Using AI to Make Adventures (5e Sourcebook)/Character Classes
My input was the description of a technomage from our earlier example.
- A technomage is a character class for Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. A technomage is a spellcaster for a science fiction campaign set in the future.
- Technomage spells blend wizardry with science and technology.
My instruction was:
- Write a 5th edition D&D character class, the technomage
I was almost completely sure that Playgound would not create a whole class first time. But we did get a start... I got a lot of description:
- The Technomage is a character class for Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition. A technomage is a spellcaster for a science fiction campaign set in the future. Technomage spells blend wizardry with science and technology to create new and wonderful effects.
- When making a technomage, consider the following details:
- How did you learn about technology? Where did you get your education?
- Does your education come from a formal learning environment, or from a mentor or your own experimentation?
- What is your relationship with technological devices?
- Do you think technology can solve any problem?
- Do you think technology can solve all problems?
- Does your device have a personality and a soul?
- Who taught you what you know? Do you value their teachings?
- What was your magical awakening like?
- How do you feel about arcane magic and other arcane spellcasters?
- What about divine magic users?
- Are you interested in magic or technology more?
- Is magic a science? Is science a magic?
- What did the Experimenter want to learn from you?
- As a technomage, you are a servant of the Experimenter. You hold an inquisitive and inventive mind, a great thirst for knowledge, and the love of a good mystery. You're a seeker for truth who's willing to challenge your own ideas and beliefs. You don't let the label of magic or technology shortchange your comprehension.
- Did the Experimenter create you, or are you a natural creation of your universe? Did you have a magical awakening, or did you learn to use magic later? Did you do the Experimenter's bidding, or are you curious about who the Experimenter is and what they've created?
- The Experimenter has blessed you with the ability to channel the magical energies of science and technology. However, you don't understand the laws of the universe well enough to create powerful spells just yet. Instead, you use your knowledge of physics and chemistry to control technology effectively.
- You are a technomancer, a technomage, a master of a technological device. It is your life's work to learn why the Experimenter created the universe and what it is for. It is your duty to discover why the Experimenter made you and what your task is.
- You are a technomage, a technomancer, a master of a technological device. You adeptly use your knowledge of physics, chemistry, and biology to control technology effectively. You use your knowledge of magic to manipulate the powers of technology.
- You might be a wandering technomage or a college-trained spellcaster. You might live in the wilderness, in a large city, or in a utopian sci-fi community. You might be a hermit or an urbanite. You might live on a starship or spaceship, in a space station, or on another planet.
- You have an inquisitive mind, a thirst for knowledge, and a love of mysteries. You seek truth and challenge your own ideas and beliefs. You don't let the label of magic or technology shortchange your comprehension.
- Some technomages find technology too restrictive, while others find magic too slow. Some technomages are masters of both, while others specialize in one or the other.
- Many technomages want to understand why the Experimenter created the universe and what it is for. They wish to discover why the Experimenter made them and what their task is.
- Technomages are most commonly spellcasters and scientists.
- Notably, technomages are often humans, as they are well-versed in scientific fields. Other races often view technology as primitive.
- Also, many technomages are wizard-class or cleric-class spellcasters, as these classes have access to a vast amount of spells.
- One downside of being a technomage is that they are often frowned upon by the general public. Many don't trust magic or technology. Some are afraid of technomages because they can use technology to create weapons of mass destruction.
- Other technomages are viewed favorably, however. Technomages may be employed by governments and large businesses to solve problems that they cannot otherwise.
... it goes on a bit more, but you get the idea. A lot of fluff, no crunch.
Using Templates[edit]
To get started on the crunch, I used the Edit function with a class "template", asking it to fill in the details. It did so, and even threw in an unformatted class table (the output can only do raw text).
- The Technomage Level Proficiency Bonus Skills Features Cantrips Known Spells Known 1st 2nd 3rd
1st +2 Arcane Knowledge, Technomagic 6 2 2 - - 2nd +2 4 3 3 - - 3rd +2 4 4 4 2 - 4th +2 4 5 4 3 - 5th +3 4 6 4 3 2 6th +3 4 7 4 3 3 7th +3 4 8 4 3 3 8th +3 4 9 4 3 3 9th +4 4 10 4 3 3 10th +4 4 10 4 3 3 11th +4 4 11 4 3 3 12th +4 4 11 4 3 3 13th +5 4 12 4 3 3 14th +5 4 12 4 3 3 15th +5 4 13 4 3 3 16th +5 4 13 4 3 3 17th +6 4 14 4 3 3 18th +6 4 14 4 3 3 19th +6 4 15 4 3 3 20th +6 4 15 4 3 3
Parsing this, it appears to be half a table for a full spellcaster (the 4th to 9th spell slot columns are missing).
Putting it together in our own 5e Class Features template:
Class Features
As a technomage you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per technomage level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per technomage level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: Disguise kit, screen caster
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two skills from the following: Arcana, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Religion
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a disguise kit or (b) a screen caster
- (a) an Arcane Focus or (b) a Techno Focus
- (a) a scholar's pack or (b) a explorer's pack
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |||||
| 1st | +2 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | — | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | — | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | — | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | — | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | — | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | — | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | — | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | +5 | — | 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | +5 | — | 4 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 4 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | — | 4 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | — | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Class Features[edit]
That was the easy bit. Now we need some class features.
Again, I use a template in the Input, listing the 20 levels, and pre-filling Spellcasting at 1st level, and Ability Score improvements at the appropriate levels.
I instruct that the class features table be filled in.
Output:
- Class Features Table
- 1st Level: Spellcasting, Technomage Tradition
- 2nd Level: Technomage Tradition feature
- 3rd Level: Technomind
- 4th Level: Ability Score Improvement
- 5th Level: Technomind
- 6th level: Technomage Tradition feature
- 7th Level: Technomind
- 8th Level: Ability Score Improvement
- 9th Level: Technomind
- 10th Level: Technomage Tradition feature
- 11th Level: Technomind
- 12th Level: Ability Score Improvement
- 13th Level: Technomind
- 14th Level: Technomage Tradition feature
- 15th Level: Technomind
- 16th Level: Ability Score Improvement
- 17th Level: Technomind
- 18th Level: Technomage Tradition feature
- 19th Level: Ability Score Improvement
- 20th Level: Technomind
This gives us the name of the archetype choices ("Technomage Tradition"). Everything else is "Technomind". Since I want a bit more variety, I ask for repetitions of Technomind to be replaced with other features, and I get:
- Class Features Table
- 1st Level: Spellcasting, Technoflux, Technochant
- 2nd Level: Magic University
- 3rd Level:
- 4th Level: Ability Score Improvement
- 5th Level:
- 6th level: Magic University, Study Proficiency
- 7th Level:
- 8th Level: Ability Score Improvement
- 9th Level:
- 10th Level: Better Research, Magic University
- 11th Level:
- 12th Level: Ability Score Improvement
- 13th Level:
- 14th Level: Magic University
- 15th Level:
- 16th Level: Ability Score Improvement
- 17th Level:
- 18th Level: Magic University, Extra Feat
- 19th Level: Ability Score Improvement
- 20th Level: Technomind
So my approach will be to blend these together.
Class Features
As a technomage you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per technomage level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per technomage level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Light armor, medium armor
Weapons: Simple weapons
Tools: Disguise kit, screen caster
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Wisdom
Skills: Choose two skills from the following: Arcana, Athletics, Deception, Insight, Investigation, Nature, Perception, Religion
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) a disguise kit or (b) a screen caster
- (a) an Arcane Focus or (b) a Techno Focus
- (a) a scholar's pack or (b) a explorer's pack
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | Cantrips Known | Spells Known | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |||||
| 1st | +2 | Spellcasting, Technoflux, Technochant | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Technomage Tradition | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | — | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Study Proficiency | 3 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Technomage Tradition | 3 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | — | 3 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 3 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | — | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Technomage Tradition | 4 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Better Research | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | — | 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | +5 | Technomage Tradition | 4 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | +5 | — | 4 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | +6 | — | 4 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Technomage Tradition | 4 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | Technomind | 4 | 15 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Next we will try and create the class features: see Using AI to Make Adventures (5e Sourcebook)/Character Class Features