Is an agile weapon the same as a finesse weapon?
OMGs is that a 2e character submission, RH?
I can't view Pathbuilder for some reason....but I like it!
OMGs is that a 2e character submission, RH?
I think it's more of a panic, that if we are going 2e that I need to figure out what I'm doing....
DG is this one viewable?
I can see it! No need to panic yet.
I'm working on recruitment. More soon!
Looks great! Ranger is a really strong Class. Actually seems most like Ranger in PF1e imo...
Don't Panic! Trust No one! Keep your Laser handy!
I thought we were supposed to keep our towel handy?
I like rangers, they feel versatile to me.
I'll stop panicking, at least until GM Parrot gives us more information about the setting. I'm curious as to how long the 'thaw' has been. It feels long enough for things to have changed to sort of a new 'normal' so less apocalyptic looting and killing and more 'ok, the world hasn't ended, let's see what it looks like now.'
I wonder if I should start you all during the collapse. I was planning on picking things up just after the sea level rise maxes out, say a month after Thaw.
We could be the initial Exploration team sent out from whichever Arc we are on then?
Certainly a nice clean Board for you to paint on there...
@RH yes. Yes you are.
@Lolly/Spazz are you lurking out there? Just checking. I think we're at 5 players but there's really no reason to have a set number in a homebrew campaign. Still hoping Trag/Bane pops by.
FWIW: if we use 2e, we aren't going to use the Remastered version of 2e.
Honsestly now that I sat down and thought about it (I had a lot of client meetings today) I think what I'm actually into is just trying out the unique things different systems offer, which is why I'd want to be a shifter in 1e (not appearing in D&D or 2e) or a new race in 2e, but I'd be equally jazzed to try a Skeleton or Leshy or Poppet or Automaton if you go 2e and any of those fit better or worse. Although, I guess all of those might have similar advantages on account of the not breathing normally.
Makes sense and I want you to have that kind of fun! The "rare" ancestries sometimes pose problems, or so I read, but hey. We can work with that. I'm not going to do in-depth research on every option, so if you narrow it down, flag a few key crunch details that I should know about.
I'm working on a post about the town that might give you ideas for plot hooks that might work for these concepts. A skeleton could be a "survivor" of the collapse of the necromancy faculty. An automaton or poppet might similarly be a consequence of the collapse of the wizards. A leshy could be around for any number of reasons.
Not breathing will be handy in and around the water, but this is an ocean-heavy campaign, not an underwater campaign or a landless campaign, so I don't think it would break things on its own.
FWIW: if we use 2e, we aren't going to use the Remastered version of 2e.
Yikes! that's the version that shows up on Archives of Nethys and Pathbuilder 2e. Maybe it's time to start panicking.
I can toggle it on Pathbuilder and AoN has both, but yeah, it's irritating that they were forced into this by Wizards of the Coast.
Legacy is the Old version. Either works really. It is mostly names of things, although there are damage differences in some things.
I posted the first scene-setting in gameplay. Bring your reading glasses. I'm going to be writing a lot for this game.
@Dorian: Wow, that's a great weapon! I thought the branched spear was the only finesse spear but this one is better. Sweep + Backswing = a much better chance to eke out a hit after a miss. I'd go for someone likely to make multiple attacks.
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Hey everyone! I am on board with this. My posts may be a bit spotty; I have a lot going on IRL right now. I would say my preference is 1e, but I am game to go 2e if that's the majority. It would be a bit of a learning curve for me, but it is worth it for Parrot's storytelling.
Although most of the Remaster changes are superficial, there are so.e changes to the classes. I would recommend remaster cleric over legacy, or else you have a MAD build.
I have put so much old DnD lore into this setting. Killing the eight schools of magic already breaks the scene badly.
Let's scratch legacy off the list of possibilities and focus on 1e vs 2e.
Not to mention that all the books I have are pre-remaster.
No reason to dump that lore, let's go 1e....I'd certainly be more comfortable and would be more likely to try something a little more diverse than ranger. Also would be more flexible building around what everyone else is doing.
I have put so much old DnD lore into this setting. Killing the eight schools of magic already breaks the scene badly.
Let's scratch legacy off the list of possibilities and focus on 1e vs 2e.
Not to mention that all the books I have are pre-remaster.
Parrot please pick the pepper personal and perfect for your play.
Btw, Legacy and Pre-remastered is the same thing....
EDIT
We will be doing PF2e in both mine and Djdust game after all....
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I posted the first scene-setting in gameplay. Bring your reading glasses. I'm going to be writing a lot for this game.
Uh-oh, I think I love this. Community college vs the ivy leagues; the urge to simply make a character named "Benjamin" who left the latter for the former is going to be hard to resist.
Could I request additional detail as to the source or organization of druidic magic? Wizard/sorcerer/alchemist arcane and cleric/paladin/oracle divine seem pretty clear, but where would an aspiring druid/ranger/shifter type learn their mischief? Would nature folks be another of the religious orders, or a separate thing?
The strange vibration begins to run up his mop handle infecting the entirety of his body. The Unyvyersyty janitor just watches the water beginning to erupt from every bathroom stall! Panicking, he accidentally steps on a previously slightly used forgotten bar of soap! Flailing his previously mop handle possessed hands up into the air, the tilted janitor flounders, slipping sideways to slide silly like onto the unforgiving porcelain porch!
The water mercilessly rises without remorse for a drowning janitor....
My concept! Hydrokineticist!
I think the Legacy Wizard still has the schools of magic. 2e also divides magic 'sources' as arcane, divine, occult, and nature.
First of all, super introduction GM parrot.
So would an aspiring Magus, son of a rich nobleman or merchant be someone who would be a student at the ?
I've built a Magus in PF1, I'd be willing to give him a try if we go that route.
What cultures would you consider be appropriate for this 'world'? I would think we are looking at cultures that have to deal with heavy winters but still have four seasons (which would probably be near the equator in this world) and cultures that are entirely winter (anything a bit north or south of the equator).
I don't see any of earths near equator cultures existing, I just don't think my Polynesian style warrior with his Taiaha would quite fitting in.
I only ask thinking about what flavor of swordsman I'd want my magus to be, since he would be a student from some distance. I'm assuming part of the adventure will be to explore the 'new world' he will be wanting to learn if his family survived.
Also, if we stick with PF2 my ranger would be a sailor, either on a river or sea going vessel that has stopped at the town to trade in the not a square.
Ok. I just (re)read the Kineticist (PF1e) and it is not speaking to me ..I feel like I tried this before...a few times...just something about the Class feels off to me.
Looking at Oracle with Elemental Mystery...
Curse Options
The lure of the ocean tugs at your soul. You reduce your base land speed by 5 feet. You gain a swim speed equal to your land speed, and if you already have a swim speed, you increase it by 10 feet. At 5th level, your natural armor bonus increases by 1 as your skin thickens. At 10th level, you gain a +1 bonus to your caster level when casting spells underwater and when casting spells with the water descriptor. At 15th level, you gain the benefits of freedom of movement while underwater.
You wield an element’s might, but you are vulnerable to its opposite. Choose air, earth, fire, or water. If you select air, you gain vulnerability to acid, cannot benefit from any acid resistance or immunity, and cannot cast spells with the acid or earth descriptors. If you select earth, you gain vulnerability to electricity, cannot benefit from any electricity resistance or immunity, and cannot cast spells with the air or electricity descriptors. If you select fire, you gain vulnerability to cold, cannot benefit from any cold resistance or immunity, and cannot cast spells with the cold or water descriptors. If you select water, you gain vulnerability to fire, cannot benefit from any fire resistance or immunity, and cannot cast spells with the fire descriptor.
As you advance in level, add the following spells to your oracle spells known based on your chosen element. At 1st level, add burning hands (fire), grease (earth), hydraulic pushAPG (water), or shocking grasp (air) to your spells known. At 5th level, add frigid touchUM (water), glitterdust (earth), levitate (air), or scorching ray (fire) to your spells known. At 10th level, add ball lightningAPG (air), calcific touchAPG (earth), ice storm (water), or wall of fire (fire) to your spells known. At 15th level, add chain lightning (air), contagious flameAPG (fire), flesh to stone (earth), or freezing sphere (water) to your spells known.
This one looks thematically fun!
You suffer from a minor form of lycanthropy. The exact animal your body and mind are aligned with can vary, but you should choose an animal that matches your faith thematically. In times of stress or unease, you cannot speak—only growl and snarl like an animal. This ability works similarly to the tongues curse, but whenever you are in combat, you cannot speak at all. This does not interfere with spellcasting but does apply to spells that are language dependent. A character under the effects of speak with animals can understand you, and you can communicate with such characters normally. You can speak with animals when in this condition. Choose one type of animal commonly associated with lycanthropy (such as rats, wolves, or bears); you gain a +4 bonus on Handle Animal checks with these creatures. At 5th level, add charm animal to your list of 1st-level oracle spells known and animal messenger to your list of 2nd-level oracle spells known. At 10th level, add beast shape I to your list of 3rd-level oracle spells known and beast shape II to your list of 5th-level oracle spells known. At 15th level, you gain damage reduction 5/silver, and if you already have this type of damage reduction, it increases in value by 5 (to a maximum of DR 15/silver).
@Everyone: sorry for the edition dithering! I think in deference to the fact that we all know 1e rules and GMing 2e is a bit of an unknown for me still...
...we should just run 1e.
I really like the strong points of 2e and I want to keep playing it and learning it. But 1e gets us to the party faster, and I can put more time into writing and encounter design and less into rules-learning.
One thing I really like about 2e is its improved balance. We're starting from a low level where balance is usually better in general. But there's balance and there's balance: if you ever feel like your character hasn't had a chance to shine in a while, feel free to send me a message.
We're in a homebrew world that I'll be writing as the fog of war recedes. In the past, those I've GM'd for have been in a setting written by others designed for crunchy combat where I did a lot of modifications to allow creative and alternative approaches to quests and puzzles (dating the dragon). In Tlan, I might not even know how you'll solve a puzzle when I pose it. The thing I love most about DnD (ever since Something taught us how to play) is that the action's unscripted.
---
@Trag: So glad to see you!
@Dorian: of course legacy and premaster are the same! Not sure what I was thinking there. I've always wanted to try a 1e oracle so I'd enjoy it vicariously.
@Something: I thought you'd like the setting! Druids are druiding around in the wild places of the world as usual. There's a sacred grove in one of the forests in one of the warmer patches of the globe where they get together when the spirit takes them, but likely it's a matter of apprentices who can't fit in anywhere else and reluctant misfit masters. Druids would not be a religion exactly, but a parareligion that understands the divine not in terms of humanoid archetypes but as a larger-than-humanity system of systems that includes what others see as transcendent divinity. Some might call this "nature" and many sneer at the idea of a "supernatural." If it exists, it's natural!
@RH: I think you've got the gist of the cultures. I'm picturing something blending the usual high fantasy medievalism with ice age elements. Things are about to get a lot warmer, though. I'm not committed to an aesthetic, though, so if you find yourself wanting a katana, there can be katanas, etc. Or even a sword that looks how you want it to look with the profile of a katana as long as it's sorta linked? Your international student can definitely seek word of his family as a main goal. If they were living in a religious, magical, or nautical town, they might survive.
...we should just run 1e.
Truly a wise Avian...
When I'd started looking at 'Magus' I was reading some old 'Michael Moorcock' stories, most of his main characters would be a 'Gish' so magus or duel class or gestalt would be the only ways to make that happen. Lately I've been watching a lot of Japanese flavored stuff so an eastern flavored character was also a thought.
Lots of stuff brewing, I'm leaning western weapons and possibly mixed race, but I'll decide after we get more specifics on crunchy stuff. I'm happy to go anywhere from 'core' to 'gestalt with all the bells and whistles'
Lucky guess on the katana! I have never done gestalt and I don't think it fits the more human-scale setting I have in mind.
I'm thinking 20 point buy so y'all can consider building MAD characters and stand a little taller than the NPCs without getting things too out of scale.
Speaking of mixed race, all the main PF ancestries/species/races are around in this world, but I don't even know all of them anymore since I last checked in on the rules, so some may never appear. The core races are going to be far more common and most folk are just humans. I know them best, after all. Feel free to explore options, though!
Sweet!
Where are you at on background skills, traits, AP Traits and Drawbacks for extra traits? Hmmmm, and starting wealth?
And, please, allow Background Skills option!
PF1e it is!
Just to forewarn folks, I have changed my mind several times that you don't even know about....lol.
I will probably wait until I see what we need (please not the Healer)....
Healer, that's the dwarf fighter archetype that crushes everything under its steel boot heel right?
Has the class trait @ 3rd and 5th lvl, for difficult terrain and overland marching 'Goose step.'
Parrot, can you clarify the tone and theme of the campaign?
Are we expected to be students at the W or just inhabitants of the realm?
OK, 1e Cartomancer Witch building toward Harrower prestige class it is.
@Dust you are inhabitants of the realm. No unyveryty affiliation necessary at all. You could just be passing through; they're not going to throw you off the boat. I do hope players will realize that a hermit loner misanthrope character would likely have to... develop. To be very useful in the setting, at least.
Tone: total environmental and social collapse and mass extinction, but not humorless (ha). Community-oriented problem-solving will be a big deal. The party will be both the point of the spear when it comes time for fighting and community leaders the rest of the time. I often like survival city/town sims but have yet to find one that holds up to long play, so this will be that. Some problems should probably be smote sometimes, but it's up to you all how to deal with the world. Occasional encounters with infinite darkness. Floating islands will lend their nature to episodic and contained questing, but the bigger story will be rebuilding some kind of life in a new situation.
Theme: Learning how to live when a crisis becomes the norm.
Influences: "The Hobbit" more than LOTR, 1910s-40s fantasy (pulp and high) and weird tales, maybe some of the cool ice-age fantasies from later like Harry Harrison's "Eden" series. Maybe Lord Dunsany is a good name to drop in as an influence--the playful irony of his "Book of Wonder" and some of the sequential episodicity of his divine chronicles. C. L. Moore's pre-psychedelic worldbuilding. Paolo Bacigaluipi's cli-fi (as much as he's not my favorite author as such).
Rules stuff:
Character creation:
Two traits are fine, I think, but I sometimes worry that they lose their purpose as extra flavor and instead become must-take mini-feats for certain builds. I'd almost rather have you all design your own traits of roughly equal quality than feel boxed into the menu options. Drawbacks are meh for me, but hey, if you see one that feels like it really matches your character, go for it.
I'm probably going to hand out traits and such as we go to represent character development.
Starting gold: It looks like Ranger gets 175 at creation, the highest of the core classes. Let's say everyone gets that much to start. Poor monk, with 35 starting gold, but I guess that's monks for ya.
Since I'm going 'magus' I'm going to bring in one of my favorite movie props and call it a dueling sword.
My basic idea is he's the bastard son of a merchant prince who was sent to the W to learn enough magic to use one of the families mystical blades. He needs to learn enough magic to 'activate' the blades 'nature.' So what is a normal weapon will become a 'blackblade' with the right application of genetics and magic.
Of course this also serves to get the problematic 'child' out of the city and trained to be of some value to the family.
GM Parrot, are there any other cities you've developed that might have a noble family that has a similar relationship like the Medicis' had with Florence?
Initiative: 4 = 4 [dex]
Speed: 30 ft.
Hit Points: 10 = 8 [1st lvl.] + 2 [1(1 [con] + 1 [FC])]
AC: 16 = 10 + 1 [Haramaki] + 4 [dexterity] + 1 [dodge (Kensai)]
Touch: 15
Flat-footed: 11
Fort: + 3 = 2 [base] + 1 [constitution]
Ref: + 4 = 0 [base] + 4 [dexterity]
Will: + 2 = 2 [base] + 0 [wisdom]
Base Atk
CMB + 0 = 0 [base] + 0 [strength]
CMD 14 = 10 + 0 [base] + 0 [strength] + 4 [dexterity]
Melee: + 3 = 0 [base] + 0 [strength]
Ranged: + 0 = 0 [base] + 4 [dexterity]
Stats:
Str. 10, Dex. 18, Con. 12, Int. 16, Wis. 10, Cha. 8
Race: Human:
Bonus Feat: Humans select one extra feat at 1st level.
Skilled: Humans gain an additional skill rank at first level and one additional rank whenever they gain a level.
Traits:
Magic Trait: Magical Lineage shocking grasp
Feats:
Kensai Archetype Feat: Weapons Focus:(dueling sword)
Human feat: Slashing grace
First level feat: combat reflexes
favored class bonus: + 1 HP
Arcane Pool (Su) @ 4: Instead of the normal arcane pool amount, the bladebound magus’s arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/3 his level (minimum 1) plus his Intelligence bonus. The pool refreshes once per day when the magus prepares his spells. This ability changes the Arcane Pool class feature and replaces the magus arcana gained at 3rd level
At 1st level, a magus can expend 1 point from his arcane pool as a swift action to grant any weapon he is holding a +1 enhancement bonus for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, the weapon gains another +1 enhancement bonus, to a maximum of +5 at 17th level. These bonuses can be added to the weapon, stacking with existing weapon enhancement to a maximum of +5. Multiple uses of this ability do not stack with themselves.
*Black Blade Arcane Pool @ 1: Black Blade Strike (Sp): As a free action, the magus can spend a point from the black blade’s arcane pool to grant the black blade a +1 bonus on damage rolls for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, this ability gives the black blade another +1 on damage rolls.
Kensai: Canny Defense (Ex): When wearing light or no armor and not using a shield, a
Kensai: Weapon Focus (Ex): At 1st level, a kensai gains Weapon Focus with his chosen weapon as a bonus feat.
Spells: A magus casts arcane spells drawn from the magus spell list. A magus must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time.
To learn, prepare, or cast a spell, the magus must have an Intelligence score equal to at least 10 + the spell level. The Difficulty Class for a saving throw against a magus's spell is 10 + the spell level + the magus's Intelligence modifier.
A magus can cast only a certain number of spells of each spell level per day. His base daily spell allotment is given on the table above. In addition, he receives bonus spells per day if he has a high Intelligence score (see the Ability Modifiers and Bonus Spells Table).
A magus may know any number of spells. He must choose and prepare his spells ahead of time by getting 8 hours of sleep and spending 1 hour studying his spellbook. While studying, the magus decides which spells to prepare.
Magus Spells per day @ 1st lvl:
Orisons 3:
1st lvl spells memorized: 0+1:
7 = 1(2[class] + 3 [Int] + 1 [human] + 2 [background])
The magus’s class skills are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Fly (Dex), Intimidate (Cha), Knowledge (arcana) (Int), Knowledge (dungeoneering) (Int), Knowledge (planes) (Int), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Spellcraft (Int), Swim (Str), and Use Magic Device (Cha)
Acrobatics + 4 [Dex]
Appraise + 3 [Int]
Bluff - 3 = - 1 [Cha] - 2 [drawback]
Climb + 4 = 0 [str] + 1 [rank] + 3 [class skill]
Diplomacy - 1 [Cha]
Disguise - 6 = -1 [Cha] - 5 [drawback]
Escape Artist + 4 [Dex]
Fly + 4 [dex]
Heal + 0 [Wis]
Intimidate - 1 [Cha]
Knowledge (arcana) + 7 = 3 [Int] + 1 [rank] + 3 [class skill]
Knowledge (dungeoneering) + 7 = 3 [Int] + 1 [rank] + 3 [class skill]
Knowledge (geography) + 7 = 3 [Int] + 1 [rank] + 3 [background skill]
Knowledge (history) + 7 = 3 [Int] + 1 [rank] + 3 [background skill]
Knowledge (planes) + 7 = 3 [Int] + 1 [rank] + 3 [class skill]
Perception 0 [Wis]
Ride + 4 [Dex]
Sense Motive 0 [Wis]
Spellcraft + 11 = 3 [Int] + 1 [rank] + 3 [class skill]
Stealth + 4 [Dex]
Survival + 9 [Wis]
Swim + 4 = 0 [str] + 1 [rank] + 3 [class skill]
A magus can learn spells from a wizard's spellbook, just as a wizard can from a magus's spellbook. The spells learned must be on the magus spell list, as normal. An alchemist (see the Alchemist description) can learn formulae from a magus's spellbook, if the spells are also on the alchemist spell list. A magus cannot learn spells from an alchemist.
#Magus spells learned: 6 = 3[1st lvl] + 3 [Int]
# Spells copied from scrolls or spell books:
Spells
TBD
Black Blades A black blade is a particular form of intelligent weapon gained by a magus with the bladebound archetype. There are several ways a magus might gain this weapon. Sometimes it just appears among the magus’s possessions, and its origin is a mystery. Other times the magus finds a black blade during an adventure or event of some kind. Sometimes a black blade is passed down generation to generation in an ongoing search for a magus who can unlock its true potential. A black blade is always a one-handed slashing weapon, a rapier, or a sword cane. The magus chooses the blade’s type upon gaining the blade, and once chosen, it can’t be changed. As a bladebound magus increases in level, his black blade gains power. A black blade is independently conscious but features some personality traits reflecting its wielder. A black blade always has the same alignment as its wielder and even changes its alignment if its wielder does. The blade typically works toward its wielder’s goals, but not always without argument or backlash. Each black blade has a mission, and while sometimes two or more black blades will work in concert, each mission is singular in purpose (the black blade’s mission is usually up to the GM and the needs of the campaign or the adventure, or a GM can roll randomly for the weapon’s purpose using the Intelligent Item Purpose table. Some black blades are very open about their missions, but most are secretive. Certain sages have speculated that an invisible hand or arcane purpose moves these weapons.
Magus Class Level: 3rd-4th
Enhancement Bonus + 1
Int. 11
Wis/Cha 7
Ego 5
Special:
Alertness, black blade strike, telepathy, unbreakable
Black Blade (Ex): At 3rd level, the bladebound magus’ gains a powerful sentient weapon called a black blade, whose weapon type is chosen by the magus. A magus with this class feature cannot take the familiar magus arcana, and cannot have a familiar of any kind, even from another class.
Instead of the normal arcane pool amount, the bladebound magus’s arcane pool has a number of points equal to 1/3 his level (minimum 1) plus his Intelligence bonus. This ability changes the Arcane Pool class feature and replaces the magus arcana gained at 3rd level.[/smaller]
Magus Arcana: The following magus arcana complement the bladebound magus archetype: arcane accuracy, broad study, dispelling strike, and reflection.
Black Blade Basics: A black blade is bonded to a particular magus, much like a familiar, but in more of a partnership than a master-servant relationship.
Intelligence: This is the intelligence score of the black blade. It starts at 10 and increases by 1 for every two levels of the bladebound magus (at 3rd level, 5th level, and so on).
Wisdom and Charisma: As the bladebound magus increases in level, so do the Wisdom and Charisma of the black blade. These abilities start at 6 and increase by 1 for every two levels of magus.
Ego: [smaller]A black blade starts with an ego of 5, and that ego increases as the blade becomes more powerful. In cases where a wielder and the black blade come into conflict, like any intelligent item, a black blade can attempt to exert its dominance using the items against characters rules. Due to its flexible and powerful nature, a black blade has a nonstandard ego progression.
Languages and Skills: A black blade starts with Common as a language. As the black blade increases in Intelligence, it manifests knowledge of languages and arcane lore. Upon reaching an Intelligence of 12, it gains a bonus language of the GM’s choice, and gains 1 rank in Knowledge (arcana). Each time the sword gains a bonus to Intelligence, it gains another language and another rank in Knowledge (arcana).
Senses: A black blade is aware of everything around it like a creature that can see and hear. It can be blinded and deafened as if it were a creature. It uses the saving throws of its magus, even if the magus is not currently wielding the black blade.
Black Blade Arcane Pool: A black blade has an arcane pool with a number of points equal to 1 + its Intelligence bonus.
Black Blade Ability Descriptions: A black blade has special abilities (or imparts abilities to its wielder) depending on the wielder’s magus level. The abilities are cumulative. A black blade normally refuses to use any of its abilities when wielded by anyone other than its magus, and acts as a masterwork weapon of its type.
Alertness (Ex): While a magus is wielding his black blade, he gains the Alertness feat.
Black Blade Strike (Sp): As a free action, the magus can spend a point from the black blade’s arcane pool to grant the black blade a +1 bonus on damage rolls for 1 minute. For every four levels beyond 1st, this ability gives the black blade another +1 on damage rolls.
Telepathy (Su): While a magus is wielding or carrying his black blade, he can communicate telepathically with the blade in a language that the magus and the black blade share.
Unbreakable (Ex): As long as it has at least 1 point in its arcane pool, a black blade is immune to the broken condition. If broken, the black blade is unconscious and powerless until repaired. If destroyed, the black blade can be reforged 1 week later through a special ritual that costs 200 gp per magus level. The ritual takes 24 hours to complete.
Energy Attunement (Su): At 5th level, as a free action, a magus can spend a point of his black blade’s arcane pool to have it deal one of the following types of damage instead of weapon damage: cold, electricity, or fire. He can spend 2 points from the black blade’s arcane pool to deal sonic or force damage instead of weapon damage. This effect lasts until the start of the magus’s next turn.
Teleport Blade (Sp): As a standard action, a magus of 9th level or higher can expend an arcane point from his or his black blade’s arcane pool, and can call his black blade from as far as 1 mile away, causing it to instantaneously teleport to his hand.
Transfer Arcana (Su): At 13th level, once per day, a magus can attempt to siphon points from his black blade’s arcane pool into his own arcane pool. Doing so takes a full-round action and the magus must succeed at a Will saving throw with a DC equal to the black blade’s ego. If the magus succeeds, he regains 1 point to his arcane pool for every 2 points he saps from his black blade. If he fails the saving throw, the magus becomes fatigued (but can try again). If he is fatigued, he becomes exhausted instead. He cannot use this ability if he is exhausted.
Spell Defense (Sp): A magus of 17th level or higher can expend an arcane point from his weapon’s arcane pool as a free action; he then gains SR equal to his black blade’s ego until the start of his next turn.
Life Drinker (Su): At 19th level, each time the magus kills a living creature with the black blade, he can pick one of the following effects: the black blade restores 2 points to its arcane pool; the black blade restores 1 point to its arcane pool and the magus restores 1 point to his arcane pool; the magus gains a number of temporary hit points equal to the black blade’s ego (these temporary hit points last until spent or 1 minute, whichever is shorter). The creature killed must have a number of Hit Dice equal to half the magus’s character level for this to occur.
Mundane Items
Explorer’s outfit: N/A, N/A
Haramaki: 3 gp. 1 lbs. + 1
Crossbow, light: 35 gp 4 lbs. 1d8, 19-20/x2, 80 ft. P[/smaller]
Bolt(s), crossbow (10): 1 gp. 1 lb.
Sword, Dueling: 20 gp 3 lbs: 1d8, 19-20/x2 S
Kit, Magus’s: 22 gp.
Backup Spellbook: 15 gp. 3 lbs
Bag, waterproof @ 2: 1 gp. 1 lb. (contains spell books)
sub-total 97 gp. 30 lbs.
Consumables:
Sub-total
Total expenditure: 97 gp.
Total weight of all gear: 30 lbs,
Carry Capacity
Light load: 33 lbs. Or less
Medium load: 34 lb./ 66 lbs.
Heavy load: 67 lb./ 100 lbs.
Lift over head: 100 lb.
Lift off ground: 200 lb.
Push or drag: 500 lb.
When around the general public ???? comes off as quiet and contemplative. Not per say shy, but definitely reserved. He is functional, if not somewhat wary, in large social settings, but they are not his preference. As a child he did not fit in with the other children of the court, he would participate because it was expected. But he thrived when alone or doing something with a few others.
???? is at his best when focused on a task at hand. Whether hunting by himself or with a group. Studying in a library or Meditating in his rooms. Or practicing with blade and magic. On the Myers Briggs scale ???? is a Logistician
From a distance it’s not hard to believe ???? is a ?????, dressed all in black, his face shadowed by a floppy wide brimmed black felt hat, a black cloak thrown over his shoulders.
As he nears, details begin to come into view. While slight of build at just over six feet, with long arms and nimble fingers, he walks with a cat-like grace. Soft black leather knee-high boots, a dagger tucked in the top of the right. Black canvas pants and a loose black cotton shirt. His waist, wrapped with a dark maroon haramaki; decorated with cherry blossom trees, the branches stitched with dark copper thread and the blossoms with silver. buckled over the haramaki a black belt made of saddle leather. From its ‘frog’ on the left, dangles a long black scabbarded blade on the right a quiver of quarrels
As he looks up his feature become more visible; wavy raven-black hair cut shoulder length, his high forehead, heavy brows and dark gray eyes. His narrow nose, high cheekbones, thin lips and square jaw are not unattractive. But what stands out most, the scar from his childhood. Running from his forehead over his left eye down onto his left cheek where it cuts deeper into his clean shaven chin.
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Speaking of Gear, I'm taking the Harrow Born racial trait and the Cartomancer Witch archetype, which both grant me a free Harrow Deck. I just want to double check this with the GM, as a Harrow Deck costs 100gp. I will need two harrow decks, because, one serves as my familiar and the bulk of my later class abilities require having a full Harrow Deck, AND, between 2nd and 3rd level, I will be literally throwing harrow cards away because of the archetype's Deadly Dealer feat (which turns me into Gambit, just a little), so that second deck will come in handy.
(maybe I'll adopt a cajun accent mon'cheri)
@RH one fantasy Medici Florence, comin' right up! If you want to contribute to the design beyond this concept, by all means feel free to do so. But I think this city, Matrona, should be the seat of the worship of the Mother archetype, alluding to the Marian influence on Florentine Catholicism and the Medici's patronage of Marian artworks. Images of a mother and child hang on every wall and in every chapel. But let's throw a little ice-age Venice in the pot too and say that the city is one of the northernmost and is built where a glacier meets the sea. Ice canals and sledgeboats move things and people around on the northern side of town. Sledgeboats (depending on the season) can be converted to gondolas down towards the seaside. Sled dogs simply hop in the boat when the oars come out.
Matrona is built on steep, glacially carved scarps, and the economy is based on fishing, whaling, pilgrimages to the temple of the Mother, trading, mining, and whatever agriculture people manage to eke out on the (non-floating) island chains to the south. One feature of the town is the use of reinforced ice (reinforced with sawdust and a little magic) in construction, reflecting strong ties to the somewhat-nearby University of Evocation (clever name pending). The Temple of the Mother features a world-famous dome of ice.
Despite the nurturing theological bent of the area, it's also famous for squabbling noble families that constantly try to one-up each other in patronage of the arts and depraved power-seeking.
Kensai is my favorite magus and the only one I've played extensively!
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Ca c'est bon, Dominic! You aren't gonna sell 'em so a little extra harrow won't throw things off.
I am expanding on my janitor concept. Looking at Brawler using Catch-Off-Guard for his janitorial equipment....
I need spellcasting! It's a problem. I know. The only nonspellcaster that I totally enjoyed was my Fighter(Student of War) 16 from PFS1e Season 10....
Help me Obi wan konbi! You're my only hope....
Sweet, I'm borrowing a little from Robin Hobb: Assassins Apprentice, in the sense that the characters grandfather is sponsoring him at the W so that he can learn to 'activate' the blade. I'm going to use my character Onnello Ustradi, I requested something like the Medicis and Florence because of the character name.
Love the idea of the glacial carved scarps and squabbling noble families. I'm curious to see if the 'blacksword' is tied to just the Ustradi family or any of the 'noble families' of Matrona. Also curious as to what the goals of the sword might be.
I'll assume Onnello's siblings and cousins attend the university of evocation, and he was sent away to keep out of trouble.
I'm not familiar with Harry Harrison, the pulp writers I read we're Burroughs, Howard and then some Doc Savage. Obviously, I've read the 'Hobbit' so I'm assuming a neutral good character, which may seem odd for a person/blade like the Medicis.
I was going to have him sent away because his fathers wife kept trying to have him killed. Is that too dark for the setting? Maybe he and the blade should be neutral? Maybe his bloodline works because of both who his father and mother are. Hadn't thought much about mom yet. Fathers sweetheart from University? The relationship swept under the rug? Maybe another noble family from Matrona? Sort of like 'Romeo and Juliet' except they both live and go on with their lives? Have him raised by a swordsman under the grandfather's hire? Anyway, just spit-balling now.
Mostly need to sort out what his goals were before the apocalypse and if they remain the same afterwards. Which may put a strain on his relationship with the sword...
well, 175gp seems like a lot of money. Can I spend it on scrolls to have extra spells known?
@Dom: Apparently not too much gold for a ranger. How about paying for one deck and the other's free?
As for spells known, I'm thinking that the magical reset will be followed by a brief respite where your characters will all have a moment to study magic and lock down their level one skills and spells. You can buy scrolls for later study, but don't add them to spells known jusssst yet.
Speaking of which, things might feel a little awkward as we barrel towards an apocalypse. I think the "game proper" will start after the island is afloat and magic is reset, but I'd like to know your characters and why they are in Morgen before I write that section. Their pre-apocalypse life and goals can be very different from post-apocalypse life and goals, but you can design your character sheets for the latter.
@RH: interfamily murder is not too dark for the setting! It's a game for adults, even if it will also feature children and lighthearted moments. Things will likely be really grim at times.
In the spirit of spitballing: if Onnello's dad is the Ustradi nobleman, maybe the sword actually comes to him via his mom's family? A commoner and a bastard, yes, but one with a powerful magic object that attracts the jealousy of his siblings... it'd be the folktale thing to do. The quest to learn his mother's identity and where she got this freakin' awesome sword could be part of the tale. That would also add a resonant hook to Matrona--what would it be like to grow up motherless in the city of the Mother?
I'm not sure if Harrison could properly be considered a pulp author, but he's a hell of a good sci-fi author, most famous for the story behind "Soylent Green." I love his sci-fi novel "Deathworld," which is also public domain (not sure why).
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Rough Draft Backstory:
Dominic grew up in the poorer districts outside of the tight walls of Morgen, a stretch of mud-brick huts along the beaches known as The Strands. Life was simple and unassuming. He happened to be the first born of a typically large ratfolk brood, and as such, inherited the heirloom Harrow Deck, passed down for many generations. As he grew up with it, he began to use it to ply his trade as a fortune-teller, relying on his wits, his perception and deception, reading his marks and saying the things they want to hear, rather than actually reading the cards, to earn his coin.
One day, perhaps the day before that fated day, he had a strange customer, one veiled in shadows, who sat down at his meager table and asked for a reading. For the first time, the cards seemed to speak to Dominic, and he felt a strange force channel through him. As the stranger placed a single silver in his palm, Dominic's mind was flooded with strange portents of catastrophe. As those portents soon played out over the next few (days? weeks? months?), Dominic realized he had been gifted with magical power, he could see and play with the strands of fate which bind and guide all.
Well, I have seen 'soylent green' :(
My concern with the family trying to kill each other is making him neutral good. If the sword comes with him, maybe we should make the mother fey. I've a cavalier Angus, I may make Onnello's conception a reflection of that story. A girl he met at college, and a baby dropped off at the doorstep with a strange sword. I would exchange the Skilled trait for Heart of the Fey: Fey-touched humans enjoy senses and reactions superior to those of their kin. These humans receive low-light vision, gain a +1 racial bonus on Reflex and Will saves, and treat Knowledge (nature) and Perception as class skills. This racial trait replaces skilled.
House Lebeda,
Past the plains in the forest south of Silverhall on the western bank of the East Sellen River near the border of the River Kingdoms stands an ancient elven tower. The tower appears to be carved out of one gray marble stone, called 'Elphinstone' by the humans who came into the land. Eventually an ancestor to House Lebeda claimed it as his own. Not finding it comfortable to his needs, the lord built a hunting lodge and several outbuildings nearby. It is there that Angus' story begins.
Angus remembers many snippets of his early childhood, from before coming to Elfinston. His beautiful mother, red haired and green-eyed, her affinity for the forest. The few other fey he met called her 'willow.' He remembers dark storms, sunshine flickering through the canopy, the hollowed out holes in great trees, snow falling from branches in great glumps and he remembers the unearthly appearance of other fey creatures. But like all childhood memories, they are flashes like the sun shining off a bright piece of metal.
He remembers the first day at Elphinstone when he met Eldlen and Gunnar. Later he learned their full names, Eldlen Meirdrerel and Gunnar Huntsman. Later he learned that Eldlen was a scholarly Elven wizard, living on the top floor of the tower studying its history while doing magical experiments. While Gunnar was a man at arms who cared for the horses, dogs and hawks kept there at the lodge for the lord's entertainment. But that first day, he just knew them as Gunnar and Eldlen.
That first day at Elphinstone was a beautiful late spring day, he and his mother had been walking towards it for days. When they arrived, he was carrying all of his worldly possessions in his birchbark bag and wearing his father's sword tied to his back. His mother, seeing Gunnar outside, stopped and asked him in a sing-song voice if the lord was at home. Angus' mother smiled, and asked again, "Yes is lord Charlie, I guess it would be lord Charles, he told me this was where he was staying." Poor Gunnar shook his head. "I’ve served Lord Lebeda here for three years this coming summer and I know of no one called Charlie."
Angus' mother looked perplexed, shaking her head. "He was here, Five years ago this fall. He and I... spent some time together, almost a month. That next spring, on this very day. I bore his son." Resting her hand on Angus' head, "I bore the child and have cared for him until he has been weaned. Where I go, deeper into the forest and further, he will not be safe. I need his father to look after him for a time."
When Gunnar gave her a look as confused as his own, she pointed to the sword. "Find the nobleman who owned that sword. It's cold iron, poison to the fey, I asked him to take it off when we first met." She blushes slightly. "When he left many days later, he had forgotten about it."
Bending over she kissed Angus on the cheek. "When I can, I will come check on you, now behave and remember to use your human words, they probably don't speak fey." Having kissed her son, Willow turned and began walking towards the forest. Gunnar, still perplexed, called after her. "What do you call him?" The fey woman turned and gave a sad smile. "I call him son."
Gunnar, not really sure what to do, took Angus by the hand and dragged him to the tower calling "Eldlen! Eldlen!" when the silver haired elf came down the steps, he raised an eyebrow looking from Gunnar to the boy. As Gunnar explained the story, Eldlen sighed, telling his companion that he should not have let her leave without taking the boy. Eldlen, heading into the wood, attempted to follow her, but to no avail. When he returned Gunnar announced that they would name the boy Angus after his uncle. Eldlen rolled his eyes and that was the end of it.
Eldlen quickly wrote a letter to Lord Lebeda, explaining the situation and describing the blade. The reply was not positive. There was no record of all the young men who had visited the hunting lodge but there were several who carried the nickname of Chuck or Charlie, though few were actually named that. As for the blade, it was a common cold iron blade that the family had many o which made expressly for the possibility of dealing with dangerous fey. So, though the blade was made for them, there was no proof who it belonged to. Lord Lebeda promised to send a letter to each family household, describing the situation and asking for the father to do the right thing and step forward. That was fifteen years ago.
Overtime Eldlen and Gunnar raised Angus as their own. Gunnar taught him the care of animals, riding and the forest. Eldlen, hoping someday Angus’ birth father would claim him, wanted him to have the liberal education a nobleman needed. So engineering, geography, history and nobility were the main classes. Both of his father's taught him weapons and armor. Gunnar the heavy armor and weapons of a human soldier and Eldlen the weapons of an elvish ranger.
Over the years, there were many Lebeda nobles that came to hunt at Elphinstone. Though Gunnar and Edlen both asked, none of them admitted to meeting or knowing of a beautiful red haired, green eyed fey maiden named Willow. Eventually they stopped asking. Angus fell into a comfortable routine at the hunting lodge, he felt more comfortable with Gunnars life as a man-at-arms instead of Eldlen's mysticism. He would help with the horses, hawks and dogs living in the quarters in the barn. Very little changed even when members of the Lebeda household visited. They would stay in the large lodge's accommodations bringing their own servants to attend their needs.
For around a year Angus had a desire to see the wider world. When Angus heard of the expeditions into the Stolen Lands he thought it the perfect opportunity. He went to his fathers and told them of his desire. He compared it to the times he had helped capture poachers. Or the time he killed a rabid bear with a boar spear. Or the time he rescued the village girl from wolves.
Convincing Eldlen and Gunnar he was ready; they helped provide him with the provisions he would need. His colt, Harbinger, who Gunnar had given him to raise, was now two, well trained and able to carry his responsibility. His second-hand armor cobbled together from one of Gunnar's altered scale armor with an added war kilt. The ancient bronze elven helmet Eldlen had worn when he was younger. He still possessed the cold iron sword that had belonged to his father. The other gear he had purchased through the years, dreaming of being a man-at- arms. Armed to the teeth, ready for any danger, Angus hugged his fathers, promising he would write, which caused Eldlen to roll his eyes and Gunnar to laugh. After a tearful goodby, Angus headed to join an expedition into the stolen lands.
Howdy RH!
I may have spammed you on Discord....
Ok! So my Janitor will be a Magus (Hexcrafter)!
Think Good Will Hunting
Just deciding on Race....
** spoiler omitted **...
That is eerily similar, isn't it? Feel free to run with it, or come up with something new if you've already been down this road once...
With three of our characters being two magi and a fortune-teller (close enough for a third), it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
Potential Ability Scores
Str 16 (+2 race, 5) Dex 14 (5) Con 12 (2) Int 16 (10) Wis 8 (-2) Cha 10
I am not being drawn to any particular Race, although 1/2 Orc seems to be in the lead...
Janitor being a 1/2 Orc seems a bit profiling though....wait until they find out he is a genius!
Scrub your own f**$ing puke off them f@@$ing toilets! I quit! Pi squared equals suck this beetches!
Too much? Maybe go with the shy, quiet, nervous type instead...
Might break out of his shell by level 2...lol.