"Greetings, foundlings, and salutations! You have decided to enter the mystical halls of the Brews, where you might learn some most astonishing mysteries and solve the most tangled of puzzles. Your task is to present us with something we haven't seen before, and have it make us look upon it with delight. You have but a few tendays to create your product and show it to us, so we suggest you get to work!"
- Meyonmon Merridith, Ex-Candlekeep Scholar
The purpose of this thread is to spread a little bit of fun in the form of a competition! Your task: Create an item of homebrew (see below) that is totally original and makes us go "wow"! The end products will be rated by members of the community, and the victors will create the next Finest Brew contest! The previous contests are linked below:
All competitions thus far have contained a multitude of spectacular and inspired entries, so I suggest you check them out if you haven't already . Now, onto the important stuff:
In each Finest Brew contest, there are three categories. These are so that people with skill in creating, say, monsters, don't end up stuck having to make dungeons. Each category is judged separately, and the winners of each category will then be pitted against each other to determine the overall winner, who will be determined by the highest overall average score. There can only be one entrance per category per account. The category types are as follows:
DM Options: Things such as magic items, monsters, terrain, and traps.
PC Options: Things such as classes, subclasses, spells, feats, or race/lineage options.
Inspirational Options: Things such as dungeons/encounters, stories, puzzles and random tables - or even character builds.
This time, our category themes are:
DM Options: Ironclad - Shod in armor of the finest and most effective make, warriors and monsters alike march to war. What kind of beasts and foes might players come up against? Or, perhaps the strength lies not in the warrior, but in the powerful armor they wear. Prepare to tell stories of the most glorious and indestructible armored ones to ever walk the earth!
PC Options: Must Have Been the Wind - In many campaigns, it is common for players to end up in dangerous stealth missions. What tactics, spells, and powers might they employ, especially if they get caught? Other than leaving no witnesses, that is.
Inspirational Options: What A Deal! - Oftentimes in D&D, players find themselves needing more at their disposal than they have. It’s in these situations that some good material for dealmaking might come in handy! What kind of beings would the party make deals with? What are the rules of the contract? Will the deal maker need to reach them about their flying carpet’s extended warranty? Let’s find out!
Voting will start April 2nd 6thand will end at noon on April 14th16th. A Google Forms poll for each category will be posted on this thread, and all may vote on it - including contestants. Please try to take the time to review and vote for every entry in the categories you vote in, as even one vote can easily sway a competition like this. If there's anything you feel very strongly about, also feel free to review it in the thread! Reviews won't count for anything, but it's nice to get feedback!
Contestants will be listed here with a link to their entries so you can easily find and review each option while voting. I will try to keep on top of this to the best of my ability, but there may be some delay between submitting an entry and having it listed here.
I am at a faliure of comprehension when it comes to roman numeral numbers over 5. We're King Henry the VII now, fellows, let's go desecrate our helpless rival Richard the III!
In other news, I'm comin' for the win. Maybe, maybe, just maybe, I will actually be in third place this time!
This is not my submission...yet. But this is a subclass I was working on for a while that is in a much better state than it started. I'm still not sure if it's there yet. Here's the rundown
"Unable to match wits with the other students of the Orenda's Academy you reached out to a Shadowy entity, granting you the powers you sought. Powers the other students worked so hard for...now simply given away. You have been given the power to deceive those around you into believing you too are a wizard worthy of the academy. In reality, you gave something away that you can never get back. You stand between the border of reality, with the shadow of The Imposter looming ever behind you..."
A thought popped into my head that it would be fun to play a game where you are really a warlock but tried to deceive the players around you (and the NPC's) that you were actually a wizard. Out of that came this subclass. To do this you gain 3 wizard spells that you can cast once per day for free. As a warlock, I love taking feats that give me free spells like shadow touched or fey touched. This feels so great as a warlock because you get so few spell slots. The 3 free spells you gain are crucial wizard spells that add to the flavor but also have a great gameplay advantage for warlocks.
At 6th level, the subclass really pops off with endless out of combat options and a few combat options. You lose the ability to naturally cast shadows as The Imposter's shadow emerges from the book and traces your movement. Here is where this subclass fits the contest. The shadow can cast the verbal and somatic parts of spells for you. Want to detect thoughts in the face of the king? Cast the spell with your shadow while you hope he doesn't look down at the hands of your shadow moving about. You can also sense through your shadow. Send your shadow around the corner and you can sense if it sees something or not. While your shadow leaves your presence you are left without a shadow at all. Eerily standing around like an unfinished drawing (Kinda like this). The uses for this shadow are endless and full of flavor. At this point, the secret would probably be out to your fellow players.
However, this is where I think the subclass fails. As a warlock, you get so few spells and I feel that the use of, essentially subtle spell, is not as useful to a warlock as it is to a wizard. BUT, if you take the pact of the tome boon and then go with some of those invocations you will get access to ritual spells. So imagine letting your shadow ritual cast detect magic while you take a drink at the bar or summoning your familiar to cause a distraction while you maintain your innocence. I think this could work with the class if you build it right. But you have to count that as a weakness if it requires a specific build.
The only caveat is that I have very little experience playing a warlock. I'm playing my first ever in a wild beyond the witchlight campaign but I'm only level 1. So this is where some other input would help.
Is subtle spell a benefit to warlocks? Would you be interested in playing a warlock that gave you the ability to do this? When you can only cast two spells per short rest is this ability completely useless?
This is not my submission...yet. But this is a subclass I was working on for a while that is in a much better state than it started. I'm still not sure if it's there yet. Here's the rundown
"Unable to match wits with the other students of the Orenda's Academy you reached out to a Shadowy entity, granting you the powers you sought. Powers the other students worked so hard for...now simply given away. You have been given the power to deceive those around you into believing you too are a wizard worthy of the academy. In reality, you gave something away that you can never get back. You stand between the border of reality, with the shadow of The Imposter looming ever behind you..."
A thought popped into my head that it would be fun to play a game where you are really a warlock but tried to deceive the players around you (and the NPC's) that you were actually a wizard. Out of that came this subclass. To do this you gain 3 wizard spells that you can cast once per day for free. As a warlock, I love taking feats that give me free spells like shadow touched or fey touched. This feels so great as a warlock because you get so few spell slots. The 3 free spells you gain are crucial wizard spells that add to the flavor but also have a great gameplay advantage for warlocks.
At 6th level, the subclass really pops off with endless out of combat options and a few combat options. You lose the ability to naturally cast shadows as The Imposter's shadow emerges from the book and traces your movement. Here is where this subclass fits the contest. The shadow can cast the verbal and somatic parts of spells for you. Want to detect thoughts in the face of the king? Cast the spell with your shadow while you hope he doesn't look down at the hands of your shadow moving about. You can also sense through your shadow. Send your shadow around the corner and you can sense if it sees something or not. While your shadow leaves your presence you are left without a shadow at all. Eerily standing around like an unfinished drawing (Kinda like this). The uses for this shadow are endless and full of flavor. At this point, the secret would probably be out to your fellow players.
However, this is where I think the subclass fails. As a warlock, you get so few spells and I feel that the use of, essentially subtle spell, is not as useful to a warlock as it is to a wizard. BUT, if you take the pact of the tome boon and then go with some of those invocations you will get access to ritual spells. So imagine letting your shadow ritual cast detect magic while you take a drink at the bar or summoning your familiar to cause a distraction while you maintain your innocence. I think this could work with the class if you build it right. But you have to count that as a weakness if it requires a specific build.
The only caveat is that I have very little experience playing a warlock. I'm playing my first ever in a wild beyond the witchlight campaign but I'm only level 1. So this is where some other input would help.
Is subtle spell a benefit to warlocks? Would you be interested in playing a warlock that gave you the ability to do this? When you can only cast two spells per short rest is this ability completely useless?
I’m struggling not to make a certain kind of joke that may be based on the subclass name. Thanks for the submission!
On its turn, the ironclad can take 3 actions, choosing from the options below. It can take only 2 actions if it has fewer than forty crew and only 1 action if it has fewer than twenty. It can't take these actions if it has fewer than five crew.
Fire Ballistas. The ironclad can fire its ballistas (DMG, ch. 8).
Move. The ironclad can use its helm to move with its screws. As part of this move, it can use its naval ram.
Hull
Armor Class18
Hit Points1000 (damage threshold 20)
Control: Helm
Armor Class20
Hit Points200
Move up to the speed of one of the ship's movement components, with one 90-degree turn. The helm can be attacked only if the hull has taken 500 or more damage. If the helm is destroyed, the ironclad can't turn.
Movement: Screws
Armor Class 15
Hit Points150; -5 ft. speed per 50 damage taken
Speed (water)15 ft. (requires at least 40 crew)
Weapon: Ballista (8)
Armor Class 15
Hit Points 50 each
Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.
Weapon: Naval Ram
Armor Class 20
Hit Points200 (damage threshold 20)
The ironclad has advantage on all saving throws relating to crashing when it crashes into a creature or an object. Any damage it takes from the crash is applied to the naval ram rather than to the ship. These benefits dont apply if another vessel crashes into the ironclad.
Dwarves who go to war at sea feel unprotected by “flimsy” wooden hulls. Therefore, dwarf shipwrights developed the ironclad, an iron-plated warship that sits low in the water and brims with ballista bolts. Ironclads are rightly feared by naval commanders. The ballista crews can fire their bolts from behind protective iron shutters, breaching an ordinary ship’s hull without fear of retaliation. Rowing dwarves work in teams, turning giant cranks to propel the ship.
An ironclad has the following features:
Light. Hanging lanterns cast bright light over the main deck.
Rudder. The ship is steered by a rudder control on the aft of the main deck.
Example Ironclad Crew
An ironclad requires a crew of eighty to properly propel the vessel and often carries extra passengers or soldiers. If the characters are guests on a longship, the crew consists of the following creatures, all of which have proficiency with water vehicles in addition to their normal statistics:
The main deck of the ironclad has the following features:
Armored Deck. The deck is contained by the ship's iron armor, which provides full cover for creatures behind it, or three-quarters cover if the ironclad's hull has 500 hit points or fewer.
Cranks. Eighteen benches are built into the deck, each with a 15-foot-long crank. When the ship is propelled, crew members sit on these benches to work the cranks.
For my player option, a spell I've had unpublished for a while: Lost Depth. It's perfect for a rogue and conceptually pretty funny. I'm also looking for feedback on it! It's meant to be available to rangers, sorcerers, and wizards.
Lost Depth
Level
4th
Casting Time
1 Action
Range/Area
Touch
Components
V, S
Duration
1 Minute
School
Transmutation
Attack/Save
None
Damage/Effect
Buff (...)
You touch one willing creature who becomes two-dimensional. For the duration, the target gains the following benefits:
The target has resistance to bludgeoning damage.
The target has advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide.
The target can pass through small holes, narrow openings, and even mere cracks.
The target's melee attacks deal slashing damage instead of bludgeoning or piercing damage and score a critical hit on a roll of 19 or 20 on the d20.
Category: Ironclad (DMs) Design: Magic Item (Armor, Plate) Rarity: Legendary Requires Attunement: Yes Attunement Prerequisites: Proficiency in Heavy Armor Acknowledgements: Thanks to Mark Hulmes and the High Rollers Crew for their wonderful world of Aerois, in which this armor is based. You can read more on Kalus Valkyrian and his villainous exploits here.
Created by the most brilliant inventors of Kalus Valkyrian's empire, the Magitech Sentient Armor is the result of a failed prototype that was going to be used to augment the most skilled soldiers in times of conflict. Only eight suits of Magitech Sentient Armor were ever made, and at least five of them have been destroyed by venturing into a sun or being consumed by the hunger, Hadar themselves. The rest were lost, scattered among the planes in order to either remain unfound, or to be taken up and worn by the greatest heroes the multiverse will ever see.
A creature that wears this armor gains a +3 bonus to their AC, and the wearer reduces all force damage they take by an amount equal to their level or Challenge Rating, whichever is more appropriate. The wearer does not need to be attuned to the armor to gain this benefit, only proficient in heavy armor, but any other benefits presented by this armor require attunement.
Quick Configuration. A creature attuned to this armor can doff or don it as an action. Alternatively, they can allow another creature within 5 feet of it that is proficient with heavy armor to don it or doff it as an action on their turn.
Tactical Highlighting. While wearing the armor, a creature attuned to this item automatically knows if a spell is being cast within 30 feet of them, regardless of whether they can see the caster, and the level of the spell slot the spell is being cast at.
Additionally, the wearer of this armor can use a bonus action on their turn to encourage their allies, whether or not they are wearing the armor. When this bonus action is used, the target can either choose to increase their walking speed by 10 feet, or roll a d4 and add it to the next attack roll they make. Both of these effects occur on the target's next turn.
Autonomous Form. As an action on their turn while not wearing the armor, a creature attuned to the armor can cause the armor to become a creature, or to revert back into armor form. While a creature, the armor cannot be worn, it is friendly to the creature attuned to it, and it obeys their commands. The armor's statistics are shown in the Autonomous Magitech Armor stat block.
In combat, the armor shares the creature who is attuned to its initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless the creature attuned to it uses a bonus action on their turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If they are incapacitated, the armor can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
Additionally, should a creature be hit by the armor's Shocking Gauntlets attack, the attuned creature can choose to expend and roll any number of their hit die. When they do, the creature targeted by the attack takes additional lightning damage equal to the number rolled , and the attuned creature gains temporary hit points equal to twice the number of hit die expended. If more than 5 hit die are expended in this way, the target also becomes stunned until the start of the attuned creature's next turn.
If the mending spell is cast on the armor, it regains 2d6 hit points. If it is reduced to 0 hit points, the armor loses its Autonomous Form property until a spell slot of 6th-level or higher is expended to repair it. The armor also reverts from a creature to normal armor each day at dawn.
Sentience. Magitech Sentient Armor are Lawful Neutral suits of plate mail with an Intelligence of 14, a Wisdom of 19, and a Charisma of 10. It can telepathically communicate with any creature attuned to it, and has blindsight out to 5 feet of itself while in armor form, or out to 15 feet of itself while in creature form. The weapon can speak, read, and write Common, and it's voice is feminine and robotic in nature, as modelled off of Xarkira, Kalus Valkyrian's right-hand commander.
Personality. Magitech Sentient Armor speak in a gentle, comforting manner, as if they are trained councilors, and good friends of the wearer.
The armor adheres to three primary laws: defend the wearer from outside forces, neutralize chosen targets, and avoid being destroyed at any cost short of harming the wearer. As such, the armor is often simplistic in approach, though glitches in its matrix do often cause them to gain certain semblances of wit and charm that may not otherwise have been there.
Should a creature attuned to the Magitech Sentient Armor be killed by an outside force such as an enemy spell or attack while under the armor's protection, the armor will deactivate itself. When it does so, it becomes normal, non-magical plate mail.
Curse. The magitech used to create the armor is faulty and often glitches; a creature wearing the armor must roll a d8 at the end of each of their turns. On an 8, the wearer automatically takes 1d6 lightning damage. If this damage would reduce the wearer to below half their hit point maximum, they doff the armor automatically as a free action.
SensesBlindsight 15 ft. (blind beyond this radius), Passive Perception 14
LanguagesCommon (can speak telepathically only with attuned creature)
Challenge2 (450 XP)
Proficiency Bonus+2
Antimagic Susceptibility. The armor is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the armor must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
False Appearance. While the armor remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal suit of armor.
Plate Mail. The armor has disadvantage on Stealth checks it makes.
Tactical Maneuvers. The armor has advantage on attack rolls it makes while within 5 feet of the creature attuned to it and they aren't incapacitated.
Actions
Shocking Gauntlets. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage, plus 9 (2d8) lightning damage.
The autonomous form seems to be far too weak to ever be useful considering this is a legendary item and thus likely won't be available until late levels. What about using a modified Helmed Horror instead for its autonomous form?
How is the curse supposed to work? As written, the heat metal spell with a 1-minute duration would be cast roughly twice per minute, thus the armor causes a shock every turn. Maybe change it so that the character has to roll a d8 when he takes damage, and on an 8 he takes 2d8 lightning damage due to the armor glitching (could also be a d20 to reduce the change to glitch)? Also, if you keep it so that heat metal is cast, I think it should not be the wearer who casts the spell, but the armor itself. Having the wearer cast the spell causes issues with things like Concentration or Rage.
The autonomous form seems to be far too weak to ever be useful considering this is a legendary item and thus likely won't be available until late levels. What about using a modified Helmed Horror instead for its autonomous form?
How is the curse supposed to work? As written, the heat metal spell with a 1-minute duration would be cast roughly twice per minute, thus the armor causes a shock every turn. Maybe change it so that the character has to roll a d8 when he takes damage, and on an 8 he takes 2d8 lightning damage due to the armor glitching (could also be a d20 to reduce the change to glitch)? Also, if you keep it so that heat metal is cast, I think it should not be the wearer who casts the spell, but the armor itself. Having the wearer cast the spell causes issues with things like Concentration or Rage.
I have changed it to the attuned creature still getting the secondary effect of Tactical Highlighting while the armor is autonomous, as well as granting the ability for an attuned creature to expend hit die when the armor makes a Shocking Gauntlet attack, dealing that much extra damage, granting the attuned creature temp HP equal to twice the number of hit die rolled, and if enough hit die are expended, stunning the attack's target. Also, the curse now deals 1d6 lightning damage to the wearer.
I have written up an encounter (and drawn an art!) for something I came up with yesterday, as an entry for the Inspirational Options!
A royal entity invites you to his halls and offers you a deal you cannot refuse. This can be chucked into the middle of a campaign as a side-quest to make the party check their morals somewhat!
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Homebrew:Magic Items,Monsters,Spells,Subclasses ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
Multiattack. The defender attempts to shove a target, then makes one weapon attack.
Warhammer. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack:+5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Bonus Actions
Defensive Stance(1/day). As a bonus action, the defender can enter a defensive stance for 1 minute, the defender is incapacitated, or the defender ends the effect as a bonus action. While in a defensive stance, the defender's speed is halved and it has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Reactions
Shield Wall. Whenever another creature with this trait and within 5 feet of the defender is targeted with a melee weapon attack, the defender may use its reaction to become the target of the attack instead.
Description
Dwarved defenders are elite dwarven warriors charged with protecting sites important to dwarven religion and culture.
And yep, I made a PC option I was happy with fairly quickly.
Background Boots
Wondrous Item, rare (requires attunement)
These nondescript boots make their wearer fade into the background, giving watchers the feeling that the wearer should be there and avoiding notice.
While wearing these boots and not attempting to hide or acting openly hostile, creatures must succeed on a Wisdom(Insight) check contested by your Charisma(Deception) check, which is made with advantage, to notice you. If they fail the check, they have no memory of your passing.
Prerequisite: Ability to cast spells as ritual spells
Your dexterity increases by 1.
Any time you cast a spell which gives you a fly speed you may choose to inflict on yourself a bleeding wound. The wound deals one point of damage and one additional point of damage each minute, which cannot be healed until the effect which grants flying has ended. If you do so, the duration of your spell changes to “as long as you have hit points left.”
Additionally, while under the effects of the altered spell, you may use your bonus action to dash or to disengage.
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The purpose of this thread is to spread a little bit of fun in the form of a competition! Your task: Create an item of homebrew (see below) that is totally original and makes us go "wow"! The end products will be rated by members of the community, and the victors will create the next Finest Brew contest! The previous contests are linked below:
The Competition of the Finest Brews I / Judged by Yamana_Eajii.
The Competition of the Finest Brews II / Judged by Thauraeln_The_Bold.
The Competition of the Finest Brews III / Judged by TabaxiRogueFighterClericWarlock
The Competition of the Finest Brews IV / Judged by Kaboom979
The Competition of the Finest Brews V / Judged by ThorukDuckSlayer
The Competition of the Finest Brews VI / Judged by Semako
All competitions thus far have contained a multitude of spectacular and inspired entries, so I suggest you check them out if you haven't already . Now, onto the important stuff:
Timeframe
Entries must be submitted before midnight on
March 30thApril 5th to be considered part of the competition.Contest Categories
In each Finest Brew contest, there are three categories. These are so that people with skill in creating, say, monsters, don't end up stuck having to make dungeons. Each category is judged separately, and the winners of each category will then be pitted against each other to determine the overall winner, who will be determined by the highest overall average score. There can only be one entrance per category per account. The category types are as follows:
This time, our category themes are:
DM Options: Ironclad - Shod in armor of the finest and most effective make, warriors and monsters alike march to war. What kind of beasts and foes might players come up against? Or, perhaps the strength lies not in the warrior, but in the powerful armor they wear. Prepare to tell stories of the most glorious and indestructible armored ones to ever walk the earth!
PC Options: Must Have Been the Wind - In many campaigns, it is common for players to end up in dangerous stealth missions. What tactics, spells, and powers might they employ, especially if they get caught? Other than leaving no witnesses, that is.
Inspirational Options: What A Deal! - Oftentimes in D&D, players find themselves needing more at their disposal than they have. It’s in these situations that some good material for dealmaking might come in handy! What kind of beings would the party make deals with? What are the rules of the contract? Will the deal maker need to reach them about their flying carpet’s extended warranty? Let’s find out!
Voting
Voting will start April
2nd6th and will end at noon on April14th16th. A Google Forms poll for each category will be posted on this thread, and all may vote on it - including contestants. Please try to take the time to review and vote for every entry in the categories you vote in, as even one vote can easily sway a competition like this. If there's anything you feel very strongly about, also feel free to review it in the thread! Reviews won't count for anything, but it's nice to get feedback!Contestants
Contestants will be listed here with a link to their entries so you can easily find and review each option while voting. I will try to keep on top of this to the best of my ability, but there may be some delay between submitting an entry and having it listed here.
DM Options: Ironclad
Player Options: Must Have Been the Wind
Inspirational Options: What A Deal!
EDIT: Submissions have returned to being open until April 5. See “Timeframe” and “Voting” for details.
Come participate in the Competition of the Finest Brews, Edition XXII?
My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
I am at a faliure of comprehension when it comes to roman numeral numbers over 5. We're King Henry the VII now, fellows, let's go desecrate our helpless rival Richard the III!
In other news, I'm comin' for the win. Maybe, maybe, just maybe, I will actually be in third place this time!
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
Question: do vehicles count as DM options?
I would count them as that, yeah.
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
As vehicles are within the range of “objects”, I will count them as DM options.
Come participate in the Competition of the Finest Brews, Edition XXII?
My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
https://www.dndbeyond.com/subclasses/1162683-the-imposter
This is not my submission...yet. But this is a subclass I was working on for a while that is in a much better state than it started. I'm still not sure if it's there yet. Here's the rundown
"Unable to match wits with the other students of the Orenda's Academy you reached out to a Shadowy entity, granting you the powers you sought. Powers the other students worked so hard for...now simply given away. You have been given the power to deceive those around you into believing you too are a wizard worthy of the academy. In reality, you gave something away that you can never get back. You stand between the border of reality, with the shadow of The Imposter looming ever behind you..."
A thought popped into my head that it would be fun to play a game where you are really a warlock but tried to deceive the players around you (and the NPC's) that you were actually a wizard. Out of that came this subclass. To do this you gain 3 wizard spells that you can cast once per day for free. As a warlock, I love taking feats that give me free spells like shadow touched or fey touched. This feels so great as a warlock because you get so few spell slots. The 3 free spells you gain are crucial wizard spells that add to the flavor but also have a great gameplay advantage for warlocks.
At 6th level, the subclass really pops off with endless out of combat options and a few combat options. You lose the ability to naturally cast shadows as The Imposter's shadow emerges from the book and traces your movement. Here is where this subclass fits the contest. The shadow can cast the verbal and somatic parts of spells for you. Want to detect thoughts in the face of the king? Cast the spell with your shadow while you hope he doesn't look down at the hands of your shadow moving about. You can also sense through your shadow. Send your shadow around the corner and you can sense if it sees something or not. While your shadow leaves your presence you are left without a shadow at all. Eerily standing around like an unfinished drawing (Kinda like this). The uses for this shadow are endless and full of flavor. At this point, the secret would probably be out to your fellow players.
However, this is where I think the subclass fails. As a warlock, you get so few spells and I feel that the use of, essentially subtle spell, is not as useful to a warlock as it is to a wizard. BUT, if you take the pact of the tome boon and then go with some of those invocations you will get access to ritual spells. So imagine letting your shadow ritual cast detect magic while you take a drink at the bar or summoning your familiar to cause a distraction while you maintain your innocence. I think this could work with the class if you build it right. But you have to count that as a weakness if it requires a specific build.
The only caveat is that I have very little experience playing a warlock. I'm playing my first ever in a wild beyond the witchlight campaign but I'm only level 1. So this is where some other input would help.
Is subtle spell a benefit to warlocks? Would you be interested in playing a warlock that gave you the ability to do this? When you can only cast two spells per short rest is this ability completely useless?
I’m struggling not to make a certain kind of joke that may be based on the subclass name. Thanks for the submission!
Come participate in the Competition of the Finest Brews, Edition XXII?
My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
I'll submit this Dwarven Ironclad as a DM option. It's a bit OP as a vehicle, but it's extremely slow and easy to escape.
Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, range 120/480 ft., one target. Hit: 16 (3d10) piercing damage.
Dwarves who go to war at sea feel unprotected by “flimsy” wooden hulls. Therefore, dwarf shipwrights developed the ironclad, an iron-plated warship that sits low in the water and brims with ballista bolts. Ironclads are rightly feared by naval commanders. The ballista crews can fire their bolts from behind protective iron shutters, breaching an ordinary ship’s hull without fear of retaliation. Rowing dwarves work in teams, turning giant cranks to propel the ship.
An ironclad has the following features:
Light. Hanging lanterns cast bright light over the main deck.
Rudder. The ship is steered by a rudder control on the aft of the main deck.
Example Ironclad Crew
An ironclad requires a crew of eighty to properly propel the vessel and often carries extra passengers or soldiers. If the characters are guests on a longship, the crew consists of the following creatures, all of which have proficiency with water vehicles in addition to their normal statistics:
A warship typically includes the following additional crew to augment its fighting ability:
Ironclad Main Deck
The main deck of the ironclad has the following features:
Armored Deck. The deck is contained by the ship's iron armor, which provides full cover for creatures behind it, or three-quarters cover if the ironclad's hull has 500 hit points or fewer.
Cranks. Eighteen benches are built into the deck, each with a 15-foot-long crank. When the ship is propelled, crew members sit on these benches to work the cranks.
For my player option, a spell I've had unpublished for a while: Lost Depth. It's perfect for a rogue and conceptually pretty funny. I'm also looking for feedback on it! It's meant to be available to rangers, sorcerers, and wizards.
Lost Depth
You touch one willing creature who becomes two-dimensional. For the duration, the target gains the following benefits:
Magitech Sentient Armor
Category: Ironclad (DMs)
Design: Magic Item (Armor, Plate)
Rarity: Legendary
Requires Attunement: Yes
Attunement Prerequisites: Proficiency in Heavy Armor
Acknowledgements: Thanks to Mark Hulmes and the High Rollers Crew for their wonderful world of Aerois, in which this armor is based. You can read more on Kalus Valkyrian and his villainous exploits here.
Created by the most brilliant inventors of Kalus Valkyrian's empire, the Magitech Sentient Armor is the result of a failed prototype that was going to be used to augment the most skilled soldiers in times of conflict. Only eight suits of Magitech Sentient Armor were ever made, and at least five of them have been destroyed by venturing into a sun or being consumed by the hunger, Hadar themselves. The rest were lost, scattered among the planes in order to either remain unfound, or to be taken up and worn by the greatest heroes the multiverse will ever see.
A creature that wears this armor gains a +3 bonus to their AC, and the wearer reduces all force damage they take by an amount equal to their level or Challenge Rating, whichever is more appropriate. The wearer does not need to be attuned to the armor to gain this benefit, only proficient in heavy armor, but any other benefits presented by this armor require attunement.
Quick Configuration. A creature attuned to this armor can doff or don it as an action. Alternatively, they can allow another creature within 5 feet of it that is proficient with heavy armor to don it or doff it as an action on their turn.
Tactical Highlighting. While wearing the armor, a creature attuned to this item automatically knows if a spell is being cast within 30 feet of them, regardless of whether they can see the caster, and the level of the spell slot the spell is being cast at.
Additionally, the wearer of this armor can use a bonus action on their turn to encourage their allies, whether or not they are wearing the armor. When this bonus action is used, the target can either choose to increase their walking speed by 10 feet, or roll a d4 and add it to the next attack roll they make. Both of these effects occur on the target's next turn.
Autonomous Form. As an action on their turn while not wearing the armor, a creature attuned to the armor can cause the armor to become a creature, or to revert back into armor form. While a creature, the armor cannot be worn, it is friendly to the creature attuned to it, and it obeys their commands. The armor's statistics are shown in the Autonomous Magitech Armor stat block.
In combat, the armor shares the creature who is attuned to its initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless the creature attuned to it uses a bonus action on their turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If they are incapacitated, the armor can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
Additionally, should a creature be hit by the armor's Shocking Gauntlets attack, the attuned creature can choose to expend and roll any number of their hit die. When they do, the creature targeted by the attack takes additional lightning damage equal to the number rolled , and the attuned creature gains temporary hit points equal to twice the number of hit die expended. If more than 5 hit die are expended in this way, the target also becomes stunned until the start of the attuned creature's next turn.
If the mending spell is cast on the armor, it regains 2d6 hit points. If it is reduced to 0 hit points, the armor loses its Autonomous Form property until a spell slot of 6th-level or higher is expended to repair it. The armor also reverts from a creature to normal armor each day at dawn.
Sentience. Magitech Sentient Armor are Lawful Neutral suits of plate mail with an Intelligence of 14, a Wisdom of 19, and a Charisma of 10. It can telepathically communicate with any creature attuned to it, and has blindsight out to 5 feet of itself while in armor form, or out to 15 feet of itself while in creature form. The weapon can speak, read, and write Common, and it's voice is feminine and robotic in nature, as modelled off of Xarkira, Kalus Valkyrian's right-hand commander.
Personality. Magitech Sentient Armor speak in a gentle, comforting manner, as if they are trained councilors, and good friends of the wearer.
The armor adheres to three primary laws: defend the wearer from outside forces, neutralize chosen targets, and avoid being destroyed at any cost short of harming the wearer. As such, the armor is often simplistic in approach, though glitches in its matrix do often cause them to gain certain semblances of wit and charm that may not otherwise have been there.
Should a creature attuned to the Magitech Sentient Armor be killed by an outside force such as an enemy spell or attack while under the armor's protection, the armor will deactivate itself. When it does so, it becomes normal, non-magical plate mail.
Curse. The magitech used to create the armor is faulty and often glitches; a creature wearing the armor must roll a d8 at the end of each of their turns. On an 8, the wearer automatically takes 1d6 lightning damage. If this damage would reduce the wearer to below half their hit point maximum, they doff the armor automatically as a free action.
Antimagic Susceptibility. The armor is incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, the armor must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
False Appearance. While the armor remains motionless, it is indistinguishable from a normal suit of armor.
Plate Mail. The armor has disadvantage on Stealth checks it makes.
Tactical Maneuvers. The armor has advantage on attack rolls it makes while within 5 feet of the creature attuned to it and they aren't incapacitated.
Shocking Gauntlets. Melee Weapon Attack: +4 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 5 (1d6 + 2) bludgeoning damage, plus 9 (2d8) lightning damage.
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
Looks very interesting! A few things though:
The autonomous form seems to be far too weak to ever be useful considering this is a legendary item and thus likely won't be available until late levels. What about using a modified Helmed Horror instead for its autonomous form?
How is the curse supposed to work? As written, the heat metal spell with a 1-minute duration would be cast roughly twice per minute, thus the armor causes a shock every turn. Maybe change it so that the character has to roll a d8 when he takes damage, and on an 8 he takes 2d8 lightning damage due to the armor glitching (could also be a d20 to reduce the change to glitch)? Also, if you keep it so that heat metal is cast, I think it should not be the wearer who casts the spell, but the armor itself. Having the wearer cast the spell causes issues with things like Concentration or Rage.
I have changed it to the attuned creature still getting the secondary effect of Tactical Highlighting while the armor is autonomous, as well as granting the ability for an attuned creature to expend hit die when the armor makes a Shocking Gauntlet attack, dealing that much extra damage, granting the attuned creature temp HP equal to twice the number of hit die rolled, and if enough hit die are expended, stunning the attack's target. Also, the curse now deals 1d6 lightning damage to the wearer.
Frequent Eladrin || They/Them, but accept all pronouns
Luz Noceda would like to remind you that you're worth loving!
I have written up an encounter (and drawn an art!) for something I came up with yesterday, as an entry for the Inspirational Options!
A royal entity invites you to his halls and offers you a deal you cannot refuse. This can be chucked into the middle of a campaign as a side-quest to make the party check their morals somewhat!
The Stone King (Homebrewery)
Please let me know what you think!
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread - latest release; the Harvest Sprite, a playable Jack-o-Lantern Race!
Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: The Promethean Scientist (Dr Frankenstein) Artificer Subclass!!
I also dabble in art on here (my art thread)
Apologies, but my player option submission was buried in my post above and seemingly overlooked!
Lost Depth
You touch one willing creature who becomes two-dimensional. For the duration, the target gains the following benefits:
If you could, please edit your post to include what classes the spell is available to.
Come participate in the Competition of the Finest Brews, Edition XXII?
My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
Steel crystal plate
A armor item that doubles as a way to cripple certain foes (notably barbarians, monks and spellcasters)
My homebrew content: Monsters, subclasses, Magic items, Feats, spells, races, backgrounds
Alright, here's my submission for the PC options. I hope you guys enjoy it!
Half-Moon Aura: https://www.dndbeyond.com/spells/1354270-half-moon-aura
All stars fade. Some stars forever fall.
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Homebrew: Magic Items, Monsters, Spells, Subclasses
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If there was no light, people wouldn't fear the dark.
Starting with a DM option. Stealth is fun, so I'll probably add some other stuff later.
Multiattack. The defender attempts to shove a target, then makes one weapon attack.
Warhammer. Melee or Ranged Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage, or 8 (1d10 + 3) bludgeoning damage if used with two hands to make a melee attack.
Defensive Stance(1/day). As a bonus action, the defender can enter a defensive stance for 1 minute, the defender is incapacitated, or the defender ends the effect as a bonus action. While in a defensive stance, the defender's speed is halved and it has resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.
Shield Wall. Whenever another creature with this trait and within 5 feet of the defender is targeted with a melee weapon attack, the defender may use its reaction to become the target of the attack instead.
Description
Dwarved defenders are elite dwarven warriors charged with protecting sites important to dwarven religion and culture.
I have a weird sense of humor.
I also make maps.(That's a link)
And yep, I made a PC option I was happy with fairly quickly.
Background Boots
These nondescript boots make their wearer fade into the background, giving watchers the feeling that the wearer should be there and avoiding notice.
While wearing these boots and not attempting to hide or acting openly hostile, creatures must succeed on a Wisdom(Insight) check contested by your Charisma(Deception) check, which is made with advantage, to notice you. If they fail the check, they have no memory of your passing.
I have a weird sense of humor.
I also make maps.(That's a link)
well...I specifically said it wasn't my submission and I see it in the voting category lol
Could I have that removed? I was looking for some feedback on it before I submitted it or I may come up with something new entirely
A player option, this feat:
Racing the Wind
Prerequisite: Ability to cast spells as ritual spells
Your dexterity increases by 1.
Any time you cast a spell which gives you a fly speed you may choose to inflict on yourself a bleeding wound. The wound deals one point of damage and one additional point of damage each minute, which cannot be healed until the effect which grants flying has ended. If you do so, the duration of your spell changes to “as long as you have hit points left.”
Additionally, while under the effects of the altered spell, you may use your bonus action to dash or to disengage.