I am currently putting together a game with my friends with me as a DM (first time officially DMing, not counting the "in a room" challenge), and I'm being presented with a few questions from them and I want to make sure that I'm not leaving myself open for tricky rules to deal with!
I've told them it's my first time (so be gentle), here's the things I've been asked about in character creation - can some more experienced DM let me know if these are likely to cause issues further down the line?
A monk, background Acolyte, whose holy symbol (from their background) they want to be a tattoo, which will glow when they use magic or ki (for flavour). I saw no issues with this so have given a provisional yes.
The same monk, is a variant half-elf of half sun-elf, for keen senses - again, I can't see an issue, unless someone tells me the variant rules have issues!
An orc artificer, armorer - I've no issues with people playing Orcs; I've decided that most people view single orcs with suspicion/curiosity and they view full tribes with fear, so no inherent "all orcs are bad" thinking in my world, so I decided this would be alright as well.
a half-drow chronurgy wizard. Again, they might get suspicion and curiosity but for the most part it'll be because people haven't seen a half-drow before, rather than because they think they are evil. This one's the one I'm most unsure of what to expect - and I expect it'll be the steepest learning curve! I'll be getting their spell list ahead of time so I know what they're capable of!
That's the 3 characters I've got lined up thus far - and I expect a Druid to be added into the mix, and one other (as yet they haven't come back with a character idea).
Is there anything here which I've not noticed that could be a dangerous or manipulative combo?
The tattoo thing could be fine as you are a new DM with new players - the reason not to has to do with action economy which you don’t need to think to heavily about at this stage.
Keen senses is just a bit of proficiency for perception check which won’t exactly be a game breaking advantage
In many campaign worlds elves and orcs, or other elf subraces and drow do not get along with each other. You might want to talk with your players about these ideas and how they all got together. It can be hard for even a experienced DM if the characters in your party are at odds with each other, so I doubt you want to have too much tension or prejudice in the group when you are just starting. Unless, of course, that is something that you and your players want to make part of the campaign. Personally, I encourage my players to work both with me and with each other when developing their backstories. It gives me more insight into the characters and how I can expect them to interact.... most of the time. One rule that has never yet proved false to me: Whatever you plan or expect, sooner or later your players will do something totally different. The more you know about what everyone wants from the game, the better you will be able to adapt when they do throw you a curve ball.
Monks don’t use magic. Are they planning to multi-class?
The issue with a tattoo as a spell focus is 1. You can’t really lose it or have it taken from you. 2. A balancing mechanic requires you to wield it, basically use a hand, in order to use a focus. I’d let it go, if the player was willing to say they need to touch it while casting to use it as a spell, and count that as their item interaction for the round. That can still be kind of powerful, as they don’t have to drop what they’re carrying and grab the focus, but makes it not as bad.
Now the glowing when they use ki is pure flavor and that I’d have to problem with. Races will be fine, and can be as important or trivial as you like in your world.
Since monks don't use holy symbols or other paraphernalia to activate their powers, the holy symbol tattoo is fine as long as they don't try to multiclass to a class that does need a divine focus. At that point, they'd need to get the class-appropriate item for their spells.
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Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.
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I am currently putting together a game with my friends with me as a DM (first time officially DMing, not counting the "in a room" challenge), and I'm being presented with a few questions from them and I want to make sure that I'm not leaving myself open for tricky rules to deal with!
I've told them it's my first time (so be gentle), here's the things I've been asked about in character creation - can some more experienced DM let me know if these are likely to cause issues further down the line?
That's the 3 characters I've got lined up thus far - and I expect a Druid to be added into the mix, and one other (as yet they haven't come back with a character idea).
Is there anything here which I've not noticed that could be a dangerous or manipulative combo?
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
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The tattoo thing could be fine as you are a new DM with new players - the reason not to has to do with action economy which you don’t need to think to heavily about at this stage.
Keen senses is just a bit of proficiency for perception check which won’t exactly be a game breaking advantage
Orcs are cool, go with it
Now more unbalanced than any other wizard
In many campaign worlds elves and orcs, or other elf subraces and drow do not get along with each other. You might want to talk with your players about these ideas and how they all got together. It can be hard for even a experienced DM if the characters in your party are at odds with each other, so I doubt you want to have too much tension or prejudice in the group when you are just starting. Unless, of course, that is something that you and your players want to make part of the campaign.
Personally, I encourage my players to work both with me and with each other when developing their backstories. It gives me more insight into the characters and how I can expect them to interact.... most of the time.
One rule that has never yet proved false to me: Whatever you plan or expect, sooner or later your players will do something totally different.
The more you know about what everyone wants from the game, the better you will be able to adapt when they do throw you a curve ball.
Good luck and welcome.
Monks don’t use magic. Are they planning to multi-class?
The issue with a tattoo as a spell focus is 1. You can’t really lose it or have it taken from you. 2. A balancing mechanic requires you to wield it, basically use a hand, in order to use a focus. I’d let it go, if the player was willing to say they need to touch it while casting to use it as a spell, and count that as their item interaction for the round. That can still be kind of powerful, as they don’t have to drop what they’re carrying and grab the focus, but makes it not as bad.
Now the glowing when they use ki is pure flavor and that I’d have to problem with.
Races will be fine, and can be as important or trivial as you like in your world.
Since monks don't use holy symbols or other paraphernalia to activate their powers, the holy symbol tattoo is fine as long as they don't try to multiclass to a class that does need a divine focus. At that point, they'd need to get the class-appropriate item for their spells.
Find your own truth, choose your enemies carefully, and never deal with a dragon.
"Canon" is what's factual to D&D lore. "Cannon" is what you're going to be shot with if you keep getting the word wrong.