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For many years, ever since the end of the Cheliax Civil War, there have been hags present in the country. Mostly confined to the hinterlands and deep woods, these powerful creatures rarely caused the Infernally backed regime of House Thrune much trouble, mostly due to their small numbers. However thirty years ago a powerful night hag named Blackblight, managed to unify a number of hags and their changeling daughters into a powerful tribe which rapidly conquered the Chitterwood and maintained enough power to achieve practical, if not formal, recognition from the local authorities. Over time Blackblight attracted a number of witches and other women, willing to serve the powerful hag in return for power, swelling her tribes numbers and forming a number of powerful covens under her control.
This state of affairs lasted until the discovery of Heart’s Edge and the formation of the Glorious Reclamation. Unwilling to suffer the presence of such a mighty coven near their new fortress, Lord Marshal Cansellarion launched an attack on the Chitterwood and personally slew Blackblight in a duel that left a large part of the Chitterwood saturated in magic. The Glorious Reclamation exterminated the Blackblight covens, killing every hag, witch and changeling they could find.
With their violent, holy work done the Glorious Reclamation retreated and declared their attack a great victory for the Righteous, announcing the complete and utter annihilation of witches in the Chitterwood. They were, however, mistaken. Aided by Ahreni, herself the mother of a witch in the tribe, a single coven was saved – newly formed and barely old enough to come into their full powers, they escaped and planned their vengeance…
As my Coven-themed kingmaker game has died, due to family trouble at my end stealing all it's momentum before it really began, I've decided to have another go at a themed changeling game - focusing on something a little more... Evil!
Submission Requirements:
Race: Changeling, all variant heritages found in Blood of the Coven are permitted..
Level: 1, Gestalt.
Classes: Any Paizo. If there is an Unchained version of your class it must be used.
3PP archetypes to Pathfinder classes may be allowed on a case-by-case basis (For example: the Circle Warden witch archetype is permitted.)
Alignment: Evil! Allowances will be made for Neutral, but the campaign is focused on Evil PC’s so think carefully.
Stats: 25pt buy. No stats lower than 8 or higher than 18 after racial modifiers.
HP: Max for first level.
Wealth: Roll (for the best of your two classes) and then keep your result or take class average, as you choose.
Traits: 2, one of which should be campaign. Drawbacks are NOT allowed but if you want a third trait you may have an Arcane Malignancy instead.
The Rich Parents/Chosen One traits are banned – you are witches fleeing the destruction of your coven – you didn’t have a chance to take a huge bag of gold with you!
Feats: Feat Taxes are in effect. The specifics can be found HERE.
Skills: Background skills will be used.
Additional Rules: We will be using the rules for Changeling Covens (see below) with slight adjustments.
The Coven will use the most common spellcasting level to determine which spells they can use. i.e. If there are at least two ninth level casters in the coven then all the coven spells will be available at their normal levels. However if there is a magus and an inquisitor (both 6th level), then the Coven spells gained at levels 15, 17 and 19 (effectively the covens 7th, 8th and 9th level spells) will never become available to the coven, since the majority spellcasting level within the coven is 6th.
If there is not a most common level then the average will be taken.
Changeling witches with the coven hex who wish to form a coven must perform a 1-hour ritual. When the ritual is complete, the changeling coven gains access to the following spell-like abilities based on the witch level of their lowest level participant.
1st Level: disguise other, fog cloud;
3rd Level: bestow curse;
5th Level: speak with dead;
7th Level: baleful polymorph;
9th Level: mirage arcana;
11th Level: forcecage;
13th Level: commune;
15th Level: control weather;
17th Level: vision;
19th Level: mind blank.
Coven spells use the caster level of the coven’s most powerful spellcaster. They require each member of the coven to participate simultaneously, taking a full-round action or the spell’s normal casting time to cast, whichever is longer. A changeling coven can cast a total of three coven spells each day, regardless of the spell level.
Personality/Background: Either ’10 minute’ or fully written, I don’t mind. I’ll be looking for the most fully realised characters I can get so this is important! (Probably more so than the crunch).
FAQ’s
Since I’ve done a recruitment like this before I thought I’d address a few common questions before hand.
1. Can I play a male changeling/Caliban? No. Golarion cannon does not have male changelings.
2. Can I use 3rd party racial traits(specifically Parental Heritage) or favoured class bonuses? No. Blood of the Coven offers lots of ways to customise your changeling.
3. Do I have to play a spellcaster? No you don’t. However I am looking for players to form a coven – and the coven would be considerably weaker with non-spellcasting members in it (see above – Additional Rules). That said, I am willing to take a fourth (non-spellcasting) player if the background and justification is really good.
Recruitment is going to be open for a week, until 12.00 GMT on 31st May 2018. I’ll pick that day and aim to begin by 1st June.
Sounds interesting! Any chance Spheres of Power from Drop Dead Studios would be classed as allowed 3PP?
Dotting!
Dotting. Thinking an oracle/sorcerer party face would be fun and have some really cool flavor options. I'll see what I come up with.
Interesting! Consider this a dot!
Maybe some sort of grapple witch?
Dotting! Will read more later. The whole coven thing is usually just utilized by villains and NPCs so it’s great to see this attempt to change it :)
Dotting for evil interest.
I think a Antipaladin of Mestema - Abyssal sorcerer sounds good.
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An AP for Evil witches? Dearie, dearie me. And probably lawks.
Dotting. Thinking cleric of Gyronna (they're basically witches) plus something else.
EDIT: @GM - was thinking of playing on the maiden/mother/old crone the other one trope, and having an older character (for RP only, no age mechanics). I'd explain the fact that she's only first level by saying that her power was tied up with the tribe and much of it was therefore lost with its destruction. Being "bumped" back to level 1 has made her seriously pissed (in a nice way - affable evil is best evil) so she'd be looking for payback.
Does that work? Or do you want us all to be newly formed? I'm good either way.
Sounds interesting! Any chance Spheres of Power from Drop Dead Studios would be classed as allowed 3PP?
Sorry - but that's a hard no. I don't know the system well enough to integrate it into a vancian game.
@GM - was thinking of playing on the maiden/mother/old crone the other one trope, and having an older character (for RP only, no age mechanics). I'd explain the fact that she's only first level by saying that her power was tied up with the tribe and much of it was therefore lost with its destruction. Being "bumped" back to level 1 has made her seriously pissed (in a nice way - affable evil is best evil) so she'd be looking for payback.
Does that work? Or do you want us all to be newly formed? I'm good either way.
In principle I have no objection - you'll have to explain exactly how she lost her power. Did it happen before the GR attack, which is why you joined a 'newbie' coven, or were you the covens 'experienced leader' who lost her power due to the GR attack? Either way is possible - I'll be very interested to see how you write it up! :)
Fair enough, wasn't expecting a yes but it never hurts to ask! Not a huge fan of vancian so I'll give this one a pass, looks like a fun premise though, hope it goes well.
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Interesting! Consider this a dot!
Maybe some sort of grapple witch?
I actually had a similar idea - White-Haired Witch in combination with a Lore Warden Fighter would be quite the strangler! Although, now that the jig is up, I'll think about something else.
I'd explain the fact that she's only first level by saying that her power was tied up with the tribe and much of it was therefore lost with its destruction.
Maybe by bringing down the head crone, the connection of the patron to the realm, and by extention, to you, was severed, leaving you practically powerless?
A couple of questions about things that depend on GM preferences:
1. Bluff: Some GMs don't like it when players have a really high bluff score as this can throw a monkey wrench in plans. I intend to try to bluff intelligently to further my own and the party's goals but I wanted to feel you out on this first.
2. Undead: I'm considering having my other class be juju oracle to make some nice undead minions. Obviously I have no alignment concerns here but I know that managing these guys can be a pain IRL but I intend to go with a smaller number of stronger minions and the pbp format can help with book-keeping. Are you ok with undead minions?
3. Pageant of the peacock feat: Do you allow it? No biggie either way. Questions 1 and 2 are more central to what I end up building.
A couple of questions about things that depend on GM preferences:
1. Bluff: Some GMs don't like it when players have a really high bluff score as this can throw a monkey wrench in plans. I intend to try to bluff intelligently to further my own and the party's goals but I wanted to feel you out on this first.
2. Undead: I'm considering having my other class be juju oracle to make some nice undead minions. Obviously I have no alignment concerns here but I know that managing these guys can be a pain IRL but I intend to go with a smaller number of stronger minions and the pbp format can help with book-keeping. Are you ok with undead minions?
3. Pageant of the peacock feat: Do you allow it? No biggie either way. Questions 1 and 2 are more central to what I end up building.
1. No problems there. I play characters with bluff modifiers of +15 at level 3 myself. :)
2. Undead minions are fine. Despite this being Cheliax it won't exactly be popular, but I've seen necromancy done brilliantly in Pbp so give it a whirl for sure.
3. Never seen it before so, in theory yes. The 'use bluff instead of Int' will be limited by common sense, but I have nothing against the feat in principle.
A couple of questions about things that depend on GM preferences:
1. Bluff: Some GMs don't like it when players have a really high bluff score as this can throw a monkey wrench in plans. I intend to try to bluff intelligently to further my own and the party's goals but I wanted to feel you out on this first.
2. Undead: I'm considering having my other class be juju oracle to make some nice undead minions. Obviously I have no alignment concerns here but I know that managing these guys can be a pain IRL but I intend to go with a smaller number of stronger minions and the pbp format can help with book-keeping. Are you ok with undead minions?
3. Pageant of the peacock feat: Do you allow it? No biggie either way. Questions 1 and 2 are more central to what I end up building.
1. No problems there. I play characters with bluff modifiers of +15 at level 3 myself. :)
2. Undead minions are fine. Despite this being Cheliax it won't exactly be popular, but I've seen necromancy done brilliantly in Pbp so give it a whirl for sure.
3. Never seen it before so, in theory yes. The 'use bluff instead of Int' will be limited by common sense, but I have nothing against the feat in principle.
Awesome, thanks! Yeah I just read the part in the player's guide about undead being disliked even in Cheliax. I guess that will be part of what the bluff score is for! Swag, I'll have this buffer/bluffer oracle/bard ready in a few days.
Another coven-themed game? Sure!
Always wanted to try a vexing daredevil mesmerist, probably gestalt it with some kind of rogue. Psychic casting counts for coven magic, right?
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Okay, so here's my idea:
I want to build a Psychic of the Pain Disapline. They'll be a masochist, enjoying the feeling of pain and reveling in it utterly. Now low level she won't be able to do exactly what I want, but the idea being that they focus on possession spells. Essentially her idea would be to possess her enemies, then kill herself painfully in the body. Because doing so simply ends the spell she remains alive through the ordeal, simply being forced back to her original body.
Leading up to that point though she will mostly be mind thrusts and killing spells.
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hmm that doesn't really fit. I guess I won't be going with a third trait.
Dotting. Thinking Rogue going to Assassin/Occultist.
I'm changing to Alchemist rather than Occultist, it makes a lovely Gestalt, especially all the lovely poisons she can work with.
Oh yeah. Do we need the Coven Touched feat?
ooh, definitely dotting this
Have an idea for a Ranger/Shaman, that would gain the Coven hex at 2nd level. Alternatively, I would happily take it with my feat at 1st level if you will allow Extra Hex to be taken (seeing as I don't technically get the ability until 2nd level, and thus would not normally qualify for the feat until then).
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As usual, my first idea took a few twists and turns and now I've got a hedge witch/cartomancer crossed with magician. Telling fortunes, throwing cards, and pulling shenanigans with potions and poisons on the side.
Good thing it's an evil campaign because I'm grinning WAY too much for this to be a good character...
Oh...I completely forgot about that. I assume the coven feat will be required, if not now then ASAP?
re. Coven Feat/Hex: I was looking at that and I'm not going to bother with it. Mostly because the Coven Hex and the rules for Changeling Covens don't actually synergise very well since they both cover the same problem - i.e. how to form a coven without a hag.
In my previous game I gave out the Coven touched feat and/or the Coven hex for free but this time I'm simply going wave the magic wand of GM Power and say "You are already a coven. No need for feats/hexes to make it so." Now if you all decide to take the Unusual Origin teamwork feat or something similar then awesome!
Thanks for the reply - posting a draft background below for Alyssa Blackheart, aka Black Alice. I can expand on it later, but I wanted to get something for you to look at so you can see where I'm going with it.
Old, so very, very old, even as her sisters count the years (and ancient by the reckoning of men, as though that means anything). And weak, so very, very weak, she who had once stalked the Chitterwood, who had known so much and been so feared that the name men gave her was a threat parents used to discipline their children: Be good, or Black Alice will get you...
Yes, so much power and knowledge lost, lost perhaps for ever. But she will mourn in private. Never let the world see how much it hurt you. It's a lesson she instinctively understood, even at the orphanage where she was raised so long ago. Even when the Iomedite priest who had made the girl his ward threw her out, in fear and shame at the swelling of her belly, even when the good women of the village spit on the ground as she passed, she had not flinched, not wept, not begged. Straight-backed, walking tall, her head held high, she had marched out of the village like a queen...
That evening, alone, sheltering under a bridge from the rain, she had wept bitterly. Wept, and cursed, helpless and forgotten. She stared into the river - and saw that the river was apparently staring back at her: a cats-eye gem on the riverbed was watching her with interest. She knew this, for certain, though it may seem mad in the telling. Suddenly heedless of the cold, of the current, she plunged into the river, scrambling to catch this gem, called by the interest of the one calling her...
As soon as her fist closed around the stone, she knew. Clambering out of the river, shivering, her clothing now stained with the pink favoured by her goddess, she knew. She had purpose: revenge. She had knowledge: that hate is strong. Hate will keep you warm, hate will give you strength, hate will keep you nourished. But hate needs to be fed, and so some months later, she fed it her brat. The ritual unleashed power in her, power enough to face the priest who wronged her, to desecrate his church and overpower him in combat. Giddy with her success, she had cut out his heart and left it on the altar (she was young, then, of course. Nowadays she would not have been so merciful)...
Her goddess rejoiced with her, and gave her knowledge of where to go next. The night-hag, Blackblight, was calling her and others of her kind. She would go to the Chitterwood. She would minister to her sisters, in Gyronna's name. She would teach them of the power of hatred, and the weakness and follies of men. And they would become mighty. And so it proved, for year after year as Blackblight's tribe grew in numbers and power, and she exalted and grew with them. Until the accursed Cansellarion and the Iomedites, blinded by the light of their own righteousness, invaded their sacred wood, slaying all who stood in their way in the name of their false goddess...
She felt it. At the death of each one of her sisters, she felt Gyronna's rage - rage directed at her, she who was supposed to minister and protect the tribe. She was failing - her power could not stop an army. Useless to offer excuses. Men make excuses. Women take action. But here, there was no action to be taken, except flight - and the hope of survival. The anger of her goddess seared her mind, emptying it of her accumulated power and wisdom ('if you will cower and flee like a brat, then a brat you shall be'); but it left her alive, just, thanks to the help and quick thinking of Ahreni...
And so she lives, for now, having tasted such power and lost it - or almost all of it. Her goddess is still watching, and Gyronna does not tolerate failure. Failure must be punished. Revenge must be taken. Alyssa would have it no other way...
Hope that piques your interest!
Dotting for tomorrow. This looks interesting!
Thanks for the reply - posting a draft background below for Alyssa Blackheart, aka Black Alice. I can expand on it later, but I wanted to get something for you to look at so you can see where I'm going with it.
** spoiler omitted **...
Interest piqued! Just the sort of background I was hoping for.
This will be my application Link
Background will follow.
Dotting.
Vigilante/hex magus probably
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Two traits are fine!
dot!
I'd like to dot in, too! I would love to build towards the Souldrinker prestige class, and there aren't a lot of games where a NE character would fit very well. I think I could cook up a fun Witch/Mesmerist as the base, with a nice focus on debuffs, static penalties, and reasonable social skills. She also thinks cacodaemons are adorable. Just the cutest little murderballs in the multiverse!
How do you feel about the seducer witch archetype? It's the only way I know of for a witch to use charisma as her casting attribute.
How do you feel about the seducer witch archetype? It's the only way I know of for a witch to use charisma as her casting attribute.
Sure thing - you're building the character I'd probably build if I could play in this :)
@Helikon: took me two attempts to get to the sheet but its all there. I wasn't sure about some of the numbers, but I look forward to seeing the background.
Dot. Thinking about a Witch and Psychodermist , collecting body parts for her amusement and psychic power. It's just so... evilly fun.
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How do you feel about Psychic Duels? Should I try to avoid them or have you delt with manafestations before?
I'm asking now so that I can envision my future build. Right now I am still thinking of the possession route, only now more as an infiltration concept over sadistic murder.
-A tenacious patch of fungus has sprouted on your back, weakening your system against toxins. You take a –2 penalty on saves against poison effects.
Nope, I'm good ^-^ honestly I'd think you'd be stronger with all that poison in your system...
Can I play a male changeling/Caliban? No. Golarion cannon does not have male changelings.
What about a Human (or half elf or half orc) with Racial Heritage Changeling?
So with feat tax, what happens if you get feats that have been removed for free? Specifically finesse from un-rogue and combat expertise from vexing trickster.
How do you feel about Psychic Duels? Should I try to avoid them or have you delt with manafestations before?
I'm asking now so that I can envision my future build. Right now I am still thinking of the possession route, only now more as an infiltration concept over sadistic murder.
I love the idea, but haven't actually played with the system. By all means go for it and we can work together and see if there's a way of making it all a little more intuitive and less "67 levels of variable book-keeping".
So with feat tax, what happens if you get feats that have been removed for free? Specifically finesse from un-rogue and combat expertise from vexing trickster.
Rogues don't get anything, since Weapon Training still grants them bonuses, just not at first level. For the vexing trickster, I'll say they keep towering ego and get the 'counts as 13 Int' as well.
What about a Human (or half elf or half orc) with Racial Heritage Changeling?
I hadn't thought of that - Internet Cookie for you sir!
I'll allow it, but you have to be female. No male, no matter how 'witchy' would have been allowed to join Blackblight's covens. He would have been eaten instead!
Possible dumb question on the feat tax/weapon finesse changes: what about melee touch spells, can we use Dex to hit?
Getting there with my build. Quick question to which I'm pretty sure I know the answer: Combining archetypes. Archetype 1 swaps out some bonus skills for other bonus skills that I already have proficiency in from my other class. Archetype 2 gets rid of those bonus skills. I'd really like to combine these archetypes but I know that I typically cannot because one modifies a feature that another gets rid of. Otherwise, they are entirely compatible. I don't expect you to make an exception but I'm asking anyway just in case. :D
Archetypes in question are dual-cursed oracle and spirit guide oracle.
Working on the background. Interested in figuring out how to theme my desire for vengeance and previous time in the coven.
Possible dumb question on the feat tax/weapon finesse changes: what about melee touch spells, can we use Dex to hit?
Touch attacks count as an "armed" unarmed strike, so they always can apply finesse.
Dotting the hell out of this.
I'm going to roll up a hagbound witch with either sorcerer or blackblade magus.