less than the "standard" DnD description of 1" base on a medium size mini (most player races will be in the "medium" category). But like with dice, players aren't obligated to nor do they need to worry about bringing minis if they don't want to. There are many to choose from. The default brand recommendation for us is Wizkids Nolzur's Unpainted, Premium Painted, or Wizkids Icons of the Realms miniatures. Reaper Bones is also a low cost/wide selection brand, albeit scaled slightly off from the Wizkids minis. And if your mini isn't 100% spot on, that's fine too, since we proxy for monsters and whatnot as need be. Again, it's more an abstraction so if you're using a Dragonborn Paladin miniature to represent your Human Barbarian, no one is going to cry foul, since it's more for relaying position in battle than accuracy.

There are a couple of cell phone apps that I personally use, such as "Fifth Edition Character Sheet" which are free on the Apply and Google Play store, but to minimize cell usage during a game, I'd only recommend these for a way to track your character between sessions, or to do easy leveling/inventory tracking. Between sessions, I have a few DM apps that I use to write notes for things that I may want to add to an upcoming encounter or so I have a monster stat ready. 

Next post - Session Zero, finally!

Campaign Guide and Overview

 "The Tyranny of Everything"

Our first Dungeons and Dragons campaign

(Neverwinter Seascape by Jedd Chevrier)

How to use this guide;

This is designed to give you all of the information you need as a player heading into "The Tyranny of Everything; Our First D&D Campaign." Also, the blog as a whole will serve as a chronicling of things that happen so that individuals not playing can follow along if they so chose 

Our current plans are to (hopefully) meet twice a month on Sundays, with the option for a third Sunday in there if all players can manage it. And if the DM has enough time to prepare for player shenanigans. 

 

What is Dungeons & Dragons;

D&D is a Satanic game full of secret devil worshipping and players trading their souls to a demonic monster (DM) in exchange for wealth and power. Oh, wait, no, that's the OTHER game people play on Sundays.

Dungeons & Dragons is a cooperative roleplaying game wherein a group of players create characters in a setting inspired by media such as Lord of the Rings or The Witcher, a medieval high fantasy realm with plenty of both dungeons to explore and dragons to (s)lay. Utilizing character sheets, dice, miniatures, and a host of other game aids, the players work with their Dungeon Master to craft a bit of interactive fiction, accomplishing untold feats of bravery, and occasionally suffering tragedies unimaginable, all at the whimsy of fate and player decision. 

"Do I have to act/use voices?" - Nope. Some people choose to, some don't. You can use first person narrative when describing character actions ("I open the chest") or third person ("Crix readies her crossbow") as you see fit. 

"What if I can't make every game?" - No worries! We're all adults and it's understandable that you'll have things come up sometimes. Just text the DM with the situation and, if possible, be willing to answer a few "what is your character doing?" questions throughout the session or following week, and you'll continue to earn XP so as not fall behind the rest of the group too far. 

"If I want to try just one game, do I still need to make a character?" - You absolutely can, but if you don't want to until you've had a chance to try it out, there are premade character sheets available.

 

The Northern Sword Coast

"A Tyranny of Everything" takes place in The Forgotten Realms on Faerun's northern Sword Coast. Centered initially on the cosmopolitan city of Neverwinter, but moving up and down the coastline, as well as to smaller towns like Triboar, Greenest, and Phandalin, players will have ample opportunity to see all that the region has to offer. The Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide and/or the official DnD Wiki can be used if players would like to know more, but a "deep dive" before the campaign starts isn't necessary as the DM will fill in any needed/requested information.

There are some breaks with the "canon" setting of The Forgotten Realms. The first, pertaining here, is that The Underdark, home of the Drow and other "evil" entities has been modified in spirit by the warrens of the Golgari, detailed in The Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica. Menzoberranzen is hence refered to as The Undercity. Players, if making contacts amongst the Devkarin elves or other members of The Swarm, will find entry into the city safer than in the canon setting, but beware for whilst the Devkarin may be more welcoming than the Drow, not all of the races that make up the Golgari are as friendly, and The Underdark still has its own dangers...

The current year is 1488DR (Dale Reckoning), early Spring. The infamous Spellplague, though happening a hundred years previously, still causes upheaval in the region, to say nothing of The Time of Troubles. Players who have read novels set in the Realms will recognize that this is about a decade after Brimstone Angels, and the city of Neverwinter is once again seeing better days. 

But The Plot... 

If the days are getting too good, what's the fun in that? Something is simmering under the surface. Cultists are uniting to spring plans decades in the making. Great beasts rise from their slumber. Little old ladies need help getting from one side of the city to the other. Cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria. The plot is going to be one part explorative sandbox, one part plot hooked story seeds, and one part official modules, woven together as best as an inexperienced DM can do it. 

The goal of this is to give players and the DM more freedom in crafting their stories, and also to prevent anyone from stumbling over spoilers in published modules since many of them have been released over the past several years. 

Creatures and encounters will mostly be based on the Monster Manual, with some liberties taken if need be to give players an additional challenge and reasons for wanting to engage in fight or flight. It wouldn't be D&D without a gargantuan ancient dragon somewhere in there.  

 

Character Creation

Session Zero;

Session Zero is where players will get to sit down with the Player's Handbook and a character sheet, and nail out the nuts and bolts of their alter ego. It's important that as many players as possible do this together, as it will create a well rounded group to take on any challenge. Or a pack of murderhobos that are barely functioning.All characters will end Session Zero at 1st Level. Further details on all of the below items are found in the Player's Handbook but these will give you an idea of where you'd like to start to speed up the creation process.

Character creation is a simple process but the core is three things - Race, Class, and Background. Race is more akin to what species of person you are than anything to do with skin tone, and determines a few of your bonus Abilities or extra skills. These are broken down into Common (those that you're most likely to see "on the street," and also the easiest for players to pick up), Exotic (more rare, likely to only ever see a small enclave in a major city or one or two "out in the wilds"), and Monstrous (races that are generally considered antagonists and not heroic, but which can turn expectations fully). Class is just a fancy word for your specialized job in the D&D world and past 3rd Level, the option of "multiclassing" will be available. Background, not to be confused with your backstory (see below) is a mechanical approach to how your character spent their formative years, and determines a portion of your starting gear. 

Creating a backstory doesn't have to happen in Session Zero, if you want to organically "fill in the blanks" as you play, but the more firm your idea of who your character is and how they fit into the world, the more the DM has to play with in introducing side stories and personal connections to NPCs that occupy the Realms. 

Race; 

Human (Common) - Explorers and treasure hunters, kingdom builders and peasants, humans are everywhere. Bonus to any Ability score, Extra Language

Elf, Sun/Moon (Common) - Magical people of almost otherworldly grace, an old and storied race. Bonus to Dexterity, Keen Senses, Fey Ancestry, Trance.

Dwarf (Common) - Stoic, bold, and hardy. Mountainfolk, miners, and metalworkers. Bonus to Constitution, Darkvision, Dwarven Resilience, Dwarven Combat Training, Stonecutting.

Gnome (Common) - Natural tinkerers and craftsmen, wee dwellers of the forests and towns. Bonus to Intelligence, Gnome Cunning

Halfling (Common) - Frodo and Sam, eating the bread and walking to Mordor. Bonus to Dexterity, Lucky, Brave, Halfling Nimbleness.

Half-Elf (Common) - Natural diplomats with one foot in each of two different worlds. Bonus to Charisma, Bonus to two other Ability Scores, Fey Ancestry, Skill Versatility.

Half-Orc (Common) - Sometimes shunned by people in orc-ravaged territory, but welcomed in cities needing strong backs and determined workers. Bonus to Strength, Bonus to Constitution, Menacing, Relentless Endurance, Savage Attacks.

Tiefling (Exotic) - Beings with an infernal heritage, devilish horns and tails bespeak of their blood ties to Asmodeus, Lord of the Nine Hells, or of another powerful infernal figure. Bonus to Charisma. Bonus to Intelligence. Darkvision. Hellish Resistance. Infernal Legacy.

Dragonborn (Exotic) - Hulking and intimidating, not to be confused with half-dragons, which are entirely different and a spur of the moment occurrence instead of an entire race. Bonus to Strength. Bonus to Charisma. Draconic Ancestry. Breath Weapon. Damage Resistance.

Aasimar (Exotic) - The Celestial version of a Tiefling, placed into the world to serve as the guardians of good, or at least a specific God's idea thereof. Bonus to Charisma, Celestial.

Genasi (Exotic) - Magical beings that are tied to the elemental power of earth, air, fire, and water. Bonus to Constitution, Air, Earth, Fire Water Subraces.

Goliath (Exotic) - Hulking mountainfolk, every day brings a new challenge and they wouldn't have it any other way. Bonus to Strength, Bonus to Constitution, Natural Athlete, Stone's Endurance, Powerful Build, Mountain Born.

Tabaxi (Exotic) - Lithe catfolk from a strange and distant land. Bonus to Dexterity, Bonus to Charisma, Darkvision, Feline Agility, Cat's Claws, Cat's Talents.

Elf, Devkarin (Exotic) - Leaders of the Golgari swarm, rulers of the Undercity, and masters of necromancy. Reduce, reuse, recycle! Bonus to Dexterity, Bonus to Charisma, Superior Darkvision, Sunlight Sensitivity.

Izzet Goblin (Monstrous) - Curious and inquisitive, more intelligent than their "wild" kin, masters of alchemy and experimentation. Bonus to Dexterity, Bonus to Constitution, Fury of the Small, Nimble Escape.

 

Class;

Barbarian - Warrior that can enter a rage. And wear loincloths, like in Dio's Holy Diver video.

Bard - You use magic because sick guitar solos. Or flutes. Or bagpipes.

Cleric - You use magic because a God wills it.

Druid - You use magic because Poison Ivy never looked this good.

Fighter - Warrior that is a Jack of All Trades.

Monk - Warriors who like getting their hands and feet dirty. Fists of fury!

Paladin - Warrior of a God, like from KSE's Holy Diver video. Deus vult!

Ranger - Warrior that likes being outside more than inside.

Rogue - Warrior that'll pick an enemy's pocket and slit their throat before they know what's happening.

Sorceror - You use magic because it's in your blood.

Warlock - You use magic because you bargained with your soul.

Wizard - You use magic because you studied really hard. Nerd.

Background;
(Pick a word that sounds closest to where your backstory begins if you haven't read the PHB as of yet. SCAG refers to the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide)

Acolyte
Charlatan
City Watch (SCAG)
Clan Crafter (SCAG)
Cloistered Scholar (SCAG)
Courtier (SCAG)
Criminal
Entertainer
Faction Agent (SCAG)
Far Traveler (SCAG)
Folk Hero
Gladiator
Guild Artisan/Merchant
Hermit
Inheritor (SCAG)
Knight
Mercenary Veteran (SCAG)
Noble
Outlander
Pirate
Sage
Sailor
Soldier
Urban Bounty Hunter (SCAG)

House Rules

Core + 1;

To cut down on the amount of rule checking and book flipping, Core + 1 minimizes how many books a player can use to build a character. Generally, this will be the Players Handbook and then one other book, such as Dungeon Master's Guide (for Aasimar characters) or the Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide for the various backgrounds. This rule does not pertain to Unearthed Arcana articles where allowed, as they can just be printed out and kept with a player's character sheet, or official spells, which can be jotted down on a notecard/kept handy via official DnD spellbook cards. 

Rangers;

Players who want to build a Ranger character should use the Unearthed Arcana rules and not the PHB rules for this, as this class has seen the most tweaks to improve playability.  

Rules Arguing/Lawyering;

Please don't argue with the DM or other players about the interpretation of a rule. The rulings will always strive to be consistent, but if you truly think that someone is misreading something, state it once, and discuss it after the game session, not at the table. 

Eschew PvP;

Outside of special, specific circumstances, please don't attempt to kill other players. 

Alignment;

One of the biggest hurdles of D&D is the concept of Good/Neutral/Evil scale. Whilst a player should determine whether they lean more towards Lawful, Chaotic, or neither (Neutral), the idea that a good person is always good and a bad person is always bad and a person striving for balance should murder someone for every person they save, is more obnoxious than it is helpful. All players are assumed to be at least Good-leaning, and massacring entire villages full of children is fairly frowned upon. If you're looking to play a purely evil campaign with such vignettes, please refer to the Wednesday night games.