Spikey Berry Piercer's page

Outside rage:
Spear: +4 for 1d6+4

Inside rage:
Spear: +6 for 1d6+6

Outside rage:
AC: 17 T: 12 FF: 16
HP: 20
Saves: +6 +1 +3
CMD: 14

Inside rage:
AC: 15 T: 10 FF: 14
HP: 22
Saves: +6 +1 +5
CMD: 12

Perc: 1 rank +3 wis +3 cs = +7
Ride: 1 rank +1 dex +3 CS -3 ACP = +2
Survival: 1 rank +3 wis +3 cs = +7
Swim: 1 rank +3 str +3 cs -3 ACP = +4

HA: 1 rank -2 cha +3 cs = +2
Perform (dance): 1 rank -2 cha +3 cs +1 trait = +3

Fast rider
Rage (unchained)

Vine leshys are hardy and insightful, but sometimes forgetful. They gain a +2 bonus to Constitution and Wisdom but suffer a –2 penalty to Intelligence.

Vine leshys are plants with the leshy subtype but lack the immunities to mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, and stunning that the plant type usually grants, and they lack the immunity to electricity and sonic that the leshy subtype usually grants.

Size: Vine leshys are Small creatures and gain a +1 size bonus to their AC, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, a –1 penalty on combat maneuver checks and to their Combat Maneuver Defense, and a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks.

Speed: Vine leshys have a base speed of 20 feet.

Languages: Vine leshys begin play speaking Common and Sylvan. Vine leshys with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Aquan, Auran, Aklo, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Terran, or Undercommon.

Plantspeech: Vine leshys can speak with vines as if subject to a continual speak with plants spell.

Darkvision: Vine leshys can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
Low-Light Vision: Vine leshys can see twice as far as humans under conditions of dim light.
Grapevine: A vine leshy made from a grapevine can produce magically infused fruit that can heal her allies. She can cast goodberry once per day as a spell-like ability, with a caster level equal to her character level. This replaces pass without trace.
Change Shape: Vine leshys can transform into vines, with results similar to tree shape. In this form, the leshy appears as a particularly healthy Small vine. The leshy can assume plant form or revert to its true form as a swift action.
Verdant Burst: When slain, a vine leshy explodes in a burst of fertile energies. All plant creatures within 30 feet of the slain leshy regain hit 1d8 points, and vines quickly infest the area. If the terrain can support vines, the undergrowth is dense enough to make the region into difficult terrain for 24 hours, after which the plant life diminishes to a normal level; otherwise, this plant life has no significant effect on movement and withers and dies within an hour.
Unassuming Foliage: Vine leshys gain a +4 racial bonus on Stealth checks in forests.
Climber: Vine leshys gain a +2 racial bonus on Climb checks.

Always Ready: Your gladiatorial training has ingrained in you a constant tension—you’re always on edge, waiting for the next fight to break out. When the fight starts, you make a point of striking first and striking decisively. You gain a +1 trait bonus to Initiative checks and a +1 trait bonus to attack rolls made within the first round of combat.

Hoplomachus: You fight with a spear, gladius and light shield—a classic gladiatorial combat style. It’s not the flashiest or most memorable of styles, but you’ve learned to make the most of it nonetheless. You may use a spear one-handed with no penalties.

Axe to grind: +1 damage to foes threatened only by me.

Mentored: +1 to perform dance and its a class skill for me.

The Drow laughed as Spikey entered the arena, a small pile of vines holding a light wooden shield and spear. Across the arena, a grunting orc churned up the sand under the glow of the Drow's magical lights. Upon seeing his opponent, the orc chuckled to himself, assuming a sure and fast victory. "Let him think what he wants, the fool"[/b] Spikey mutters to himself [i]"These fools don't appreciate strength they can't see in front of them." But despite his encouragement, Spikey felt fear deep in the center of his intertwining vines.

What if he was trapped under that wicked-looking net? A trident in those thick, orcish hands would make short work of him as he lay struggling. He would never see the great fungal forests again. And who would take care of Sable? The young bat hid inside the barracks, waiting for Spikey to come back and feed him. How dare the drow take away his freedom... He hated them every day. His master had warned him humanoids could be cruel but he had only known kindness from Dorbo the Grey. He did not truly believe how deep this depravity could fall. One day, the dark elves would pay a heavy price in blood for their entertainment.

His anger burned inside him but he circled the arena carefully with his shield up and spear facing the orc. The orc suddenly lunged forward, tossing the net. Spikey whirled to his left, ducking under the deadly trap and bringing his spear about to land a telling blow in the orcs thigh. Bellowing in anger and confusion at being wounded by such a small, unassuming opponent, the orc charged forward, bringing a hail of trident blows down upon the leshy's small shield. Circling each other in the twilit sand, the two traded thrusts. Several vines were torn, leaking sap onto the unsympathetic white grains underfoot. The orc reared back and thrust the trident through the center of the twisting vines, tearing several. He growled in triumph but too soon. [i]"I can't die yet. I have to get free of this place. I have to get Sable out of here."[/b] Spikey held himself together with the deep strength of a rooted tree and thrust back through the orc's throat, ending his victory cry in a choked burble. The drow cheered for the entertaining finish but Spikey would have preferred their boos. Drawing his spear out slowly and without interest, Spikey walked out of the arena. Still a slave, but alive another cursed day.

From Twenty Questions for Deep Character Creation

1. What emotion best describes your character? Bitternes. Spikey is very sullen toward his Drow masters and often the other gladiators as well, deeply resenting the enslavement of himself and Sable for entertainment purposes.

2. What emotion does your character evoke in others? Confusion. A plant boy riding on the back of a dire bat just looks pretty odd.

3. What does your character need most? Freedom. Spikey would do almost anything to liberate himself and Sable.

4. What is your character’s goal in life? Spikey was created to wander between various fungal forests of the Darklands, protecting them from anything that would harm them. If he attains his freedom, he can protect these natural areas, which is his reason for being.

5. How does your character believe this goal can be accomplished? Spikey constantly looks for an opportunity to break for freedom but nothing even remotely close has come his way yet. Still, he has tried a couple of times and was severely punished both times.

6. Where did your character come from? Spikey was created by a
Svirfneblin druid, Dorbo the Grey. In the first few weeks after his creation, he followed Dorbo around various natural beauties of the Darklands, learning to tend to them and protect them from the many dangers swarming through the dark.

7. When did you grow up? Spikey grew up when Dorbo the Grey left him behind and went on to other areas. Spikey had to take care of himself and soon had to fight off a giant centipede that was trying to nest in a patch of rare fungi all by himself. It was very difficult for him, lacking weapons and experience, but he hung on tenaciously and eventually the centipede ran off.

8. What values does your character hold? Spikey holds the following sacred: Natural wonders, loyalty, and freedom. He is ideologically opposed to the following: Needless destruction, total self-interest, and ignoring the needs of others. Dorbo the Grey taught him these values but he has really come to have his hatred for gratuitous destruction during his time in the gladiator pits, where he says blood spilled for entertainment regularly.

9. How does your character dress? Spikey wears the hide armor given him by the Drow in addition to a brown, woody helmet he grew himself. He stands three feet tall and has a roughly humanoid body composed of interlocking vines with two dark spots for eyes. He has no discernible mouth but speaks by passing air through his interior vines. He carries his wooden shield and wooden lance around with him as much as he is allowed to, having little trust for anyone but Sable in the pits.

10. What are your character’s means? Spikey is surprisingly strong and can ride Sable readily. He is also good at surviving on his own in the wilds. The Drow have trained him in the use of a variety of weapons, from lance to longbow.

11. What are your character’s personal tastes? He loves light and will generally reside in the brightest area available to him, fueling him as he rests.

12. What are your character’s opinions? Spikey believes humanoids in general can’t be trusted. He also finds food rather odd and somewhat disgusting. Instead, he loves light, soil, and water. But he is willing to provide his berries to anyone close to him, which right now is only Sable. He thinks that gladiatorial contests are wrong but if you’re thrown into a horrible situation you might as well survive.

13. What is your character’s comfort zone? Spikey is most comfortable when he and Sable are traveling freely together.

14. Who has had the biggest impact on your character’s life? Dorbo the Grey, Spikey’s creator, made him, trained him, and gave him purpose.

15. What are some of your character’s unexpected quirks? Leshies are normally very naive and inquisitive. Spikey still possesses some of this curiosity but has a very jaded attitude toward people. Think of a rugged old cowboy who’s seen too much of the world and only likes his horse. That’s Spikey and Sable. Spikey is remarkably strong, however, which is very surprising given his small size. He’s also very fierce when he or his friends are threatened.

16. What kind of story does your character belong in? Spikey belongs in a story of fierce struggle for personal actualization or a greater cause. Being part fungus, he fits in well in the Darklands. He does face some internal conflict between his natural open, friendly, curious, optimistic personality and the bitter disillusionment with other races that he has been forced into.

17. What role does your character fill?
Flavor: Spikey doesn’t fulfill a traditional “muscle” role but once he bonds with friends, he will play the role of a fiercely loyal protector.
Mechanically: Spikey is actually a great tank and a decent striker. He also has good mobility when on Sable and can reach a lot of difficult places. He’s decent at a couple of skills but absolutely not a skill monkey.

18. What should the other players know about your character? The other characters would probably learn fairly quickly not to underestimate Spikey’s martial abilities. They might not realize it but, deep down, Spikey has a core of curiosity and optimism but it is buried deeply beneath his scars from the Drow.

19. What is your play style? I like to include at least a fair amount of flavorful description with everything my character does but rarely will I launch into long, poetic portraits of my characters emotions or speech. I know that pace is vital in PBP and try to take character actions that push the plot forward, prompt responses from my fellow players, or react to what is happening with them. I do love being involved in planning what the party should do next.
I like the mechanical side of the game quite a lot as well and will try to make sure my character is mechanically accurate and effective at fulfilling his party role.

20. How do you want your character to die? Spikey would like to die from his body wearing out as he explores the Darklands for centuries. While he isn’t afraid to die in battle, he doesn’t value fighting for its own sake at all.