The North is in need of a new hero...
Due to real-life issues, one of the players in my Northlands game has had to bow out... so we need a replacement! It's a good time to come in, too, since the party just finished the prologue adventure...
You can read the initial build rules here, and you should also read literally everything here in the Campaign Info tab. I cannot over-emphasize how important that is, because the fluff of your character will make or break them. The Northlands is not a generic fantasy region, and characters should be written to fit in with their independent-minded culture.
Note that the party has advanced to 4th Level, so match that. You may have up to 1,000 GP in non-magical items. (Magic items are very rare here, and not available to purchase, but the Automatic Bonus Progression rules mean you don't have to worry about it as much because you're naturally heroic. Some items may not be available due to the region's economy.)
Existing Party Members:
Eindrid (Human Cavalier/Bard)
Eydis (Human Incanter/Warpriest)
What I'm Looking For:
The party needs someone who will fit in well. Ideally, at least one side of your gestalt will include a skillful class to help deal with traps, sailing, et cetera. Note that this does not mean you should be a thief - theft is rare in the Northlands, and punished harshly. You're intended to be heroes, too, so come up with a more noble explanation for whatever talents you have. Also, note that magic of all kinds is rare in the North, and characters who possess it should be written accordingly. (You don't have to be magical, either.)
I do not like min-maxed characters, and anyone who seems too optimized (as measured by this chart, where green is ideal and too many blues is bad) will not be chosen. Otherwise, you will be judged on a balance of how well your character fits in with the party and how appropriate, well-written, and generally interesting your backstory is. (<- This will matter more than your exact class combination. The better your background is, the more likely I am to pick you.)
Dotting for interest, I like skill monkey characters.
The Northland's Saga is definitely an interesting campaign. I'm currently playing in a every other Sunday game of it in person so I'll refrain from applying.
I appreciate the min-max chart. I have a mind for building overly strong characters, something that is often balanced out by my rolling, but I can give credit to such a chart as a handy tool for judging character balance. I might have to try it with the next character I build.
It's pretty useful, yeah, though you should also read the blog post it links to so you really understand why the numbers are the way they are, and what they really mean. XD (It's more of a viability guide - as in, building characters good enough to get the job done - than an optimization guide all about maximizing yourself at any given level.)
it can be used for the ability to create a character that will make the game challenging, but not steamroll everything.
A shame I've played a large chunk of the campaign, otherwise I might throw a character in.
I am definitely interested in Spheres, both Power and Might, so will be looking over literally everything and making a pitch soon. Pardon, but I'm new to this site (though not pbp) - what's the protocol for "dotting"? Is it essentially a way to register one's interest, or does it mean more?
I should probably note that only Spheres of Power is being used. Might will only be available once it's fully released, since it's being (heavily) changed on a regular basis right now and that's not very good for the pace of Play-by-Post games.
"Dotting" is a reference to the fact that threads you've posted in will have dots next to them, and generally tell you if new posts have been made (if you've posted in them in the last month). It makes it much easier to find new comments in threads you want to pay attention to.
Very interesting :)
This reminds me of the Manga, Vinland Saga and I highly suggest you read that if you have not done so yet :)
That aside, I would be very interested in this ^_^
Not sure what I will go, and I still have a fair bit of reading to do first but it will probably be something to do with Spheres :)
Dot for now!
@Math! A Dot is just a period "."
if you put up a post that has at least one character in it then it will show up in your posting history allowing you to easily find it at a later date.
Dot in this thread, come back later once you have an idea/concept to propose :)
Oh, also, dotting is solely for your own benefit, so the only real etiquette is your own, and not spamming multiple posts in a single thread :)
Edit: @Rednal I didn't realize there was multiple reasonings for the Dot ^_^
And your reason is just as good as mine, neat!
hmm
I would apply with a Druid/rogue or monk...
but I don't know how spheres of power work....
good luck on your game though! it looks really interesting, I especially like the bit about fate and death speeches
There's a wiki with everything you need to know about Spheres right here.
It's much easier to learn than Vancian casting is. XD There's even a guide for building characters over on the side menu.
Gah, I really want to play some an Occultist/U.Rogue as some sort of cunning man from outside the local traditions but Occultist does not have an archetype in Spheres of Power and I am also loath to try an unfamiliar system without starting at level one.
Not sure if an Aether focus Kineticist would fit the flavor of the setting...
I might be able to come up with something interesting involving U.Monk...
*Gestures at the part in the Recruitment thread about classes in the Northlands* It's basically that. XD Kineticists would be lumped in with Sorcerers, and seen as unnatural and quite possibly tainted by evil forces. Occult classes in general don't go over well in the region, Wizards are almost never seen outside of stories, and so on. There are few arcane casters, fewer divine casters (Paladins are "count on literally just one hand for the whole region", Clerics pretty much don't exist, etc.), and basically no psychic casters.
Of course, players are the rarest characters of all... but flavor matters to this campaign. XD It's not like they can't be done, just be prepared to write up a fantastic story explaining why they haven't been run out of town or hunted down.
Oh if divine casters are basically nonexistent I should junk my druid idea to make a blacksmith with a big freaking hammer.
Maybe fighter/rogue
Maybe fighter/something with magic
Well, there are a FEW druids - mostly wandering wise women, like the NPC I just introduced. XD Someone wanting to play one could be tied into that - maybe an apprentice sent to help out or something.
Basically, just ask if there's a character you want to play, and we'll see if it can happen.
Well here's my thinking for my idea. On one side I would go for a Ranger with the TWF style to be a Str focused two-weapon fighter.
That gives me the basic image of a viking. Big, strong and wielding 2 axes. It also helps that the Ranger has fun toys such as tracking, 6+ skills, favored enemy, endurance and such things. I'll also give him the Sphere Ranger archetype to trade out his spells for -3 level, low-casting Spherecasting. I'll also trade out his AC for something.
For his second class, I am thinking of giving him some form of Spherecasting class, probably an Incanter. The basic idea with the Incanter is that he is Heroic. He is stronger then others, (Because he cast Physical Enhancement on himself), he hits harder then others (Because he cast Enhance Weaponry on his axes), when he takes a beating, he just gets right back up (Because he heals himself with the Life Sphere), when he gets the wind knocked out of him, he just shrugs off any ailing affliction (by casting Restore on himself), others are drawn to the power of his voice (and the Mind Sphere), or instinctively fear him. With a cry, he can Rally others and set up tactics (Using the War Sphere) that inspire those around him.
And he does all this just because he is an awesome Viking.
Now dont get me wrong, it is still magic, (and it still provokes, for instance), it is just innate, near automatic magic and chances are that only the rare magician would see it as magical, and then he would simply see that the Vikings awesomeness comes from a sense of inborn magic.
And the good thing is that I should be able to emulate most of what I need through my casting Tradition and by only picking Talents that amplify the things that a normal person could do, like Enhanced Strength, or picking Talents like the Rallies from the War Sphere :)
Question: Ranger gets a Spell Pool later on, and if I go Incanter as my other side I also get a Spell Pool through that.
Assume I have a Wis of 3 for this, it would look something like;
Ranger: (Ranger Level-3+Wisdom) SP: 4/4, CL: +1, Talents: 0
Incanter: (Incanter Level+Wisdom) SP: 7/7, CL: +4, Talents: 6
With 2 bonus Talents for being a Spherecaster.
How would these interact? Would they be treated as 2 separate sides that don't touch? Combine them?
Worst case scenario is that I have a second Spell Pool at CL 1 that can be used for 1, maybe 2 abilities and that's it.
Basically I will be building a gish Fighter, half buffer, half Axeman who is so Awesome he is just better then everybody else (and his awesomeness is unconsciously magically powered).
The general rule of thumb for gestalt is that you take the better progression - which means you'd have an Incanter's Caster Level, both Spell Pools combine, and the total number of Magic Talents known from both lists.
Though, if I were you, I'd take a non-casting archetype for Ranger. The Incanter gets way more Talents than anyone else to begin with, and up North, Rangers usually don't have any of the magical versions of the class.
(That said, the rule in Pathfinder is that spellcasting is obvious when used, even to those who know nothing about it... y'know, balance for non-combat situations and all. Otherwise we'd get all sorts of nasty NPCs trying to secretly mind-control rulers, party members, and so on. Given that, I'd avoid the Mind Sphere. Doing something to coerce someone's will is just asking for an axe in the face, even from your own allies. They take their independence seriously in the North, and a true Northern hero wouldn't be doing that, even by accident. This is true even in Spheres - the Magical Signs drawback makes it even more obvious, and tells people what kind of magic it is, but even without that people know you're casting.)
I'm toying around with an idea that I'd like some feedback on before proceeding. In short, it is an Inquisitor, a son of a basically ex-Jarl - his family was wealthy, with followers and the whole deal, but hit a string of bad luck and have lost almost everything. All he has left from his family is his bow and his dedication to his deity. Still working out details, but wanted to know if Inquisitor is an ok class, and whether the idea of an ex-Jarl was even a thing. Any feedback would be appreciated.
Edit to note that I've never used spheres of power, so I am assuming here that Inquisitor could be used with it; if that is not so, disregard that part. I just really like the Inquisitor flavor. I would be planning on not emphasizing his magic, possibly even hiding it.
Hmm
Armorist/Spirit wielder fighter....
Can I treat the bound weapon from both classes as if they were the same weapon?
@dwilhelmi: There good part is that there is a Sphere Inquisitor archetype. The bad part is that there are essentially no Inquisitors in the Northlands. They don't have a formal church structure - only general traditions that people follow because they want to. Therefore, there is no church for Inquisitors to regulate, and indeed, most people would be very offended if someone else butted into their lives and told them they were doing it wrong. Ex-Jarls do exist, but they themselves are looked down on for their failures - their children wouldn't be, though.
(The Northlands is not like most gaming regions. Class choice really does matter, socially speaking, and many just aren't present. Of course, sufficient creativity can still get around that if you can come up with a good explanation for it...)
@Yet to be: I'm specifically looking to avoid min-maxed characters. Two Full BAB classes that each buff their weapon is definitely leaning towards that category.
From a historical perspective, that sort of magic would be denigrated as ergi, unmanly, but that's associated with the sort of premodern anti-LGBTQ bias that the developers (presumably) wanted to avoid. Reframing it as an affront to the sacred value of independence was a nice touch.
GM Rednal said wrote: Basically, just ask if there's a character you want to play, and we'll see if it can happen. Does this mean you're open to a second character with levels in a High Caster class? I'm glad Gobo brought it up, because I assumed Eydis had the only such slot. If so, I'd like to work up an Incanter//skill monkey who casts (in-character) using galdr, spells constructed by chanting and singing runes from the Elder Futhark. Mechanically I really like the Warp sphere, but since that's already in play Weather and Enhancement would be especially appropriate, thematically.
Socially, I have an idea that's interesting but may be too far out there: a Hrolflander who's half Ulnat, the people from farther north. Should make for an interesting dynamic, with other Northlanders expecting the character to behave like a southerner while they were raised (by one parent) to see even some of the Northlander ways as luxurious. The Hrolf mother could be a godi, to give some background for their magic knowledge.
edit: whups, got ninja'ed. In the first line I was referring to Mind sphere
edit 2: I'd still flavor casting as galdr if limited to Medium casting progression, it would just come up slightly less often. Also, the Ulnat connection might justify working in some shamanic elements inspired by Lapp and Finnish mythology like Vainamoinen and the Kalevala?
Really thar's minmax?
Huh
I was mostly going spirit warrior because intelligent weapons are cool and armorist has a lot of other useful abilities for the blacksmith concept (advanced armor training is also helping the concept)
But if you say it's too broken....
Maybe I could TWF? It'd give me something to do with my feats
Fair enough - can I get a list of acceptable gods, and see if I can come up with a creative enough story to pass muster? If not, I'll pivot to something else, but I like a good challenge.
@Math: As I mentioned in my initial recruitment thread, I'd prefer just one full caster in the party (because such magic is legitimately rare in the region). That said, Spheres isn't like Vancian magic where those extra three spell levels have REALLY powerful stuff in them - you can still learn pretty much all the same spells if you're a Mid Caster, they just won't be quite as powerful unless your class specializes in them (and most specialize in something). You get a lot of neat class abilities, too. Hedgewitch is a pretty good choice in that regard if you want to go a shamanistic route (and I have a plot thread ready for such a character). Characters are definitely preferred to be from the Northlands, though - there's a plot reason for this, which will become clear, in part, not so long after I make my selection... XD
@Yet to be: Too much overlap in the roles of your classes is, generally, a bad idea for gestalt. It defeats the purpose (which is to compensate for a low number of characters by allowing people to take more roles). I am emphatically not looking for characters that stack similar abilities to be abnormally good in one area. Don't try to be the best in one area - spread yourself out and think about having a variety of ways to solve problems.
@dwilhelmi: The acceptable deities of the setting are:
Baldr/Balder, NG God of Bravery and Beauty
Bragr/Bragi, CG God of Poetry and Song
Donar/Thor, CG God of Thunder
Freyja/Freya, NG Goddess of Love and Fertility
Freyr/Frey, NG God of the Sun and the Hunt
Frigg/Frigga, NG Goddess of the Home and Hearth
Njördr/Njor, N God of Seafarers and Winds
Norns, N Weavers of Fate
Rán, CN Goddess of the Pitiless Waves
Tiwaz/Tyr, LG God of Law and Justice (he's also Thyr, and the brother of Muir, for those familiar with other Frog God adventures)
Wotan/Odin, NG All-Father of the Gods
Note that the Northlanders are broadly polytheistic, and most venerate all their deities to some extent. They seem them as members of their own (extended) family, and treat them as such.
Dotting with interest. I will adjust this character tonight
GM Rednal wrote: As I mentioned in my initial recruitment thread, I'd prefer just one full caster in the party I saw that, which was why I was surprised the druid and Gobo's incanter weren't denied outright. The incanters' High Caster caster level wasn't as big a draw, for me, as the bonus talents that allow for more flexibility in character creation and play. I don't see many opportunities to use SoP, so my first inclination is to try to play around with as many talents as you're comfortable with.
The hedgewitch is pretty flexible too, though, and the charlatan tradition offers a lot for skill-based builds. Would it be okay to gestalt the hedgewitch with another Mid Caster class, not to stack similar abilities to be abnormally good in one area but to fill more party roles - in the same way Eydis's Incanter talents are for healing and battlefield control while her Warpriest talents are devoted to the blaster role?
GM Rednal wrote: Characters are definitely preferred to be from the Northlands, though To be clear, the half-Ulnat Hrolflander was intended to have been raised in Hrolfland among the Hrolf (which I'm assuming counts as being a Northlander from the Northlands), but one could certainly achieve a similar dynamic with a parent from a different Northlander nation instead of Ulnat. There would still be an internal tension between maintaining the southern-tinged customs the character grew up with, refusing to show fear of embarrassment for doing so, and following the other parent's and surrounding society's stricter code of conduct as befits a guest's obligation in a house (and community) not their own. I could even get a similar effect from, for example, a Halfsteader born and bred from a family that had the quirk of forbidding thrall ownership due to thralldom in their past.
But again, this is just to clarify what my intention was in suggesting that background. This kind of unusual perspective isn't something I'm committed to, just an idea that came to mind whilst looking over the campaign info.
Two Mid-Casters with different focuses are fine. o wo/ Just remember to explain it in a way that fits the setting (and Casting Traditions are REALLY GOOD for that sort of thing).
It's probably better to be from Halfstead, or at least that general area. Hrolfland is a Lawful Evil area, and has vows of obligation and such that might, uh, cause certain conflicts with the rest of the group. XD;
(The Northlands are waaaaay more restrictive about this sort of thing than most game regions are - and because the region is so different, I'm really trying to promote that feel instead of having it fall back into being generic anything-goes fantasy.)
Oh wow, I had not even caught the evil flavor of Hrolfland. Scrap that then - those guys suck.
I had forgotten about the Spell-less Ranger, that would work best.
As for the Mind Sphere, I was mostly thinking of the Courage and Fear Talents rather then any kind of domination or mind muckery. Inspire Courage or Inspire Fear.
GM Rednal wrote: (That said, the rule in Pathfinder is that spellcasting is obvious when used, even to those who know nothing about it... y'know, balance for non-combat situations and all. GM Rednal wrote: You can totally ask me about your actions beforehand if you want to know what the social result would be. XD Alright, let me do an example, and for this example assume I have no Casting Tradition.
A npc insults me and a duel ensues.
In the moments building up to the clash we stare at each other for a moment. Without moving, and without uttering a sound I grow stronger (I cast Physical Enhancement on myself), then the duel commenses.
A) what does the common man think?
B) what does my opponent think?
C) what does the Jarls right-hand man who is well versed in magic think?
Depending on these answers I might have to scrap this idea :/
All of them think you used magic, and because you broke the rules of the duel format (see the last paragraph of The Thing in the campaign info tab), you are immediately branded as dishonorable. Nobody will like you, help you, or want to be associated with you.
Magic is noticeable, regardless of components or traditions (or lack thereof). Among other things, this is required for counterspelling to be possible. XD Of course, if you're doing that outside of a duel, it's less of a problem... but they might treat you a lot like a berserker, since getting physically stronger whenever you want tends to be a bit worrying.
Interested, I am thinking of an Investigator / Blaster, type, ranged attack + skills.
Do we have to be Human, would up let in a half elf, or elf.
I am thinking of an Snow-elf.
Thanks for clarifying :)
Ya I will have to scrap that idea and think of something else.
Pinky and the Brain wrote:
Pinky: Gee, Brain, what do you want to build tonight?
Brain: The same thing we build every night, Pinky - something to take over the world!
...Note that some systems, like Path of War, let you buff yourself without magic. XD That IS a possibility.
GM_Panic wrote: Interested, I am thinking of an Investigator / Blaster, type, ranged attack + skills.
Do we have to be Human, would up let in a half elf, or elf.
I am thinking of an Snow-elf.
Recruitment wrote: -Race: Human preferred. Elf possible (with certain racial rules). Everything else, gimme a fantastic backstory, and you're an Outlander who traveled to the region from afar. (Easiest: Be a Thrall, owned by another PC. Being an obedient servant is by far the most likely reason for an odd race to be around, and the best way to be accepted by society.) Don't ask me what the certain racial rules are, though. If they were ever mentioned I've forgotten.
GM Rednal wrote: ...Note that some systems, like Path of War, let you buff yourself without magic. XD That IS a possibility. Path of War is allowed? I might look at some of those less-mystical options available in there, such as using the "Prodigious Two-weapon Fighting" feat as a different way to be a strong man wielding 2 axes.
Actually, I am thinking of trying to make a viable CM character largely due to this.
GM Rednal wrote: Combat Maneuvers: Attempting one of these does not provoke an attack of opportunity I figure I can stack about a flat +4 to my CMB before Str and BAB meaning I should be able to just pick a maneuver on the fly and use it decently well.
Add in the ability to wield 2 axes if I choose, and maybe do other things and I will have a versitile character, or at least thats my goal; the ability to fight in all sorts of situations with whatever weapons I have in hand.
I also imagine the ability to sunder on demand would come in handy during a Holmgang ^_^
Holmgang wrote: The winner is the one who either kills his opponent, breaks all three of his opponent’s shields, or drives his opponent out of the dueling area.
Well, it's available on request, at least. XD I'd suggest going for traditions that are exclusively (Ex) skills, though.
I had an idea for a feral child/ranger (trapper/infiltrator/something) daughter of a hero whose family died to a monster raid, but her father's loyal dog (that might have a bit of supernatural ancestry) was able to escape with the child. So the dog raised her till they were found (maybe by the wise woman you mentioned or by someone safe deposit by her father that recognised her) and reintroduced to society.
Incidentally, recruitment will be lasting a couple of days, at least, but will probably be shut down once I see a profile that really seems like a winner. So... don't wait too long to submit something. XD
Hey guys! Existing character checking in. I'm a professional lawspeaker (viking freelance lawyer/cop) and sort of a paladin-lite. Light buffs and dueling. Our other character is a priest of Odin who heals and smites. Between us, we're actually reasonable at ranged combat as well as melee.
We don't have any huge gaps in abilities (other than maybe trapfinding), but with how the game's gone so far, I recommend not shirking on acrobatics/climb/swim. Heavy armor is rare, but shields have been a literal life-saver several times in this campaign, and I recommend not shirking on AC/survivability. An experienced sailor or smith could potentially be useful in the party, as could someone with some degree of crowd control/maneuverability.
(Incidentally, there's nothing better than Half-Plate armor available. More advanced stuff literally does not exist in this region. ...Also, wearing heavy armor is bad when you might have to swim, so most go rather lighter. XD Don't expect to find stuff with rare materials, either, though masterwork stuff can be found.)
Hey Rednal, I'm in the playing with ideas stage. I like the idea of playing a non-caster...but also wondering how to build a gestalt non-caster who is more of a generalist than a "now I'm really really good at combat" kind of character. (Suggestions welcome!)
Right now, inspired by the Norse mythos, I'm thinking of someone who's been touched by the Allfather and has a raven companion. Perhaps a Ravenlord Harbinger (which gives a raven as an animal companion)?
As a nod to Huginn and Muninn I'm toying with having his second class grant a Raven familiar to go with his Raven companion...but I suspect you'd rather not have two birds following me around. (If not, let me know).
Otherwise, his second class would probably be a Slayer or spell-less Ranger. Probably an archer or switch hitter.
Story-wise, I think he was born a bondi with a small herd of sheep and plot of farmland in the foothills, a bit in from the coast. He grew up hunting, and went out raiding with his Jarl's men, and was starting to gain some success and respect. Then disaster struck. (Perhaps an attack by giants? Some trickery by Loki? Nefarious sorcerers? I can create, though if you have ideas/hooks you'd like to work in, let me know.) At any rate, most or all of his fellows died. His life was spared by the Allfather himself...and a geas was placed on him. The geas came with (or in the form of) a large and foreboding raven who godes him toward following the will of the Allfather.
So:
1) are you cool with Harbinger (Ravenlord)?
2) any opinion on *also* having a second raven as a familiar (from my other class)?
3) any concerns about stacking harbinger + ranger? Or slayer or fighter?
4) other thoughts / suggestions that tie well into your world or plans?
Thanks,
I present you Lord Alistair Wellington. Still need to work on a few things.
Touched by Odin is a possibility... although I would avoid extensive animal companions, yes. XD They may find it hard to survive.
The best way to start diversifying your character is to consider the roles of your classes. Fighters tend to be Damage Dealers, Rogues are Skill Monkeys, et cetera. Your classes should generally try to avoid duplicating roles, and for a wholly non-magical character, Damage Dealer/Tank/Skill Monkey is a pretty good setup. Unless you find something useful (but mundane) in Path of War, anyway. XD That CAN open up some options, especially buffing-wise.
Also... personality-wise, you're not touched by the Allfather, you're touched by the Allfather. This is rare - but not unheard of - in the setting, and it shouldn't just be a bit of backstory... it should significantly influence your character's outlook and personality. Really try to develop and explain that sort of thing, and have it seriously impact the way your character approaches various matters. Maybe it's a geas to serve Eydis or something, for plot reasons the three of us could develop together?
One of the problems I am running into is that most of the stuff in Spheres of Magic is, well... Magical. (go figure :p)
Compounding that is the settings inherent distrust of magic, my own desires to create was is essentially a big, normal fighter, and the draw of using SoP if it is ever availiable...
I keep getting stumped ^_^
I do have a question, Ranger is probably going to remain a core of the build (I will trade out the spells and AC tho), however it grants Favored Enemy and Favored Terrain. Human seems to be a no-brainer but I feel that it would be too universal?
What would be a good Favored Terrain?
Thanks for the answer. Yes, I imagine touched by the Allfather to be more a burden than a blessing. A geas to serve Eydis sounds great. I love it.
How would one touched by the Allfather (with some supernatural powers) be viewed?
To be clear (since you say "avoid extensive animal companions")...a raven companion who participates in combat is OK?
And any opinion about the Disaster, before the Allfather saved and claimed him? (Like I say, I can just make something up...but if there's something that fits especially well don't be shy.)
Thanks again!
Alas, Spheres of Might isn't out yet, although Path of War has some fun alternatives.
As far as terrains go, though, you won't go wrong with Cold. You're in the snowy North, after all. Water'd be a good second choice.
@gyrfalcon: Most people would probably believe you did something to deserve it, but wouldn't be too harsh to you as long as you behaved like an honorable member of society. As for the disaster... definitely an abnormally bad winter storm. I can work that in as a plot thread pretty easily. As for having your companion participate in combat... well, if you're willing to risk them. XD Just know they can and will be targeted at times.
Great, that gives me what I need!
Hm. Dotting for interest. It might have something to do with playing the absolutely dark, sad, and fantastic The Banner Saga, and be left hungering for more.
I am toying with the idea of a Windspeaker of sorts (the phrase just came to mind), someone who is gifted/trained with the powers of nature, in a rather unnatural way. While I'm not entirely set on it, I'm thinking a Slayer/Witch with a strong focus on Nature and Weather, with some dips in Divination, as the wind itself would speak to them. (Or something like that.) On the more... everyday part of the character, an excellent archer and tracker, and all that jazz. Thinking of either Craft(woodwork) or Craft(Leatherworking) for a more peaceful time employment.
I am not entirely familiar with the spheres of power, I must say, but they do look pretty simple to grasp!
@GM, I am wondering where someone might've learned something like that (even if it be coming natural), and where I can read a bit more about the setting?
Information on the setting can be found on the campaign info tab linked to in the first post. (The wider setting is that of Lloegyr, the Lost Lands, the campaign setting of Frog God Games' products. You may have heard of other releases of theirs, like Rappan Athuk or Slumbering Tsar. That said, the Northlands are quite a long ways away from either.)
As for nature-based powers, the wandering wise women of the setting are the most capable in that regard, and the most likely to have taught someone else such abilities (whether they're learned or innate). They're basically traveling healers and helpers, operating on their own schedule and generally respected by most Northlanders as a friendly force. Contextually, they could travel anywhere from the most powerful Jarl's home to the poorest man's shack and expect to receive hospitality, although they know better than to abuse that sort of thing (and, for that matter, don't make much of a distinction between the two - titles don't impress them much, and socially speaking, Jarls are respected but not considered inherently 'better' than others).
A Windspeaker could be in-training to join their ranks, or perhaps sought them out to learn how to control their abilities and is now trying to use them for [insert motivation here]. Njördr is a pretty good choice if you want such a character to be religious.
Regarding Favored Enemy: So far we've fought hordes of undead, as well as a few evil outsiders and monstrous humanoids, and no regular humans (yet). I'd recommend coming up with a story reason for your favored enemies, whatever they are.
Spheres of Power has some really cool "low-caster"/mid-caster options for classes not traditionally considered spellcasters—SoP adds cool low-caster variants for fighters, rogues, etc, and there's a feat chain that actually gives low casting, while bloodragers and rangers are pretty setting-appropriate (with arguably more useful casting through utility spheres), as well as a few other mid-caster options like hunter and skald.
Side Note: Since ABP is in use, I'm definitely considering letting you apply your enhancement bonus to weapons to Spheres instead, as a replacement for staves.
Also, yes. Do try to explain your character's abilities and talents. Don't just have them - tell me things like how your character feels about their abilities, how they tend to use them in their daily life, and so on. ...Remembering the general mistrust of non-healing magic in the North. In my experience, that can be a good way of sparking creativity and helping you figure out a strong story and personality. ^^
|
