Just Deserts

So I've made a large expanse of arid wasteland south of Bellstone Keep the focus of attention for the next few sessions. Unfortunately, like a shipwrecked survivor scouring a beach littered with flotsam for vital supplies, the rules about deserts are scattered throughout both the DMG and PHB in a haphazard fashion. Having pulled together the different sections, here is my concise guide to 5th Edition rules about deserts.

What lives in the desert?

At the back of the DMG, potential monster encounters are sorted by environment, and desert monsters are on page 302. Additionally, nomadic tribes probably live in the desert, similar to our world. Trade routes might be established with small enclaves at an important juncture or an isolated oasis.

What about desert gear?

The biggest enemy in the desert is the sun itself. It can heat you up, making you sweat at the slightest exertion. If you get a sunburn, your body will spend precious water repairing the damaged skin. So how can you defeat an enemy that glares down on you for roughly 50% of the time?

Shielding yourself from the sun takes some work but is vital to prevent sweating that deprives your body of water, and the first step is to dress for the environment. In our world, the optimal wardrobe consists of a hat (wide brim, closed crown), long pants (lightweight, breathable material is preferable), and a long sleeved shirt (same idea as pants).

Unfortunately, there is no listing in the Player's Handbook or the Dungeon Master's Guide for cotton robes, wide-brimmed hats, turbans or any other familiar desert gear. Under magic items, efreeti chain (DMG 167) looks like armor you might find being worn by a desert warrior, but the item makes no specific mention of the desert. I cannot say that this armor offers no benefit to those traveling across the desert because this armor confers immunity to fire damage to its wearer. As we'll see below, this benefit is extremely helpful.

In addition to clothing, characters can rely on shade to hide from the baleful glare of the sun. Shade might be found naturally (cave, rock formation), improvised (strategically place cloak or shield) or prepared (tents or other constructed shelter). In 5th Edition, the only tent listed for sale can shelter two people. This modest tent costs 2gp and weighs 20 lbs. (PHB 150) This limited offering is in sharp contrast to previous editions. Even Pathfinder offers a wide array of tents to suit an adventurer's needs and preferences. However, those prices are more expensive. Their "small" tent also weighs 20 lbs., costs five times as much yet can protect only a single occupant.

In an effort to balance the two systems, here is a breakdown of tents available. Cold weather tents are padded with furs and extra layers to fend off frigid temperatures. A cold weather tent gives advantage to saves against the effects of cold weather. Be warned; those tents provide no protection from cold damage.

The one useful item subject to several rules is the waterskin. (PHB 150 & 153) A waterskin holds 4 pints of water. To those unfamiliar with English measurements (which can even include those who use English measurements), 2 pints make a quart, and 4 quarts make a gallon. Thus, 1 waterskin = 2 quarts = 0.5 gallons. The quantity of water needed to safely traverse the desert is covered below.

Other than Lincoln Chaffee, who wants to use an easy-to-learn system like metric?

What are the consequences of traveling in the desert heat?

Wilderness travel (DMG 106-112) is discussed generally, with specific dangers on pages 110 & 111.
Extreme heat can weaken a creature lacking sufficient water. Extreme heat is defined as sustained temperatures above 100F (~38C). After an hour of extreme heat, a character makes a DC 5 Constitution save. Failure gives the character a level of exhaustion. Remember that the levels of exhaustion (PHB 291) are cumulative and will eventually cause the death of a character. Each subsequent hour, another Constitution save is required, but with an increase of the DC by 1 for every cumulative hour spent in the heat.

Now here's where the efreeti chain comes in handy. Characters wearing medium armor, heavy armor or heavy clothing makes the Constitution save with disadvantage. (I cannot find any definition for "heavy clothing" so your guess is as good as mine.) However, creatures with resistance or immunity to fire damage automatically make those saves, regardless of other factors. (Creatures adapted to hot climes also succeed automatically.)

How much water is required to survive in the desert?

A character needs one gallon of water daily to survive under average conditions, regardless of size. (Sorry, halflings.)  However, this requirement increases to two gallons of water daily in hot weather. (PHB 185)

What is hot weather? I can only presume that it is weather that is a bit hotter than average that does not meet the criteria for extreme heat listed above. If I had to make a call (and I guess I do), then I would list "hot" weather as 80F (~27C) or warmer.

A character could conceivable consume four waterskins daily to survive. If a character drinks only half the required amount, then the end of every day will require a DC 15 Constitution save. Failure means the character gains one level of exhaustion. A character without even half rations of water automatically fails that save. Additionally, if anyone already has one level of exhaustion from any source, then failure inflicts two levels of exhaustion instead.

These rules mean that if a character has no access to water, then that character suffers one level of exhaustion after the first day. The next day takes the character down two levels of exhaustion. Another two levels on the third day drop the character to the fifth level of exhaustion, only one above dying. So on the fourth day, any exhaustion suffered will kill the character. This time limit is a little more generous than the commonly accepted medical wisdom that states it takes only three days without water to kill a human.

What hazards are there in addition to heat?

The section of wilderness hazards (DMG 110) lists strong winds as a threat. In most environments, the wind makes ranged attacks and Wisdom (Perception) checks based on sound more difficult. In a desert, the sand and dust picked up by such winds become a sandstorm, imposing disadvantage on Wisdom(perception) checks relying on sight in addition to other impediments listed.

While not specifically listed in either book, a character could drown in the desert. Dry river beds cutting across the desert might yield valuable water after some persistent digging, but those gullies are also channels where rain can quickly gather into a flash flood. A character trapped in the sudden torrent runs the risk of suffocating. (PHB 183) A character can hold their breath a number of minutes equal to (1 + Constitution modifier). Characters with a negative modifier can hold their breath for 30 seconds (5 rounds). After that time, the character is still alive for a number of rounds equal to their Constitution modifier, with a minimum of one round.

Stay cool!

~ Tidwin

10/07/16

Session Eight Recap 11SEP2016

Last time, the party jumped back in time to about the same time that they left town to venture into the swamp the first time. Having returned to town, the clock is ticking towards a future where a massive wave of flyers approach Bellstone Keep from the desert.

Having established a plan with Sir Richard to gather archers surreptitiously, everyone returned to the Inner Market to meet their Masters. In the early morning, they find Baron Xenith, with a coterie of nobles and important personages, touring the market. The nobles were talking eagerly, offering their opinions about the crafts on display, but the Baron seemed uninterested in the conversation.

• Yward Brightscale: dragonborn captain of the City Guard
• Lady Holly: human First Scribe of the Learned Vassals
• Grover Horntuner: gnome High Foreman of the Miner's Guild
• Harvey Gamblegain: gnome Magnate of the Coiner's Guild
• Reverend Zatapiony: dwarf Skipper of the Sailor's League
• Rosazco Quill: weapons merchant and patron of the arts
• Dame Grace: Knight of the Golden Blade, visiting from Cliffside

While still watching the dragon and his retinue, a familiar voice calls over to the party. The goblin An'stuff is dressed as a toreador, keeping a sluggish bull at bay. With a flourish of his crimson cape, An'stuff explains he is helping a crafter display costumes that let one act with unfamiliar skills or talents. In this case, the diminutive goblin is toying with a bull easily three times his size, magically endowed with the abilities of a toreador. The tailor Eskestash explains that the costumes can imitate and bestow activities which engender some passion: dancing, juggling, bull fighting, and similarly passionate pursuits. Finer skills like crafting remain beyond Eskestash's ability to mimic through his costumes yet.

Suddenly, An'stuff gives a terrified but muffled scream. The luckless goblin has somehow become entangled in the cape. More worrying, though, is that the listless bull has been replaced by a monstrous bull of intimidating size. The beast swings its sharp horns at anyone near, but it also breathes a strange green dust across the market, although none in the crowd seem affected by the noxious plume.

The party deftly works to get the crowd out of the way, release An'stuff and face the terrifying creature. Kaden also spots a city guard slinking away that bears an uncanny resemblance to the illusion of a guardsman created by the recovered magic cap. A few quick shots bring the "guard" to a stop, while the party members fighting the gorgon are joined by Rosazco. The nobleman seems to handle his blade well enough, although his reddish face indicates that combat might be a level of exertion to which he is unaccustomed.

The party successfully smote the foul beast while saving An'stuff. The "guard" turns out to be a goblin wearing another of those illusion-generating caps. The uncooperative troublemaker is bundled off to the custody of the city guard. Glad that his model and his merchandise remained unharmed, Esketash gave the party 500gp in gratitude.

Flush with either exertion or ecstasy, Rosazco invites the party to a Shiennarm celebration at his Inner Ring mansion. Arriving at the appointed time, the party arrives at Quillmere, an opulent dwelling filled with art objects, rare weapons and unusual creations crafted by previous Shiennarm victors.

One guest in particular does not seem to enjoy the festivities. Nimblethorn encounters the glowering human, who curtly asks where the host can be found. Not suspecting any ill intent, Nimblethorn eagerly points out Rosazco among the throng. The human storms up, announces himself as Ulric McMahon and challenges the noble to a duel.

At this point of the evening, hoswever, the large-nosed reveler is in no condition to fight. Before passing out, Rosazco gets Beckley to serve as his second, who then finds himself dueling an angry Ulric. Despite a lucky early blow from Ulric, the knight dispatches the unruly guest and the party resumes.

While Xenith is not at the party, the retinue of significant personages is present, along with Lt. Aden Foxhaven, second-in-command of the City Guard. In particular, the party talks with the two gnomes about their journey to the desert. Instead of a long trek over the mountain range, the gnomes reveal that the dwarves have an extensive network of mines under the mountain, including one path where a railcart can bring them to the edge of the desert. The gnomes warn the party that this route has falen into disuse, so there might be unwelcome guests on the trip.

The next day, the party heads out to the mines. The miners, having been forewarned, escort the party to the railroad in question. Although the trip passes uneventfully, the cavern where the group arrives is dark and a nest of gricks have settled in comfortable. After fighting off the resilient foes, they can venture out and look south onto the desert.

~ Tidwin
10/07/16

Session Seven Recap 27AUG2016

After a real world break of a week, our party (whole once again) plunged into the peaty labyrinth in an effort to find an exit, confront their tormentor and return to hopefully save Bellstone Keep before it is too late.

The players encountered first a patch of swamp with a pungent odor. Starting cautiously across the terrain, the party narrowly avoided a gout of flame that spontaneously burst from the ground. Moving quickly, the party crossed the treacherous landscape without injury.

Turning the corner, the party found a large expanse dotted with muddy graves and caustic pools of acid. As the party entered, an unnoticed helmed skeleton launched a fireball at the party before marching across the field to awaken his comrades. Players moving too closely to the graves ran the risk of also rousing the zombies lurking in the dirt. A quick shot by Kaden pinned the undead commander in place, preventing other zombies from joining the fray. Eventually the skeleton was downed and the necromantic threat ended. Additionally, a key with the image of a cow was recovered from inside one of the sulfurous pools.

The next corridor ended abruptly with two adjacent doors, one made of sturdy oak and the other made of stone. Note that these were not double doors; each door had is own frame and opened independently. The catches on the oak door could be manipulated to spring open, but the stone door would only respond to brute force. Similar doors of wood or stone lucked beyond the first doors. Not just similar, but closer inspection revealed all the oak doors to be exact duplicates, down to patches of color and whorls in the beams. The stone doors proved to be perfect clones as well. While forcing a path through these portals, several more keys were recovered from the mucky floor.

Keys recovered from the maze

The next room featured several wood and canvas automata, all armed with swords, travelling along grooved tracks cut into the stone floor.  These devices sprung to life once the party stepped into the room, but a well-placed shatter from Nimblethorn disabled over half of the threats. Quickly dismantling the rest, the party found more keys lodged within the internal clockworks of some constructs.

The party moved on to discover a stone door with a single keyhole and a series of inscribed numbers. for those playing along at home, the numbers were:

The party successfully determined the correct key after brief introspection, opening the door to reveal a demurely dressed red-headed maiden waiting inside the muddy hovel they had first found several days ago. She introduced herself as Nara, an efreet that had been their host for the better part of a week. the party learned that she had been serving Torance Zant in his revenge plot against Bellstone Keep. Her erstwhile master had ventured south into the desert, leaving her with instructions to delay anyone trying to find him or learn his plans. Having fulfilled the letter or her commission, she offered the party a flying carpet to return them swiftly home, specifically to the one person that could help them defy time itself and save the city.

The party arrives at the home of the Guy as small flyers appear in the distance far to the south. The Guy ushers them in quickly, having been expecting them for four days. In exchange for the flying carpet, he gives the party a key that will send his front door four days into the past. The catch is that since the door exists in a quasitemporal state, the party must enter the house and leave through the sewers to permanently establish themselves in the past.

Under the house, the party encounters elementals scouring the foul tunnels, as well as two dueling otyughs. Sunshine, the original inhabitant, had been attacked by a recent interloper and was hiding, protected by the elementals. The party was able to kill the belligerent bully, allowing Sunshine and the elementals to return peacefully to their task. The party exited the sewer to find the Shiennarm Festival still in the early days.

Once back in time, the party talked to Sir Richard, who grudgingly accepts the fantastic story told by the party. Sir Richard is concerned that trying to alert the population or create an obvious aerial defense of the city will disrupt the ongoing festival. Instead, he agrees to use the resources of the knights to hold an archery contest to identify possible defenders qualified to repulse an attack from the sky.

And there we paused for the week.

So a few bookkeeping addenda before wrapping up in preparation for this week (i.e. later today).

The missing sessions will be back-filled when possible. I mostly need a new starting point where players can refer back to and know all their information is current.

The one rules question left from last session dealt with healing during short rests. Our draconic bloodline sorceror gains 1hp/level. Does the healing from spending a hit die also increase by 1 to reflect this increase?

Currently, I'm allowing the extra hp, although a strict reading of the rules does not explicitly support this interpretation. The draconic bloodline benefit is that the character's maximum hit points increase by one per level ("Draconic Resilience" on PHB 102). This rule does not specifically state that the character gains an extra hp each level, although that is the eventual result of this benefit. I have sent a tweet to Mike Mearls for clarification. (I am desperately refraining from asking if detect poison and disease (PHB 231) reveals "venomous" as well as "poisonous" creatures, since the spell only mentions the latter.)

So what was recovered from the hut? It sounded like the players gathered every loose item in sight, all of which ended up in the bag of holding:

• each player ended up with a hunk of charcoal from the brazier
• the glass ball that connects magically to the gem
• a small, humanoid automata crafted from cloth, wood, wire and springs
• several clockwork displays portraying a variety of scenes: horses running laps around a farmer, two yeti throwing snowballs, eight tiny dueling mannequins, an alligator chasing a frog around a pond, and highland kobolds tossing cabers while their clanmates enjoy pie and archery
• three chess sets: a traditional set made of quartz and onyx, a set made of semi-precious stones that look like different plants, and a set of crudely carved troglodytes and goblins from common rocks (note: Kaden still possesses a quartz pawn, but that set already has eight white pawns)
• the helmet from the undead commander
• a small wooden cube with a picture of a door on each side
• dueling longswords made of meteorite metal

This list adds to the previous items collected from the maze: mismatched cold weather gear, nine goodberries, sixteen days of gator meat, a nice gator skin, a solitary quartz chess pawn, and eighty-six teeth from a tyrannosaurus rex.

Hopefully this gives everyone a good idea of where events stand, since the Shiennarm Festival sounds like it's soon going to get very busy.

~Tidwin

09/11/16

Session Three Recap 16JUL2016

With this session I introduced the party to our first dungeon crawl, albeit in a hedge maze deep in a swamp where the walls are not shrubbery but instead made of mud, peat, reeds and dead vegetation. It's quite extensive and might occupy a few sessions.

What? No shrubbery? I don't believe it!

To be fair, we didn't hop into the adventure right away because we were still recapping last week and there were questions about the magic items recovered in the first two sessions. Using my clarification and amplification of the rules for identifying magic items, the party successfully determined the identity and functions of these items:

• The ring made of copper wire found during the first session is a Ring of Translation. Once imprinted with a language, the ring gives its wearer the ability to converse fluently in that language.
• The cloth cap recovered from the pyromaniacal goblins is a variation on the Hat of Disguise (DMG page 173).  This magic item does not require attunement. Wearing the cap immediately covers the wearer in an illusion of an average looking human dressed in the uniform of the City Guard. The illusion is the same height regardless of height of the wearer. 
• Upon helping the Guy retrieve his favourite rug, he handed the party what he deemed "glass junk" in an old, dirty sack. That sack is really a Bag of Holding (DMG page 153).
• The "glass junk" turned out to be several consumables and one Driftglobe (DMG page 166). The command words for the orb are "Enlighten me" (cast light) "Enlighten us" (cast daylight) "Hang out" (hover/follow) and "Peace" (stops all effects).
• The various liquids from the Guy's bag are four (4) Potions of Healing (2d4+2), one (1) Potion of Greater Healing (4d4+4), three (3) Oils of Magic Weapon, three (3) Potions of Darkvision, three (3) Alchemist's Fire, four (4) Potions of Cure Disease and three (3) Potions of Cure Poison.

I learned that while this method gleaning the magical properties of various curiosities allows me the chance to provide richer description of the items (possibly weaving in plot clues) but it is more time-consuming, occupying as much of the evening as a full encounter might. Therefore I am counting this session and future occasions of identyfying magic items as a full encounter and awarding XP.

So armed with a chocolate covered gem, the party bid farewell to the city and entered the Shady Marshes. The group chose to carefully pick out a path through the treacherous terrain, rather than travelling in the direction indicated by the chocolate syrup, trading speed for safety.

After a few hours, the party enountered a strange stone structure jutting out of the muck, guarded by some kobolds. The kobolds outside the crypt seemed ordinary and were quickly dispatched. However, the building opened onto stairs leading down into some ancient temple, where the air became arid and the stonework was completely dry and free of moss, despite being below ground level in a swamp. Underground the party found several gaunt kobolds under the command of a robed kobold. More "regular" kobolds were huddled in a corner, guarded by their emaciated compatriots. A wailing kobold is being dragged by two scrawny kobolds towards a well brimming with water at the far end of the chamber.

Sensing that the well was the implement of some dangerous ritual, the party sprang into action to save the helpless victim and prevent harm to the other trapped kobolds. The cadaverous kobolds, when injured enough, dissipated in a cloud of pale dust, all gear falling to the ground in a heap.

True to form, the party spared the unchanged kobolds, who fled at the first opportunity. Once all the afflicted kobolds were destroyed, the party examined the well.

By which I mean Nimblethorn ran up and plunged his hand into the water, disturbing a strange serpentine creature formed from the liquid in the well. Fighting the creature seemed to have little effect, so the party needed a more efficient strategy. An examination of the well revealed that it was not attached to the floor but merely rested on it. To defeat the creature, the party tipped over the well, pouring the water across the chamber and depriving the aqueous snake of a sufficient volume of liquid from which to emerge.

The "well" turned out to be a cylinder, about six feet across and open on one end. The metal was uniform in color, similar to steel, unmarred by scratches or dents yet without any seams or joints. Despite its abnormal behavior, the metal tub radiates no magic. On the outside of the well, inscribed in minute draconic characters (but not similar to any modern draconic vocabulary) was the phrase "uncontrol desiccate receptacle" or some text along those lines. Some experimentation indicates the well collects water from the ambient air, supposedly creating the strange creature once full. Turned on its side, the metal bucket cannot accumulate enough liquid to allow the watery creature to manifest. Certain of their safety, the adventurers used the subterranean temple as shelter to rest awhile before resuming their trek.

Right before sunset, the chocolate pseudo-compass* finally guided the investigators towards an earthen hovel that looks more like a pile of wet clippings than a functional dwelling. Outside the house, stooped over a boiling cauldron, was a weathered crone. She beckons the group and inquires as to what brings them so far into the perilous marshes. Upon recognizing the gemstone, she claps her hands to send out a vertigo-inducing wave of discomfort that pushes the group away magically.

The party shakes off the disorientation and looks around to find giant walls of mud and vegetation surround them. Gaps in the walls lead to different passages that head further into this strange place. The party moves cautiously to find another room where a frog-like humanoid is arguing with a shambling mound. The debate centers on the mound's "garden" - specifically five plants that can be moved to different location around the clearing. The bullywug explains that the shambling mound is unhappy because the plants are in the wrong places, and none should be in a line with any of the others. The party figured out a placement that satisfied the garden's resident. With the shambling mound now able to seek inner piece, we paused for the week. No treasure has been recovered yet, but the party members earned 314 XP each.

~ Tidwin

07/19/16

*As opposed to a pseudo-chocolate compass, which would be a compass made entirely out of white chocolate.

Light vs. Finesse

I keep confusing the rules for light and finesse weapons. I should be more familiar with these term for two reasons. First, there are several DEX-based characters in the party so knowing which weapons benefit them is important. Additionally, dual wielding is available to everyone, not just rangers, monks or those with specific feats. So here's the breakdown:

This chart shows all melee weapons listed in the table on page 149 of the Player's Handbook.

A finesse weapon allows a character to apply a DEX modifier to attack rolls and damage instead of STR. Regardless of the choice, the same ability modifier must be applied to both the attack roll and the damage roll. (PHB 147)

Both weapons must be light in order to dual wield. When using two light weapons, a character takes an action and makes the first attack roll as normal, including appropriate modifiers. If the character has a light weapon in the other hand, the character can take a bonus action to attack with that second weapon. The ability modifier still affects the second attack roll, but that same modifier is not added to the damage roll, unless that modifier is negative. (PHB 195)

So if the two weapons held are both finesse and light, a character can make a second attack with the bonus action and choose to apply the DEX modifier to both attack rolls and the first damage roll.

The fighting style "Two-Weapon Fighting" (PHB 72) is available to fighters at 1st level. The only modification to the rules above is the ability to add your ability modifier to the second attack's damage roll. The weapons available remain the same, although fighters automatically gain martial weapon proficiency.

The feat "Dual Wielder" (PHB 165) gives three benefits, the first granting a +1 to AC and another letting you draw two weapons at once. The remaining benefit changes the rules for what weapons a character can wield and still attack twice. With this feat, a character can make two attacks with a one-handed weapon in each hand, even if the weapons are not light. The modifiers to attack rolls and damage are unaffected. This ability jumps right past the pirate brandishing a cutlass in one hand and a dagger in the other, landing squarely on the potential of swinging two long swords in an augmented dervish of destruction.

When putting this Venn diagram together, I noticed a few interesting features:

• No simple weapon is finesse but not light.
• No martial weapon is light but not finesse.
• The only simple weapon that is light and finesse is the dagger.
• The scimitar and shortsword are the only martial weapons that are both light and finesse.
• Five simple weapons and thirteen martial weapons are neither light nor finesse.

So Fifth Edition has banished the swashbuckler darting around with a rapier and dagger, at least for the time being. But where 5e taketh away, so does it giveth; any player who wants to can now run around with two daggers and poke mercilessly at any assailant that gets in the way.

Come out swinging!

~ Tidwin

Physician, Heal Thyself!

One major goal of player characters is to not die. (Think of that as every mortal's penultimate Bucket List entry.) In game terms, death usually only enters the conversation when HP are gone, so a recurring question is "How can my character get healed?"

Spells

Cure wounds is a 1st level touch spell that can be cast using a higher spell slot. The spell heals damage based on the level of the spell slot used as follows:

1. 1d8 + spellcasting ability modifier
2. 2d8 + spellcasting ability modifier
3. 3d8 + spellcasting ability modifier
4. 4d8 + spellcasting ability modifier
5. 5d8 + spellcasting ability modifier
6. 6d8 + spellcasting ability modifier
7. 7d8 + spellcasting ability modifier
8. 8d8 + spellcasting ability modifier
9. 9d8 + spellcasting ability modifier

This covers bards, druids, paladins, rangers and most clerics. Clerics of the Life domain get an extra kick in healing of (2 + spell level) hit points regained. Which raises a new question: does "spell level" refer to the level of the spell itself or the level of the spell slot used to cast the spell? Until I learn otherwise, I will allow the second interpretation, meaning that Life Clerics replenish hit points with cure wounds thusly:

1. 1d8 + 3 + spellcasting ability modifier
2. 2d8 + 4 + spellcasting ability modifier
3. 3d8 + 5 + spellcasting ability modifier
4. 4d8 + 6 + spellcasting ability modifier
5. 5d8 + 7 + spellcasting ability modifier
6. 6d8 + 8 + spellcasting ability modifier
7. 7d8 + 9 + spellcasting ability modifier
8. 8d8 + 10 + spellcasting ability modifier
9. 9d8 + 11 + spellcasting ability modifier

Healing word is another spell available to bards, clerics and druids. While the spell heals fewer points on average, it can be cast from up to 60 feet away as a bonus action! This magic also benefits from the use of highers spell slots:

1. 1d4 + spellcasting ability modifier
2. 2d4 + spellcasting ability modifier
3. 3d4 + spellcasting ability modifier
4. 4d4 + spellcasting ability modifier
5. 5d4 + spellcasting ability modifier
6. 6d4 + spellcasting ability modifier
7. 7d4 + spellcasting ability modifier
8. 8d4 + spellcasting ability modifier
9. 9d4 + spellcasting ability modifier

For Life clerics, use these numbers instead:

1. 1d4 + 3 + spellcasting ability modifier
2. 2d4 + 4 + spellcasting ability modifier
3. 3d4 + 5 + spellcasting ability modifier
4. 4d4 + 6 + spellcasting ability modifier
5. 5d4 + 7 + spellcasting ability modifier
6. 6d4 + 8 + spellcasting ability modifier
7. 7d4 + 9 + spellcasting ability modifier
8. 8d4 + 10 + spellcasting ability modifier
9. 9d4 + 11 + spellcasting ability modifier

Class Abilities

Fighters, paladins and clerics of the life domain all receive the ability to heal, but in different ways.

Second wind

From the very beginning, fighters gain the ability second wind. (PHB 72) This feature allows any fighter to use a bonus action to heal (1d10+fighter level) hit points. A fighter can use this ability in addition to taking a full complement of attacks and moves and actions. However, this ability only replenishes after a rest (long or short). Even at higher levels, a fighter can rely on this inner reserve of healing just once during a combat, regardless of their level.

Lay on hands

Paladins also gain a healing power at 1st level. (PHB 84) This ability requires the character to use an action, but a paladin can restore a total of (5 x paladin level) hit points. The paladin can divide this recovery several different times so long as all the available hit points have not yet been distributed. It takes a long rest to reset this power.

Additionally, this power can be used to cure a target from either disease or poison. This action uses up 5 hit points of available healing but does not provide healing other than removing the poison or disease.

Channel divinity

Finally, clerics within the Life domain can also provide healing up to (5 x cleric level), but only on the severely injured. (PHB 60) By taking an action to present a holy symbol, the cleric can restore hit points to any selected non-undead/non-construct within 30 feet. However, this healing can only bring each target up to half its maximum hit points. (Or "bloodied" for those still hungover from 4e.) This ability manifests at 2nd level and can be used once between any rest (long or short). (PHB 58-59) Starting at 6th level, a cleric can employ channel divinity twice between rests, and eventually gains a third usage at 18th level. So these are the total hit points that a life cleric can heal at each cleric level if channel divinity is used only to restore health:

1. ability not available yet
2. 10 total hit points
3. 15 total hit points
4. 20 total hit points
5. 25 total hit points
6. 60 total hit points
7. 70 total hit points
8. 80 total hit points
9. 90 total hit points
10. 100 total hit points
11. 110 total hit points
12. 120 total hit points
13. 130 total hit points
14. 140 total hit points
15. 150 total hit points
16. 160 total hit points
17. 170 total hit points
18. 270 total hit points
19. 285 total hit points
20. 300 total hit points

Potions of Healing

Potions of healing are listed in the Treasure section of the Dungeon Master's Guide on pages 187 & 188. These potions come in different potencies (and increasing recovery) as shown below:

The most common healing potion costs 50gp and weighs half a pound. (PHB 150 & 153)  The prices for superior healing and supreme healing are not canon but instead extrapolated based on the healing provided. All healing potions, regardless or strength, weigh 1/2 lb.

Healing potions are always available for sale.  Players with proficiency in herbalism kits and sufficient downtime days can make these potions as well. (PHB 154 & 187)

House Rule: If the players seek to purchase any of the other healing potions, roll randomly to see how many bottles are available from vendors that week. If the result is 0 or less, that particular potion is not available for the week. A new roll can be made next week.

• Greater healing: 1d10-3 bottles available
• Superior healing: 1d8-3 bottles available
• Supreme healing: 1d6-3 bottles available

Only one roll is made per week, and it doesn't matter how far into the week the adventure is when the original query is made. For consistency's sake, pick a day for the roll and don't change it. If the party goes a whole week without trying to obtain potions, then they don't get two or more rolls when they finally begin shopping. That week's opportunity is lost.

During rests

In addition to healing available during combat, characters also regain health during periods of inactivity. During a short rest, a player can choose to expend one or more hit dice to regain health. (PHB 186)For each hit die expended temporarily, the player rolls the hit die for their character's class and add the Constitution modifier. A barbarian with CON 16 would regain (1d12+3) hit points per spent die. A wizard with CON 9 that used a hit die in this manner would regain (1d6-1) hit points.

By taking a long rest, where the characters spend eight hours avoiding strenuous activity, a character regains all lost hit points, even if hit die have been expended. (PHB 186) Spent hit dice also return after a long rest; a character gains up to half their total hit die, with a minimum of one recovered. After a long rest, for example, a 11th level fighter would recover up to 5 hit dice. (11/2 = 5.5 which rounds down to 5 (PHB 7))

Note that while they can take essentially an unlimited number of short rests, a party can only benefit from one long rest every 24 hours. (The presumption being that similar to Earth, days on fantasy worlds last roughly 24 hours.) This rules contradicts what has been occurring in the swampy hedge maze, so for the remainder of the hedge maze, just say to yourself, "The old hag did it."

Hopefully this explanation gives you an idea of the most common forms of healing available to injured characters. There are lots more methods out there (vampiric weapons, regeneration rings, etc.) but we'll burn that bridge when we get to it.

Stay well!

~ Tidwin

Session Two Recap 2JUL2016

Session two went quite differently than I planned. It would appear that the players are trying to gain all of their XP without having to slaughter thousands of creatures like nearly every other party ever in existence in the history of FRPGs. This week the combatants were a rust monster and a houseful of animated carpets, both of which the party (or at least individuals therein) were trying to capture rather than kill at some point that evening.

Nonetheless, the party made it through, even when facing two batches of carpets simultaneously. The rust monster is safely hidden away back at the Inner Market, and the party has earned the respect of Sir Richard and the Knights of the Coronade. With the friendly commander's help, they party secured an audience with a mysterious magician known only as the Guy. It was the party's hope that maybe he could uncover more information on the gem from the automata wizard from the sewers. After retrieving a favourite rug from a past incarnation of the house (as well as three bottle of chocolate syrup), the Guy was able to cast a spell on the gem that will obstensibly lead the party to its owner.

not normally found in spell component pouches

As rewards, the party received 200 XP each as well as a sack full of the Guy's glass recyclables. The contents of the sack break down as follows:

• 1 nondescript orb of glass
• 4 potions in clear flasks that give off a faint red glow
• 1 potion in a clear flask giving off a stronger red glow
• 3 clay bottles with an imprinted image of a sword
• 3 vials made of black glass etched with a pale eye
• 3 glass flasks with an flame painted on the side
• 4 glass bottles with a green unhappy face and then a yellow smiley face
• 3 crude clay vials with a skull and crossbones in black and a red line through it, then another skull and crossbones with a red circle, but then crossed out and...never mind, it will be much easier if I just show you:

this label has NOT been approved by the FDA

As far as rules concerns, I don't remember any issues over interpretation that was the source of debate. There was one issue we hammered out fairly quickly, and another issue where, like the SCOTUS, I punted at the time to resolve the problem later after much deliberation.

(When I say, "I don't remember any issues" I am being forthright. I completely forgot to bring my sticky notes so I would possess a physical, written record of the night's conundrums. However, I have a brilliant idea to solve this problem...a sparkling, brilliant idea!)

1) OMG They Didn't Kill Kenny!

My party is composed of very thoughtful players, willing to consider a wide variety of options in solving situations where most groups would just slaughter anything that moved. So far they have spared marauding desert goblins, paid assassins, a clueless bugbear, and a potentially destructive rust monster. They also tried to wrestle several magically animated carpets into submission, though that did not work as intended.

These actions have been made more remarkable when you consider that Fifth Edition has no subdual damage or non-lethal damage. Gone are the days of tracking two types of damage as the players attempt to bludgeon an opponent into unconsciousness. Instead, the game has a simple rule for Knocking a Creature Out (PHB, pg. 198):

When an attacker reduces a creature to 0 hit points with a melee attack, the attacker can knock the creature out. The attacker can make this choice the instant the damage is dealt. The creature falls unconscious and is stable.

No more tracking damage or trying to guess how weak a creature is. (And good riddance to the spell deathwatch!) The only occurrence that might prevent a non-lethal capture is our friend Instant Death (PHB, pg. 197):

Massive damage can kill you instantly. When damage reduces you to 0 hit points and there is damage remaining, you die if the remaining damage equals or exceeds your hit point maximum.

This doesn't necessarily contradict the first rule, but reading down a bit on page 197 to the section on Falling Unconscious and we learn:

If damage reduces you to 0 hit points and fails to kill you, you fall unconscious. (emphasis mine)

When using the rule to knock a creature out, you are choosing to render a creature unconscious rather than dying at the point where your target reaches 0 hit points. However, falling unconscious is not an option if the amount of damage delivered is sufficient to instantly kill the defender. The rule for knocking a creature out does not say the damage dealt is ignored, only what happens when the creature could start dying.

In short, subdual damage vanished from this edition but death from massive damage received a makeover. Please be warned; scoring a critical hit on a severely wounded adversary might preclude the opportunity to ask questions later.

2) Identify crisis

Okay, this is where my style of playing D&D might be interfering with how the players want to approach D&D. I've always viewed magic items a bit like computer programs or web pages or technological devices with no instructions included. One can learn what this unknown item does or how it functions through a mix of examination, experimentation, intuition, research and blind luck. In some ways, Fifth Edition intimates such a universe, listing four ways that players can learn the properties of magic items on page 136 of the DMG:

1. cast an identify spell
2. focus on a single item during a short rest
3. discover some clue (keyword, feathery motif, etc.) on the item
4. wear the item or experiment with it

However, method #1 seems the most fool-proof, given that the spells says (page 252, PHB):

You choose one object that you must touch throughout the casting of the spell. If it is a magic item or some other magic-imbued object, you learn its properties and how to use them, whether it requires attunement to use, and how many charges it has, if any.

Identify takes one minute to cast if prepared, or 10 minutes if performed as a ritual (giving the party the equivalent of a short rest). This method takes all guesswork out of an item and essentially declares the party knows the entire rules entry on the given item. However, even this course of action is not perfect, since when it comes to cursed items (page 139, DMG):

Most methods of identifying items, including the identify spell, fail to reveal such a curse, although lore might hint at it. A curse should be a surprise to the item's user when the curse's effects are revealed.

Again, we're given a rule that covers "most" circumstances, excepting, of course, the circumstances that are not covered, which unfortunately are not named. So what's to be done?

So this issue is the one I chose to punt at the last session. Having had a weeklong beach retreat over which to mull this problem, I have developed a more elaborate system for identifying and attuning magic items, which you can find here.

~ Tidwin

07/15/16