"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
If this is your first time joining us, welcome. The purpose of this thread is to spread a little bit of fun in the form of a friendly 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 victor of each category will help create the next Finest ‘Brew contest! The previous contests are linked below.
Timeframe
Entries must be submitted before 11:59 PST on Friday, March 15th to be considered part of the competition.
Contest Categories
In each Finest Brew contest, there are three categories. Each category is judged separately. There can only be one entry per category per person. The category types are as follows:
DM Options: Things that provide tools for DMs to make encounters more interesting and rewards more enticing - such as dungeons/encounters, magic items, monsters, random tables, or even optional rules/mechanics.
PC Options: Things that help a player will build and develop their character - such as homebrew classes, subclasses, spells, feats, backgrounds or race/lineage/species options.
Interactive Options: Things that affect how characters interact with the world, exploring both its social structure and environment - such as NPCs, puzzles, stories/lore, terrain, traps/hazards or even institutions like shops or taverns.
This time, our category themes are:
DM Options: Dynamic Duos
Batman and Robin. The Hand and Eye of Vecna. Pizza and Pineapple. Some things just work together. Two monsters that synergize. Two pieces of a fractured magical artifact. A friendly angel and demon pair. Can you capture the magic of two coming together to become more than the sum of their parts?
Player Options: Tidal Forces
A half-elf stands atop a hill and blows a giant conch, summoning a tidal wave to sweep away an orc horde. A cleric calmly walks across the stormy waves to rescue sailors from a capsized vessel. A dwarf dives into the ocean chasing a merrow growing gills and fins as she plunges deeper. Craft something that allows players to harness the power of the sea.
Interactive Options: Star Light, Star Bright
The constellations take the day off and meet at their favorite tavern. An astrologist begs the party for help. The celestial bodies align, and the world will never be the same. The stars pass by every night, and have long been the subject of much wonder. How might that wonder be encapsulated in your homebrews? What encounters, characters, stories, or locations might be inspired by those twinkling lights in the night?
Voting will start on Monday, March 18th (or thereabouts, once the survey is made) and will end on Friday, March 29th.A Google Forms poll for each category will be posted on this thread, and all may vote on it - including and especially contestants. Contestants are encouraged to vote 5 and 5 on their own submissions; all scores will have 5 subtracted from both voting categories. Scores are assigned using a numerical value from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).
Balance/Playability - This score is about how well the entry would run in game. If this entry is overpowered or underpowered, consider subtracting points. Also, consider subtracting points if it is poorly written or unclear, since that would make it a lot harder to understand and use in game.
Idea/Creativity- This score is about cool, interesting and unique the entry is. If someone's idea does not fit well into the contest category it is submitted for, consider subtracting points. If someone has put a lot of extra work into the submission reflected by its length or artistic pieces, consider adding points
Written Feedback - You have the option to give written feedback, should you choose, for any entries on the forms. Written feedback does not factor into a contestants score.
We are hoping that by giving everyone more criteria to vote on for each entry, you will think about each aspect and not feel the need to cram all of your thoughts into a single number. We are also hoping that having multiple scores contribute to the total will make ties less likely to occur.
Please try to take the time to review and vote for every entry, except for your own, 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!
Determining Winners
Category Winners: Each of the two final scores will be added together to constitute the entry's total score, with the highest score determining the winner of each category.
The winner of each individual category will pick the theme for that category in the next competition. If there is a tie, then they can work together to come up with a theme. If you pick the theme for a category, then you cannot compete in it in the next competition.
Contest Winner: The entry with the highest individual score across the three categories will then be coronated as the contest winner and become the judge of the next competition. To clarify, this means that the highest of the 3 high scores is the winner.
If one person wins two or more categories, they win, regardless of if any of their individual scores are the highest.
If two or more entries are tied for highest score, the contestant with the highest total score for all of their entries will take the crown - so be sure to try and put something forward for every category to win a tiebreaker!
Guides & Mini-FAQ* & Changelog
WAIT! Before you see the 5th level Wall of Text in this FAQ’s* & Guides section, and decide not to submit to the competition because you don’t want to read it, remember that reading this section is COMPLETELY OPTIONAL. You do not need to read any of this to submit something for the competition, to pick a category, or to become the next judge. This is merely a helpful tool if you’re confused. You have no obligation to read or use it!
Guide for Competition & Category Winners
Competition Winner The competition winner becomes the next judge, they are responsible for doing the following:
They must start a private message thread between all the other category winners to figure out what themes the next categories will have. The judge must also pick the themes for all the categories they won. When possible, it is best to avoid reusing the same theme for the same category multiple times, though repeating themes for the same categories will be unavoidable eventually.
The judge must start the next competition thread. They can copy & paste most information from the previous competition thread, but must change the relevant information, such as dates and category themes. If you are the next judge and don’t know how long a given part of the competition, such as voting, should last, then just look at how long it lasted in the last competition, and have it be the same length for your competition. The judge should also update the “Contestants” section of their competition with links to each entry, and the name of the user who submitted it.
Once the time to submit entries ends, the judge is responsible for starting the google form for voting. If a judge doesn’t know how to do this, there will most likely be someone from the previous competition who would be willing to help if asked.
The judge should remove troll votes if there are any, and announce the scores and winners of the previous competition, after voting ends. It’s alright not to be able to do this immediately after voting ends, but the judge should try to do it as quickly as they can.
The judge, just like any other category winner, cannot submit anything to a category they created, or significantly impacted the creation of.
Category Winners A category winner must do the following:
They must pick the next competition's theme for the category they won. Other category winners can help advise you or give you ideas for the theme, but ultimately, it’s up to you to pick it. The judge should start a private message thread with you and the other category winners, and that’s where you tell them your next category idea.
If you pick a category's theme, you cannot participate in it in the next competition. In addition, if you played a very, very significant role in picking another category’s theme, it is best for you not to participate in it. For example, if another contestant gives a list of their five ideas for the next competition and lets you pick it, then you probably shouldn’t participate in that category for when that theme comes up. However, if you just say something like, “Ooh, that sounds like a cool category idea,” or, “I like that idea but it is a little confusing, maybe you could word it differently?” Then you didn’t play that significant of a role in choosing that category, so you can still participate in it.
Mini FAQ*
Q. Wait, how do I submit?
A. You just make a post in the competition thread with either a link to your entry, or your entry typed out in it. It helps to add what category you’re submitting to, but it is not strictly necessary since it’s pretty easy to figure out what type of category the entry is for.
Q. Can you vote on your own submission?
A. Yes. Contestants are encouraged strongly to vote, and to vote 5 & 5 on their own submissions, as 5 will be subtracted from each score while being calculated. This is to maintain fair voting while encouraging votes.
Q. Where can I find the forms for voting?
A. When the competition submission time ends, voting will start soon. You vote on a google form. The judge should link the forms near the voting section when they’re up, and they will probably also make a post on the thread announcing that voting’s started with the link.
Q. Can I have multiple submissions in the same competition?
A. Yes, you can have multiple submissions for the same competition. HOWEVER, as described in the “Contest Categories” section of this competition, you can only have one entry per category. For example, you can make something for the DM’s Options, PC Options, and Inspirational Options, but you can't make two things for PC Options and one for DM’s.
Q. I’ve already submitted something for X category, can I change my submission for it?
A. Yes, you can change your submission for a specific category as long as the deadline for submissions has not yet been reached. Do remember that if you’re changing your submission, it is best to edit your original post with your first submission to say that it is obsolete, and necessary to make a new one to announce & link your new submission. Also, do keep in mind that it does create a bit more work for the judges when you edit your submission, because they have to update the links. However, it is alright to do so.
Q. Is written feedback optional and does it effect an entries score?
A. Yes, written feedback is optional. No, it does not effect an entries score.
Q. Is the scoring by total score, or by average score?
A. The scoring is done by both average scores (Balance/Playability, Idea/Creativity) being added together for a final score. All scores have -5 when being calculated for reasons stated elsewhere.
Q. How do I know if my submission is more appropriate for the DM category or the Interactive category?
A. If it is not obvious which of the two categories your submission would make sense for, then it really comes down to which pillar of the game you seek to explore. DM Options are more closely tied to combat whereas Interactive Options are more closely tied to exploration and social encounters.
As an example, if you have an NPC with a stat block and you are not sure where to submit, consider whether the goal of incorporating the NPC into a game would be to fight the PCs or for the PCs to gather information from it. Its possible to write a strong, social-focused NPC who still has a stat block just in case things turn towards combat, but if your desire for the NPC is to interact with the PCs through roleplay, then it likely is more fitting for the Interactive Category. If your desire is for the NPC to maybe roleplay a little, but ultimately engage the party in combat, then it would be closer to a "monster" and fit in the DM category.
Well, since I have time, and we're at a nice round number, guess I should crank out some homebrew...
Interactive Option
Guided by the Stars (puzzle/trap, with a sprinkling of lore)
The party's quest for a particular relic has taken them to the ancient tomb of the storm giant priestess Arteta, a legendary oracle who could read the future of entire empires in the heavens. After battling through the lower levels of the temple inside the mountain where she was laid to rest, the party walks up a large set of stairs and finds a huge round chamber, 100 feet in diameter with a high domed ceiling 150 feet above at its peak. The floor is inlaid with a mosaic pattern in 5x5 tiles that form a roughly diamond-shaped design: two rows of four 5x5 tiles closest to the entrance (10x20), then two rows of eight 5x5 tiles (10x40), then two rows of 12 (10x60) etc. out to four rows of 20 in the middle (20x100) before gradually going back down to 10x20 at the opposite end of the chamber. There's a roughly 30x20 landing at the top of the stairs as an entrance to the chamber, and on the wall opposite the stairs is a 20-foot tall archway that is sealed up with stone – the apparent entrance to the priestess' burial chamber. Three murals dominate the walls: one of a young giant, presumably Arteta, battling a dragon; one of a middle-aged Arteta working in a forge, hammer raised over the anvil; and one of an elderly Arteta holding a cornucopia and showering food and gifts upon children. Magic lights set between the murals illuminate the whole chamber. The dome above depicts a night sky, with a light mist or clouds that obscure, but don't completely hide, the twinkling stars behind them.
An Investigation check (DC 15) will quickly determine that there are pressure plates beneath the set of four tiles (the 10x10 square) to the party's immediate left; a better check (DC 20 Investigation or Perception) will spot the row of fist-sized holes some 20 feet in the air that go all around the chamber, worked into the decorative bottom edge of the murals. Anyone checking out the ceiling (DC 25 Perception – DC can be lowered if a player has a way to get some elevation and take a closer look) will note that the mist/clouds aren't actually part of the ceiling mural itself, but are instead some shimmering material hanging like cobwebs around the dome. An examination of the “exit” (the archway on the opposite wall) will reveal no hidden door through the stone. It is completely sealed, and in fact there's no indication that there ever was a door. The archway seems to be purely decorative.
The key to the puzzle, and not setting off the trap, is to recognize that the brightest stars on the dome form three specific constellations: the Dragon, the Anvil, and the Horn of Plenty. How the party comes by knowledge of the constellations of the Ordning is up to you – a scholarly NPC, a good History or Arcana check, a journal or scroll found earlier in the dungeon, or perhaps a giant-related character background. However they make that connection, once they recognize the constellations above, they will note that the stars of those constellations are set above specific tiles. Hopping from one tile to the next will get you across the room safely. (The exact arrangement of those constellations mirrors the sky on the night Arteta died.)
Simple, right?
There are, however, two complicating factors:
1) The chamber is scaled for giants, not smaller folk. That means that while the mosaic pattern of the tiles suggests the puzzle is based around a 5x5 arrangement, the pressure plates that trigger the trap are actually scaled 10x10, and the gaps from one safe section to the next are sometimes 20-25 feet apart. Worse, or perhaps better depending on your perspective, the weight required to trigger the pressure plates is also calibrated for giants. A single Medium or Small person stepping on one does nothing; instead, the weight of four people is required to trigger a plate. A character in full plate armor, or carrying a significant amount of weight in equipment and treasure, might count double, and certain magics (enlarge/reduce, for example) might allow one character to count as four and trigger the plates by themselves. Other solutions will present themselves to the resourceful player.
2) The mist/clouds in the night sky are, in fact, webs, specifically a phase spider nest. There are about three phase spiders for every PC (roll 1d4+1 for each PC if you want to make the size of the nest random), but they know that the floor is dangerous, and over the generations that they've been here they've learned that they can get easy meals if they wait for adventurers to weaken themselves. As such, when the party enters they will generally stay phased and scuttle down the walls, waiting for an opportune moment. Should it look like their food might escape though, they will attack in force.
If they land on the floor, alive or dead, a phase spider counts as two people toward triggering a pressure plate (they are Large creatures, but light for their size).
When the party begins attempting to navigate the floor, have them roll Initiative. Whenever a safe pressure plate is triggered, a loud click is heard, but nothing else happens. When a pressure plate for the trap is triggered, there is no click. Instead, on the next turn at Initiative count 20, gas pours out of the holes set at the bottom of the murals, covering the entire chamber. Again though, this was a trap designed for giants – the gas is 20 feet in the air, at least to start. The players will get one round to try and get to safety or otherwise deal with the gas before it descends to the floor and reaches them. On the following round's Initiative count 20, the gas reaches ground level. If a character starts their turn in the gas or if they move through the gas on their turn, they must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or take 5d12 necrotic damage, half damage on a successful save. Characters who fail the save are also considered incapacitated and are subject to hallucinations that cause them to wander in a random direction. Roll a d4 and have them move their full speed in that direction (1 is north, 2 is east, 3 is south, 4 is west). If they reach a wall, they stop. Characters may repeat the saving throw at the beginning of each turn to shake off the incapacitated condition. The gas will affect the phase spiders if they are on the Material Plane, but not when they are in the Ethereal. The spiders are not aware of which tiles are trapped, and won't deliberately set off the gas, but if the gas is triggered they are smart enough to phase out. The gas dissipates through the tiles and is gone on the next turn.
Triggering any of the trap pressure plates resets the safe ones, so the safe route will need to be re-started from the beginning. The gas has an inexhaustible supply, so any time a trap pressure plate is triggered, gas will pour out on the next turn.
If the party successfully navigates the route laid out by the three constellations, stepping on the final tile will cause a giant-sized arcane gate portal to appear in the archway, which leads to Arteta's burial chamber. The gas trap is deactivated as long as the portal is open.
Should someone get up there, the stars set into the dome are actually diamonds. The 12 largest ones, making up the three constellations, are worth 500 gp each, while there are also 50 smaller ones – 15 worth 100 each, and 35 worth 50 each. Prying each diamond out of the ceiling requires a DC 15 Strength check. (Of course, there might be consequences for desecrating the chamber once the party reaches Arteta...)
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Dont know if this is close enough to the PC option, but here we go
Aqua Domain
Domain spells
1st Create or destroy water, Ice knife
3rd Snillocs snowball swarm, vapor blast*
5th Tidal Wave, Water Breathing
7th Control Water, Fire shield
9th Cone of cold, conjure elemental
*Homebrew spell: Choose a point with 60 feet that you can see, hot water vapor bursts in a 10 foot radius, any creature that is in the radius when the spell is cast must make a dexterity save or take 2d8 fire damage on a failed save, or half of much on a successful save. Any creature or plant that begins its turn within the cloud must make a dexterity save. Any creature within the cloud is lightly obscured, and any creature is lightly obscured to a creature within the cloud, the cloud can be dispersed by a medium or heavy wind. Casting time 1 action, duration 1 minute.
Familiar with the Sea
At first level, you gain a swimming speed of 40 feet and can breathe underwater.
Also at first level, you gain proficiency in Survival
Channel Divinity
At 3rd level, when you cast a spell on your domain spells or a spell that does cold damage, provided that the spell is 5th level or lower, you can instead of rolling for a damage roll, maximize the damage for that roll, expending a use of channel divinity.
One with the Sea
Channel Divinity
At 6th level you can gain a Water body. While in Water body, you gain resistance to all nonmagical piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage, and your swimming speed is doubled, this lasts 1 minute, or when you fall unconscious. This expends a use of channel divinity.
Potent spellcasting
Add your wisdom modifier to the damage of any cantrip you cast.
Windsurfing
At 17th level, you gain a flying speed of 30 feet, provided that you are outdoors.
Boom and Zap are a pair of matched hand axes with intricately carved handles and single-bladed heads of an unknown dark purple metal. A thunderstorm is engraved across both axes on one side of the blades, with the complete image being visible when they are placed back to back.
Boom Weapon (hand axe), legendary
Boom's wielder has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic hand axe.
If a target has taken damage from Zap during a round, Boom gets advantage on all attacks against that target until the beginning of the wielder of Boom's next turn. In addition, if a critical hit is scored with Boom against that target, Boom deals an additional 2d8 thunder damage and the target is knocked prone if it is Large size or smaller.
Zap Weapon (hand axe), legendary
Zap's wielder has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic hand axe.
If a target has taken damage from Boom during a round, Zap gets advantage on all attacks against that target until the beginning of the wielder of Zap's next turn. In addition, if a critical hit is scored with Zap against that target, Zap deals an additional 2d8 lightning damage and the target cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Dont know if this is close enough to the PC option, but here we go
Aqua Domain
Domain spells
1st Create or destroy water, Ice knife
3rd Snillocs snowball swarm, vapor blast*
5th Tidal Wave, Water Breathing
7th Control Water, Fire shield
9th Cone of cold, conjure elemental
*Homebrew spell: Choose a point with 60 feet that you can see, hot water vapor bursts in a 10 foot radius, any creature that is in the radius when the spell is cast must make a dexterity save or take 2d8 damage on a failed save, or half of much on a successful save. Any creature or plant that begins its turn within the cloud must make a dexterity save. Any creature within the cloud is lightly obscured, and any creature is lightly obscured to a creature within the cloud, the cloud can be dispersed by a medium or heavy wind. Casting time 1 action, duration 1 minute.
Familiar with the Sea
At first level, you gain a swimming speed of 40 feet and can breathe underwater.
Also at first level, you gain proficiency in Survival
Channel Divinity
At second level you can gain a Water body. While in Water body, you gain resistance to all nonmagical piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage, and your swimming speed is doubled.
One with the Sea
Channel Divinity
At 6th level, when you cast a spell on your domain spells or a spell that does cold damage, provided that the spell is 5th level or lower, you can instead of rolling for a damage roll, maximize the damage for that roll.
Potent spellcasting
Add your wisdom modifier to the damage of any cantrip you cast.
Windsurfing
At 17th level, you gain a flying speed of 30 feet, provided that you are outdoors.
Both the channel divinity seem too powerful (one gives you resistance to the most common damage type at level 2 while the other seems to have unlimited attempts), and you forgot the damage type for the homebrew water spell.
Boom and Zap are a pair of matched hand axes with intricately carved handles and single-bladed heads of an unknown dark purple metal. A thunderstorm is engraved across both axes on one side of the blades, with the complete image being visible when they are placed back to back.
Boom
Boom's wielder has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic hand axe.
If a target has taken damage from Zap during a round, Boom gets advantage on all attacks against that target until the beginning of the wielder of Boom's next turn. In addition, if a critical hit is scored with Boom against that target, Boom deals an additional 2d8 thunder damage and the target is knocked prone if it is Large size or smaller.
Zap
Zap's wielder has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic hand axe.
If a target has taken damage from Boom during a round, Zap gets advantage on all attacks against that target until the beginning of the wielder of Zap's next turn. In addition, if a critical hit is scored with Zap against that target, Zap deals an additional 2d8 lightning damage and the target cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.
Boom and Zap are a pair of matched hand axes with intricately carved handles and single-bladed heads of an unknown dark purple metal. A thunderstorm is engraved across both axes on one side of the blades, with the complete image being visible when they are placed back to back.
Boom
Boom's wielder has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic hand axe.
If a target has taken damage from Zap during a round, Boom gets advantage on all attacks against that target until the beginning of the wielder of Boom's next turn. In addition, if a critical hit is scored with Boom against that target, Boom deals an additional 2d8 thunder damage and the target is knocked prone if it is Large size or smaller.
Zap
Zap's wielder has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic hand axe.
If a target has taken damage from Boom during a round, Zap gets advantage on all attacks against that target until the beginning of the wielder of Zap's next turn. In addition, if a critical hit is scored with Zap against that target, Zap deals an additional 2d8 lightning damage and the target cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.
What’s their rarities?
Unique? There isn't really a category for "one of a kind, but not as powerful as Artefact or Legendary"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Boom and Zap are a pair of matched hand axes with intricately carved handles and single-bladed heads of an unknown dark purple metal. A thunderstorm is engraved across both axes on one side of the blades, with the complete image being visible when they are placed back to back.
Boom
Boom's wielder has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic hand axe.
If a target has taken damage from Zap during a round, Boom gets advantage on all attacks against that target until the beginning of the wielder of Boom's next turn. In addition, if a critical hit is scored with Boom against that target, Boom deals an additional 2d8 thunder damage and the target is knocked prone if it is Large size or smaller.
Zap
Zap's wielder has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic hand axe.
If a target has taken damage from Boom during a round, Zap gets advantage on all attacks against that target until the beginning of the wielder of Zap's next turn. In addition, if a critical hit is scored with Zap against that target, Zap deals an additional 2d8 lightning damage and the target cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.
What’s their rarities?
Unique? There isn't really a category for "one of a kind, but not as powerful as Artefact or Legendary"
Rarity is not power, just how hard it would be to find one. Artifact rarity is for an item that has a history. Legendary rarity is for an item that is incredibly difficult to find — it might be kept safe behind a vault or dangerous ruins in far-off lands or powerful cities.
Rarity is not power, just how hard it would be to find one.
I've also been docked points for making legendary items that "weren't powerful enough"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
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Timeframe
Entries must be submitted before 11:59 PST on Friday, March 15th to be considered part of the competition.
Contest Categories
In each Finest Brew contest, there are three categories. Each category is judged separately. There can only be one entry per category per person. The category types are as follows:
This time, our category themes are:
DM Options: Dynamic Duos
Batman and Robin. The Hand and Eye of Vecna. Pizza and Pineapple. Some things just work together. Two monsters that synergize. Two pieces of a fractured magical artifact. A friendly angel and demon pair. Can you capture the magic of two coming together to become more than the sum of their parts?
Player Options: Tidal Forces
A half-elf stands atop a hill and blows a giant conch, summoning a tidal wave to sweep away an orc horde. A cleric calmly walks across the stormy waves to rescue sailors from a capsized vessel. A dwarf dives into the ocean chasing a merrow growing gills and fins as she plunges deeper. Craft something that allows players to harness the power of the sea.
Interactive Options: Star Light, Star Bright
The constellations take the day off and meet at their favorite tavern. An astrologist begs the party for help. The celestial bodies align, and the world will never be the same. The stars pass by every night, and have long been the subject of much wonder. How might that wonder be encapsulated in your homebrews? What encounters, characters, stories, or locations might be inspired by those twinkling lights in the night?
Voting
VOTE HERE
Voting will start on Monday, March 18th (or thereabouts, once the survey is made) and will end on Friday, March 29th. A Google Forms poll for each category will be posted on this thread, and all may vote on it - including and especially contestants. Contestants are encouraged to vote 5 and 5 on their own submissions; all scores will have 5 subtracted from both voting categories. Scores are assigned using a numerical value from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).
Written Feedback - You have the option to give written feedback, should you choose, for any entries on the forms. Written feedback does not factor into a contestants score.
We are hoping that by giving everyone more criteria to vote on for each entry, you will think about each aspect and not feel the need to cram all of your thoughts into a single number. We are also hoping that having multiple scores contribute to the total will make ties less likely to occur.
Please try to take the time to review and vote for every entry, except for your own, 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!
Determining Winners
Guides & Mini-FAQ* & Changelog
WAIT! Before you see the 5th level Wall of Text in this FAQ’s* & Guides section, and decide not to submit to the competition because you don’t want to read it, remember that reading this section is COMPLETELY OPTIONAL. You do not need to read any of this to submit something for the competition, to pick a category, or to become the next judge. This is merely a helpful tool if you’re confused. You have no obligation to read or use it!
Guide for Competition & Category Winners
Competition Winner
The competition winner becomes the next judge, they are responsible for doing the following:
Category Winners
A category winner must do the following:
Mini FAQ*
Q. Wait, how do I submit?
A. You just make a post in the competition thread with either a link to your entry, or your entry typed out in it. It helps to add what category you’re submitting to, but it is not strictly necessary since it’s pretty easy to figure out what type of category the entry is for.
Q. Can you vote on your own submission?
A. Yes. Contestants are encouraged strongly to vote, and to vote 5 & 5 on their own submissions, as 5 will be subtracted from each score while being calculated. This is to maintain fair voting while encouraging votes.
Q. Where can I find the forms for voting?
A. When the competition submission time ends, voting will start soon. You vote on a google form. The judge should link the forms near the voting section when they’re up, and they will probably also make a post on the thread announcing that voting’s started with the link.
Q. Can I have multiple submissions in the same competition?
A. Yes, you can have multiple submissions for the same competition. HOWEVER, as described in the “Contest Categories” section of this competition, you can only have one entry per category. For example, you can make something for the DM’s Options, PC Options, and Inspirational Options, but you can't make two things for PC Options and one for DM’s.
Q. I’ve already submitted something for X category, can I change my submission for it?
A. Yes, you can change your submission for a specific category as long as the deadline for submissions has not yet been reached. Do remember that if you’re changing your submission, it is best to edit your original post with your first submission to say that it is obsolete, and necessary to make a new one to announce & link your new submission. Also, do keep in mind that it does create a bit more work for the judges when you edit your submission, because they have to update the links. However, it is alright to do so.
Q. Is written feedback optional and does it effect an entries score?
A. Yes, written feedback is optional. No, it does not effect an entries score.
Q. Is the scoring by total score, or by average score?
A. The scoring is done by both average scores (Balance/Playability, Idea/Creativity) being added together for a final score. All scores have -5 when being calculated for reasons stated elsewhere.
Q. How do I know if my submission is more appropriate for the DM category or the Interactive category?
A. If it is not obvious which of the two categories your submission would make sense for, then it really comes down to which pillar of the game you seek to explore. DM Options are more closely tied to combat whereas Interactive Options are more closely tied to exploration and social encounters.
As an example, if you have an NPC with a stat block and you are not sure where to submit, consider whether the goal of incorporating the NPC into a game would be to fight the PCs or for the PCs to gather information from it. Its possible to write a strong, social-focused NPC who still has a stat block just in case things turn towards combat, but if your desire for the NPC is to interact with the PCs through roleplay, then it likely is more fitting for the Interactive Category. If your desire is for the NPC to maybe roleplay a little, but ultimately engage the party in combat, then it would be closer to a "monster" and fit in the DM category.
Competitors
DM Options: Dynamic Duos
Beetle Hull and Poisoner's Blowgun - DrakenBrine
Boom and Zap - AntonSirius
Inkstone and Brush - Archer_Afar2738
Blood-bound Battle Gear - ZomblesKlein
Showtime Attacks - MilestoGo_24
Shadow-Cursed Dragon and Corrupted Priest - Agilemind
Eks Sik, Kobold Mercenary Captain / Kobold Mercenary - IamSposta
Spear of Unstoppable Force and Shield of Immovability - I_MAKE_UNBALANCED_HOMEBREW
Player Options: Tidal Forces
Aqua Domain - Foooboodobbddoofffo
Tidal Tears - DrakenBrine
Invoke Undertow - MilestoGo_24
Pearl Diver - The_Summoning_Dark
Deep Simic Hybrid - TheFriendlyArchfey
Path of the Deep - AntonSirius
Siren - ZomblesKlein
The Drowned - Yalim
River Domain - Gnomarchy
Hydromancer - Agilemind
Callinectes (+feats) - IamSposta
Interactive Options: Star Light, Star Bright
Guided by the Stars - AntonSirius
the Star Drinker - The_Summoning_Dark
Crash Site of the First Exception - ZomblesKlein
Madam Celestia - IamSposta
The Astrologer's Plight - DrakenBrine
The Herschel Observatory - Yalim
Previous Competitions
Judged by Yamana_Eajii. (Thread accidentally deleted)
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
The Competition of the Finest Brews VII - Judged by MilestoGo_24
The Competition of the Finest Brews VIII — Judged by Heartofjuyomk2
The Competition of the Finest Brews IX— Judged by IamSposta
The Competition of the Finest Brews X — Judged by Kaboom979
The Competition of the Finest Brews XI - Judged by BoringBard
The Competition of the Finest Brews XII- Judged by ThorukDuckSlayer
The Competition of the Finest Brews XIII - Judged by Kaboom979
The Competition of the Finest Brews XIV- Judged by MilestoGo_24
The Competition of the Finest ‘Brews XV - Judged by IamSposta
The Competition of the Finest ‘Brews XVI - Judged by MilestoGo_24
The Competition of the Finest ‘Brews XVII - Judged by ZomblesKlein
The Competition of the Finest ‘Brews XVIII - Judged by Gnomarchy
The Competition of the Finest ‘Brews XIX - Judged by Dragon_Shark
Excited to compete! Good luck everyone!
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
Oooh, that Inspirational Option is just perfect. I hope I’ll be done in time.
Good luck, everyone!
Terra Lubridia archive:
The Bloody Barnacle | The Gut | The Athene Crusader | The Jewel of Atlantis
Wow, this looks cool! I’ll start working on some stuff.
Can't wait
Hi, I’m DrakenBrine, here’s my Sig and characters
I am The Grand Envisioner!
Well, since I have time, and we're at a nice round number, guess I should crank out some homebrew...
Interactive Option
Guided by the Stars (puzzle/trap, with a sprinkling of lore)
The party's quest for a particular relic has taken them to the ancient tomb of the storm giant priestess Arteta, a legendary oracle who could read the future of entire empires in the heavens. After battling through the lower levels of the temple inside the mountain where she was laid to rest, the party walks up a large set of stairs and finds a huge round chamber, 100 feet in diameter with a high domed ceiling 150 feet above at its peak. The floor is inlaid with a mosaic pattern in 5x5 tiles that form a roughly diamond-shaped design: two rows of four 5x5 tiles closest to the entrance (10x20), then two rows of eight 5x5 tiles (10x40), then two rows of 12 (10x60) etc. out to four rows of 20 in the middle (20x100) before gradually going back down to 10x20 at the opposite end of the chamber. There's a roughly 30x20 landing at the top of the stairs as an entrance to the chamber, and on the wall opposite the stairs is a 20-foot tall archway that is sealed up with stone – the apparent entrance to the priestess' burial chamber. Three murals dominate the walls: one of a young giant, presumably Arteta, battling a dragon; one of a middle-aged Arteta working in a forge, hammer raised over the anvil; and one of an elderly Arteta holding a cornucopia and showering food and gifts upon children. Magic lights set between the murals illuminate the whole chamber. The dome above depicts a night sky, with a light mist or clouds that obscure, but don't completely hide, the twinkling stars behind them.
An Investigation check (DC 15) will quickly determine that there are pressure plates beneath the set of four tiles (the 10x10 square) to the party's immediate left; a better check (DC 20 Investigation or Perception) will spot the row of fist-sized holes some 20 feet in the air that go all around the chamber, worked into the decorative bottom edge of the murals. Anyone checking out the ceiling (DC 25 Perception – DC can be lowered if a player has a way to get some elevation and take a closer look) will note that the mist/clouds aren't actually part of the ceiling mural itself, but are instead some shimmering material hanging like cobwebs around the dome. An examination of the “exit” (the archway on the opposite wall) will reveal no hidden door through the stone. It is completely sealed, and in fact there's no indication that there ever was a door. The archway seems to be purely decorative.
The key to the puzzle, and not setting off the trap, is to recognize that the brightest stars on the dome form three specific constellations: the Dragon, the Anvil, and the Horn of Plenty. How the party comes by knowledge of the constellations of the Ordning is up to you – a scholarly NPC, a good History or Arcana check, a journal or scroll found earlier in the dungeon, or perhaps a giant-related character background. However they make that connection, once they recognize the constellations above, they will note that the stars of those constellations are set above specific tiles. Hopping from one tile to the next will get you across the room safely. (The exact arrangement of those constellations mirrors the sky on the night Arteta died.)
Simple, right?
There are, however, two complicating factors:
1) The chamber is scaled for giants, not smaller folk. That means that while the mosaic pattern of the tiles suggests the puzzle is based around a 5x5 arrangement, the pressure plates that trigger the trap are actually scaled 10x10, and the gaps from one safe section to the next are sometimes 20-25 feet apart. Worse, or perhaps better depending on your perspective, the weight required to trigger the pressure plates is also calibrated for giants. A single Medium or Small person stepping on one does nothing; instead, the weight of four people is required to trigger a plate. A character in full plate armor, or carrying a significant amount of weight in equipment and treasure, might count double, and certain magics (enlarge/reduce, for example) might allow one character to count as four and trigger the plates by themselves. Other solutions will present themselves to the resourceful player.
2) The mist/clouds in the night sky are, in fact, webs, specifically a phase spider nest. There are about three phase spiders for every PC (roll 1d4+1 for each PC if you want to make the size of the nest random), but they know that the floor is dangerous, and over the generations that they've been here they've learned that they can get easy meals if they wait for adventurers to weaken themselves. As such, when the party enters they will generally stay phased and scuttle down the walls, waiting for an opportune moment. Should it look like their food might escape though, they will attack in force.
If they land on the floor, alive or dead, a phase spider counts as two people toward triggering a pressure plate (they are Large creatures, but light for their size).
When the party begins attempting to navigate the floor, have them roll Initiative. Whenever a safe pressure plate is triggered, a loud click is heard, but nothing else happens. When a pressure plate for the trap is triggered, there is no click. Instead, on the next turn at Initiative count 20, gas pours out of the holes set at the bottom of the murals, covering the entire chamber. Again though, this was a trap designed for giants – the gas is 20 feet in the air, at least to start. The players will get one round to try and get to safety or otherwise deal with the gas before it descends to the floor and reaches them. On the following round's Initiative count 20, the gas reaches ground level. If a character starts their turn in the gas or if they move through the gas on their turn, they must make a DC 20 Constitution saving throw or take 5d12 necrotic damage, half damage on a successful save. Characters who fail the save are also considered incapacitated and are subject to hallucinations that cause them to wander in a random direction. Roll a d4 and have them move their full speed in that direction (1 is north, 2 is east, 3 is south, 4 is west). If they reach a wall, they stop. Characters may repeat the saving throw at the beginning of each turn to shake off the incapacitated condition. The gas will affect the phase spiders if they are on the Material Plane, but not when they are in the Ethereal. The spiders are not aware of which tiles are trapped, and won't deliberately set off the gas, but if the gas is triggered they are smart enough to phase out. The gas dissipates through the tiles and is gone on the next turn.
Triggering any of the trap pressure plates resets the safe ones, so the safe route will need to be re-started from the beginning. The gas has an inexhaustible supply, so any time a trap pressure plate is triggered, gas will pour out on the next turn.
If the party successfully navigates the route laid out by the three constellations, stepping on the final tile will cause a giant-sized arcane gate portal to appear in the archway, which leads to Arteta's burial chamber. The gas trap is deactivated as long as the portal is open.
Should someone get up there, the stars set into the dome are actually diamonds. The 12 largest ones, making up the three constellations, are worth 500 gp each, while there are also 50 smaller ones – 15 worth 100 each, and 35 worth 50 each. Prying each diamond out of the ceiling requires a DC 15 Strength check. (Of course, there might be consequences for desecrating the chamber once the party reaches Arteta...)
(Chamber layout below. D1-D4 -- Dragon constellation tiles; A1-A4 -- Anvil constellation tiles; H1-H4 -- Horn of Plenty constellation tiles)
Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
DM Options: Dynamic Duos
Insect sides of the spectrum
Beetle Hull
Poisoners Blowgun
If you have a better name for the Dart Poisoner, I’m all ears.
Hi, I’m DrakenBrine, here’s my Sig and characters
I am The Grand Envisioner!
Maybe Poisoner’s Blowgun?
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 like that x10 more then what I came up with. Any other ideas? Maybe a way to improve the wording?
Hi, I’m DrakenBrine, here’s my Sig and characters
I am The Grand Envisioner!
Dont know if this is close enough to the PC option, but here we go
Aqua Domain
Domain spells
1st Create or destroy water, Ice knife
3rd Snillocs snowball swarm, vapor blast*
5th Tidal Wave, Water Breathing
7th Control Water, Fire shield
9th Cone of cold, conjure elemental
*Homebrew spell: Choose a point with 60 feet that you can see, hot water vapor bursts in a 10 foot radius, any creature that is in the radius when the spell is cast must make a dexterity save or take 2d8 fire damage on a failed save, or half of much on a successful save. Any creature or plant that begins its turn within the cloud must make a dexterity save. Any creature within the cloud is lightly obscured, and any creature is lightly obscured to a creature within the cloud, the cloud can be dispersed by a medium or heavy wind. Casting time 1 action, duration 1 minute.
Familiar with the Sea
At first level, you gain a swimming speed of 40 feet and can breathe underwater.
Also at first level, you gain proficiency in Survival
Channel Divinity
At 3rd level, when you cast a spell on your domain spells or a spell that does cold damage, provided that the spell is 5th level or lower, you can instead of rolling for a damage roll, maximize the damage for that roll, expending a use of channel divinity.
One with the Sea
Channel Divinity
At 6th level you can gain a Water body. While in Water body, you gain resistance to all nonmagical piercing, slashing, and bludgeoning damage, and your swimming speed is doubled, this lasts 1 minute, or when you fall unconscious. This expends a use of channel divinity.
Potent spellcasting
Add your wisdom modifier to the damage of any cantrip you cast.
Windsurfing
At 17th level, you gain a flying speed of 30 feet, provided that you are outdoors.
This is the new account for Efry Elf, after I switched schools and my old account got shut down.
I play rocket league, Roblox and Minecraft, or any switch games I can get my hands on.
DM Option
Boom and Zap (magic weapons)
Boom and Zap are a pair of matched hand axes with intricately carved handles and single-bladed heads of an unknown dark purple metal. A thunderstorm is engraved across both axes on one side of the blades, with the complete image being visible when they are placed back to back.
Boom
Weapon (hand axe), legendary
Boom's wielder has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic hand axe.
If a target has taken damage from Zap during a round, Boom gets advantage on all attacks against that target until the beginning of the wielder of Boom's next turn. In addition, if a critical hit is scored with Boom against that target, Boom deals an additional 2d8 thunder damage and the target is knocked prone if it is Large size or smaller.
Zap
Weapon (hand axe), legendary
Zap's wielder has a +1 bonus to attack and damage rolls made with this magic hand axe.
If a target has taken damage from Boom during a round, Zap gets advantage on all attacks against that target until the beginning of the wielder of Zap's next turn. In addition, if a critical hit is scored with Zap against that target, Zap deals an additional 2d8 lightning damage and the target cannot take reactions until the start of its next turn.
Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Both the channel divinity seem too powerful (one gives you resistance to the most common damage type at level 2 while the other seems to have unlimited attempts), and you forgot the damage type for the homebrew water spell.
Hi, I’m DrakenBrine, here’s my Sig and characters
I am The Grand Envisioner!
What’s their rarities?
Hi, I’m DrakenBrine, here’s my Sig and characters
I am The Grand Envisioner!
Switched them around and clarified it
This is the new account for Efry Elf, after I switched schools and my old account got shut down.
I play rocket league, Roblox and Minecraft, or any switch games I can get my hands on.
Good! 👍
Hi, I’m DrakenBrine, here’s my Sig and characters
I am The Grand Envisioner!
Player Options: Tidal Forces
Tidal Tears
Open for feedback
Hi, I’m DrakenBrine, here’s my Sig and characters
I am The Grand Envisioner!
You forgot to change the 6th to a 3rd though.
Hi, I’m DrakenBrine, here’s my Sig and characters
I am The Grand Envisioner!
Unique? There isn't really a category for "one of a kind, but not as powerful as Artefact or Legendary"
Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
Rarity is not power, just how hard it would be to find one. Artifact rarity is for an item that has a history. Legendary rarity is for an item that is incredibly difficult to find — it might be kept safe behind a vault or dangerous ruins in far-off lands or powerful cities.
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've also been docked points for making legendary items that "weren't powerful enough"
Active characters:
Green Hill Sunrise, jaded tabaxi mercenary trapped in the Dark Domains (Battle Master fighter)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)