I don't know if this has been discussed already, but will the new sidekick UA be integrated in the character builder ("create sidekick" instead of "create character")?
That'd be cool.
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moved from General to Unearthed Arcana forum
If you want a fully fleshed out char, just make a character sheet. If you just need a stat block and to track some hit points and such, homebrew a monster and add it to your sheet through the Creatures companion.
As InquisitiveCoder mentioned it would be a lot of work to add a new way of something you can already easily achieve.
“All Unearthed Arcana content from January 2018 onward will be integrated into D&D Beyond.”
Wizards basically added 3 new classes to UA. I dont mind having to homebrew my Races for these, but as I cannot homebrew Classes, the Dndbeyond team should add the classes.
Thanks for the reply. If they aren't added as a class, then we'll need a new way to edit monsters to add class type abilities (or feats to represent those abilities), a way to mark off uses of abilities and spells, and a way to change the proficiency bonuses.
While we could edit a monster's entry to do "The Spellcaster" with the monster rules, but I don't envy anyone changing the spells entry every time a companion levels up.
I agree, Tali. The point of this system is to improve the lives of players and DMs alike. I am interested to see how this will be incorporated.
Ideally since these type of characters develop like PCs it should have an option as a core class, but then there should be an option to export or view as an NPC stat block. This type of feature would be very useful for campaign.development.
If it happens, don't expect it any time soon. This UA is far more elaborate than something as simple as a new race or subclass. That's the kind of thing any one of us could make just using the homebrew tools. This would require something far more extensive, and likely require D&D Beyond to create tools it doesn't have yet and might not have had planned or considered.
They may very well want to add it to the site, and might already have a plan on how to do so, but to be quite frank, I don't think they should. There are other features they are working on that I think are far more relevant than this UA, and I'd rather they did not divert any resources away from them.
The easiest implementation might be to treat them like separate classes.
The tricky part is that you can have a nearly endless "base" starting point. They'd need to make a massive database of all the possible CR 1 or lower creatures (that could potentially be a friend) with all of their abilities - and break down all of those abilities so that they can be increased be enhancements to ability scores and proficiency bonuses. That would need to be done after the interface to add it to the sheet was made, and they added a place to make sidekick decisions on the builder.... It will be a massive build, but they did say they would implement all of the UA articles...
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D&D since 79. New to the Carolinas and looking for Gamers.
The base starting point isnt endless, it is CR 1 and less, so the prof bonus should just increase with the level of the sidekick class. If the sidekick classes are available, we can make races or feats that include the race abilities from the creatures.
We currently do not have a way to make new classes, so the dnd beyond team needs to make the 3 new claases.
It is nearly endless because they, theoretically, need to keep adding them everytime a new monster is released. Additionally, they'd likely want to add an interface to homebrew them as people might want to use a hmebrew creature as the base for a sidekick.
This is, by far, the most massive UA article in terms of work required to implement that has come out so far.
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D&D since 79. New to the Carolinas and looking for Gamers.
This is, by far, the most massive UA article in terms of work required to implement that has come out so far.
That is very clear. Considering the typical week turnaround regarding UA implementation in D&D Beyond, it also seems fair that they don't get any advanced information on upcoming UA content.
There have been a number of UAs released in 2018 that were not implemented on D&D Beyond. This one may not as well because of the work involved. If it is, and I can certainly see the value in it, I just wouldn't pin any hopes on it being any time soon.
I love the concept of the Sidekick, but it's such a force multiplier and min/maxers will exploit it. Nothing more frustrating than a party of 7 players and *ALL* of them have sidekicks. I love it as an RP tool, but you let one in and then have to explain why everyone can't play 2 characters.
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Ancient GM, started in '76, have played almost everything at some point or another.
I run/play Mercer-style games, heavy on the RP and interaction, light on the combat-monster and rule-lawyering. The goal is to tell an epic story with the players and the players are as involved in the world building as the GM is. I run and play a very Brechtian style, am huge into RP theory and love discussing improv and offers.
I seem to recall a discussion that they'd wait until the 2nd iteration of the UA; the response has been positive enough that Crawford is definitely working on another pass.
I love the concept of the Sidekick, but it's such a force multiplier and min/maxers will exploit it. Nothing more frustrating than a party of 7 players and *ALL* of them have sidekicks. I love it as an RP tool, but you let one in and then have to explain why everyone can't play 2 characters.
This really screams of the days of 1st edition AD&D with the Henchman NPC, which was run by the Players and if they ever attained the same level as the PC they would leave. I like it for the fact that it is embracing the history of the game, but dislike it as it is more paperwork for player and DM.
I don't mind the paper work per se, it just immediately becomes FOTD (flavor of the day) for optimizers. For gamers who choose background/race/class based upon stats and not RP, it's a requirement that you also have a sidekick. I dread the day where 6 players show up with 6 sidekicks, 2 of which can conjure fae so they all summon sprites who in turn polymorph the entire 12-man party into T-rexes to overpower any foe, etc, blah blah blah.
I don't play Pathfinder/3.5 for a reason :P
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Ancient GM, started in '76, have played almost everything at some point or another.
I run/play Mercer-style games, heavy on the RP and interaction, light on the combat-monster and rule-lawyering. The goal is to tell an epic story with the players and the players are as involved in the world building as the GM is. I run and play a very Brechtian style, am huge into RP theory and love discussing improv and offers.
In these rules, a sidekick is a creature who is your friend and who accompanies you on adventures. It’s essentially a second character you play. (The DM might decide to play it instead, or you could co-play it with other players at the table.) The sidekick can be any type of creature with a stat block in the Monster Manual or another D&D book, but it must meet these prerequisites: • Its challenge rating must be 1 or lower. • The two of you must be friends.
This is essentially just a leveling system for NPCs that recognizes that they often, when traveling with the PCs, follow PC directions to keep them the star of the show.
How would I run a sidekick?
* DM has final say over what the NPC sidekick does, but let's the player direct them unless there is a reason to change that... in other words, the sidekick is lent to the player until the DM decides to take it back. Maybe that is for a story reason, such as a betrayal, a conflict with the PC, or something else dramatic. Maybe it is because the game is diminsihed by the player running the sidekick in addition to the player. Maybe it is just because the sidekick is being used and would not like being used.
* Players do not start with a sidekick. They must forge a friendship via RP that results in the sidekick electing to join the PC on the road to adventure. Well, it could be a friend that is forced into service, Samwise style, but it must be a friendly relationship.
My biggest issue with the sidekick is the possibility of a regular spell progression PC with Warlock spells. That is untested waters.
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D&D since 79. New to the Carolinas and looking for Gamers.
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I don't know if this has been discussed already, but will the new sidekick UA be integrated in the character builder ("create sidekick" instead of "create character")?
That'd be cool.
My Homebrew: Magic Items | Monsters | Spells | Subclasses | My house rules
Playing D&D since 1st edition. DMs Guild Author: B.A. Morrier Twitter: @benmorrier he/him
Probably not since they aren't official rules.
The D&D Beyond team have been taking a look at the sidekick rules and determining how difficult it would be to add this to the character sheet.
I don't know the result yet and the team are on holiday break for now, so I expect any news will be in the New Year.
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If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
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Seems like a disproportionate amount of effort to spend on something that's easy to do through the homebrew monster system.
If you want a fully fleshed out char, just make a character sheet. If you just need a stat block and to track some hit points and such, homebrew a monster and add it to your sheet through the Creatures companion.
As InquisitiveCoder mentioned it would be a lot of work to add a new way of something you can already easily achieve.
My Homebrew: Races | Subclasses | Backgrounds | Spells | Magic Items | Feats
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Would you be able to make an awakened creature a sidekick?
“All Unearthed Arcana content from January 2018 onward will be integrated into D&D Beyond.”
Wizards basically added 3 new classes to UA.
I dont mind having to homebrew my Races for these, but as I cannot homebrew Classes, the Dndbeyond team should add the classes.
(edited to remove bold text)
Those new classes are for NPCs, not player characters, so it's pretty certain that they won't be added to D&D Beyond as selectable character classes.
As per my post above, D&D Beyond staff are on a break for the holidays. I am sure there will be an update in the New Year.
Pun-loving nerd | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
Thanks for the reply. If they aren't added as a class, then we'll need a new way to edit monsters to add class type abilities (or feats to represent those abilities), a way to mark off uses of abilities and spells, and a way to change the proficiency bonuses.
While we could edit a monster's entry to do "The Spellcaster" with the monster rules, but I don't envy anyone changing the spells entry every time a companion levels up.
I agree, Tali. The point of this system is to improve the lives of players and DMs alike. I am interested to see how this will be incorporated.
Ideally since these type of characters develop like PCs it should have an option as a core class, but then there should be an option to export or view as an NPC stat block. This type of feature would be very useful for campaign.development.
If it happens, don't expect it any time soon. This UA is far more elaborate than something as simple as a new race or subclass. That's the kind of thing any one of us could make just using the homebrew tools. This would require something far more extensive, and likely require D&D Beyond to create tools it doesn't have yet and might not have had planned or considered.
They may very well want to add it to the site, and might already have a plan on how to do so, but to be quite frank, I don't think they should. There are other features they are working on that I think are far more relevant than this UA, and I'd rather they did not divert any resources away from them.
The easiest implementation might be to treat them like separate classes.
The tricky part is that you can have a nearly endless "base" starting point. They'd need to make a massive database of all the possible CR 1 or lower creatures (that could potentially be a friend) with all of their abilities - and break down all of those abilities so that they can be increased be enhancements to ability scores and proficiency bonuses. That would need to be done after the interface to add it to the sheet was made, and they added a place to make sidekick decisions on the builder.... It will be a massive build, but they did say they would implement all of the UA articles...
D&D since 79. New to the Carolinas and looking for Gamers.
The base starting point isnt endless, it is CR 1 and less, so the prof bonus should just increase with the level of the sidekick class. If the sidekick classes are available, we can make races or feats that include the race abilities from the creatures.
We currently do not have a way to make new classes, so the dnd beyond team needs to make the 3 new claases.
It is nearly endless because they, theoretically, need to keep adding them everytime a new monster is released. Additionally, they'd likely want to add an interface to homebrew them as people might want to use a hmebrew creature as the base for a sidekick.
This is, by far, the most massive UA article in terms of work required to implement that has come out so far.
D&D since 79. New to the Carolinas and looking for Gamers.
That is very clear. Considering the typical week turnaround regarding UA implementation in D&D Beyond, it also seems fair that they don't get any advanced information on upcoming UA content.
There have been a number of UAs released in 2018 that were not implemented on D&D Beyond. This one may not as well because of the work involved. If it is, and I can certainly see the value in it, I just wouldn't pin any hopes on it being any time soon.
I love the concept of the Sidekick, but it's such a force multiplier and min/maxers will exploit it. Nothing more frustrating than a party of 7 players and *ALL* of them have sidekicks. I love it as an RP tool, but you let one in and then have to explain why everyone can't play 2 characters.
Ancient GM, started in '76, have played almost everything at some point or another.
I run/play Mercer-style games, heavy on the RP and interaction, light on the combat-monster and rule-lawyering. The goal is to tell an epic story with the players and the players are as involved in the world building as the GM is. I run and play a very Brechtian style, am huge into RP theory and love discussing improv and offers.
I seem to recall a discussion that they'd wait until the 2nd iteration of the UA; the response has been positive enough that Crawford is definitely working on another pass.
This really screams of the days of 1st edition AD&D with the Henchman NPC, which was run by the Players and if they ever attained the same level as the PC they would leave. I like it for the fact that it is embracing the history of the game, but dislike it as it is more paperwork for player and DM.
I don't mind the paper work per se, it just immediately becomes FOTD (flavor of the day) for optimizers. For gamers who choose background/race/class based upon stats and not RP, it's a requirement that you also have a sidekick. I dread the day where 6 players show up with 6 sidekicks, 2 of which can conjure fae so they all summon sprites who in turn polymorph the entire 12-man party into T-rexes to overpower any foe, etc, blah blah blah.
I don't play Pathfinder/3.5 for a reason :P
Ancient GM, started in '76, have played almost everything at some point or another.
I run/play Mercer-style games, heavy on the RP and interaction, light on the combat-monster and rule-lawyering. The goal is to tell an epic story with the players and the players are as involved in the world building as the GM is. I run and play a very Brechtian style, am huge into RP theory and love discussing improv and offers.
Read the start of the sidekick area:
In these rules, a sidekick is a creature who is
your friend and who accompanies you on
adventures. It’s essentially a second character
you play. (The DM might decide to play it instead,
or you could co-play it with other players at the
table.)
The sidekick can be any type of creature with a
stat block in the Monster Manual or another D&D
book, but it must meet these prerequisites:
• Its challenge rating must be 1 or lower.
• The two of you must be friends.
This is essentially just a leveling system for NPCs that recognizes that they often, when traveling with the PCs, follow PC directions to keep them the star of the show.
How would I run a sidekick?
* DM has final say over what the NPC sidekick does, but let's the player direct them unless there is a reason to change that... in other words, the sidekick is lent to the player until the DM decides to take it back. Maybe that is for a story reason, such as a betrayal, a conflict with the PC, or something else dramatic. Maybe it is because the game is diminsihed by the player running the sidekick in addition to the player. Maybe it is just because the sidekick is being used and would not like being used.
* Players do not start with a sidekick. They must forge a friendship via RP that results in the sidekick electing to join the PC on the road to adventure. Well, it could be a friend that is forced into service, Samwise style, but it must be a friendly relationship.
My biggest issue with the sidekick is the possibility of a regular spell progression PC with Warlock spells. That is untested waters.
D&D since 79. New to the Carolinas and looking for Gamers.