5e Bug Reports (Part 5)

[Zacchaeus]

Moon Wizard

I can replicate this. It's a weird way to go about it but here are the steps

1) Start a GM campaign
2) Start a second instance and join the campaign
3) Exit the second instance and enter manage characters using the campaign name of the host campaign
4) Import a character into manage characters
5) Exit Manage characters and rejoin the Host game
6) Import the character into that campaign.

The character shows up on the DM screen with all stats set to 10; but the client side shows the correct details.

I'm attaching the db.xml for the campaign and the xml of the character which was imported. I've never been able to replicate this in the past because I don't think anyone has mentioned that you need steps 2,3, and 4 for this to be a problem.

[esmdev]

Hi. I'm not sure if this is a bug or just not an issue, but I've noticed from time to time the chat window combat information doesn't provide the status. I posted a quick image of a recent combat where it stated status as Critical in the attack before but didn't in the attack after.

20191228_001_report.jpg

Would like to know if this is normal or not:

[Moon Wizard]

The status update is only shown on damage application when the status state changes.


So, in your example, the ogre’s status changed from Heavy to Critical on the first hit; but the status did not change on the second hit.

Regards,
JPG

[esmdev]

Hi. In the Essentials Kit module the Mithril Armor is listed as applying disadvantage to stealth checks where it should not apply.

[Zacchaeus]

Hi. In the Essentials Kit module the Mithril Armor is listed as applying disadvantage to stealth checks where it should not apply.

You'll need to go into the Combat Calculation window (magnifying glass to the left of AC) and untick the Stealth Disadvantage tick box if someone is wearing such armour. FG doesn't know about Mithral armour automatically.

[esmdev]

You'll need to go into the Combat Calculation window (magnifying glass to the left of AC) and untick the Stealth Disadvantage tick box if someone is wearing such armour. FG doesn't know about Mithral armour automatically.

I just figured you'd want to set it to the item default since it is a magic item included with the module. It was easy enough for me to fix by just removing the line about stealth disadvantage from the item itself, but the Essentials Kit is a starter set used by new people so making things easy out the gate would seem the nice way.

[Zacchaeus]

I just figured you'd want to set it to the item default since it is a magic item included with the module. It was easy enough for me to fix by just removing the line about stealth disadvantage from the item itself, but the Essentials Kit is a starter set used by new people so making things easy out the gate would seem the nice way.

When creating a magic item a template is created and then merged with a mundane item to create the magic item. Thus mithral armour is created as a template which is basically just some text and it is then merged with the relevant armour type from the equipment list in the PHB. So the attributes of the underlying armour are added to the template to make the magical armour. Ergo it isn't possible to remove bits of this at the creation stage. (It is done like this for efficiency - only one template is created which can then be merged with a list of items. Thus we need to write up just one +1 weapon template instead of creating 40 different +1 weapons). I could create a bunch of different basic armours such as Scale Mail (M) or some such and remove the disadvantage and weight requirements and apply the template to those, but then that would create a number of new armours which would also cause confusion.

[esmdev]

Perhaps you might add something to the 'Using this Module' section with examples of how newbies can make the magical items you provide in the module actually work as intended.

Since this particular problem is pretty easy to fix by just adding the item to the PC character sheet and then editing the copy to remove the disadvantage line. It is a better solution as the player doesn't need to remember to keep changing the state of their stealth disadvantage in the combat window if they changing armor for this reason or that. It's the doom of players that they forget...

I guess it looks like a bug to me, but it's just that FG isn't that great at creating magical items to match what is in the modules. I'll just remember that and fix things as needed when I give them out to players.

[LordEntrails]

Can't the actual item in the module be updated? I don't understand. But, any which way either (in my opinion) either the armor should have the correct properties in the module or their should be a note about it. As a DM, I would never check to see if a module item has the correct properties, I would simple drag it to the party inventory and then the players would just drag it to their inventory. I doubt they would ever check to see if the properties are correct. So we would need something to let us know to check that. I'm not so worried about the item forge.

[Zacchaeus]

Can't the actual item in the module be updated? I don't understand. But, any which way either (in my opinion) either the armor should have the correct properties in the module or their should be a note about it. As a DM, I would never check to see if a module item has the correct properties, I would simple drag it to the party inventory and then the players would just drag it to their inventory. I doubt they would ever check to see if the properties are correct. So we would need something to let us know to check that. I'm not so worried about the item forge.

It has nothing to do with the item forge. It is the way that par5e creates magic items (which somewhat mimics how the forge works). So for magic armour I have a template for the armour in a text file and link to the mundane items that the armour uses. So, in the case of Mithral armour it has just some text, a non ID name and description and a list of armours to link that text to.

As I said above I could create different armours in items - something like Chain (M) and in those items I could remove the disadvantage and the strength needed and then link those to the Mithral armour template to create the armours. You would then have the correct stats as it were for the Mithral armour. But you would also have a bunch of mundane armour called Chain (M) etc. This is why you see odd weapons in the DMG list of items like the Longsword (S) which is used to make the sunblade which does a different type of damage from the normal Longsword.

So the question I would ask then is do you think having a bunch of armour like Chain (M), just so that the Mithral Armour was correct would make things more confusing and possibly prone to misuse?

I hear what you are saying about including a note but a) who reads those and b) there are probably a hundred other things that could be included in such notes - making them even less likely to be read.

Another possibility is that I could include a note that the DM would need to adjust the armour stats in the actual Mithral Armour description itself.

I'm open to suggestions.