Here’s a rundown of the episode:

• 00:41 + Heard Any Good Rumours Lately? News from the Planes.
• 04:39 + Off To The Races: This episode features Humans
• 08:32 + You So Classy! This episode, we’re looking at the Fighter
• 17:47 + Background Check: The Outlander
• 20:05 + Monster Menagerie: The Ettin
• 24:18+ Lore Academy: None this time, listen to find out why
• 24:33 + The Infamous: Tiamat

Total runtime - 30:45

Sources & further reading: 

Humans - PHB: 29-31 SCAG: 100-112, XGTE:(Names) 181-192

Fighters - PHB: 70-75 XGTE: 27-31, SCAG: 127-128

Oulander background - PHB: 136-137

Ettin - Monster Manual: 132

Links

https://www.icastpod.com/episode/episode-4-soldiers-and-beholders-and-dwarves-oh-my I Cast Pod episode 4, which includes the Soldier background - useful for Fighter builds.

https://forgottenrealms.fandom.com/wiki/Tiamat- FR Wiki on Tiamat

https://amzn.to/3d90UV4- Amazon affiliate link to Tyranny of Dragons

https://amzn.to/3aVVTxi - Amazon affiliate link to Hoard of the Dragon Queen

https://amzn.to/3aSEshd- Amazon affiliate link to Rise of Tiamat

https://syrinscape.com - Syrinscape tabletop audio. (Not an affiliate link)

Episode TranscriptCold open

Welcome to I Cast Pod, a D&D podcast about creating characters, taking chances, rolling dice and having fun. I’m Mike, your DM and guide to all things dungeonesque and dragon-y. In this episode, we’re talking about Death Metal, Ettins, Tiamat, Fighters, and Outlanders.

Heard Any Good Rumours Lately?

I finally took delivery of my package of The Depths of Drasted - a limited edition boxed set of CD and one shot 5E compatible adventure, from the death metal band, The Black Dahlia Murder - who I’m already a big fan of. The adventure is designed to take around 3 hours to complete, so perfect for a one shot, and the character sheets all start at level 5, (“simply because at level 5 you have access to all the cooler spells and abilities” according to the booklet.)

The adventure takes place in the long-deserted ruins of the city of Drasted, which in its prime was a centre for magical learning, but has been abandoned for long ages. Stories tell of this repository of knowledge being home to many powerful and magical artefacts, ripe for plunder - but superstitions abound of this dark and foreboding place being home to an ancient force that rose up from under the city, poisoning it’s inhabitants and turning some into horrific abominations beyond the limits of flesh and imagination. In fact, as you enter a pall falls over the group and there seems to be an ominous green glow emanating from somewhere out of sight…

The set contains:

• The CD of the album Verminous
• A 24 page adventure booklet, with hand drawn artwork for items, enemies, maps, and page borders as well as tables for slime mutations and temporary insanity. 
• A custom set of green dice, with a variation of the biohazard symbol on the ‘one’ face, (apart from the D4, where it is in the middle on each face.)
• A DM screen featuring artwork from the album’s cover 
• Custom pre-generated character sheets for Sloan McCord, cleric; Dux Lefevre, wizard; Wagner Lionheart, fighter; Walker Garrotte, fighter; and Chance Deveraux, rogue
• High quality thick presentation cards for the unique enemies in the game: Dark Cultist, Tomb Hornet Grave Rat and King Rat, with hand drawn artwork printed on one side and background info and stats printed on the reverse
• 4 Hand drawn printed pull out maps to play on with minis.

There’s definitely more than I expected in the box and it’s of high quality overall. I’m really pleased with not only one of my favourite bands putting out a D&D adventure as a boxed set for its album release, but also the fact that the module has obviously had a lot of work and love put into it. Grab one if you can.

Off to the RacesHumans

I have to say I don’t really understand the choice to play as a human. If in any game: video, TTRPG, or even board game; if there’s another option besides human, I will play that. Elves are my personal favourite. But seeing as we play these games for some escapism from our day to day lives, playing a human seems a little… basic.

“You could be a powerful elemental?”

“Human.”

“A creature that looks like a demon - red skin, tail, horns and all!”

“Hmm… human.”

“A stout dwarf? A nimble halfling? A graceful elf? An industrious gnome?”

“Ooh! Erm… human please.”

“Bird person? Lizard person? Sentient Robot?”

“Nah.”

“How about a half-human hybrid? A half orc? Half elf? Half drow?”

“Nope, just make me a regular Joe.”

That being said, let’s look at the advantages of playing a human. In D&D humans are the most varied of all the races. As in real life, there is no such thing as an ‘average’ human. Height, weight, skin and hair tones are all widely variable. 

Humans are also driven by ambition to achieve in ways that some of the longer lived races, just aren’t. Humans are the most adaptable, with wide varieties of moralities, cultures and proclivities which is widespread over the face of Toril.

Despite most human lives lasting under a century, they build cities and monuments to last through the ages, and preserve traditions through several lifetimes. Despite looking to legacy and the future, humans also live in the moment for the greater part, making them ideal for the adventuring lifestyle. They keep abreast of events too, including social and political changes. They are also welcoming of other races into their societies, for the most part - at least compared with how many humans are able to live in other societies. 

Humans also have the odd compunction to champion causes, rather than just territory or group affiliations.

Adventuring humans may turn to the profession for any number of reasons - wanderlust, greed and avarice, the pursuit of glory, fame and power, or just the desire to help others and root out evil.

Humans have settlements, cities and even empires over the face of Toril, including Neverwinter, Waterdeep, and Baldur’s Gate, as well as numerous smaller sites like Phandalin, Iriaebor and Loudwater.

Humans are kind of generally good at everything in moderation in D&D and are famous for their adaptability, living in more types of terrain, from harsh tundra to scorching deserts, than any other race. Humans can survive and even thrive almost anywhere on the face of Toril, or even underneath the surface. Humans even settle in places that other races have forsaken, building towns and cities on the ruins of earlier civilisations.

The one thing that holds the human race back from becoming even more prevalent and powerful is their predilection for infighting. Were they able to band together and unify in the way that the elves or dwarves do, they might rule over all Toril.

Stat Block 

Your ability scores each increase by 1

Any alignment is viable, as humans span the gamut.

Speed: 30ft

Size: Medium. Usual range is between 5-6ft

Languages: Common and one extra language of your choice. Humans typically learn the language of the peoples they most commonly trade or deal with. Humans often appropriate words from other languages and pepper it into their own speech.

You So ClassyFighter

One of the most diverse classes in the game, the fighter can be specc’d a number of different ways, from a knight, to a gladiator, mercenaries - even archers can come under the purview of the fighter. 

All fighters learn the basics or all combat styles, which means that as a fighter, you can pick up an axe, Warhammer, sword or bow and start doing some damage. You’re rarely, if ever, defenceless. You can swashbuckle with the best of them, snipe enemies from range, restrain them with a net, or get up close and personal. 

Fighters are similarly adept with all types of armour and shields as well. Every fighter has a specialism, whether it’s two handed weapons like great swords or battle axes; duel weapon fighting with short swords or daggers, or a spear and shield combo. Some fighters even bolster their proficiencies and abilities with magic.

Fighters stand apart from your average city watch guard, soldier or mercenary, being more like veterans, high ranking officers or loyal knights. They are much more capable and highly trained than your average grunt.

Obviously such skills make them ideal for the adventuring life and many fighters turn to adventuring after a contract runs out, a job ends or just to try their hand at gaining special weapons and armour, which are often secreted away in dangerous corners of the world, guarded by monsters that will prove a challenge for a fighter’s mettle and skill.

When creating a fighter, consider where you got your initial training. Were you a mercenary, a soldier or perhaps a bodyguard? What made you stand out in the ranks? Did you complete some heroic deed by the skin of your teeth? Did you save the life of your employer? Are you just more ruthless and bloodthirsty than the rest of your brothers-in-arms? 

Did you learn under a mentor, or just dedicate yourself to learning every martial trick for advantage on the battlefield?

What made you become a fighter? Did you just have a knack for swinging a sword? Did you take up arms to protect the weak, or to get revenge on someone? Do you just want to protect your homeland or its people? Or maybe you needed to prove yourself to someone?

Were you tested in the academy or just spend hours alone, honing your skills?

You can make a quick fighter build by choosing either Strength or Dexterity as your primary stat, depending on whether you’d prefer to wield melee weapons or archery/finesse weapons. Your secondary stat should either be Constitution, or Intelligence if you plan on going the Eldritch Knight route, which we’ll discuss shortly. Lastly for the quick build, choose the soldier background - listen to episode 4 for more info about the Soldier background - link in the show notes.

As a fighter you get to pick a fighting style. The PHB lists:

• Archery - which gives a +2 bonus to attack rolls that you make with ranged weapons
• Defence - gives you a +1 to AC when you’re wearing armour
• Duelling - When wielding a single melee weapon and no other weapons, you gain +2 to damage rolls with that weapon
• Great Weapon Fighting - When using a two handed melee weapon or a weapon with the versatile property, if you roll a 1 or 2 for damage, you can re-roll, but must use the new result
• Protection - You can impose disadvantage on an attack roll against a creature other than yourself, if it is within 5ft and visible to you - handy if your companions get attacked
• Two-Weapon Fighting - You can add your ability modifier to the damage of the second attack

Another main mechanic of the fighter class is Second Wind. This allows you to take a bonus action on your turn to regain 1D10+ your level HP back, giving the fighter excellent sustain in prolonged battles, without having to call on the healer too much.

At second level, you gain Action Surge. Your reserves of stamina, built up over long years of training and battles, allow you to take an additional action per turn, as well as your normal and any bonus actions. This ability renews after a long rest.

At third level, you pick a martial archetype., which will give you further abilities and benefits as you level up. The PHB lists:

• Champion - Focussed on raw physical power. Benefits include improved criticals, bonuses to athletics rolls, an additional fighting style at 10th level and more.
• Battle Master - A more tactical approach to fighting, the Battle Master studies war, including history, and theory. Benefits include manoeuvres, which enhance attacks, and superiority dice, which you use to fuel you manoeuvres. One of the fighters in my group uses sweeping attack to great effect in melees, hitting multiple enemies in one swing.
• Eldritch Knight - Combines magic with fighting abilities. They study abjuration to gain magical protection during battles, and evocation to deal AOE damage to multiple enemies at once. Eldritch knights learn relatively few spells compared to a real caster, but commit them to memory rather than utilising a spell book.

XGTE extends the list with:

• Arcane Archer - weaving elven magic into bow attacks, Arcane Archers form some of the most elite elven warriors, protecting borders and territories with shots that can curve around corners, or infuse arrows with magic that can banish creatures to the Feywild, beguile or enfeeble foes, burst - adding AOE damage, grasp enemies, pass through objects, seek out enemies or cloud their vision with shadows.
• Cavalier - Cavaliers excel at mounted combat, having usually been born into nobility and raised at court. You gain proficiency in one of: History, Animal Handling, Insight, Performance or Persuasion; or you can learn an additional language of choice. You gain advantage on saving throws made to avoid falling off your mount and can land on your feet if you do fall off but drop no more than 10ft and aren’t incapacitated at the time. Mounting and dismounting only costs 5ft of movement, rather than half normal speed. You can mark creatures when attacking them, giving them disadvantage on attack rolls where you aren’t the target. Later, you get the ability to ward off attacks against you, your mount or others nearby as a reaction.
• Samurai - A samurai has unlimited resolve and indominable fighting spirit. You gain proficiency in one from: History, Insight, Performance or Persuasion or an additional language of choice. You can use a bonus action on your turn to give yourself advantage on weapon attack rolls until the end of the turn and you gain 5 temporary HP. You can use this feature 3 times between long rests. At later levels you gain bonuses to Persuasion checks and Wisdom saving throws. You can also stave off unconsciousness when dropping to 0 HP, starting at 18th level, using a reaction to immediately take another turn, which interrupts the current turn.

The SCAG adds Purple Dragon Knight to the tally:

• Hailing from Cormyr, PDK’s have pledged to protect the crown of Cormyr, both within it’s borders and seeking out enemies outside. They wander around as knights errant, dealing out justice as warranted by their code of chivalry. At third level, you can inspire others by your deeds in battle by using your second wind feature, which now affects three creatures allied with you within 60ft, who gain HP == to your fighter level, provided they can see or hear you. At 10th level, you can give an allied creature within 60ft of you the ability to make a melee or ranged attack as a reaction when you use your action surge.

If you like the Purple Dragon Knight feature set, (of which there are more listed in the SCAG than I’ve discussed, for time,) but don’t want to be in thrall to Cormyr for whatever reason, you can use the feature set as a Banneret.

Stat Block

HP @ 1st level: 10 +Con Mod

HP: 1D10 (or 6) + Con Mod/level

Hit Dice: 1D10/lvl

Proficiencies:

• Weapons - simple and martial
• Armour - all armour & shields

Tools: None

Saving Throws: Strength, Constitution

Skills: 2 from:

• Acrobatics, Animal Handling, Athletics, History, Insight, Intimidation, Perception, Survival

Equipment:

• chainmail or leather armour, longbow & 20 arrows
• martial weapon and a shield or two martial weapons
• 2 handaxes or a light crossbow & 20 bolts
• A dungeoneer’s or explorer’s pack

Background Check Outlander

The Outlander background gives your character a life lived in the wilds of the world. Used to wide open spaces, all types of weather and quiet solitude away from the bustle of crowded cities and their technologies. You may have been a rover, a wanderer, a nomad, vagabond, (- call me what you will) a recluse, (although there is also the Hermit background - yet to be covered on this show,) a hunter, or anyone who prefers a life alone with the wilds of nature for company.

You have been influenced and impacted by some of the strange sights and experiences you’ve had in places that most can only imagine.

You have an excellent memory for maps and geography, and can always recall the general layout of terrain, settlements and other features of the land. You can always find fresh water and food for yourself and up to 5 other companions, per day - as long as the land is the sort that would have wild berries, small game, rivers or lakes etc.

Living in the wilds has impacted your social skills though and you may lack the graces and airs of city dwellers, to the point where you might be considered gruff, abrupt or even downright rude. Life in the wilds has no need for niceties, and no time for protracted politeness. Things happen fast in the wild and you need to be ready to react. 

It may be that your character doesn’t speak much, being used to animal companions and their own thoughts - or perhaps your character felt starved for conversation and tries to make up for long stretches without it by blurting out everything that crosses their mind?

Generally the ties of tribe, family, clan, or the natural world are the most important bonds to an outlander, but that could easily be the group of adventurers you’ve chosen to ally yourself with. 

Stat Block

You have skill proficiencies in Athletics and Survival

Tools: One type of musical instrument

Languages: One of your choice. (I assume in addition to common.)

Equipment: A staff, a hunting trap, a trophy from an animal you killed, a set of traveller’s clothes, a pouch containing 10GP.

Monster Menagerie Ettins

Orcs in D&D are generally regarded as brash, uncouth, violent and generally ill-tempered. Why am I mentioning Orcs in a section about Ettins? Well imagine an Orc, Crossed with a giant, with all the bad behaviours of an orc, with added poor self hygiene into the mix - that’s the beginnings of an Ettin.

Ettins are foul creatures who rarely, if ever bathe - leading to a build up of layers of dirt and grime caked onto their skins and under the hides it wears.

Ettins are the conjoined twins of the D&D world - having two heads, with each having its own distinct personality and name. Not confusing at all I’m sure. This means that each personality never experiences solitude or privacy. This close quarters existence can lead to in-fighting between the creature’s two heads, with personality clashes being exacerbated by the fact that they cannot spend time apart - familiarity breeds contempt and all that. For those of you with siblings, imagine - or remember a time when you were trapped somewhere...