This will be the forum based thread for the OOC discussion and planning of my Chronicles of Arden campaign.
Here is the invite link. EDIT - Reset since all players have joined.
I'd like to establish an instant messaging group chat for quick OOC discussion amongst the party what platform do you all prefer? I've often just used facebook for this in the past, but I'm open to using something else depending on what people prefer.
Taking damage does not equate to actually being struck or injured, at least in my opinion. It refers instead to “plot armour” being removed, or if you prefer, your character growing too tired to dodge. Hit by a glancing blow from an Orc? It is far more likely that it simply bounced off your armour and left you staggered, or you deflected the strike but it left your muscles strained and sore. You may not be able to block it quite as easily next time.
Where this falls apart is in the last few hit points. Following this system, instead of slowly being whittled down with a dozen cuts and bruises, you go from “tired” to “nearly dead.” Here, we instead operate on a wound system. This allows for short (and potentially long) term injuries that will allow the character to keep on trekking forward, but with a very clear penalty. The goal with this particular system is making something simple and easy to learn with the possibility for injuries that hamper players but don't prevent them from moving forward, unless they choose to stay fighting and risk more significant injury.
Characters have Wound Points equal to their constitution score (NOT modifier) + their proficiency bonus. Hit points are referred to as vigour. As soon as they are reduced to zero vigour, they will begin taking wound damage instead of vigour damage.
They may remain alert and keep fighting, but must make a saving throw against exhaustion (DC 10 CON save) each round they take an action. If a character takes wound damage they roll on the appropriate wound table.
If a character takes wound damage but is not reduced to zero wound points, they roll on the minor wounds table. If a character is reduced to zero wound points they roll on the major wounds table, potentially fall unconscious, and if unconscious, begin to make death saving throws as per normal 5e rules. If a character rolls the same result twice they either re-roll or keep the result but suffer additional penalties at the DM’s discretion.
All Minor Wounds can be healed with Lesser Restoration, a DC 13 Medicine check which can be attempted once per short or long rest, or three days spent without taking any Wound Damage. Major Wounds are more complex, and treatment options are listed in the consequences. For details see the DMG pg. 272.
Minor Wounds
d12
Consequence
1-2
Blurred Vision: You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on sight and on ranged attack rolls.
3-4
Ringing Ears: You have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on hearing and your AC temporarily drops by one.
5
Limp: Your walking speed is reduced by 5 feet. You must make a DEX saving throw (DC10) after using the Dash action. If you fail the save, you fall prone.
6
Wrenched Limb: You cannot use reactions and have disadvantage on melee attack rolls.
7-8
Bloodied Mouth: You have disadvantage on Persuasion checks. When you cast a spell with a verbal component there is a 25% chance the spell will not work. If the spell fails, you still used your action to try to cast it, but the spell did not use any slots or material components.
9-11
Keep Moving Forward: You may spend one Hit Die+CON and regain that much vigour.
12
Unbreakable: You may spend one Hit Die and regain that many Wound Points (excess becomes vigour). You regain your CON mod in vigour.
Major Wounds
d12
Consequence
1
Lose an Eye or Ear: Suffer a Festering Wound with (DC17).
2
Lose a Foot or Hand: Suffer a Festering Wound with (DC17).
3
Lose an Arm or Leg: Suffer a Festering Wound with (DC17).
4
Broken Arm or Hand: Make a CON saving throw (DC15). On a fail you fall unconscious as normal. If you succeed, gain one Hit Die+CON to vigour. You cannot hold more than one object, or hold a two-handed object. The injury heals after someone sets the bone with a DC 15 Medicine check and you spend thirty days without taking wound damage, or fifteen days with magical healing once per day and no wound damage.
5
Broken Leg or Foot: Make a CON saving throw (DC15). On a fail you fall unconscious as normal. If you succeed, gain one Hit Die+CON to vigour. Your walking speed is halved and you must use a cane or crutch to move. You fall prone after using the Dash action. You have disadvantage on Dexterity checks made to balance. The injury heals after someone sets the bone with a DC 15 Medicine check and you spend thirty days without taking wound damage, or fifteen days with magical healing once per day and no wound damage.
6-7
Internal Injury: Make a CON saving throw (DC16). On a fail you receive one failure to your Death saves and fall unconscious. If you succeed, gain one Hit Die+CON to vigour. Whenever you attempt an action in combat, you must make a DC 13 CON save. On a failed save, you lose your action and can't use reactions until the start of your next turn. The injury heals after 10 days of resting. This shortens by 1 for every day that you receive treatment in the form of a DC 15 Medicine check. This shortens by 2 for every day that you receive magical healing.
8
Festering Wound: Make a CON saving throw (DC16). On a fail you receive one failure to your Death saves and fall unconscious. If you succeed, gain one Hit Die+CON to vigour. Your Wound Point maximum is reduced by 2 every 12 hours. If your Wound Pont maximum drops to 0, you die. Someone can tend to the wound with a DC 16 Medicine check or magical healing once every 12 hours. After ten successes, the wound heals, or five successes with magical healing.
9-11
Adrenaline Rush: Gain two Hit Dice+CON to vigour. After the fight ends or 10 rounds pass, you are afflicted with three levels of Exhaustion.
12
Last Stand: Gain two Hit Dice+CON to vigour. Gain one additional Hit Die for each downed party member. Take one free action.
Healing
Vigour is recovered fully after a long rest and may be recovered using hit-die as part of a short rest.
Wounds are recovered at a rate of 1 + (CON bonus - 1) per long rest.
Magical healing or healing with a healer's kit heals 1 wound per die. The healer may choose to heal wounds or vigour.
Regenerate can restore lost body parts.
Greater Restoration immediately removes all wound debuffs not resulting from a lost body part.
Lesser Restoration can remove wound debuffs not resulting from a lost body part when performed over the course of a rest.
Magical healing spells cast above first level count for a number of successes equal to the spell's level.
Additional Rules
Unforgiving Wounds Any wound damage taken can only be healed over the course of a long rest, or with a healing spell.
Caught Unawares Any damage taken during a surprise round or while a character is unconscious, stunned, paralyzed, or incapacitated goes straight to wound points. If the damage is taken during a surprise round, the character must make a dexterity or constitution saving throw with a DC of 10 or half the damage, whichever is greater, and if they succeed the damage goes to vigour instead. If the character is suffering from one of the above conditions, they may not make such a saving throw.
You Mean Herbs Are Actually Useful!? Recovering wound damage without magical healing requires a specific herb or herbs. A DC 13 Medicine check will allow a healer with access to the resource to return 1 bonus wound point to the character.
Debilitating Blow If a character takes half their life or more (including wound points) in a single blow, roll on the major wounds table. If their wound points are at their maximum, subtract one. If they drop to zero in a single blow, roll twice on the major wounds table.
I've got a character sheet whipped up, but nothing for equipment. Just wondering the same above question and eager to get started! Bründir was originally made as a higher-level military commander (more of a Sergeant Major, to be exact), so this will be a great chance to flesh out the backstory.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Stats will be the elite array, but open to discussion if you really want to tweak it by a point here or there. I just prefer the broader distribution to stacking points in the primary stat. Also, I edited the top post with some other info and a question.
Hey so I don’t have access to forest gnome on my list of possible characters... only rock gnome. Which I don’t mind changing to that or lightfoot halfling, but it also means I don’t have the subclass for arcane trickster.
I may have to tweak my stats a little bit as I used point buy method for Valaith. --- And ironically my point buy was exactly the standard array method...
I have a FB account, but I don't use it. I would probably be more interested in setting up a Discord account and going that way to be honest.
For timezones, I'm American CST which is UTC -6:00; however, my posting schedule is eclectic due to my work schedule; I work a 4 on, two off schedule and alternate between days (6:15am-3:00pm) and afternoons (2:15pm-11:00pm) each work week. So sometimes my posting is in the morning, sometimes the afternoon, and sometimes evening/late night. Just depends on what I'm working that day.
*EDIT*
Also, I just wanted to express my thanks for selecting Valaith for this campaign. I'm quite flattered that you enjoyed my character so much.
FYI if I am actively chatting/posting and vanish, it's because I have a three and a half month old baby that sometimes forces me to stop whatever I am doing. :P
@CraigTJones & decjimmy You can make adjustments like that if you want, but I hope to find a solution to getting those options. The revised ranger is frankly just better than the base one and we shouldn't let ourselves be limited by software for pen and paper game.
I will set up a discord then since that seems to be the most popular option.
For the revised ranger, you could maybe make a homebrew subclass that has all the updated features of it, plus the features of whatever subclass you want, and just ignore any redundancies on your sheet. It'd be a lot of work to set up but it would function I think
In regards to content sharing, I only have the standard Hero subscription and do not have access to it, otherwise I would gladly open up what I have.
DM, I completely understand the child situation; mine is 5 now, but I remember those early days and how much time the little ones need!
I have a question on your thoughts of upgrading current equipment as we go along. For instance Valaith's maul, it is a family heirloom that is passed down to the eldest child that obviously has exceptional value to her and I cannot foresee her ever giving it up for another weapon. How would you feel about transferring enchantments?
Hm, let's play that by ear for now Lyrel. Good that you mention it to me though, because then I can try to accommodate it when I prep. I'll see what I can do.
This will be the forum based thread for the OOC discussion and planning of my Chronicles of Arden campaign.
Here is the invite link.EDIT - Reset since all players have joined.I'd like to establish an instant messaging group chat for quick OOC discussion amongst the party what platform do you all prefer? I've often just used facebook for this in the past, but I'm open to using something else depending on what people prefer.
House Rules
Equipment
Weapons
Simple
Club - 1d6 bludgeoning
Greatclub - 1d10 bludgeoning
Mace - 1d8 blugeoning
Martial
Longsword - 2d4 slashing (versatile 1d6+1d4)
Wounds and Vigour
Taking damage does not equate to actually being struck or injured, at least in my opinion. It refers instead to “plot armour” being removed, or if you prefer, your character growing too tired to dodge. Hit by a glancing blow from an Orc? It is far more likely that it simply bounced off your armour and left you staggered, or you deflected the strike but it left your muscles strained and sore. You may not be able to block it quite as easily next time.
Where this falls apart is in the last few hit points. Following this system, instead of slowly being whittled down with a dozen cuts and bruises, you go from “tired” to “nearly dead.” Here, we instead operate on a wound system. This allows for short (and potentially long) term injuries that will allow the character to keep on trekking forward, but with a very clear penalty. The goal with this particular system is making something simple and easy to learn with the possibility for injuries that hamper players but don't prevent them from moving forward, unless they choose to stay fighting and risk more significant injury.
Characters have Wound Points equal to their constitution score (NOT modifier) + their proficiency bonus. Hit points are referred to as vigour. As soon as they are reduced to zero vigour, they will begin taking wound damage instead of vigour damage.
They may remain alert and keep fighting, but must make a saving throw against exhaustion (DC 10 CON save) each round they take an action. If a character takes wound damage they roll on the appropriate wound table.
If a character takes wound damage but is not reduced to zero wound points, they roll on the minor wounds table. If a character is reduced to zero wound points they roll on the major wounds table, potentially fall unconscious, and if unconscious, begin to make death saving throws as per normal 5e rules. If a character rolls the same result twice they either re-roll or keep the result but suffer additional penalties at the DM’s discretion.
All Minor Wounds can be healed with Lesser Restoration, a DC 13 Medicine check which can be attempted once per short or long rest, or three days spent without taking any Wound Damage. Major Wounds are more complex, and treatment options are listed in the consequences. For details see the DMG pg. 272.
Minor Wounds
Major Wounds
Healing
Additional Rules
Unforgiving Wounds Any wound damage taken can only be healed over the course of a long rest, or with a healing spell.
Caught Unawares Any damage taken during a surprise round or while a character is unconscious, stunned, paralyzed, or incapacitated goes straight to wound points. If the damage is taken during a surprise round, the character must make a dexterity or constitution saving throw with a DC of 10 or half the damage, whichever is greater, and if they succeed the damage goes to vigour instead. If the character is suffering from one of the above conditions, they may not make such a saving throw.
You Mean Herbs Are Actually Useful!? Recovering wound damage without magical healing requires a specific herb or herbs. A DC 13 Medicine check will allow a healer with access to the resource to return 1 bonus wound point to the character.
Debilitating Blow If a character takes half their life or more (including wound points) in a single blow, roll on the major wounds table. If their wound points are at their maximum, subtract one. If they drop to zero in a single blow, roll twice on the major wounds table.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
!!! Super excited! One question: how are we doing stats?
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
I've got a character sheet whipped up, but nothing for equipment. Just wondering the same above question and eager to get started! Bründir was originally made as a higher-level military commander (more of a Sergeant Major, to be exact), so this will be a great chance to flesh out the backstory.
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Also, I'm fine with fb, I've also used discord which is pretty handy
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
Stats will be the elite array, but open to discussion if you really want to tweak it by a point here or there. I just prefer the broader distribution to stacking points in the primary stat. Also, I edited the top post with some other info and a question.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Awesome! I believe it was standard array.!
Mavi Göz Mal - Half Orc Monk Level 1 Not Another Lost Mine of Phandelver
Drita - Aasimar Hexblade Warlock Lvl 3 Tomb of Annhilation
Iznik Sylnithas - Half Drow Blood Hunter Level 2 Precipice of Voids
I'd also be interested to hear your timezones so I can get an idea of when you are likely to post.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Hey so I don’t have access to forest gnome on my list of possible characters... only rock gnome. Which I don’t mind changing to that or lightfoot halfling, but it also means I don’t have the subclass for arcane trickster.
I personally prefer discord to Facebook.
Do you know how to add the revised ranger to dnd beyond?
timezone mst
I think discord is better.
Also does anyone have sharing? I need some of the books on DDB
Mavi Göz Mal - Half Orc Monk Level 1 Not Another Lost Mine of Phandelver
Drita - Aasimar Hexblade Warlock Lvl 3 Tomb of Annhilation
Iznik Sylnithas - Half Drow Blood Hunter Level 2 Precipice of Voids
I may have to tweak my stats a little bit as I used point buy method for Valaith. --- And ironically my point buy was exactly the standard array method...
I have a FB account, but I don't use it. I would probably be more interested in setting up a Discord account and going that way to be honest.
For timezones, I'm American CST which is UTC -6:00; however, my posting schedule is eclectic due to my work schedule; I work a 4 on, two off schedule and alternate between days (6:15am-3:00pm) and afternoons (2:15pm-11:00pm) each work week. So sometimes my posting is in the morning, sometimes the afternoon, and sometimes evening/late night. Just depends on what I'm working that day.
*EDIT*
Also, I just wanted to express my thanks for selecting Valaith for this campaign. I'm quite flattered that you enjoyed my character so much.
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
I'm EST, but yeah my posting also varies a lot as far as what time but it's definitely pretty frequent
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
I can't figure out how to put the revised ranger in DDB so if it is okay with you I think I'll just use the standard ranger.
I'm also EST
Mavi Göz Mal - Half Orc Monk Level 1 Not Another Lost Mine of Phandelver
Drita - Aasimar Hexblade Warlock Lvl 3 Tomb of Annhilation
Iznik Sylnithas - Half Drow Blood Hunter Level 2 Precipice of Voids
FYI if I am actively chatting/posting and vanish, it's because I have a three and a half month old baby that sometimes forces me to stop whatever I am doing. :P
@CraigTJones & decjimmy You can make adjustments like that if you want, but I hope to find a solution to getting those options. The revised ranger is frankly just better than the base one and we shouldn't let ourselves be limited by software for pen and paper game.
I will set up a discord then since that seems to be the most popular option.
EDIT - Discord link, runs out in a day.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
For the revised ranger, you could maybe make a homebrew subclass that has all the updated features of it, plus the features of whatever subclass you want, and just ignore any redundancies on your sheet. It'd be a lot of work to set up but it would function I think
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
Does anyone have the ability to share the phb?
In regards to content sharing, I only have the standard Hero subscription and do not have access to it, otherwise I would gladly open up what I have.
DM, I completely understand the child situation; mine is 5 now, but I remember those early days and how much time the little ones need!
I have a question on your thoughts of upgrading current equipment as we go along. For instance Valaith's maul, it is a family heirloom that is passed down to the eldest child that obviously has exceptional value to her and I cannot foresee her ever giving it up for another weapon. How would you feel about transferring enchantments?
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
Hm, let's play that by ear for now Lyrel. Good that you mention it to me though, because then I can try to accommodate it when I prep. I'll see what I can do.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
When were you thinking of starting the campaign?
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger