The Sandpoint Seven (A Rise of the Runelords campaign)

Game Master GM_Drake

Seven gods choose seven mortals who saved the town of Sandpoint to become their champions to fight dire threats that are rising in Varisia.


This is my first time both playing and running a PBP campaign, so please keep that in mind as I adapt and learn how to turn my many years of being a F2F gamemaster and player into being a PBP gamemaster.

-

The Characters

Spoiler:

Jenni - Desna-worshipping female Varisian tiefling silver balladeer bard

Marha - Gozreh-worshipping female Shoanti ifrit runesage

Ntisi - Sarenrae-worshipping female Mwangi aasimar molten-cursed life mystery oracle [waiting on confirmation if she wants to rejoin campaign at some point]

Tara - Abadar-worshipping female Taldan oread paladin

future Desna-worshipping (Garundi, Keleshite, Kellid, Tian, Ulfen or Vudrani) (sylph or undine) PC

future Erastil-worshipping (Garundi, Keleshite, Kellid, Tian, Ulfen or Vudrani) (sylph or undine) PC

-

Starting Ability Scores

Spoiler:

25 Point-Buy

-

PC Races

Spoiler:

WIP

-

Hit Points (modified)

Spoiler:

Hit Points above 0 hit points work the same as they do in the default rules.

The number of wound points you have lost is the absolute value of your negative hit points total.

Below 0 hit points you have a number of wound points (aka negative hit points) equal to twice your Constitution score. You have a wound threshold at the half-way point (the typical 'death' total of negative hit points in the default system). For example, a PC with a 13 Consitution would have 26 wound points with a wound threshold of 13.

While you have less than 1 hit point and you are below your wound threshold you are fatigued and staggered. Aside from gaining these two conditions while below your wound threshold, you function normally (you are treated as if you had 1 hit point for effects that look at your current hit points to determine effects).

While you have less than 1 hit point and you are at or above your wound threshold (and have at least 1 wound point you have not lost) you are disabled, exhuasted and staggered.

You die when you have lost all your wound points.

Any action that results in you being be at or above your wound threshold (or remaining at or above your wound threshold) requires you to make a Constitution check with a DC equal to how many wound points you have lost. Succeeding at the Constitution check allows the character to remain conscious. A conscious character with the Diehard feat can choose to automatically succeeed at the Constitution check to remain concscious instead of rolling.

Wound points are treated like hit points for all other purposes. For example, when a PC (with a 10 Constitution score) that has 5 current hit points (and maximum hit points of 12) takes 8 damage from an attack they would be at -3 hit points, which is 3 wound points (which is below their wound threshold) and would become fatigued and staggered. If that PC then received healing magic that restored 10 hit points, the PC would regain the 3 lost wound points and gain 7 hit points back, and would no longer be fatigued or staggered.

If that same PC then took 20 points of damage, it would reduce their hit points to -13 hit points (aka 13 wound points), which is above their wound threshold of 10, the PC would need to make a DC 13 Constitution check - succeeding means they remain conscious and are disabled, exhausted and staggered for being above their wound threshold, and failing the Constitution check means they fall unconscious and are dying.

As the number of wound points you have taken is the absolute value of your negative hit points, you do not need to track two separate set of 'life points' and simply compare your negative hit point total to your constitution score (like you do in the the default rules) to see if you are below your wound threshold (fatigued and staggered), at or above your wound threshold (disabled, exhausted and staggered and roll to see if you remain conscious) or dead.

In essence what this home-brewed rule does is give the PCs a bit of additional staying power and does so with dramatic effect. Hit point damage represents 'flesh wounds' while wound point damage represents 'mortal wounds'.

-

Simplified Encumbrance

Spoiler:

WIP

-

Traits (modified)

Spoiler:

A PC gains a Rise of the Runelords campaign trait, a religion trait of their deity, a race trait for their human ethnicity and two traits of their choice that the GM approves. The PC can also gain a single GM-approved drawback to gain an additional GM-approved trait.

You cannot select a trait or drawback that has a negative impact on other PCs.

-

Languages

Spoiler:

In addition to a character's automatic starting languages, the character also know one regional language connected with their backstory, that the GM approves.

-

Background Skills (modified)

Spoiler:

In addtion to the normal 2 background skill ranks you gain per character level, you also gain the Lore background skill for your deity, which has maximum ranks for your character level.


-

Bonus Starting Feats

Spoiler:

At 1st level, all PCs gain a single bonus feat that is chosen from the 'Improved' combat feats that has Combat Expertise or Power Attack as a prererequiste, even if they do not qualify for Combat Expertise or Power Attack. The character is counted as having the prerequisite feat of the 'Improved' combat feat they selected for the purpose of selecting the the 'Greater' combat feat for the same 'Improved' feat they selected as their bonus "Improved" feat at 1st level.

-

At 1st level, all PCs gain three bonus feats from the following list: Agile Maneuvers, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Catch Off-Guard, Combat Casting, Defensive Combat Training, Endurance, Eschew Materials, Fleet, Great Fotitude, Improved Counterspell, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Light Armor Proficiency, Lightning Reflexes, Martial Weapon Proficiency, Point-Blank Shot, Run, Shield Proficiency, Simple Weapon Proficiency, Skill Focus, Spell Focus, Spell Penetration, Throw Anything, Tougness, Weapon Finesse.

-

Hero Points (modified)

Spoiler:

Hero Points work differently in The Sandpoint Seven campaign.

They are referred to as Divine Destiny points instead of hero points.

The PCs each start the campaign with one Divine Destiny point, Each time their characters level up they gain additional Divine Destiny points equal to their new character level, which stack with their existing Divine Destiny points.

Divine Desiny points are used to do only a single thing in the campaign: Deny Death Scene

Deny Death Scene: Instead of dying, the PC automatically loses an amount of Divine Destiny points equal to 1 plus the number of times their character has benefitted from Deny Death Scene so far in the campaign. When a character benefits from Deny Death Scene, the character gains the benefit of the Heal spell, which restores the character to full health and might also include a GM-chosen use of the Miracle spell.

-

God-Chosen Template (PC template for The Sandpoint Seven campaign)

Spoiler:

Character Level 2

Favored Weapon: You gain proficiency in your deity's favored weapon, if you were not already proficient with it.

Secondary Class: You choose a secondary class, which cannot be the class you chose at 1st level. This class choice is locked in. You gain the weapon, armor and shield proficiencies of your secondary class. You gain all class skills of your secondary class as class skills. You gain the class features of your secondary class as if you had a number of class levels in it equal to half your character level, rounded down. You do not get the crunch (Hit Dice, Base Attack Bonus, Base Saving Bonuses, Skill Ranks) of your secondary class.

Character Level 4

Deific Obedience: When you perform the daily obedience for your deity, you gain the benefits as if you had the Deific Obedience feat, and the benefits last for a week. Doing something that is anathema to your deity causes you to lose the benefits of Deific Obedience, and you cannot regain the benefits from Deific Obedience again for a week.

You gain your choice of Item of Faith or Weapon of Faith.

Item of Faith: You choose one of your hand-held items (that is not a weapon), and you etch or paint your deity's symbol on it. That item becomes your Item of Faith. Your Item of Faith functions as a holy symbol for you. You gain a +1 sacred bonus on saving throws when you are holding your Item of Faith, or have it prominently displayed on you. While you are in Varisia and are benefiting from Deific Obedience, you can use a swift action to have your Item of Faith appear in your open hand(s). Should your Item of Faith be destroyed or lost, you can spend a day of downtime to etch/paint your deity's symbol on one of your hand-held items (that is not a weapon) to have that item become your new Item of Faith. Your Item of Faith only grants the abilities to you.

Weapon of Faith: You choose one of your weapons, which does not need to be your deity's favored weapon, and you etch or paint your deity's symbol onto it. That weapon becomes your Weapon of Faith. Your Weapon of Faith functions as a holy symbol for you. You can only have a single Weapon of Faith. When you wield your Weapon of Faith it has a +1 sacred bonus on attack and damage rolls. While you are in Varisia and are benefitting from Deific Obedience, you can use a swift action to have your Weapon of Faith appear in your open hand(s). Should your Weapon of Faith be destroyed or lost, you can spend a day of downtime to etch/paint your deity's symbol on one of your weapons to have that weapon become your new Weapon of Faith. Your Weapon of Faith only grants the abilities to you.

Character Level 6

Mythic Power: You gain a GM-chosen mythic path. Your mythic source is divinely granted by your deity, whenever you have the benefits from Deific Obedience . The mythic power granted by your deity is that of 1st-level mythic character.

Character Level 8

Item of Faith: Your Item of Faith grants you the light fortitification armor special ability while you are benefitting from Deific Obedience.

Weapon of Faith: Your Weapon of Faith gains the giantbane weapon special ability while you are benefitting from Deific Obedience.

Character Level 10

Increased Mythic Power: The mythic power granted by your deity is that of a 2nd-level mythic character.

Character Level 12

Divine Boon: You gain a GM-chosen 1st-rank divine boon from your deity, that you gain while you have the daily benefits from Deific Obedience.

Item of Faith: While you are not in Varisia, you can call your Item of Faith to your hand(s) up to three times per day.

Weapon of Faith: While you are not in Varisia, you can call your Weapon of Faith to your hand(s) up to three times per day.

Character Level 14

Increased Mythic Power: The mythic power granted by your deity is that of a 3rd-level mythic character.

Character Level 16

Divine Boon: You gain a GM-chosen 2nd-rank divine boon from your deity, that you gain while you have the daily benefits from Deific Obedience.

Item of Faith: Your Item of Faith grants you the moderate fortitification armor special ability while you are benefitting from Deific Obedience.

Weapon of Faith: Your Weapon of Faith also gains the holy weapon special ability while you are benefitting from Deific Obedience.

Character Level 18

Increased Mythic Power: The mythic power granted by your deity is that of a 4th-level mythic character.

Character Level 20

Boon: You gain a GM-chosen 3rd-rank divine boon from your deity, that you gain while you have the daily benefits from Deific Obedience.

Item of Faith: You no longer have to be in Varisia to call your Item of Faith to your hand(s).

Weapon of Faith: You no longer have to be in Varisia to call your Weapon of Faith to your hand(s).

-

Mythic Abilities

I have included the full 10 levels of mythic abilities below, even though the characters in The Sandpoint Seven will only earn up to the first 4 mythic levels, as the PCs of the first subsequent campaign will gain up to 7 mythic levels and the PCs of the following campaign will gain up to all 10 mythic levels.

Spoiler:

Mythic Source

In the Rise of the Runelords campaign, the mythic source is Granted (by the characters' deities).

In the Shattered Star campaign, the mythic source is Artifact (the seven Shards of the Sihedron).

In the Return of the Runelords campaign, the mythic source is Godling (the children of Rise of the Runelords' PCs)

-

Mythic Path

In the Rise of the Runelords campaign, the mythic paths are chosen by the GM (chosen by the characters' deities).

In the Shattered Star campaign, the mythic path of each shard is Archmage (modified as a Thassilonian Specialist Wizard).

In the Return of the Runelords, the mythic path of each character is chosen by the character's player, from one of the six mythic paths from Mythic Adventures.

-

Ability Score (RAW)

-

Mythic Feats & Mythic Path Abilities (modified)

In the Rise of the Runelords campaign, the mythic feats and mythic path abilities are GM-approved mythic feats and mythic path abilities each player chooses for their god-chosen character.

In the Shattered Star campaign, the mythic feats and mythic path abilities are GM-chosen (as they were chosen by the creator of the Sihedron when he made the seven parts of the artifact).

In the Return of the Runelords campaign, the mythic feats and path abilities are GM-approved mythic feats and mythic path abilities each player chooses for their Godling PC.

-

Hard to Kill (modified)

Your total number of wound points is equal to four times your Constitution score. Your wound threshold is equal to twice your Constitution score. See the Hit Points (modified) home-brewed rule for more details on wound points. You gain mythic damage reduction equal to your mythic level. You can expend one use of mythic power as a free action whenever you lose wound points to reduce the number of wound points you lose to a single wound point.

-

Mythic Power (RAW)

-

Surge (modified)

Once per round, Instead of making a d20 skill roll you can expend one use of mythic power (as a free action) to treat the result as if you had rolled a natural 20, with a mythic bonus equal to your mythic level. You can instead expend 2 uses of mythic power (as a free action) to instead of rolling a d20 attack roll or a d20 caster level roll to treat the d20 roll as if you had rolled a natural 20, with a mythic bonus equal to your mythic level, and you need to roll to confirm a critical hit that resulted from the natural 20 result.

-

Amazing Initiative (modified)

You treat your initiative rolls as if you had rolled a natural 20 on the d20. You gain a mythic bonus to your initiative result equal to your mythic level. You may take an extra move action that can be used to do one of the following: Direct or Redirect a spell, Draw or Sheathe a weapon, Manipulate an Item, Mount/Dismount a Steed, Ready or Drop a Shield or Stand Up. You can combine one of the listed actions with the Move action. You also gain an additional 5-foot step per round, and can take the bonus 5-foot step even if you take a normal Move action during the round.

-

Recuperation (RAW)

-

Mythic Saving Throws (RAW)

-

Force of Will (modified)

You can use Surge as a swift action to expend two uses of mythic power immediately before you cast a spell to cause a single non-mythic creature affected by the spell to take a mythic penalty to its saving throw to resist the spell, with the mythic penalty being equal to twice your mythic level. You can use Surge as an immediate action to expend two uses of mythic power to cause a non-mythic creature that makes an attack roll against you to take a mythic penalty on the attack roll, with the mythic penalty being equal to twice your mythic level. You can still only use Surge once per round.

-

Unstoppable (RAW)

-

Immortal (RAW)

-

Legendary Hero (RAW)

-

Hero Points (modified)

[spoiler]

Hero Points work differently in The Sandpoint Seven campaign.

They are referred to as Divine Destiny points instead of hero points

The PCs each start the campaign with one Divine Destiny point. Each time their characters level up they gain additional Divine Destiny points equal to their new character level, which stack with their existing Divine Destiny points.

Divine Desiny points are used to do only a single thing in the campaign: Deny Death Scene

Deny Death Scene: Instead of dying, the character automatically loses an amount of Divine Destiny points equal to 1 plus the number of times the character has benefitted from Deny Death Scene so far in the campaign.

When a character benefits from Deny Death Scene, the characted gains the benefit of the Heal spell, which restores the character to full health and might also include a GM-chosen use of the Miracle spell.

-

Game Mastery Guide

-

Horror Adventures

-

Mythic Adventures

-

Occult Adventures

-

Pathfinder Unchained

-

Ultimate Campaign

-

Ultimate Combat

-

Ultimate Intrigue

-

Ultimate Magic

-

Ultimate Wildnerness

-