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Crit Academy discusses a 5th Edition conversion of the greatest RPG games of all time, Final Fantasy 7. The full supplement can be found HERE. Created by Mike Myler. For the uninitiated, this is the game’s magic and equipment-kitting system–you get the Fire materia from somewhere and equip it onto a weapon or armor (better the piece → more materia slots), you can cast the Fire spell with it, as you gain experience so does the materia (at a rate determined by the item it is equipped to), and eventually it levels up so you can cast Fire 2 while it’s equipped. It has just the right amount of depth and complexity to be properly engaging for folks without getting cumbersome.
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Modular dungeon tiles are an easy way to create your own beautiful digital maps. The Arcania lets you make dark, shadowy dungeon map, rich with the fumes of arcane secrets.
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Segment: Main Topic: Final Fantasy Materia System for 5th Edition
Find Full Article Here: Final Fantasy Materia for 5th Edition
Materia
Wondrous item, rarity varies (attuned)
This magic orb has a hue that reveals how it can be used to assert mastery over supernatural forces and techniques. Depending upon a piece of materia’s type, the benefits it grants change.
In addition, some materia can evolve over time. A piece of materia that has been equipped to one or more characters for both one level advancement and one point of proficiency bonus increases in power (as listed for each materia piece). Each time a piece of materia increases in power, its rarity increases by one step. When using materia to cast a spell, use your highest mental ability score (Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma) as your spellcasting ability.
Dedicated spellcasters (bards, clerics, druids, sorcerers, warlocks, wizards, and any other class with access to 9th level spells) attuned to materia do not require concentration to maintain a spell cast using the attuned materia, but can only cast one such spell at a time.
Balance:
Remove all normal spell access–no dedicated spellcasters, no paladins, no rangers, no spellcasting subclasses.
The only available classes are barbarian, fighter, monk (use the 8th level Black Belt build for Aerith), or rogue. If you’re like “whaaat that’s not enough” I assure you that you are incorrect in this instance.
Creatures can be attuned to a number of materia equal to double proficiency bonus, and attunement to materia is tracked separately from other magic items.
Materia uses recharge on short rests instead of long rests.
Materia examples
Barrier (uncommon) You are able to cast shield of faith once between long rests. In addition, while this materia is equipped your AC increases by +1.
Barrier (rare) You are able to cast mage armor once between long rests and shield of faith twice between long rests. In addition, while this materia is equipped your AC increases by +1.
Barrier (very rare) You are able to cast shield once between long rests, mage armor twice between long rests, and shield of faith three times between long rests. In addition, while this materia is equipped your AC increases by +2.
Barrier (legendary) You are able to cast wall of force once between long rests, shield twice between long rests, mage armor three times between long rests, and shield of faith four times between long rests. In addition, while this materia is equipped your AC increases by +2
.
Fire (uncommon) You are able to cast burning hands and hellish rebuke once each between long rests.
Fire (rare) You are able to cast scorching ray once between long rests, and you are able to cast burning hands and hellish rebuke twice each between long rests.
Fire (very rare) You are able to cast fireball once between long rests, scorching ray twice between long rests, and you are able to cast burning hands and hellish rebuke three times each between long rests.
Fire (legendary) You are able to cast incendiary cloud once between long rests, fireball twice between long rests, scorching ray three times between long rests, and you are able to cast burning hands and hellish rebuke four times each between long rests.
Chocobo Lure (common)
There is a 50% chance that any random encounters include 1d4 non-aggressive axe beaks that flees after the third round of combat.
Revolutionize your game with this collection of 16 mini-adventures and includes NPCs, locations, new creatures, and magic items to add to your nautical adventures.
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Character Concept:
DRAGONBORN - BESMIRCHED BIRTHRIGHT (D&D4e PHB Races Dragonborn)
You come from a dishonored dragonborn clan. Whether recently or in the distant past, an individual or a family in your clan did something so cowardly, dishonorable, or incompetent that it renected poorly on the entire clan. Perhaps a group of soldiers deserted the field before a key battle between Arkhosia and Bael Turath. Maybe a sorcerer of your clan destroyed an entire enclave with a miscast spell or botched ritual. Or a warlock made an infernal pact, treated with devils, and joined forces with the enemy empire of Bael Turath. Other dragonborn, if they know your clan name, assume that you're prone to the same failings, blame you for the actions of your clanmate, or simply taunt you because of your unfortunate heritage. How do you respond to such a reception? Do you hide your clan affiliation, or have you renounced it entirely? Or do you seek to earn such glory that your deeds overshadow those that brought shame to your clan?
Monster Variant:
Dreamstalker Manticore
Origin: Adult Brass Dragon
“Purphoros forged the manticore’s tail from bronze, its teeth from silver, and its heart from hate.” Dreams are sometimes used as messages from the gods or their servants who are held in high esteem to communicate to mortals. Sometimes messengers are even sent to communicate this way. When a Dreamstalker Manticore is chosen and sent by it’s patron, that message is death.
Lost Features: Fire Breath, Reduce Intelligence score to 6, History and Persuasion Skills, Blind Sight, Speech
New Features:
Tail Spike Regrowth. The manticore has forty-eight tail spikes. Used spikes regrow when the manticore finishes a long rest.
Tail Spike. Ranged Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, range 100/200 ft., one target. Hit: 11 (2d6) +4 piercing damage and the target must succeed on a DC 14 Constitution saving throw or become poisoned. While poisoned this way, the target can’t regain hit points, and takes 21 (6d6) poison damage at the start of each of its turns. The poisoned target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on itself on a success.
Dream Stalk (2/day). The manticore magically touches a sleeping humanoid it can see. A protection from evil and good spell cast on the target prevents this contact, as does a magic circle. As long as the manticore can see its target, the target has dreadful visions for the next 24 hours and can’t gain the benefits of its rest, and its hit point maximum is reduced by 10 (2d10). If this effect reduces the target’s hit point maximum to 0, the target dies and its soul is devoured by the manticore. The reduction to the target’s hit point maximum lasts until removed by the greater restoration spell or similar magic.
Encounter:
Fighting Dirty!
A village militia is skirmishing with a large bugbear raiding group. Currently, both small armies are about the same size, while only small skirmishes are happening, the village captain - Riaza expects a full assault soon. The bugbear force is too large for an adventuring party to handle on their own, and the natural strength and military tactics of the bugbears are greater than the village’s militia, mostly farmers and a few mercenaries.
The characters are given Pale Tincture, a potent poison and are tasked with sneaking into the bugbear camp to poison their food and drink, giving the village the advantage. The characters must take great care not to sound the alarm, for it will mean sure defeat for the party, and the village.
Magic Item:
Tempest Stone
This whetstone has been forged with blue dragon scales, lending a spark to your weapon.
Wondrous item, rarity varies
As a bonus action, you can touch this whetstone to a melee or ranged weapon. The weapon is imbued with lightning magic that erupts from the weapon for 1 minute. The crackles of lightning shed dim light in a 20-foot radius and dim light for an additional 20 feet. While the weapon is imbued with magic, it deals extra damage based on its rarity and counts as magical for the purpose of overcoming resistance and immunity to nonmagical attacks and damage.
The whetstone can be used only once, after its power is consumed it turns to ash.
...Tempest Stone Rarity Damage
Common 1d4
Greater Uncommon 2d4
Superior Rare 2d6
Supreme Very Rare 4d6
Dungeon Master Tip:
Prioritizing Inclusion, Comfort, and Fun (Kobold Guide to Gamemastering)
“As GM, you should always feel empowered to change anything about a published adventure to suit your group’s needs. Perhaps that might mean changing the genders of a cadre of all-male NPCs, or the appearances of NPCs who are all white. It might mean making even bigger changes, and that’s okay. You should never feel worried about preserving a writer’s vision if it would mean presenting material that would obviously make one or more of your players feel unwelcome.”
Player Tip: Don’t be a Dick
How to get the Best Initiative
"Look at that-I get to go first again!"
Getting the jump on your foe can provide a big tactical advantage. If you go first, you can outmaneuver your foes and get into position to pull off the perfect strategy.
Some players love rolling a high initiative. Even if they don't optimize their characters to take advantage of it, they gain great pleasure from opening fire or charging enemies before anyone has a chance to tell them otherwise.
This assessment does not include magic items.
Max your Dexterity = +5 (choose a race with dex bonus such as wood elf)
Take the Alert Feat = +5
Rogue Gloomstalker at 3rd level(XGTE) grants art of the ambusher giving an initiative bonus equal to Wisdom modifier = +5 (if maxed)
Wizard War Mage at 2nd level (XGTE) grants Tactical Wit giving an initiative bonus equal to Intelligence modifier = +5 (if maxed)
A 6th level elf character four rogue and 2 wizard with the alert feat would then have an initiative of 5+ Dex + Wis + Int.
So an wood elf(grants wis bonus) with a standard array would be (16, 16, 13, 12, 10, 8)
5+3+2+1 = +11 to Initiative.
Using this technique it's possible to have a +20 Initiative at lvl 20.
Closing: Please join us on our next episode we will discuss Conversions to 5th Edition
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