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Crit Academy discusses the best-selling Dungeons and Dragons DMsguild supplement 'Dungeon Coach's Spell Tome-Brew Cantrips'. Healing Cantrips for Clerics AND Warlocks? Fixing True Strike? Scaling UP Cantrips to be more Powerful as you Level? This Spell Tome-Brew Series is the Dungeon Coach's homebrew tweaks to the cantrips already in D&D! His examples go beyond just increase to damage, but instead introduces a scaling mechanic at 5th, 11th, and 17th level scaling for ALL cantrips. Along with a few custom cantrips of the Dungeon Coach, we threw our hat in the ring and bring some modifications to two of our favorite cantrips. Check out the full episode as we give our thoughts and insights on the supplement.
Let’s talk about Blank!
The Arcania digital tile set lets you make dark, shadowy dungeon maps, rich with the fumes of arcane secrets.
Winner: neil.j.craig
Didn’t win? Np, head to www.critacademy.com/loresmyth for a free set of digital terrain.
Tomebrew Cantrips
One of the most important, and complicated, parts of D&D is the magic. This is one of the main ways a character can gain the amazing abilities they use on their epic journeys. One of the most important types of spells, especially at low levels, is the cantrip.
The Dungeon Coach believes these get left behind, as they often just have damage increases, or no evolution at all. In tomebrew he applies a new methodology to cantrips. In this, their effects alter as the caster becomes more proficient in their use. Allowing them to gain additional benefits and features. Not just damage dice.
We’ve picked a few samples to cover, as well as creating a few of our own to add to this wonderful collection.
ACID SPLASH
Cantrip conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
You hurl a bubble of acid at a 10-foot square centered on a point you choose within range. Each creature in that area must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw or take 1d6 acid damage.
At Higher Levels
5th Level: The acid lingers in the affected area until the start of your next turn, any creature that enters the area or ends their turn in the area takes 1d6 acid damage.
11th Level: The initial damage and the additional damage increases to 2d6
17th Level: The acid lingers in the affected area for one additional round.
BLADE WARD
Cantrip abjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 minute
You extend your hand and trace a sigil of warding in the air. Until the spell ends, you have resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage against the next weapon attack that hits you.
At Higher Levels
5th Level: The range increases to 30 feet.
11th Level: You have resistance against bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage against the next two
weapon attacks that hit you while the spell lasts.
17th Level: The casting time becomes a bonus action.
FRIENDS
Cantrip enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 minute
For the duration, you have advantage on all Charisma checks directed at one creature of your choice that isn’t hostile toward you. When the spell ends, the creature realizes that you used magic to influence its mood and becomes hostile toward you. A creature prone to violence might attack you. Another creature might seek retribution in other ways (at the DM’s discretion), depending on the nature of your interaction with it. The verbal component of this spell may be slipped into casual conversation.
At Higher Levels
5th Level: The duration is extended to 10 minutes.
11th Level: The target must succeed a Charisma saving throw when the spell ends to determine if it was influenced by magic.
17th Level: when the spell ends, the target is unaware that they were influenced by magic.
TRUE STRIKE
Cantrip divination
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: S
Duration: 1 Round
You point a finger at a target in range. Your magic grants a brief insight into the target's defenses. Before the end of your next turn, the next attack you make against the target hits it without requiring an attack roll.
At Higher Levels
5th Level: The range increases to 60 feet.
11th Level: All allies within range benefit from this spell.
17th Level: The duration is extended to 1 minute.
RAY OF FROST (Crit Academy Creation)
Cantrip Evocation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
A frigid beam of blue-white light streaks toward a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, it takes 2d4 cold damage, and its speed is reduced by 10 feet until the start of your next turn.
The spell’s damage die changes to a d6 when you reach 5th level, and a d8 when you reach 11th level.
At Higher Levels your ray of frost gains the following:
5th Level: The frigid slowing effect becomes stronger and the target's speed is reduced by half.
11th Level: On a hit, the spell’s blast freezes the 5-foot square area the target is standing in, leaving slippery ice. Until the end of your next turn, when a creature moves onto the slippery ice for the first time or starts its turn there, it must succeed on a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check or fall prone.
17th Level: The spell creates two beams. You can direct the beams at the same target or at different ones. Make a separate attack roll for each beam.
MAGE HAND (Crit Academy Creation)
Cantrip Conjuration
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 minute
A spectral, floating hand appears at a point you choose within range. The hand lasts for the duration or until you dismiss it as an action. The hand vanishes if it is ever more than 30 feet away from you or if you cast this spell again.
You can use your action to control the hand. You can use the hand to manipulate an object, open an unlocked door or container, stow or retrieve an item from an open container, or pour the contents out of a vial. You can move the hand up to 30 feet each time you use it.
The hand can’t attack, activate magic items, or carry more than 10 pounds.
At Higher Levels
5th Level: The range increases to 60 feet and its weight capacity increases to 20 pounds.
11th Level: Using your action, the hand can now activate magic items.
17th Level: Using your action, the hand can now make basic weapon attacks using your spellcasting ability modifier for its attack roll and damage bonus
Fight the Monster in its Den … If You Dare!
Book of Lairs brings you 24 great monster lairs for 5th edition! Each of these exciting and unusual battlegrounds comes with a complete short adventure, including a hook, area hazards, tactics, and treasures. Stage your 5th Edition fights in unforgettable locations like; Clockwork Tower, Branches of Yggdrasil, Sky Stairs of Beldestan and many more! Check it out here!
Character Concept:
M.O.P: Warforged Artificer and Unity Domain Cleric - Tiktock Elias Whitelaw
Mop’s prime goal is to make everyone that he/she comes in contact with better and build communities. These classes give Mop access to Mending, Create food and water, fabrication, creation and healing. The Unity domain gives Mop the power to to share the damage load among its allies with its Channel Divinity : Shared Burden. Much like splitting the bill at a restaurant. Mop spends all its available downtime providing menial labor, potions, healing and equipment to those who need them. All of Mop’s disposable income is invested in the support or those it comes across. All of Mop’s powers are used to heal the sick, feed the hungry and rebuild damaged infrastructure.
When people inquire as to why Mop is so dedicated to this cause. They simply respond “It is ingrained within me that I exist for the service to those who I belong. I belong in some capacity to everyone”.
M.O.P is an acronym for means of production.
Monster Variant:
Ur’gurgla - The Pursuer
Origin: Erinyes
“Tales of “The Pursuer” go back generations. A monster from the depths of hell who hunts down adventurer’s who straight away from the righteous path. Many say he hunts them for sport, others say revenge. Only The Pursuer knows the truth.”
Lost Features: Fly
New Features
Legendary Action: 3 points
Defensive Stance. The pursuer takes a defensive stance, twirling its weapon around its body. It adds 2 to its AC against the next weapon attack made against it before the beginning of its next turn.
Revenge. The Pursuer chooses a target within 15 feet of it that has damaged it since the end of its last turn. The Pursuer has advantage on the next melee weapon attack made against the target before the end of the Pursuer's next turn.
Step through Hell (Costs 2 Actions). The Pursuer teleports up to 60 feet to a location it can see.
Encounter:
Crag’s Pass
A sickness sewer plague (DMG) has come unto the simple mining community of Crag’s Pass, poisoning their wells and blighting their crops. With the pestilence leaving the strongest men of the town’s guard a few short days away from death, the burden of descending into the mines and purging the wellspring of whatever evil has settled there falls to an intrepid band of adventurers. A character with a successful DC 15 Intelligence (Nature/Medicine) check can identify the nature of the disease.
The Crag mines are home to a human community. Shianx, a female goblin boss (MM) watched as the humans massacred her tribe. She was one of the few to survive the concentrated efforts to eradicate those that survived.
She spent the last three years devoted to watching and observing the humans, preparing her revenge. Her resolve allowed her to build followers to defeat the “weak ones” who have stolen the mountain inheritance of her clan. She and her minions are pouring poison in the water supply through a vein deep in the mountain.
Magic Item:
Gambler’s Chip
Wondrous, rare
This silver coin is stamped with the word Nothing with the face of the trickster god one one side. The reverse side is stamped with the word Nothing with the face of the goddess of fate.
This coin is imbued with two forms of powerful magic. Both can alter one’s fate, for better or for worse. An all or nothing gamble of fate.
When you make an attack roll or ability check, you can use a bonus action to flip the gambler’s chip. Instead of rolling a d20, you can flip a coin. On heads, treat it as if you rolled a natural 20. On tails, treat it as if you rolled a natural 1. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until the next dawn.
Dungeon Master Tip:
Storing Miniatures - Magnetic Primer (add amazon link) - @tabletop_neverstop on TikTok
Miniatures can be stored a plethora of different ways. Tackle boxes, on display, tossed into a large container, etc.
Each of these has their own advantages and disadvantages. Tabletop_neverstop suggests a new approach. A using a plastic storage container without any dividers in them. Dividers can reduce your space, and be a hassle for the variety of different shaped monster minis.
Before you drop your miniatures into the container, you coat the bottom in a magnetic primer. Once done, you can get your hands on magnetic tape or a magnet format of choice and add them to the base. The magnets are strong enough that you can flip it upside down, carry it on its side and even occasionally bump it and the miniatures won’t slide around or bump into each other.
Player Tip: Don’t be a Dick
Knock, Knock?
The spells silence and knock can be incredibly useful, but more so once they are combined. Using this combination of spells allows the characters to open locked doors, chests, manacles, gates etc without anyone being able to hear the normally accompanied creaking, grating or slamming or the knock spells thunderous ‘knock” noise. This can be used to great effect for spying and espionage, or just trying to catch the enemies on the other side of the door. Toss in the arcane eye spell to scope out the area before the characters charge in. Many traps and enemies can be avoided entirely.
A masked menace terrifies the region. The adventurers stumble into her scheme: the kidnapping of a famous performer known as Devon Artis. Their mission is to deliver a ransom and collect Devon.
Winner: jamesawhite1307
Didn’t win? Np, head to www.critacademy.com/jeffstevens for more phat lootz.
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