As I continue to work on the second adventure for Heaven & Hell, playtests using my homebrew characters have shown me some flaws in my early designs. In response, I have recently made massive changes to both the Inquisitor and the Witch, using knowledge gained from these ongoing playtests and from extensive studies of the newly released character sheets. My goal for all new alterations was to keep my most innovative ideas intact, while increasing overall character balance and player enjoyment. I have only just begun playtesting these most recent changes, but so far the data is promising. As always, I'm eager to hear your feedback on Gaurant and Malixa's newest incarnations.
POWERS
HAND SIZE: 5 []6
PROFICIENT WITH: Light Armors // [] Heavy Armors // Weapons
You may discard the top card of your character deck ([] or a card from the blessings deck) to use a d12 for your Strength or Dexterity die.
When you play Blessing of the Gods, you may recharge it ([] or shuffle it into the blessings deck) instead of discarding it.
ROLES
Spellbreaker Wading through waves of magic to reach their foes, these holy warriors show no fear of the arcane. POWERS
HAND SIZE: 5 []6 []7
PROFICIENT WITH: Light Armors // [] Heavy Armors // Weapons
You may discard the top card of your character deck ([] or a card from the blessings deck) to use a d12 for your Strength or Dexterity ([] or Constitution) die.
When you play Blessing of the Gods, you may recharge it ([] or shuffle it into the blessings deck) instead of discarding it.
[] Add 2 to your check to recharge ([] or acquire) a card with the Divine trait.
[] When dealt damage other than Combat damage, reduce that damage by 1 ([]2).
[] If you encounter a card with the Arcane ([] or Magic) trait during your exploration, you may discard a card to evade it and immediately explore again.
Witch Hunter Justice demands that these inquisitors cast their judgments upon the arcane servants of foul demons. POWERS
HAND SIZE: 5 []6 []7
PROFICIENT WITH: Light Armors // [] Heavy Armors // Weapons
You may discard the top card of your character deck ([] or a card from the blessings deck) to use a d12 for your Strength or Dexterity die.
When you play Blessing of the Gods ([] or any blessing to add to a combat check), you may recharge it ([] or shuffle it into the blessings deck) instead of discarding it.
[] Add 2 to your check to recharge a card with the Divine trait.
[] Add 1d8 ([] 2d8) to your check to defeat a bane with the Sorcerer or Wizard ([] or Outsider) trait.
[] After you move, you may examine the bottom card of your location deck; if it’s a monster, you must ([] may) put it on top of the deck.
POWERS
HAND SIZE: 6 []7 []8
You may display a monster with the Animal trait to search your character deck ([] or your discard pile) for a spell of your choice and add it to your hand, then shuffle the card you displayed into your deck.
When you play a spell to examine one or more cards from a location deck, you may immediately encounter an examined monster ([] or spell).
ROLES
Beast-Bonded These witches focus their craft specifically on their familiar bond, and on developing the relationship with their patron through this unholy union. POWERS
HAND SIZE: 6 []7 []8 []9
You may display a monster ([] or ally) with the Animal trait to search your character deck ([] or your discard pile) for a spell of your choice and add it to your hand, then shuffle the card you displayed into your deck.
When you play a spell to examine one or more cards from a location deck, you may immediately encounter an examined monster ([] or spell).
[] When any character at your location attempts a combat check, you may reveal a monster ([] or ally) with the Animal trait to reduce the difficulty of that check by 1d4 ([]+1) ([]+2).
[] You gain the skill Survival: Wisdom +2
[] When you play Blessing of Lamashtu, you may recharge it instead of discarding it.
Dimensional Occultist The study of extraplanar magics has given these witches deep insight into strange and distant dimensions. POWERS
HAND SIZE: 6 []7 []8 []9
You may display a monster with the Animal trait to search your character deck ([] or your discard pile) for a spell ([] or card of any type) of your choice and add it to your hand, then shuffle the card you displayed into your deck.
When you play a spell ([] or item) to examine one or more cards from a location deck, you may immediately encounter an examined monster ([] or spell) ([] or card of any type).
[] You may bury a monster with the Animal trait ([] or an item with the Object trait) to draw a random spell from the box and add it to your hand.
[] You gain the skill Knowledge: Intelligence +2
[] When you play Blessing of Pharasma, you may recharge it instead of discarding it.
When should I play this Adventure ?
Because I dont wanna be too weak to face it.
Thanks for your interest, Naner. I'm designing this Adventure Path to be played in as an alternative to Rise of the Runelords, so The Alas Witch Trials can be played with fresh characters or with a party that has been through Perils of the Lost Coast. (I also plan on designing a 3-scenario opening adventure to stand in for Perils... eventually.)
You might also want to note that I am designing Heaven & Hell to be slightly more challenging than RotR, and that my home playtesting might not shake out all of the kinks.
Shauna Driscoll wrote:
I think this Adventure looks awesome and I hope you develop more for this path. I'm really enjoying the RotRL game and look forward to having something utterly unique to add to my game. Please carry on and provide more! :)
Thank you so much for your support! Knowing that others are interested will go a long way towards motivating me to complete this project.
isaic16 wrote:
Sorry I haven't had a chance to respond to this, but, honestly, there isn't a lot to comment about. In my first reading, I found very little wrong with it. Let me go through again and see if I can find anything.
I always appreciate your efforts, Isaic. My notes on your notes:
Spoiler:
1. Bury 2 is harsh, but it hasn't broken any of my games yet because I've just chased villains into the swamp. I also wanted to have a somewhat heavy cost here so that I could reuse this location well into my adventure path. That's also why I kept the swamp generic.
2. Thanks, but it was your idea after all. I take feedback from this community very seriously.
3. This is a good point. Could it really be that bad? Still, I liked imagining my characters taking deep breaths outside and then running in to do their business as quickly as possible.
4. Me too.
5. I'm terrible with updates and errata - mostly because I've never looked any up. I found that the vast majority of original wordings conveyed the developers intentions quite well. However, now that I'm designing cards myself, I will probably have to start looking into this.
6. Good catch.
7. I struggled with this too. I eventually went with "Hanged Man" to match the entry in this bestiary, but I'm still not too happy about it.
8. The hags were a really fun fight in all of my playtests.
9. I like this idea and I like your wording.
10. I've had an amazing time playing Hell Breaks Loose. I've encountered The Sandpoint Devil in every test, and each time he has completely devastated the character who found him. While this may sound too difficult, the Sandpoint Devil has a clause that banishes him after the encounter win or lose, so adding him to the scenario has just been really exciting. In my last game, I had closed 3 locations and still hadn't found the devil, so I had to hide my weakened characters in the permanently closed Chapel of Erastil. How thematic is that?
Shauna Driscoll wrote:
Apparently I had a slow day at work today. I can tell that because I started to create cards for this adventure using the templates Paizo has provided and MS Publisher. Right now I'm just working on the text, and thought I get those all completed before I thought abut images to go along with them. I was wondering if you had thoughts on those images (it is your adventure, after all). I figured, once I had the set done I'd investigate how to share them with everyone, since that is beyond my inherent skills.
This made me very, very happy. I hadn't even begun to think about actually creating or distributing this, and graphic design has never been my area of expertise, so I will leave those decisions up to you. If you need help, I'm sure this community would be willing to chip in with some sound advice. Thank you so much!
I can see why Mike liked it - the flavor really comes through in this scenario. It seems extremely difficult for characters in the AP3 range and would still scare me at the end of AP4 (even with the blessings and ally help), but I think that this difficulty and sense of doom is well-deserved considering the Lovecraftian context. Cool stuff.
Well, after having done all that, I think you have a solid formula. While it's obviously not as valuable as good playtesting, it's a solid start to anyone who just wants to consider the power of a new ability.
Thank you once again for your time and input, Isaic! Despite our shared concerns about the flaws in this system, I believe that going through this process has given you (and me) a new perspective on your custom abilities, and so it actually worked quite well. While there is absolutely no substitute for thorough playtesting, my hope for this system is that it gives this community a new way to think about (or at least new terms for talking about) our homebrew powers.
isaic16 wrote:
It is a good first step, though obviously still needing refinement
I'm in complete agreement, and I would love it if you and others in this community shared any changes that could possibly help the system to more accurately reflect the impact of certain cost, utility, intensity, or frequency measures. I would also like to know if there is any consensus on whether these should be the only metrics, and/or whether certain metrics should be given more weight within the system. I'm still wrestling with these questions myself.
isaic16 wrote:
[...]another flaw in the system, in that it doesn't really address power feats very well.
Along with neglecting power feats and being somewhat broken by more than 2 abilities, this system also ignores hand size and weapon proficiency powers. My gut instinct is that, if we could develop a way to approximate the overall impact of these elements, factoring them into the total scores might have a balancing effect across all of the characters. I initially left these factors out because I felt like they were handled well in Siygess' post, but I have been wondering if the inconsistencies left over after applying his formula to the skill block would be made up for within the power block ratings...
Writing flavor text held this post up for a while (I like Shaefa's hag song the best), but I'm finally ready to unveil the first complete adventure for my Heaven & Hell adventure path! This adventure contains what I hope is a compelling storyline that stretches over 5 unique scenarios and across 8 custom locations (along with some familiar locales from the box). There are also 5 new villains to defeat along the way, and a few curve-balls to keep things exciting. I have playtested the entire adventure, and I had a blast with it, so hopefully some of you do too.
Adventure 1
The Alas Witch Trials
To date, the court of Alas Township has condemned 31 people to death for the crime of witchcraft, and the remaining residents have been driven mad knowing that any one of them could be next for the noose. Confronting the Justiciar of Alas is but the first step, and an investigation into the history of Alas’ witch trials leads to a confrontation with its earliest victim, to a sinister plot fueled by human sacrifice, and to the doorstep of Hell itself.
Complete these scenarios, in this order:
Alas, Hysteria
Sentenced to Death
Another Witch Hunt
The Hags on the Hill
Hell Breaks Loose
Reward: Each character gains a card feat.
- - - - - -
Scenarios
Alas, Hysteria
Spoiler:
Neighbors have taken up arms against their neighbors, and the once-sleepy Alas Township has erupted into chaos! Make a thorough sweep of the town, seeking out those few residents who might still listen to reason, and try to gain control of this desperate situation.
LOCATIONS: (1) Chapel of Erastil ; (1) Back Alleys ; (1) Town Square ; (2) Courthouse ; (3) General Store ; (4) City Gate ; (5) Agga’s Anvil ; (6) Guard Tower
VILLAIN: None
HENCHMEN: 1 random Ally per location.
DURING THIS SCENARIO: If you acquire an ally, you may immediately attempt to close your location. If you fail to acquire an ally, take Combat damage as if you had failed a check to defeat a monster.
To win this scenario, close all locations.
REWARD: Each character draws a random ally from the box.
Sentenced to Death
Spoiler:
Rampant false accusations of witchcraft have driven the people of Alas to their collective breaking point, and Justiciar Oyer Terminer has been leading these charges. Upon entering the courthouse to confront this madness, you are ambushed by the town guard and thrown behind bars! Find a way to break out of the stockade and bring Oyer to justice… before your sentence can be carried out.
LOCATIONS: (1) Stockade ; (1) Courthouse ; (1) Guard Tower ; (2) Town Square ; (3) Agga’s Anvil ; (4) Village House ; (5) Garrison ; (6) Back Alleys
VILLAIN: Oyer Terminer
Type: Monster
Traits: Human ; Fighter ; Cleric
Check to Defeat: Combat 13 or Diplomacy 9
Powers: Before the encounter, Oyer Terminer deals 1d4 Combat damage to each character at the Stockade.
I have judged you guilty. Your evil magic shall taint this land no longer.
HENCHMEN: Orik Vancaskerkin ; Bandits
DURING THIS SCENARIO: All players must choose Stockade as their starting location.
REWARD: Each character gains a skill feat.
Another Witch Hunt
Spoiler:
Almost one year ago, young Briggan Bishop became the first victim of Alas’ witch trials. Following her execution, Briggan’s body mysteriously vanished before it could be burned. Now townsfolk claim to see the young girl stalking just beyond the city gates in the dead of night, and some whisper that she has placed a curse on Alas itself.
LOCATIONS: (1) Riddle Road ; (1) Swamp ; (1) Desecrated Vault ; (2) Thassilonian Circle ; (3) City Gate ; (4) Chapel of Erastil ; (5) Farmhouse ; (6) Woods
VILLAIN: Briggan Bishop
Type: Monster
Traits: Undead ; Hanged Man
Check to Defeat: Combat 12 or Arcane 10
Powers: Briggan Bishop is immune to the Mental and Poison Traits.
Before the encounter, Briggan Bishop deals 1d4-1 Force damage to you.
Briggan Bishop, you have been found guilty of the crime of witchcraft and sentenced to hang by the neck until dead. –Edict of Oyer Terminer
HENCHMEN: Ancient Skeletons
DURING THIS SCENARIO: The difficulty to defeat monsters with the Undead trait is increased by 2.
REWARD: Loot: Sihedron Medallion
The Hags on the Hill
Spoiler:
In the depths of the courthouse, documents have been recovered revealing the true goals behind Oyer’s madness. These writings tell of human sacrifices, vile rituals, and a small temple nestled high above Alas. There, amongst the peaks of the Red Mountains, a coven of hags has been plotting the town’s demise from the very beginning. Climb to their lair and put an end to this year-long nightmare!
Shaefa
Type: Monster
Traits: Hag ; Sorcerer
Check to Defeat: Combat 12 or Arcane 10
Powers: Before combat, test Intelligence or Craft 6; if you fail, Shaefa deals 1d4-1 Fire damage to you.
Fillet of a goblin snake, in the cauldron boil and bake. Eye of bunyip, tongue of ghoul, to trespass here marks you a fool.
Gairhen
Type: Monster
Traits: Hag ; Illusionist
Check to Defeat: Combat 11
Powers: Before combat, test Wisdom or Perception 7; if you fail, encounter Gairhen twice. Gairhen is defeated or undefeated based solely on the results of the second encounter.
Do we see this one, sisters? We thinks it wants to play with us.
Delmeth
Type: Monster
Traits: Hag ; Necromancer
Check to Defeat: Combat 13 or Divine 9
Powers: Before combat, test Dexterity or Sneak 8; if you fail, each character at this location must summon and encounter an Ancient Skeleton henchman.
The die is cast… You are too late, my dearies.
HENCHMEN: Ancient Skeletons
DURING THIS SCENARIO: When you defeat a villain, do not check to see if it escapes. Instead, place it next to this scenario card.
To win this scenario, defeat all 3 villains.
REWARD: Each character gains a power feat.
Hell Breaks Loose
Spoiler:
You were able to destroy the coven, but not before they completed their foul ritual, and the Thassilonian Circle outside of Alas has become a portal to Hell itself! Find a way to close this fiendish gate before even worse devils spill into Varisia.
LOCATIONS: (1) Thassilonian Circle ; (1) Riddle Road ; (1) Chapel of Erastil ; (2) Agga’s Anvil ; (3) Back Alleys ; (4) Stockade ; (5) Swamp ; (6) Courthouse
VILLAIN: The Sandpoint Devil
HENCHMEN: Wrathful Sinspawn
DURING THIS SCENARIO: The difficulty of checks to close the Thassilonian Circle location is increased by Xd4, where X is equal to the number of currently open locations.
To win this scenario, close the Thassilonian Circle location.
REWARD: Each character draws a random spell from the box.
- - - - - -
Locations
Spoiler:
Swamp
Thick clouds of mosquitoes, gnats, and even worse vermin buzz about in swarms above the knee-high mud that passes for ground here. That might be light coming from a small hut in the distance, but do you really want to meet the person or thing that calls this place home?
DECK LIST: Monster (5) ; Barrier (1) ; Weapon (1) ; Spell (0) ; Armor (0) ; Item (2) ; Ally (0) ; Blessing (0)
AT THIS LOCATION: If you would recharge or discard an armor, bury it instead.
WHEN CLOSING: Bury 2 cards from your hand.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: No effect.
Stockade
Moans and wails echo down long halls within Alas’ Stockade. In cells no larger than dog kennels, prisoners await trial and count the days until their inevitable executions. Still more unfortunate souls languish deep in the Stockade’s innermost dungeons, where they have long-since been forgotten.
DECK LIST: Monster (3) ; Barrier (2) ; Weapon (0) ; Spell (0) ; Armor (1) ; Item (0) ; Ally (3) ; Blessing (0)
AT THIS LOCATION: You must succeed at a Dexterity or Disable 6 check to either move or be moved to another location.
WHEN CLOSING: Succeed at a Stealth 6 check or banish an ally.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: On closing, bury all allies in your discard pile.
Riddle Road
The Riddle Road bends and forks its way across the Velashu Uplands towards Riddleport, the City of Cyphers. Local guides advise unfamiliar travelers to stick to well-beaten paths, as dangers often lie at the end of the road less travelled.
DECK LIST: Monster (4) ; Barrier (1) ; Weapon (1) ; Spell (0) ; Armor (0) ; Item (1) ; Ally (2) ; Blessing (0)
AT THIS LOCATION: You may explore the bottom card of this location deck instead of the top card.
WHEN CLOSING: Summon and defeat a Bandit henchman.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: On closing, you may immediately move to another location.
Agga’s Anvil
The forge casts the only light inside this shop, illuminating beast-scale breastplates, horned helms, and the armorer herself. Customers entering the Anvil unaware are immediately assaulted by proprietor’s breath as she bellows her traditional greeting, “Ut boots!?” Unfortunately for travelers seeking a sturdy shield, the strength of Agga’s steel is only rivaled by the strength of her stench.
DECK LIST: Monster (2) ; Barrier (0) ; Weapon (2) ; Spell (0) ; Armor (3) ; Item (2) ; Ally (0) ; Blessing (0)
AT THIS LOCATION: When you move or are moved to this location, you must succeed at a Fortitude 4 check or be dealt 1 Poison damage.
WHEN CLOSING: Succeed at a Constitution or Fortitude 6 check.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: No effect.
Chapel of Erastil
This small chapel bears resemblance to a long abandoned hunting cabin. Climbing vines and thick mosses make it seem as if the undergrowth is threatening to reclaim the wooden structure for the forest itself. Despite this, the followers of Old Deadeye spend little time tending to their chapel, preferring instead to assist the community between hunts.
DECK LIST: Monster (2) ; Barrier (1) ; Weapon (1) ; Spell (1) ; Armor (0) ; Item (0) ; Ally (1) ; Blessing (3)
AT THIS LOCATION: If you defeat a monster, you may inspect the next card of this location deck; if that card is a blessing, you may immediately acquire it.
WHEN CLOSING: Banish a blessing or recharge a Blessing of Erastil.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: A character at this location may recharge a card to add 1d4 to a Ranged Combat check at another location.
Courthouse
Once the town library, this tall stone building has been converted into a courthouse following a series of book burnings. Justiciar Oyer Terminer has presided over dozens of trials, and to date not one of the accused has been found innocent.
DECK LIST: Monster (1) ; Barrier (1) ; Weapon (0) ; Spell (2) ; Armor (0) ; Item (1) ; Ally (3) ; Blessing (1)
AT THIS LOCATION: If you fail to acquire an ally, you must reset your hand and end your turn.
WHEN CLOSING: You must succeed at a Charisma or Diplomacy 6 check.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: When you end your turn here, you may attempt a Charisma 7 check to recharge an ally from your discard pile.
Thassilonian Circle
Since its discovery, scholars from distant universities have been making pilgrimages to look upon this perfect circle of runed stone. Some of these sages see the remnants of an ancient well, while others claim to see darker signs and an altar of sacrifice. Whatever its original purpose, the locals view the stone circle as a magnet for wealthy travelers, who always turn home with less gold in their pockets.
DECK LIST: Monster (2) ; Barrier (2) ; Weapon (0) ; Spell (4) ; Armor (0) ; Item (0) ; Ally (1) ; Blessing (0)
AT THIS LOCATION: If you fail a check to recharge a card, bury that card instead of discarding it.
WHEN CLOSING: Succeed at an Intelligence or Arcane 6 check.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: On closing, do not banish any spells from this location; shuffle any that remain into this deck.
Back Alleys
During the day, worried mothers can sometimes be seen shuffling quickly through these alleys with blissfully ignorant children in tow. However, once the sun sets behind the distant mountains, these narrows become home to gangs of violent ruffians. Upstanding citizens learn quickly which shortcuts not to use.
DECK LIST: Monster (4) ; Barrier (2) ; Weapon (2) ; Spell (0) ; Armor (0) ; Item (1) ; Ally (0) ; Blessing (0)
AT THIS LOCATION: You may attempt a Dexterity or Acrobatics 7 check to evade a monster.
WHEN CLOSING: Summon and defeat a random monster.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: At the end of your turn, you may examine the bottom card of an open location deck.
As I continue to develop and refine my homebrew content, I have often returned to this thread for guidance in balancing my skill block, hand size, and proficiency slots. However, while these are very important elements of character design, powers tend to have more impact on relative balance than any other section of the character card. Because of this, I have developed some basic metrics in an attempt to quantify character powers. My hope is that we can develop a strong rating system that will allow players to create homebrew content that is in balance with the game's iconic characters.
Power Metrics - Cost, Utility, Intensity, & Frequency
There are four metrics for rating powers which are weighted equally for now, and each one can score a possible 5(ish) points. They include:
Spoiler:
- - - COST - - - What is given up to use this power?
- - - UTILITY - - - What extra abilities are granted by this power, and/or what checks are affected by this power?
5: Healing, universal check for others
4: Extra explorations, evasion, universal check for self, skill-based check for others
3: Location examination, combat check for others, skill-based check for self
2: Movement, extra draw, combat check for self, non-combat check for others
1: Recharge assist, non-combat check for self
0: No additional ability
- - - INTENSITY - - - What additional dice or bonuses are granted by this power?
- - - FREQUENCY - - - How often will this power be used?
5: Multiple times per round likely
4: Multiple times per round possibility
3: Multiple times per round unlikely, Once per round likely
2: Once per round possibility
1: Less than once per round
0: Once per scenario, unlikely to see use
- - - - - -
When these metrics are applied to the game's iconic characters, the vast majority of those characters show a total power rating (a combination of all of their starting powers) of about *22*. Spell-casters show the most variance within this system, and Lini completely breaks the metrics with her three abilities, but overall I was surprised at how reliable these scales were for an initial run. Individual powers range from 7 - 14 points in strength, with the majority of those coming in at about 11 points.
Iconic Scores
Each character has a total score and also a breakdown of individual power ratings.
Spoiler:
Valeros – 22
First Ability – 13 – 5 Cost, 3 Utility, 1 Intensity, 4 Frequency
Second Ability – 9 – 3 Cost, 2 (3) Utility, 2* Intensity, 2 Frequency
Amiri – 22
First Ability – 12 – 1 Cost, 4 Utility, 4 Intensity, 3 Frequency
Second Ability – 10 – 5 Cost, 2 Utility, 0 Intensity, 3 Frequency
Sajan – 22
First Ability – 11 – 5 Cost, 2 Utility, 2 Intensity, 2 Frequency
Second Ability – 11 – 3 Cost, 2 Utility, 4* Intensity, 2 Frequency
Merisiel – 22
First Ability – 11 – 5 Cost, 4 Utility, 0 Intensity, 2 Frequency
Second Ability – 11 – 2 (3) Cost, 2 Utility, 5 (2) Intensity, 2 Frequency
Harsk – 22
First Ability – 11 – 5 Cost, 3 Utility, 0 Intensity, 3 Frequency
Second Ability – 11 – 3 Cost, 3 Utility, 1 Intensity, 4 Frequency
Seelah – 22
First Ability – 11 – 2 (3) Cost, 4 Utility, 2 Intensity, 3 Frequency
Second Ability – 11 – 5 Cost, 3 Utility, 0 Intensity, 3 Frequency
Kyra – 22
First Ability – 11 – 2 Cost, 5 Utility, 2 Intensity, 2 Frequency
Second Ability – 11 – 5 Cost, 2 Utility, 3 Intensity, 1 Frequency
Lem – 21
First Ability – 14 – 3 Cost, 5 Utility, 1 Intensity, 5 Frequency
Second Ability – 7 – 2 Cost, 3* Utility, 0 Intensity, 2 Frequency
Seoni – 25
First Ability – 13 – 2 Cost, 2 Utility, 7* Intensity, 2 Frequency
Second Ability – 12 – 5 Cost, 1 Utility, 4* Intensity, 2 Frequency
Lini – 30
First Ability – 8 – 3 Cost, 4* Utility, 0 Intensity, 1 Frequency
Second Ability – 12 – 4 Cost, 4 Utility, 1 Intensity, 3 Frequency
Third Ability – 10 – 2 Cost, 3 Utility, 3 (2) Intensity, 2 Frequency
*Estimated
(Optional Strength)
- - - - - -
This system has issues. For example, it is clear that not all skill-based checks are created equal, and certain powers with low or high scores have drastically different in-game impact. The concepts of opportunity costs and potential after feats are also not explored within this analysis. With that said, I believe that this system is a reliable starting point for a discussion on what elements are important in creating and balancing character powers. What do you think?
Congratulations on making six unique characters! This is no small feat, and I have to tip my hat to your dedication. I hope to see more updates for each character as you continue to progress through the adventure path.
Now, since you've been kind enough to really dive into my designs, I figured I would try to return the favor. I've spent a lot of time looking your team over (especially when I hit walls working on my own homebrew content) and there are extremely innovative ideas embedded in each design. All six characters look well-balanced, and each one seems to have a unique play-style. With that said, I've chosen to comment specifically on Fennish's page because I believe he is the most likely to fall out of balance (and judging from your comments you may have the same fears.)
For starters, we should look at his buff. It is essentially the same as Lem's token ability, but has a slightly modified cost. Although this cost seems in line with Lem's ability, I believe that it makes an already impressive power even better, as it allows the Hunter to have a full hand of cards even after aiding many checks. Consider that with only two other characters at Fennish's location, he can easily boost 5 or 6 checks (if those players are using cards for multiple explorations) per round at no cost. If Lem were to do the same, he would have no hand for his own turn.
Fennish's trapping ability has better balance. In my own designs, I've struggled with weighing the impact of decreasing check difficulty versus adding dice to a check. My conclusion has been that decreasing check difficulty is simply better, because it happens before other dice are rolled. This means that a good roll on your trap 1d6 can allow you to save that blessing for a later time. Comparing these traps with Valeros' ability to assist other players, Fennish has much more impact (decreasing difficulty is better than just adding dice, and a 1d6 is better than a 1d4), but at a larger cost (Fennish must recharge one of 3 items, whereas Valeros can use his ability with impunity). This is more or less in-line with the game's balance, but I'm inclined to think that it might still be a very small step in the too powerful direction.
Where Fennish becomes truly overpowered is when his abilities are combined, making combat checks for his allies a cakewalk, and nearly every other check that much easier throughout every single scenario. On a team of six, he would surely stand out as the single best character in the box...
My suggestion for better balance would be to tweak both abilities. The trap might become a 1d4 (since lowering difficulty is still better than adding dice) or possibly a discard rather than a recharge. The buff might have yet another limitation placed on it, such as a restriction to non-combat checks.
That's all I have for Fennish. Hopefully I've been of some help.
(P.S. While I'm here... some musings about your other characters that don't warrant full posts.
- How is Serpenttongue's charm spell working out? I love the idea of it, but it seems so involved. Has it been worth the word count?
- Isaic's totems are really well designed. I'm going to steal this concept for other characters and content down the line.
- Does Bishie Huntress get in trouble very often? There are very few barriers that she has to worry about with Stealth, Disable, and Arcane, and combined with her ability to evade monsters after-the-fact, her death seems quite unlikely.
- Eluril is great. I love the concept of a damage-prevention cleric instead of a healing cleric. His ability to heal a small amount when he defeats a monster is brilliant.
- Snowdragon is my absolute favorite design. Kudos to you for making a character that actually really benefits from a deck full of armors. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see some of her abilities copied verbatim in the Fighter Class Deck. Simply elegant.)
Thank you! Your feedback has been crucial in guiding the development of my characters as I continue to work on my adventure path (and you didn't come off harsh at all). Initial playtests have proven you right on most fronts, and I've made some small tweaks and vast overhauls where appropriate.
Here are my updated characters, now complete with roles! (Note: Roles have not yet been playtested.)
POWERS
HAND SIZE 4 []5
PROFICIENT WITH [X] Light Armor [] Heavy Armor [] Weapons
You may advance the blessings deck to allow a character at your location to roll d12 instead of their Strength ([] or Wisdom) die for any check.
When you play Blessing of the Gods, you may shuffle it into the blessings deck instead of discarding it.
Spellbreaker
Wading through waves of magic to reach their foes, these holy warriors show no fear of the arcane.
POWERS
HAND SIZE 4 []5 []6
PROFICIENT WITH [X] Light Armor [] Heavy Armor [] Weapons
You may advance the blessings deck to allow a character at your location to roll d12 instead of their Strength ([] or Wisdom) die for any check.
When you play Blessing of the Gods, you may shuffle it into the blessings deck ([] or recharge it into your deck) instead of discarding it.
[] Add 2 to your check to recharge ([] or acquire) a card with the Divine trait.
[] When dealt damage other than Combat damage, reduce that damage by 1 ([]2).
[] If you encounter a card with the Arcane ([] or Magic) trait during your exploration, you may recharge a card to evade it and immediately explore again.
Witch Hunter
Justice demands that these inquisitors cast their judgments upon the arcane servants of foul demons.
POWERS
HAND SIZE 4 []5 []6 []7
PROFICIENT WITH [X] Light Armor [] Heavy Armor [] Weapons
You may advance the blessings deck to allow a character at your location to roll d12 instead of their Strength ([] or Wisdom) ([] or Dexterity) die for any check.
When you play Blessing of the Gods, you may shuffle it into the blessings deck instead of discarding it.
[] Add 2 to your check to recharge a card with the Divine trait.
[] Add 1d8 ([]+1) to your check to defeat a bane with the Sorcerer or Wizard ([] or Outsider) trait.
[] After you move, you may examine the bottom card of your location deck; if it’s a monster, you must put it on top of the deck.
POWERS
HAND SIZE 5 []6 []7
You may reveal a monster with the Animal trait to add 1d6 ([]+1) ([]+2) to your check.
You may bury a monster with the Animal trait to make an attempt to temporarily close any open location.
Beast-Bonded
These witches focus their craft specifically on their familiar bond, and on developing the relationship with their patron through this union.
POWERS
HAND SIZE 5 []6 []7 []8
You may reveal a monster with the Animal trait to add 1d6 ([]+1) ([]+2) ([]+3) ([]+4) to your check.
You may bury a monster with the Animal trait to make an attempt to temporarily close any open location.
[] You may bury an item with the Object trait to return a monster with the Animal trait from your discard ([] or buried) pile to your hand.
[] Decrease the difficulty of your checks to defeat a summoned monster by 2.
[] You gain the skill Survival: Wisdom +2
[] When you play Blessing of Lamashtu, add d12 instead of the normal die.
Dimensional Occultist
The study of extraplanar magics has given these witches deep insight into strange and distant dimensions.
POWERS
HAND SIZE 5 []6 []7
You may reveal a monster with the Animal trait to add 1d6 ([]+1) ([]+2) ([]+3) to your check.
You may bury a monster with the Animal trait ([] or an item with the Object trait) to make an attempt to temporarily close any open location.
[] When you play a spell ([] or item) to examine one or more cards from a location deck, you must immediately encounter an examined card.
[] Decrease the difficulty of your checks to defeat a summoned monster by 2 ([]4).
[] You gain the skill Knowledge: Intelligence +2
[] When you play Blessing of Pharasma, you may recharge it instead of discarding it.
CHARACTER & ROLE ANALYSIS
Spoiler:
Gaurant, the Aasimar Inquisitor
Gaurant has been exceeding my expectations, so only minor changes have been made to his base character card. So far, the Inquisitor’s blessing manipulation has made for interesting options and exciting finishes. As anticipated, small groups tend to burn time for power, while larger groups use coordinated efforts to keep the clock running longer (limiting this power to BotG’s has curbed its abuse).
The Spellbreaker role is for players looking for an increase in Gaurant’s speed and survivability. The most powerful option available to the Spellbreaker is his ability to evade cards with the Arcane (or Magic) traits and continue his explorations. This power allows Gaurant to easily bypass junk boons and devastating barriers on his way to the henchman or villain.
The Witch Hunter role gives players increased power for both themselves and their allies. The biggest impact here will likely come from the additional Dexterity boost option, though the ability to pull henchmen and villains from the bottom of a location deck will be interesting as well.
Malixa, the Tiefling Witch
Malixa’s core character has changed dramatically, forsaking the Divine to become a pure student of the Arcane arts. For her powers, as our friend isaic16 pointed out, the Witch’s ability to recover a lost card at the expense of her familiar was a complete non-starter. Therefore, I have developed an improved ability to further utilize Malixa’s sole monster card which, although situational, can have a dramatic impact. This power has proven to be (at times) worth its steep cost, and it forces the Witch to make a difficult decision whenever the villain surprises the party.
The Beast-Bonded role further boosts Malixa’s core strengths while addressing one of her primary weaknesses – the loss of her familiar. Giving the player an option to recover a lost familiar means security, and this allows the Beast-Bonded Witch to be more daring in her explorations.
The Dimensional Occultist role is for players who want to address Malixa’s other primary weakness – the fact that she is an incredibly slow character. While the Beast-Bonded Witch can explore with confidence, the Dimensional Occultist can explore a ton! Auguries, Scrying spells, and even Spyglasses can be used by the Dimensional Occultist for extra explorations, turning Malixa into one of the faster characters around… just watch out for your gecko (I call mine Jub Jub).
Because characters are so difficult to balance, these early posts have perhaps been focusing on their development a little too much. When I find the time, I’ll be posting the next two scenarios in the Heaven & Hell adventure path. I’ve been using these scenarios along with those in Burnt Offerings to playtest my characters, and I’m excited to share the content. As always, comments and criticisms are always welcome.
One big thing I would change about the Inquisitor, is that when using his d12 blessing deck ability, he can't play a Blessing on the check (or at least can't use his other power). Otherwise, every blessing from the beginning of the AP gives a d12, and all it does is gets rid of the blessing -- which are extremely easy to reacquire
Thanks for taking a look. I have come around to making this Inquisitor ability less powerful. (I also dropped the []6 from his hand size options to free up the power slot.) The new version reads:
You may advance the blessings deck to allow a character at your location to roll d12 instead of their Strength ([] or Wisdom) die for any check.
This power will still have a significant impact, but I don't believe that it is overpowered, even when used in conjunction with his other ability.
For comparison, let's consider Sajan's similar ability to use blessings in conjunction with his Dexterity based fighting - with only 1 blessing (and we know he often uses more), he receives 2d10s for that combat check, which is only slightly worse than Gaurant's 2d12s, but whereas Sajan recharges his blessing, Gaurant must banish his. Thus, Sajan's powers are better geared for combat, but Gaurant's abilities can be used for noncombat checks.
For further comparison, think of Amiri's similar ability, which adds 1d10(+) to any of her Strength, Melee, or Constitution checks. Adding 1d10 has more impact than increasing even a d4 to a d12, and this ability effects more skills and has a lesser cost (burying any card versus advancing the blessings deck or banishing specifically a blessing). Thus, Amiri's power has more impact and versatility at a lesser cost, but Gaurant is able to assist other characters.
Gaurant's abilities offer a unique spin and a number of new strategies. Will a large group make use of only his ability to boost the blessings deck, leaving him without his additional Strength? Will a small group of Lem and Gaurant turn Lem into a brutal melee fighter, capable of swinging a mace with 2d12 Strength, but barely beat the game clock? Try it out and see.
I like the difficulty of the Rise of the Runelords adventure path as is, but if your group is finding the game to be too easy, I think that this would be an excellent variant - especially for larger parties. Since groups of 4+ generally worry about the game's "clock" more than its banes, this variant would help to increase the risk of character death. I might even suggest playing as if the Adventure Deck number was +1, in order to beef-up the base set banes with the Human trait.
For smaller groups, the banes seem to be well-scaled for difficulty, so I would probably prefer adding more locations if my group were in need of a difficulty adjustment. This would have the opposite balancing effect, making small groups think more about the blessings deck than they normally have to.
Next up, the opening scenario and a look at some of the locations in and around Alas Township. I hope to playtest these elements later this week.
SCENARIO
Spoiler:
Alas, Hysteria
Neighbors have taken up arms against their neighbors, and the once-sleepy Alas Township has erupted into chaos! Make a thorough sweep of the town, seeking out those few residents who might still listen to reason, and try to gain control of this desperate situation.
LOCATIONS: (1) Back Alleys ; (1) Chapel of Erastil ; (1) Town Square ; (2) Courthouse ; (3) General Store ; (4) City Gate ; (5) Agga’s Anvil ; (6) Guard Tower
VILLAIN: None
HENCHMEN: 1 random Ally per location.
DURING THIS SCENARIO: If you acquire an ally, you may immediately attempt to close your location. If you fail to acquire an ally, take Combat damage as if you had failed a check to defeat a monster.
To win this scenario, close all locations.
REWARD: Each character draws a random ally from the box.
LOCATIONS
Spoiler:
Back Alleys
During the day, worried mothers can sometimes be seen shuffling quickly through these alleys with blissfully ignorant children in tow. However, once the sun sets behind the distant mountains, these narrows become home to gangs of violent ruffians. Upstanding citizens learn quickly which shortcuts not to use.
DECK LIST: Monster (4) ; Barrier (2) ; Weapon (2) ; Spell (0) ; Armor (0) ; Item (1) ; Ally (0) ; Blessing (0)
AT THIS LOCATION: You may attempt a Dexterity or Acrobatics 7 check to evade a monster.
WHEN CLOSING: Summon and defeat a random monster.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: At the end of your turn, you may examine the bottom card of an open location deck.
Chapel of Erastil
This small chapel bears resemblance to a long abandoned hunting cabin, and climbing vines, thick mosses, and sharp brambles threaten to reclaim the wooden structure for the forest itself. Despite this, the followers of Old Deadeye spend little time tending to their chapel, preferring instead to assist the community between hunts.
DECK LIST: Monster (2) ; Barrier (1) ; Weapon (1) ; Spell (1) ; Armor (0) ; Item (0) ; Ally (1) ; Blessing (3)
AT THIS LOCATION: If you defeat a monster, you may inspect the next card of this location deck; if that card is a blessing, you may immediately acquire it.
WHEN CLOSING: Banish a blessing or recharge a Blessing of Erastil.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: A character at this location may recharge a card to add 1d4 to a Ranged Combat check at another location.
Courthouse
Once the town library, this tall stone building has been converted into a courthouse following a series of book burnings. Justiciar Oyer Terminer has presided over dozens of trials, and to date not one of the accused has been found innocent.
DECK LIST: Monster (1) ; Barrier (1) ; Weapon (0) ; Spell (2) ; Armor (0) ; Item (1) ; Ally (3) ; Blessing (1)
AT THIS LOCATION: If you fail to acquire an ally, you must reset your hand and end your turn.
WHEN CLOSING: You must succeed at a Charisma or Diplomacy 6 check.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: When you end your turn here, you may attempt a Charisma 7 check to recharge an ally from your discard pile.
Agga’s Anvil
The forge casts the only light inside this shop, illuminating beast-scale breastplates, horned helms, and the armorer herself. Customers entering the Anvil unaware are immediately assaulted by proprietor’s breath as she bellows her traditional greeting, “Ut boots!?” Unfortunately for travelers seeking a sturdy shield, the strength of Agga’s steel is rivaled only by the strength of her stench.
DECK LIST: Monster (2) ; Barrier (0) ; Weapon (2) ; Spell (0) ; Armor (3) ; Item (1) ; Ally (1) ; Blessing (0)
AT THIS LOCATION: When you move or are moved to this location, you must succeed at a Fortitude 4 check or be dealt 1 Poison damage.
WHEN CLOSING: Succeed at a Constitution or Fortitude 6 check.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: No effect.
Riddle Road
The Riddle Road bends and forks its way across the Velashu Uplands towards Riddleport, the City of Cyphers. Local guides advise unfamiliar travelers to stick to well-beaten paths, as dangers often lie at the end of the road less travelled.
DECK LIST: Monster (5) ; Barrier (1) ; Weapon (0) ; Spell (0) ; Armor (0) ; Item (1) ; Ally (2) ; Blessing (0)
AT THIS LOCATION: You may explore the bottom card of this location deck instead of the top card.
WHEN CLOSING: Summon and defeat a Bandit henchman.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: On closing, you may immediately move to another location.
Thassilonian Circle
Since its discovery, scholars from distant universities have been making pilgrimages to look upon this perfect circle of runed stone. Some of these sages see the remnants of an ancient well, while others claim to see darker signs and an altar of sacrifice. Whatever its original purpose, the locals view the stone circle as a magnet for wealthy travelers, who always turn home with less gold in their pockets.
DECK LIST: Monster (2) ; Barrier (2) ; Weapon (0) ; Spell (4) ; Armor (0) ; Item (0) ; Ally (1) ; Blessing (0)
AT THIS LOCATION: If you fail a check to recharge a card, bury that card instead of discarding it.
WHEN CLOSING: Succeed at an Intelligence or Arcane 6 check.
WHEN PERMANENTLY CLOSED: On closing, do not banish any spells from this location; shuffle any that remain into this deck.
SCENARIO & LOCATION ANALYSIS
Spoiler:
As an introductory scenario, I hope that Alas, Hysteria will offer a slightly greater challenge than either Attack on Sandpoint or Local Heroes. The scenario is clearly inspired by Local Heroes, but offers a twist on that theme, making it more likely to fail through character death than via the ticking clock.
With my custom locations, I wanted to again present variations on the Rise of the Runelords cards while attempting to maintain their balance, wordings, and general mechanisms. However, I have also allowed myself to move beyond these constraints in some cases, in order to produce more thematic locales. My goal with each and every card is to maintain a concept driven approach.
As always, any feedback is appreciated. (Seriously, anything.)
liking both but it fewls as if the inquisitor needs to start with weapons and neds a few of the powers reduced until he gets some power feats. also for the witch rath than use a new card type it may be better to use a "familair" trait on some allies for her.
Thanks for taking the time to look over my characters.
Starting with Gaurant, many earlier versions of his power section did have [X] Weapons, and I agree that this would help him early in his quest. I also agree with the point that his powers could start weaker and grow over time, as is the case with the game's iconic characters. Possibly a new wording... something along the lines of:
You may advance the blessings deck to allow a character at your location to roll d12 instead of their Strength ([] or Wisdom) die for any check.
This new wording takes some utility away from early-level Gaurant, but it has the unfortunate side effect of creating a power that a solo Inquisitor is never going to check off. I'll keep thinking about this one, but my gut reaction is that the [] Weapons check box is a more interesting choice in general... even if it creates a character with powers that remain static until role selection, which is sort of lame. Good feedback.
As for Malixa, I have to admit that I am emotionally invested in having a monster card in her deck. With that said, I will list a few reasons why I like the idea from a game-play standpoint, keeping in mind that I may be partially blinded by the fact I enjoy the concept so much.
1. A monster card has no other utility in a player's deck outside of the references to it in the Witch's power section. In comparison specifically to Lini's similar power using allies with the Animal trait, this means that the powers affecting the monster card can be stronger (i.e. a d6 instead of a d4) while maintaining balance.
2. Adding a monster to Malixa's deck list allowed me to create the first (first?) character with no allies (albeit in a very backdoor sort of way). This effectively makes Malixa a very "slow" character, and her player will often use her blessings for exploration. I believe this has a tremendous balancing effect with her add a 1d6 power.
3. Much of the mystique of PACG is in growing attached to your character, and I envision a player growing as attached to their monster (be it a Giant Gecko or a Goblin Dog) as to Malixa herself. Name your familiar, and keep it safe!
POWERS
HAND SIZE 4 []5 []6
PROFICIENT WITH [X] Light Armor [] Heavy Armor [] Weapons
You may advance the blessings deck to allow a character at your location to roll d12 instead of their Strength or Wisdom die for any check.
When you play a blessing, you may shuffle it into the blessings deck instead of discarding it.
ROLES
Spellbreaker – Info coming soon…
Witch Hunter – Info coming soon…
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Spoiler:
Gaurant’s abilities feature a number of innovative mechanics, chief among them being manipulation of the blessings deck. Taken together, Gaurant’s powers allow for a baseline attack of 2d12 with fists alone for anyone at his location. However, if this combination is used often, Gaurant will rarely possess any blessings more interesting than a BotG. I really like this trade-off for both its in-game costs and thematic relevance - as Gaurant is an Inquisitor committed to the ideal of justice, rather than a specific deity.
I worry that Gaurant’s ability to burn blessings for extra time will make him over-powered in large groups, which usually worry more about the game’s clock than its banes. I can live with this worry for now however, as losing on time has never felt like a truly significant loss to me in the first place, and Gaurant’s abilities do both come with steep costs.
POWERS
HAND SIZE 5 []6 []7
You may reveal a monster with the Animal trait to add 1d6 ([]+1) to your check.
You may recharge a monster with the Animal trait to return a card with the Magic ([] or Divine) trait from your discard pile to your hand.
If you would fail a check by 1, you may discard a spell to pass.
ROLES
Beast-Bonded – Info coming soon…
Dimensional Occultist – Info coming soon…
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Spoiler:
Malixa (pronounced like militia, I think) is a hybrid caster class with a brand-new card type representing her familiar. Following deck-construction rules and using only the base deck cards, Malixa’s familiar is a Giant Gecko, although you could choose the Goblin Dog instead if you have mixed in the cards from Burnt Offerings. With this familiar in hand, Malixa is a powerful character who welcomes most any challenge. Thus, playing the Witch class effectively revolves around keeping her familiar healthy and close-by which, for me, is pleasing once again from a thematic standpoint.
The Witch’s hexes can be explained through Malixa’s third power, which in my mind could represent a misfortune hex just as easily as a fortunate turn (as with a similar power in the case of the Luckstone item.) My gut feeling prior to playtesting is that these 3 abilities together will generate interesting choices for the player, and hopefully be in line with other characters from a balance standpoint.
I’m starting this thread to discuss Heaven & Hell, my homebrew adventure path. Custom content will include 2 innovative new characters, an Aasimar Inquisitor and a Tiefling Witch, along with a host of new adventures and locations surrounding the township of Alas, an upstart human settlement situated far north of Sandpoint.
Cards for Heaven & Hell will be posted as they are created and playtested soon thereafter. My goal in creating this custom content is to provide a fun, balanced alternative to the Rise of the Runelords adventure path. The base set and adventure packs for Rise of the Runelords will be used to supplement my homebrew cards, and will still form the core of play.
It's my hope that this thread will help me to better balance, maintain, and flesh-out my adventure path as I create and playtest its various elements. I’m looking forward to your feedback.
