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So, I'm a laconaphile. It's a real thing! I've wanted for a long time to run a game set in mythic Greece. This would be a highly modified Pathfinder game. The concept would be the heroes rebuilding the Argonauts and making the world safe for humanity from cthonic monsters after the deaths of Heracles and Jason. Politically it would focus on keeping the peace amongst the numerous city-states and perhaps uniting against a greater threat (invading Persians, maybe Troy?).
This would be an extremely low-magic setting. To offset that, players will gain powers from a lineage. This will be from a variety of members of the Dodekatheon or, as in the case or Odysseus, from being an extraordinary mortal. Mechanically this will function like having a sorcerous bloodline. I would likely only allow things like Paladins or Rangers as the only casting classes.
Every character would also gain a fatal flaw. It would be a personality foible and when I deemed it necessary, a Will save would have to be made against that flaw. You would thbe be forced to act a certain way, dictated by your flaw. One example would be the pride of Odysseus, when he named himself to Polyphemus the cyclops, who then prayed to his father Poseidon. Poseidon cursed Odysseus, resulting in the Odyssey.
Would anyone be interested in a game like this?
That sounds awesome! Have our own Greek tragedy! .. I mean adventure!
I've always been fascinated by Greek mythology, who needs magic when you have the blessing and curses of the self-indulgent gods!
So the characters would most likely me demi-gods or oracles etc...?
@Reckless, that's the idea! Each godly parent will have a suite of appropriate custom bloodlines. You will select one of those based off of who you choose as your divine parent.
Exceptional mortals will have a similar ability set.
Would it be possible to be a cleric of the god descended from? Would the mythic rules be used?
As I envision it, there will be no full casters in the game. If someone you wants to be a priest of that god, I could probably throw together something that would work. I might allow access to full casters as a prestige class option. I would consider using mythic rules eventually. Conceptually this is a low-power game.
YES! I've been toying with the idea of a game like this. Mine would used a variation to the Conan d20 'races' with each culture having different stats, and 'cultures' included the various Greek city-states, Atlantean, Norse, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, etc. Man would I love to play as an Atlantean.
BTW, may I suggest The New Agonauts (D20) or Odyssey: A Greek Source Book (PFRPG) if you haven't seen them already?
I have not seen those! Thanks for the heads up!
Yep, they're 3.5, but you could convert them pretty easily. It's just about exactly what you're thinking of though. I guess SKR is also a laconaphile.
The Gurps greece book has some pretty good overview too.
Oddysey: A Greek Source Book is PF
Oh, I'm intrigued.
This sounds amazing! I am myself a hellenophile and have a deep background with the Theatre of Ancient Greece especially. My favorite greek playwrights, in order, are Euripides, Sophocles and Aeschylus. I've also read a great deal of Plato's philosophy and very much enjoy the mythology.
Initial leanings for a PC would be toward something like a shield maiden of Athena. Maybe with a ranger build and an owl companion. Her hubris could be based in an overzealous evaluation of purity and virginity as a virtue and a driving fear that it will be stripped from her and she will be cast down by the Goddess as Medusa was.
Or something a little more PG if necessary... ^_~
In other words, VERY interested!
I was thinking possibly an Amazon spell-less ranger. Of course her flaw is already built into her mythos: disdain for man. Or, if it was allowed, an Atlantean who's flaw is feeling that all other cultures are below Atlantean.
And while I do love Greek mythology, it's Norse mythology that I love most.
Important to note, this would definitely be an adult-themed game. Anything too intense would likely happen "off-camera" and there shouldn't be anything too out there, but I would be going for a relatively accurate depiction of the realities of the time period.
This sounds very interesting. Greek Mythology is what got me interested in all this fantasy business in the first place... Well that and Ray Harryhausen :)
Yes! Teucer, Diomedes, Odysseus, Ajax... I'm into it!
Sounds intriguing
Would an Occultist work? I know it's a 6th lvl caster but it's power fully comes from the objects he has. A historian focused on things like the lost continent of Atlantis, the Akkadian Empire (Babylon etc) and the parts of Egypt that where already ancient when the Greeks were around.
Flaw could be something like an intellectual greed, just having to have those pieces with great historical value.
I'd be interested in putting something together for this. Maybe some sort of inventor a la Daedalus, and Pythagoras. Have to put some thought into it.
An Athena maiden complete with owl, an inventor a la Daedalus, a Rogue scion of Hermes, a historian with mystical powers... I notice a lack of BADASS HOPLITE SCION OF ARES
Ehem. I'm calming, I swear. Consider me interested and opting to the position of INCREDIBLY HANDSOME AVATAR OF WAR
^^
Sooo... Looks like the interest is there! Do you think this might become a campaign? My wheels are turning on this character and I'm ready to start drawing her up. Would you like to give us a point-buy and see some builds and backgrounds? =D
Seems like this would be the perfect place for a Phalanx Soldier. Then again, thematically that sort of fighter is an odd fit with a diverse band of adventurers. The phalanx is all about mass and unity, not individuals.
sounds like a game for Joxer The Mighty
I too enjoy greek mythology thought most of what I know about it comes from school, Age of Mythology and tv. At first I too thought scion of Ares but his flaw would be crippling apathy. Now I am more leaning towards Hetairoi, a cavalryman of Poseidon. Not sure about a flaw though. Likely a cavalier.
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Seems like interest is there! I'm not going to tell folks to throw together characters just yet.
I think I'm leaning away from allowing spell casting classes that give spells at first level. Magic in Ancient Greece is extraordinarily rare. I do feel that occultist might be thematically appropriate a la Orpheus with his lyre but that's not the feel I want for the game. I will likely allow access to spell casting classes later in the game.
There's still quite a lot I need to throw together on my end. Though if people want to start throwing together basics;
Leaning towards 20 point buy.
Will only have Humans available.
Each human will choose a Bloodline that will add a further +2 to an attribute as well as a suite of powers.
Minmaxing discouraged.
Will have custom campaign traits and drawbacks.
Three traits one of which must be one of the included traits. One drawback which must be from the included list (representing fatal flaws).
Max HP per level.
Theatre of the mind.
Modified Automatic Bonus Progression.
Will want full backgrounds and ten-minute backgrounds.
Character ties to other players in backgrounds welcome.
Will be set pre-fall of Troy.
Swimming, climbing and sailing will come up.
Will modify skill points per level for certain classes.
Pre-emptive allowed class list- Barbarian (unchained variant), fighter, cavalier, paladin, ranger, rogue (unchained variant), bloodrager, brawler, slayer, swashbuckler. I might change my mind and add more but that's what I'm leaning towards.
Not all archetypes appropriate. Ask before building.
Seems like this would be the perfect place for a Phalanx Soldier. Then again, thematically that sort of fighter is an odd fit with a diverse band of adventurers. The phalanx is all about mass and unity, not individuals.
Phalanxes are not really good for a Fantasy RPG, as you say, because in an RPG diversity is the key. In my mind, I have more a Time of Heroes thing, like those in the Homeric epics, driving their chariots or letting their arrows and javelins fly, sailing across the Aegean outwitting cyclops and sorcerers or stealing sacred apples and fighting hydras.
Would you be open to using the Psychometrist Vigilante archetype instead of the Occultist? It keeps the power derived from items but ditches spellcasting.
I'll ruminate on the Psychometrist. I don't know that Vigilante is a thematically appropriate class for this setting though.
Rondelero is okay with me
kewl beans...just because the rapier is kinda non existent in that era...falcata fits better
As someone who has already decided to use a "falcata"...No no, Falcata no. Call it Kopis. We greek now.
I'll try to come up with some support, maybe Tactician, Exemplar or something which can give bonuses. I'll tell you after having a look at Archives of Nethys.
Swimming, climbing and sailing will come up.
Well that settles it. Someone terrible at all of that. Thinking Cavalier with the major flaw of being lame like the oracle curse and a little ambition despite the handicap. The moment he must confront the problem will be harsh.
@Emissary, +1 for Kopis :D
There will also be setting appropriate equipment. A Xiphos, for example. It'll be 19-20x2, 1d6, Slashin/Piercing
I have already a concept around the idea -which the GM has to confirm or deny- that us mortals blessed by the Dodekatheon, embody some aspects but not all of a God.
A Scion of Ares, embodying the Defence of Cities, Courage, Manliness, Civil Order and Honorable War... whose foible and drawback -pending to see them- would be related to Ares' others, more vicious and primal, instincts: Bloodlust, Banditry, Sacking of Cities and Rebellion.
A -most probably- Spartan hoplite who joined the Jargonauts because he didn't share the "Abandon the Meek" ideal of his brethren and desired to make the world a safer place. A warrior who wields the Aspis and the Kopis as extensions of his own body, a courageous man and protector of the meek.
Thinking about plain ol' fighter -with Advanced Weapont & Armor Trainong if allowed-, rocking kopis-falcata- and aspis-heavy shield- combo while clad in brass-made muscled cuirass for a gritty melee character. The shield that defends the greek. The blade that kills the cyclopean monsters.
Think Achiles but more badass.
i forgot to mention about the kopis in place of the falcata....
I pardon you, shield-brother. But remember to assist to the Weekly Greek Language Symposium or I'll start pandemonium...
Oooh, this sounds like fun. I'll express my tentative interest here - I'm currently thinking of a weirder sort of Amazon, to play off their role in mythology as spooky women from the ends of the earth, where things get very strange indeed. Maybe an urban bloodrager from the improbable city of Themiscyra on the Black Sea coast, if possible, or some sort of ranger or even paladin, if I can think of what the latter might look like among the Amazons. Probably at least dabbling in archery, and maybe Artemis as the deity with whom she's got a connection?
I know you'd said only Human, but I think there's a good argument to be made for half-humans with other side's that are thematically appropriate to their patrons. Am undine scion of Poseidon, a sylph scion of Zeus, a fetchling scion of Nyx, that sort of thing. You could even fluff it that they seemed human as children, but their divine heritage revealed itself when they hit puberty or adulthood, etc.
Also, how do you feel about 3PP? I'm guessing nothing that manifests at first level, but a Soulknife could be pretty workable here, I'd think. And the psionic Pyrokineticist prestige class would be fun to move into for a scion of a God of fire (Hephaestus comes to mind). I guess the Occult Adventures Pyrokineticist base class would serve the same purpose, but they're pretty different in many ways mechanically, and fill different roles.
Interested in playing a Slayer.
Hey GM, have you considered the possibility of Atlantis being real and present for this campaign? Also, have you also considered the Spell-Less Ranger? Although if you're allowing the standard ranger it might be moot.
The Odyssey PF book has stats for the Doru, Makhaira, Sarissa, Xiphos, Hoplon, and Pelte. Also includes the Amazon race, among other things.
An Amazon or Atlantean (if allowed) daring champion cavalier (order unknown as of yet), or ranger seems the route I'd go.
I know you'd said only Human, but I think there's a good argument to be made for half-humans with other side's that are thematically appropriate to their patrons. Am undine scion of Poseidon, a sylph scion of Zeus, a fetchling scion of Nyx, that sort of thing. You could even fluff it that they seemed human as children, but their divine heritage revealed itself when they hit puberty or adulthood, etc.
Also, how do you feel about 3PP? I'm guessing nothing that manifests at first level, but a Soulknife could be pretty workable here, I'd think. And the psionic Pyrokineticist prestige class would be fun to move into for a scion of a God of fire (Hephaestus comes to mind). I guess the Occult Adventures Pyrokineticist base class would serve the same purpose, but they're pretty different in many ways mechanically, and fill different roles.
I generally avoid third party and don't think I'll be allowing it for this game.
As far as other races, I think I'd prefer to customize that rather than use the existing Paizo stuff. I don't think Oreads really capture the essence of a child of Hephaestus.
Hey GM, have you considered the possibility of Atlantis being real and present for this campaign? Also, have you also considered the Spell-Less Ranger? Although if you're allowing the standard ranger it might be moot.
No third party stuff but since regular rangers are okay...
Also I want to thank everyone for expressing interest. I'm going to work on a homebrew. It'll probably be a few weeks as I'm moving in five days, but I'll post a separate recruitment thread. I'll link to it here, though!
Would you be able to make a basic race per God?
I know you'd said only Human, but I think there's a good argument to be made for half-humans with other side's that are thematically appropriate to their patrons. Am undine scion of Poseidon, a sylph scion of Zeus, a fetchling scion of Nyx, that sort of thing. You could even fluff it that they seemed human as children, but their divine heritage revealed itself when they hit puberty or adulthood, etc.
Also, how do you feel about 3PP? I'm guessing nothing that manifests at first level, but a Soulknife could be pretty workable here, I'd think. And the psionic Pyrokineticist prestige class would be fun to move into for a scion of a God of fire (Hephaestus comes to mind). I guess the Occult Adventures Pyrokineticist base class would serve the same purpose, but they're pretty different in many ways mechanically, and fill different roles.
I generally avoid third party and don't think I'll be allowing it for this game.
As far as other races, I think I'd prefer to customize that rather than use the existing Paizo stuff. I don't think Oreads really capture the essence of a child of Hephaestus.
Fair enough.
Would you be able to make a basic race per God?
What do you mean by that exactly?
Race building/monster building. I know that as players, we shouldn't be able to do it. But as a GM, would you consider making custom races for this game? (Might be a little much)