We’re circling back around to the Wizard this week, and discussing the new Order of Scribes subclass. Whereas most Wizards focus on a specific school of magic, the Order of Scribes instead make it their mission to record all magical discoveries. Their spellbooks aren’t mere receptacles for the magic they’ve learned, but can actually be awakened objects that become the Scribes most trusted companion. Starting at level 2, you can create both an Awakened Spellbook and a Wizardly Quill. The quill doesn’t require ink to write with; instead it produces its own ink in whatever color you choose. You can … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: The Convergence Manifesto, Part 10

This week, we’ll round out the Artificer class with the last and latest subclass, the Armorer. As the name implies, this type of Artificer specializes in enchanting armor to enhance their magic and to improve both their defensive and offensive capabilities. Armorers gain proficiency with heavy armor and smith’s tools when they choose this subclass at level 3. They also get automatic access to certain spells, including Magic Missile and Thunderwave at 3rd level, Mirror Image and Shatter at 5th, Hypnotic Pattern and Lightning Bolt at 9th, Fire Shield and Greater Invisibility at 13th, and Passwall and Wall of Force … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: The Convergence Manifesto, Part 9

Today’s topic of discussion is the new Wild Magic Barbarian subclass. These Barbarians are suffused with the magical power from the Feywild, the Upper Planes, or some other realm. When they enter their rage, this magic erupts from them chaotically, causing a number of random effects. Starting at 3rd level, your rage causes a Wild Surge. Each time you enter your rage, you roll 1d8, and the result determines what effect the surge has. Also at 3rd level, you have a Magic Awareness. As an action, you can sense the location of any spell or magic item within 60 feet … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: The Convergence Manifesto, Part 8

We’re starting off the new year with a look at the College of Lore Bard. This is the classic Bard archetype, the silver-tongued jack-of-all-trades traveling from town to town with a lute on their back, gathering information, singing songs, and telling stories. Starting at 3rd level, when you choose this subclass, you automatically gain proficiency in three skills of your choice, in addition to skill proficiencies you picked at 1st level. Combined with your Background and any skills you might get from your choice of race, you’ll be proficient in a majority of the possible skills in the game. Also … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: The Convergence Manifesto, Part 7

We’re closing out 2020 with a look at the newly published Cleric of the Twilight Domain. These Clerics serve deities that govern the transition from day to night and guard the innocent against the terrors that come with the night. Twilight Clerics bring comfort to those who seek rest, and also actively venture out into the night to ensure that the darkness is a comfort rather than something to be feared. To those ends, Twilight Clerics get proficiency with both martial weapons and heavy armor. They also gain the following Domain Spells at certain levels: Faerie Fire and Sleep at … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: Carnival of Shadows, Episode 18

This week, we’re talking about a new Druid subclass from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, the Circle of Wildfire. These Druids revere and harness the power of fire, both for its destructiveness and for the regrowth and renewal that it allows. They form bonds with powerful fire spirits, allowing them to channel and control flames. As you level up, your Wildfire Druid will gain access to certain Circle Spells at specific levels. Like a Cleric’s Domain Spells, these are automatically prepared each day and don’t count towards the number of spells you can prepare. For the Wildfire Druid, these spells include … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: The Convergence Manifesto, Part 6

This week, I’m taking a closer look at the Rune Knight Fighter from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything. Rune Knights have learned the secret of magical runes passed down from giants and can inscribe them onto their weapons and armor for powerful magical effects. As part of taking this subclass at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with smith’s tools as well the ability to read, write, and speak the Giant language. Starting at level 3 a Rune Carver can inscribe runes into their gear at the end of a long rest. These runes last until the next long rest, and each … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: The Convergence Manifesto, Part 5

This week, I’m talking about another new subclass, the Way of Mercy for the Monk. These Monks generally work as wandering healers, but also don’t hesitate to end the suffering of those they can not cure. Most followers of this path cover their faces with special masks. Staring at 3rd level, you gain the Implements of Mercy, which includes your mask, as well proficiency in the Insight and Medicine skills and with the herbalism kit. As far as I can see, the mask doesn’t actually serve any mechanical function. Also at level 3, you learn a couple of new martial … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: The Convergence Manifesto, Part 4

Let’s continue our tour through the subclasses with another new one from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, the Oath of the Watchers Paladin. Taking this oath means that your Paladin has vowed to protect the mortal realms from threats of extraplanar nature, whether from fiends, aberrations, fey, elementals, or even celestials. To the end, the tenets of the oath are as follows: Vigilance. The threats you face are cunning, powerful, and subversive. Be ever alert for their corruption. Loyalty. Never accept gifts or favors from fiends or those who truck with them. Stay true to your order, your comrades, and your … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: The Convergence Manifesto, Part 3

This week, I’m writing about another of the new subclasses from Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, the Swarmkeeper Ranger. These Rangers have formed a bond with a swarm of tiny nature spirits, which take the form of insects, birds, pixies, or even twig blights. The swarm helps the Ranger both offensively and defensively. At Level 3, you first gain access to your Gathered Swarm. Until you die, the swarm is always with you, sharing your space, either crawling on your body or flying around you. Once per turn, immediately after you hit a creature with an attack you can cause the … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: The Convergence Manifesto, Part 2

Yesterday marked the release of Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything, so that means that today’s Rogue subclass discussion will focus on a brand new one–the Soulknife. These Rogues have discovered and mastered innate psionic abilities, that they use to infiltrate the minds of their opponents. They’re often employed as spies or assassins. At Level 3, a Soulknife’s Psionic Power is represented by a pool of Psionic Energy dice, which start at at the d6 level and increase as you level up. You have a number of these dice equal to twice your proficiency bonus, and they replenish at the end of … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: The Convergence Manifesto

Today, I’m finishing out a third round of subclass discussions with a look at the Alchemist Artificer. Alchemists specialize in the creation of potions and elixirs, combining different arcane reagents to produce magical effects. As such, when you choose this subclass at 3rd level, you automatically gain proficiency with alchemist’s supplies (or another type of tool if you already have it). Like all Artificers, Alchemists get a handful of bonus spells that are always prepared at certain levels, including Healing Word and Ray of Sickness at 3rd level, Flaming Sphere and Melf’s Acid Arrow at 5th, Gaseous Form and Mass … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread

Today’s discussion topic the Path of the Storm Herald for the Barbarian class. Barbarians who follow this path tap into the primal forces of nature when they rage, allowing them to produce magical effects depending on their chosen environment. Starting at level 3, a Storm Herald emanates a Storm Aura. This 10-ft radius aura extends out from you when you active your rage and causes an effect based on your choice of environment, either Desert, Sea, or Tundra. A Storm Herald who chooses the Desert environment will deal 2 fire damage[footnote]This damage increases with class level, increasing by 1 point … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: Carnival of Shadows, Episode 17

Our discussion topic this week is a class I’m currently playing, the College of Swords Bard. Whereas most Bards are singers or musicians, the Swords Bard instead trains to perform using their blades. They are sword swallowers, knife throwers and jugglers, or performers in mock combats. They’re also highly skilled in using those blades in actual combat as well. Swords Bards are not afraid to get into melee with their enemies, and combined with their magical abilities, this makes them one of the more versatile classes. This subclass gets most of it’s power right up front at 3rd level. When … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: Carnival of Shadows, Episode 16

Our subclass of the week this time is Tempest Domain Cleric. Tempest Clerics are followers of deities of the oceans, storms, and the sky itself. Their powers focus on blasting their enemies with lightning and thunder, as well as harnessing the powerful storm winds for their own use. Like all Clerics, followers of the Tempest Domain get access to a few spells automatically at certain levels, including Fog Cloud and Thunderwave at 1st level, Gust of Wind and Shatter at 3rd, Call Lightning and Sleet Storm at 5th, Control Water and Ice Storm at 7th, and Destructive Wave and Insect … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: Tomb of Horrors, Cont’d

Our discussion topic is the Circle of the Moon Druid. This Circle focuses on improving the Druid’s Wild Shape, allowing the druid to transform into more powerful beasts more often. Starting at 2nd level, the Moon Druid’s Combat Wild Shape allows them to use their Wild Shape ability as a bonus action, rather than an action. This means the druid can become a beast and make their attacks as that beast in the same turn. This ability also makes the beast form a little more durable, by letting the transformed druid expend a spell slot to regain some hit points. … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: Tomb of Horrors

This week, we’re talking about the Eldritch Knight Fighter. EKs are Fighters that dip their toes into the world of spellcasting to both boost their defenses and give them some more options for ranges and area of effect attacks. If you want to add just a hint of magic to your martial character, this is probably the class for you. At 3rd level, the EK learns a Spellcasting ability similar to the Wizard’s, with a focus on evocation and abjuration magic. When you choose spells, you pick from the Wizard spell list. Your spell attack modifier and spell save DC … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: Carnival of Shadows, Episode 15

This week we’re taking a look at the Way of the Open Hand for the Monk class. This type of Monk is a master of martial arts, especially unarmed combat. This is the class that takes the base Monk features and does them more. Beginning at 3rd level, these Monks learn the Open Hand Technique to manipulate their enemies’ ki. Whenever you hit with an unarmed strike from your Flurry of Blows, you can choose to push the target 15 feet away from you (with a failed STR save), knock the target prone (with a failed DEX save), or prevent … Continue reading AvocaD&D and Tabletop Gaming Thread: Carnival of Shadows, Episode 14