AoW hands down....but Shanckled City is very cool and ties into the Age of Worms. Paizo did an excellent job of foreshadowing the next adventure path. Not to mention the fact that Shackled City greatly improved with the hardcover release and I'm looking forward to an AoW hardcover before I begin Age of Worms.
Just my 2 cents.
You'll have to forgive my dumb question.. but how exactly did SC improve with the HC release? How much new stuff and revision is in there... especially to encourage buying it when I have all the issues?
I believe that alignment change is a gradual thing unless a pc is just not playing anything close to his chosen alignment. I have no idea how many gm's graph alignments; but, I really recommend that you do so. This game has always, until recently, had a big problem with alignments and what they mean - so much so that many gm's completely ignore alignment.
Here is a basic outline of how I graph pc alignment.
First; I chose 100 arbitrarily as a starting point; therefore each character gets 100 points in any alignment chosen; an LG person would have 100 lawful points; 100 good points; 0 neutral, evil, or chaos.
Secondly; at the end of each gaming session; on my copy of the character sheet that the pc's do not see; I give a point for actions given; more if necessary; judge actions accordingly; for example; if a LG pc is charmed to do an evil act and really fights against it; I award a good point; if they are neutral and dont fight it; no point; if they willingly do it and embellish; and evil point; if no charm was used; and the pc is seduced or willing sleeps with the succubus; makes plans to "em work" with her again; does favors for her; I would give a a couple evil points; and possibly a chaos point depending on what happens. I would also give a point of taint.
Finally, when the pc gets to within 50 on another alignment say evil; from their base alignment; I warn them they are in alignment trouble; here gods who care about alignments do give spells over 3rd level; ect. When the alignment numbers are basically even; say between 115 good; 95 evil; this character is basically neutral; if now pc action occurs to correct this; I have the person change that axis of their alignment;
Alignment changes are really very rare; most of my pc's are very committed to their alignments; meaning; I have one character for example that has 675 lawful points; 422 evil points; 16 nuetral points; 46 good points, 0 chaos points.
another character in my campaign who has a character the same age; has 172...
Ouch. I'm pleased if this works in your campaign but it is a great arguement for me to abolish all alignments once and for all - ala Monte Cook's Arcana Evolved.
Monte's system was such a no-brainer that it staggers me it hadn't been 'officially' done before. Alignment just has never worked and removing it makes little game difference and worlds of difference to the level of roleplaying encouraged.
My nephew and his friends have expressed an interest in playing D&D, they are into Gamesworkshop games and LOTRs so D&D is something they are excited to play.
There are four of them altogether and they're 16-19 years old, two have played D&D before and already know the 3.5 rules, although the games they played in were hack and slash.
I decided to start them using the Shackled City campaign, Ive already DM'ed it before (for my regular group) and everything went well.
I am trying to get these new players to open up to roleplay and I'm going to give out rewards for writing a backstory, supplying a painted miniature, finding a picture, writing a personality profile etc.
As an insentive to carry out these tasks I want to offer some rewards, that while good to have at 1st level will dissapear over time.
One I've thought of so far is an extra 1d3 hitpoints if they find a picture to represent their character, for a painted miniature I was thinking of maybe an item like a potion or masterwork item?
If anyone has any ideas for simular treats that will dissapear in time and not over power the game feel free to chime in, I would appreciate it. :D
I think this is a worthy goal (although I can't see how having a painted mini enhances roleplaying). I recommend just asking questions of the players to get to know their characters better and then using the answers to introduce hooks, NPCs, or story arcs designed to feature a PCs' backstory. I find that most players will happily talk about their PCs and when you incorporate elements of their backstory into the game that is often reward enough and the need to actually give away game mechanic incentives in unnecessary.
I generally ask just one question (tell me about your characters family, do they have siblings, parents etc?) via email at end of each session.
The Sword & Sorcery Ravenloft players guide has a great set of such questions.
We've known Wizards has been contemplating this change in adventure presentation for some time, and aren't quite yet sure how Dungeon will incorperate any of these changes. On the one hand, it DOES make the game easier to play to have all the information you neeed on one page or on a spread of pages. On the other hand, it takes up a LOT more room, and it's a LOT more expensive to produce an adventure like this since there'll be art and maps on every page.
Personally, I think I still prefer the current format. Sure, there's page-flipping and you have to have several books open, but the fact is that in some cases, an encounter simply won't fit on one or two pages. And it remains to be seen how this format will work in non-combat encounters.
For now, Dungeon is staying with its current format.
I'm so pleased to hear you say this! Don't do it! The new format might be cool, but it is completely unnecessary particularly in the pages of DUngeon. Let Wizards make things easy for new players to pick things up and be lured in to the hobby - and let Dungeon cater to the majority of its readership who are all familiar enough with the system that they can handle a little page flipping.
Hello Greyhawk fans...I need your help. I recently began playing Greyhawk when Paizo in their wisdom published the 4 part world map. Nothing like a huge map to inspire the DM and player. I have been playing for there for a year (Age of Worms), but As the DM and a full time dad, I have little time to research the stuff I'm looking for and I need some help. Whew! Long winded aye? Anyhoo, I need information on Pilm's Delve. I have alot of books including the gazeteer's but I lack some old Greyhak material. Is Pilm's Delve a hole in the wall city like Diamond lake is (was. he he)? Has it been super developed already? If so could anyone tell me the info or the reference pages where it can be found? Thanks in advance. If Mr. Mona would care to respond with his vast (that's one word for it) knowledge of the setting it would be awesome. Anyways, thanks again Greyhawk fans for any help I get.
Yikes! I suspect from the lack of response that it is a fairly obscure piece of GH trivia, or that it is a new location small enough to be dropped in without causing ripples. I have some passable GH knowledge but I have never heard of it.
Just curious; how many of you roll dice to determine HP v. average #? Or some other method?
Does anyone have a house rule that you would like to preach for? or Rant against?
In my own games I allow players to take max HP at first level (if they want to, most actually don't as it makes their characters seem a little 'cookiecutter') and then a single roll at each subsequent level.
We point buy all stats, with the number of points available being a variable determined by me depending upon the game.
1: The adventure path takes up enough of Dungeon as it is; any more would make it overkill and reduce the use of the magazine for those who aren't running the adventure path.
2: The focus of Wormfood is Player Information. By putting them in a different place, the players don't have to be reading the same magazine as the DM. Put differently, it keeps players from "accidentaly" reading the adventure. If we do something like this for AP3, it'll be incorperated better and won't give out too much information to spoil things.
3: Wormfood drives readers of Dungeon who don't buy Dragon to buy Dragon (or at least to test it out).
If AoW is reprinted in hardback, ala SCAP, will all of the Wormfood articles be included? Also will the online material be included? Or is this just asking too much..?
If you're still looking for great environmental sources I can recommend no better than Bastion Press' Into the Blue, Into the Green and Into the Black books.
For those of you interested in weapons, I strongly suggest you pick up "Weapons: An International Encyclopedia From 5000 B.C. to 2000 A.D., Updated Edition" By The Diagram Group.
It goes to great lengths to explain the use of weapons from way back when to just about now. Great line illustrations too.
Here's the Amazon link to the book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312039506/qid=1141728576/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_ 1/103-7832415-0179846?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
Does this book give a good breakdown by culture or just by age? For example, if I want to look up specifically weapons and armour of the Sumerains or Mesopotamians is there a section just for them (or any other culture you care to name)? 7000 years seems like a lot to cover between two covers...
I haven't yet explored the online content for any issue, although I do intend to... my question is, are any of the older issues' bonus stuff retired - or planned to be retired - or is the online content archived and kept for the foreseeable future?
I would have a really hard time allowing a player to 'unlearn' a feat or skill for any reason simply because that seems like meta-gaming at its most extreme and there just isn't a logical 'in-game' explanation why someone could do this. I absolutely wish that I could turn back the clock and erase all those French lessons in school but its not going to happen.
Also, I think the 4-level stat boosters and other options to increase stats are just fine. I don't see high stats as a benefit and low stats as a drawback to my players (and they agree). Either, or, tell us alot about the character and invoke and inspire roleplaying personalities. As one poster above mentioned, it is then my job as the DM, to make the adventures fit - and therein lays the fun!
My ex-wife could not stand my lifelong hobby as a gaming geek and in fact cites that as one of the reasons for abandoning the marriage (my story is a little different, but we won't go into that).
My current girlfriend has just begun to game with us - playing Warhammer FRP, not D&D - but she has never played any RPG's before. So far, she is having a great time but doesn't fit the mold discussed here. She isn't comfortable enough yet to get really into character - she is the only new player with an experienced group - and gets much more fun and satisfaction from learning the ins and outs of the rules and throwing the dice in combat.
I think most would agree that this is the typical curve most of us have taken, and so perhaps there is no difference between men and women?
I'd love to hear from some of the industry's leading women on this topic: Sue Cook or Michelle Carter for example.
What do you think the best class/prestige class for a Raptoran is?
If it totally doesn't matter what anybody else is, just what could emphasize its strengths the most (I know many of you will say cleric: +1 Air Spells, but I don't really like clerics.)
These message boards just keep getting better and better with authors from bygone days showing up... Dave when was your last Dungeon adventure published? You mentioned that you had done some work on the Nyambe line (which is incredible stuff by the way) so I am assuming that you are still in the business. Are you at all tempted by James' hint to write a sequel to your older adventures? Or even to write something new?
It sounds like you have a ready and waiting fan base...
I use lizard folk in my own game and I opted for your second method. I actually posted my variation on the lizard folk pc levels on these boards and recieved some great input. If you're interested a search should locate the thread.
I would settle for an official release of the original animated cartoon classid on DVD, and they won't even give me THAT!
The D&D cartoon is coming to DVD soon.
You made that statement with authority. Is this a "hunch", "opinion", or "insider knowledge"? Please don't construe this as a flame, I'm just wondering because I have been waiting a long time and haven't seen any evidence that it will ever be released. I even emailed Rhino and they said no.
For those of us who started collecting Dungeon recently, older material is better. Updating is a heckuva lot of work, though. I'd vote for a combination of the materials listed above, but make it at least 75% playable dungeons, with a variety of types.
I suppose it makes obvious marketing sense to have anything released in such a compendium updated for the most recent rules... but somehow I wouldn't expect it for older adventures. It is alot of work, and is that the point of a compendium...? Not in my mind, anyway.
But I'll come back to the Dungeoncraft articles I mentioned in my last post... they'd need little or no conversions, surely, and still be relevant.
I came into quite a haul of 2e material yesterday - much of which I used to own and haven't seen for years. Very exciting, but amongst the pile was a mint copy of Dungeon #35. I was surprised (and pleased) to find an adventure (Twilight's Last Gleaming) by James Jacobs. Just how long has Mr Jacobs been writing for Dungeon? Has anyone in the industry had the same job for as long... it seems like Mr Jacobs may hold the record here.
I'm one of those (apparently rare)DM's that believes that less is more. I don't need, and don't allow my players, to resource any and every book they care to.
In this vein, I'd much rather see the folks at Paizo do something similar to Malhavoc Press' Best of d20 book. It would of course focus on just material from Dungeon and Dragon, but would sift through the masses to find the real gems instead of just providing a deluge of more rules.
What I'm hoping for is an article that suggests various ways that 1st-level barbarians come into being, and give the DM an 'easy out' to explain things to his players, or a springboard for an adventure.
For some reason, when I first read your post, I thought you were advocating 0-Level adventures. I have to start paying better attention.
There were several pages of really good 0-Level adventures in the 2E Greyhawk Adventures book. I think the comment above is right, that the appeal of adventuring so low would be limited. But I would certainly be interested. I have done it before (2E) and found a much greater level of satisfaction as a player.
Even today, I hate starting at anything not 1st if it is going to be an ongoing campaign. But thats me - I do suspect though, that anything well written enough would capture the interest of more than a few.
James, do you care to share any hints as to what the next AP will be about?
Nope, not yet. Once the outline's approved by WotC we can start dropping hints, but until then...
I'm curious as to how the relationship between Paizo and Wizards works. I know that you guys are able to use Wizards property that isn't necessarily OGC, but I had thought that Paizo was an entity independant of Wizards and was surprised to hear that you needed to get approval. How does that work?
I was wondering if anyone had a history of the editors of Dungeon magazine? Prior to the current gang, I know Chris Thomassen took over the helm with #90, and before him was Chris Perkins. But when did Chris P. start and who did he take over from?
I've seen a lot of discussion on these threads about readers favourite all-time adventure from Dungeon. But lets get more specific... how about people's favourite non-linear, or non-dungeon-crawl adventure.
My vote immediately goes to Wedding Bells from #89. This adventure was really well written, and excellently designed with huge amounts of roleplay opportunity, character design, and hooks just built in from the ground up. I have never seen such a fun, quirky, suspense-laden adventure and one that provides a great small town base for years to come.
In fact, its design begs me to ask for more similiar. Or what would be really cool would be if we could see an adventure or two designed in the same fashion as Mike Mearls' Ruins of Intrigue (published by Malhavoc Press) that gives all the groundwork needed for a DM to really personalize the details. It would be at least an interesting experiment to see what other readers thought.
I think it helps to view the game world as a real and dynamic place. The PCs are not the be and end all, other groups of heroes wander about on adventures just as they do (in fact I will often have a rival NPC party compete in the same adventure, it makes it interesting to have 'good' enemies..)
With this in mind it is pretty easy to introduce a party of new PCs at whatever point the previous party died. Especially if the local news is full of tragedy with locals believing their saviours have died and all is lost.
I remember in 2e we were playing Night Below and we had 4 (count them) TPK's each in exactly the same location - the grell lair. My players were becoming incredibly frustrated and developing extremely elaborate plans, and rolling up characters of grell-slayers but each time they bought. It came to the point where they just wouldn't quite. There was quite a nice haul of treasure there once they did succeed, given all the fallen PCs....
I was wondering if anyone had run The Seventh Arm (#88). I hope to be running it very soon. It reads as one of the best adventures I have read for a while - essentially a 'snatch-and-grab' like we've been talking about lately, but with a really interesting dungeon dynamic, huge potential for roleplay and some great locations.
As I said, it reads really well, but I know the proof is in the play. So did anyone memorable (good or bad) experiences with it?
TO THE MARKETING MANAGER--I ACTUALLY REALLY NEED SLIPCASES FOR MY DUNGEON AND DRAGON MAGAZINES; I WILL PAY BIG BUCKS FOR THIS; PLEASE BRING THE SLIPCASES BACK....If anyone else out there agrees, please keep up this thread so the company takes notice...
I have nothing further to add to this thread other than my very enthusiastic affirmative vote. Yearly slipcovers with an index (that includes Dungeoncraft et al as well as adventures) is a simply wonderful idea. I don't even care if it is made available as a subscriber bonus or for sale to all... I just want them!
I'm almost afraid to admit but Ebberon has simply never excited me - I am not about to demand less or no Eberron adventures in Dungeon magazine because I am aware that I am probably the only one in the universe to not get the appeal, but please continue to support more generic D&D above anything else...
ALthough the original poster makes a good arguement I agree with all the subsequent posters completely. There simply isn't anything I would change about the current incarnation of Dungeon magazine... it has simply never been better.
the original Keep on the Borderlands module, which on its own is nothing more than a “kick-the-door-in” module, and because I remember it from my childhood, it has an amount of sentimental value. I think it would be very difficult to publish an adventure like that today, and Dungeon would probably pass this adventure over for something much more sophisticated and engaging.
This says it all. I couldn't agree more. Nostalgia accounts for a great part of the appeal of these classic modules, I suspect if we were to run them for young players today who are spoiled with the superior quality of adventures available from so many sources - Dungeon Magazine being the primary - they would be hard put to tell why they have been placed so high on the pedestals that they have been.
If I remember correctly there was a really great article written back in the day by Roger E. Moore on the Dullstrand. I doubt that I still have it, but I remember it was an online article on the premier Greyhawk website that predated canonfire. Sorry to be vague, but perhaps I will jog someone elses memory. I just remember being incredibly inspired by the Dullstrand piece...
This has been a great thread, I am a little dismayed by the general pessimism but understand fully where it comes from. In my opinion the problem with the D&D movies has been that they have tried to hard to BE D&D movies. And as someone here has already said, what works well in the game doesn't necessarily translate well to the screen.
As someone else said this has long been the failing of most comic-book movies, they try too hard to remain so faithful to the page that things end up looking campy and silly.
I think D&D would work just fine for the big screen, although I would much prefer (in the fantasy world of my own head) for an extended HBO treatment. It would just need to invoke the spirit of D&D and not the mechanics. I don't care about stereotypes and cliches, I don't care about discussions of Strength, Intelligence, divine versus arcane in the dialogue, and I don't care to see the character sheets afterwards. Just give me a solid plot that involves magic and monsters that we all recognise but keep us guessing about the classes and levels. And give me more character development and drama than action.
Once someone figures all of that out, we should be good to go...
I haven't ran this adventure although I did very much enjoy reading it so it will be curious to see if my experience when I do run it is similiar to others here.
Back in 2nd edition though, Bladestorm was a significant NPC in my Greyhawk campaign so I very much enjoyed seeing her play a role.
I also really liked the unusual locations and the subterranean/aquatic setting for the finale. I got really excited reading it, so I hope I am just as excited playing it...
It seems like this is a topic that generated a lot of positive feedback. Not one poster seemed opposed to the idea... it seems like a no brainer based on these responses that there is a market for this product.
To throw in my own comments, I agree that the older the material the more likely it is to sell. So old adventures updated to 3.5 and grouped into some kind of theme seems the best way to go (perhaps by level, perhaps by environment).
I would also like to see a collection of old and current Dungeoncraft type articles, the current run of Monte Cook articles would be awesome when completed but already breaks my rule of older material versus newer... so the above mentioned previous Dungeoncraft articles seems like a great idea instead.
The possibilities seems endless... a monster compiliation of all new creatures that have debuted in the magazine updated to 3.5 anyone?
Not that I want to give anyone any ideas to make me spend more money... but, I subscribe to Dungeon and rarely buy Dragon (I figure that I have way more rules than I will ever need and only lack adventures), but if I am ever tempted to skim or buy a copy of Dragon it is for just this reason.
Other recent tie-ins have also been tempting such as the adventure path issues and even the 'invasion' editions.
I was dismayed enough to learn that Eberron would be getting as much coverage as it is in Dungeon - I think a full size AP would be a bad idea.
Dungeon is at its best when it provides generic adventures - with occassional forays into specific worlds. ALthough I understand the politics involved, Wizards should be providing this level of support for Eberron, and Dungeon as an independant should cater to the majority of its fans - which, believe it or not, are not the Eberron generation.
I was at the Gen Con preview and the whole showing was one of the highlights of my Con - not because of the movie itself though (I'll come to that in a minute). I got there early and they were showing a D&D documentary that I can only assume was Dave Arneson's much talked about film. I watched probably more than 30 minutes of this and was enthralled. It was a great piece of work, the theatre was packed by this point with people showing up for the D&D preview but when it came time there were a great deal of groans from the audience who wanted to continue watching the documentary.
The valient Erik Mona and his crew were faced with a daunting task of a blockbusting line of people outside the theatre who thought they were at the front of the line, an already packed theatre of people weren't budging, and no equipment with which to show the preview.
The mood remained light, but as the writer, producer(?) and director (?) of the new movie took the stage BEFORE the screening to take Q&A while someone else scurried around looking for a DVD player there was a great deal of jeering, boo's and cheers and I absolutely applaud the sheer bravery of those guys for getting up in front of everyone.
Eventually the DVD player or whatever showed up and we were given a quick viewing of The Tick, before the correct disk was found.
A couple of more false starts - and much rucus from the crowd later - and the D&D was on the screen.
Does it look better than the previous? Much better.
Does it look outstanding? Hardly.
I think it will turn out to be pretty good, but the emphasis this time around seems to be so heavily in favour of putting the PH and the rules up on screen that it might come out looking clumsy. Time will tell, but I could care less about seeing the rules on screen, just like in a novel, what makes a good game doesn't necessarily translate.
Thank you for your comments - I don't have the Kalamar books, but if I get the chance to browse I shall certainly do so.
I think the idea of a +2 bonus to fear-based savs is a good one, and I shall include this. I have already altered the ability mods, to a more simple +2 Str, -2 Wis, -2 Cha.
I shall also revise the class skills given your valid feedback.
My intention with this project is to create Hobgoblins as an alternate PC race for my own homebrew world. I intend for them to be internally balanced with the other more standard PC races and not have to contend with ECL's and LA's and such.
I would very much appreciate any feedback, comments, criticisms, or suggestions on any aspect of this - in particular the game mechanic aspects. The flavour text is obviously written with my own world in mind, but any feedback there would be great too - these may not be the culturally typical hobgoblins of the MM.
Many thanks,
Shivir (Hobgoblin)
The Shivir inhabit one of the most inclement regions in the World of Llowellen. Their land is mostly tundra - low, flat, treeless plains where the ground remains permanently frozen except for a few inches of the surface during the brief summer season. Although some groups are settled on rivers and depend on fishing, and others follow inland caribou herds, most Shivir traditionally have lived primarily as hunters of seals, walrus, and whales, and the structure and ethos of their culture have always been fundamentally oriented to the sea.
Personality: The Shivir have managed to eke a living and carve a society within an exceptionally inhospitable environment and this has engendered them with a great respect for physical constitution and simple practicality. They are brutally honest and upfront with little patience for meekness or deception within themselves or others. Survival is paramount in the reality of the Shivir’s daily life, but they still find the time to appreciate food, drink, dance and romance. They know that death may be upon them at any moment and intend to experience the moment in which they find themselves. They fear little, except the hostility of their environment, raiding minotaurs and the mystical fey.
Physical Description: Shivir are a tough people hardened by a lifetime of crossing the tundra. Their shoulders and hips are wide, their chests broad and muscular. Their skin is permanently blushed from the frigid winds and takes on a dark orange or red-orange tone with prominently large blue or red tinted noses. Hobgoblins’ eyes are yellowish or dark brown, while their teeth are yellow. Both Shivir men and women let their dark reddish-brown and dark-grey hair grow long and unkempt, men studiously braid their long moustaches and beards.
Relations: The Shivir have mixed relations with the goblins and orcs with whom they compete for hunting and living rights. It is not uncommon for one Shivir village to enslave goblins and be allied with orcs, just as another wars with all of its neighbours and yet another seeks a quieter life avoiding trouble from all comers. Without exception, the Shivir hate and fear the minotaurs who often raid them to take slaves or food themselves. The Shivir are largely unaware of the fey – except in fearful rumour and legend.
Homeland: For the Shivir peoples merely surviving their daily life is often adventure enough. They frequently must move camp, uprooting entire villages and trekking across the tundra in order to find the next safe cave or sheltered cove to make their home – and often with goblins, orcs or minotaurs dogging their every step. During the First Age, Shivir will not be encountered outside of the frozen environs of the Sunless South.
Religion: Shivir religion has its basis in Anwen s teachings but it otherwise animistic with the Shivir worshipping the spirits of most of the native animals and even important features of the landscape. Shivir religion however teaches of a supreme ruler of the spirit animals and in a vague deification of the forces of nature – Anwen.
Language: Prior to 40’000 PL the Shivir had no real spoken or written language, rather they would communicate with a bestial sub-language of grunts, gestures and body language that could be understood only by themselves. Since 40’000 PL that primitive language has evolved into Shivor. Shivor is the local tongue spoken by all of the Shivir peoples but with sometimes extreme local dialect variation. Only the tribal leader or shaman might be learned enough to speak a second or third language and this would vary depending on the minor race any particular tribe has the most direct contact with.
Racial Traits:
+2 Dexterity, +2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma. Shivir are a physically tough people long accustomed to running across the tundra, yet they are a simple and uncomplicated people who often seem rude or abrupt to others.
Shivir base speed is 30 feet.
Medium: As Medium creatures, Shivir have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
Darkvision 60’: Shivir can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and Shivir can function just fine with no light at all.
Racial Levels: A Shivir can take up to three levels in ‘hobgoblin’ as a class to develop their racial qualities more fully.
Hobgoblin Levels
Shivir can take up to three levels in ‘hobgoblin’ at any time. Not all Shivir, however, take racial levels (or all three of them).
Hit Die: 1d8
Skill Points at 1st Character Level: (2+ Intelligence) x 4
Skill Points at Higher Level: 2+ Intellignce bonus
“Class” Skills : Climb (Str), Heal (Wis), Intimidate ((Cha), Intuit Direction (Wis), Jump (Str), Listen (Wis), Sneak (Dex), Spot (Wis), and Wilderness Survival (Wis).
Weapon and Armour Proficiency: Shivir with levels only in hobgoblin (no actual class levels) are proficient in the use of all simple weapons and light armours and shields.
Level 1: +1 BAB, +0 Fort, +0 Ref, +0 Will, +1 Str, +1 Dex
Level 2: +2 BAB, +1 Fort, +1 Ref, +0 Will, +2 Con
Level 3: +3 BAB, +2 Fort, +2 Ref, +1 Will, +2 Con
Classes/Levels
Male Halfling Rogue 4 | AC 15 | HP 23/23 | S+0/D+6/C+0/I+4/W+1/C+1 | Perc +3 | Init +4
Insight (passive): 11 (16 with advantage)
Investigation (passive): 14 (19 with advantage)
Perception (passive): 13 (18 with advantage)
Languages: Common Halfling Goblin
Ability Score Improvements/Feats
Burglar: You must be proficient with thieves’ tools.
You can gain the following benefits:
~Increase your Dexterity score by 1, to a maximum of 20.
~Double your proficiency bonus to checks made with thieves’ tools.
~As an action, you can carefully inspect a lock or trap to determine if the difficulty class is equal, superior, or inferior to your passive ability.
~You have modified you tools to disrupt magical effects, and can use them as if casting a 3rd level dispel magic spell using your Dexterity as your spellcasting ability. This action may take more time than it takes to cast the spell. Once you use this feature, you must take a short or long rest before using it again.
Proficiencies
Dice Set +2
Disguise Kit +2
Playing Cards +2
Poisoner's Kit +2
Thieves' Tools +6
Ability Score Increase: Your Dexterity score increases by 2.
Size: Your size is Small.
Speed: Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Lucky: When you roll a 1 on an attack roll, ability check, or saving throw, you can reroll the die and must use the new roll.
Brave: You have advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
Halfling Nimbleness: You can move through the space o f any creature that is o f a size larger than yours.
Sub-Race: Lightfoot
Ability Score Increase: Your Charisma score increases by 1.
Naturally Stealthy: You can attempt to hide even when you are obscured only by a creature that is at least one size larger than you.
Background: Criminal
Criminal Contact: You have a very reliable and trustworthy contact within a seedy network of criminals.
Class: Rogue
Expertise (Thieve's Tools +4): At 1st level, choose two of your skill proficiencies, or one of your skill proficiencies and your proficiency with thieves’ tools. Your proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses either of the chosen proficiencies. At 6th level, you can choose two more of your proficiencies (in skills or with thieves’ tools) to gain this benefit.
Sneak Attack (2d6): Beginning at 1st level, you know how to strike subtly and exploit a foe’s distraction. Once per turn, you can deal an extra 1d6 damage to one creature you hit with an attack if you have advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon. You don’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet o f it, that enemy
isn’t incapacitated, and you don’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.
The amount of the extra damage increases as you gain levels in this class, as shown in the Sneak Attack column of the Rogue table.
Thieves’ Cant: During your rogue training you learned thieves’ cant, a secret mix o f dialect, jargon, and code that allows you to
hide messages in seemingly normal conversation. Only another creature that knows thieves’ cant understands such messages. It takes four times longer to convey such a message than it does to speak the same idea plainly.
In addition, you understand a set of secret signs and symbols used to convey short, simple messages, such as whether an area is dangerous or the territory of a thieves’ guild, whether loot is nearby, or whether the people in an area are easy marks or will provide a safe house for thieves on the run.
Cunning Action: Starting at 2nd level, your quick thinking and agility allow you to move and act quickly. You can take a bonus action on each of your turns in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.
Archetype: Assassin
Bonus Proficiencies: You gain proficiency with the disguise kit and the poisoner’s kit.
Assassinate: Starting at 3rd level, you are at your deadliest when you get the drop on your enemies. You have advantage on attack rolls against any creature that hasn’t taken a turn in the combat yet. In addition, any hit you score against a creature that is surprised is a critical hit.
Equipment
backpack, a bag of 1,000 ball bearings, 10 feet of string, a bell, 5 candles, a crowbar, a hammer, 10 pitons, a hooded lantern, 2 flasks of oil, 5 days rations, a tinderbox, and a waterskin, 50' hemp rope, studded leather armour, rapier, shortbow , 20 arrows, dagger, 2 flasks alchemist fire
Trinket:
Background::
Born in the town of Woodsbridge in the Good Hills district of the Kingdom of Keoland, Perrin was your average Halfling. He enjoyed working in his parent’s grocery shop, going out for a pint or two with his friends after work, and generally being content with his quiet, small town life. It was not until he turned 30, that all this changed.
During his birthday celebration, a strange package arrived with the many other, more mundane presents. The card attached said it was from his uncle Rolo, a merchant who occasionally visited the family and usually had disturbing tales of travel and ..shudder…adventure! Peren was always a bit leery about this relation, thinking the fellow slightly mad.
The package was tightly wrapped, and after a slight struggle, a strange package was found within. The rolled leather pack was tied with straps and, once opened, show a number of unknown tools. Not sure what the kit was for, Peren shrugged his shoulders and simply set it aside. In fact it would be almost a year before he even thought about the kit again.
As the cool winter weather slowly passed and the warm winds of spring visited the town once again, life for Peren continued to be tranquil and peaceful…but that would soon change. One evening, just as he was closing up the shop, his key broke in the lock.
“Oh bother!” he swore as he examined the mechanism. Trying to think how to fit this disaster, the thought of his uncle’s weird tool kit suddenly popped into his mind. Surely some of those small items could help him extract the broken piece of key?
He hurried home to retrieve the rolled-up kit and was soon back at the door, the kit at open at his feet, and the odd metal tools at his fingertips. Taking a slim metal bar with a slight hook on the end, Peren inserted it into the blocked lock, and like magic the broken portion of the key came out. Before he knew what he was doing, he had chosen another tool and, with the two of them, somehow unlocked the door. He was amazed, frightened, disturbed and a little excited all at the same time that he was so easily able to open the locked portal. Fiddling around we was able to lock the door again, then unlock it just as smoothly. For a few minutes he locked and unlocked the door, his actions becoming swifter and surer. He finally packed up the tools and headed home.
Only a few weeks after this event did Peren’s tranquil life take a drastic turn. Perren had become obsessed with the tools his uncle had sent him, practicing on all sorts of locks and learning which tools worked best on what mechanisms. He even went as far as to disarm the protective traps on the safe in his parents’ bedroom, where the store’s funds were kept. It was early one warm, lazy afternoon that his father arrived at the shop in a bit of a tizzy.
”Gather your things boy…now!” he cried as he hustled through the door.
”Why, what’s wrong? Why do you look frightened Pa?”, he asked coming out from behind the counter to get a better look at his slightly disheveled father. The elder Halfling was panting as if he had walked very quickly from for a block or more. His hair was mussed, and sweat gleamed upon his face.
“No time for questions, just gather your things quickly, and go back to the house by the back way. There are some men looking for you, and they look like trouble! Blast your uncle and his adventuring ways! Oh, and take those tools he sent you. Once you have everything, get out of town for a few weeks…travel down to Saltmarsh and visit that fellow you met here last year…what was his name…you know that wood carver that works at Pennywhistles. Anyway, get gone for a spell so these ruffians cannot catch you.”
Completely stunned by this turn of events, the young Halfling bolts from the store and makes his way stealthily back to his home, where to his surprise a pack sits on the back porch, all ready for him. A short note from his mother wishes him the best of luck and speedy journey. Struggling into the heavy backpack, Peren heads away from the town through a number of back lanes and paths until he is several miles away. As it grows dark, and the foot sore Halfling stumbles along the road, he spies a traveller ahead going in the same direction as him. Picking up his pace he catches up to the fellow just before the latter stops at the side of the roadway, looking like he is getting ready to setup camp.
“Greetings traveller. It seems we are going the same way. Would you mind if I travelled with you? You know..safety in numbers and all that…”
So it was that Peren joined the elven wizard Kirian Gess on their trip to Saltmarsh.
