Hi all. Got some advice a few weeks ago and picked up the Starter Set. Preparing to run the Phandelver Campaign in a few weeks.
In the mean time, I have just a couple of questions that sprang to mind.
1- My wife wants to play a Druid. Two Parts- A- Is playing an Elf/Half Elf Druid ok? I wanst sure if a +Int Skill Race is better...or is it all good?
B- Cantrips. The Cantrip Sillelagh. So can you just insta cast this as often, whenever you wish? So essentially you will cast this in every encounter you are likely to melee? Lasts a minute so about 10 round..so most combats at lower level. Sounds a little repatative but just want to make sure I am reading right?
2- Is there a decent YouTube vid that gives a bit of background for Neverwinter and the surrounding areas? Just general info regards the area in terms of (are elves hated round there). I know Dragonlance settings so well...but not Forgotten Realms as much...played Baldurs gate 3..but thats a LONG way south I can see on the map. They are going to be mainly doing the Phandelver campaign for quite a while.
1 A. I suggest picking Wood Elf in particular. That race increases Wisdom, a druid's spellcasting ability. They also fit the nature aesthetic of a druid, as a bonus.
1 B. Yes.
2. I wouldn't recommend youtube videos at all, it's hard to find what you want, especially without running into tons and tons of clickbait. If you have Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide you can check that.
Hey ansp73139! Welcome back :) here are my thoughts on your questions
A half-elf or elf druid should be fine. Depending on what method you're using for ability scores, as long as she has +3 WIS now and +4 WIS by the Level 4 ASI, she'll be able to druid as well as any. Using point-buy, and with the half-elf getting two free +1 boosts, she'll be good. Wood elves also get that WIS boost. If she goes high elf instead, the extra INT won't hurt; INT is good for investigation and for recalling knowledge on things... you can lean into those skills if she seems to want to use them, know what I mean? You can give extra info for making a certain check, and that info you could make useful later. That said, if she doesn't go heavy INT that would make a little more sense, and be more "optimal".
The shillelagh cantrip is meant to be used every combat, sometimes a player might cast it before a combat actually breaks out if there's enough time and the fight seems inevitable. It does have Verbal and Somatic components, though, so casting shillelagh is like smashing a bottle over the bar while shouting at another patron... it will probably wildly escalate tensions! Anyway, since a druid will want high WIS, good CON and DEX, and not necessarily want to focus on STR, the shillelagh cantrip is how they can still be effective in close-quarters combat. Also, at Level 1, only two spell slots a day means a lot more cantripping.
That said, this is your table and your iteration of FR. You can make elves a huge and well-loved minority in the area, or you could make dwarves more prevalent and elves sort of looked at distrustfully, or you could even have a significant number of friendly goblins living nearby and so the humans actually dislike the elves because your elves dislike those goblins. Lore is what you want it to be, and whatever will make for a better time for you and your players!
1A - Really any race/class combo in 5e is OK to play (though maybe it's not optimal). Druids primarily rely on WIS as their primary score. If you're just starting out, my advice is to make the character you want to play the most, the mechanics can come second. Alternatively, if you follow some variant rules from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, instead of the fixed ability score bonuses, just put a +2 into one stat of your choice and +1 into another stat of your choice.
1B - You can cast cantrips (AKA 0th level spells) an unlimited amount of times per day. For Shillelagh, it takes one Bonus Action to cast (you only get one Bonus Action per turn, so essentially using Shilleleigh means you can't use another spell/class ability that takes a Bonus Action on that same turn). It's an OK cantrip if your Druid likes to be in melee. In practice, I've found that Druids mostly like to Wildshape or cast spells, so using a BA just to slightly boost melee damage is not always the best choice.
2 - Uh, I'm not so sure on this part and I'll leave it to others to chime in. I'm sure someone's compiled a good lore compendium, but I'm not aware of any off the top of my head.
1A, Playing an Elf or Half Elf Druid is ok, no need to concern with ability score bonus as a first character and just play what she want.
1B. The cantrip Sillelagh. is a spell that can be cast at will, without using a spell slot and without being prepared in advance. It's designed to be used in melee at the start of combat as a bonus action, and then for 1 munite, you use the Attack action to attack with it.
3.The D&D Starter Set has everything needed to adventure in the area but the Forgotten Realms is a world much bigger if you ever want learn more about it there is many lorebooks and ressources published.
A) Yes, and in fact any race is fine. Obviously one with a +X to Wis instead of Int would generally be better...but at the end of the day, it's no biggie. Also it's the DM's game. If you're happy to let her...just give the bonus to Wis instead, if you want. It's part of the optional rules in Tasha's...and again, it's your game. Do what you think is most fun. It won't break the game, there are no WotC game police that'll knock your door if you allow the change. So just.have it be +2 Dex and +1 Wis, if you want.
B) Cantrips have no spell slot costs, unlike levelled spells. In that sense, yes, you can cast them as often as you want (respecting casting times, so normally once every six seconds outside of an encounter, or.once.per round inside combat). As others have noted, there.may well be other consequences...but consumption of spell slots is not one of them
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
1- My wife wants to play a Druid. Two Parts- A- Is playing an Elf/Half Elf Druid ok? I wanst sure if a +Int Skill Race is better...or is it all good?
As others have said, any class-race combination is fine.
In fact, one of the optional rules in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything allows you to move racial stat bonuses around, so picking race based on stats is a moot point if you choose to use that optional rule.
B- Cantrips. The Cantrip Sillelagh. So can you just insta cast this as often, whenever you wish? So essentially you will cast this in every encounter you are likely to melee? Lasts a minute so about 10 round..so most combats at lower level. Sounds a little repatative but just want to make sure I am reading right?
Yep, you are reading it right. You can cast this as often as and whenever you wish, generally right before or at the start of combat.
It is a little repetitive at low levels since you do not know a lot of cantrips yet, but things will get more exciting once you can learn more. If she is playing as a high elf, she will have access to an additional cantrip through her race, so she can have Prestidigitation (through her race) for utility, Shillelagh for melee combat, and Produce Flame for utility (light source) and ranged combat.
2- Is there a decent YouTube vid that gives a bit of background for Neverwinter and the surrounding areas? Just general info regards the area in terms of (are elves hated round there). I know Dragonlance settings so well...but not Forgotten Realms as much...played Baldurs gate 3..but thats a LONG way south I can see on the map. They are going to be mainly doing the Phandelver campaign for quite a while.
The Sword Coast region is pretty diverse, and it is especially cosmopolitan along the coastal cities. That being said, it is your world and your table, so feel free to make adustments to the world as you wish. Some GMs prefer a more racial harmonic setting, so racial discrimination is not much of a factor in their games. Other GMs are the opposite, and like to explore racial issues and delve into other societal and economic problems to make their world feel more alive and relatable.
I cannot think of any YouTube videos off the top of my head, but the recent D&D movie that came out takes place in Neverwinter and the surrounding area. Doric, the tiefling druid, mentioned not fitting in and was cast out by her human community, and was later welcomed and adopted into the wood elf community and Emerald Enclave.
so she can have Prestidigitation (through her race) for utility
At least in my opinion, and probably others too, the only utility that spell has is winning the game of trash bin basketball, where the ball is made of perfectly good actions. Its effects are all either useless, or recreatable through non-magical free actions. It's just kind of flavor text made for in-world reasons, a very weak spell novices use for practice.
Don't waste your singular extra cantrip on prestidigitation. Minor illusion is an infinitely better choice for basically anything that spell can do, and more. Pick it instead. Or pick ray of frost for a reliable source of damage that doesn't expend spell slots. Though with shilelagh you probably won't need it that much. Still a valid choice.
Just, please, don't waste your cantrips on flavor text. It makes rules lawyers like me vanish into thin air, instantaneously.
One other thing making my head whirl a little. Goblins in the trees, testing to see them with perception vs stealth.
How to implement this practically? All your players roll, what if 2 players spot him, but 2 dont? Hes in some trees....the 2 that dont spot him cant fire arrows at him etc? Sounds confusing to DM half the party being able to see some goblins and half the party can see them all.
that and the Goblins firing arrows then hiding again. I roll their stealth.....and test vs players Perception. Again what if 2 can see him and 2 cant if hes 30 feet away. Feels a little overly complex for a first encounter.
One other thing making my head whirl a little. Goblins in the trees, testing to see them with perception vs stealth.
How to implement this practically? All your players roll, what if 2 players spot him, but 2 dont? Hes in some trees....the 2 that dont spot him cant fire arrows at him etc? Sounds confusing to DM half the party being able to see some goblins and half the party can see them all.
that and the Goblins firing arrows then hiding again. I roll their stealth.....and test vs players Perception. Again what if 2 can see him and 2 cant if hes 30 feet away. Feels a little overly complex for a first encounter.
Here's a simple answer: Player Hivemind. If one player knows something, all players know something. That's how my group does it, and it has its ups and downs, but for this situation it's the way to go.
I recommend using it for small, not particularly plot-centric things like this, but having players keep secrets from each other when bigger things are on the line. For instance, someone gets possessed by a demon? Well, you certainly need to tell the possessed player, but no one else would reasonably know that. Keep it a secret.
One way you could do it is a group check, if half or more pass, they all pass.
Personally (at my table), I'd have the two that pass see them, the two that don't, are unaware of their presence. They can redo the check with advantage if the two that see them try to point them out. I'd trust the two players that didn't spot them to not metagame and roleplay not seeing the goblins properly.
Advice: Don't roll for the stealth of the goblins. Just take the "passive" stealth score and have that as the DC. To do that, take the stealth score (which is +6 for agoblin and add +10 (average roll for a d20)). So for goblins, the DC would be 16, and if they roll perception of 16 or higher, they see the goblins. It will save time and mental load for you and give.you extra focus for your players.
If you feel that it's too complex for new players...just don't have the goblins hide once they're revealed. Once they shoot, everyone sees where they are, and it becomes a straight fight.
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If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
so she can have Prestidigitation (through her race) for utility
At least in my opinion, and probably others too, the only utility that spell has is winning the game of trash bin basketball, where the ball is made of perfectly good actions. Its effects are all either useless, or recreatable through non-magical free actions. It's just kind of flavor text made for in-world reasons, a very weak spell novices use for practice.
Don't waste your singular extra cantrip on prestidigitation. Minor illusion is an infinitely better choice for basically anything that spell can do, and more. Pick it instead. Or pick ray of frost for a reliable source of damage that doesn't expend spell slots. Though with shilelagh you probably won't need it that much. Still a valid choice.
Just, please, don't waste your cantrips on flavor text. It makes rules lawyers like me vanish into thin air, instantaneously.
I see where you are coming from. However, I hate doing chores, and that is with the help of modern appliances. I also forget my house key sometimes. I have not tried it before, but it is probably near impossible to light a pile of wet logs on fire without magic. I love to cook, and being able to flavor my food and adjust its temperature is amazing. Plus I can make plain water taste like ice cold lemonade or hot tea. Prestidigitation gets things done.
Minor Illusion is very good too, and there is honestly no wrong pick, but I cannot hide the smell of sweaty clothes and dirty dishes. I also cannot get in my house if I forgot my keys. And it does not really help me cook.
With Minor Illusion, I can attempt to hide inside an illusionary box to escape the city guards. I can also make it sound like as though the couple upstairs are making the house shake and furniture squeak. As great as Minor Illusion is, however, I cannot make funny odors with it. But you know which cantrip can? That is right! Prestidigitation can make that ******* half-elf bard pestering the barmaid smell like five bowls of hot red Thai curry, ten sushi rolls drowning in Sriracha-mayo, and thirty tacos doused in Tapatío are coming out of his pants chocolate rain style. And I can soil his pants too to make it even more convincing. And there is no attack roll nor saving throw for our devious plan to fail, so we can be sure his shit stained pants is in public view for all to see.
Indeed, in the play by post I'm part of, one of the other players has prestidigitation, and makes great use of it for role play purposes. And, as you (xxxGammaRay) point out, it can even be used strategically.
In the end, it's a question about how the player wants to play, and what the player wants for their character. Personally, I think for new players, it's often best not to worry about what's "optimal," but lean more into what's fun*, understanding that what is fun varies from player to player.
*As long as what is "fun" isn't being a jerk to other players or the DM. Not that I expect that in the OP's situation, just trying to be clear because there are a few players who will excuse their behavior with "but it's fun for me."
Hi all. Got some advice a few weeks ago and picked up the Starter Set. Preparing to run the Phandelver Campaign in a few weeks.
In the mean time, I have just a couple of questions that sprang to mind.
1- My wife wants to play a Druid. Two Parts- A- Is playing an Elf/Half Elf Druid ok? I wanst sure if a +Int Skill Race is better...or is it all good?
B- Cantrips. The Cantrip Sillelagh. So can you just insta cast this as often, whenever you wish? So essentially you will cast this in every encounter you are likely to melee? Lasts a minute so about 10 round..so most combats at lower level. Sounds a little repatative but just want to make sure I am reading right?
2- Is there a decent YouTube vid that gives a bit of background for Neverwinter and the surrounding areas? Just general info regards the area in terms of (are elves hated round there). I know Dragonlance settings so well...but not Forgotten Realms as much...played Baldurs gate 3..but thats a LONG way south I can see on the map. They are going to be mainly doing the Phandelver campaign for quite a while.
1 A. I suggest picking Wood Elf in particular. That race increases Wisdom, a druid's spellcasting ability. They also fit the nature aesthetic of a druid, as a bonus.
1 B. Yes.
2. I wouldn't recommend youtube videos at all, it's hard to find what you want, especially without running into tons and tons of clickbait. If you have Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide you can check that.
Hey ansp73139! Welcome back :) here are my thoughts on your questions
A half-elf or elf druid should be fine. Depending on what method you're using for ability scores, as long as she has +3 WIS now and +4 WIS by the Level 4 ASI, she'll be able to druid as well as any. Using point-buy, and with the half-elf getting two free +1 boosts, she'll be good. Wood elves also get that WIS boost. If she goes high elf instead, the extra INT won't hurt; INT is good for investigation and for recalling knowledge on things... you can lean into those skills if she seems to want to use them, know what I mean? You can give extra info for making a certain check, and that info you could make useful later. That said, if she doesn't go heavy INT that would make a little more sense, and be more "optimal".
The shillelagh cantrip is meant to be used every combat, sometimes a player might cast it before a combat actually breaks out if there's enough time and the fight seems inevitable. It does have Verbal and Somatic components, though, so casting shillelagh is like smashing a bottle over the bar while shouting at another patron... it will probably wildly escalate tensions! Anyway, since a druid will want high WIS, good CON and DEX, and not necessarily want to focus on STR, the shillelagh cantrip is how they can still be effective in close-quarters combat. Also, at Level 1, only two spell slots a day means a lot more cantripping.
There is a Youtuber who has done a looot of Forgotten Realms lore vids, should be easy enough to get what you want from this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SI2xNiS3R-0&pp=ygUQbmV2ZXJ3aW50ZXIgbG9yZQ==
That said, this is your table and your iteration of FR. You can make elves a huge and well-loved minority in the area, or you could make dwarves more prevalent and elves sort of looked at distrustfully, or you could even have a significant number of friendly goblins living nearby and so the humans actually dislike the elves because your elves dislike those goblins. Lore is what you want it to be, and whatever will make for a better time for you and your players!
1A - Really any race/class combo in 5e is OK to play (though maybe it's not optimal). Druids primarily rely on WIS as their primary score. If you're just starting out, my advice is to make the character you want to play the most, the mechanics can come second. Alternatively, if you follow some variant rules from Tasha's Cauldron of Everything, instead of the fixed ability score bonuses, just put a +2 into one stat of your choice and +1 into another stat of your choice.
1B - You can cast cantrips (AKA 0th level spells) an unlimited amount of times per day. For Shillelagh, it takes one Bonus Action to cast (you only get one Bonus Action per turn, so essentially using Shilleleigh means you can't use another spell/class ability that takes a Bonus Action on that same turn). It's an OK cantrip if your Druid likes to be in melee. In practice, I've found that Druids mostly like to Wildshape or cast spells, so using a BA just to slightly boost melee damage is not always the best choice.
2 - Uh, I'm not so sure on this part and I'll leave it to others to chime in. I'm sure someone's compiled a good lore compendium, but I'm not aware of any off the top of my head.
1A, Playing an Elf or Half Elf Druid is ok, no need to concern with ability score bonus as a first character and just play what she want.
1B. The cantrip Sillelagh. is a spell that can be cast at will, without using a spell slot and without being prepared in advance. It's designed to be used in melee at the start of combat as a bonus action, and then for 1 munite, you use the Attack action to attack with it.
2- There is Forgotten Realms Neverwinter lore Tube that can be found, and if you look for helpful ressources to run this adventure, i suggest Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Running Phandelver: SlyFlourish.com
3.The D&D Starter Set has everything needed to adventure in the area but the Forgotten Realms is a world much bigger if you ever want learn more about it there is many lorebooks and ressources published.
1.
A) Yes, and in fact any race is fine. Obviously one with a +X to Wis instead of Int would generally be better...but at the end of the day, it's no biggie. Also it's the DM's game. If you're happy to let her...just give the bonus to Wis instead, if you want. It's part of the optional rules in Tasha's...and again, it's your game. Do what you think is most fun. It won't break the game, there are no WotC game police that'll knock your door if you allow the change. So just.have it be +2 Dex and +1 Wis, if you want.
B) Cantrips have no spell slot costs, unlike levelled spells. In that sense, yes, you can cast them as often as you want (respecting casting times, so normally once every six seconds outside of an encounter, or.once.per round inside combat). As others have noted, there.may well be other consequences...but consumption of spell slots is not one of them
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
One more Neverwinter link for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bISK_77hbt4
As others have said, any class-race combination is fine.
In fact, one of the optional rules in Tasha's Cauldron of Everything allows you to move racial stat bonuses around, so picking race based on stats is a moot point if you choose to use that optional rule.
Yep, you are reading it right. You can cast this as often as and whenever you wish, generally right before or at the start of combat.
It is a little repetitive at low levels since you do not know a lot of cantrips yet, but things will get more exciting once you can learn more. If she is playing as a high elf, she will have access to an additional cantrip through her race, so she can have Prestidigitation (through her race) for utility, Shillelagh for melee combat, and Produce Flame for utility (light source) and ranged combat.
The Sword Coast region is pretty diverse, and it is especially cosmopolitan along the coastal cities. That being said, it is your world and your table, so feel free to make adustments to the world as you wish. Some GMs prefer a more racial harmonic setting, so racial discrimination is not much of a factor in their games. Other GMs are the opposite, and like to explore racial issues and delve into other societal and economic problems to make their world feel more alive and relatable.
I cannot think of any YouTube videos off the top of my head, but the recent D&D movie that came out takes place in Neverwinter and the surrounding area. Doric, the tiefling druid, mentioned not fitting in and was cast out by her human community, and was later welcomed and adopted into the wood elf community and Emerald Enclave.
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Running the Game by Matt Colville; Introduction: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8 >
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At least in my opinion, and probably others too, the only utility that spell has is winning the game of trash bin basketball, where the ball is made of perfectly good actions. Its effects are all either useless, or recreatable through non-magical free actions. It's just kind of flavor text made for in-world reasons, a very weak spell novices use for practice.
Don't waste your singular extra cantrip on prestidigitation. Minor illusion is an infinitely better choice for basically anything that spell can do, and more. Pick it instead. Or pick ray of frost for a reliable source of damage that doesn't expend spell slots. Though with shilelagh you probably won't need it that much. Still a valid choice.
Just, please, don't waste your cantrips on flavor text. It makes rules lawyers like me vanish into thin air, instantaneously.
Thanks for all the info all...very helpful.
One other thing making my head whirl a little. Goblins in the trees, testing to see them with perception vs stealth.
How to implement this practically? All your players roll, what if 2 players spot him, but 2 dont? Hes in some trees....the 2 that dont spot him cant fire arrows at him etc? Sounds confusing to DM half the party being able to see some goblins and half the party can see them all.
that and the Goblins firing arrows then hiding again. I roll their stealth.....and test vs players Perception. Again what if 2 can see him and 2 cant if hes 30 feet away. Feels a little overly complex for a first encounter.
Here's a simple answer: Player Hivemind. If one player knows something, all players know something. That's how my group does it, and it has its ups and downs, but for this situation it's the way to go.
I recommend using it for small, not particularly plot-centric things like this, but having players keep secrets from each other when bigger things are on the line. For instance, someone gets possessed by a demon? Well, you certainly need to tell the possessed player, but no one else would reasonably know that. Keep it a secret.
One way you could do it is a group check, if half or more pass, they all pass.
Personally (at my table), I'd have the two that pass see them, the two that don't, are unaware of their presence. They can redo the check with advantage if the two that see them try to point them out. I'd trust the two players that didn't spot them to not metagame and roleplay not seeing the goblins properly.
Advice: Don't roll for the stealth of the goblins. Just take the "passive" stealth score and have that as the DC. To do that, take the stealth score (which is +6 for agoblin and add +10 (average roll for a d20)). So for goblins, the DC would be 16, and if they roll perception of 16 or higher, they see the goblins. It will save time and mental load for you and give.you extra focus for your players.
If you feel that it's too complex for new players...just don't have the goblins hide once they're revealed. Once they shoot, everyone sees where they are, and it becomes a straight fight.
If you're not willing or able to to discuss in good faith, then don't be surprised if I don't respond, there are better things in life for me to do than humour you. This signature is that response.
I see where you are coming from. However, I hate doing chores, and that is with the help of modern appliances. I also forget my house key sometimes. I have not tried it before, but it is probably near impossible to light a pile of wet logs on fire without magic. I love to cook, and being able to flavor my food and adjust its temperature is amazing. Plus I can make plain water taste like ice cold lemonade or hot tea. Prestidigitation gets things done.
Minor Illusion is very good too, and there is honestly no wrong pick, but I cannot hide the smell of sweaty clothes and dirty dishes. I also cannot get in my house if I forgot my keys. And it does not really help me cook.
With Minor Illusion, I can attempt to hide inside an illusionary box to escape the city guards. I can also make it sound like as though the couple upstairs are making the house shake and furniture squeak. As great as Minor Illusion is, however, I cannot make funny odors with it. But you know which cantrip can? That is right! Prestidigitation can make that ******* half-elf bard pestering the barmaid smell like five bowls of hot red Thai curry, ten sushi rolls drowning in Sriracha-mayo, and thirty tacos doused in Tapatío are coming out of his pants chocolate rain style. And I can soil his pants too to make it even more convincing. And there is no attack roll nor saving throw for our devious plan to fail, so we can be sure his shit stained pants is in public view for all to see.
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Running the Game by Matt Colville; Introduction: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-YZvLUXcR8 >
D&D with High School Students by Bill Allen; Season 1 Episode 1: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52NJTUDokyk&t >
Indeed, in the play by post I'm part of, one of the other players has prestidigitation, and makes great use of it for role play purposes. And, as you (xxxGammaRay) point out, it can even be used strategically.
In the end, it's a question about how the player wants to play, and what the player wants for their character. Personally, I think for new players, it's often best not to worry about what's "optimal," but lean more into what's fun*, understanding that what is fun varies from player to player.
*As long as what is "fun" isn't being a jerk to other players or the DM. Not that I expect that in the OP's situation, just trying to be clear because there are a few players who will excuse their behavior with "but it's fun for me."
Trying to Decide if DDB is for you? A few helpful threads: A Buyer's Guide to DDB; What I/We Bought and Why; How some DMs use DDB; A Newer Thread on Using DDB to Play
Helpful threads on other topics: Homebrew FAQ by IamSposta; Accessing Content by ConalTheGreat;
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