Mystic class for Elfmaids & Octopi homebrew

I wrote this months ago and am currently still unsure If I will use.
I folded the spirit symbiote into my priestly holy powers.
I ended up making more non-magic characters

Mystic Class

A magician attuned to a spirit contact who can aid the caster. A mystic has expanded their mind by being in contact with a spirit being or dividing their spirit with long suffering rites or near death trauma.The spirit may scout ahead and use other abilities an a apirit. When not in spirit form the spirit requires a host body, an item form or a familiar form to rest in between. If a spirit is destroyed it reforms from a seed in the mystic reforming when they recover spells with meditation. There are skills to enhance familiars, which can benefit a mystic. 

HD d4
 
Ams Skills 1 +1/4Lv
Arts Skills 4 +1/Lv

Attack +1/4Lv
Weapons: d6 Staff or any d4 or less weapon
Unarmed damage: 1pt
Armour: No armour or Shield

Prime Attribute: Will
gain an extra knowledge of a spell per bonus 

Spell Casting
-Pick one spell list type appropriate for your spirit, but mentalism is the standard
-cast spells as per the spell table up to the 7th order of spells
-know spells: start with knowledge of 4x Zero, 4x 1st Lv spells
-You can know 1 + Will bonus in new spells each new level after 1st
-once per day, you can renew all your spells with  8 hours of chants, craft, meditation, fasting and herbs 
-require spoken sounds, gestures & material components 
-material components include crystals, gems, mushrooms, herbs, caligraphy, art or incense

Spirit Symbiote
Mystics have a special spirit friend who increasingly bonds to them. There is a d12 table for what kind of spirit ally tradition you belong to, and each mystic requires a means of storing their resting spirit. The spirit is often first met in a ritual or traumatic event where the spirit came to aid the character. Your spirit exists in a hierarchy of other spirits and many dungeons and haunted places have spirits. Spirits are ethereal non non-material beings invisible to normal mortals but visible to the host and other spirits. They often have hot takes on what you are doing, even when you dont ask.

d12 Spirit Source
1 Lower Planes beings of hells, underworlds and the myriad of demonic worlds
2 Nature spirits of the mortal plane (land, plant, animal, water, wind)
3 Faerie spirits of faerieland
4 Elemental species often have a beast-like form
5 Poltergeists, troubled spirits of the dead, put to good work
6 Land spirits of certain places, wild, rural, urban or dungeon
7 Ancestral spirit, possibly a magician, often gives unwanted advice
8 Fetch Spirit, a part of your soul, possibly a spiritual twin or shadow  
9 Ghost of a friend, lover, family or mentor  
10 Radient alien spirits of law or star spirits 
11 Shadowy void spirits of the outer darkness who hunger for life force to feed on
12 Cherabim or other winged spirit guardians of the upper worlds

The spirit begins as an invisible spirit on the ethereal plane. It can be see and be seen by other similar ethereal spirits and detected by some spells. It can pass through barriers only on the mortal plane or non-magic with a Mov of 12. At each level, the mystic's use of their spirit power improves. They recover daily after rest and meditation. Spirit attacks can fight other non-material ethereal beings for a d3 attack, but not material mortal enemies. If HP destroyed the reform the next day. There are various familiar boosting skills to enhance them. 

Lv1-4
spirit use per round per level
scout ahead in the ethereal plane border and report back by touch contact what it has seen

1HP + Will bonus per Lv, AC+3 requires planar, silver, cold iron or magic weapons to harm, d3 attack vs spirits 
Lv5-8
spirit use per ten-minute turn per level (or until destroyed)
d4 HP per Lv, AC+5 requires +1 magic weapons to harm, d4 attack
Can travel the ethereal plane and speak to other spirits
Lv9-12 
spirit use per hour per level (or until destroyed) 
d4+1 HP per Lv, AC+7 requires +2 magic weapons to harm, d6 attack
can travel the faerie, dream and nightmare planes

Lv13-16 

spirit use per hour per level (or until destroyed)
d4+2 HP per Lv, AC+7 requires +3 magic weapons to harm, d8 attack

can travel the inner elemental planes
Lv17-20 
spirit use per hour (or until destroyed)
d4+3 HP per Lv, AC+7 requires +4 magic weapons to harm, d10 attack
can travel the outer planes and the astral plane 

Spirit Vessels
Pick One. When your spirit is not in use, it requires time in a container to recover and rest. While in a vessel form, they cannot also be a free-roaming spirit.

Hosts Body
Symbiotic spirit bonded to your soul or formed from it by strange forces from beyond. While safe inside you, it confers some benefits and offers you a different internal monologue of advice or just nagging

Lv1-4 Alerts a sleeping host to threats
Lv5-8 Confers protection from evil on host while inside
Lv9-12 Host can see spirits, invisible or ethereal beings 
Lv13-16 Host who has failed saves to resist vs possession, confusion, sleep, charm or spells cast by spirits gets an extra saving throw using the spirit's chance

Lv17-20 Can teleport or planeshift host to location twice per day 

Familiar 
Form a material body to recuperate or aid the host. May become immaterial again as required. Unarmed attacks are magical damage like a spell effect but made in the physical form against similar targets. Familiars may be customised, and abilities changed from these with the GM approval by sacrificing attacks or reducing damage dice. 

Lv1-4 Form a small material body at will, usually a pet or small winged humanoid, d4 unarmed
Lv5-8 Form a medium body form at will, often more humanoid and well dressed. d6 unarmed
Lv9-12 Form a large body form at will, often a mount, 2x d6 unarmed attacks

Lv13-16 Form a large body form at will, fly 24 or borrow 6 or swim 12, 3x d8 unarmed attacks
Lv17-20 Reforms from destruction with 4d6 of host HP, Attackx3 d12

Item 
Forms a magic item which can be used as a material component for spells (as a spell focus skill but you can have both). The item appears or disappears at will when not used or the spirit is out in ethereal spirit form. It has no encumbrance for the host. Various item choices exist but require skills to use. Thrown weapons return at the end of the round to the host.

Mystic weapon or armour 
Lv1-4 +1  
Lv5-8 +2 
Lv9-12 +3  
Lv13-16 +4
Lv17-20 +5

Mystic Tool (staff, wand, doll, cards, rod, book or medallion)
Lv1-4 know +1 Zero and 1st lv spell for levels 1-4

Lv5-8 know +1 2nd lv spell for levels 5-8
Lv9-12 know +1 3rd lv spell for levels 9-12

Lv13-16 know +1 4th lv spell for levels 13-16
Lv17-20 know +1 5th lv spell for levels 17-8

6-Room Dungeon gothic tomb revision 3

Origional Series
1 Redbrick + Update 1
2 Goblin Mine + Update 2
3 Gothic Tomb
4 Magic Mansion
5 Glacial Chasm
6 Jungle Shrine
7 Underland Cavern
8 Auldwood Grove
9 Sunken City
10 Desert Ruin
11 Eldritch Monolith
12 Hell Gate

mapping your 6 room dungeon 

Environment 
Dungeon Defence Conditions

d12 Sounds & Smells

d12 Rumours

d12 Missions

d12 Factions
d12 Allies 
d12 Enemies
d12 Special Treasure

d12 Special Feature 

Environment
Brick and stone with ornate pillars, grand staircases, ornate often gloomy themed art and stone carvings. Often has religious and underworld images. Moss and lichen may grow over surfaces. Dead floral wreaths, offerings and cobwebs might be commonplace. Doors are solid to keep out robbers. Some have magic traps and seals or more mundane traps. Robbing grave treasure and corpses is a concern of these complexes. Magical lighting is common but torch brackets, lanterns and candles might pe present awaiting someone to light them. Many tombs have slabs on the floor covering graves, niches in walls possibly sealed for coffins and stone sarcophagi are common. Secret doors may be included if someone feared being buried alive or for repairers or religious offerings. 

Dungeon Defence Conditions
5 DEFCON Blue - Peace 1in12 encounters
-quiet like the grave, all seems silent, undead are at rest, seals intact
4 DEFCON Green - Increased intelligence 2in12 encounters
-some undead wander as seals broken, intruders like thieves become likely
3 DEFCON Yellow - War Ready 3in12 encounters
-gates and doors barred and locked, traps set, guarded chokepoints, poltergeists active

2 DEFCON Red - Ready to deploy 4in12 encounters
-more powerful undead and followers hunt for intruders, haunting phenomena & spirits arise

1 DEFCON White - Total war imminent 6in12 encounters

-spirits and walking dead active and waking dream hantings overlap reality with illusions 

d12 Sounds & Smells
1 Bell tolls

2 Chains rattling
3 Moans or screams

4 Drips or running water but none in sight

5 Monk chanting or choir music

6 Scraping or dragging stone sounds

7 Smell of musty mould spores

8 Smell of dust
9 Smell of incense or dead flowers

10 Smell of decay

11 Rotting odour

12 Smoke

d12 Rumours
1 These tombs, once defiled, have roaming angry undead at tomb robbers

2 If their offerings stop, the dead become hungry and crave living flesh

3 Some undead guard their own tombs, others hunt the living out of spite

4 Beware spirits that can possess the living, maybe have some code words
5 If you die in a cursed place or are killed by some undead, you will join them

6 A priest can help a tomb robber, but the right priests don't approve of graverobbing

7 Some undead can be put to rest by helping with their unfinished business

8 Often, a central cursed figure has damned the whole tomb with restlessness

9 Necromancers pay for bodies and might help deal with undead, just watch them well

10 Cults of the dead love such places for the vibes or might long to embrace undeath

11 Sometimes, the undead fight and rob or eat each other. Some even cheat on their spouses

12 Some undead can be bribed with grave goods, tomb repairs, offerings or a kiss on the lips

d12 Missions
1 Clean and repair the tomb on the inside, dont hurt my snappy undead family members

2 Undead nobility are awakening other dead and mobilising them from the tomb

3 A treasure was stolen from our clan and buried in a tomb dedicated to the grave gods

4 An undead has used magic to hide their form and seduce locals, find and destroy them

5 A clan of ghouls have a nest and is ravaging a local graveyard and breaking its wards

6 Scholars want to see the undead up close, so they need escorts and an exorcist for a haunted tomb

7 A hill tomb was unearthed by amateurs, now a prehistoric undead king is roaming by night

8 Locals have died and returned as undead. The original creature is in a local tomb

9 An undead noble has demanded 3 brides and has taken his first victim into their tomb

10 A local person has been seen feeding and talking to undead but they were wearing a hood

11 Medical students angered a tomb complex and the dead have declared war against the living

12 A sorcereror was buried in the tomb with some unusual instructions and since then weird lights and walking dead have been seen around the tomb. A walking mass of worms in the form of a humanoid has been seen comanding the dead. Go stop it

d12 Allies
1 Grave cultists preserve the sanctity of tombs and repair them. They worship the dead and leave them gifts. They use magic to not offend the living and most often guard entryways. If found deeper, it will be to guard an important place
2 Giant spiders eat all kinds of giant corpse-eating bugs and theives. They may choke areas in webbing or occupy a whole chamber or lurk in the ceiling

3 Grave spirits will invisibly watch the tomb and will awaken the dead; they may be appeased at a shrine. May act like a poltergeist and use traps or thrown objects

4 Necromancers might set up here to create the undead and the evil vibe of the tomb. They might respect or compete with intelligent undead

5 Living statues, gargoyles and golems are costly, but effective defences so the dead can rest 

6 Elemental creatures may be bound with magic as part of a tomb's defence

7 Grave Jackals burrow into tombs as homes and keep them free of giant rats and theives. Also add to the clutter of bones. They serve underworld gods

8 Spectral figures, most like dreams or illusions acting in loops, some armed ones can fight and cause real wounds and others will talk for hours

9 Shadows can form from partial remnants of a departed spirit or even come from the underworld. You can sate them with sacrifices of burned offerings or wine but they really want to drink your strength

10 Spirit folk might live inside part of the tomb alone or in a group. They often willingly maintain the place, or they might be imprisoned under a great curse. They appear as tomb residents and are accepted by the undead as locals. Their alignment can vary wildly (d4 spirit folk changelings 1=beast 2=elemental 3=outer planar 4=plant or fungi)

11 Certain fungal life forms help protect the tomb and dont menace the undead. Ambulant fungus includes giant puffballs, shrieking mushrooms, mould, exploding tools, and ultraviolent flesh-rotting toadstools. Too much fungus will eat the dead and encourage monstrous life 

12 Upper or Lower Planar creatures might be bound or be summoned as part of tombs defence 

d12 Enemies
1 Ghouls eat tomb dead, even undead and are smart enough to deal with cults or crime

2 Invertibrates might break in the tomb to eat the dead, some sentient

3 Vermin swarms like rats, flies or tomb wasps might form nests

4 Fungus colonies can thrive in a tomb, and fungus-born undead dont sync with regular undead. Will attract bugs, lizards, toads and goblins

5 Slimes and oozes might clean some rubbish, but will eat the dead if given the chance

6 Tiny goblin kin like gremlins may infest a tomb and defile the dead

7 Giant ants or termites decide to move in, and some rare ones might deceive the undead

8 Graverobbers clans are thieves who have robbed the dead for thousands of years

9 Resserectionists are necromancy students who rob corpses to fund tuition fees

10 Dark faerie spirits come through roots and fugal tendrils and stay for the vibe. They may take over ur create own undead to surplant locals. They also add their own defences and decorations

11 Ghostly spirits may live inside artworks in eternally recursive events. Some may come out to possess a human or might form a body and desire to interact with humans. They might help noble intruders or fall in love with them. Forfilling their life mission or confronting them with their remains might make them pass on, but the first one is less traumatic 

12 Abhuman beast folk are invading and may have control over some locations. Their priests may have managed to herd the undead so the basic goons can build barricades. Beast folk could be huge abhumanoids, changeling spirits or small furry friends, (include d12 1=rat 2=badger 3=mole 4=bat 5=worm 6=pillbug 7=worm 8=fly 9=vulture 10=raven 11=wolf 12=spider)

d12 Special Treasure

1 Warding sticks that mark an area protected by a magic trap

2 Grave seal protects a door or a sarcophagi lid from intrusion and the body inside from being available to evil powers

3 A giant toad which sits on a treasure pile of d4 x1000 coins, can be lured off with giant bugs and possibly tamed

4 A golden necklace of protection but really it holds a malicious spirit that controls the wearer

5 A family heirloom magic weapon +1 and (d4 1=cast light on command 3x a day 2=detect magic x3 a day 3=+2 vs undead or other monster type 4=intelligible and cast cure light wounds on self once a day)

6 Gold ring with a gem (d4 1=protection +1 2=free action 3=featherfall 4=resist fear)

7 Holy symbol with (d4 1=+1 use of holy power a day 2=+1Lv with one common spell 3=+1HP on healing spells 4=cure disease once per week)

8 Grave Diggers Spade d6 damage 2=h weapon 2d6 vs undead with material bodies, dig a cubic foot of earth a round

9 Sickle of the Grave, a silver-bladed +1 sickle d4 or d6 to undead, 1in6 instead a scythe +1 2d4 or 2d6 vs undead, leaves a silver streak and an eerie sound when swung at the dead 

10 Potion of the grave, makes you invisible to non-sentient undead for d d4+1 ten-minute turns, a favourite of grave robbers

11 Sacred Incense, a cone of compressed sweet holy spices and resins, one dose makes an area repulsive to undead as a stinking cloud spell for ten minutes. Smart undead will complain and be disgusted, others will shuffle away. Incorporates some dust of a saint

12 Zombie Potion, a black brew poured on a grave animates an intact corpse as a zombie. It obeys for one hour before it gets bored and wanders off on own

d12 Special Feature
1 Underworld portal is sealed by a magic puzzle and guarded
2 A black and purple crystal grows in a corpse and helps animate the undead

3 An ancient book of evil was lost in this tomb. Various evil factions want it

4 A mischievous spirit living in the tomb has been leading the undead to raid the region

5 A cursed relic here is reanimating the dead, who are resentful and moan a lot

6 Undead servant faction fighting for control of the tomb

7 A famous historic character and some minor ones are buried in this tomb

8 A long-lost song is supposed to be recorded in tomb art

9 Ancient tomb murals can be haunted and the spirits live in a tiny looped world within 

10 A powerful undead thrall of a dark lord has come to the tomb to corrupt it to darkness

11 An older sub-level from prehistory or prehuman times can be found going deeper

12 Various undead, haunted art, spirits and beings in the tomb form a community and gather to gossip, they talk lots in combat and unite to avenge dead undead friends

6-Room Dungeon goblin mine revision 2

My weekly Hawksmire Island D&D 5 game was particularly appalling this week. Ther dragon they were facing last time invited them to take one of three goblets to receive dark gifts or they would be eaten. So Glubglub got spirits and skills, Ratrump the halfling rogue and the new light cleric got mist abilities and Threekay the dwarf cleric got shadow powers. They returned home and worked on Bastions then set off again.

The party killed some orcs and came to city to explore. Found wanted posters for them. Glumpglump the musiacal barbarian tried to impress orcs by juggling heads of another tribe in front of them. The guards let them in without giving them rules in hope party would suffer. The party did some trade and signed up to join the Hunters guild so they could stay in the city. They went into the woods and killed some deer and were pleased they could join the guild. Found a cottage with a family and party a bit wary of some witch signs of sticks on house. So Glubglub invited the man to look in the barrel of his new gun axe and shot him. Party butchered werewolf parents while kids went inside. The new cleric went in to help the children and removed their curses. Glubglub wanted to get them but saw priest protecting them so backed off. Ratrum adopted the form of their dad (but only 3 foot tall) and said mean stuff to the kids to make them cry. Took kids to town and got their hunter's guild passes. Glubglub tried to show off "werewolf" heads that seemed like humans to most. Some guards backed off and secret police and divination teams were activated. The priest buried the heads with a proper funeral and cursed the heads. Threekay has been acting a bit more like a good cleric since he has competition. A messy session of bad behaviour. I'm fine with a new player resisting this.

Origional Series
1 Redbrick + Revision
2 Goblin Mine
3 Gothic Tomb
4 Magic Mansion
5 Glacial Chasm
6 Jungle Shrine
7 Underland Cavern
8 Auldwood Grove
9 Sunken City
10 Desert Ruin
11 Eldritch Monolith
12 Hell Gate

mapping your 6 room dungeon 

Environment 
Dungeon Defence Conditions

d12 Sounds & Smells

d12 Rumours

d12 Missions

d12 Factions
d12 Allies 
d12 Enemies
d12 Special Treasure

d12 Special Feature 

Environment
Rough cut stone mineworks, often with shafts up and down, ladders, scaffolding, rubble heaps and uneven slopes following veins of minerals. Wooden support beams will be in place some bent from the weight. There are a few wooden doors, but iron bar gates are more common. Some may be damp or dry. Will be dark, but lamps, torches, and candles might all be found.

Dungeon Defence Conditions
5 DEFCON Blue - Peace 1in12 encounters
-peaceful goblins working, mostly miners and labourers
4 DEFCON Green - Increased intelligence 2in12 encounters
-armour and weapons made ready and some regular patrols and guard posts
3 DEFCON Yellow - War Ready 3in12 encounters
-baricades, traps set, doors locked, hobgoblins appear in guards and patrols

2 DEFCON Red - Ready to deploy 4in12 encounters
-marching hobgoblin squads and sections, bugbear scouts, more traps and barricades

1 DEFCON White - Total war imminent 6in12 encounters

-bugbear squads, other goblin allies and exotic goblin kin come to help 

d12 Sounds & Smells

1 Stale air

2 Sulphur

3 Smoke

4 Gas

5 Distant clanking sounds

6 Sound of shaking and rubble

7 Rattling chains

8 Distant earthy thumping sounds

9 Cracking rock

10 Sound of tools

11 Horn or bell of some distant 

12 Earth shakes with a lesser tremor

d12 Rumours

1 Goblinoids are bad enough, so look out for anything that can surplant them

2 Some of these mines found strange long-lost horrors best forgotten
3 Goblins can be more civilised than you think and can be traded with
4 Goblin markets have extraordinary goods unheard of by mere humans

5 Goblins are often controlled by more powerful monsters or even elves

6 You can still find minerals in these deep, dark mines, they say

7 Spirits of dead miners may lurk in a mine and may need to be appeased with offerings

8 Old mining structures may be dangerously unstable and bent with age

9 Areas of mines can be flammable and burn for decades

10 Beware of valuables lying about, even dumbest monsters use bait

11 Traps are bad enough but often these tunnels are wildly unsafe

12 Goblins in times of war start practising cannibalism and mutate into other goblinoids

d12 Missions

1 Miners need equipment just lying abandoned in the goblin mine

2 Mining company has breached a goblin mine and needs adventurers to clear it out
3 Dwarves surrounded by goblin outpost mines who could actually be sappers

4 Abandoned tunnels under the village are making noises again, go see if its rats

5 Goblins took a silver mine needed to make weapons vs supernatural beings

6 Goblins in the area are trying to peddle their addictive food, kidnapping and selling cheap goods!
7 Goblins have a new leader, making them more aggressive and resentful

8 New goblin clan, more warlike with more bugbears, thouls, goblins and more

9 What are those goblins digging up or building?

10 Spore clouds from the deep have made humans feel odd. Go and see what's up

11 Aggressive savage goblinoids led by a druidic cult have infested a hill and are attacking the frontier industry

12 The old haunted mines have come to life again. Lights have been seen from the area

d12 Goblin Factions
1 Mountain Borers are dedicated to war with dwarves, gnomes, elves and any underlang folk. They have a ever expanding kingoms under a high king of the deep

2 Earth Kindred are druidic cults, each has a favoured mammal, reptile or amphibian pets. (d6 1=bats 2=wolves 3=lizards 4=frogs 5=rats 6=jackals). They hate civilisation

3 Stone Killers serve evil elemental earth, ever digging and waging war. While some operate forges, many are stone age, shunning metal goods and dwell in caves   

4 Royal Goblins are the most advanced and fancy. They are snooty, love guns and duels. Their palaces are ornate, and they will hire hobgoblins and bugbears and worse as guards

5 Chaos Cult are often mutants, and some devolve into formless horrors. They hate order and civilisation, preferring to fight as irregular mobs to glory and entropy!

6 Arcane Cult are wizard and alchemist goblins who seek spell knowledge above all, wear pointy wizard hats. They trade for spells or serve wizards to learn spells

7 Machine Cult are mechanical engineers who craft automatons and siege weapons. They steal technology from gnomes, dwarves or humans readily and may improve it

8 Invert Breeders are druidic tribes who keep giant bugs, spiders, scorpions, crabs, worms or other critters. They domesticate a favoured species as foor, mounts or herd beasts

9 Fungus Farmers are druidic tribes who cultivate fungus forests in the deep and sometimes the surface world. They have ambulant pets also. Vegetal and slime keepers exist too

10 Faerie Kindred serve elves and faeries, and often live on the borderlands to keep humans away. They also kidnap humans, especially children, as slaves in faerieland, often using addictive food 

11 Goblin Market clans are travelling merchants who operate seasonal markets selling weird goods from across the great world tree and other worlds. They are secretive to humans

12 Death Kindred serve the underworld gods and death. They dig up corpses of humans and make undead from them. They often work with necromancers, dark rulers and death cults

d12 Goblin Allies
1 Dark faerie such as brownies, sprites and dryads of underworld fungus  
2 Evil gnomes are sadistic enslavers with weird powers
3 Hobgoblin mercenaries might be called in but there is a risk they take over being more lawful

4 Bugbear mercenaries might be hired but they will start eating goblins if times are lean

5 Norkers are savage, tusked big cave goblins who shun tools non stone age tools

6 Gremlins, snyads or Mites are tiny goblinkin who infest areas and spread bad luck 

7 Nilbogs are contrarian chaos-touched goblin saints who may dress as jesters, things that harm normal people heal them and healing harms them

8 Barghests with own goblin followers and pets might come to help but are dangerous

9 Thouls are made by arcane goblin rituals where they mate ghouls, trolls and goblins to make these dangerous monstrosities. They often live alone or as bodyguards as more antisocial 

10 Kobolds are more orderly but respected crafters and builders, and are goblin kin

11 Dark Creepers and Stalkers, fey folk from the deep who hate surface folk

12 Trolls are dangerous to deal with and eat goblins but effective and work for food

d12 Goblin Enemies
1 Maezel humanoid hating loners, hunt other species and are widely hated, have a secret lair

2 Mimicks eat goblins and are disguised as treasure, ore carts, barrels and mining gear

3 Abhuman beast folk might enslave or eat goblins (d4 1=mole 2=lizard 3=toad 4=rat 5=bat 6=squid) 

4 Ogres and giants may eat or enslave goblins

5 Dwarves are age-old foes, even if they have similar alignment and cults

6 Elves of bright or shadow dwelling may enslave or wage war on goblins

7 Fish folk from deep flooded mines will eat and enslave goblins

8 Land Shark, a huge burrowing horror

9 Giant ant or termite colony

10 Giant bugs, spiders, scorpions, crabs, slugs, worms or other insect critters

11 Ochre Hulk will hunt and eat goblins

12 Xorn come to eat minerals, especially gems

d12 Special Treasure
1 Goblin Idol of stone, clay or woven fibre, holds a spirit that warns the local goblins if an intruder enters the goblins' area. Some may have wards or curses ready on them as traps too

2 Goblin Pick d6 ignites flamables with sparks if struck on stone or metal +1 lightning damage and makes a flash of light over a 3m circle. +2 to hit vs metal armour

3 Eggs that hatch creatures (d4 1=strange goblin dogs 2=spiders 3=slugs 4=giant beetle), in a box with a d6 and padding

4 Chaos Mushroom gives you a d4 minor mutation and a major mutation for one hour, for each mutation save or becomes permanant. Too many mutations can make you a chaos horror

5 Goblin Sacred Pole protects camps from petty spirits and wild animals over a 6m circle, unless you attack them first
6 Goblin Bone Flute if played, animates a skeleton as long as you play as a standard skeleton. It is obvious who is controlling it

7 Ancestral Mask +1 AC and +1 damage any weapon used if worn by a goblin, other users must save or be possessed by an ancestor spirit who will try to destroy the body to aid goblin kind

8 Goblin Ruff +1 Protection, fancy neck ruff that can shrink to a modest collar

9 Goblin Mace d6 +1 magic mace, if blocked by a near miss from a non magic sheild will shatter 

10 Goblin Cestus d4 damage, +1 Protection and +1 hit and damage, but you must wear the pair; if punched together, they produce sparks and a loud noise

11 Goblin Blade d4 damage and save or a d4 venom damage, handle can store 10 uses in a well

12 Goblin Fruit is very delicious and sweet to smell. Eat any save or crave more beyond reason, allowing goblins to lure you to faerieland. You get one more save to resist capture but you remain desperate and melancholic. Drinking lots and vice helps take away your loss. Removing the curse or cure poison may help

d12 Special Features
1 A pumphouse worked by machines or labour is required to keep water levels down 

2 Goblinoids are already on alert due to conflict with some invading enemy monsters

3 A spirit of mine aids the goblins with alerts, traps, and healing

4 Poor safety conditions, noise or explosions may cause cascading cave-ins and mini quakes. Perhaps complex has a timeline of minor events before a final collapse

5 The mine is hot and sweaty, making fatigue worse in heavy armour and you need more water

6 A strange mineral or gas poses additional risks (d4 1=corrosive 2=mutagen 3=poison 4=flamable)

7 Fungus has overgrown every surface and attracted giant critters

8 Haunted with undead miners and possibly any killed here arise occupied by evil spirits

9 An evil mine spirit bothers everyone here with pranks and worse but goblins are more prepared with holy symbols and their magicians have spells ready for it

10 A giant sleeping titan or kaiju has been partly exposed and in several chambers with valuable resources right against it or perhaps it is the resource

11 Damp and slimy mines slithering with gelatinous monsters and perhaps some giant bugs who eat them

12 Giant ants or termites or rats are always getting in and a pest for regular occupants and possibly a dramatic breakthrough might happen soon. Three-way combats or strange alliances might form in crisis

Is Ravenloft the Best official D&D5 Setting?

Yes it is. No doubt

Oh reasons....sure
Actually its like my Planet Psychon in some ways...

1 Ravenloft is Mostly One Way Entry
Domains connect to other domains. You can come from any setting to Ravenloft. Once in Ravenloft, getting out is harder. You dont need to worry about the rest of the multiverse much.

2 In Ravenloft everybody is damned
All those normal villagers in the land. They are all damned too. If they die here and dont get their souls eaten or turn into undead, they get reincarnated in another domain. There is no escape for most people. The land may snatch you back if you escape. If your a horrible person like a murder hobo adventurer its no wonder you're here now. If you were good, maybe some power is testing you or wants you to beat a domain lord.

3 Ravenloft is a Prison
The domain lords are prisoners to whos tragic circumstances are used to make them suffer. Adventurers may be brought in as a test or challenge or to frustrate the domain lords. The truly good may be brought here to frustrate to prisoners and to test their zeal with corrupting dark power. Some good might be sent by a good god to help free commoners from suffering. Maybe adventurers give false hope to locals to crush their spirits. You might be here to be corrupted or to make sport for a domain lord or perhaps to make a villain of the realm suffer.

4 You Will Never Escape!
The world seeks to make you its creature and may offer dark gifts to help bind you to the nightmare realm. Maybe the dark forces tease you with escape then brings you back just to show your never free. The uk 60s spyfi show "The Prisoner" is a good show with this struggle. You might come up with stories of escape that lead you to some disaster. Maybe if a pair of mist traveller holds hands with others in between they could all travel. Maybe The Dark Powers let you loose for a bit and trick you back. Perhaps a hunchbacked angel or a hermit might know some secret out but the information is flawed or has unforseen catches.

5 Dark Gifts are Shackles
I quite like various versions of dark gifts. A new version is out but I dont really know if very different. Im making a rare change to these rules for my own game. I presented choices of dark gifts as boblets of fuid or a black dragon would eat them. The dragon gets kickbacks for encouraging others to take dark gifts but has to let you live. So in the older Ravenloft 5th ed book I found the gifts not good value as feats. But as bonus setting abilities, they are fine.

I have rewritten 4 ive offered so far in game. Im keeping the core benefits of powers and diluting the weakness. I'm redefining the bad stuff as Quirks, which might just be cosmetic. The 1in20 roll activates problems, the mechanic isn't too awful as you only get this effect once per long rest. I'm using all the fluff tables and disadvantages for cosmetic drama fodder not just mechanical effects. I will be fine if some creepy features come up in some situation and they are great roleplaying fodder not mechanical and too punitive as in the official versions.

To me dark gifts are signs of corruption you willingly accept that help bing you to the realm. I might offer them more in-game but escape from the realm depends on purging them. Some expert or location will reveal the means. My take on them is to make characters bound to Ravenloft and introduce personal spooky fluff drama for a more psychological character development. The tables and penalties described in the text are now just for ideas. Id rather have more narrative cosmetic effects than mechanical nerfs. I think a 1in20 chance of activating a weird effect is more just a reminder to have a side effect used in play. It is fine like this, but it feels more punitive by book. A few new book reviewers are complaining about these like they are new. Im probably waiting till the book goes on sale. 

Living Shadow
Grasping Shadow. You learn the Mage Hand cantrip if you don't already know it, and require no components to cast it. The hand created by the spell is shadowy but is not bound to your actual shadow. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (your choice when you gain this Dark Gift).

Shadow Strike. When you make a melee attack roll, you can increase your reach for that attack by 10 feet. Your shadow stretches and delivers the attack as if it were you. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus, and you regain all expended uses when you finish a long rest.

Quirk: Your shadow does odd things and looks strange sometimes. They might activate on a roll of 1 in play once between long rests or other times

Mist Walker
Misty Step. You can cast the Misty Step spell, requiring no spell slot, and you must finish a long rest before you can cast it this way again. Your spellcasting ability for this spell is Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (your choice when you gain this Dark Gift). If you have spell slots of 2nd level or higher, you can cast this spell with them.

Mist Traveller. When you enter the Mists, intent on reaching a specific domain, you are treated as if you possess a Mist talisman keyed to that domain. To use this trait, you must know the name of the domain you have chosen as your destination, but you don't need to have previously visited that land. This trait doesn't allow you to bypass domain borders closed by a Darklord's will.

Quirk. You feel more comfortable travelling than staying in one place. Its as if the land puts roots in you and drains your dreams. You recover fatigue half speed, if you remain a week or more in the same bed or comunity. Prison would be awful.

Borrowed Eye (in players case watched by ancestral spirits)
As an action, you can influence the presence guiding the watchers for 1 hour. For the duration, you gain advantage on Intelligence (Investigation) and Wisdom (Perception) checks, and you can't be blinded. Once you use this feature, you can't use it again until you finish a long rest.

Quirk. Spirits are attracted to you and gossip about you, divination attempts vs you have advantage or greater effect. Spirits might become visible on a roll of 1 in play once between long rests or other times

Soul Echoes (visions of past life or incarnation from spirits)
Channelled Prowess. You gain proficiency in two skills of your choice.
Inherent Tongue. You can speak, read, and write one additional language of your choice.
Quirk. You get flashbacks and echoes from the past from spirits on a roll of 1 in play once between long rests or other times.

6 A Domain of Your Own
You can make your own bampagn for one or two sessions or longer. You can try other domains and ditch them quick. There are tons old splatbooks from the past to get ideas from. Lots of old ones on Drivethrough POD. You dont need a huge campaign setting, and you can bring up any environment you please. Make a setting you like. A mini domain to sample any idea without going whole hog. Made a dud? Let it break up, and the dark powers recycle it. 

7 Variety
Horror sub-genres and various pseudo-historical inspired fantasy let you try a huge amount of campaign styles.  Also, a variety of social encounters and ultra violence can be found with villages, ruins and haunted places. All kinds of scenarios can be amped up to be horror domains.

8 Villains
They are jerks you can unrepentantly kill if you can. Recycle old, dead campagn villains. Maybe they still return if the dark powers support them. But don't overdo this. Maybe a shadow of them is just felt in paintings and clues of some new domain lord's realm. Maybe these could be a bridge for the lord to return. A minor haunting might be a fragment of the old domain lord grasping at existence.

-------------------

Finally, I think the new thing most in line I'm waiting for is a book with all the core wizards in one book with new spells. They really need a deity book with gods and domain clerics. Wizards and Priests have a huge effect on world-building and are essential for the campaign, and not just for character use.

I hope we dont get these subclasses in dribs and drabs and do get something like the 2nd ed brown books for major classes rather than leave as an implied big project that never finishes. Maybe could do cleric and paladin book, ranger and druid book, rogue and bard book. Making an edition with no effort to complete basic game features seems a bit broken. I think they prefer small doses so they can sell books to players with player options to sell books.

Imagine one book of d&d5 with content only up to 10th lv and basic content to start play from dmg and mm. Then you could worry about high-level later and not let it take up your headspace beyond that. Obviously, a later book with 11-20 would be a less-needed option for most players. 

Partly, I play by core books and limiting non core book content on request. Ravenloft and Theros campagns help me narrow lots of game content. I do like one bastion feature in the FR players book for theros letting you have a druidic woodland weird sylvan peoples are attracted to. Honestly Id like a Bastion book with mundane building cost and times and some domain tables to run yearly play turns where you spend a season at home. Im exited by prospects of getting haunted Bastions.

6-Room Dungeon redbrick revision 1

These are extra details for my 6-room dungeons
I think compiling all this in a PDF to be a manageable project
I see if i can set up as a charity thing in a way that doesnt go through me would be preferable

These will be compiled with earlier work and might need to be reworked if repeats too much
Origional Series
1 Redbrick
2 Goblin Mine
3 Gothic Tomb
4 Magic Mansion
5 Glacial Chasm
6 Jungle Shrine
7 Underland Cavern
8 Auldwood Grove
9 Sunken City
10 Desert Ruin
11 Eldritch Monolith
12 Hell Gate

mapping your 6 room dungeon

Revision series 

Environment 
Dungeon Defence Conditions

d12 Sounds & Smells

d12 Rumours

d12 Missions

d12 Factions
d12 Allies 
d12 Enemies
d12 Special Treasure

d12 Special Feature 

To date, I've had kobold slavery in my setting, so yes kobolds can be wageslaves in a contract, which can also be slavery with extra steps. Being lawful they might accept these conditions longer than neutrals and chaotics. Kobolds can also be outcast for antisocial behaviour and these eventually feel desperate for a hierarchy and may just start following humans home to work with them for food and board. They can if well treated, be fine fellows but have wicked spite to those who abuse their labour. Wild kobolds might shun kobolds raised in human lands. 

Redbrick Dungeon Environment

Walls and floor are brick, possibly worn in places and some etched graffiti. Floors are cobblestone but might if damp, grow some slime. Running water might wear grooves through bricks. Long used steps and paths may be worn smooth. Sometimes you get calcium formations like caves that grow and help you estimate age of the works. Doors are wood with locks and bolts or with bars. Some doors are reinforced with iron strips and studs with little spy hatches for guards at kobold height. Very uniform design as Kobolds let loose start making bricks and building these complexes by instinct.

Dungeon Defence Conditions
5 DEFCON Blue - Peace 1in12 encounters
-peaceful kobolds working, mostly civilians and occasionally see militia or hunters
4 DEFCON Green - Increased intelligence 2in12 encounters
-guard post checks, more patrols, scouts, alarms set, armour and weapons made ready
3 DEFCON Yellow - War Ready 3in12 encounters
-guards and patrols size increased, drills, recruiting, baricades, traps set, doors locked

2 DEFCON Red - Ready to deploy 4in12 encounters
-scouts and assault squads ready, hide loot, evacuate civilians, more traps and barricades

1 DEFCON White - Total war imminent 6in12 encounters

-frenzy inspired by leaders, seal sections with cave-ins or rubble, call allies and divine aid

d12 Sounds & Smells

1 Hear chiselling and hammering into rock or brickwork

2 Hear rattling chains

3 Hear rubble being dumped

4 Hear a drunk kobold singing or perhaps a group

5 Hear diggling kobold kids running

6 Clang of a dropped tool or weapon

7 Sulphurous odour of brimstone

8 Smell of earth or clay

9 Smell of acrid acid or urine

10 Smell of burned fuel

11 Smell of candles or torches

12 Smell of sewerage

d12 Rumours
1 Kobolds all know how to dig, make traps and bricks 

2 Kobolds build in a similar minimal brick style in many lands

3 Some cities are riddled with kobold tunnel infestations

4 Kobold dungeons are often hijacked by other stronger humanoids

5 Kobolds are long-lived and breed fast, but often are slaughtered

6 Redbrick dungeons are common on the frontier and even in rural districts

7 People may kidnap kobold young and sell them as servants

8 Some kobolds worship dragons and refuse to surrender to humans 

9 Kobolds like to party and drink and fornicate when at peace and well fed

10 Kobolds can be tamed with treats and coins and work as hard as a human

11 Kobolds used to live in many places and left many structures behind

12 Evil wizards and dark lords love to get kobold work crews on their dungeons

d12 Missions

1 kill king kobold!

2 How large is the Kobold Complex

3 Destroy all kobolds

4 Kidnap lots of kobolds for the market

5 Kobolds have seized valuable goods

6 New boss or spell user encouraging aggression, get them

7 Some wizard seems to be directing the kobolds so get them

8 Hellish cult working with evil kobolds

9 See if the kobolds have a dragon like they say

10 Go make a deal with kobolds and estimate their numbers

11 Kobolds are hiding a wanted bandit gang for some reason

12 Kobolds have kidnapped some well-liked gnomes

d12 Factions
1 Draconic clan kobolds, some with wings and elemental magic, might know a dragon for real

2 Miner kobold clan with little pointy caps who sing, often humans leave offerings

3 Hells kobold clan can't wait to go to hell and rank up, then get revenge on the world

4 Koboldi more goat-legged satyr-like hedonists into drink, dance and sex

5 Dog Clan are a yipping dog cult tribe who ride dogs and resembles small dog humanoids 

6 Royal Clan Kobolds have fancy armour, weapons and teamwork, ride goat chariots 

7 Arcane Kobolds use wizardry, alchemy, guns and dangerous trappers 

8 Kobold sappers mercenaries with expertise in digging, tunnel fighting and siege engineering

9 Flora cult clan related to growing life like cacti, turnips, mushrooms, pumpkins, apples, grass or more

10 Machine kobolds with spirit-powered mechanical machines like bikes, cars, moles, power armour or self-loading guns or crossbows

11 Hells kobolds seek to advance ranks in hell, weat devil symbols and we;; equipped

12 Necro kobolds employ undead, especially of enemies' corpses, at war with ghouls

d12 Allies
1 Dungeon spirits might aid and warn kobolds, some might be ancestors

2 Goblins may be allies or mercenaries who sometimes surplant kobolds

3 Orc mercenaries, but the risk is that they take over after winning

4 Tamed pack of wild dogs or baboons 

5 Giant rat colony for meat, leather, sinew, teeth and milk

6 Beast folk abhumans or smaller beastling folk, (rat, lizard, fox, jackal, hare, draconic)

7 Elemental familiars allies of various types   

8 Flora, including slime, plants or fungi. Some are even humanoids and might be allies

9 Giant insects, worms, arachnids or other invertebrates can be food  

10 Rust monsters can be lured around with copper coins and tricked into the adventurer's path 

11 Mimics  tamed guardians that the kobolds feed

12 Hell sends some imps or a hellhound to help on request 

d12 Enemies
1 Gnome invaders here to kill all kobolds and take their stuff, might be of any type

2 Goblinoid enemies who try and surplant kobolds

3 Orc bullies taking over, and plan to eat and enslave kobolds

4 Gremlins crawling all over the place like vermin, even worse now its boggles too!

5 Giant rat colony of pests stealing food, biting babies, chewing stuff and spreading disease

6 Beast folk abhumans or smaller beastling folk, (dog, goat, wolf, cat, rabbit, pig, badger)

7 Reptilian enemy abhumans or smaller beastlings include draconic, serpentine, saurian,lizards etc. Often have pets 

8 Flora based on plants or fungi, even humanoids

9 Giant insects, worms, arachnids or other invertebrates eat kobolds

10 Amphibian folk may redirect water and flood dungeons to invade them and eat kobolds whole. They also can breed fast but need lots of bugs, use slaves to make compost and grow bug food  

11 Mimics might invade to eat kobolds 

12 A human cult or wizard seeks to control the kobold lair for themselves. They will use kobolds to expand

d12 Special Feature 

1 Bats everywhere and kobolds know the sounds of bat panic. May swarm and cause confusion and block vision and sound

2 Kobold youth gangs painting unauthorised signs and murals to mark gang turf and slander enemies

3 Advanced plumbing with pipes, taps and flushing toilets, clean tiled surfaces

4 Invading larger humanoids, so kobolds are on extra high alert

5 Some species here to hunt and eat kobolds like giant lizards, toads or bugs

6 Slime, roots and flowing water over walls and floors, humid and some giant fungi 

7 Construction scaffolding and building materials stacked about

8 Sewer pipes suitable for kobold transport in emergencies with locked grates

9 Secret passage, kobold crawlspace under the dungeon for service and stealth

10 Spirit of fire worshipped here may light or snuff candles or lamps or torches

11 Earth spirit likes kobolds and will signal them with knocks on walls if danger close

12 Kobold ancestral petty spirit may set off traps and alert kobolds to peril

d12 Special Treasure

1 Trap kit packed in box with instructions ready to install

2 Box of six smoke bombs or grenades with long fuses

3 Box with four incendiary bombs - clay pots in urn with fuel and lard with cloth fuse

4 Copper hand axe +1 makes sparks when strikes rock or metal

5 Dagger +1 +d3 electrical damage vs taller enemies

6 Bundle of thunder rock slingstones, each explodes over a 10 ft circle for 2s4

7 Returning +1 javelin returns to hand at end of round if within 100ft

8 Idol with two ruby eyes worth 100gp each, removing or carrying them results in a curse

9 Dog figurine when name called becomes real, if killed returns to figure form and shatters

10 Bag of kobold bones with 2d4 bone chips, each can be dropped and becomes a kobold with a tiny bow or club. After the battle will wander off to join a kobold tribe 

11 Spirit rattle, irritates spirits in 10 foot who may manifest or give a sign of presence. Might initiate crude conversation or manifest if offered a bribe or insulted

12 Lucky Flint in pocket or in wrist band or necklace. +1 saving throw, or you can destroy it to stop you bleeding to death and be restored to 1hp, you can activate unconscious 

My One Stop How To Grapple Guide for d&d5.5/2024

I made this as all these rules are all over the book. This came about from an elemental monk player wanting to grab a trex or 10-ton bronze golem with every punch, kick and headbutt, then run. So I wrote this up. Sorry to anyone feeling targeted by this post. My first pure modern era d&d mechanics post. Yes, other abilities move ppl without consideration of size difference or mass.

How to Grapple D&D 2024

Obviously, some feats and abilities overcome these problems, but they need to state that they can alter grappling rules in the description, dont just assume they can. Temporary magic or unusual species extra hands that can only do damage or simple motor or manipulation tasks cannot grapple unless they specifically say they do. This took multiple sources from PHB2024 and reading some forums.

Take the Attack Action
🙌Declare an Unarmed Strike against a creature within your reach.
Choose the Grapple Option: Instead of dealing damage, you attempt to physically grab the target.
🙌Target Saves: The target chooses to make either a Strength or Dexterity saving throw.
🙌Determine Success: The Save DC is 8 + your Strength modifier + your Proficiency Bonus. If the target fails the save, they gain the Grappled condition

The Grappled condition
🙌Speed of 0: The target’s speed becomes 0 and cannot benefit from any speed bonuses.
🙌Disadvantage on Attacks: The creature has disadvantage on attack rolls against anyone except the grappler.

Releasing
🙌You can release the target at any time (requires no action).

Ending the Condition:
🙌If the attacker becomes incapacitated
🙌If the target uses its action to make a successful Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against your escape DC
🙌If an effect pushes you or the target away from each other, the grapple ends

Restrictions & Limitations

Free Hand Requirement:
🙌You must have at least one free hand to initiate or maintain a grapple. So you can only grapple two targets if both hands are free.
🙌Some characters can make multiple unarmed attacks but you still require a free hand to grapple a target. You can grab and release a target then use that now free hand to grapple if you have an attack still.
🙌Because grappling occupies at least one hand, you cannot attack with two-handed weapons (like greatswords or heavy crossbows) while grappling.

Maintain Reach:
🙌The grappled target must remain within your reach.
🙌If an effect forces them outside your reach, the grapple immediately ends.

Your Movement:
🙌You can drag or carry the grappled target, but your speed is halved unless the creature is at least two sizes smaller than you while doing so. Weight can also affect your speed.

Size & Weight Limits:
🙌You can only grapple a target that is no more than one size larger than your character.
The target's weight counts against your carrying capacity.
🙌If the combined weight of your gear and the enemy exceeds your standard Carrying Capacity (but is under your Drag maximum), your speed is instantly reduced to a maximum of 5 feet total. If you choose to drag the grappled enemy along the ground rather than carrying them, your physical limits are doubled.

Tiny Size: Multiply your Strength score by 7.5 pounds or 15 if dragged
Small / Medium Size: Multiply your Strength score by 15 pounds or 30 if dragged
Large Size: Multiply your Strength score by 30 pounds or 60 of dragged