Category: Systems

Ring Side Report- RPG Review of Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ 4 Comments

Product– Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes

System-DnD 5e

Producer– Wizards of the Coast

Price– $33 here https://www.amazon.com/MORDENKAINENS-FOES-Accessory-Wizards-Team/dp/0786966246/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531451731&sr=8-1&keywords=mordenkainen%27s+tome+of+foes

TL; DR-It’s not plagiarism if it’s from you!  83%%

8147MOLG+oL

Basics-It’s not Monster Manual II, IT’S MONSTER MANUAL II!  Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes builds out the world of Dungeons and Dragons, focusing less on any one particular world and more on the higher and lower planes.  It provides players with some new options, race options, and even story to build out the characters they want to be. DMs get new monsters, focusing on higher power, extra planar monsters as well as building the universe around the normal material plane players are used to.

Theme or Fluff-This book is by the same people who made the planes in the first place, so its top notch.  The story is amazing, not just for a monster manual, but for any book honestly. You get a ton of options to really make well rounded characters from backstory to new hooks to get the characters really involved in the world.  There are multiple versions of tieflings depending on your devil parents. Those little touches really draw you in. DMs get monsters that have story as well as world-building that will really make higher level play much more interesting.  This is a great resource for any DnD 5e player that wants some planar spice in their game or character. .5/5

Mechanics or Crunch-Again, this book was written by the people who made the system, so they know their math.  The monsters feel right. There are new monsters as well as old favorites. Get ready for heavy hitters though.  This book has low level monsters, but it brings a ton of big boys to the fray. If you need high level monsters, then this is the book for you.  5/5

Execution– Is there a PDF since this book came out in 2018?  Nope, well we’re down to at most ⅘. Then, this is where I get personally angry.  This book copy/pastes the high level monsters from Out of the Abyss. I’m not just talking monsters, but art and even whole written backgrounds for monsters.  We’re talking about ⅕ of the monsters from the book, and almost all the high level monsters. And that is where I draw the line. Need big monsters to make the fight happen?  Great! Use some but not all. The highest level monsters are all the demon princes/princesses of the abyss. NO DEVIL LORDS ARE IN THIS BOOK. That means the DnD team decided to phone in ⅕ of this book by just copying another book they put out a few years ago.  So even though the book’s layout is good, art is good, and event tables of contents and appendices are great, you get a crap rating because you want me to pay full price for phoning in effort. 2.5/5

Summary– I want to like this book.  It’s got a ton of great qualities.  Players and DMs both get excellent resources to use to build up their stories with new characters options and monsters.  And honestly, the book is put together well. I like what they did here with all the different end tables and even the layout of the monsters.  However, this book breaks two important rules for me. First, I can’t get a digital version without have to buy it separately through an app. I already have a number of apps, and when that company folds, I will lose my purchase.  So the lack of PDFs really hurts this book. Second, large parts of this book are just copies of an earlier book. So, why should I reward any company for just selling the same thing to me twice? This is a great book, IF you can get past the fact that if you already own Out of the Abyss, you are buying the monsters again.  If that doesn’t bother you, or you don’t own that book, then this is going to be a great book for your DnD collection, both as a player and as a DM. 83%

 

Daily Punch 7-11-18 Solar Scalpel Envoy Expertise Talent for Starfinder

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Let’s get some Envoy Expertise Talents out there.  Here is one for medicine.

 

Solar Scalpel (Sp; Medicine)

Requires: Solar weapon

You’ve learned how to use the star to your advantage and funnel their power into your medical practice.  Once per day, you may spend two resolve points.  If you do, you can activate your solar weapon and plunge it into a target.  that target is healed equal to the damage your solar weapon would have dealt normally.

 

Thoughts?

 

Thoughts?

Daily Punch 7-10-18 Ranged Solar Weapons Solarian for Starfinder

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

I want a Solarian with a gun…SAY NO MORE!

 

Class Level
 Solar Manifestation
Solar Pistol Solar Rifle
1st 1d4 1d8
2nd 1d4 1d8
3rd 1d4 1d8
4th 1d4 1d8
5th 1d4 1d8
6th 2d4 2d8
7th 2d4 2d8
8th 2d4 2d8
9th 3d4 3d8
10th 3d4 3d8
11th 3d4 3d8
12th 3d4 4d8
13th 5d4 5d8
14th 6d4 6d8
15th 7d4 7d8
16th 8d4 8d8
17th 9d4 9d8
18th 10d4 10d8
19th 11d4 11d8
20th 12d4 12d8

 

Solar Ranged Weapon

You can seize your solar mote in one hand to form a pistol or a longarm out of stellar energy. This weapon appears to be made out of glowing light or solid darkness, as determined by the appearance of your Solar Manifestation, but it can be whatever general shape you choose. Normal ranged weapons like pistols or rifles are most common, but other shapes, such as a large rune of stellar energy, a mass of writhing energy tendrils, or an energized fist that fits over your own hand, are possible as well. Your Solar weapon’s general design has no impact on its function, and doesn’t give the weapon any special abilities such as reach. Once you’ve selected the general design, you can’t change it until you gain a new solarian level.

Your Solar weapon functions as a one-handed or two-handed energy advanced ranged weapon, and you’re automatically proficient with it. At 1st level, choose whether your Solar weapon deals  acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic  damage. You can change the damage type each time you gain a new solarian level. Your Solar weapon deals damage depending on the manifestation. This damage increases at 6th level, 9th level, 12th level, and every level thereafter. Solarian weapon crystals can increase your Solar weapon’s damage.

Forming or dismissing a solar weapon is a move action that takes the same amount of effort as drawing or sheathing a weapon (and can be combined with a move as a single move action or used with the Quick Draw feat). Your Solar weapon is automatically dismissed if it ever leaves your hand.

 

 

Thoughts?

Daily Punch 7-9-18 Data Spike Envoy Expertise Talent for Starfinder

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

I want to get a few expertise talents out there that rely on you being a Solarian.  Let’s keep the hits rolling!

 

Data Spike (Sp; Computer)

Prerequisite: Trick of the Light

When you interact with a computer to hack it, you do not need a computer of your own as you change your solar weapon into a spike of pure data that does no damage, but does pierce the computer.  When you attempt the computer check to hack a computer that you are physically next too, you may reroll your expertise die a number of times equal to half the number of solar weapon dice you roll for damage.

 

Thoughts?

Daily Punch 7-6-18 Healing Word spell for Starfinder

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Ok, let’s finish up my catch up of last weeks ideas with one last idea.  How about healing word for Starfinder?  It’s a quick change from Mystic Cure, but I’ve come to see how freeing up extra actions in DnD 5e, really makes a cleric shine!

 

Healing Word M1–6

School conjuration (healing)

Casting Time 1 swift action

Range 30 feet

Targets one living creature

Duration instantaneous

Saving Throw Will half (harmless); Spell Resistance yes (harmless)

With a word, you heal and invigorate your target, restoring a number of Hit Points. If the  target regains all of its Hit Points as a result of this healing, you can apply the remaining healing to yourself, as long as you are a living creature.

Healing World restores a number of Hit Points to your target depending on the spell’s level.

1st: 1d4 + your Wisdom modifier

2nd: 3d4 + your Wisdom modifier

3rd: 5d4 + your Wisdom modifier

4th: 12d4 + your Wisdom modifier

5th: 16d4 + your Wisdom modifier

6th: 20d4 + your Wisdom modifier

 

 

Thoughts?

Daily Punch 7-5-18 Star Paladin Mystic Connection for Starfinder

~ fineyoungmisanthrope ~ Leave a comment

Let’s keep the hits rolling with more love for the Solarian in Starfinder-now mixed with Mystic!

 

Star Paladin

Your connection to the stars allows you to funnel the powers of the gods through the strength of the stars.  Both gods and stars bless you providing either the protection you need or the force you wield

Associated Skills: Sense Motive and Mysticism

Spells: 1st—supercharge Weapon, 2nd—shield other, 3rd—Resistant Armor, Lesser, 4th—Restoration, 5th—Break Enchantment, 6th—True Seeing

Wield the Stars (Su) 1st Level

You gain the Solarian Solar Weapon or Solar Armorer class ability of a Solarian of  3/4 , rounded down, your Mystic level.

Mastering the Stars Feelings (Su) 3rd Level

You gain the ability of enter a Solar Mode from the  Solarian list.  Your Mystic level counts fully for your Solarian level for your Solar Mode.

Weapon Spacilization(Su) 6th Level

You gain Weapon Specialization as a bonus feat for each weapon type for which this class grants you proficiency. If you selected Solar weapon as your Solar Manifestation, it gains the benefit of Weapon Specialization as if it were an advanced melee weapon.

Blessing of the Stars(Su) 9th Level

Choose a Solarian Stellar Revelation of up to 6rd level, you gain this ability.  Every three levels, you may select another Stellar Revelation of up to three levels below your Mystic level.

 

Of Gods and Stars (Su) 12th Level

You gain the notice of the Stars and Gods at this point.  You can manifest both a Solar Weapon and Solar Armor at the same time, but your Solarian level is 1/2 your Mystic level if you choose to do so.

 

Give of Your Self (Su) 15th Level

You can spend 1 Resolve Point as a move action to touch and heal an ally 3 times your Mystic level in hit points.  This does not use your healing touch ability for the day, but you may only do this once per turn.

 

Form of the Star God(Sp) 18th Level

At 18th level, you can spend a resolve point to enter the form of the Star God.  Your body becomes a being of pure light that glow brightly out to 60 feet, you use your full Mystic level to determine your Solarian level for all effects, and you manifest both the Solar Armor and Solar Weapon.  This form last a number of round equal to your attainment points in your solar mode.  Each round you lose one attainment point, and when you reach zero points, the form of the Star God ends.

 

 

Thoughts?