Realm of Shattered Stars - Dawn of the Vanguard

Creating your character

We will have a session zero. Characters should start at level 1, and all classes are open. We will use the basic 5E rules for multiclassing. Meaning if you do not meet the attribute requirement, no multiclass for you. No races are barred. Players are encouraged to ponder what character and class they will be playing, but do not make the character sheet or roll for stats before session zero, as we will be making characters then. Please be ready to create your character in the DnDBeyond character builder. Your GM will have access to the base rulebook and beyond. We will be using manual rolls to roll for our stats. Roll 4d6 and drop the d6 with the lowest total. You will do this 6 times total for one line of stats. You may roll 3 times. You cannot start with a magical item, but you are welcome to a wonderous trinket, such as the billowing cape or another harmless homebrew item. All I ask is that you run it by me during our Session Zero first. If you don't, it won't fly, and you risk being kicked out of the campaign. *NOTE: Session Zero will be free to participate in*

Preparing for the session

This is a campaign using D&D 5e 2024. You will need at least a microphone. You will also need to register for a Discord account and register for a D&D Beyond account. I recommend downloading the Discord app for whatever tech you will be using to connect to the game. Our Session Zero will be done via a private Discord server, and you will get a link to join when you RSVP for Session Zero. On that note, you will need a laptop or a phone/tablet. Something that can have multiple tabs open while broadcasting your voice to the Virtual Table. We will be making characters in D&D Beyond and playing combats in D&D Beyond. You will need an account to D&D Beyond, but you will not need to purchase the materials on your own, as your DM will provide that for you. Players will be expected to roll in D&D Beyond and practice with the platform before our Session Zero.

What Rob Wes brings to the table

This is a homebrew campaign using a blend of material from D&D 5e 2024. I provide virtual copies of the core books for all players via DNDBEYOND.COM I will also be making music (without AI or GenAI). This music will be set around the campaign, certain locations, and narrative beats. I will also bring several illustrations of the world, characters, items, and other features that will be in D&D Beyond, as well as maps for you all to utilize and go over. I am a skilled voice actor who has years of experience in performing live, both in film and on stage. I also am a lifelong lover of stories of all kinds, and have studied myths and folktales from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe for close to a decade now. When it comes to player interaction, I strive to evenly distribute the love for the game. In other words, you're all protagonists to me. Its my job to make you shine. I will do my best to make sure each character in our party gets love. I prioritize you all as players compared to myself and the world I've built as a Game Master. What I ask in return is that if your co-player is in a scene and they have outlined that they are alone, you mute for a time. This offers them the same respect I am asking them to offer you. I also have a verbose vocabulary that is tainted by my frequent use of swear words and other profanities. I am likely to paint a word picture that ends in an F Bomb. I have also drafted a large Homebrew world with a wide roster of areas to visit, but I will not be railroading players. I will respond on the fly to issues you have presented. HOWEVER, do not expect me to simply go along with crass or destructive behavior, as this type of play tends to impact other players at the table and decreases the likelihood of fun. Remember, consent is key. When making a choice that involves another player or the core fabric of the world I am building for all the players at our Virtual Table, use caution and always be willing to ask first.

Homebrew rules

You can feed another player a potion as an aciton, not a bonus action or free action. Critical hits scored on ALL attacks will be Max Plus. Meaning you will do the maximum possible damage for the weapon used to attack PLUS the damage done by rolling your dice. This is also true of any rolls made by the DM. Glancing blows: If a creature is the target of an attack roll and the resulting roll after calculations is equal to the Armor Class of the target exactly, it becomes a glancing blow. This means it deals half damage to the target creature, as they just manage to avoid a major wound.

How Rob Wes creates a safe table

I will be going over our Lines and Veils (boundaries) during session 0. The following are general rules of thumb for my games. I will never engage in sexual assault during a session. Mind swaps, body swaps, or other character swapping are never something I'm interested in. I also have no interest in supporting a player-bullying session. I am cool with light razzing, but please be mindful that we are all here to play and have fun. If you're having the most fun by picking on another person, I frankly would rather have you pass on this campaign and save me the time of explaining this all to you after. I love bugs, creepy crawlies, and other things that skitter in the dark. If you have a phobia of anything that falls in that category, feel free to message me before signing up for this campaign, and we can discuss alternatives. I also have a habit of accidentally writing villains who are tainted by the forces of a cosmic entity. Which means a potential for gore, tentacles, tendrils, and a lot of ooze. Players can expect a diverse range of topics, including: ethnic cleansing, the evils of greed, religious persecution, gender violence, sexual bias, and corrupt governments. Typically, I make these the forces of evil, and you'll be able to battle them all campaign long.