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[pbp] 13th Age - The Beginning of the End
astrobstrd
So full of mercy...Registered User regular
So full of mercy...Registered User regular
This is where only the brave and foolish tread. This way is only madness and doom...
This is a 13th Age PBP RPG. Our intrepid heroes (or anti-heroes) will face epic challenges and their backgrounds and future choices will shape the Dragon Empire, for good or ill.
13th Age
PCs
Our Cast
Posting Guidelines
This is a 13th Age PBP RPG. Our intrepid heroes (or anti-heroes) will face epic challenges and their backgrounds and future choices will shape the Dragon Empire, for good or ill.
13th Age
13th Age is a fantasy role-playing game developed under the d20 OGL by the leads of 3rd and 4th edition D&D. Many features and systems will be familiar to people with experience with either of those systems. 13th Age has a few unique mechanics at play that should be known before character creation.
One Unique Thing - Each character has to have something that sets them apart from anyone else in the world. The book offers examples such as: I am a living spell; I am a live child born to a zombie mother; and I am an elf with human ears. Feel free to aim big with your OUT, but don't be a dingus and do something like say that you are an icon (prophesied to become one however...)
Icons - There are 13 major players in the world and you have some relationship with at least 1-3 of them (some classes offer more). At the start of each session or when the situation calls for it, you roll relationship dice with each Icon you have a relationship with. 6's get you some bonus from the Icon (or the Icon's enemies). 5's get a you a bonus with a "complication". This could be a task, a catch, or drawback, but is still an overall positive...usually.
The Icons are:
The Archmage - Most powerful wizard in the Empire. Protects the Empire through magical means and uses wizardry to tame wild lands for human use.
The Crusader - Servant of the Gods of Evil. Works with the Emperor to slay demons, a shared foe. Leads merciless legions into hellholes and wins by any means necessary.
The Diabolist - Crazed leader of cultists who consort with and command demons. Malicious and evil, but can be merciful if it is funny or surprising
The Dwarf King – King of the Dwarves (duh). He rules from Forge and claims ownership of all treasures pulled from the earth.
The Elf Queen – She shares a mystical connection with every elf and rules from the Court of Stars. The three elf races rally for favor in her court. She is at least as innately magically adept as the Archmage.
The Emperor – Rules the Dragon Empire from Axis and descended from a long line of nobility. The Emperor is capable, but unproven.
The Great Gold Wyrm – Protector of the world and patron of the Golden Order. The Wyrm communicates through dreams and agents as his physical form seals the gap that holds the Abyss from the world.
The High Druid – A champion of the wild. She seeks to unbind the natural forces that the Empire has brought to heel. She is a young half-elf that finds her home in the Wild Wood.
The Lich King – Lord of the Undead. As the Wizard King, he founded the Dragon Empire and created the first age. The Three seek vengeance on him for slaying the White. Wants to reclaim the empire for his own.
The Orc Lord – An Icon that hasn’t appeared since the First Age. The current Orc Lord leads the swarm of his kind and harbors special enmity against the Elf Queen and Dwarf King. The Lich King was toppled in a previous age by the Orc Lord, so there is bad blood between them.
The Priestess – A speaker for the gods of light. She lives in the Cathedral, an ever-expanding temple with rooms and wings devoted to faiths she favors.
The Prince of Shadows – A figure shrouded in mystery, he is a thief who can steal anything he desires. Some are the recipients of his redistribution and idolize him as a folk hero, while his victims spurn him as a force for chaos. Many are not even certain that he exists.
The Three – Three of the five oldest dragons to exist in the world (The White was Slain by the Lich King and The Green is believed to be imprisoned by the Elf Queen): The Red, The Blue, and The Black, are all powerful enough to be icons in their own right, but together they are fearsome indeed. The Red is the greatest force of destruction in the world, The Blue is Mother of Sorcery and rules the monstrous city of Drakkenhall, while the Black is Queen of Assassins.
The Escalation Die
At the beginning of every fight, the escalation die starts at 0. At the beginning of the second full round of combat and every round thereafter, it increases by 1. PCs add this number to attack rolls and have abilities that are keyed off it. Most monsters do not interact with the escalation die.
One Unique Thing - Each character has to have something that sets them apart from anyone else in the world. The book offers examples such as: I am a living spell; I am a live child born to a zombie mother; and I am an elf with human ears. Feel free to aim big with your OUT, but don't be a dingus and do something like say that you are an icon (prophesied to become one however...)
Icons - There are 13 major players in the world and you have some relationship with at least 1-3 of them (some classes offer more). At the start of each session or when the situation calls for it, you roll relationship dice with each Icon you have a relationship with. 6's get you some bonus from the Icon (or the Icon's enemies). 5's get a you a bonus with a "complication". This could be a task, a catch, or drawback, but is still an overall positive...usually.
The Icons are:
The Archmage - Most powerful wizard in the Empire. Protects the Empire through magical means and uses wizardry to tame wild lands for human use.
The Crusader - Servant of the Gods of Evil. Works with the Emperor to slay demons, a shared foe. Leads merciless legions into hellholes and wins by any means necessary.
The Diabolist - Crazed leader of cultists who consort with and command demons. Malicious and evil, but can be merciful if it is funny or surprising
The Dwarf King – King of the Dwarves (duh). He rules from Forge and claims ownership of all treasures pulled from the earth.
The Elf Queen – She shares a mystical connection with every elf and rules from the Court of Stars. The three elf races rally for favor in her court. She is at least as innately magically adept as the Archmage.
The Emperor – Rules the Dragon Empire from Axis and descended from a long line of nobility. The Emperor is capable, but unproven.
The Great Gold Wyrm – Protector of the world and patron of the Golden Order. The Wyrm communicates through dreams and agents as his physical form seals the gap that holds the Abyss from the world.
The High Druid – A champion of the wild. She seeks to unbind the natural forces that the Empire has brought to heel. She is a young half-elf that finds her home in the Wild Wood.
The Lich King – Lord of the Undead. As the Wizard King, he founded the Dragon Empire and created the first age. The Three seek vengeance on him for slaying the White. Wants to reclaim the empire for his own.
The Orc Lord – An Icon that hasn’t appeared since the First Age. The current Orc Lord leads the swarm of his kind and harbors special enmity against the Elf Queen and Dwarf King. The Lich King was toppled in a previous age by the Orc Lord, so there is bad blood between them.
The Priestess – A speaker for the gods of light. She lives in the Cathedral, an ever-expanding temple with rooms and wings devoted to faiths she favors.
The Prince of Shadows – A figure shrouded in mystery, he is a thief who can steal anything he desires. Some are the recipients of his redistribution and idolize him as a folk hero, while his victims spurn him as a force for chaos. Many are not even certain that he exists.
The Three – Three of the five oldest dragons to exist in the world (The White was Slain by the Lich King and The Green is believed to be imprisoned by the Elf Queen): The Red, The Blue, and The Black, are all powerful enough to be icons in their own right, but together they are fearsome indeed. The Red is the greatest force of destruction in the world, The Blue is Mother of Sorcery and rules the monstrous city of Drakkenhall, while the Black is Queen of Assassins.
The Escalation Die
At the beginning of every fight, the escalation die starts at 0. At the beginning of the second full round of combat and every round thereafter, it increases by 1. PCs add this number to attack rolls and have abilities that are keyed off it. Most monsters do not interact with the escalation die.
PCs
PC's should be 1st level and any class/race from the Core Book, 13 True Ways, or the Bestiary are fair game. If you really want to use something from 13th Age Vault or elsewhere, PM me a link and I'll decide if it is ok. Use Point Buy to determine stats in one of these arrays:
18 16 10 8 8 8
18 15 10 10 8 8
18 14 12 10 8 8
18 14 10 10 10 8
18 13 12 10 9 8
18 12 12 12 8 8
17 17 10 8 8 8
17 16 12 9 8 8
17 16 10 10 9 8
17 15 12 10 9 8
17 14 14 9 8 8
16 16 14 10 8 8
16 16 10 10 10 10
16 15 14 10 10 8
16 14 14 12 10 8
16 14 12 12 10 10
16 12 12 12 12 10
15 15 15 10 10 8
15 15 14 12 10 8
15 14 14 12 10 10
15 12 12 12 12 12
14 14 14 14 12 8
14 14 14 14 10 10
18 16 10 8 8 8
18 15 10 10 8 8
18 14 12 10 8 8
18 14 10 10 10 8
18 13 12 10 9 8
18 12 12 12 8 8
17 17 10 8 8 8
17 16 12 9 8 8
17 16 10 10 9 8
17 15 12 10 9 8
17 14 14 9 8 8
16 16 14 10 8 8
16 16 10 10 10 10
16 15 14 10 10 8
16 14 14 12 10 8
16 14 12 12 10 10
16 12 12 12 12 10
15 15 15 10 10 8
15 15 14 12 10 8
15 14 14 12 10 10
15 12 12 12 12 12
14 14 14 14 12 8
14 14 14 14 10 10
Our Cast
@Grunt's Ghosts as Ryo, the Burning Monk.
@seljin468 as Xlypher
@Brody as Gunbjorn
@discrider as Yld'ric the Dusk
@OptimusZed as Korgath, Skullprince of Clan Dragon, Grand Librarian of Unfune
@Tox as Erethun, High Elf of the Silver Court
@seljin468 as Xlypher
@Brody as Gunbjorn
@discrider as Yld'ric the Dusk
@OptimusZed as Korgath, Skullprince of Clan Dragon, Grand Librarian of Unfune
@Tox as Erethun, High Elf of the Silver Court
Posting Guidelines
I expect all players to be able to post 3-5 times a week, maybe more during combat rounds. Things come up for everyone, so just let me know if you need me to roll your character for a little while. All OOC text should be in spoilers. Spoken dialogue should be bolded; italics can be used for internal dialogue if you wish to use it. Rolls can be done via Geth or Orokos. Use the campaign tag Beginning of the End if you use Orokos. Most prefer Geth for convenience, but I like rolling and writing after I see results without editing. Combat will be covered once we hit our first fight, but I am awful at maptools, so it will be text-based. Have fun everyone, and I hope you enjoy!
Selling the Scream Podcast: https://anchor.fm/jeremy-donaldson
astrobstrd on
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Posts
Ryo the Burning Monk
Str 16 (+3) Con 10 (0) Dex 14 (+2) Int 8 (-1) Wis 16 (+3) Cha 8 (-1)
AC 14
PD 14
MD 11
HP 19
Recoveries 8
Initiative +7
Recovery Roll 1d8 +0
Icon Relationships:
High Druid +2
Emperor -1
Background:
Monk of the Elemental Temple +5
Prophet of the Chaos +2
Former Slumrat +1
OUT: While training to summon a fire elemental, Ryo's spell when wrong, causing the elemental to be summoned and fusion with him. He now has blacken skin with cracks that glow like a log on fire and eyes that look like burning coals and when he gets ready to fight, his bald head becomes covered with flaming hair.
Melee Attack
At-Will
Target: One enemy
Attack: Dexterity + Level vs. AC
Hit:PUNCH + Strength damage.
Miss: Damage equal to your level.
Ranged Attack
At-Will
Target: One enemy
Attack: Dexterity + Level vs. AC
Hit: WEAPON + Dexterity damage.
Miss:—
Talents:
Human (Racial Power)
Quick to Fight
At the start of each battle, roll initiative twice and choose the result you want.
General Feat
Improved Initiative
Gain a +4 bonus to Initiative checks.
Druid:
Divine Implements
Not all clerics believe that druidic magic has anything to do with the divine. Many druids think of their magic as natural rather than divine. But perspectives and self-images don’t change the fact that druids’ spells seem to qualify as divine magic so far as magic items are concerned! Your best options for improving your spellcasting are symbols and staffs.
Druidic Summoning
The Elemental Caster talent provides access to elemental summoning spells. Other talents might include summoning spells in the future.
Nature Talking
Everybody knows that druids can talk with plants and animals. It doesn’t always work, though druids might not admit that, since no one but another druid or a particularly cunning bard will have any way of knowing what the plant/animal said in return. Twice per day, a druid can talk with a non-hostile animal or plant for a
short time (in battle, it takes one to three rounds). Conversations are simple and the feature doesn’t really increase the plant or animal’s brain power, so talking with animals about things like “are there other scary two-leggers around here” is probably the limit. As a rule, plants don’t remember much about things that happened before the last sunrise or sunset, with the possible exception of events involving fire.
If there is useful information for the druid to gain out of the situation, they should roll a skill check that’s appropriate for the tier. Talking to animals requires a hard DC, and plants usually require a ridiculously hard DC. A druid gains a +1 bonus when talking with animals for every talent spent on the Shifter or Animal Companion talents. A druid gains a +1 bonus when talking with plants for every talent spent on the Terrain Caster talent.
Wilderness Survival
You never suffer from natural weather-related cold, heat, or exposure. You can go longer than most people without eating or drinking, but only a couple days longer.
Fire Mastery (Elemental Caster)
If you take fire mastery feats, small flickers of flame may accompany your strong moods. They don’t tend to set anything on fire or hurt anyone. They’re expressions of your core magical nature. Subtlety is a challenge.
Adventurer Feat:You gain the flame spear spell below.
Monk:
JAB, PUNCH, and KICK Attacks
Under normal circumstances, melee weapons that are traditional in a monk’s style function like special effects for monks. Most monk attacks are rated as JAB, PUNCH, or KICK attacks, in the same sense that most fighter attacks are WEAPON attacks.
• JAB attacks deal 1d4 damage per level.
• PUNCH attacks deal 1d6 damage per level.
• KICK attacks deal 1d8 damage per level.
Monks don’t use weapon damage dice unless they are using a non-traditional weapon or a basic ranged attack that is not part of one of their monk forms. Neither case is ideal for monks, since they can only use non-traditional weapon attacks for basic attacks instead of using their forms.
When fighting barehanded, with bracers, or with traditional monk weapons, monks use damage dice based on the form they are attacking with, or PUNCH damage for basic melee attacks. (See Melee Weapons on the left.) While using a magic weapon, monks add the weapon’s attack and damage bonus to their attacks, and they can use that weapon’s power(s).All monk attacks that use Dexterity as the attack stat use Strength as the ability score that determines damage.
Forms
When you learn a monk form, you learn all three elements of that form: an opening attack, flow attack, and finishing attack.
Each element requires a standard action to use (although some standard action elements provide access to free or quick actions you can choose to use or ignore).
Using your forms in battle: You must follow a specific form progression during battle. Your first standard action attack after rolling initiative in a battle must be an opening. Your second attack can be a flow attack from ANY form you know or you can “go back” and use another opening. After you use a flow attack, your next monk attack can be a finishing attack from ANY form you know, or you can go back to another opening. You can’t use another flow attack.
After a finishing attack you must start over with an opening on your next standard action. If you spend a turn without attacking for some reason, you must start your forms over with an opening on your next standard action.It’s worth noting that this form progression occurs whether you hit or miss with your attack.
[*]Mixing forms:As long as you use the proper element of the form (opening, flow, or finishing attack), you can use an opening, flow, or finishing attack from ANY of the forms you know. Part of the fun of playing a monk character is tracking which moves you have used and announcing the elements/names of the form as they roll out across the rounds. Announce your action during your turn in your best Hong Kong action theater voice unless that conflicts with your character’s story.
[*]Defense bonus:When you use an element of a form, you gain an AC bonus until the start of your next turn. After using an opening attack you gain a +1 bonus to AC. After using a flow attack, you gain a +2 bonus to AC. After using a finishing attack, you gain a +3 bonus to AC.If elven grace or some other power lets you use multiple elements of your forms in a turn, the AC bonuses don’t stack but you do get to use the highest bonus.
[*]Keeping track of your forms:Your best choice each round will usually be between all the elements of a single category of attack. If you’re writing out your forms, you’ll want to track all your opening attacks together, all your flow attacks separately, and all your finishing attacks in their own group.
Ki
You gain a number of ki points each day equal to 1 + your Wisdom modifier. (It increases as you gain levels; see the level progression table.) You can spend ki to modify the natural result of one of your attack rolls, as explained below. Talents and some feats provide ki powers, each of which can be activated by spending 1 point of ki. Ki is a daily resource. When you take a full heal-up, you regain all your ki points. As a rule, you don’t regain ki during a quick rest.
[*]Spending ki to adjust your attack roll:After rolling an attack, you can spend 1 point of ki as a free action to change your attack’s natural result by 1, unless that result is a natural 1. The change can be positive or negative. For example, you could change a natural roll of 19 into a natural 20, or natural roll of 3 into a natural 2, allowing you to reroll the attack thanks to the monk’s two-weapon fighting feature.
[*]Ki powers: Adventurer-tier talents and a few feats offer
additional ways to spend ki points. Spending ki is a free action:Unless otherwise specified, spending ki is a free action. Spend only 1 point of ki per turn: As a rule you can spend only 1 point of ki each turn. You can spend multiple points of ki each round, but only once during your turn and once during each other creature’s turn. The exceptions to this rule are forms that cost multiple points of ki for a single use.
Two-Weapon Fighting
Since monks are trained to strike with all their limbs, we’re happy to say that they can always be considered to be fighting
with two weapons in melee, even when they’re barehanded. As indicated on page 168 of the 13th Age core rulebook, the principal advantage of “two-weapon fighting” is that you get to reroll your attack when you roll a natural 2 with a melee attack, sticking with the reroll.
Bracers as Magic Items
Monks get magic-weapon style powers from magical bracers; see page 235 for more information about bracers. In practice, a monk fighting barehanded looks to bracers for magical advantage. A monk who fights with the monastery’s traditional weapons might use bracers or a magical weapon, but a monk wearing magical bracers can’t use a magical melee weapon at the same time.
Diamond Focus
You gain a +2 bonus to saves while you’re not staggered. In addition, you can go one round without using a monk attack form and still maintain your place in the attack form progression. For example, if you made an opening attack last round but don’t attack this round (or with your next standard action) for any reason, even being stunned or unconscious, you can still use a flow attack with your next standard action.
Leaf on Wind
Once per battle when you use a move action, you can take another move action as a free action.
In addition, if you fall with a wall, tree, or other physical object next to you, you can fall up to 30 feet per level without taking damage. (You slap the surface, catch handholds, and use other maneuvers to slow your descent.)
Spells:
Flame Spear
Ranged spell At-Will
Target: One nearby enemy
Attack: Wisdom + Level vs. PD
Hit: 1d12 + Wisdom fire damage.
Natural Odd Hit: As a hit, plus one of your allies engaged with the target, if any, takes 1d6 fire damage.
3rd level spell 5d6 damage 2d6 damage on odd hit.
5th level spell 5d8 damage 2d8 damage on odd hit.
7th level spell 7d10 damage 3d10 damage on odd hit.
9th level spell 10d10 damage 4d6 damage on odd hit.
Faerie Fire
Ranged spell Daily
Target: One nearby enemy
Attack: Wisdom + Level vs. PD
Hit: 3d6 + Wisdom fire damage, and the target is vulnerable (hard save ends, 16+).
Miss:Half damage, and the target is vulnerable until the end of your next turn.
3rd level spell 6d6 damage, and in addition to being vulnerable, the target can’t turn invisible or hide from you or your allies (save ends both).
5th level spell 6d10 damage, and the target also can’t teleport (save ends all).
7th level spell 10d10 damage.
9th level spell 2d8 x 10 damage.
Forms:
Dance of the Mantis
Opening Attack (Springing Mantis Strike)
Melee attack
Special:When you start your turn unengaged, you can move before the attack as part of the standard action for this attack.
Target:One enemy
Attack:Dexterity + Level vs. AC
Hit: JAB + Strength damage.
Flow Attack (The Pincer Whirls Shut)
Melee attack
Target:One enemy
Attack:Dexterity + Level vs. AC
Hit:PUNCH + Strength damage, or KICK + Strength damage against large or huge targets.
Natural Even Hit:As a hit, plus you can roll a disengage check as a free action after the attack.
Miss:Half damage.
Finishing Attack (Precise Mantis Kick)
Melee attack
Target:One enemy
Attack:Dexterity + Level + 2 vs. AC
Hit:KICK + Strength damage.
Natural Even Miss:Your crit range with opening, flow, and finishing attacks expands by 1 until the end of the battle.
Natural Odd Miss:Damage equal to your level.
Original Venom
Opening Attack (First Deadly Venom)
Melee attack
Target:One enemy
Attack: Dexterity + Level vs. AC
Hit: JAB + Strength damage, and if the target is staggered after the attack, it also takes 5 ongoing poison damage.
Miss:You take damage equal to your level.
Flow Attack (Second Certain Toxin)
Melee attack
Target: One enemy
Attack: Dexterity + Level vs. PD
Hit: PUNCH + Strength damage.
Natural Even Hit:As a hit, plus 5 ongoing poison damage.
Miss:You take damage equal to your level.
Finishing Attack (Third Poisonous Lesson)
Melee attack
Target:One enemy taking ongoing damage
Attack:Dexterity + Level vs. AC
Hit:KICK + Strength damage.
Natural Even Hit:As a hit, plus 10 ongoing poison damage, and if the target has 45 hp points or fewer, it’s hampered (save ends both). (The hp threshold also goes up automatically based on your level.)
3rd level monk 72 hp or fewer.
5th level monk 108 hp or fewer.
7th level monk 180 hp or fewer.
9th level monk 300 hp or fewer.
Natural Odd Hit:As a hit, plus 5 ongoing poison damage.
Miss:You take damage equal to your level.
Background
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Also, it multi-classes the two most complex classes...
With the OUT being that I've been born into 10 of the Ages, and my past lives have left an impression.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Xlypher
Str 10 (0) Dex 18 (+4) Con 10 (0) Int 10 (0) Wis 18 (+4) Cha 10 (0)
AC 14
PD 14
MD 11
HP 21
Recoveries 8
Recovery Roll 1d8+0
Initiative +5
Icon Relationship
The Lich King -2
The Elf Queen +1
Background
Shadow Tracker +5
Silent Leaf Assassin +5
Elf Queen Spy +3
OUT:
Xlypher was a part of squad that tired to kill the Lich King. When the Lich king used a killing curse Xlypher was the only survivor, left with a curse mark that allows him to feel the Lich King and the Lich King to feel him.
Melee Attack (Short Sword d6)
Hit: Str or Dex +Level vs. AC
Damage: Weapon + Str Mod
Range Attack (Short Bow d6)
Hit: Dex Mod +Level vs. AC
Damage: Weapon + Dex Mod
Wood Elf Racial Power
Elven Grace (Racial Power)
At the start of each of your turns, roll a die to see if you get an extra standard action. If your roll is equal to or lower than the escalation die, you get an extra standard action that turn. At the start of battle, you roll a d6. Each time you successfully gain an extra action, the size of the die you roll increases by one step on the following progression: (d4), d6, d8, d10, d12, d20. If you get an extra action after rolling a d20, you can’t get any more extra actions that battle.
Ranger Talents
Archery
Once per battle, reroll one of your missed ranged attacks.
Adventurer Feat: Your Archery rerolls gain a +2 attack bonus and the attack’s crit range expands by 1.
Double Ranged Attack
When you attack with a ranged weapon that does not need to be reloaded, your default option is to make a double ranged attack. Your weapon damage die drops one notch, usually from d8s to d6s. If your first attack is a natural even roll (hit or miss), you can make a second attack as a free action. If you decide you don’t want to try for a double ranged attack when firing your bow or other ranged weapon, declare it before rolling your attack; the single attack will deal the normal damage dice instead of using reduced damage dice.
Tracker
You have the Tracker background (by any name that feels fun, engaging, and correct for your character’s story) at its full possible bonus of +5, without having to spend your normal background points on it. You are an expert wilderness tracker, capable of reading clues from the environment that others can’t perceive. Tracking doesn’t work well, however, in heavily traveled urban environments. In addition, you have the terrain stunt power.
Terrain stunt: At the start of each battle in a non-urban environment, roll a d6. Any time after the escalation die reaches that number, you’ll be able to use a quick action to execute a terrain stunt. Normally you can only use terrain stunt once per battle, but circumstances, geography, or excellent planning may suggest that you can pull it off more than once. Terrain stunts are improvisational effects that play off your preternatural understanding of the wilderness and all the diverse forms of the natural world. Things like knocking a hornets nest no one had noticed onto your enemy’s head, maneuvering a foe onto a soggy patch of ground that slows them down, shooting the cap off a mushroom spore in a dungeon that erupts on your enemies, getting your enemy’s sword wedged into a stalactite, finding the tree branch that lets you vault up to attack the flying demon that thought it was out of axe range, and similar types of actions.
Character Background Later
1. If you want to use a non-standard or smaller weapon, just go ahead and use the highest applicable damage die that you don't take a penalty with. This lets the knife fighter or sword wizard exist without feelbads. If you are only using this rule for in-game advantage (tiny weapons that are hard to find, weapons that can't be disarmed...), be prepared to have it nerfed or at least met with equal drawbacks.
2. I utilize an additional distance of very far. Thrown weapons can't hit very far targets and other ranged weapons take an additional -2 or more to attacks. I added this to give ranged characters a bit more cushion and convey encounters that begin in open areas with a lot of turf to cover. As it stands RAW, ranged characters can be engaged by any enemy willing to give up a standard action, unless tanks are always on intercept duty.
I'll aim to get a character up by tomorrow.
Str 10 (0) Dex 18 (+4) Con 10 (0) Int 10 (0) Wis 18 (+4) Cha 10 (0)
AC 14
PD 14
MD 11
HP 21
Recoveries 8
Recovery Roll 1d8+0
Initiative +5
Icon Relationship
The Lich King -1
The Elf Queen +1
Orc lord -1
Background
Shadow Tracker +5
Silent Leaf Assassin +5
Elf Queen Spy +3
OUT:
Xlypher was a part of squad that tired to kill the Lich King. When the Lich king used a killing curse Xlypher was the only survivor, left with a curse mark that allows him to feel the Lich King and the Lich King to feel him.
Melee Attack (Short Sword d6)
Hit: Str or Dex +Level vs. AC
Damage: Weapon + Str Mod
Range Attack (Short Bow d6)
Hit: Dex Mod +Level vs. AC
Damage: Weapon + Dex Mod
Wood Elf Racial Power
Elven Grace (Racial Power)
At the start of each of your turns, roll a die to see if you get an extra standard action. If your roll is equal to or lower than the escalation die, you get an extra standard action that turn. At the start of battle, you roll a d6. Each time you successfully gain an extra action, the size of the die you roll increases by one step on the following progression: (d4), d6, d8, d10, d12, d20. If you get an extra action after rolling a d20, you can’t get any more extra actions that battle.
Ranger Talents
Archery
Once per battle, reroll one of your missed ranged attacks.
Adventurer Feat: Your Archery rerolls gain a +2 attack bonus and the attack’s crit range expands by 1.
Double Ranged Attack
When you attack with a ranged weapon that does not need to be reloaded, your default option is to make a double ranged attack. Your weapon damage die drops one notch, usually from d8s to d6s. If your first attack is a natural even roll (hit or miss), you can make a second attack as a free action. If you decide you don’t want to try for a double ranged attack when firing your bow or other ranged weapon, declare it before rolling your attack; the single attack will deal the normal damage dice instead of using reduced damage dice.
Tracker
You have the Tracker background (by any name that feels fun, engaging, and correct for your character’s story) at its full possible bonus of +5, without having to spend your normal background points on it. You are an expert wilderness tracker, capable of reading clues from the environment that others can’t perceive. Tracking doesn’t work well, however, in heavily traveled urban environments. In addition, you have the terrain stunt power.
Terrain stunt: At the start of each battle in a non-urban environment, roll a d6. Any time after the escalation die reaches that number, you’ll be able to use a quick action to execute a terrain stunt. Normally you can only use terrain stunt once per battle, but circumstances, geography, or excellent planning may suggest that you can pull it off more than once. Terrain stunts are improvisational effects that play off your preternatural understanding of the wilderness and all the diverse forms of the natural world. Things like knocking a hornets nest no one had noticed onto your enemy’s head, maneuvering a foe onto a soggy patch of ground that slows them down, shooting the cap off a mushroom spore in a dungeon that erupts on your enemies, getting your enemy’s sword wedged into a stalactite, finding the tree branch that lets you vault up to attack the flying demon that thought it was out of axe range, and similar types of actions.
Oop.
That's going to be an elementalist, although if GG is a burning monk, I probably shouldn't be a burning embodiment of magma.
I'm now thinking 'Dark Elf' Elementalist who plays off xylpher's background; the physical embodiment of the plague curse that the Lich King set upon the elves, bound by the Priestess and guarded by the Elf Queen, lest the spell be undone and the plague released again.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
How would house rule 1 interact with multiclassing martial and non-martial classes?
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Str 17 (+3) Con 17 (+3) Dex 10 (0) Int 8 (-1) Wis 10 (0) Cha 15 (+2)
AC 16
PD 15
MD 11
HP 33
Recoveries 9
Initiative +1
Recovery Roll 1d8 +3
Icon Relationships:
Prince of Shadows +1
The Three -1
Dwarf King 1
Background:
Cutpurse 1
Blunt Assassin 4
Underworld Diplomat 2
Caravan Guard 1
OUT: Shaped by The Three to kill the Prince of Shadows made Korvalain the Prince of Shadows the perfect tool for cleaning his ranks. Its almost like the Prince of Shadows is training a public representative.
Melee attack (Hand Axe, D6?):
Attack: +3 vs AC
Ranged attack (Hand Axe, D6?):
Attack: +1 vs AC
Human Racial Power:
Roll Init twice and choose the result you want
Class Feature: Extra Tough (9 Recoveries instead of 8), Threatening (Penalty to disengage checks), Access to Wizardry, Dancing Lights, Gather Power.
Class Talents: Tough As Iron, Chromatic Destroyer Heritage, Spell Fist
Feats: Toughness (Bonus HP = to 1/2 class baseline), Spell Fist (Bonus CON damage on missed spells)
Powers/Spells: Carve an opening, Grim Intent, Breath of the White, Lightning Fork
Backstory
It was this knack for skulking in such a large frame that eventually drew the attention of the Black, who had come to a desire to train an operative to quell the Prince of Shadows growing strength, and if possible, kill the Prince himself. For although the Black had not let this be known, the Prince had stolen something very dear to him. And so in order to catch a mouse, the Black began looking for the perfect cat. And when he had found his cat, he trained him to be the biggest, meanest cat on the street, because the Princes minions were far from defenseless cut-purses.
Playing on the humans already large solid frame, and Drakkenhall native blood, the Black built a Fist. A spell fist, a mailed fist, a get in there and mess things up fist. Unfortunately, the Prince of Shadows is not unaware of what happens in the dark, and such a beautifully trained instrument appealed to him. And so he stole the young man from his training. Nothing so obtrusive as to kidnap, but in the shadows and darkness he spoke to the man. Pulling the strings of the missions the young man was given. Finally the young was primed for the plucking, and the Prince of Shadows invited him to Shadow Port, and the young man left Drakkenhall, and the service of the Black.
Now he travels as he wills, on the understanding that when he visits cities, he will observe the local shadow community, and remove people who don't follow the few hard and fast rules of the lifestyle they have chosen.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Unless noted otherwise, you would use non-martial damage here.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
OUT: Yld'dric is the unfortunate sole lone carrier of a disease sent by the Lich to wipe out the Elves, after the High Priestess contained the outbreak in him.
Backstory:
But things really boiled over when the Elf Queen sent a band of her adventurers to assassinate the King.
No-one knows quite what happened on the quest, but one thing was certain. The dead were not buried.
The adventurers turned up some days later at an elvish outpost, Sea's Awakening, drifting atop an otherwise abandoned ship.
They were also quite, quite undead.
The village priests and guards made short work of the husks, but the full extent of the Lich's plan soon made itself evident.
These were Plague-bearers. Undead not controlled directly by the Lich himself, but instead dead bodies possessed by a virulent plague, who merely used the corpses as a convenient mode of transport to find and infect new victims.
The Plague spread rapidly. Even those who had not come into contact with the bearers, would breathe it in as the dead shed the plague into the air.
Many rushed to the temples and clerics for healing. None were successful in finding a cure.
Yld'dric was of noble class however, and had the resources to pursue the most powerful clerics and petitioned them to heal him.
In his fractured state, they gave him a choice. They had but one cure and it came at a most dear price.
He accepted.
The Priestess's clerics gathered around him and put a powerful binding magic on him.
The disease from all over the town, under the weight of all the Priestess's might, was drawn into this one vessel.
Springing up from the inside, the plague roiled. The pale skin of the elves darkening to a swirling grey.
Fighting within the main, it resisted the clerics, and the white magic winding around him lit up with pain and fire.
The man screamed, echoing the raw feral emotion of the plague inside him.
Twice, thrice the plague lashed out, trying to regain its freedom, but the spell held strong.
Finally the plague settled. It could not escape. Not yet. And so it waited.
The clerics, drained and pale faced, sent a missive to their mistress.
The plague had been contained but it would not hold.
Whilst its virulence had slowed, it would still gnaw at its container.
If this one fell, then the plague would be free again, and it would continue its desolation.
And so they requested that this one be guarded and kept fed, so that the white magic might continue to work, and the plague, eventually, defeated.
It has been some ten years now.
Yld'dric has lost a lot of his own time. Memories burned and replaced with other things, like fevers and hallucinations.
But mostly the wicked animal instincts of the plague.
They have come to an understanding.
Under the eye of the Elf Queen, he has been trained to hunt, and it is allowed to feed on what they catch.
Should the virus act out, the white magic can be triggered by a simple keyword, given to the ever-present guards.
Not that this is used much any more.
The plague and the mind of the man have been together so long now that their thoughts and instincts are often both their own.
The Elf Queen and the High Priestess both know the torment that still lies dormant at the heart of this elf, and those who follow them know but the legend of the horror.
The observant are squeamish as the skin still blisters and bubbles, and the patterns that flow through the man twist as the man talks.
But the Lich King just waits.
Mechanics:
HP = 30
Str: 10 - +0
Dex: 14 (+2) - +3
Con: 16 - +3
Wis: 16 (+2) - +4
Int: 8 - -1
Cha: 8 - -1
AC = 17 (shield, no armour) / 21 (shield, ice armour, -2 to ATK) [expect me to don armour after combat starts and I start regenning]
PD = 15
MD = 11
Recoveries = 8
Recovery dice = 1d8 + 3
Longsword, Shield, Javelins?
Melee = +4 (-2) vs AC, 1d8 damage
Ranged = +4 vs AC, 1d6 + 4 damage
Backgrounds:
Hunter = 3
Fallen Elf Noble = 2
Undying, but not Undead = 3
Icons:
The Elf Queen - Conflicted 1
The High Priestess - Conflicted 1
The Lich King - Negative 1
'Dark Elf' racial - Infect
Once per battle, deal ongoing damage to a target you hit with a natural even attack roll as a free action. The ongoing damage equals 5 times your level.
Class Features:
Elemental Bond: Negative (Resistance 12+, A is now 16+)
Elemental Manipulation: Once per combat, or once per minute, manipulate the elements as a standard action
Choose one per resistance:
Mend a small, mundane item of metal. Or, manipulate at a distance a nearby item of the same material for one round.
Create a torch-like source of light that lasts until the end of the battle, or one minute out of battle.
Ignite one nearby, mundane flammable item (of campfire size or smaller) or evaporate one small source (a bucket or puddle) of normal water.
Freeze one small source (a bucket or puddle) of normal water, or quench one nearby, mundane flame of campfire size or less.
Manipulate, at a distance, any one small nearby item for one round.
Feats : 1 Adventurer - Improved Elemental Bond.
Powers : 2
Choking Contagion (16+)
Consume (16+)
Daily
Recharge 16+ after battle
Quick action
Effect: Until the end of the battle, you may make the following attack:
Close quarters attack
Move action
Target: One nearby creature
Attack: Wisdom + Level vs. PD
Hit: The target, if engaged, pops free without provoking opportunity attacks. If a nearby enemy, the target is now engaged with you.
Special: On each even hit, target an additional nearby creature, that was either in a group with or engaged with the target.
Power pool level : 1st Level
BLOOD FOR THE STONE -> Consume
Daily
Recharge 16+
Free action when you hit an enemy with an attack
Effect: You gain temporary hit points equal to the damage dealt to that enemy.
Class Talents : 3
Frozen Heart : Cold resistance (12+)
Regeneration
Subcutaneous Spores
Summon and Don Heavy Armour as a free action. Grants Cold resistance (12+)
WORLD’S BREATH - Regeneration
Whenever you are staggered and you hit with an even attack roll, regain hit points equal to your Wisdom modifier. At 5th level, increase the hit points gained to 2x your Wisdom modifier. At 8th level, increase to 4x.
IRON THORNS - Subcutaneous Spores
While you are conscious and not stunned, deal your Wisdom modifier in damage to each enemy who hits you with a melee attack and rolls an odd attack roll. This damage hits the enemy after their attack damages you. At 5th level, this damage increases to 2x your Wisdom modifier, and to 3x at 8th level.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
Still thinking tanky.
Is there a good reason not to just multi fighter and paladin together?
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Edit: So other then being 1 short on maneuvers, and Smite taking its damage from CHA instead of STR/CON, I don't see why it would be bad.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
I'm sort of tanky.
I'll be drawing aggro, getting staggered, regenning, jumping to 21 AC, and then taking the "punish if the enemy tries to disengage" class ability at 2nd on top of my reflect damage ability.
The Monster Baru Cormorant - Seth Dickinson
Steam: Korvalain
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Str 17 (+3) Dex 10 (+0) Con 15 (+2) Int 8 (-1) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 17 (+3)
AC 18
PD 14
MD 13
HP 33
Recoveries 10
Recovery Roll 1d10+3
Initiative +1
Icon Relationship
TBD
Background
TBD
OUT:
TBD
Melee Attack (Greataxe d10) (same for each class)
Hit: Str+Level (+4) vs. AC
Damage: Weapon+Str (1d10+3)
Miss: Level damage (1)
Range Attack (Javelin d6) (same for each class)
Hit: Dex+Level (+1) vs. AC
Damage: Weapon+Dex Mod (1d6+0)
Human Racial Power
First to Fight (Racial Power)
At the start of each battle, roll Initiative twice and choose the result you want.
Fighter Talents
Extra Tough (+Adventurer Feat)
I have 9 (+1) Recoveries.
Threatening
Enemies that try to disengage with me take a penalty equal to my Constitution modifier (+3) to do so as long as I'm not stunned, grabbed or unable to make opportunity attacks.
Tough as Iron
Once per Battle I can rally as a quick action
Fighter Maneuvers
Grim Intent
Trigger: Natural even miss
Effect: The next time I would deal miss damage with a Fighter melee attack, I add WEAPON to that damage.
Deadly Assault
Trigger: Natural even hit
Effect: I can reroll all 1's on the damage dice.
Paladin Talents
Smite Evil
Once per battle (+3 times per day) I can use a Free action to add +1d12 to my Paladin melee attack damage and deal half damage on a miss.
Bastion
Once per battle I can choose to lose hit points equal to half the damage one of my engaged allies took to have them take only half the damage themselves.
Lay on Hands (+Adventurer Feat)
Twice per day I can heal myself or an ally next to me as a quick action. I spend a recovery and they (or I) regains hit points as if they had spent a recovery +6.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Basically, I'm the crown Prince of a big barbarian tribe that semi-worships chromatic dragons as symbols of strength and power. As many sort of rite of ascension to become the next in line for the throne (which is made out of Dragon skulls, of course) I was supposed to go out by myself and slay a young dragon as per tradition. I'm the eve of that happening, though, the priestess (or one of her high level functionaries) shows up and declares me the prophecied Chosen of Unfune, deity of scholarship and peaceful contemplation, destined to usher in a new era of knowledge and understanding in the Empire. This is a huge problem, since I can't be both the vessel of a foreign God and clan chief of the Dragon barbarians. My cousin challenges my position as next in line and I'm forced to flee the tribe to avoid a civil war.
So hyper aggressive, semi-literate, willful barbarian guy saddled with the divine mantle of a carebear bookworm god. And exiled from his people with plans to return triumphant and crush his enemies.
I think this could work a number of ways. Paladin or Cleric are obvious options. Barbarian fits in there somewhere as well.
I kind of like the idea of taking a penalty when I hit things with a huge sword because my unwanted divine patron is pissed at me.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
Level 1 Human Paladin
Str 17 (+3) Dex 10 (+0) Con 15 (+2) Int 8 (-1) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 17 (+3)
AC 18
PD 13
MD 13
HP 30
Recoveries 9
Recovery Roll 1d10+2
Initiative +1
Icon Relationships
Priestess +2
The Three ~1
Backgrounds
Rightful Heir to the Dragonskull Throne +5
Domain: Unimpressed Champion of Unfune +4
Survivor of Slagtooth Pass +3
OUT:
The Priestess Crashed My Coronation
I was all set to be the next Chieftan of the Ur-Dragon tribe when the Priestess shows up and says I've been chosen by some god I've never heard of. Now I'm exiled from the clan and I've got to deal with this divine, judgmental jerk.
Melee Attack (Dragontooth Maul d10)
Hit: Str+Level (+4) vs. AC
Damage: Weapon+Str (1d10+3)
Miss: Level damage (1)
Range Attack (Javelin d6)
Hit: Dex+Level (+1) vs. AC
Damage: Weapon+Dex Mod (1d6+0)
Human Racial Power
First to Fight (Racial Power)
At the start of each battle, roll Initiative twice and choose the result you want.
Paladin Talents
Smite Evil
Once per battle (+3 times per day) I can use a Free action to add +1d12 to my Paladin melee attack damage and deal half damage on a miss.
Divine Domain - Knowledge + Adventurer Feat
Invocation: During the first round of battle I can roll a d6. As a Free action at any point after the Escalation die equals that roll, I can allow an ally to reroll an attack with a +2 bonus.
I can choose to treat one d20 rolled for a knowledge check as a 20 per session.
Bastion + Adventurer Feat
Once per battle when a nearby ally is hit by an attack, I can choose to take half of the damage for them.
Paladin's Challenge
When I hit an enemy with a melee attack, I can choose to challenge them. If I do, both of us take -4 to attack anyone else or to disengage from each other until one of us is knocked out or I hit someone else (with the -4 penalty).
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
They tried to bury us. They didn't know that we were seeds. 2018 Midterms. Get your shit together.
@Tox You would make the 6th slot. I'm looking to close subs once I hit six or after the weekend. I should have something up Monday or Tuesday to get the ball rolling.
'Dark elf' :P