Pipp Petals: Fifth Edition Dungeoneers

From the top of Zephyr Heights, with four levels and the help of David Silver's Ponyfinder work, prances the penultimate pony in this pentagon of premiere pop stars! And would you look at that, she's an actual pop star. Everyone, put your hands, hooves, or other appendages together for the one, the only...

PIPP PETALS!
She's reblogging fanwriters on Tumblr to increase their exposure.

Pipp Petals is a Pegasus Pony with a Unique Destiny, having an Entertainer Background and four levels as a Glamour Bard. Sometimes, you just gotta go with the obvious. Still, it's fun to explain what all that means. But before we do that, let's stat out our little pony, hmm?

We'll start by giving the most important score the highest rating--Charisma at 15. A performer rides or dies on appeal, after all. And with 14 points in Wisdom, Pipp'll be able to read the crowd. A good Dex score will make her a heck of a dancer, so 13 points will go there--and Constitution is good for concentration, so that's where we'll put the 12 point marker. Pipp's not book-dumb, but she's not a genius, so an average 10 points makes sense, which leaves 8 points in Strength--she's an influencer, not a fighter. Throwing racial bonuses onto that gives +1 to both Constitution and Dexterity, and another +1 wherever we want from Unique Destiny--and you just know that's got to go to Charisma. So all in all, Pip has a +3 Charisma modifier, +2 to Wisdom and Dexterity, +1 to Constitution, and -1 to Strength. Which, you know, suits her just fine.

Pegasus ponies are mostly standard medium sapients, with a few unique quirks. Like all ponies, they qualify as fey for all purposes, their base speed is 40 feet, and as a Four-Legged creature rolls to avoid becoming prone are made with advantage and they can carry 50% more weight than their strength would ordinarily allow. Pegasi in particular can walk on clouds or fog as if it's solid and have a 30 feet flying speed, though being in the air gives them disadvantage on strength checks against things on the ground, and if they don't fly half their speed for a turn then they fall at the end of it. And with a Unique Destiny, not only does Pipp get the bonus ability point above, she also gets to add half her proficiency bonus to death saving throws and gets proficiency in two kinds of tools. Let's say Jeweler's Tools and Weaver's Tools, so Pipp can put in the effort for unique outfits when she wants.

The Entertainer Background is just perfect for a pop star, giving Pipp proficiency in Acrobatics, Performance, and the use of the Disguise Kit for those important pre-show touchups. She also gets proficiency in one musical instrument--and, while D&D doesn't have "Voice" as a musical instrument, I'm a'willin' to bend the rules a little for this pegasus. Being an Entertainer means Pipp can be wanted By Popular Demand; this feature lets her leverage her fame for free room and board if she performs every night, and generally makes ponies favorable toward her.

Being a Bard comes with quite a few perks. Pipp Petals has learned proficiency in Deception, Perception, and Sleight of Hand (hoof?) skills, as well as three more instruments. Unfortunately, synth isn't in the D&D base list of instruments, so I went with Drum, Dulcimer, and the Lute. On the off chance Pipp has to fight, she's also proficient in Dexterity and Charisma saving throws, light armor, simple weapons, hand crossbows, longsword, rapiers, and shortswords. "Proficient" just means she can use them, not that she necessarily had training.

Bards are capable of providing Bardic Inspiration to their allies, using a bonus action to grant them a d6 they can add to any roll within the next ten minutes. They can do this a number of times equal to their Charisma modifier before they need to take a long rest to regain it--so that's three times for Pipp Petals. This would get better at later levels, but since we're only going to level 4, this is where it stays. Also, Bards have spellcasting--and as always, I'm putting that off till the end.

At second level, Bards become a Jack of All Trades, letting them add half their proficiency bonus to any ability check they make that they aren't already proficient in. I'm pretty certain Pipp is going to have some hidden depths to her when the series rolls around, so having unexpected skills won't be too much of a bother. Bards also get the Song of Rest, allowing them to add 1d6 to any healing done during a short rest. Again, this would get better as we went, but at fourth level... well, Pipp should be grateful she got involved in a pretty low-risk adventure.

At third level, Bards gain expertise in two of their skills, allowing them to add their proficiency bonus twice to any check with that skill. Pipp, of course, would train for expertise in Performance and Deception; she's been the primary circus in the "bread and circuses" of Zephyr Heights. And she'd also get to choose a College at third level, which is when she'd become a Glamour bard--the glitz and gleam suits her just perfectly. With a Mantle Of Inspiration, Pipp can expend a Bardic Inspiration die to give five temporary hit points to a number of creatures equal to her Charisma Modifier that she can see. She can also put on an Enthralling Performance once per rest, charming a number of people equal to her Charisma modifier; if they fail a Wisdom saving throw, they become new Pippsquees, speaking of her amazing nature and playing Pipp up to anybody who asks for a whole hour.

And at fourth level, there's the ability score improvement... which we're going to burn to give Pipp the Weather Pony feat from Ponyfinder. As an action, she can remove a five-foot cube of fog, mist, cloud, or other gaseous form, or she can carry a cloud that's adjacent to her as part of a move action. She can also make a Dexterity saving throw to be knocked to the edge of the area any cloud-based spell affects. If she joins forces with other Weather Ponies, she can cast weather-based spells as a ritual, though she'll need one pony and one hour per level of the spell.

Speaking of spellcasting, it's time to talk about all the magic that Pipp Petals can do! I take the tack that D&D "spells" are just shorthand for any tricks a character picks up--some might be magic, and some might just be clever stagehanding. As a fourth-level Bard, Pipp has four first-level spell slots and three second-level spell slots, and she knows three cantrips and seven spells.

Cantrips
Just a little bit of Sleight of Hoof here.

Dancing Lights

Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 120 feet
Components: V, S, M (a bit of phosphorus or wychwood, or a glowworm)
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You create up to four torch-sized lights within range, making them appear as torches, lanterns, or glowing orbs that hover in the air for the duration. You can also combine the four lights into one glowing vaguely humanoid form of Medium size. Whichever form you choose, each light sheds dim light in a 10-foot radius.
As a bonus action on your turn, you can move the lights up to 60 feet to a new spot within range. A light must be within 20 feet of another light created by this spell, and a light winks out if it exceeds the spell's range.

Thunderclap

Evocation cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 5 feet
Components: S
Duration: Instantaneous
You create a burst of thunderous sound that can be heard up to 100 feet away. Each creature within range, other than you, must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or take 1d6 thunder damage.
The spell’s damage increases by 1d6 when you reach 5th level (2d6), 11th level (3d6), and 17th level (4d6).

Vicious Mockery

Enchantment cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
You unleash a string of insults laced with subtle enchantments at a creature you can see within range. If the target can hear you (though it need not understand you), it must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or take 1d4 psychic damage and have disadvantage on the next attack roll it makes before the end of its next turn.
This spell's damage increases by 1d4 when you reach 5th level (2d4), 11th level (3d4), and 17th level (4d4).

First Level Spells
When you've been singing all your life, you usually have a powerful voice.

Charm Person

1st-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 30 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 Hour
You attempt to charm a humanoid you can see within range. It must make a Wisdom saving throw, and does so with advantage if you or your companions are fighting it. If it fails the saving throw, it is charmed by you until the spell ends or until you or your companions do anything harmful to it. The charmed creature regards you as a friendly acquaintance. When the spell ends, the creature knows it was charmed by you.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, you can target one additional creature for each slot level above 1st. The creatures must be within 30 feet of each other when you target them.

Comprehend Languages

1st-level divination (ritual)
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self
Components: V, S, M (a pinch of soot and salt)
Duration: 1 Hour
For the duration, you understand the literal meaning of any spoken language that you hear. You also understand any written language that you see, but you must be touching the surface on which the words are written. It takes about 1 minute to read one page of text.
This spell doesn't decode secret messages in a text or a glyph, such as an arcane sigil, that isn't part of a written language.

Healing Word

1st-level evocation
Casting Time: 1 bonus action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
A creature of your choice that you can see within range regains hit points equal to 1d4 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on undead or constructs.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d4 for each slot level above 1st.

Unearthly Chorus (UA)

1st-level illusion
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Self (30-foot radius)
Components: V
Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes
Music of a style you choose fills the air around you in a 30-foot radius. The music spreads around corners and can be heard from up to 100 feet away. The music moves with you, centered on you for the duration.
Until the spell ends, you make Charisma (Performance) checks with advantage. In addition, you can use a bonus action on each of your turns to beguile one creature you choose within 30 feet of you that can see you and hear the music. The creature must make a Charisma saving throw. If you or your companions are attacking it, the creature automatically succeeds on the saving throw. On a failure, the creature becomes friendly to you for as long as it can hear the music and for 1 hour thereafter. You make Charisma (Deception) checks and Charisma (Persuasion) checks against creatures made friendly by this spell with advantage.

Second Level Spells
Giving them the ol' razzle dazzle...

Calm Emotions

2nd-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, 1 minute
You attempt to suppress strong emotions in a group of people. Each humanoid in a 20-foot-radius sphere centered on a point you choose within range must make a Charisma saving throw; a creature can choose to fail this saving throw if it wishes. If a creature fails its saving throw, choose one of the following two effects.
You can suppress any effect causing a target to be charmed or frightened. When this spell ends, any suppressed effect resumes, provided that its duration has not expired in the meantime.
Alternatively, you can make a target indifferent about creatures of your choice that it is hostile toward. This indifference ends if the target is attacked or harmed by a spell or if it witnesses any of its friends being harmed. When the spell ends, the creature becomes hostile again, unless the DM rules otherwise.

Enthrall

2nd-level enchantment
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: 1 minute
You weave a distracting string of words, causing creatures of your choice that you can see within range and that can hear you to make a Wisdom saving throw. Any creature that can't be charmed succeeds on this saving throw automatically, and if you or your companions are fighting a creature, it has advantage on the save. On a failed save, the target has disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to perceive any creature other than you until the spell ends or until the target can no longer hear you. The spell ends if you are incapacitated or can no longer speak.

Pyrotechnics

2nd-level transmutation
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
Choose an area of nonmagical flame that you can see and that fits within a 5-foot cube within range. You can extinguish the fire in that area, and you create either fireworks or smoke when you do so.
Fireworks. The target explodes with a dazzling display of colors. Each creature within 10 feet of the target must succeed on a Constitution saving throw or become blinded until the end of your next turn.
Smoke. Thick black smoke spreads out from the target in a 20-foot radius, moving around corners. The area of the smoke is heavily obscured. The smoke persists for 1 minute or until a strong wind disperses it.

And so Pipp Petals has been made in Fifth Edition Dungeons and Dragons. But of course this is only the start of her journey, out from the sheltered life she led while on wires and into the future of magic and music that awaits her. Who knows what this'll do to her viewcount? Almost certainly improve it, methinks...

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

She also gets proficiency in one musical instrument--and, while D&D doesn't have "Voice" as a musical instrument, I'm a'willin' to bend the rules a little for this pegasus.

I mean, she's a pony. One could argue they get vocal performance proficiency as a racial feature.

And yeah, this definitely checks out, though I'm not sure how much interest Pipp will have in weatherwork. I suppose we'll see in time.