I'm thinking I might make a Ninja, a strangely caucasian master of the Southern Cross school of fighting. Clearly, his Grandfather was killed by a rival school. This happened right in front of him, and he couldn't stop it because he was too hung over to react in time.
His family: The Blackheart family are a powerful force in Althamar, being the head of the Blackheart bank. This rich and shadowy force is like most renaissance banks - Involved in everything from exploration expeditions to business start-ups. Like Shylock in the Merchant of Venice, they will get their pound of flesh if their investment doesn't get paid off. Being a family of ninjas has certainly not hurt their ability to collect on debts.
So yeah! Rich boy ninja with a noble heart and a painful sense of duty to his misunderstood, powerful ninja family.
What do you think? Should I flesh that out?
EDIT: I just realized that's basically Dark Ages Batman, or Green Arrow, and would look basically like this:
So for the cost of a mere feat, you can do... Exactly the same number of attacks you'd have if you just fought with two fists. And then, there's flurry of blows if you want to take just two attacks a round.
Actually, that sounds very similar to Margaret Weiss and Tracey Hickman's first series in the Dragonlance chronicles.
The characters started out as average schmoes running from goblins and ended up with dragonriders fighting aerial battles in the sky.
Fury of the Tempest wrote:
Interesting concept... but starting.... level 1? When the scenario is 'multipule AP's happened at the same time and the bad guys one. We now need ultra-level heros to come in and stop them!' that... doesn't make sense.
Dotting, but it we really do start level 1, I'm out...
With the Whispering Way triumphant, you'd see many districts degenerating to necromancer enclaves running places with their twice-born slaves. I imagine it would look superficially similar to old Confederate slave-owners on massive plantations that are paradisaical for the owners - Not so much for others.
The Runelords enslaved giants and stole from Aboleths, so the PCs might have shadowy patrons in the form of subversive Aboleth or terrified giants who just don't want to be enslaved.
In fact, you might even see this forcing other races to change their whole way of life because of the degeneracy of humanity.
Might be fun to play a Hobgoblin with Leadership, whose tribe have been drifting good not because they naturally are, but because humanity's depraved acts have sickened them to the point that they've started to see how precious life and freedom from slavery are.
I imagine the Spartans from 300.
EDIT: Actually, now that I think about it, I envision a Hobgoblin tribe deciding at the start of this to raid a town. Upon entering, it's swarmed with undead. The PC Hobgoblin, who just came to loot and pillage, hears a small boy crying in terror, sitting on a roof surrounded by Zombies. A Necromancer is mocking the boy, who clearly has seen the rest of his town burnt for some unknown reason.
The Hobgoblins, who even dislike their Goblin allies for how uncivilized and randomly destructive they are, are sickened by this senseless display. They slaughter the Necromancers and adopt the boy, which is the very first glimmerings of their changing ways.
While I didn't take any of the drawbacks, the one I really like is Sentimental. Other than the fact that a penalty to initiative -and- to Perception checks means it's basically the "Begging to get shanked in an alley somewhere" drawback, the idea that you're lost in your own head all the time is great.
"Bob? We need to talk about you not taking watch and having some of your share get split up among the people who have to take up your slack."
"Why?"
"Because the first time, racoons stole all our food."
"But..."
"And the time after that, bandits captured us all."
"I'm not that oblivious!"
"Unh hunh. And were you not that oblivious when a bear ate our bard?"
"I just -"
"A BEAR ATE OUR BARD, BOB! You get no watch."
GM Runescarred Dragon wrote:
Pendrix Ragnack wrote:
Pendrix is done; please do look him over when you get a few minutes. I will keep adding to his backstory, but the character sheet is done.
** spoiler omitted **...
Consider him duly looked over.
@Saturday, it's no rush, I was mostly buming to make sure new people could see it too. Not getting impatient here, just want to reach as many people as possible.
@AG70, I really dislike the way drawbacks are written. On one hand, there's the cripling ones, like Cruelty on a fighter. On the other, there's also things like Averice, which are going to present an actual problem exactly 0 times during a campaign. This comes along with the traits themselves being all over the place, power wise. Some are powerful enough to have entire character builds revolving around them, while others are crap.
However, for fluff reasons, some of them are actually pretty neat and would be cool to incorporate.
Rules update: You can take any of the following Drawbacks in return for a third Trait: Avarice, Envy, Hedonistic, Pride, Sleepy or Zealous.
Lux Arcus' family goes way back. Way WAY back. Sandpoint, Magnimar and originally Thassilon, the family was once a noble house from Thassilonia, a shadowy group dedicated to protecting... Something.
The family records are missing numerous pages, with no records of the Fall of Thassilon, the family secret or why the family is occasionally attacked and slaughtered by unknown figures.(Unknown, presumably, because those who see them die and are unable to share their hard-won wisdom).
In an attempt to stay one step ahead, the family fled Magnimar to Sandpoint where they currently reside and own various interests.
Lux works in the family school, training warriors in an ancient fighting style that utilizes magic and weaponry. Striking a heroic figure, he is well known for using the familial blades that are passed down through his line, supposedly forged by master Thassilonian smiths centuries ago and of wearing armor supposedly forged from that time as well.
(For an image of the character, go to: [img]http://cdn.bleedingcool.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Ares1.jpg[/img] )
Stats:
Spoiler:
Name: Lux Arcus
Class: Magus
Alignment: Lawful Good
Archetype: Bladebound
Race: Human
HP:14
AC: 16 - 14 flatfooted.
Level 0: All
Level 1: Shield, True Strike, Vanish, Thunderstomp, Ironbeard(For a serious SPARTAN beard. - I can block arrows with my beard!), Darting Duplicate
Gear:
Black Blade - Katana
To Hit: +3 Damage: 1d8 Critical: 18-20
I am very much decided on making an Ifrit, and strongly considering a support(ish) paladin. Gonna roll it up.
I am however also toying with a bard, but I shall make a choice ASAP. Gonna post as soon as I can! :D
As this is a Kingmaker game, if you're interested in being a Bard we could work out a backstory together depending on your race. I'm angling to eventually be the Spymaster of the new nation(Actually the head of a Scotland Yard/Pinkerton-style secret police).
In fact, if anybody else is looking to talk about possible story hooks, let me know!
Ra-amun is a grizzled veteran - A battlefield doctor of some renown who retired from the Osirion military. A staunch supporter of the First Speaker, Ra-amun rose up from the lower classes with pure talent, grit and determination, joining the armed forces where he was found to have a talent both for the knife and a keen intellect that led him to be trained by the Centuries' Medicae. He was determined to be one of those heroes who helped keep the Osirion people free from the oppression of foreign nations.
This naivete was slowly drummed out of him. There simply weren't the invading other nations. Most of his work was mind-numbingly boring, with an awful lot stopping slave uprisings and fighting his own people.
When he left, he left with more experience fighting humanity than he ever wanted. Now, he seeks a living in the much more ethically sound way of tomb robbing - Called 'Adventuring' by some.
[B]Stats:[/b}
Spoiler:
Class: Alchemist
Archetype: Mind Chemist
Level: 4
HP: 27
Str:10
Dex:14
Con:12
Int: 18
Wis:12(Raised from 11 at 4th level)
Cha:12
Feats: Extra Bombs(Free, instead of Craft Potion), Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus - Bombs, Extra Discovery
I wouldn't mind getting in, if it's still possible. I had an idea for a character I'd like to play. Based on your questions, here's what I'm thinking:
Stats:
Spoiler:
Name: Wylock Uziel
Race: Elf
Class: Investigator
Archetype: Empiricist
Faction: Sovereign Court
Alignment: Lawful Good
Favoured Class: Alchemist(Which he is not currently)
Feats: Bruising Intellect(Use the Intelligence modifier rather than the Charisma modifier for Intimidate checks).
Traits: Mathematical Prodigy(+1 to Knowledge: Arcana and Knowledge: Engineering), Unflappable(+1 to save vs fear, +3 on DC to demoralize him with Intimidate checks)
Languages: Elven, Common, Sylvan, Draconic, Skald, Varisian, Kelish
Equipment:
Alchemy Crafting Kit: 25 GP
Lamellar Leather Armor(+4 AC, -2 Dex checks): 60 GP
Light Crossbow (To hit: +2, Damage: 1d8): 35 GP
60 crossbow bolts(6 GP)
Dagger(-1 to hit, d4 damage) 2 GP
Outfit - Dilettantes: 20 GP
Tricorn Hat: 2 GP
Spells known:
Level 1: Save DC: 16
Adhesive Spittle(ACG), Heightened Awareness(ACG), Crafter's Fortune(APG),Polypurpose Panacea(UM), See Alignment(UC), Illusion of Calm(UC)
Class Abilities
Inspiration, Trapfinding, Alchemy(Spells and bonuses noted earlier)
Inspiration:
An Investigator is beyond knowledgeable and skilled. He also possesses keen powers of observation and deduction that far surpass the abilities of others. An investigator typically uses these powers to aid in their investigations, but can also use these flashes of inspiration in other situations.
An Investigator has the ability to augment skill checks and ability checks through his brilliant inspiration. The investigator has an inspiration pool equal to 1/2 his investigator level + his intelligence modifier. An investigator's inspiration pool refreshes each day, typically after he gets a restful nights sleep. As a free action, he can expend one use of inspiration from his pool to add 1d6 to the result of that check, including ones where he takes 10 or 20 and before results are revealed. An investigator can only use inspiration once per check or roll. The investigator can use inspiration on any Knowledge, Linguistics or Spellcraft skill checks without expending a use of inspiration, provided he's trained in the skill.
Inspiration can also be used on attack rolls and saving throws, at the cost of expending two uses of inspiration each time from the investigator's pool. In the case of saving throws, using inspiration is an immediate action rather than a free action.
Trapfinding: The Investigator adds 1/2 his level(Minimum 1) to all Perception and Disable Device checks to find and/or disable traps. An Investigator can disable magical traps.
"Why should the swordlords trust you with this important job?"
Spoiler:
One of the most brilliant minds there is and a highly successful former member of the city watch, Wylock is a known quantity. He understands politics, historical treatise' on the failures and successes of nations past and his insight in to the nobility is second to none.
More importantly, he understands the seedy underbelly of local politics and can find information on the more truculent and less cooperative members of the establishment.
"How do you plan to set up a new nation and establish the trust and loyalty of the people?"
Spoiler:
A true renaissance man with a determination born of being just pig-headed stubborn, Wylock is a bit naive. He wouldn't stoop to bribery, but would instead submit his(Unsolicited, but probably irritatingly correct) advice on laws, aqueduct building and city-planning to create a true feudal utopia.
Perhaps more concretely, his investigative skills and dogged determination to find out everything about those who stand in his way, coupled with a glare that would belong on a constable from Les Miserables can serve to remove those who stand in the way without violence.
"What sorts of religious and legal strictures do you think should be part of a new nation?"
Spoiler:
All nations must be bound by law that no monarch is above. There must be obligations, forbiddings and geasa for every citizen from the greatest to the least. As a people is bound to its monarch, so the monarch to its people.
There must be sensible limitations on the powers of governance - No man may be imprisoned or his property stripped without reason. No fiefdom may be forged without monarchs leave. There must be consequences for breaking of these laws without cause. Historically, nations have fallen when things such as these have been broken.
"Do you have particular plans and goals? Why should the swordlords support those goals?"
Spoiler:
Wylock is not stupid. Far from it. He knows that typical governance involves lots of rhetoric with no real action and that this is what most people typically want.
This is unacceptable to Wylock. He wants this new nation to succeed for all levels of society.
Playing someone who is more intelligent than myself means I'll probably just steal ideas wholeheartedly from people smarter than myself. Wylock will be using ideas from Plato's Republic, John Locke, the Magna Carta and anything where smart political thinkers gave ideas on what made a good society.
If the Swordlords want a stable society, they need someone like Wylock.
"Do you have a criminal background? Is there anything we should know now that might cause problems later in your political future if it were to get out to the public?"
Spoiler:
Not criminal. As a former Watchman, he -did- get involved with several criminals, however. Usually to arrest them. It does mean he has some enemies.
You could limit the 'free' summoning to one active at a time? That would mean you'd have the Eidolon, summoned pet and potentially the spell itself cast.
Frankly, I'm surprised that this is such an issue. Considering the amount of encounters easily bypassed by wizard or Druid spells, or Rogues or any other sneaky class that has an infinite amount of time to prepare and an enemy that is utterly stagnant, it would seem the Summoner shouldn't be an issue.
