A 4E homebrew campaign set in the war-torn nations of the Mysk Islands. The characters find themselves amongst the forces, deciding who or what it is they are fighting for or against.
To emphasize a decent PbP speed, I will set a 24hr hard cap from when your turn was called. If in 24 hours you do not post, you are delaying and will come back into the initiative either when you do post, or before the end of the round, whichever comes first. If you do not post before the end of the round, I will post for you, most likely with an at-will or melee/ranged basic.
I prefer that the character have ALL the information in the profile, and (in the case of 4E) the powers in an easy to read format. For example:
Guiding Strike (AC); melee weapon; one creature
1d20+6
1d8+4
Hit: Target takes -2 penalty to the defense of your choice until the end of your next turn.
This allows me to DMPC your character in case RL kicks in and you are unable to post for a bit.
4E House Rules:
Using Inherent bonus system
Using Backgrounds
No Sunrods
No Essentials classes
*A natural 1 on an attack roll, means you grant combat advantage to the target of that attack until the start of your next turn.
*A Human's versatility allows them to give up their choice of one of their racial benefits for an additional +2 to any stat other than where the first bonus was applied.
*A natural 1 on a skill check gets an additional -5, a natural 20 gets an additional +5. This is to compensate for no auto succeed/fail.
*Non-lethal damage is declared for an attack (not a target) BEFORE any attack roll is made.
*Each character will have an "appearance" score, this will be a 4d6 drop the lowest, one time roll. Born ugly is born ugly.
*There are no racial languages see spoiler below.
*Passive Perceptions and Insights will only tell you something is off or doesn't add-up. Only a rolled active use will give details.
*Magic items are only identified by using trained Arcana checks at DC 20+1/2 of the item's level. The same character may not attempt to Identify again until they have gained a level.
Skill Challenge House Rules:
Here's what I decided, I will describe the situation and ask for your decision/reaction and what skill you will use. I will have 3 skills in mind, one will be the intended skill check (at easy DC), one secondary skill usable, and a tertiary skill usable. I will not divulge the intended skill, it will be interpreted by the situation as to which skill would overcome it.
The goal will be a point total based on the easy DC x the # of PC's (So the target total of a lvl 1 skill in a skill challenge will be 48, DC 8 x 6 players).
The result of the roll will add directly to the total (when the prime skill is used), the result minus the difference between a med and easy will add to the total (when the secondary skill is used), and the result minus the difference between a hard and easy when a tertiary is used.
In play it will look like this - Level 1 challenge, 6 PC's, Goal 48 pts
My description of situation, the path comes to a river crossing with a description
PC1 uses Athletics to swim (total 13)
PC2 uses Nature to know how to cross safely (total 17)
PC3 uses Perception to find a path (total 7)
PC4 uses Athletics to swim (total 4)
PC5 uses Endurance to deal with rushing water (total 10)
PC6 uses Athletics to swim (total 18)
Prime Ath (DC 8), so roll taken as is (so 35)
2nd Nature (DC 12), so the roll -4 (so 13)
3rd Perc (DC 19), so the roll -11 (so -4)
non-related Endu, so no point value applied
So the crossing would have been a success if the perception guy hadn't found a false path that made him fall in, or the endurance guy hadn't needed to be helped across by the swimmers when he didn't make any progress.
In this case the party ends up cold, wet, and tired, a good distance down the bank. I would probably say they each lose a surge from the ordeal.
MY HOMEBREW RULES
Races Allowed:
These are the races either most common, or easily pass as one of the common ones.
Changeling Dwarf (Hill taking Wis or Mountain taking Str as a secondary stat)
Eladrin (True Elves)
Elf (Wood Elves)
Fey-kin* (Human half-fey, see stats below)
Genasi (Only Fire, Earth, Water, and Wind souls. Known as [element] Elf i.e. Fire Elf)
Githyanki Githzerai Gnome (Dwarven half-fey)
Goblin (Either a slave, or ex-slave)
Halfling (Elven half-fey)
Half-elf (Whether half-True/Wood/Elemental just for flavor)
Half-orc Hobgoblin (Either a slave, or ex-slave)
Human Minotaur
Allowed on a case-by-case basis (good reason/backstory). These will either earn shock and distrust, or even as far as refusal to interact with by NPC's.
Bugbear Bullywug Duergar Gnoll Goliath (Half-Ogre)
Kobold Orc Shadar-Kai Shifter
All others, not an option.
*Fey-Kin:
Ability Scores: +2 Dex, +2 Chr or +2 Int
Size: Tiny
Speed: 4 squares (clumsy), Fly 6
Vision: Normal
Languages: Common, Choice of one other
Skill Bonuses: +2 Nature, +2 Stealth
Alluring: You gain a +5 racial bonus to saving throws against charm.
Luminescent: Once per encounter, you can use the wizard cantrip Light as a minor action, with you as the target.
Fey Origin: same as Eladrin.
Between Worlds: Encounter * Immediate Interrupt
Trigger: You are hit by an attack.
Effect: You become insubstantial until the start of your next turn.
Being Tiny
Tiny characters follow most of the same rules as medium ones, with the following exceptions
* You can't use two-handed weapons (PH 215) or versatile weapons (PH 217), such as greataxes or longswords.
* When you use a one-handed weapon (PH 215) that is not an off-hand weapon (PH 217), you must use it two-handed, but you don't deal additional damage for doing so.
* You can still hit enemies adjacent to you without having to enter their space.
Usable weapons based on proficiency (broken down for convenience)
Two-handed: Club, Javelin (melee only), Scimitar, Rapier, Hand Crossbow
One-handed: Dagger, Sickle, Handaxe, Short Sword, Throwing Hammer, Katar, Sling, Shuriken
Gods above:
I don't have a channel divinity written for each one, but will throw one together for any certain diety a divine character follows.
Tara (TARE-uh) - Goddess of Healing, Mercy, Beauty, Family
Kavast (KAV-ust) - God of Honor, Loyalty, Courage, Chivalry
Celeste (seh-LEST) - Goddess of Arcane Knowledge, Wisdom, Secrets, Prophecy
Graf (GRAFF) - God of Thunder, Protection, Foresight, Watchfulness
Relinius (REH-lin-e-us) - God of Luck, Travel, Merchants, Revelry
Jeneigh (JIH-nay) - Goddess of Sun, Light, Retribution, Trust
Zollest (ZAHL-est) - God of Earth, Strength, Agriculture, Metal
Dalia (DAHL-eya) - Goddess of Air, Sky, Archers, Wind
Kem (KEM) - God of Creation, Art, Crafts, Engineering
Ehrinnae (AYR-rin-ay) - Goddess of Animals, Nature, Seasons, Balance
Lariss (luh-RISS) - Goddess of Water, Storms, Rivers, Rain
Emind (EH-minned) - God of Fire, Pranksters, Discord, Vice
Chalyse (SHUH-leece) - Goddess of Justice, Discipline, Lightning, Planning
Harlon (HAR-lun) - God of Moon, Night, Underworld, Undead
Gindalla (gin-DAHL-uh) - Goddess of Death, Disease, Grief, Suffering
Ferith (FAYR-ith) - God of Murder, Thieves, Lies, Killing
Azaul (uh-ZAHL) - God of War, Rage, Destruction, Pain
Bethany (BETH-uh-nee) - Goddess of Hate, Malice, Madness, Panic
Regional comparisons:
These are the major countries/provinces/lands that make up the world, and what they can be compared to
Fersingh= Gaelic Language Fersingen Lug(pronounced Loog)= barbaric germania Language Lugan Hewland= Britain Language Hewlish Naltanic Empire= Romans Language Naltanic Sevost= Norse Language Sevost Mysk Islands= Balkans (all fighting for the same crappy land)Language Naltanic Evo Pezar= renaissance Spain (no gunpowder) Language Pezari Neaux Cavaile= renaissance France (no gunpowder) Language Cavaian Sesha= free world Language Seshan Vin Oslia= Russia Language Oslian Lan Hudee= Mongols Language Hudese Hal'akaran= middle east Language Akaranian Palarius= Greece Language Palarian Serinay= Yukon-esque, small communities Language Serini Liberation= Britain controlled Africa Language Hewlish Terra Salvak= The Amazon Language Salvakan
Now I'm not a history major, so yes there is some discrepancy, but again, this is just what they are loosly based on.
Language is not racial, it is regional and supernatural. Everyone has common (trade tongue), and the language of their country, if they get additional languages, they will be chosen from neighboring countries.
Languages not by region are: Primordial, Supernal, Abyssal, and Draconic. The first 3 can only be taken via feat or if given by race (i.e. Genasi). Draconic can only be chosen by feat, race, or arcane users.
Languages by proximity
(Bosaria continent) Fersingen, Naltanic, Hewlish, Lugan
(Lorthael continent) Seshan, Pezari, Cavaian, Salvakan
(Karnokken continent) Oslian, Hudese, Akaranian, Serini, Hewlish
Mysk Islands use Naltanic, and either Bosarian or Lorthael as neighboring languages
Palarius uses Palarian, and either Karnokkan or Lorthael as neighboring languages
Sevost uses Sevost, and either Karnokkan or Bosarian as neighboring languages.
General World Knowledge:
Here are a few things that are well known within the game world.
*Most of society distrusts "Free" magic, which are any of those not regulatable by the Church of Celeste. The following classes are not regulated: Ardent, Bard, Battlemind, Psion, Sorcerer, and Warlock.
*Goblins and Hobgoblins have been used as slave races for a long time, Hobgoblins as heavy labor, shock troops, construction, and Goblins as menial labor, errands, household chores. They are both assumed to be someone's slave, unless they have papers of freedom.
*Hewland is the main hub of Celeste's following, and where the Acadamy (her largest known temple) exists. There is also a group called the High Protectors that hunt down and try to either eradicate/cleanse the "Free" magic users.
*There is ALWAYS war in the Mysk Islands (where the campaign will start).
