Ask the Sage: Quick Rules Questions volume 7 (DnD 5e)

[Goblin Man]

Hey thanks a lot for the detailed response.

I don't complain but I'm really surprised that 'Rogues [...] are not inherently "better" at the [thief] tools than anyone else with the same DEX and proficiency.'

I'm also (positively) surprised that there are hardly any limitations regarding poison kit etc.

DM/GM seem to have quite a lot of freedom to adjust rules. Probably also for some of the following issues:

1. Can a dwarf with a disguise kit pass as an elf etc... GM decides?

2. The GM decides if the application of the tools (poison, artisan, disguise, thief...) require dex, intel, strength checks etc? (page 154 doesn't reveal this).

3. Is there a rule regarding the sequence of character creation? Can I roll for ability scores and then start thinking what I gonna create? Or do I have to say I wanna create a human cleric and then I can roll?

4. Does sharing the characters sheet mean, that I have to put the link in one of those six slots in my profile? I did that now with the rogue, too.

5. Is there a reliable DnD 5e wiki online following the PHB? I just found truncated versions or a lot of homebrew extensions. (copyright issues?)

6. do most GM allow assembling own backgrounds by freely choosing a background equipment, a feature, 2skills, 2 tools or languages, 2 traits etc etc or will most point you to the premade packages, like acolyte, outlander, criminal etc.

[Wynamoinen]

Originally Posted by Goblin Man

1. Can a dwarf with a disguise kit pass as an elf etc... GM decides?

2. The GM decides if the application of the tools (poison, artisan, disguise, thief...) require dex, intel, strength checks etc? (page 154 doesn't reveal this).

3. Is there a rule regarding the sequence of character creation? Can I roll for ability scores and then start thinking what I gonna create? Or do I have to say I wanna create a human cleric and then I can roll?

4. Does sharing the characters sheet mean, that I have to put the link in one of those six slots in my profile? I did that now with the rogue, too.

5. Is there a reliable DnD 5e wiki online following the PHB? I just found truncated versions or a lot of homebrew extensions. (copyright issues?)

6. do most GM allow assembling own backgrounds by freely choosing a background equipment, a feature, 2skills, 2 tools or languages, 2 traits etc etc or will most point you to the premade packages, like acolyte, outlander, criminal etc.

1) Certainly the GM decides. I would not personally allow it (rather, I'd allow them to try, but it would almost certainly fail, and I would let the players know that beforehand). A disguise kit is makeup and hair dye and stuff like that. Compare the disguise kit to the first level spell, Disguise Self.

2) See page 175, PHB. It's a "variant" rule, but it seems reasonable to me, in the right circumstances.

3) I would suggest not rolling at all. Most games on RPGX use Stat Buy (p 13), which I very much endorse. If the GM requires you to roll stats straight in a row, then you need to do that first, because it may limit your class options. But that's a very old school method. It encourages flexibility and collaboration. But it either penalizes or discourages building a particular concept that you might have in your head.

Generally speaking, I don't have a hard order when I build a character. Usually, I start with a backstory, which naturally gives me a class, race and background. That then leads me to stats, then proficiencies. Finally items. There is nothing magical or mandatory about this particular order.

4) In your list of characters, you need to click "edit" and then change your public permissions

5) There are Just google "D&D 5e SRD"SRDs, which are incomplete but better than nothing. Yes, the issue is copyright. I personally find it frustrating to use SRDs, but some people swear by them. There are many notoriously terrible or confusing D&D wikis. You should probably stay away from homebrew. GMs will tell you if homebrew is OK or not. Best not to build around homebrew until you have explicit permission for a particular game.

6) I don't know if there is a general answer to this. My sense is that most players just pick pre-made backgrounds, but a as a GM, I love it when people make their own. I expect many GMs agree.

[Goblin Man]

Hi, I got a NPSG. The mentor says I can ask him all the questions. Just wanna say thanks for your good answers here. I understood all, was helpful! See you.

[HelplessBystander]

I don’t know if I’m doing this correctly, but I’ve got a question regarding character races:

Originally Posted by Pg.42, 5e PHB

...tieflings know that this is because a pact struck generations ago infused the essence of Asmodeus—overlord of the Nine Hells—into their bloodline. Their appearance and their nature are not their fault but the result of an ancient sin, for which they and their children and their children’s children will always be held accountable.

To my understanding, Tieflings aren’t created from infernal devils (uncertain of what they are) *BLEEP*ing humans, but are instead created from some sorta deal-with-the-devil thing that granted some Evil McEvils’ superpowers in exchange for them and all of their future offsprings to look like walking ‘Kick Me’ signs to every other Lawful Good races in the realms, I think.

Does this mean that there could be Elven Tieflings, or Dwarven Tieflings, or even a Dragonborn Tiefling so long as one of their ancestors decided to enter The Dark Side? If so, then does this affect racial modifiers or skill modifiers in any way? If not, am I missing something that isn’t in the 5e Players Handbook?

Thanks for taking the time to check my question.

[Eddas]

There are other races like Tieflings but where the ancestry is not human.
Elf: http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Fey%27ri
Orc: http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Tanarukk
Dwarf: http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Maeluth
Hafling: http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Wispling

I havent seen anything for Dragonborn though.

Also, these are not in the PHB.

[HelplessBystander]

Thanks for the help!

...I was just kind of wondering whether it was possible to have a pointy-eared tiefling with a few of the Fey Ancestry traits or a reptilian tiefling capable of breathing acid or something.

Sounded like a cool concept.

Especially since the PHB actively implies that Tieflings traits carries over whenever a child is born (due to the curse). If a tiefling and a human have a child, it’s going to be a tiefling; and I don’t think it’s neccessarily illogical to apply that to the other races as well.

[jj_wolven]

This is less a rule than a setting thing. 5e has not been expanded to include alternates yet.

There have also been 'explanations' that many end up looking the same even if it is a non-human race...an elf-tiefling looks like a dwarf-tiefling looks like a human-tiefling, etc.

Final answer falls to the GM, especially in this case as it is more setting than mechanics.

-me

[HelplessBystander]

I see. So it’s more of a GM’s rather than a rules thing. That clears things up a bit more. Thanks!

[Disaster Master]

Does using an arcane focus provide any advantages to using a spell component pouch? Or would one only choose an Arcane Focus for flavor reasons?

For multiclass characters, the component pouch, on the other hand, has an advantage to an arcane focus (because a caster of any class can use the component pouch). I am also wondering whether an arcane focus is at a disadvantage concerning the action economy. Jeremy Crawford once twittered that pulling materials out of a component pouch is part of the action to cast a spell. In contrast, taking an arcane focus in one's hand or putting it away afterward may cost an action (as only one interacting with an object is free).

[Wynamoinen]

I'm sure there's a hard-core technical reading of the rules using the drop vs stow action economy rules. But I have never seen a game where the GM enforced a mechanical difference between the various somatic components. It seems boring, unfair, and against the 5e ethic of simplicity to do so.

I've got a wizard who keeps his arcane focus on a chain around his neck - why would that be different than a pouch at your hip, in terms of draw/stow actions? You could put a crystal, orb, or most small focuses on a tether in the same way. A staff wouldn't even require the draw/drop tradeoff of a component pouch. The only focus that really seems to force a tradeoff is a wand that you don't want hold or drop every round. I've actually never seen a wand-focused wizard in 5e, but as a GM I wouldn't force that person to waste a bunch of their action economy because they made a flavorful traditional choice (unless the player themself WANTED to force that mechanic).

Each GM and table can choose the interpretation of the rules they'd like, of course.

[Daddaria]

Can we use races like fae on here? Ones that are not necessarily in the players handbook but can be found on the inter webs?

[Phettberg]

Originally Posted by Daddaria

Can we use races like fae on here? Ones that are not necessarily in the players handbook but can be found on the inter webs?

It's always up to the DM running the game. Most will specify the officially published sources they allow, and some may also be open to third party stuff.

[Savoroot]

Is Eberron considered "Published" content, or would it still be considered UA?

I know it's mostly up to the DM as far as source material goes, but a lot of game posts just say "published content".

[Imveros]

Usually they mean is there a dead tree version of what you're trying to do. The thought process being that only properly vetted content makes it to print.

Eberon is in a gray area as "Wayfinders guide to eberron" is a PDF only release.

I'd allow it in my games, ask your potential GM what they think. All they can say is no!

[Savoroot]

Thanks for the input! That was my main concern, since it was a, mainly, PDF release. I'll be sure to ask!