Let’s check out this month’s Arcadia journal, challenge quantity 20. This one has undoubtedly outlived another makes an attempt at moving into the “unique fantasy d20 sport’s journal” sneakers, and it seems to be going sturdy at this level.
Disclaimer
I’m subscribed to the MCDM Patreon, so I’d get a replica of this journal when it goes out to the general public, however I additionally obtained a assessment copy of this journal slightly bit early. I’ve not had the chance to make use of any of the fabric in these articles, however I’m accustomed to D&D 5e, each as a participant and as a DM, and I’ve used different MCDM guidelines in my video games.
Arcadia Concern 20
Managing Editor Hannah Rose
Lead Developer James Introcaso
Manufacturing & Playtest Director Lars Bakke
Editors Laura Hirsbrunner, Sadie Lowry
Authors The GM Tim, Hook & Probability, Sam Mannell, Hannah Rose
Structure Jen McCleary
Title Emblem Tom Schmuck
Accessibility Chris Hopper
Group Coordinator John Champion
Buyer Assist Bobby McBride
Cowl Artwork Brett Bullion
Inside Illustrators “Shieldbearer”: Alejandro Pacheco, João Phillipe “Appendix NPC: Half 2”: Patrik Hell “The Scribes”: Matheus Graef (Conceptopolis)
Cartographer Miska Fredman
This time round, we have now the next articles included within the 39 web page challenge:
- Shieldbearer (Subclass, Magic Objects, Tools)
- Appendix NPC: Half 2 (NPCs)
- The Scribes (Group, Location)
Shieldbearer
One distinctive side of this text is that Hannah Rose, the managing editor of the journal, wrote this text earlier than transferring into her present place, so the Letter from the Editor this month gave some backstory on the event of the subclass. I respect that the online game Hades was as a lot of an affect as varied Marvel characters throwing round Vibranium/Adamantium alloy defensive gadgets.
The article presents the shieldbearer, as a subclass of fighter, in addition to new tools within the type of extra shields, and new magic gadgets . . . additionally protect associated. There may be additionally a Shieldbearer Adept Follower, utilizing the foundations from Strongholds and Followers. We stay on level (or on edge?) on this article.
The Shieldbearer picks up the next talents over the course of gaining ranges within the subclass:
- third–Shieldbash, Counterstrike
- seventh–Protect Toss
- tenth–Safeguard, Improved Counterstrike
- fifteenth–Aegis of the Courageous
- 18th–Stalwart Guardian
First off, I’m glad any time the fighter will get a brand new subclass. I’m an enormous fan of subclasses telling a narrative, however lots of the opposite courses appear to get tales which might be slightly extra gripping, and I respect a subclass that may inform a narrative for a category that’s largely non-magical, with epic, however not magical, talents.
No, you can’t carry up how unrealistic it’s to have the ability to do a few of these protect tips, as a result of I’m speaking about suspension of disbelief in a world the place folks throw fireballs and shapeshift.
Shieldbash provides you higher injury together with your protect so it’s a viable weapon to make use of, and in addition units you up for future talents by letting you equip your protect with out taking an motion. Your injury with a protect cycles from a d8 all the best way as much as a d12 at fifteenth degree. Counterstrike permits you to use your response to bash an opponent that makes an assault on anybody inside 5 ft of you, doing further injury, and imposing drawback on their subsequent assault, useable various occasions equal to your proficiency bonus. Improved Counterstrike provides further injury and imposes drawback till the opponent’s subsequent flip, which hurts extra for opponents with a number of assaults.
At seventh degree, you’ll be able to throw your protect, and do injury equal to your melee assaults with it. You probably have a number of assaults, you’ll be able to assault somebody inside 10 ft of your unique goal by ricocheting the protect to them, and the protect bounces again to you.
Safeguard permits you to take the Dodge motion at any time when you will have a protect outfitted, and offers you a free assault. You may as well designate somebody inside 5 ft that additionally advantages out of your defensive motion.
Aegis of the Courageous imposes drawback on any ranged assaults in opposition to you when you have your protect, and in addition provides you three new choices you’ll be able to tack on to your ranged assault. Stalwart Guardian will increase your variety of free assaults with a Dodge motion to 2, and your Counterstrike can stun an opponent.
One of many issues I like about this subclass is that whereas it references the popular culture so many people have in our heads in relation to shields, the 2 key options that the category receives at third degree are extra “sensible” protect purposes, letting you utilize a protect with out giving up the defensive capacity you acquire from it, and permitting you to counterstrike opponents. I additionally like that tenth degree, which, relying on the marketing campaign, could be the final “taste” some gamers get out of their subclass, provides extra defensive hallmarks to the category, holding off on including extra flashy throwing methods till fifteenth degree.
I perceive the logic of including in new “mundane” shields into the article, however I’m not thrilled with the buckler’s mechanics. Making further talent checks throughout fight isn’t one among my favourite issues so as to add to the sport, and I’m undecided {that a} buckler is any extra “misleading” than different off hand gadgets. I’d virtually image the buckler mechanics as extra at residence with a dueling cloak. I respect that the bigger shields with the brand new Cumbersome trait nonetheless work with all the Shieldbearer talents that don’t contain throwing the protect.
There are a superb vary of magic shields included within the article. I respect you can give a participant that will need to be Captain America a Boomerang Protect in the event that they aren’t into taking a subclass that focuses on that theme. It’s additionally a extremely logical transfer to incorporate a magical protect that displays spells.
The Shieldbearer Adept is a useful retainer, however I can’t assist however hope that the brand new retainer guidelines floated within the Flee! Mortals preview grow to be “official,” as a result of I actually want that implementation.
General, I like this subclass. I’m undecided if I’m moved to introduce the brand new protect sorts, particularly since I’ve completely different concepts about what I’d do with a buckler concerning the way it interacts with current guidelines. However it is a nice fighter “story” to inform with the subclass.
Appendix NPC: Half 2
I like a superb, utilitarian NPC stat block, and I actually appreciated the earlier installment of this sequence. This time round, the NPCs are geared in the direction of increased CRs, starting from CR 9 to 24 (the record of NPCs in the beginning of the article is attempting to inform me that the Saint is CR 20, however it’s stat block says 24, and I’m not going to argue with a saint).
The NPCs included this time round are:
- Auto-Sentinel (CR 9)(Assemble Bodyguard)
- Dragon Priest (CR 10)(Spellcaster with a breath weapon)
- Dragon Slayer (CR 10)(Combatant with bonuses in opposition to dragon associated creatures, together with dragonborn and kobolds)
- Gish (CR 10)(Melee combatant that additionally has entry to fight spells and cantrips)
- Hero (CR 15)(Just about the standard which means of the phrase, a legendary melee combatant that’s one step away from being a demigod)
- Polymath (CR 18)(The fantasy model of the gadget utilizing genius supervillain, full with a trapped lair and lair actions)
- Saint (CR 24)(A mortal servant of a god that has been changed into a celestial agent after their dying)
One of many issues I’ve appreciated about MCDM caster stat blocks is that whereas they might have further actions past what a PC spellcaster has, to make them a more durable opponent, they often nonetheless use spells. For instance, the Dragon Priest is making claw assaults and both utilizing their cantrip or a spell as their multiattack choice. The Gish will get to make two weapon assaults after which throw in one among their spells.
I’m slightly shocked that the Hero, the Polymath, and the Saint don’t have Legendary Resistance. The Polymath has a capability to minimize injury from save for half results, however at increased ranges, it’s normally the situation primarily based results that shorten a villain’s lifespan. The Saint has an fascinating impact that’s much like Legendary Resistance, in that it may well destroy one among its manifested Hallowed Weapons to succeed on a failed save.
The Polymath, regardless of having a lair, doesn’t have Legendary or Villain Actions. The Saint has Villain actions (the MCDM particular rule) in lieu of Legendary Actions. I actually like them, however in addition they are typically very particular (manifesting chains, the phrase of unmaking). If I have been utilizing this greater than as soon as, I’d most likely make a broader set of Legendary Actions for the stat block.
General, I like this set of NPCs. I already know one which’s going to get employed in my residence marketing campaign. The Polymath and the Auto-Sentinel fell slightly flat for me, however the remaining instantly set my mind to work looking for them a house in upcoming video games.
The Scribes
The D&D third version books had a ton of recent organizations in them, normally launched as backstory to varied status courses. These organizations have been all the time a bit irritating to me, as a result of they managed to be oddly particular in some areas, and but not given sufficient plot hooks to tether them to a variety of campaigns. I say that to level out that this isn’t a kind of type of organizations.
The Scribes have been based by a now-imprisoned celestial that needed to encourage mortals towards epic tales so they might reside as much as their greatness. As a result of that may battle with mortals and their want for deities, she’s been confined to her personal little nook of the multiverse. She has followers within the type of The Fallen Eye, Chaos, and The Cracked Crown. These organizations work collectively to push sure narratives on the earth, making some folks into heroes that may in any other case by no means discover their method.
The article presents varied NPCs that work for the group, the placement the place the celestial lives along with her followers, and several other “starter eventualities,” conditions the place persons are ready for the heroic motion to start out, and needing to be pushed in the best course. The article’s major assumption is that the PCs is likely to be recruited to assist push occasions in the best course for the group, however they can be those being pushed, and discovering out concerning the manipulation happening behind the scenes.
There may be some dialogue about presenting this group as evil as a substitute of fine, however one of many issues that I respect primarily based on how it’s offered as a default is that it may well simply be a “good” group that finally ends up as an antagonist of the PCs. Even folks being pushed to do one thing deemed as “good” don’t all the time respect having their company taken away, or being manipulated. It’s additionally potential that when the PCs are “on the bottom” interacting with the “story” that the Scribes have written, they might discover out that the group lacks some context for the result that they need.
Additionally, I feel I’ve a delicate spot for this group as a result of it jogs my memory of the Metatron storyline from Supernatural, besides I don’t hate the celestial concerned.
Last Ideas
That is most likely up there with a few of my favourite points, simply because it not solely supplies actionable articles, it supplies strong ideas for the matters that it addresses. Making up a complete new subsystem for adjudicating a part of the sport could be enjoyable, however it takes lots of aptitude to seize the creativeness with a subclass, NPC stat blocks, or a company.
Future Needs
I like subclasses, although I normally run video games much more than taking part in in them, and I sit up for extra subclasses with strong themes. I’d love extra NPCs, however I additionally suppose it’s tough to search out that proper spot between broadly helpful and enjoyable in presentation. In truth, I feel seeing some Legendary/Villain/Lair actions that may be swapped out and in on an current stat block is likely to be enjoyable. I’m a simple mark for organizations that may, from their inner logic and context, see their actions pretty much as good, however can nonetheless battle with the PCs, and I’d like to see extra skillfully pulled off.
All of that stated, sometime I’d like to see extra mounts sneak into these pages. And, you already know, possibly extra retainers that seem like those in Flee! Mortals. Lastly, since I’ve picked up points one by 4 on Roll20, I sit up for extra points getting the digital therapy on that website, as a result of it makes it method simpler to current the foundations from these articles as choices to my participant characters.
