Things of note:

1. I’m writing a story for Post Replica, one of the coolest RPG projects I’ve seen or heard about in a long time! Through a phone/tablet app, you and your group influence and are influenced by other gaming groups around the world. It’s pretty remarkable and I’m stoked to be a part of it!
2. The copy for my first nautical 5E adventure, Diluvian Disaster Divination, has been sent up to the publisher. It is a harrowing underwater dungeon crawl and was a load of fun to design. Definitely something to keep an eye out for!
3. The outline for something very awesome has been approved and several very talented writers are hard at work on it. It’s the first professional undertaking of the kind of scope and measure that any of us have engaged in thus far, but if the first few drafts of copy are any indication, it will be a truly amazing tour de force.

 

Generalissimo Tuck is a hero of good fortune. Though cowardly and constantly avoiding the front-line of combat, the halfling consistently strikes at the right time and often does so regardless of the odds arrayed against him. He has (legitimately) slayed a dragon, masterminded the defense of the town of Phandalin (destroying an entire corps of mercenaries by empowering the townsfolk), and is quickly becoming a legendary figure across the countryside. [Aside: Despite specifically being built to not excel at combat, Tuck routinely scored critical hits at crucial moments to put his more martial companions to hilarious shame.] Generalissimo Tuck loves his cat familiar, Varys Tinyprod, and will go to great lengths to protect his feline friend.

Tuck cheats at games of chance and keeps multiple holy symbols on him to invoke whatever deity might come in useful at any given time. He believes that material goods come and go, but that bonds of friendship can last forever. In his past Tuck swindled and ruined a person who didn’t deserve it (a local constable that took umbrage against Tuck’s father soon after), and seeks to atone for his misdeeds (though he might never be able to forgive myself). Tuck is convinced that no one could ever fool him the way he fools others.

 

Generalissimo Tuck Underbarrow, Slayer of Dragons, Master Tactician, Harper, Hero of Phandalin
Male hobbit rogue (arcane trickster) 7
CG Small humanoid (lightfoot halfling)

Init +3
HP 44 (7d8)
AC 15 (10 + 3 Dex + 2 studded leather armor)

Str 8 (-1), Dex 16 (+3), Con 12 (+1), Int 14 (+2), Wis 12 (+1), Cha 14 (+2)

Proficiency Bonus +3
Speed 25 feet

ATTACKS
Melee dagger +6 (1d4-1) [house rule: disadvantage]
Ranged shortbow [27 arrows] +6 (1d6+3)
Proficiencies light armor, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longswords, rapiers, shortswords
Tools Thieves’ Tools
Saving Throws Dexterity, Intelligence
Skill Proficiencies Acrobatics +6, Deception +8, Insight +4, Investigation +5, Persuasion +8, Sleight of Hand +6, Stealth +9 , Thieves’ Tools +6
BG Tool Proficiencies Disguise kit, forgery kit
Languages Common, Halfling

Lucky Feat. (3 points, restore on long rest)
Spend one luck point to roll an additional d20. You can choose to spend one of your luck points after you roll the die, but before the outcome is determined. You choose which of the d20s is used for the attack roll, ability check, or saving throw.
You can also spend one luck point when an attack roll is made against you. Roll a d20, and then choose whether the attack uses the attacker’s roll or yours.
If more than one creature spends a luck point to influence the outcome of a roll, the points cancel each other out; no additional dice are rolled.

Magic Initiate Feat. You learn two cantrips of your choice from the wizard’s spell list (acid splash, prestidigitation). You learn find familiar (VARYS TINYPROD) and can cast it at its lowest level. Once you cast it, you must finish a long rest before you can cast it again. Your spellcasting ability for these spells is Intelligence (for wizard).

HALFLING TRAITS
Lucky When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
Brave Advantage vs fear
Halfling Nimbleness You can move through the space of any creature that is of a size larger than yours.
Naturally Stealthy You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.

CLASS ABILITIES
SPELLS Save DC 8 + 3 (prof) + 2 (int) = 13 Spell Attack Bonus 3 (prof) + 2 (int) = +5
Cantrips acid splash, friends, mage hand, minor illusion, prestidigitation
1st (4/day) charm person, disguise self, find familiar, silent image, tasha’s hideous laughter
2nd (2/day) invisibility

Mage Hand Legerdemain
At 3rd level, you gain the ability to perform the following additional tasks with your mage hand:

• You can stow one object the mage hand is holding in a container, such as a backpack or pocket, worn or carried by another creature.

• You can retrieve an object in a container worn or carried by another creature.
• You can use thieves’ tools to pick locks and disarm traps at range.

You can perform one of these tasks without being noticed by a creature if you succeed on a Dexterity (Sleight of Hand) check contested by the creature’s Wisdom (Perception) check. In addition, you can use the bonus action granted by your Cunning Action to control the hand.

Expertise: (double proficiency bonus) Deception, Persuade, Thieves’ Tools, Stealth

Sneak Attack: 1/turn, deal +4d6 damage

Thieves’ Cant:

Cunning Action. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Uncanny Dodge. When an attacker that you can see hits you with an attack, you can use your reaction to halve the attack’s damage against you.

Evasion. When you are subjected to an effect that allows you to make a Dexterity saving throw to take only half damage, you instead take no damage if you succeed on the saving throw, and only half damage if you fail.

BACKGROUND: Charlatan
Feature: False Identity You have created a second identity that includes documentation, established acquaintances, and disguises that allow you to assume that persona. Additionally, you can forge documents including official papers and personal letters, as long as you have seen an example of the kind of document or the handwriting you are trying to copy.

EQUIPMENT
A set of fine clothes, a disguise kit, a set of weighted dice, dad’s knife, belt pouch, backpack, bag of 1,000 ball bearings, 10 feet of string, a bell, 5 candles, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, a hooded lantern, 1 flask of oil, 5 days rations, a tinderbox, and a waterskin. The pack also has 50 feet of hempen rope strapped to the side of it.
grappling hook, components pouch, healer’s kit (8/10), dagger, pouch, 1,003 gold pieces, 240 silver pieces, 1 triple balance, anvil-shaped key, giant napoleonic hat (disadvantage on Stealth), deeds to a merchant house in Thundertrees (Forgery DC 20), alchemy kit, 20 nice paintings from cathedral, flying carpet

VARYS TINYPROD [Cat Familiar]
Tiny fey, unaligned
Armor Class 12
Hit Points 2 (1d4)
Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.

STR     DEX        CON       INT      WIS         CHA
3 (-4)    15 (+2)    10 (+0)    3 (-4)   12 (+1)     7 (-2)

Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4
Senses passive Perception 13
Languages —
Challenge 0 (10 XP)
Keen Smell. The cat has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks that rely on smell.

ACTIONS
Claws. Melee Weapon Attack: +0 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 1 slashing damage.