5E DND BEYOND TUTORIAL: How to add pets and skills

In this Tutorial I will go over how to add and customize minions/pets to your character sheet. Additionally, I will go over how to add custom skills to your character sheet.

Lets continue to work with my Ebberon game character who is a Reborn Circle of Spores Druid. In this game we’ve had a few developments. Namely, in the form of some skeletons that he has animated. Additionally, (for convenience) we will add the zombie that can be animated using his Fungal Infestation ability.

Companions

Step 1 (Character Sheet Extras)

So, to start we are going to go to the character sheet and go to the Extras Tab on the end.

From here we click on the manage Extras button

Then, the Choose a Category Dropdown

For the most part, the subcategory you pick under creature or Object won’t matter. All this does is determine what heading the creature or object will be listed under. Since our undead companions don’t really fit under any of those categories we will pick Misc.

As you can see, from this point we can select any creature from the monster manual to display on our character sheet. So, I pick skeleton from the list and am basically done. Our fungal zombie however, is a bit different. From the ability above it’s a Zombie that only has 1 hitpoint. So, we will add a zombie. A zombie is now listed under the heading Misc. on my character sheet. Clicking on it will bring up it’s stats. During play this is where we would go to roll for the zombie. At the top of the screen that pops up there is a dropdown that says Customize.

Step 2 (Customize)

From here we can give it a new name (so that we know that this isn’t a normal zombie) and we can adjust it’s HP so that it only has 1.

Adding New Skills

Now, in the game I’m playing our DM has decided that because we all live in Sharn. We should have a skill that represents this. So, he created a Knowledge (Sharn) skill that could be based on int or wis (our choice). The process to add such a thing is fairly simple which is why I’ve included it here instead of making it a separate article.

Step 1 (Character Sheet – Modify Skills)

Again, go to your character sheet and click on the tiny gear to the right of the word Skills

This brings up a screen where we can modify our skills. Clicking on a skill will let us modify that skill.

Step 2 (Custom Skills)

However, what we’re interested in is creating a brand new skill so, scroll to the bottom of the list and click on the Custom Skills Dropdown.

Then click on Add Custom Skill. This will create a new skill entry that we can modify.

Step 3 (Custom Skill Details)

Clicking on the skill and the edit drop down we can now fill out the details

Now, it should be noted that our new skill will show up at the bottom of the list even though alphabetically it should fall between Investigation and Medicine. I think the purpose for this is to keep the custom skills from getting mixed up with the standard skills.

Final Notes

These modifications are fairly straight forward, compared to others I’ve gone over. When it comes to customizing the monsters, if stats deviate from the standard you have a limited capacity to make adjustments. If it varies substantially, then you’ll need to make a homebrew version of the creature and add it to your character sheet.

5E DND BEYOND TUTORIAL: How to add a researched spell to your class list of spells

In this Tutorial I will go over how to add a spell to your class’s spell list. So, you’re playing a circle of spores druid and your DM has allowed you to research Create Undead and Danse Macabre. You still have to pick them if you want to have them memorized for the day but they are now options for your character. So, how do you go about making it so you can actully pick the spells?

Let’s start with Create Undead

Step 1 (Create Undead)

Go to the collections tab and Select Create spell

Step 2 (Create Undead)

Check to see if there is an existing spell you can use as a template. In this case we can use Create Undead as a template for our druid version of create undead.

Step 3 (Create Undead)

This will pre-fill all o the information for us. Now we just need to give the spell a new name

and change who can cast this spell.

Now, you might be wondering.

“This is for a circle of spores druid, why not pick Druid – Circle of Spores?“

This is because adding it that way will actually cause the spell to become one of the bonus spells you get to memorize for free as a circle spell. Instead by adding it to generic druid, it will simply show up as a spell you can memorize.

In any case, once you’ve set the Class list just hit the save changes button and go to your character.

Step 4 (Create Undead)

Make sure you have homebrew turned on under Character Preferences.

Now when you go to your known druid spells, Create Undead is a spell we can pick to memorize.

So, what about the spell Danse Macabre?

Step 1 (Danse Macabre)

Well this one is a bit trickier as it’s not a spell we can pick as a template nor are there any spells that are similar to it. So, for this spell we will have to built it from scratch

Step 2 (Danse Macabre)

I suggest opening up the details of the spell in another window so that you can copy over all the relevant information.

Now, obviously the big difference between our version and the original is that our version is a druid spell. So, that will be different. Then we hit the create spell button

Step 3 (Danse Macabre)

Now, because the spell has an effect at higher levels. We will need to add this to the spell. This lets the character sheet know that the spell can be cast using a higher spell slot.

Because of the type of effect we are dealing with. We will just add it as a special effect and copy the text from the original spell.

We save changes twice for good measure and now this spell also shows up as a spell our druid can now cast.

Final Notes

These were very simple spells to add overall, but as you can see it’s possible to add all sorts of elaborate spells using this method. For this reason its good to have all of the details mapped out as this makes putting it in much easier, especially if you have to build it from scratch. Also, as with all homebrew content, it may not show up right away and may take a few hours before it shows up on your list, just be patient.

5E DND BEYOND TUTORIAL: How to add a custom race

In this Tutorial I will go over how to use a race that isn’t official content yet. So, you just read about this awesome new race in unearthed arcana that you want to play. You’ve even had your DM look it over and they’re fine with you using it. But how do you go about using it. For this example we will Add the new race “Reborn” that was recently published in unearthed arcana. But this tutorial should aid in adding any new race.

Step 1

Make sure you have easy access to the details of the race in question. This way you can input the information you need. In the case of the reborn the information is scattered across multiple locations. . On page 1 we see the following rules which apply to all 3 of the new races presented in this document.

Now, there are some additional statements about creature type, but in the end they just tell you that the creature type(s) you gain will be specified by the race you pick so we don’t really need to worry about these statements. The main things we see is that you get the following features:

• +2 to an ability score of your choice
• +1 to an ability score of your choice
• You can speak, read and write the following languages
  • Common
  • One other language of your choice as approved by your DM

On the last 2 pages we find the rest of the relevant information. We see that we gain an ability called faded origins the results of which are up to the DM and Reborn origins which is only useful if you don’t have a specific idea in mind of how your character. Then we have Reborn traits which are as follows:

Step 2

Now that we know what all we need to put in. We can start to create our new race.

Since this race doesn’t retain any traits of the old race we will create a whole new race from scratch.

Now we can put in the basic information. The Reborn race allows you to be medium or small so we have to choose one or the other for simplicity I’ve chose medium. For the description blocks I’ve simply copied the text from the unearthed arcana document.

Finally, you can include pictures of your race. I’ve grabbed the 4e revanent images as it felt most similar to the reborn race. Either way, once you’re ready to proceed click the create race button so that we can put in the remaining information about this race.

Step 3

Now, we’ll start by adding racial traits.

Step 3a

We will start with ability score increases, but everything else works the same way.

Now that we have all of the descriptive text put in for the trait, we hit save so that we can put in the mechanical benefits of this trait.

Now that all of the details have been put in we hit save to finalize everything for this single trait.

Step 3b

Next are Languages

Step 3d

Now we add creature type. Like with size there isn’t an easy way to allow a player to pick construct or undead. So, I have added the trait assuming the player has chosen construct. If you want the undead version then everything else is the same except replace the word Construct with Undead in the Name and Snippet lines.

Step 3d

Now we add Darkvision

Step 3e

Next we have Deathless Nature. Since this ability conveys a bunch of things we can lump them all the associated modifiers under this single ability.

Now, because the remaining benefits do not need to be represented mechanically, we are done with this. We still get these benefits and they are given in the ability description. Which is sufficient for our purposes.

Step 3f

Finally, we will add Knowledge from a Past Life

Now, because this ability can only be used a number of times per day based on your proficiency bonus we have to add this as an action instead of a modifier that applies all the time.

Once we save, then we can go back and add how many uses per day we can use this ability

Step 4

Now, you just need to the save and save changes button until you are back at the main screen. Now, in order to pick your race for a character. Start by making sure you have homebrew turned on under Character Preferences.

Next go to race and if you scroll down you will see the new race you put in as a selectable option, with a little house next to it. This symbol lets you know that you are picking a homebrew race.

Final Notes

If as a DM you wanted to make this race available to your players and you don’t know if they want to be small/medium and undead/construct. I would recommend picking 1 option as the default (eg. medium undead) and then create the other options as variants of this race. This is however, a very time consuming process as you basically have to build the race again from scratch, which may not be worth the effort in the end, especially if you know they want to be a small construct style reborn.