Knights of the Rolled Table | a Dungeons & Dragons podcast · Knights of the Rolled Table

BONUS - creating a D&D character

·38 min·2 clips

Odd ability scores like 13 or 17 only pay off at the next even number, so raise odd scores first.

1. Knights of the Rolled Table's bonus episode "creating a D&D character" walks through building a level 5 Druid in the D&D Beyond app, recorded before the hosts' live play at the Comic-Con Museum. 2. Danny from the Comic-Con Museum, who last played D&D as a kid with a "monstrous manual," is the volunteer guest player, while the hosts and Matt explain each choice. 3. The stated goal is to build the "skeleton, the nuts and bolts" of the character offstage, leaving personality for the live panel, so listeners can learn the process by following along. 4. Danny weighs the 12 classes using his love of nature and his fondness for Zenyatta from Overwatch, shortlists Bard, Monk and Ranger, then settles on Druid after hearing it offers healing, elemental magic and shape-shifting. 5. At level 5 he takes animal handling and nature proficiencies, the Magician primal order, the cantrip starry wisp, and a Circle of the Land subclass set to temperate, which grants misty step and lightning bolt. 6. He uses the feat slot for Magic Initiate (Cleric), picking wisdom as the casting ability, the cantrips light and guidance, and the first-level spell healing word, which can heal from a distance. 7. For background he picks Folk Hero with alchemist supplies and the "rustic hospitality" feature, then chooses forest gnome for speak with animals and minor illusion, and goblin and draconic as his two extra languages. 8. A host explains that a roll of four d6 drops the lowest die, and Danny's rolls of 13, 14, 11, 14, 14 and 17 go to wisdom at 17, with strength at 11 and constitution among the lowest. 9. The same host notes that a modifier only rises at even scores like 14 or 18, so "you usually want to increase an odd number," and Danny spreads his increases for a balanced build rather than min-maxing. 10. Newcomers to D&D and anyone curious about the D&D Beyond character builder will find this useful.

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