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Sidekicks Essentials DMsGuild Template July 2019 - Added Statblock Sample file TITLE RIGHT SIDE 1 SIDEKICKS ESSENTIALS The official rules for sidekicks in Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition first appear in appendix A of CREDITS the Essentials Kit Rulebook and are designed to Crafted by Paul Metzger. allow the game to be played with as few as two metzpaul on twitter and gmail. people: the Dungeon Master and a single player. Cover image Meeting of King Ferdinand of Sidekicks Essentials expands these rules and Hungary and the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Spain provides additional types of sidekicks and at Nördlingen by Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, 1577 example personalities to round them out. - 1640). Pubic Domain. Courtesy the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles SUPPLEMENT OVERVIEW Some artwork courtesy Wizards of the Coast Sidekicks Essentials is divided into three sections: Dungeon Masters Guild Creator Resources. Playing with Sidekicks. A recap of the official Page background and watercolor splashes rules for sidekicks is accompanied by additional designed by lifeforstock / Freepik. optional rules for sidekick loyalty, controlling the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of sidekick, and level advancement. the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, Sidekick Stat Blocks. A collection of sidekick the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other stat blocks and leveling tables is expanded from Wizards of the Coast product names, and their the original Expert, Spellcaster, and Warrior to respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the include: Coast in the USA and other countries. • The Archer, who strikes with precision from This work contains material that is copyright afar. Wizards of the Coast and/or other authors. Such • The Berseker, a crazed killing machine. material is used with permission under the • The Criminal, an underworld expert of Community Content Agreement for Dungeon deception and theft. Masters Guild. • The Knight, a bastion of self-sacrifice. All other original material in this work is • The Magician, an arcane ally. copyright 2019 by Paul Metzger and published • The Medic, because nobody likes dying alone. under the Community Content Agreement for • The Minstrel, whose songs hopefully prove to Dungeon Masters Guild. be more useful than they are annoying. Second edition. December 13, 2019 Sidekick Personalities. 11 named companions you can match to a sidekick stat block, each with art, personalities, ideals, bonds, and flaws. All are formatted to be printed matching the handout cards included in the Essentials Kit boxed set. Sample file 1 SIDEKICKS ESSENTIALS As the sidekick adventures with the party, the PLAYING WITH loyalty score changes when the following occurs: SIDEKICKS • Gaining a level. When a sidekick gains a level, their current loyalty score and maximum Dolf, the DM: “Let’s play D&D at my house Friday loyalty score increase by 1. starting around 7. I'll order some pizzas.” Ideals. When the characters act in a way that Ari, who plays Gorn, human fighter: "You have my • aligns with the sidekick’s ideals, the sidekick's sword.” loyalty score may increase by 1. If the characters Leah who plays Golass, elf ranger: “You have my bow.” act in a way that conflicts with the sidekick’s Guy, who plays Imli, dwarf barbarian: “Friday isn't ideals, the sidekick's loyalty score decreases by great for me.” 1. Memes spread across the Internet for a reason. A • Bonds. If the characters act in a way that top complaint about the game is organizing a violates the sidekick’s bonds, the sidekick’s group to actually get together and play. The D&D loyalty score immediately becomes 0. If the Essentials Kit boxed set, advertised as being for 2-6 characters help reinforce a sidekick’s bonds, the players, addresses this difficulty with sidekicks. sidekick’s loyalty score may increase by 1. • Flaws. Nobody likes having their deficits THE RULES FOR SIDEKICKS challenged. If the characters act in a way that The brilliance of the official rules for sidekicks is enables a sidekick’s flaws, their loyalty score simplicity. A sidekick is represented with a stat may increase by 1. block, just like any monster or NPC. The sidekick stat block shows the sidekick at 1st level, and and The dungeon master has the ultimate say over is accompanied by a table for adjusting the stat what influences a sidekick’s loyalty score. Have block as the sidekick gains levels. The sidekick is the sidekick react appropriately to things that proficient with all equipment mentioned in the they like or dislike. Winning a sidekick’s stat bock. The players and DM can adjust the stat affections presents interesting roleplaying block based on other rules as they see fit. The opportunities for the players. sidekick becomes a person by giving them a Lost Loyalty. If a sidekick’s loyalty score is name, race, personality, ideals, bonds, and flaws. reduced to 0 or below, they are no longer loyal to The DM decides who controls the sidekick in play. the adventurers. The DM should now control the sidekick (see controlling a sidekick). When the NEW OPTIONAL RULES sidekick is no longer loyal they act in self interest The official rules for sidekicks really are that rather than the best interest of the party, and the simple! Sidekicks Essentials offers the following sidekick will take the first convenient opportunity additional rules that you may wish to incorporate to part ways. In extreme cases, the sidekick may into your game. even take hostile action against the party members that wronged them. LOYALTY Another common D&D meme is “that’s what my character would do!” Consider how a sidekick “The great part about Sidekicks is they inherently do less might react to the choices the player characters make. than PCs and simply exist to aid in overall action economy. Loyalty Score. A sidekick has a loyalty score, They aren’t there to overshadow the PC at all.” which represents their willingness to stick with the adventurers. A sidekick’s maximum loyalty -Steve Fidler of Vorpal Dice Press score is equal to their level. When a sidekick is first recruited, their loyalty score is equal to the combined Charisma modifier of all members of Samplethe adventuring party (minimum 1). file SIDEKICKS ESSENTIALS 2 CONTROLLING A SIDEKICK SIDEKICK STAT BLOCKS While the sidekick has a positive loyalty score, The following pages contain seven new sidekick allow a player to control the sidekick's actions, types as represented by a stat block and both in and out of combat. If more than one accompanying table for advancing the sidekick in player wishes to control the sidekick, choose a level. way to share that works for your table. One method is to roll for it before rolling initiative for WHY A STAT BLOCK? an encounter. The end goal of sidekicks could be accomplished Agency. Allow the player controlling the by simply running another character. That’s fine, sidekick to roleplay them in and out of combat, and is an approach parties short of players have but don’t allow the player to violate the sidekick’s taken for decades. The advantage of sidekick ideals or bonds without a good reason. rules is in the clarity of who is the hero and who Initiative. If a player is controlling a sidekick, is the henchman. you can have them roll initiative for the sidekick The final rules for sidekicks evolved a bit from or allow them to choose to have the sidekick take the Unearthed Arcana that predates it, but this their turn either before or after their PC’s turn. If earlier resource is still worth checking out: the DM is controlling the sidekick, roll initiative https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/unearthed- as you would for a monster or NPC. arcana/sidekicks Award inspiration. As with any character, In this Unearthed Arcana, any CR 1 or lower accurately roleplaying the sidekick’s personality, creature or NPC with a stat block can become a ideals, bonds, and flaws is a great opportunity to sidekick that levels up according to certain rules. award inspiration. The DM can choose to award Consider adapting the following sidekick types in inspiration to the player, or specifically to the the same way. Many an adventuring party sidekick. adopted the lovable goblin Droop in the adventure Lost Mine of Phandelver. How great LEVEL ADVANCEMENT would it be if it turns out that the kazoo he plays The DM decides a sidekick's starting level. You turns Droop into a minstrel? may wish to start the sidekick at the same level as While the power level and complexity in the the PCs or at a lower level. A lower level sidekick Unearthed Arcana is higher than the final official feels more like a sidekick, and is still of great help rules, you might also find useful inspiration for simply due to action economy. taking sidekicks beyond 6th level and creating Gaining a Level. The easiest way to level sidekick types of your own. sidekicks is to have them gain a level when the REATING SIDEKICK TYPES PCs do, even if they aren't the same level as the C PCs. Alternatively, you can use level Sidekick stat blocks emulate player character class advancement based on XP. If you are awarding types and their features but are much less XP, don’t forget to split it with the sidekicks! powerful than a PC and advance more slowly. When creating your own sidekick stat blocks and Sidekicks Beyond 6th Level. By the time a level advancement tables, keep the following sidekick reaches 6th level, they are a bit of a hero principles in mind: in their own right! If you choose to continue leveling the sidekick, pick features from relevant Ability Scores.

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