Venom Is A Playable Race | Van Richten's Guide To Ravenloft | D&D

[@godofzombi]

What would the symbiote's goal be? Fight Drider-man?

[@cameronpearce5943]

Ah, you have won the comments

[@MFinGonzo]

Drider man, drider man, does whatever a drider can. Kills your mom. Kills your dad. Kills your dog and makes you sad.

[@godofzombi]

@@MFinGonzo Watch out! here comes the Drider-man!

[@500a6500]

Eat his brains.

[@TuckBolt]

So freakin' glad I didn't any drink in my mouth when I read this cause I totally would've spit it out.

[@Grizzlox]

Symbiotes, demon posession, totem spirits, ancestral ghosts.... these flavors are essential to make a barbarian a roleplay class instead of just "I hit monster hard... twice"

[@Dresden_Nova]

Warlock Undead Patron could work too. The symbiote is the patron giving you the form of dread to physically turn into Venom. Pact of the Blade to manifest weapons from your symbiotic entity.

[@zoomzoomboy24]

You could also ask your DM for the "Living Armor" as part of your symbiotic being

[@Dresden_Nova]

@@zoomzoomboy24 On the other hand, back in Warlock town Armor of Shadows exists. I feel like if you're gonna be Venom at least some level of "sold my soul for power" has to be in the deal.

[@dannymontanny3064]

I just came to say this. Now think about instead of Dhampir, go with the new Plasmoid from UA. I could even see asking for the the swap from Necrotic to Acid on the other features.

[@samuelteare8160]

Add the eldritch claw tattoo and coiling grasp tattoo and you can extend your melee weapon attacks up to 30 feet away from you for a minute and grapple creatures 15 feet away from you with "inky tendrils".

[@zoomzoomboy24]

You could get the "Living Armor" from Eberron and reflavor it as being the same Symbiotic Entity

[@CallenExile]

I did mine as a Slithering Tracker that lived inside a character.

[@xr9790]

Could do a similar thing as an armorer artificer 👀

[@ReallyRobEgan]

This is amazing. Not only does this work thematically but it's also optimized with the barbarian. Checks the box for both roleplaying while not taking a hit to be useful when needed.

[@bipower6969]

How is it optmized with barbarian ? For a Dhampir Barbarian is prob least optimized in terms of acutally using your bite. the Dhampir bite has to use Con and rage doesnt benfit from it so really either need another race (with spider climb) or choose a different class

[@ReallyRobEgan]

@@bipower6969 It's in the video, but Path of the Beast allows you to attack with a bite and even increases the damage to a d8. Every class takes Con but it's arguably the Barbarian stat given unarmored defense. This could open up the option to be a hit tankier by choosing Dex over Str and carrying a finesse weapon for those times you're not raging. The increased speed is just a nice bit of synergy between the dhampir & barbarian. Most important, though, is how well this works thematically. I, personally, like to have a balance between theme and mechanics. I could build a barbarian and give them GWM, PAM, & Sentinel but, for me, that's just reducing the character to a spreadsheet. Conversely, I could build a really funny/interesting character that just underwhelms in combat & play. I get really excited when there are builds that achieve a balance between theme & mechanics and this does that.

[@bipower6969]

@@ReallyRobEgan But it is a seperate bite not dhampir bite, at that point the dhampir is really only bringing spider climb to the table which you could just use boots of spider climb and pick another race. My overal point is yes you can make it work but it is not optimized. using Dex means reckless attack is usless and you can't use rage bonus damage. The whole pont of my commment is to mentioned this is not optimized at all. Its not an attack on who wants to play funny or interesting builds

[@ReallyRobEgan]

@@bipower6969 Yeah, dude, no offense taken. I'm coming at this from a personal preference. For the bite, I would rule that the Path of the Beast bite can be used in place of the dhampir, but ultimately that's a Jeremy Crawford or Sage Compendium call. Otherwise, I don't see what other class/race combo gets you the same abilities. You mentioned cleric, which can work but they're still walking around in heavy armor. Maybe a warlock with vampiric touch can work too, but it's IMO it's not quite the same. I also think we may be getting away from the video which is you can be a Vernon character RAW and my reaction that it's awesome/amazing that you can do this without sacrificing functionality. And if we're looking at a tank build and not a damage one this is optimized.

[@bipower6969]

@@ReallyRobEgan I think the best way to do venom is the symbiote dark gift + any race + Fathonless Warlock. You can get armor of shadows if you want to flavor as your skin use pact weapon and create any wepaon you want and flavor it as extsion of ones body plus you get tenticles.

[@Pandaemoni]

One thing I dislike about it is I don't know if my default should be for me to play the symbiote or the player or a combination. If the player does it, then some players might avoid being in conflict with it. If I do it, then inevitably I will be seeming to fight against my player's agency (even if they prevail in a given case). I think I'd lean towards me controlling it nonetheless, to keep the potential for conflict in play and to give the player a sense of the potential for that conflict, much like with an intelligent weapon or other sentient magic item.

[@CitanulsPumpkin]

I don't know how many folks here have played Starcraft or Heroes of the Storm, but symbiotic entity works well for a specific character from those games. From the starcraft games there's a zerg infested human naval officer named Stukov. The version of him in Heroes of the Storm is a healer who heals by spreading symbiotic spores and does basic crowd control and knockback effects by flailing around his giant tentacle arm. And one of his skins is a skeletal pirate captain with a giant octopus where his left shoulder and arm should be. Do an image search for Admiral Krakenov. In the next nautical campaign I'm in I'll be playing a Reborn, pirate, Spore Druid with the symbiotic entity dark gift, at least 2 levels of fathomless warlock, and 3 levels of swarmkeeper ranger. Everything is getting reflavored as tentacles and the symbiotic entity is going to be a bit of a gray area. No one is going to be able to tell if the character is the skeleton filled with tentacles or the giant octopus moving the skeleton round like a puppet.

[@milo1634]

OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! Idk if you saw my comment asking for this last video or you just happened to do it, but either way it’s so awesome thanks for these amazing ideas!!!!

[@seanmcgcostumes]

I really like this. I made a slime version of this by taking a Human (Variant) and making him a Path of the Beast barbarian with 3 levels of The Fathomless warlock, reflavoring the Tentacle of the Depths feature as a Venom-esque slimy tendril, and gave him the Kyrzin's Ooze item but reflavored the "if you die while the ooze is inside you" negative aspect and flavored it to him being stuck in his Venom-esque green ooze form permanently. Warlock gives my character some non-combat spells like Spider Climb, Charm Person and a slimy Mage Hand, but I really enjoy having a barbarian that, towards the start of combat, can use things like a slimy Eldritch Blast, a version of Armor of Agathys that's flavored to be a slime that coats him in the shape of armor and then hardens, or Arms of Hadar (which are already a tendril attack, so no reflavor needed!). Dipping three levels into The Fathomless to get the Pact of the Blade and flavoring that weapon to be made of the same slime/ooze/symbiote material as your parasite (or in my case, the Kyrzin's Ooze) works really harmoniously. And the barbarian has enough HP that taking one turn at the start of the battle to cast a spell before you rage is totally doable. I really like the dhampir aspect and think that's a great alternative to this! The Spider Climb and the Bite in particular work wonderfully. I might have to rework my character into a dhampir, now that they've gotten rid of the "humanoid AND undead" specification.

[@5-Volt]

I've always wanted to play a GOOlock that has a venom-esque symbiote living inside their blood like this but the Dampir beast barbarian just works so well. Todd is so good at showing good ways to reflavor stuff.

[@mattedmands2085]

check out tulok the barbarian's venom build combine that with some of this new stuff and it's amazing

[@atomictree5000]

@@mattedmands2085 Tulok is the best!

[@berserkape1014]

This is from Keith Baker on the Artificer and Symbiotes. But, you can always do an Artificer who breeds Symbiotes instead of typical artifice. The Armor Artificer works pretty well. But, this Barbarian does Savage Venom well.

[@tjmauldin5502]

This is the best one yet. I love yall character creation stuff.

[@chrisframe2227]

I have made this character and LOVE playing it. This combination is fantastic. Went down last session and everyone was stunned when he inexplicably sprung back up, went into rage and tore a mouthful of flesh from a gnoll while healing for 7hp. Next turn biting again to heal for 5hp more. Even at first level this 3 piece combination is amazing with a little DM buy in. I chose the symbiote’s motivation to be to spread its infection.

[@acaeleus]

The Korrenberg Chronicles by Keith Baker on DMs Guild has a Warlock pact of the Host that works beautifully as a Symbiote.

[@Atlas_Forge]

It gets finicky at the table but don't forget lizardfolk get tail and a bite that heals u. Base race shenanigans.

[@TABarkeep]

I love these custom race ideas keep up the awesome videos

[@refinedbrass]

I want to play as a arrow demon so bad or anything with 4 usable arms and ride a gorgon

[@TheHengeProphet]

Unfortunately, the Dhampir bite-while it can be used as an attack normally-will only grant the benefits of health or bonuses if you use it and it alone as an action. The rest of this comes of very thematically interesting though!

[@EdsonR13]

Nothing in the dhampir lineage says that empowering your bite takes a full/unique action, just that you need to attack and hit a non construct/undead creature

[@TheHengeProphet]

@@EdsonR13 You are correct, I must have been looking at the wrong version, or misremembering!

[@smugreptile6695]

@@TheHengeProphet Even if it did take a full action. You can just use it as the finisher, much like how Venom takes the heads off folks after the fight is over. Once your foe is weakened and can no longer fight back, the symbiote seizes the opportunity to feed.

[@Zai-kyu]

Stop giving me ideas Todd! lol. Seriously though, thank you for these videos about this book. Love it!

[@justanotherdayinthelife9841]

Why not a warlock with the symbiote being your patron?

[@TuckBolt]

I would go with the Ruinbound Dwarves from Kieth Baker's Exploring Eberron. It's a dwarf race that has some kind of symbiote living in them and gets a free cantrip that can be a reflection of that symbiote, EG: mage hand could be a tentacle coming off of Venom/Carnage symbiote used to pick things up. Since Dwarves are mediums sized creatures too, you can can flavor raging (turning in to venom) as growing taller and going from the 4' 10" dwarf in to a goliath sized 6' vemon creature.

[@jgr7487]

I've been waiting for this build to be possible using WotC material only for so long!

[@basementmadetapes]

It's like u pulled this video out of my head. I already been reflavouring path of the beast as a symbiote reflavour but w an actual mechanical symbiote is...wow

[@matthewkobos4067]

Well played sir... well played.

[@sasivasebas]

I have been trying to find a better way to build this Venom type character, when i saw Dhampir in the UA i was so glad because it fits so well! I was doing it with Alter Self as a Shadow Sorcerer/Monk or Fighter before this and some Slippers of Spider Climbing but with the new Barbarian in Tasha plus Dhampir... no need to cast for this types of abilities. I even thought of a possibility with Armorer Artificer also... I would recomennd Eldritch Claw Tattoo from Tasha. I would get a look on those "Dark Gifts" later. Thanks Todd.

[@HiroZeroVirus]

astral monk though. instead of some ethereal limbs and such, the symbiote becomes those parts. take it a step further with tattoos, eldritch claw and what not, and have the symbiote actually be the ink that makes up the tattoos. ( i may have already build out this idea.)

[@theblindbuildergrandminuti5648]

Nailed it. I did a lot of the same things, great fun!

[@karcistthurgy3025]

We use Plasmoid to play as the Symbiote itself and just wrap around a random npc.

[@Raoul9753]

Sounds good, but since your Bite scales of your con and not str, you dont get the rage bonus damage when using it and you cant use rechless attack either...

[@bipower6969]

Yes exactly, Dhampir is not the best race imo for this, because it just conflicts so much with barbarian

[@Raoul9753]

@@bipower6969 Sadly my idea for a Dhampir Rogue didnt work either because its not a Finess weapon :(

[@GoomBayBee]

I played a venom”esque” character once. Reflavored an order of the Lycan blood hunter and used the ua ranger stuff for a climb speed.

[@jasonspratley5583]

What race would work with this build?

[@Fibonochos]

What about doing the reverse, going plasmoid and play the symbiote

[@Disco_Elysium]

What a great idea!

[@Nikuthulhu]

I feel like you are going off of the Max Gargan Venom for the tail with the spear. Still great ideas, though!

[@willburns7329]

I picture the two different bites as being like the xenomorph from Alien.

[@feralart]

Would only work with a grain of salt and a very open DM, but I think it would be cool to have a plasmoid beast barbarian envelop another character like living armor.

[@amhrinda]

I love this.

[@vernonhampton5863]

I might could do this.

[@adhoahsgamingdnd9617]

As soon as I got my book delivered I tooled out a venom inspired character lmao. I decided on beast form barbarian class

[@SifuKodiakc]

Vampire Hunter D's hand

[@michaelbalcom5233]

Wasn't there also a tentacle tattoo in Tasha's?

[@peterhebenstreit451]

Could also add Grim Hollow's Aberrant Horror to Dark Gift Symbiote

[@nicholascasey6473]

I have the book van richten's guide to ravenloft, but I am trying to figure out if you can start the game at character creation with a dark gift or is it something you must specifically mention to the dungeon master. I did read the book but I am probably blind if it did mention something about it. Edit: Grammar

[@ives1446]

It is described as something you can choose to take at character creation, but it's still best to talk to your DM about it because at the end of the day it's up to them wether to allow it

[@nicholascasey6473]

@@ives1446 Thank you for the response. I will keep this in mind for future character builds

[@dotsonci13]

Path of the beast works really well but if you wanted to dip some levels into monk you could pick path of the living weapon and and choose the travelers blade at level 3 your reach is extended 5 feet and you can use kei points to extent your reach up to 5 feet per point up to 20 feet and you can choose between slashing piercing or bludgeoning damage to give that venom tendril reach

[@mattedmands2085]

think they were discussing wotc material unless i am mistaken that's some sort of homebrew

[@dotsonci13]

@@mattedmands2085 no its also wotc its a subclass for monk in return to eboron

[@mattedmands2085]

@@dotsonci13 exploring ebberon isn't official content even though kevin baker did create it, it is still 3rd party content

[@dotsonci13]

@@mattedmands2085 oh really well dang I thought they made it official that's on me

[@michaelbryant3640]

So, would Eddie Brock have the Investigator or Entertainer background, as a reporter?

[@Cassius335]

I wonder how Batman would work... Class? Patron? Dark Lord?

[@PyroDraco91]

Artificer + Monk + Rogue (Assassin) Human or Shadar-kai Elf

[@miguelangelgonzalez4356]

BATMAN: *Variant Human *Monk 3 to 11 Lv (Way of the Shadows or Way on the Kensei) + Rogue 3 to 9 Lv (Assassin or Inquisitive or Mastermind) + Bard 6 Lv (College of Lore or College of Swords) Depending of how you want to played

[@johnadger6699]

Black pudding symbiote?

[@taylorsmith1720]

I just realized her name is the same as his! are you two married? that's so awesome that you guys share a hobby as well as a youtube channel

[@luigivenom6054]

A Blood-Hunter with the curse of the werewolf fell more like Venom for me, some sens are Up with the smell of some kind of creature that them judge should not be here/exist .

[@brian4279]

The whole double bite thing gives me imagery of a xenomorph. First bite with big mouth, second bite with tiny mouth.... Thanks, I hate it.

[@Ryan-mm5yg]

Braaaa simic hybrid you get an extra set of tentacle arms and a climb speed equal to your movement speed otherwise yes your welcome

[@WayneBraack]

Completely ridiculous.