Hey everyone, welcome to Gmoat's Corner. I'm Gmoat, I will be your guide in this maybe weekly report of all things in my head D&D. Congrats, and welcome to the first thread! Woo! You made it! I'm so glad :)
A little background about myself, a little get to know me...
I'm Gmoat and I have been heavily invested in tabletop RPG's since I was introduced to them while stationed in Alaska. It kind of started with Warhammer 40K, it was fun but I was a single soldier and didn't have that kind of money for a hobby. Plus, I suck at arts and crafts. (Glue, my eternal foe!) It took some time to get me hooked back into sitting around a table and actually playing a game. So, thankfully I had a great friend talk me into playing 3.5. Hook. Line. SINKER! Heck, you already know how it is. Once you roll them bones, once you get a Nat 20, once you talk your way out of a jam...it's off to the races. And I was.
I dabbled in all sorts of games and gaming groups. Everything from Rifts and VtM & VtR to D&D and eventually Pathfinder. I almost swore off D&D completely, my first gaming love. 4th Edition broke my heart and almost broke my soul. I found myself uninterested in a lot of games that I loved years before. I had a chance to play a Scion game (White Wolf) and also a Mutants and Masterminds game, I played both but lost interest shortly after. It was like my gaming identity was taken from me. I felt hurt but most of all I felt betrayed. I went all in with 4th Ed. I sold all my 3.5 books just to be able to have as many 4th Ed books as I could at my disposal, so when it turned out that I hated and despised everything that was 4th Ed I was at a crossroads.
It took some time for me to get back into gaming, but I did. Because this hobby is more than that, a hobby; it is a part of me. The characters we make and the stories we create are what has been inside all of is for ages. Our tables are our campfires, our heroes are more than pieces of paper but extensions of ourselves. Sometimes evil extensions. lol Pathfinder pulled me back, and it was fun but it still felt like the ghost of D&D. What once was, and forever gone. I lost all hope in Wizards and as a scorned lover, I had no intentions of ever giving them my trust again. They messed up and I was never going to forget. They left me at the altar. They slept with my brother. They gave me gaming herpes! It was that serious. I would talk some much about how horrible it was for them to do this to me, to all of us. And I get it, there are those of you who enjoyed 4th Ed. But your collective is small. Worthy of note, but the rest of us hated it. 4th Ed is D&D's Jar Jar. (Side note: I love Jar Jar and the Prequels.) So I played the ghost of D&D and it was fine. I guess I had a memorable character or two but did I really?
Two years ago I received the new Red Box for 5th Edition. I didn't touch it for so long, it just sat on my computer desk gathering dust. I wouldn't even touch it when I cleaned, it was like it wasn't even there. Who needs D&D? Not me...that was my mindset. I gave up on Wizards and I gave up on D&D. I gave up reading Drizzt books and I never played any of the PC games. I was DONE. Then I got drunk on some homemade brandy and for some reason decided to open the damn thing up. I read over the rules and the game read about the characters and the little story diving into the Lost Mines. I didn't like it and thought it was dumb. (Remember, I was a drunken hurt man..lol) It sat on my shelf, now removed from its dusty corner on my computer desk, gathering more dust and to be forgotten.
In the summer of 2016, I met some friends of my girlfriend who she had not seen in years. I hit it off with both of them immediately. Husband and wife, one was a wine lover the other a gamer. Two of my favorite things! So, I was invited to play in a Pathfinder game and drove a half hour away to play in it. It took a couple weeks for me to get in on it but when I finally did I was ready to make some boring and lame Pathfinder character. (Don't get me wrong, Pathfinder is a good system. It's fine. It just feels like D&D's ghost. Which it is the ghost of 3.5, but I just couldn't shake the feeling of it.) I get to Warren, Ohio and meet my new friends (now some of my best friends) and learn they do not want to play Pathfinder, they want to play the 5th Ed of D&D. I was already there and I really wanted to RP. I mean, I came all that way so I gave it a go. If anything, it would give me some more fuel to add to my hate fire...but that wasn't the case. I made a bard and died the first session. I freaking died and, I like...oh you already know... Hook. Line. SINKER.
That's all it took and I was back, baby! And I mean, I was wayyyyyy back. Within the first month, I had purchased 3 books and set up a Friday night game at my house again. Then came Storm King's Thunder. (AMAZING!) And then D&D Beyond. Now, here I am. I am back in love with D&D and Wizards! (and my side piece DDB!)
This is what this game is supposed to be. This is the system that should have been and now is. And now Curse (thank you Badeye!) and Wizards came together to give us this. Is it perfect? No, but this website is one of the best places on the internet. Don't believe me, go scroll through your Facebook or Twitter feeds. Go read boards on Jezebel or AOL News. Let the rest of the world exclaim how much they hate or want to kill each other, here though, we can be ourselves and we have a very beautiful community that supports each other in our studies of D&D geekiness. If you're reading this then you are a part of this too, so knock on wood and count your lucky stars that we have a place that is safe and fun. (Are you knocking? Hmm? I'll wait...) It's not perfect, but they are still building it and making it better and better. That's pretty awesome! That's why I am on these boards all the time. Well, not so much lately because of the holidays and work and life and...I'm running a bit in the sentence department, eh? lol You get it, life happens. But I have made friends through this game and this website. Like real friends. Like decent people! What? Internet and D&D did what? :O
So, that's me and my gaming history with D&D. Over the coming weeks, I will be posting about my most memorable characters/games and also ask some questions about everyone's gaming history as well. We all have gaming stories to share, so I hope this forum page and the subsequent ones will be a place for that. Also, I really like writing my thoughts down. I feel like I need to do it more because it makes me happy and I love to have a dialogue with all of you on here. Whether it's in PbP's or just talking about how to utilize spells. It's my jam!
When did you start playing? Did 4th Ed hurt you too? What's it like coming from the older editions to this one? There is a nice place to comment below, so add to the conversation!
Now, onto my other topic. Bards. Oh Bards, you bardy bard Bards! I love this class. It's one of my all time favs, jack of all trades master of none. (Until later levels lol) But, there is something that needs to be said about Bards and I am going to say it. They're all the same. Okay, not ALL of them, but for the most part Bards are played the same way. Sing a song for free room and board, boost your friends with songs or inspiring lines from epic poems and just melt the hearts of all those around you. But, what about an incompetent Bard? One who can't remember the words to songs and always messes up his Charisma checks? I find playing a stilted hero to be more enjoyable, it's like get out of your comfort zone and make a break for the door!
I mean, I am playing a pacifist Cleric in Strahd right now, so these things can be done. Especially in this system, I really do think part of its core is breaking down our character concepts of how we have always played these classes and make something else. Something more than they can be. Of course, Bards are always going to be base for knowledge in the world, but what if you weren't proficient in Persuasion or Perform? How would that change your character? I mean, it wouldn't break them but it would make them harder to play. I think it would still be fun, playing an incompetent and imperfect Bard. I've been thinking a lot about this for some time, ways to make characters more approachable. I mean, not all Bards are Jack White, some are playing the corner bar every night and sometimes go on the road to make $100. Right?
I wonder how that would play out, someone who fails at what they love yet is still a hero? Mhmm, that makes for some good storytellin' right there, uh huh!
What kind of characters have you played where you weren't ideally set up for the class? Have you ever made a character with glaring flaws that go against what the class is? (Any dumb wizards out there? Eek, sorry...2017... mentally disenfranchised wizards. Sorry, fixed!) How have your Bards been different from the main concept of how we all play them?
Comment and share below! Thanks for reading!
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
Played basic d&d loved it. I mean half a sheet of paper and you had your character. 1e 2e killed it for me. I was playing a ton but no groups could last because of how hard it was. Fell in love with 3e me like creating characters. 3e is vast and super fun for min maxers. 3.5 was good but unnecessary like chris perkins said. Then came the big bad wolf... Pathfinder... It killed my games because my friends all wanted it and i said nope... Not gonna read 600 pages of player handbook. Nope not gonna happen. Not to mention pathfinder to me was simply a clone of a game i loved. Sorry but ill play the original not the copy, i was telling myself. Once i finally tryed it last year... Kinda loved it but somehow it was far worse mechanically then 3.5. I mean way too much math. 2 years ago i jumped and bought the starter set for 5e... Skipping 4th... Sorry but video game gimmicks is exactly what dnd is against. So yeah skipped it directly.
5e i immediately fell in love and proceeded to start and play all 4 games a week that i play now. 3 of which i dm 1 of which my minotaur barb with 6 int wis and cha is the leader of, apparently.
Created tons of characters but having played some i can say i definitely have my favorites.
Khazan Zepheran, LE, barb zealot deity omis godess of fate and vengeance. Hes brutal unkillable and enjoys the pleasures of the flesh too much. Not for the faint of hearts. I asked my group if they had problems with rapes and the likes before playing him cause i dont want to ruin ones life by playing a character who does it often. For an evil character i love him.
Bazan-gore ironsins, CG, bladesinger wizard. The incarnation of the fist wizard. He started as an NPC in 3e era and became a staple in all my games as the plane shifting merchant whos store can appear anywhere all of a sudden. This bugbear goes against everything he knew when he became a mage and wanted to own the biggest collection of magic items ever. Love playing him before level 20 to see how he got where he is now.
Some others i love too. One from literally srd at it.
Khan'dor Era'thiel, LG, sorcerer draconic with a few levels of life cleric. Best damn healer i ever seen in 5e. Story... Hes an ancient silver dragon that passed way too much time in human for. So now hes stuck in it. But as he levels up his powers are coming back to him.
Vine Leaf Humble Wood, CE, hard to play, evil as the cat he is. This tabaxi was born in the feywild. In the first month of his growth a plat took him over. He grew with the plant. Now its inside of him and through his fu 2 vines full of leaves runs down. Exiled to the material plane by the archfey he thinks his mission is to make nature grow in the material plane. In reality he was exiled because they thought his plant life was a curse or a sign of ill omen.
Those 4 are the ones i love the most.
I did play some others but these are just too fun to play with to me.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
DM of two gaming groups. Likes to create stuff. Check out my homebrew --> Monsters --> Magical Items --> Races --> Subclasses If you like --> Upvote, If you wanna comment --> Comment
Play by Post Games --> One Shot Adventure - House of Artwood (DM) (Completed)
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Hey everyone, welcome to Gmoat's Corner. I'm Gmoat, I will be your guide in this maybe weekly report of all things in my head D&D. Congrats, and welcome to the first thread! Woo! You made it! I'm so glad :)
A little background about myself, a little get to know me...
I'm Gmoat and I have been heavily invested in tabletop RPG's since I was introduced to them while stationed in Alaska. It kind of started with Warhammer 40K, it was fun but I was a single soldier and didn't have that kind of money for a hobby. Plus, I suck at arts and crafts. (Glue, my eternal foe!) It took some time to get me hooked back into sitting around a table and actually playing a game. So, thankfully I had a great friend talk me into playing 3.5. Hook. Line. SINKER! Heck, you already know how it is. Once you roll them bones, once you get a Nat 20, once you talk your way out of a jam...it's off to the races. And I was.
I dabbled in all sorts of games and gaming groups. Everything from Rifts and VtM & VtR to D&D and eventually Pathfinder. I almost swore off D&D completely, my first gaming love. 4th Edition broke my heart and almost broke my soul. I found myself uninterested in a lot of games that I loved years before. I had a chance to play a Scion game (White Wolf) and also a Mutants and Masterminds game, I played both but lost interest shortly after. It was like my gaming identity was taken from me. I felt hurt but most of all I felt betrayed. I went all in with 4th Ed. I sold all my 3.5 books just to be able to have as many 4th Ed books as I could at my disposal, so when it turned out that I hated and despised everything that was 4th Ed I was at a crossroads.
It took some time for me to get back into gaming, but I did. Because this hobby is more than that, a hobby; it is a part of me. The characters we make and the stories we create are what has been inside all of is for ages. Our tables are our campfires, our heroes are more than pieces of paper but extensions of ourselves. Sometimes evil extensions. lol Pathfinder pulled me back, and it was fun but it still felt like the ghost of D&D. What once was, and forever gone. I lost all hope in Wizards and as a scorned lover, I had no intentions of ever giving them my trust again. They messed up and I was never going to forget. They left me at the altar. They slept with my brother. They gave me gaming herpes! It was that serious. I would talk some much about how horrible it was for them to do this to me, to all of us. And I get it, there are those of you who enjoyed 4th Ed. But your collective is small. Worthy of note, but the rest of us hated it. 4th Ed is D&D's Jar Jar. (Side note: I love Jar Jar and the Prequels.) So I played the ghost of D&D and it was fine. I guess I had a memorable character or two but did I really?
Two years ago I received the new Red Box for 5th Edition. I didn't touch it for so long, it just sat on my computer desk gathering dust. I wouldn't even touch it when I cleaned, it was like it wasn't even there. Who needs D&D? Not me...that was my mindset. I gave up on Wizards and I gave up on D&D. I gave up reading Drizzt books and I never played any of the PC games. I was DONE. Then I got drunk on some homemade brandy and for some reason decided to open the damn thing up. I read over the rules and the game read about the characters and the little story diving into the Lost Mines. I didn't like it and thought it was dumb. (Remember, I was a drunken hurt man..lol) It sat on my shelf, now removed from its dusty corner on my computer desk, gathering more dust and to be forgotten.
In the summer of 2016, I met some friends of my girlfriend who she had not seen in years. I hit it off with both of them immediately. Husband and wife, one was a wine lover the other a gamer. Two of my favorite things! So, I was invited to play in a Pathfinder game and drove a half hour away to play in it. It took a couple weeks for me to get in on it but when I finally did I was ready to make some boring and lame Pathfinder character. (Don't get me wrong, Pathfinder is a good system. It's fine. It just feels like D&D's ghost. Which it is the ghost of 3.5, but I just couldn't shake the feeling of it.) I get to Warren, Ohio and meet my new friends (now some of my best friends) and learn they do not want to play Pathfinder, they want to play the 5th Ed of D&D. I was already there and I really wanted to RP. I mean, I came all that way so I gave it a go. If anything, it would give me some more fuel to add to my hate fire...but that wasn't the case. I made a bard and died the first session. I freaking died and, I like...oh you already know... Hook. Line. SINKER.
That's all it took and I was back, baby! And I mean, I was wayyyyyy back. Within the first month, I had purchased 3 books and set up a Friday night game at my house again. Then came Storm King's Thunder. (AMAZING!) And then D&D Beyond. Now, here I am. I am back in love with D&D and Wizards! (and my side piece DDB!)
This is what this game is supposed to be. This is the system that should have been and now is. And now Curse (thank you Badeye!) and Wizards came together to give us this. Is it perfect? No, but this website is one of the best places on the internet. Don't believe me, go scroll through your Facebook or Twitter feeds. Go read boards on Jezebel or AOL News. Let the rest of the world exclaim how much they hate or want to kill each other, here though, we can be ourselves and we have a very beautiful community that supports each other in our studies of D&D geekiness. If you're reading this then you are a part of this too, so knock on wood and count your lucky stars that we have a place that is safe and fun. (Are you knocking? Hmm? I'll wait...) It's not perfect, but they are still building it and making it better and better. That's pretty awesome! That's why I am on these boards all the time. Well, not so much lately because of the holidays and work and life and...I'm running a bit in the sentence department, eh? lol You get it, life happens. But I have made friends through this game and this website. Like real friends. Like decent people! What? Internet and D&D did what? :O
So, that's me and my gaming history with D&D. Over the coming weeks, I will be posting about my most memorable characters/games and also ask some questions about everyone's gaming history as well. We all have gaming stories to share, so I hope this forum page and the subsequent ones will be a place for that. Also, I really like writing my thoughts down. I feel like I need to do it more because it makes me happy and I love to have a dialogue with all of you on here. Whether it's in PbP's or just talking about how to utilize spells. It's my jam!
When did you start playing? Did 4th Ed hurt you too? What's it like coming from the older editions to this one? There is a nice place to comment below, so add to the conversation!
Now, onto my other topic. Bards. Oh Bards, you bardy bard Bards! I love this class. It's one of my all time favs, jack of all trades master of none. (Until later levels lol) But, there is something that needs to be said about Bards and I am going to say it. They're all the same. Okay, not ALL of them, but for the most part Bards are played the same way. Sing a song for free room and board, boost your friends with songs or inspiring lines from epic poems and just melt the hearts of all those around you. But, what about an incompetent Bard? One who can't remember the words to songs and always messes up his Charisma checks? I find playing a stilted hero to be more enjoyable, it's like get out of your comfort zone and make a break for the door!
I mean, I am playing a pacifist Cleric in Strahd right now, so these things can be done. Especially in this system, I really do think part of its core is breaking down our character concepts of how we have always played these classes and make something else. Something more than they can be. Of course, Bards are always going to be base for knowledge in the world, but what if you weren't proficient in Persuasion or Perform? How would that change your character? I mean, it wouldn't break them but it would make them harder to play. I think it would still be fun, playing an incompetent and imperfect Bard. I've been thinking a lot about this for some time, ways to make characters more approachable. I mean, not all Bards are Jack White, some are playing the corner bar every night and sometimes go on the road to make $100. Right?
I wonder how that would play out, someone who fails at what they love yet is still a hero? Mhmm, that makes for some good storytellin' right there, uh huh!
What kind of characters have you played where you weren't ideally set up for the class? Have you ever made a character with glaring flaws that go against what the class is? (Any dumb wizards out there? Eek, sorry...2017... mentally disenfranchised wizards. Sorry, fixed!) How have your Bards been different from the main concept of how we all play them?
Comment and share below! Thanks for reading!
"...Debts must always be paid, sometimes in more than blood and gold. But this is Ordo Ursa," Ren places his hand on Erakas's chest, right where the Dragonborn's heart is. "Right here. And it always has been and always will be. Don't ever forget that. Because I won't."
Serandis Mendaen (Aereni Elven Rogue/maybe one day Wizard)- Project Point Playtest
Played basic d&d loved it. I mean half a sheet of paper and you had your character. 1e 2e killed it for me. I was playing a ton but no groups could last because of how hard it was. Fell in love with 3e me like creating characters. 3e is vast and super fun for min maxers. 3.5 was good but unnecessary like chris perkins said. Then came the big bad wolf... Pathfinder... It killed my games because my friends all wanted it and i said nope... Not gonna read 600 pages of player handbook. Nope not gonna happen. Not to mention pathfinder to me was simply a clone of a game i loved. Sorry but ill play the original not the copy, i was telling myself. Once i finally tryed it last year... Kinda loved it but somehow it was far worse mechanically then 3.5. I mean way too much math. 2 years ago i jumped and bought the starter set for 5e... Skipping 4th... Sorry but video game gimmicks is exactly what dnd is against. So yeah skipped it directly.
5e i immediately fell in love and proceeded to start and play all 4 games a week that i play now. 3 of which i dm 1 of which my minotaur barb with 6 int wis and cha is the leader of, apparently.
Created tons of characters but having played some i can say i definitely have my favorites.
Khazan Zepheran, LE, barb zealot deity omis godess of fate and vengeance. Hes brutal unkillable and enjoys the pleasures of the flesh too much. Not for the faint of hearts. I asked my group if they had problems with rapes and the likes before playing him cause i dont want to ruin ones life by playing a character who does it often. For an evil character i love him.
Bazan-gore ironsins, CG, bladesinger wizard. The incarnation of the fist wizard. He started as an NPC in 3e era and became a staple in all my games as the plane shifting merchant whos store can appear anywhere all of a sudden. This bugbear goes against everything he knew when he became a mage and wanted to own the biggest collection of magic items ever. Love playing him before level 20 to see how he got where he is now.
Some others i love too. One from literally srd at it.
Khan'dor Era'thiel, LG, sorcerer draconic with a few levels of life cleric. Best damn healer i ever seen in 5e. Story... Hes an ancient silver dragon that passed way too much time in human for. So now hes stuck in it. But as he levels up his powers are coming back to him.
Vine Leaf Humble Wood, CE, hard to play, evil as the cat he is. This tabaxi was born in the feywild. In the first month of his growth a plat took him over. He grew with the plant. Now its inside of him and through his fu 2 vines full of leaves runs down. Exiled to the material plane by the archfey he thinks his mission is to make nature grow in the material plane. In reality he was exiled because they thought his plant life was a curse or a sign of ill omen.
Those 4 are the ones i love the most.
I did play some others but these are just too fun to play with to me.
DM of two gaming groups.
Likes to create stuff.
Check out my homebrew --> Monsters --> Magical Items --> Races --> Subclasses
If you like --> Upvote, If you wanna comment --> Comment
Play by Post Games
--> One Shot Adventure - House of Artwood (DM) (Completed)