"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:
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(CEST) on Friday, September 12thto 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. There can only be one entrance per category per person. The category types are as follows:
Dungeon Master 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.
Player Character 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.
Quest Options: Things that drive the characters' exploration and interaction with the world, prompting them to explore its social structure, environment, and underlying lore - such as NPCs, groups/guilds, puzzles, terrain, traps/hazards, or even institutions like shops or taverns
This time, our category themes are:
Dungeon Master Options: Stop in the Name of the Law!
In darkened alleyways and noble courts alike, justice must be done! Where there are laws, there are those who uphold them: stalwart city guards patrolling the cobblestones, relentless investigators chasing the faintest clue, and sharp-eyed magistrates weighing truth against lie. Yet, for every protector of the peace, there lurks a criminal schemer, a shadowy guild, or an ordinary citizen with something to hide. This category explores the stories, tools, and twists that bring law and order to life at your table. Create dungeons, encounters, magic items, or mechanics that bring to the table the drama of the watch, the intrigue of investigation, and the thrill of the chase. Will your contribution feel like a hardboiled noir mystery, a buddy-cop adventure, or a tense game of cat and mouse? However you spin it, one truth remains: someone has broken the law, and it’s up to you to decide what justice looks like. (This theme was picked by @Dragon_Shark)
Player Character Options: Night and Day
An eternal burning disc, both burning and strengthening in its intensity. An ever-changing silver sphere, both blessing the midnight wanderer with its light and inciting the accursed under its eldritch rays. Together, the two undergo a dance across the sky, heralding the arrival of day and night. Though in our world the sun and moon are vastly different objects with scientific origins and characteristics, in the world of fantasy the two have a mystical connection as two sides of the same celestial coin. Create for this category a subclass, spell, or other player option that enables players to call on powers related to the sun, the moon, or both. Feel free to use lore in your writing (for example, some settings have more than one moon). (This theme was picked by @MilestoGo_24)
Quest Options: Kickstart Your Heart
In the world of swords and sorcery, where unique and pressing dangers lurk in every corner of the realm, thrill seekers have no shortage of opportunities to get their blood pumping and that oh-so addicting rush of adrenaline. For this category, explore the people who seek danger and the parts of the world that will allow the party to feel the thrill of avoiding death or dismemberment. Think on perilous puzzles, treacherous traps, or shopkeeps willing to sell the goods which help you feel that "rush." Introduce wizards more obsessed with a free fall than Feather Fall and paladins who follow an oath "most righteous." (This theme was picked by @Kaboom979)
Voting
Voting will start sometime later next month (or thereabouts, once the survey is made) and will end at Noon (MDT) 9 days after. 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
Contestants
A list of contestants and their entries can be found here. As submissions begin to come in, the google sheet will be regularly updated with links to the new entries. If you create a new version of your entry before the submission period is over, please let the judge know to ensure the correct link is used for both the contestant list and the final survey for voting!
Contest Guides & Mini-FAQ*
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* for competition contestants:
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 Quest 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.
Q. Is AI permitted? Even if I just use it for some of the wording?
AI is not allowed. Even for something as nominal as wording. Especially because most of the things AI does is likely plagiarized in some way
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Four-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews! Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
This is something I've wanted to try out in play, but never had a cause to without seeming contrived.
Stampede (Level 2-5)
A stampede can occur whenever you have a large number of creatures moving through a narrow space, it might be puppies running through a hallway, a crowd of people running through the streets, or a herd of wildebeest charging through a canyon. But whatever the situation the party is suddenly threatened by the charging creatures and have to either find a way to escape, or a way to withstand the onslaught, otherwise they risk being carried away to their doom either being pushed into an incriminating position, trampled underfoot, or thrown off a cliff.
Mechanics
CharacterStatus. Players choose at the start of their character's turn what their character is doing as one of the following:
Safe - the character is outside of the area of the stampede, and can act normally, a character that starts its turn Safe for 2 rounds becomes permanently safe as the stampede has finished passing them by.
Resisting - the character attempts to resist the flow of the stampede enabling them to take their full turn, however they must make a DC 15 Strength saving throw at the start of their turn, on a success they take 1d6 bludgeoning damage but remain in place, on a failure they take 2d6 bludgeoning damage and are knocked prone by the stampede.
Going with the flow - the character attempts to run with or be carried with the stampeding creatures, the character must use their Action and Movement to move in the same direction as the stampede. They can use their Bonus Action normally.
Walls & Climbing. Determine the terrain for the stampede, this should be a narrow path with walls/cliffs on either side. Player characters will have the option to attempt to escape by climbing these walls (becoming Safe). Doing so will require a (DC 15) Athletics check each round to climb & keep their grip on the walls, failure causes them to fall back down into the stampede. Climbing gear can give advantage but requires time to put on / set up so requires players to use their Action & Bonus Action to gain the benefits from it, making them unable to help others, and each Climber's Kit can only give one character advantage.
Obstacles. There should be an obstacle every other round, which deals 1d10 damage to any character going with the flow - this might be falling rocks, crossing a piranha infested river, a sharp turn, broken glass on the floor etc... These obstacles should be telegraphed to the players the round before.
Help. Characters can help each other to escape the stampede. Any character that Goes with the Flow, can navigate themselves to within 5 ft of another character within the stampede. However, each round characters can normally only attempt to either save themselves or save someone else, not both.
Tuning the Difficulty. The difficulty of the Stampede is tuned by changing the DC to climb the walls/resist, and the amount of movement required to get from inside the stampede to a wall to attempt to climb out.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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The Competition of the Finest Brews I - 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
The Competition of the Finest 'Brews XX - Judged by The_Lost_Leg
The Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXI - Judged by AntonSirius
The Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXII - Judged by ZomblesKlein
The Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXIII - Judged by MinMaxxed
The Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXIV - Judged by ZomblesKlein
The Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXV - Judged by MilestoGo_24
The Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXVI - Judged by Platyboss
The Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXVII - Judged by The Summoning Dork
The Competition of the Finest 'Brews XXVIII - 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 (CEST) on Friday, September 12th 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. There can only be one entrance per category per person. The category types are as follows:
This time, our category themes are:
Dungeon Master Options: Stop in the Name of the Law!
In darkened alleyways and noble courts alike, justice must be done! Where there are laws, there are those who uphold them: stalwart city guards patrolling the cobblestones, relentless investigators chasing the faintest clue, and sharp-eyed magistrates weighing truth against lie. Yet, for every protector of the peace, there lurks a criminal schemer, a shadowy guild, or an ordinary citizen with something to hide. This category explores the stories, tools, and twists that bring law and order to life at your table. Create dungeons, encounters, magic items, or mechanics that bring to the table the drama of the watch, the intrigue of investigation, and the thrill of the chase. Will your contribution feel like a hardboiled noir mystery, a buddy-cop adventure, or a tense game of cat and mouse? However you spin it, one truth remains: someone has broken the law, and it’s up to you to decide what justice looks like. (This theme was picked by @Dragon_Shark)
Player Character Options: Night and Day
An eternal burning disc, both burning and strengthening in its intensity. An ever-changing silver sphere, both blessing the midnight wanderer with its light and inciting the accursed under its eldritch rays. Together, the two undergo a dance across the sky, heralding the arrival of day and night. Though in our world the sun and moon are vastly different objects with scientific origins and characteristics, in the world of fantasy the two have a mystical connection as two sides of the same celestial coin. Create for this category a subclass, spell, or other player option that enables players to call on powers related to the sun, the moon, or both. Feel free to use lore in your writing (for example, some settings have more than one moon). (This theme was picked by @MilestoGo_24)
Quest Options: Kickstart Your Heart
In the world of swords and sorcery, where unique and pressing dangers lurk in every corner of the realm, thrill seekers have no shortage of opportunities to get their blood pumping and that oh-so addicting rush of adrenaline. For this category, explore the people who seek danger and the parts of the world that will allow the party to feel the thrill of avoiding death or dismemberment. Think on perilous puzzles, treacherous traps, or shopkeeps willing to sell the goods which help you feel that "rush." Introduce wizards more obsessed with a free fall than Feather Fall and paladins who follow an oath "most righteous." (This theme was picked by @Kaboom979)
Voting
Voting will start sometime later next month (or thereabouts, once the survey is made) and will end at Noon (MDT) 9 days after. 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
Contestants
A list of contestants and their entries can be found here. As submissions begin to come in, the google sheet will be regularly updated with links to the new entries. If you create a new version of your entry before the submission period is over, please let the judge know to ensure the correct link is used for both the contestant list and the final survey for voting!
Contest Guides & Mini-FAQ*
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* for competition contestants:
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 Quest 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.
Q. Is AI permitted? Even if I just use it for some of the wording?
AI is not allowed. Even for something as nominal as wording. Especially because most of the things AI does is likely plagiarized in some way
Four-time Judge of the Competition of the Finest Brews! Come join us in making fun, unique homebrew and voting for your favorite entries!
Quest Options: Kickstart Your Heart
This is something I've wanted to try out in play, but never had a cause to without seeming contrived.
Stampede (Level 2-5)
A stampede can occur whenever you have a large number of creatures moving through a narrow space, it might be puppies running through a hallway, a crowd of people running through the streets, or a herd of wildebeest charging through a canyon. But whatever the situation the party is suddenly threatened by the charging creatures and have to either find a way to escape, or a way to withstand the onslaught, otherwise they risk being carried away to their doom either being pushed into an incriminating position, trampled underfoot, or thrown off a cliff.
Mechanics
Character Status. Players choose at the start of their character's turn what their character is doing as one of the following:
Walls & Climbing. Determine the terrain for the stampede, this should be a narrow path with walls/cliffs on either side. Player characters will have the option to attempt to escape by climbing these walls (becoming Safe). Doing so will require a (DC 15) Athletics check each round to climb & keep their grip on the walls, failure causes them to fall back down into the stampede. Climbing gear can give advantage but requires time to put on / set up so requires players to use their Action & Bonus Action to gain the benefits from it, making them unable to help others, and each Climber's Kit can only give one character advantage.
Obstacles. There should be an obstacle every other round, which deals 1d10 damage to any character going with the flow - this might be falling rocks, crossing a piranha infested river, a sharp turn, broken glass on the floor etc... These obstacles should be telegraphed to the players the round before.
Help. Characters can help each other to escape the stampede. Any character that Goes with the Flow, can navigate themselves to within 5 ft of another character within the stampede. However, each round characters can normally only attempt to either save themselves or save someone else, not both.
Tuning the Difficulty. The difficulty of the Stampede is tuned by changing the DC to climb the walls/resist, and the amount of movement required to get from inside the stampede to a wall to attempt to climb out.