Travelers of the Multiverse: Spelljammer on its Way?
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Dungeons & Dragons Fifth Edition has certainly taken a different approach to their game
design from past editions. They opened their playtest material to fans to play and experiment with mechanics and themes before the official release using their Unearthed Arcana. So you can bet your ass that we follow these releases pretty closely and choose what to cover. Well, there was no way in the Nine Hells we're going to miss out on talking (and speculating) on the details in the Travelers of the Multiverse UA.
Inside we found a plethora of content that is just...out of this world. Astral elves with radiant souls? Check. mechanical gnomes built by rock gnomes? Check. Insectile creatures encased in a protective chitin? Check. Giant flying squirrels? Check. Also...rules for playing an ooze? Hell yeah, and there is more! As I said, just totally alien. We have hive hopes and thoughts on this Unearthed Arcana. Come join us as we discuss the mechanics and speculate the future of our adventures beyond our homeworlds.
Related Article: Multiverse Planeshift to New Worlds
Character Concept: Burgell Bafflestone, Male Gnome
Description: An imposing man with a heavy stainless steel prosthetic left hand, he wears a blue collared shirt and black pants. He accessorizes with a white scarf around the waist and a strap diagonally across his shirt. He keeps his long brown hair kept up in a rat tail. He wears an eyepatch.
Personality: He is a very happy person and has lots of energy. To put it simply, he's a very
lovable idiot. He dislikes loud distracting noises, but is overall hospitable. His biggest love is that of knowledge and as such will purchase any books or pay to listen to tales that travelers might have.
History: He was always a brilliant, if unscrupulous mind. He has had some formal music training, and achieved minor success. He is untrained/undisciplined, which makes him dangerous.
Motivation: Wants to have a good time and be beloved; and he is not mentally stable, and does not behave rationally
Monster Variant: Nixpinar
Origin: Tyrannosaurus Rex
Lost Features tail. Bite becomes Slam and does bludgeoning damage.
Tentacle. Melee Weapon Attack: +10 to hit, reach 15 ft., one target. Hit: 10 (3d6 + bludgeoning damage, and the target is grappled (escape DC 15). Until this grapple ends, the target is restrained. The Nixpinar has six tentacles, each of which can grapple one target.
Fling. One large or smaller object held or creature grappled by the nixpinar is thrown up to 30 feet in a random direction and knocked prone. If a thrown target strikes a solid surface, the target takes 3 (1d6) bludgeoning damage for every 10 feet it was thrown. If the target is thrown at another creature, that creature must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity saving throw or take the same damage and be knocked prone.
REACTION
Fearsome Roar. When a creature hits the nixpinar with an attack, it can use its reaction to release a bone-shaking roar. Targets within 60 feet of the nixpinar that can hear it must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom saving throw or become frightened of the nixpinar until the end of its next turn.
Flailing Fling. If a creature scores a critical hit on the nixpinar, it can use its reaction to take the Fling action.
Encounter: Crystal Towers - Created during Prep or Die Show
Suhnae Caerdonel, Male Elf, Alchemist seeks out a way to enter the Crystal Towers. Ancient tomes and scrolls indicate that the Crystal Towers of the Tundra Dwarves contain an ancient fluid that can be used to make elixirs that can bring eternal youth and is said to heal any wound. Suhnae (motives are selfish) has been unable to enter the brilliant towers due to a monstrous beast known as Nixpinar (snow yeti) that stalks the icy lands that surround it. He seeks the aid of adventurers.
The monster, a nixpinar is too strong for the party and they must retreat or die. With a bit of research on the area they can learn that the Nixpinar was created for the Tundra Dwarves to
ward off hostile armies from ages past.
Rumor has it that the Crystal King held a powerful Ice Pick that was used to command the beast. When the dwarves were losing the battle with their sworn enemies the Orkin the Crystal King commanded the beast to protect azure streams in the city. He passed his ice pick (Frostbringer) to his allies the dryadalis for safe keeping.
Our heroes must venture into the warded and secluded Emerald Sea to find its leader and queen Priestess Titania (druid shapeshifter). The characters must convince the priestess that their cause is just worthy enough to allow them to wield frostbringer and enter the city.
Titania seeks to break the Emerald Sea from its conclusion. Their borders have been closed for thousands of years to outsiders. In order to do this, she needs to send an envoy into the world to open trades with their closest neighboring kingdom the Norn.
The Norn are giants among men (goliaths) and their lands border the frigid lands home of the crystal towers and the emerald sea. As warrior fishermen they have a strong trade. The characters must convince them to open trade with the Emerald Sea. They are happy to, but require equivalent trade.
The Emerald Sea has a rare sap that can be used as a potent glue for weapons and crafts.
The Norn king Ilathag Rockstriker Kulanatho can be offered this as a solution, but then the characters must convince Titania to commit to allowing the Norn to farm some mighty oaks for harvest.
Upon success of entry into the crystal towers, Suhnae shares the full extent of his plans for the azure stream. He intends to build an alchemic factory to create and sell this valuable resource at exorbitant prices.
Magic Item: Frostbringer
Weapon (warpick), Legendary (requires attunement by a dwarf)
When you hit with an attack using this magic warpick, the target takes an extra 2d6 cold damage. In addition, while you hold this weapon, you have immunity to fire damage.
In freezing temperatures, the blade sheds bright blue light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet.
When you draw this weapon, you can extinguish all nonmagical flames within 60 feet of you. This property can be used no more than once per hour.
As an action, you can speak the weapons command word. When you do you can attempt to beguile a beast that you can see within 60 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or suffer the effects of the dominate beast spell. This effect does not
require concentration and lasts until dispelled or until you cast it again on another creature. If you or creatures that are friendly to you are fighting it, it has advantage on the saving throw.
Related Article: 10 New Magic Items for your D&D Games
Dungeon Master Tip: New Condition: Fatigued (Galder’s Gazetteer)
Exhaustion is a potent penalty. Galder’s Gazetteer has a great alternative. The new condition is called Fatigued. It’s a less harsh penalty than exhaustion, so a GM can more easily inflict this condition multiple times without creating a major imbalance.
The rules for this condition can be used along with levels of exhaustion. However, a GM might decide to use fatigue instead of exhaustion for certain game elements. For example, a GM might find the use of exhaustion in Path of the Berserker barbarian’s Frenzy feature too punishing. In such a case, the GM can allow the player to suffer fatigue instead. Any effect that removes a level of exhaustion can end a creature being fatigued. Also, finishing a long rest ends this condition.
Fatigued Condition Details:
A fatigued creature suffers a -2 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws that use the ability corresponding to that creature’s lowest ability score.
If an already fatigued creature suffers another effect that causes it to become fatigued, its suffers an additional -2 penalty on attack rolls, ability checks, and saving throws that use its next lowest ability score, and so on, up to six times.
Ending this condition removes all penalties at once.
Player Tip: Walking Dead
Wizard animate dead lvl 5 cast on corpse to zombie or skeleton. Can mentally control as a bonus action. They grow in strength with undead thralls. Rogue has proficiency with the disguise kit and mimics speech they’ve heard for more than a mimic. As a mastermind, you can take the help action from 30 feet away. This means you can dress up your zombies with the disguise kit mimic speech and throw your voice. This gives you a walk-talking, creature to infiltrate locations for you.
RPG Phatloot Giveaway: The War Wagon by Andy "The Old Goat" Headley
A large shipment of adamantine armor and weapons must be delivered to Fort Rosnok in a non-stop journey. This will require special attention and something few could ever imagine: the War Wagon, a heavily armored stagecoach built of oak and reinforced with adamantine hardware." Written by Andy "The Old Goat" Headley, The War Wagon is a 5e adventure designed for 3rd-level characters, in which the party will be able to either play as the robbers or the defenders of the War Wagon. A dynamic, fast-paced, and mobile adventure which will thrill your players!
Winner: nickdleboe
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