D&D 5E dragonmark-like supernatural gifts

[pukunui]

UPDATE 23 April 2016:

Since originally starting this thread, we've had some personnel changes, so I've got several PCs in need of dragonmarks of their own. I figured I'd take the time and map them all out. For those of you reading this for the first time, after some debate (which you can read below), I eventually settled on making the dragonmarks work like supernatural gifts. They're essentially blessings from Bahamut, so the idea is to find something along the lines of an uncommon wondrous item or a warlock invocation.

Something else to bear in mind is that there are no clerics or paladins in my world, so I'm thinking that some of these could be used as a way to reintroduce some of the powers unique to those classes.

These are the ones I cooked up before:
Mark of Finding: permanent eyes of minute seeing effect
Mark of Handling: permanent speak with animals effect
Mark of the Storm: Wrath of the Storm (tempest cleric)
Mark of Warding: Protection fighting style (sans shield requirement)
Aberrant Mark of Fire: control flames, hellish fiery rebuke and pyrotechnics as bonus spells, plus a flaw: "There is only one solution to my problems: burn them all!"

These are the latest ones I've sorted out:
Mark of Healing: Lay on Hands (paladin)
Mark of Scribing: permanent comprehend languages effect
Mark of the Sentinel: permanent sentinel shield effect
Mark of Shadow: Cloak of Shadows (trickery cleric) 1/rest

And these are the ones I still need help with:
Mark of Detection: permanent detect magic or detect evil and good effect, or maybe detect magic, detect evil and good, and detect poison and disease in any combination up to 3/day?
Mark of Hospitality: prestidigitation plus purify food and drink 1/day?
Mark of Making: mending? Plus something else?
Mark of Passage: ignore difficult terrain and/or misty step 1/rest?


What do you guys think? Anyone got any suggestions?

EDIT: Just to be clear, these are for a homebrew campaign. Disregard anything you know about how dragonmarks and their respective houses work in the Eberron setting. I'm just out to put together a list of blessing-style supernatural gifts themed on Eberron's dragonmarks.



[sblock=original post]I'm working on an adventure that is loosely based on the "A Test of Faith" quest from Dragon Age: Origins (which is, in itself, inspired by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade). However, instead of seeking a dead prophet's ashes, the PCs are being tested to see if they are worthy to join an ancient order dedicated to following the virtuous beliefs of silver dragons (do good deeds; don't cause undue harm to the innocent, and so on).

As part of their induction into the order, they must stick their hand into a brazier of silver fire. In doing so, they will be "marked by the dragon" - gaining a supernatural gift that will grow in power as they do.

I'd like to use the dragonmarks from the Eberron Unearthed Arcana article as a basis for these gifts, but there are a few changes I'd like to make. For one thing, as supernatural gifts, they won't cost a feat slot. They're extra power-ups. I'm also thinking that any cantrips granted can be cast at will, rather than only once per day. I'm also thinking about adding a fourth tier (like the Siberys marks) which kicks in at 13th level maybe?

I've considered tying them into the faction rules as well - making the order a faction and requiring that the PCs have a set amount of renown in addition to the required level before their mark will upgrade - but I think that would ultimately just mean more work for me. Either that or it would be more or less pointless, since the PCs would all be members of the same faction and would (most likely) all be getting renown points at the same time.

Anyway, I'm going to run through the marks I'm thinking of for each of the PCs, and I'd like some feedback on whether people think they are fair.


Dwarf fighter (champion): The Mark of the Sentinel seems like the obvious choice for this guy, except that part of his backstory involves his clan having been decimated by orcs because he got too drunk and fell asleep while on guard duty and failed to warn his people in time. I want one of the PCs to have the Mark of Passage - maybe the dwarf could have it. If I go with a fourth tier, perhaps the benefit could be something like arcane gate, plane shift, or teleport 1/day.


Half-orc cleric (life): This is the only one I'm really not sure about. Might just have to choose one at random. The Mark of Finding might possibly fit (his background is Outlander). The Mark of Making could be nice for him too. Maybe even the Mark of the Sentinel. Hmm.


Human rogue (arcane trickster): I'd like to give the rogue the Mark of Handling. He likes to talk a bit of BS, and there've been a few times where he's claimed to be able to talk to animals even though he can't really, so I thought it would be fun(ny) to turn him into a "beast whisperer" for real. The druidcraft cantrip doesn't really fit the theme, though, so instead I might grant him proficiency in the Animal Handling skill. I'm also tempted to make speak with animals 1/rest rather than 1/day, if not at-will. [And maybe beast sense at will but only as a ritual?] Not sure yet what the fourth tier benefit would be.


Human bard (lore): The obvious choice here would be the Mark of Scribing, and I think I'm fine with that in this case. The only change I might make would be to allow him to cast comprehend languages at will but only as a ritual. Not sure what the fourth tier benefit might be.


Human sorcerer (red dragon): I want to give her an Aberrant Dragonmark of Fire (when she sticks her hand in the fire, her red dragon heritage will protest, turning the fire an angry red and causing her a lot of pain, and her mark will end up looking more like a burn scar). I'm still waiting to hear back from my player as to which exact fire spells she's already taken, but I'm thinking:

Least: control flames cantrip, hellish fiery rebuke 1/day
Lesser: pyrotechnics 1/day
Greater: fire shield or immolation 1/day?
Greatest: conjure elemental (fire only) or investiture of flame 1/day?[/sblock]

 

[Duan'duliir]

This seems like a cool idea. Especially with the Red Dragon Sorcerer's aberrant mark and how that one happens. I would possibly avoid the fourth tier though, especially seeing as you are giving out these feats for free. Passage for the dwarf, handling for the rogue, scribing for the bard also sound cool. What sort of personality does the half-orc cleric have? Without knowing, looking at the spells given by dragonmarks, sentinal seems best, especially since it uses Wisdom, the clerics spellcasting ability

 

[pukunui]

This seems like a cool idea.

Thanks! Since I'm planning something special for my night-before-Halloween session, I've given myself another month or so to work out all the details on this.

Especially with the Red Dragon Sorcerer's aberrant mark and how that one happens.

I have to admit that I'm quite pleased with that one myself. I just hope the player can make it - she's missed the last three sessions so far!

I would possibly avoid the fourth tier though, especially seeing as you are giving out these feats for free.

Yeah, maybe. I just sort of felt like they could continue growing in power a little bit more, rather than capping out at 9th level, but we'll see. The PCs are only 3rd level at the moment, so we've still got a long way to go before any fourth tier benefit would kick in anyway.

What sort of personality does the half-orc cleric have? Without knowing, looking at the spells given by dragonmarks, sentinal seems best, especially since it uses Wisdom, the clerics spellcasting ability

He's a very conscientious fellow who looks out for others. He saved a bandit woman from the gallows by getting her to vow to mend her ways. He now spends some of his downtime helping her to improve her fighting skills in hopes that she can join the town guard. One of his personality traits is "I watch over my friends as if they were a litter of newborn pups." So yeah, Sentinel probably makes the most sense for him.

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[Duan'duliir]

I agree. Sentinel suits him to a T. This is definitely a really cool idea, and now that I've seen it, I am tempted to use it in one of my own campaigns (Though perhaps giving them in a different way)

 

[pukunui]

I'm thinking about changing my approach to these. I want them to be a little more unique and not so focused on spells.

Here's what I'm thinking at the moment:

1) Human Red Dragon Sorcerer - Aberrant Mark of Fire
*Bonus spells:
- cantrip: control flames
- 1st level: fiery rebuke (refluffed hellish rebuke)
- 3rd level: pyrotechnics
- 5th level: fireball
- 7th level: fire shield (warm only)
- 9th level: immolation
*Permanent red dragon-themed flaw:
- "I refuse to part with any of my possessions."
- "I covet anything of monetary value, and can often judge the worth of a bauble to within a copper piece at a glance."
- "The world and every creature in it is mine to command."


2) Dwarf Champion Fighter - Mark of Making
*Bonus Tool Proficiencies: 2 (or more?) artisan's tools
*Bonus Spells:
- cantrip: mending
- 9th level: fabricate 1/day
*something else?


3) Human Arcane Trickster Rogue - Mark of Handling
*Bonus Skill Proficiency: Animal Handling
*Permanent speak with animals effect (like Dr Doolittle essentially)
*Bonus Spell: animal friendship 1/day?
*something else?


4) Human Lore Bard - Mark of Scribing
*Bonus Tool Proficiency: calligrapher's supplies
*Bonus spells:
- 1st level: comprehend languages, illusory script
- 5th level: glyph of warding
*something else?


5) Half-Orc Cleric - ??
*not sure if I still want to stick with Sentinel or switch to Passage instead. Or something else entirely.

 

[pukunui]

Anyone willing to give me some feedback on my latest attempts?

 

[hawkeyefan]

I was never a huge fan of Ebberon, so my familiarity with the dragon marks is minimal. My initial reaction to your idea is that it's pretty cool. I like the idea, and I remember the UA dragon mark article, and I get why you'd use that as a basis for what you want to do.

Looking over the options you plan on giving the characters, though...they don't seem balanced. The dragon sorcerer looks to get a bunch of new spells over time...but the champion fighter gains some proficiencies with some tools? And a cantrip that is okay, but that another party member likely has already?

Now, for some, balance is not a major concern. My players don't always worry about that, especially when it's something story based. But with the heavy mechanics involved in this, it just seems to me that the sorcerer one clearly outshines the others.

Unless I'm missing something...

 

[pukunui]

You're right that they're not really balanced. That's partly because the sorcerer's mark is the only one that's really fleshed out. My intent with that one is to give her a set of thematically-appropriate bonus spells (in this case, fire to go with the red dragon theme) just like the favored soul and storm sorcerer got in their playtest forms. I'm not convinced that the sorcerer is necessarily weak, but I like the idea of giving them more spells known anyway. I was hoping that the extra flaw (or three) would help offset the bigger boost in spell power as well.

As for the dwarf: no one else in the party has mending, nor does it seem likely that anyone else will take it. Would it be more fair if I gave him proficiency with all artisan's tools?

What would you suggest I do to make the others more balanced compared to the sorcerer's?


I suppose, as an alternate idea, I could just have the mark give them each a feat (or the equivalent). The sorcerer, for instance, could gain the Magic Initiate feat with fire spells.

 

[NotActuallyTim]

Have you checked out the Mark of Warding? Might fit the cleric.

 

[Quickleaf]

Anyone willing to give me some feedback on my latest attempts?

I feel like you're headed in a good direction with having most of the granted power non-combat-centric.

Silver dragons aren't the "seek justice and fight evil" types that other metallic dragons tend to be. They're more patient, more concerned with simple honest kindness, more interested in protecting those who are their charges, more interested in outsmarting or outfoxing dangers.

If those are values of the faction they're becoming part of or the spiritual test they're undergoing, I'd suggest reworking the Sorcerer's power (which is too offensive for a typical silver dragon). You kind of have the Sorcerer's Red Dragon blood asserting itself regardless of the outcome of her test, but I'd suggest letting her have a power more focused on utility than combat if she passes the test favoring the silver dragon's values.