Varanog is a homebrew from the Paizo blog Homebrew Special: “The Little Dragons that Could”. This dude is everything that a Sorcerer should have been. All sorcerers only get a +1 per feat spent on their innate ability to nuke (pre-role card). This little guy gets and additional d6 with each feat! Add into the fact that he can set traps, which are kind of redonkulus, and he can destroy any monster he runs into. The catch is he can only set a trap at the end of his turn, so he is better off for the locations with low monster counts.
His stat break down with d10 in his primary stat along with a d10 in dexterity. Dexterity and Wisdom have to be two of the most important stats outside of combat.
Not sure if this was intended, but his primary ability doesn’t have the attack trait. Dunno, think it’s a breath weapon? All I know is he laughs at those silly golems and monsters that require Wisdom checks to use powers with the attack trait.
Another fun fact, Traps add their bonus to “all checks against that monster during the current turn”! Are you kidding me? He laughs at those BYA Fortitude and Acrobatic checks. You walk into his trap, you are his!
Im currently playing him as part of a 4 man team through Ron Lundeen's Shield of Rannick Homebrew campaign that uses Rise of the Runelords as a base set. About to get his role card, and im pumped.
RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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Happy to hear that you enjoy Varanog!
I'll admit it wasn't specifically intended that the combat power not have the Attack trait, but since it's a Force effect, I have no issue with it affecting golems and such. And no it's not a breath weapon, it's meant to emulate a magic missile or something of that nature.
The trap mechanic is one of the most fun things I've designed for the PACG, and yeah it can be very strong, but requires some careful planning. :-D
His magical traps are specifically meant to emulate this power that he gets in the RPG:
Trap Rune (Sp) As a standard action, Varanog can sketch a single, nearly invisible magical rune on any 5-foot-square solid surface.
When Varanog creates a rune, pick one of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, or fire. While the rune is active, the next creature other than Varanog who steps on or touches the rune’s area causes the rune to explode. The rune’s explosion deals 1d8+4 points of energy damage to anything in its square (DC 15 Reflex half). The rune is considered a magical trap for the purpose of perceiving it or disabling it. The DC for both Perception and Disable Device checks is the same as the Reflex saving throw to halve the damage. Varanog can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. Each rune lasts for 24 hours or until discharged.
Happy to hear that you enjoy Varanog!
I find him amazing. I really do feel like he is what a Sorcerer should have been.
I'll admit it wasn't specifically intended that the combat power not have the Attack trait, but since it's a Force effect, I have no issue with it affecting golems and such. And no it's not a breath weapon, it's meant to emulate a magic missile or something of that nature.
It also allows him to bypass all the Harpy like effects that you need to make a wisdom X check or can't use weapons or spells with the attack trait.
Question. On his Draconic Runemaster Role, he has a power "When you set a trap you may recharge a card to draw 1 ([]2) cards." Is this only to cycle his hand? because he can only set traps at the end of turn. So he would have no time between these draws and resetting his hand. Also makes the 2nd card draw kind of pointless.
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RPG Superstar 2014 Top 16
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There are cards in the actual homebrew adventures that let you set them as traps at other times, so that power is more useful for those. Example:
Ingenious Kobold Trap (Loot Item B)
Traits: Object, Trap
At the start or end of your turn, you may set a trap with this card.
If you would discard, recharge, or bury this card, banish it instead.
At the end of the scenario, banish this card.
In that specific scenario, you're trying to run around and set traps for some humans, so the condition to win the scenario is to have 3 traps set at every location. There are scenario powers that have a chance to summon a monster and potentially set off all your traps at a location, so it's a race against the clock. :)