Feb 28, 2017 2:29 am
FINISHED
Thanks for the review. This message board comms plan is perfect. I made a few comments in Green.
I am trying unapologetic bribery to get people to pick the "Local Guys" as highest frequency and the "Nearby Guys" as 2nd highest frequency. Power gamers step right up!!!
But seriously, we've talked about it before, I would like the party to make sense for the starting location, but I do want it to be POSSIBLE for someone to truly be playing a Stranger in a Strange Land from the beginning if that's what they really want. Second, I think the Feat choice selection is trying to say something about the different people groups - - something like trends or styles of the community of each regional sub-race. Third, would like the characters to have some level of affinity for or comfort with their common origin and for each other, at least enough connection to make sense that they form an adventuring party. Lastly, hoping to in the long run have the gradual reveal to the foreign lands, with a larger bulk of the party sharing similar experiences of unfamiliarity while moving together into alternate cultures in more remote regions. Loading the dice for all of that so to speak, plus having a little bit of extra fun in the sub-race selection. Other alternatives to Stranger in a Strange Land: If the players want to play other races, they could be the child of parents who were immigrants, or they could have immigrated during their childhood, or their early teens, perhaps as a way for the player to get that Stranger in a Strange Land feel, without them knowing a lot about the lands where they originally come from. No need to force this on the players, but it might make an interesting option you could present. In the end, if they are truly Strangers in a Strange Land, then you'll have to give them a knowledge of sorts (meaning they could ask where certain organizations might be found, services, etc) if we ever go to their home turf (which would make up for their lack of starting bonuses)
So check it out, and also can't wait to know what character you are going to build. And on that, no requirement whatsoever for you to "pitch" any kind of character like it's a trial run or an application. You've done so much to get this thing off of the ground as a co-developer so I hope it goes without saying that I want you to have the run of the table on whatever sort of character you imagine. Thanks, appreciate it! Interestingly, despite the reduced choices via the setting, I still find myself torn between possibilities! Especially with the expanded feat list, archetypes... so many great combos I can imagine...
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Character Generation
Point Buy System.
Available Points Budget: 30
Maximum Purchasable Attribute Before Bonuses: 16
Minimum Purchasable Attribute Before Bonuses (starting value): 8
No increased point cost for higher scores (one point Budget spent always means 1 point Ability Score gained, even at higher scores).
All PCs will be Human. House Rule Variant Human Traits:
+1 to 2 different Ability Scores of Choice
+1 Skill Proficiency (discussed below in Background section)
Feat availability determined by Human Sub-Race and Class (see below).
Players must choose a Human Sub-race.
Human Sub-races are discussed in detail in the separate Forum thread ?Human Sub-races?. They are listed below in 3 Tiers related to their ?Local Normalcy? in our starting environment, which is on the Andra Peninsula, in a border region between the Yuoric Markkeland Kingdom of Jeres and a rugged hinterland area called the Danneinkiff.
Local Normalcy Tier 1: Highly Frequent Sub-races in the region of our campaign launch. The ?locals? of the area.
? Yuoric
? Dannein
Local Favoritism: PCs of Sub-race Tier 1 gain one Ability Score Bonus and a Setting Bonus Feat. Yes, the locals get a ?hometown advantage.?
? Yuorics get a +1 to CON, INT, or CHA
? Yuorics choose 1 of the following Setting Bonus Feats: Athlete, Linguist, Lucky, Martial Adept, Resilient, Sentinel, Skilled
? Danneins get a +1 to STR, CON, or WIS
? Danneins choose 1 of the following Setting Bonus Feats: Alert, Durable, Great Weapon Master, Observant, Savage Attacker, Tavern Brawler, ToughNicely done on the racial bonuses here, especially given the variation available via feat selection.
Local Normalcy Tier 2: Moderately Frequent Sub-races in campaign launch region. May be viewed at times as somewhat unusual. These are the people from close neighboring lands or smaller imbedded sub-cultures within the region.
? Kortellan
? Pylosean
? Esosanean
? Alijanian
Close Neighbor Favoritism: PCs of Sub-race Tier 2 gain a Setting Bonus Feat. Not as favored as the Locals, but they have a bit of an edge in the area.
? Kortellan choose 1: Actor, Charger, Mounted Combatant
? Pylosean choose 1: Grappler, Linguist, Shield Master
? Esosanean choose 1: Defensive Duelist, Polearm Master, Resilient
? Alijanian choose 1: Durable, Mobile, Skulker
Local Normalcy Tier 3: Infrequent Sub-races in campaign launch region. Will likely be viewed as highly unusual foreigners who are a long way from home and out of place in the region. Listed roughly in order of most frequent to least in the region where our campaign will start.
? Gaeirmundi
? Ingvaelor
? Voldruvan
? Jbailian
? Korsian
? Murmaran
? Sarceran
? Heshban
? Arkkadi
? Bishtu
? Sekeri
? Pakti
? Seetan
PCs START AT LEVEL 3.
Character Classes, Available with No Limits:
? Barbarian
? Fighter
? Rogue
Multi-classing is fully permitted and unrestricted between the classes above. By unrestricted do you mean no required ability scores to multi-class? If that's the case, that's actually a good idea. Strange, in that it seems counter intuitive, but good, in the sense that it expands player options even more so (e.g., "So what if I have an 8 DEX? I'm picking up Rogue!", which will still ahve viable uses, to be sure.
I was mainly just saying that multi-classing is permitted, and people could jump back and forth with no abnormal restrictions or requirements, like the special limitations faced by the Druid/Cleric classes. I haven't really thought of doing away with the prereq, but I will think it over. Maybe it doesn't matter, and if you have a low DEX then you might just be a not-so-great Thief as your example. Still, maybe there is a reason for the special skills being available, something like the necessity to have certain minimum DEX to have enough smooth movement to take advantage of Sneak Attack. Some of me wants to be silent on some things and just let the majority of the RaW stand as they are. But I will think about it. I'll either state the change clearly (no prereqs for multi-class) or I will reword what I was trying to say to clarify (multi-classing is permitted per normal rules).
All Characters: Choice of Two (2) Feats --OR-- Access to Limited Spellcaster Classes:
? PCs can choose to gain access to Limited Spellcaster Classes (detailed below). Characters who do so must start their character's career with a Spellcasting Class Level and do not get to choose any Feats at initial Character Generation (except for the possibility of getting Sub-Race related Feats, as mentioned above). I know you mention the the requirement for PC's to start the game as one of the spellcaster classes later, but I thought it was worth mentioning here as well, to help avoid questions for players who are 'skimmers' and might miss some details.
Good call. Needs to be reiterated here as you say.
? PCs who choose only Class Levels within the ?No Limit? classes can choose 2 Feats, from within the limits below, at initial Character Generation (these 2 Feats are in addition to the possibility of Sub-Race related Feats mentioned above for Dannein and Yuoric Sub-race).
? Feats that are not allowed for choice at Character Generation: Crossbow Expert, Dungeon Delver, Elemental Adept, Mage Slayer, Magic Initiate, Spell Sniper, War Caster.
? The Ritual Caster Feat is available, but is modified and described as follows:
o Ritual Caster: Prerequisite INT score of 16 and Background of Acolyte, Hermit, or Sage. Ritual Casting will always be Intelligence-based. Those who choose this Feat do not have to choose one Class to which spells will be limited. For the initial two 1st level spells contained within the Ritual Book, PCs can choose from the Wizard, Sorcerer, or Warlock lists, and the spells must have the Ritual tag. For future spell options, PCs may gain access to spells of a Level up to their INT modifier (not up to half of their level as described in the standard Feat description). Note that Ritual magic in the setting world is ancient and mysterious, a field of study that lacks clarity on its potential and its limitations. PCs who take this Feat should assume that there could be considerable variation in the nature of future spells that may come available. Some spells listed in the PHB without the Ritual tag will be found to have the Ritual tag in this setting, and vice versa. There may be variations on casting times, durations, and areas of affect, both increases and decreases, for some Ritual spells. There may be variances of components required. Certain Rituals discovered may involve some risks or danger to cast. In sum, Ritual Casting is a scarcely understood practice, so characters who choose this Feat should adopt a general spirit of delving into the unknown.
Spellcaster Character Classes, Available with Limitations
? Cleric
? Druid
Spellcaster Class Limitations, applies to both Cleric and Druid
? At time of Character Generation, PCs can choose to take 1 Spellcaster Level, either Level 1 Cleric or Level 1 Druid. No character can ever have levels of both Cleric and Druid.
? The other 2 Class Levels necessary to get to Character Level 3 overall at campaign launch must be chosen from the available Classes with No Limits listed above.
? The maximum level ever attainable for either Cleric or Druid is Level 2.
? The earliest option to gain Level 2 of Cleric or Druid is at combined Character Level 4
? Characters cannot Multi-Class into Cleric or Druid Classes at a later time. Spellcaster Class must be chosen at time of Character Generation or not at all. The exceptionalism of the sort of power and abilities associated with spellcasters in this setting cannot be overstated. It is a true rarity throughout the world. To ever achieve access to these capabilities, characters are assumed to have had some exceptional conversion experiences or a series of life events that have led to the divine power that they gain. It could be a lifetime of learning, study, immersion in prayer and reflection, an intense commitment to special cultural and societal participation in their divine practice, or an overwhelming religious revelation. Likely it has been a combination of one or all of these things that has somehow allowed this exceptional access to divine miracles.
? Characters who choose a Spellcaster class should expect some limitations to spells available and to the effects of some spells, as some capabilities will be adjusted to fit the low-magic setting. Specific details given below in the Cleric and Druid sections.
Spellcaster Class, Cleric
? PCs who choose the Cleric class should note that many deities in the setting are often associated with a certain region or a certain Human Sub-race. On the balance, most religious leaders and the rare few that become spellcasters of a religion are a part of the Human Sub-Race that has historically venerated the given deity. This is a trend, not a rule. There are exceptions. People from different groups do adopt religions viewed by their original community as foreign and some venerate gods of other lands. The trend is only mentioned here as information to inform character development and background planning.
? More detail about Deities and Religion is provided in the separate Forum thread of the same title.
? The following Cantrips are not available: Sacred Flame, LightOkay. Cantrips. Well, again, consider making them 1st Level spells. Other cantrips worth dumping, I think, as they would be easily abused:
Mending (magical repairs for anything broken would have the potential to break the setting's grittiness)
You got it. I'll look over Cantrips again. Mending is out; you are right-- too supernatural. Maybe a couple of others need to be converted to 1st level spells, that's an idea. I know that I want to protect a few Cantrips, like Guidance or some of the others that just give you a little extra invisible performance boost. I think those are safe because they are something tangible to say that this guy has something that just makes things elevate a bit. They are like prayers or petitions for help. Also, though we see them happening in the game on the roles, for the actual story they cannot be verified. After someone hits or saves or defends or whatever, a naysayer could still claim that they are not real "Your charms don't matter to me, priest. I still would have hit the mark without your silly prayers to the wind." But very true, I need to address the Domain spells as well. Never looked at those.
? The following 1st Level spell is not available: Guiding BoltGood call! Also, remember that their spell access will be expanded by their Domain choice.
? Venerated Deity for Clerics should be chosen from within two lists below.
o Most Frequent Local Deities:
? Gellir: god of mankind and civilization (Domains: Knowledge, Life)
? The First Gods: varied pantheon, see Celtic Gods (Domains: various by each)
o More Exotic, Less Prominent Deities (listed roughly in decreasing order of prominence):
? Yshala: goddess of luck and love (Domain: Life)
? Nicor: god of sea and storms (Domain: Tempest)
? Surrai: god of fire and the dawn (Domain: Light)
? Cahiim: god of war and strength (Domain: War)
? Kane: god of thieves (Domain: Trickery)
Spellcaster Class, Druid
? The Druid class is regionally linked to the Danneinkiff and culturally linked to the Dannein community. With extreme rare exception, all Druids are of the Dannein Human Subrace. If a PC wishes to choose a Human Sub-race other than Dannein, it must be understood that they will be a true oddity. It should be assumed that such a character was taken into the Dannein community, was immersed in the Dannein culture and religion and adopted it as his own, and has spent the vast majority of their life in the Danneinkiff region. Such a character does not, however, gain the Setting Bonus Feat (as detailed above) associated with the Dannein Sub-race.
? Druids recognize and respect all of the First Gods. Druids venerate Silvanus, the god of nature.
? The following Cantrips are not available: Produce Flame, Thorn Whip , Mending (fixing everyone's gear with a snap of the finger could ruin some of the gritty in the world) and Shillelagh (I'm not sure about letting them enchant a weapon, and then use their Spellcasting ability for their attack rolls) and Poison Spray (seems a little too high fantasy to me, kind of breaking the imagery of the game; imagining some Druid shooting puffs of poison seems immersion breaking, especially as a cantrip)
Right. Mending is out entirely. Poison Spray, let me check that out again. That can either be out or it is costly as a 1st level spell (and then probably out then in practical terms because it would likely be too weak to select for use to burn a precious spell slot. ha!) Shillelagh, I need to read that one again. That might stay. I like something about the idea that these guys CAN call on some super natural power. It IS completely out of the norm, but that is what is so off the charts weird about these guys. And similar to the comments above, that one in real vision is kind of "invisible" "unverifiable". Yeah as players we see the dice bonus, we see the clearance to hit things that require enchantment, hit chance changing from martial skill to some sort of WIS base, but in fake life of the characters, they just see that the environmentalist nature-boy mumble some weirdo prayers, start shouting with some authority, and now he's throwing a beat down thrashing on the winged demon with a hardwood stick. "Damn. Maybe all that country religion shit is for real, or maybe he is just getting motivated because he thinks it is real. That's probably it. Whatever."
? The power of Druid Wild Shape, attained at 2nd Level, will be adjusted as follows:
o A druid must choose one Wild Shape that he can change into. It cannot be a swimming, water breathing, or flying animal. It must be an animal that he has seen and observed over a reasonable time in nature. This one animal will be the template of his Wild Shape form. The druid does have options to tailor some characteristics (hair color, markings, eye color, etc.) of his own Wild Shape form within reason, reflecting some continuity with natural animals of the sort. Make the look of their Wild Shape permanent, allowing them to be recognized if/when NPC's become familiar, allowing for those "We have to track down that damn black wolf" scenes.
Alright. That's a pretty cool touch. I'll build wording in there to capture a defining mark as an option, that the form has to be consistent, not changing colors or endless variety of cosmetic features every time they do the change.
o The Wild Shape can increase or decrease in body mass and size from the caster?s normal form to a maximum of +/- 30%. This may require that he become a version of the animal that is larger or smaller than its natural counterpart. No transformation can shift a Druid?s size lower than Small or higher than Large.Again, this should be a permanent choice, as if each Druid has a singular, alternate form that can't be adjusted, making them identifiable when they are in Wild Shape
Right. No giant black wolf on Tuesday night and then little baby black wolf on Friday night.
o The standard transformation time is 30 minutes to get into Wild Shape form and 5 minutes to revert back to normal.
o There is an option for a ?fast transformation,? which is two turns (12 seconds) Wild Shape form and 1 turn (6 seconds) to revert. If the fast transformation is used, the character must make a DC 10 CON save or suffer 1 level of Exhaustion for 1 minute. Regardless of the result of that save, duration of the Wild Shape form will be half the normal time (1/2 hour at 2nd Level). Upon transforming back to normal after a fast transformation, the character will suffer 2 levels of Exhaustion for 5 minutes.
o Clothing and equipment cannot be merged with the transformation. All material carried and clothing worn retains its normal shape and properties during a druid?s transformation.Good. Otherwise it's just way too high fantasy.
o After the use of Wild Shape, a druid will have feelings of extreme thirst and considerable hunger. These feelings do not translate into any performance modifications or game mechanics.
o Each year, just after the passing of winter, the druid has the option of changing his Wild Shape to another animal that he has observed over a reasonable time in nature. That will become his new Wild Shape, at least for the year that follows.Nice touch that adds a little flexibility for the Druid along the way.
Thought was to give some diversity, link it to something earthy and cyclic like the seasons, and also allow for the practical sense of changing animals to different locales and terrains if that is desired. If a Dannein druid uses a mountain lion for years, then relocates to live in the lush forests of Nuuth Seeta (India) for several years, maybe he wants to become close to that land and adjust Wild Shape to a local animal like bengal tiger.
Backgrounds:
All detailed in the PHB.5e are acceptable. PCs can choose any of those and also add 1 additional Skill of choice to the Skill Proficiencies listed (as mentioned above). Players should be able to briefly explain why their character has that extra skill, in a way that fits with the setting.
I am also open to the idea of PCs creating alternate backgrounds if they sell a plausible idea. We can talk about it at least. If this option interests anyone, PCs can send a PM to suggest a background and include 3 reasonable Skill Proficiencies that correspond. Along with a description, I?m hoping for a title of maybe 1 or 2 words?something that paints a quick picture and fits on the Character Sheet field for Background.
Personality Traits, Ideals, Flaws, and Bonds are optional--welcome but not required. I think those sorts of things can be more fluid and varied, described or not within your background and vision of the character that you are trying to build. Ideas should not be limited to only those listed within these charts.
Languages:
All characters speak the language of their own Human Sub-race plus the Yuoric language.
Characters of the Yuoric Sub-race speak Yuoric, Dannein, and one additional language of choice from the Human Sub-race, Local Normalcy Tier 2 listed above.
Alignments:
None. We will not be using the classic D&D Alignment System in these stories. The good versus evil, law versus chaos backdrop will not play a prominent role in these stories. Issues of morality, character, philosophy, and worldview will be assumed to vary depending on the subject and the situation. I want to avoid setting PCs on a ?train track? of prescribed behavior or decision-making. I also want to allow for characters to behave selfishly or pragmatically without feeling that they are identifying themselves as Evil. On the other hand, characters who decide to do something altruistic or righteous in a given circumstance are not necessarily identifying themselves as Good. Also, there may be a wide variety of reasons for PCs to be inconsistent or even prejudiced in their choices and roleplaying. This is quietly one of the best parts of the game, but every time I read it I think "that's awesome.'
For those who are interested, there are some Codes of Honor that are posted in the ?Setting Description? Forum section. These include the Barbaric Code of Honor, the Civilized Code of Honor, and Honor among Thieves. These are just options and meant to help paint a picture about the behavior of some of the members of different communities within the setting. They may be followed by some NPCs. Some of them are generally associated with certain regions or with certain human sub-races, but they are not universal. They are not required to be adopted by PCs, and even if they are adopted, they can be adhered to or broken as decided by the player. Okay. Have to be done for the night now! For real this time. Looking forward to reading about those!
Thanks again for review. Feel bad for giving you the late night assignment, working overtime on special projects with no pay! As always though, I'm just in habit of sharing the info at this point, but don't want to make you feel under any obligation. Even if the game has some flaws, and I'm sure it does, hopefully it will still be playable and we can wing it on some adjustments if they are necessary on the road. The main thing is for all of this to remain a fun escape.
- J
Thanks for the review. This message board comms plan is perfect. I made a few comments in Green.
I am trying unapologetic bribery to get people to pick the "Local Guys" as highest frequency and the "Nearby Guys" as 2nd highest frequency. Power gamers step right up!!!
But seriously, we've talked about it before, I would like the party to make sense for the starting location, but I do want it to be POSSIBLE for someone to truly be playing a Stranger in a Strange Land from the beginning if that's what they really want. Second, I think the Feat choice selection is trying to say something about the different people groups - - something like trends or styles of the community of each regional sub-race. Third, would like the characters to have some level of affinity for or comfort with their common origin and for each other, at least enough connection to make sense that they form an adventuring party. Lastly, hoping to in the long run have the gradual reveal to the foreign lands, with a larger bulk of the party sharing similar experiences of unfamiliarity while moving together into alternate cultures in more remote regions. Loading the dice for all of that so to speak, plus having a little bit of extra fun in the sub-race selection. Other alternatives to Stranger in a Strange Land: If the players want to play other races, they could be the child of parents who were immigrants, or they could have immigrated during their childhood, or their early teens, perhaps as a way for the player to get that Stranger in a Strange Land feel, without them knowing a lot about the lands where they originally come from. No need to force this on the players, but it might make an interesting option you could present. In the end, if they are truly Strangers in a Strange Land, then you'll have to give them a knowledge of sorts (meaning they could ask where certain organizations might be found, services, etc) if we ever go to their home turf (which would make up for their lack of starting bonuses)
So check it out, and also can't wait to know what character you are going to build. And on that, no requirement whatsoever for you to "pitch" any kind of character like it's a trial run or an application. You've done so much to get this thing off of the ground as a co-developer so I hope it goes without saying that I want you to have the run of the table on whatever sort of character you imagine. Thanks, appreciate it! Interestingly, despite the reduced choices via the setting, I still find myself torn between possibilities! Especially with the expanded feat list, archetypes... so many great combos I can imagine...
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Character Generation
Point Buy System.
Available Points Budget: 30
Maximum Purchasable Attribute Before Bonuses: 16
Minimum Purchasable Attribute Before Bonuses (starting value): 8
No increased point cost for higher scores (one point Budget spent always means 1 point Ability Score gained, even at higher scores).
All PCs will be Human. House Rule Variant Human Traits:
+1 to 2 different Ability Scores of Choice
+1 Skill Proficiency (discussed below in Background section)
Feat availability determined by Human Sub-Race and Class (see below).
Players must choose a Human Sub-race.
Human Sub-races are discussed in detail in the separate Forum thread ?Human Sub-races?. They are listed below in 3 Tiers related to their ?Local Normalcy? in our starting environment, which is on the Andra Peninsula, in a border region between the Yuoric Markkeland Kingdom of Jeres and a rugged hinterland area called the Danneinkiff.
Local Normalcy Tier 1: Highly Frequent Sub-races in the region of our campaign launch. The ?locals? of the area.
? Yuoric
? Dannein
Local Favoritism: PCs of Sub-race Tier 1 gain one Ability Score Bonus and a Setting Bonus Feat. Yes, the locals get a ?hometown advantage.?
? Yuorics get a +1 to CON, INT, or CHA
? Yuorics choose 1 of the following Setting Bonus Feats: Athlete, Linguist, Lucky, Martial Adept, Resilient, Sentinel, Skilled
? Danneins get a +1 to STR, CON, or WIS
? Danneins choose 1 of the following Setting Bonus Feats: Alert, Durable, Great Weapon Master, Observant, Savage Attacker, Tavern Brawler, ToughNicely done on the racial bonuses here, especially given the variation available via feat selection.
Local Normalcy Tier 2: Moderately Frequent Sub-races in campaign launch region. May be viewed at times as somewhat unusual. These are the people from close neighboring lands or smaller imbedded sub-cultures within the region.
? Kortellan
? Pylosean
? Esosanean
? Alijanian
Close Neighbor Favoritism: PCs of Sub-race Tier 2 gain a Setting Bonus Feat. Not as favored as the Locals, but they have a bit of an edge in the area.
? Kortellan choose 1: Actor, Charger, Mounted Combatant
? Pylosean choose 1: Grappler, Linguist, Shield Master
? Esosanean choose 1: Defensive Duelist, Polearm Master, Resilient
? Alijanian choose 1: Durable, Mobile, Skulker
Local Normalcy Tier 3: Infrequent Sub-races in campaign launch region. Will likely be viewed as highly unusual foreigners who are a long way from home and out of place in the region. Listed roughly in order of most frequent to least in the region where our campaign will start.
? Gaeirmundi
? Ingvaelor
? Voldruvan
? Jbailian
? Korsian
? Murmaran
? Sarceran
? Heshban
? Arkkadi
? Bishtu
? Sekeri
? Pakti
? Seetan
PCs START AT LEVEL 3.
Character Classes, Available with No Limits:
? Barbarian
? Fighter
? Rogue
Multi-classing is fully permitted and unrestricted between the classes above. By unrestricted do you mean no required ability scores to multi-class? If that's the case, that's actually a good idea. Strange, in that it seems counter intuitive, but good, in the sense that it expands player options even more so (e.g., "So what if I have an 8 DEX? I'm picking up Rogue!", which will still ahve viable uses, to be sure.
I was mainly just saying that multi-classing is permitted, and people could jump back and forth with no abnormal restrictions or requirements, like the special limitations faced by the Druid/Cleric classes. I haven't really thought of doing away with the prereq, but I will think it over. Maybe it doesn't matter, and if you have a low DEX then you might just be a not-so-great Thief as your example. Still, maybe there is a reason for the special skills being available, something like the necessity to have certain minimum DEX to have enough smooth movement to take advantage of Sneak Attack. Some of me wants to be silent on some things and just let the majority of the RaW stand as they are. But I will think about it. I'll either state the change clearly (no prereqs for multi-class) or I will reword what I was trying to say to clarify (multi-classing is permitted per normal rules).
All Characters: Choice of Two (2) Feats --OR-- Access to Limited Spellcaster Classes:
? PCs can choose to gain access to Limited Spellcaster Classes (detailed below). Characters who do so must start their character's career with a Spellcasting Class Level and do not get to choose any Feats at initial Character Generation (except for the possibility of getting Sub-Race related Feats, as mentioned above). I know you mention the the requirement for PC's to start the game as one of the spellcaster classes later, but I thought it was worth mentioning here as well, to help avoid questions for players who are 'skimmers' and might miss some details.
Good call. Needs to be reiterated here as you say.
? PCs who choose only Class Levels within the ?No Limit? classes can choose 2 Feats, from within the limits below, at initial Character Generation (these 2 Feats are in addition to the possibility of Sub-Race related Feats mentioned above for Dannein and Yuoric Sub-race).
? Feats that are not allowed for choice at Character Generation: Crossbow Expert, Dungeon Delver, Elemental Adept, Mage Slayer, Magic Initiate, Spell Sniper, War Caster.
? The Ritual Caster Feat is available, but is modified and described as follows:
o Ritual Caster: Prerequisite INT score of 16 and Background of Acolyte, Hermit, or Sage. Ritual Casting will always be Intelligence-based. Those who choose this Feat do not have to choose one Class to which spells will be limited. For the initial two 1st level spells contained within the Ritual Book, PCs can choose from the Wizard, Sorcerer, or Warlock lists, and the spells must have the Ritual tag. For future spell options, PCs may gain access to spells of a Level up to their INT modifier (not up to half of their level as described in the standard Feat description). Note that Ritual magic in the setting world is ancient and mysterious, a field of study that lacks clarity on its potential and its limitations. PCs who take this Feat should assume that there could be considerable variation in the nature of future spells that may come available. Some spells listed in the PHB without the Ritual tag will be found to have the Ritual tag in this setting, and vice versa. There may be variations on casting times, durations, and areas of affect, both increases and decreases, for some Ritual spells. There may be variances of components required. Certain Rituals discovered may involve some risks or danger to cast. In sum, Ritual Casting is a scarcely understood practice, so characters who choose this Feat should adopt a general spirit of delving into the unknown.
Spellcaster Character Classes, Available with Limitations
? Cleric
? Druid
Spellcaster Class Limitations, applies to both Cleric and Druid
? At time of Character Generation, PCs can choose to take 1 Spellcaster Level, either Level 1 Cleric or Level 1 Druid. No character can ever have levels of both Cleric and Druid.
? The other 2 Class Levels necessary to get to Character Level 3 overall at campaign launch must be chosen from the available Classes with No Limits listed above.
? The maximum level ever attainable for either Cleric or Druid is Level 2.
? The earliest option to gain Level 2 of Cleric or Druid is at combined Character Level 4
? Characters cannot Multi-Class into Cleric or Druid Classes at a later time. Spellcaster Class must be chosen at time of Character Generation or not at all. The exceptionalism of the sort of power and abilities associated with spellcasters in this setting cannot be overstated. It is a true rarity throughout the world. To ever achieve access to these capabilities, characters are assumed to have had some exceptional conversion experiences or a series of life events that have led to the divine power that they gain. It could be a lifetime of learning, study, immersion in prayer and reflection, an intense commitment to special cultural and societal participation in their divine practice, or an overwhelming religious revelation. Likely it has been a combination of one or all of these things that has somehow allowed this exceptional access to divine miracles.
? Characters who choose a Spellcaster class should expect some limitations to spells available and to the effects of some spells, as some capabilities will be adjusted to fit the low-magic setting. Specific details given below in the Cleric and Druid sections.
Spellcaster Class, Cleric
? PCs who choose the Cleric class should note that many deities in the setting are often associated with a certain region or a certain Human Sub-race. On the balance, most religious leaders and the rare few that become spellcasters of a religion are a part of the Human Sub-Race that has historically venerated the given deity. This is a trend, not a rule. There are exceptions. People from different groups do adopt religions viewed by their original community as foreign and some venerate gods of other lands. The trend is only mentioned here as information to inform character development and background planning.
? More detail about Deities and Religion is provided in the separate Forum thread of the same title.
? The following Cantrips are not available: Sacred Flame, LightOkay. Cantrips. Well, again, consider making them 1st Level spells. Other cantrips worth dumping, I think, as they would be easily abused:
Mending (magical repairs for anything broken would have the potential to break the setting's grittiness)
You got it. I'll look over Cantrips again. Mending is out; you are right-- too supernatural. Maybe a couple of others need to be converted to 1st level spells, that's an idea. I know that I want to protect a few Cantrips, like Guidance or some of the others that just give you a little extra invisible performance boost. I think those are safe because they are something tangible to say that this guy has something that just makes things elevate a bit. They are like prayers or petitions for help. Also, though we see them happening in the game on the roles, for the actual story they cannot be verified. After someone hits or saves or defends or whatever, a naysayer could still claim that they are not real "Your charms don't matter to me, priest. I still would have hit the mark without your silly prayers to the wind." But very true, I need to address the Domain spells as well. Never looked at those.
? The following 1st Level spell is not available: Guiding BoltGood call! Also, remember that their spell access will be expanded by their Domain choice.
? Venerated Deity for Clerics should be chosen from within two lists below.
o Most Frequent Local Deities:
? Gellir: god of mankind and civilization (Domains: Knowledge, Life)
? The First Gods: varied pantheon, see Celtic Gods (Domains: various by each)
o More Exotic, Less Prominent Deities (listed roughly in decreasing order of prominence):
? Yshala: goddess of luck and love (Domain: Life)
? Nicor: god of sea and storms (Domain: Tempest)
? Surrai: god of fire and the dawn (Domain: Light)
? Cahiim: god of war and strength (Domain: War)
? Kane: god of thieves (Domain: Trickery)
Spellcaster Class, Druid
? The Druid class is regionally linked to the Danneinkiff and culturally linked to the Dannein community. With extreme rare exception, all Druids are of the Dannein Human Subrace. If a PC wishes to choose a Human Sub-race other than Dannein, it must be understood that they will be a true oddity. It should be assumed that such a character was taken into the Dannein community, was immersed in the Dannein culture and religion and adopted it as his own, and has spent the vast majority of their life in the Danneinkiff region. Such a character does not, however, gain the Setting Bonus Feat (as detailed above) associated with the Dannein Sub-race.
? Druids recognize and respect all of the First Gods. Druids venerate Silvanus, the god of nature.
? The following Cantrips are not available: Produce Flame, Thorn Whip , Mending (fixing everyone's gear with a snap of the finger could ruin some of the gritty in the world) and Shillelagh (I'm not sure about letting them enchant a weapon, and then use their Spellcasting ability for their attack rolls) and Poison Spray (seems a little too high fantasy to me, kind of breaking the imagery of the game; imagining some Druid shooting puffs of poison seems immersion breaking, especially as a cantrip)
Right. Mending is out entirely. Poison Spray, let me check that out again. That can either be out or it is costly as a 1st level spell (and then probably out then in practical terms because it would likely be too weak to select for use to burn a precious spell slot. ha!) Shillelagh, I need to read that one again. That might stay. I like something about the idea that these guys CAN call on some super natural power. It IS completely out of the norm, but that is what is so off the charts weird about these guys. And similar to the comments above, that one in real vision is kind of "invisible" "unverifiable". Yeah as players we see the dice bonus, we see the clearance to hit things that require enchantment, hit chance changing from martial skill to some sort of WIS base, but in fake life of the characters, they just see that the environmentalist nature-boy mumble some weirdo prayers, start shouting with some authority, and now he's throwing a beat down thrashing on the winged demon with a hardwood stick. "Damn. Maybe all that country religion shit is for real, or maybe he is just getting motivated because he thinks it is real. That's probably it. Whatever."
? The power of Druid Wild Shape, attained at 2nd Level, will be adjusted as follows:
o A druid must choose one Wild Shape that he can change into. It cannot be a swimming, water breathing, or flying animal. It must be an animal that he has seen and observed over a reasonable time in nature. This one animal will be the template of his Wild Shape form. The druid does have options to tailor some characteristics (hair color, markings, eye color, etc.) of his own Wild Shape form within reason, reflecting some continuity with natural animals of the sort. Make the look of their Wild Shape permanent, allowing them to be recognized if/when NPC's become familiar, allowing for those "We have to track down that damn black wolf" scenes.
Alright. That's a pretty cool touch. I'll build wording in there to capture a defining mark as an option, that the form has to be consistent, not changing colors or endless variety of cosmetic features every time they do the change.
o The Wild Shape can increase or decrease in body mass and size from the caster?s normal form to a maximum of +/- 30%. This may require that he become a version of the animal that is larger or smaller than its natural counterpart. No transformation can shift a Druid?s size lower than Small or higher than Large.Again, this should be a permanent choice, as if each Druid has a singular, alternate form that can't be adjusted, making them identifiable when they are in Wild Shape
Right. No giant black wolf on Tuesday night and then little baby black wolf on Friday night.
o The standard transformation time is 30 minutes to get into Wild Shape form and 5 minutes to revert back to normal.
o There is an option for a ?fast transformation,? which is two turns (12 seconds) Wild Shape form and 1 turn (6 seconds) to revert. If the fast transformation is used, the character must make a DC 10 CON save or suffer 1 level of Exhaustion for 1 minute. Regardless of the result of that save, duration of the Wild Shape form will be half the normal time (1/2 hour at 2nd Level). Upon transforming back to normal after a fast transformation, the character will suffer 2 levels of Exhaustion for 5 minutes.
o Clothing and equipment cannot be merged with the transformation. All material carried and clothing worn retains its normal shape and properties during a druid?s transformation.Good. Otherwise it's just way too high fantasy.
o After the use of Wild Shape, a druid will have feelings of extreme thirst and considerable hunger. These feelings do not translate into any performance modifications or game mechanics.
o Each year, just after the passing of winter, the druid has the option of changing his Wild Shape to another animal that he has observed over a reasonable time in nature. That will become his new Wild Shape, at least for the year that follows.Nice touch that adds a little flexibility for the Druid along the way.
Thought was to give some diversity, link it to something earthy and cyclic like the seasons, and also allow for the practical sense of changing animals to different locales and terrains if that is desired. If a Dannein druid uses a mountain lion for years, then relocates to live in the lush forests of Nuuth Seeta (India) for several years, maybe he wants to become close to that land and adjust Wild Shape to a local animal like bengal tiger.
Backgrounds:
All detailed in the PHB.5e are acceptable. PCs can choose any of those and also add 1 additional Skill of choice to the Skill Proficiencies listed (as mentioned above). Players should be able to briefly explain why their character has that extra skill, in a way that fits with the setting.
I am also open to the idea of PCs creating alternate backgrounds if they sell a plausible idea. We can talk about it at least. If this option interests anyone, PCs can send a PM to suggest a background and include 3 reasonable Skill Proficiencies that correspond. Along with a description, I?m hoping for a title of maybe 1 or 2 words?something that paints a quick picture and fits on the Character Sheet field for Background.
Personality Traits, Ideals, Flaws, and Bonds are optional--welcome but not required. I think those sorts of things can be more fluid and varied, described or not within your background and vision of the character that you are trying to build. Ideas should not be limited to only those listed within these charts.
Languages:
All characters speak the language of their own Human Sub-race plus the Yuoric language.
Characters of the Yuoric Sub-race speak Yuoric, Dannein, and one additional language of choice from the Human Sub-race, Local Normalcy Tier 2 listed above.
Alignments:
None. We will not be using the classic D&D Alignment System in these stories. The good versus evil, law versus chaos backdrop will not play a prominent role in these stories. Issues of morality, character, philosophy, and worldview will be assumed to vary depending on the subject and the situation. I want to avoid setting PCs on a ?train track? of prescribed behavior or decision-making. I also want to allow for characters to behave selfishly or pragmatically without feeling that they are identifying themselves as Evil. On the other hand, characters who decide to do something altruistic or righteous in a given circumstance are not necessarily identifying themselves as Good. Also, there may be a wide variety of reasons for PCs to be inconsistent or even prejudiced in their choices and roleplaying. This is quietly one of the best parts of the game, but every time I read it I think "that's awesome.'
For those who are interested, there are some Codes of Honor that are posted in the ?Setting Description? Forum section. These include the Barbaric Code of Honor, the Civilized Code of Honor, and Honor among Thieves. These are just options and meant to help paint a picture about the behavior of some of the members of different communities within the setting. They may be followed by some NPCs. Some of them are generally associated with certain regions or with certain human sub-races, but they are not universal. They are not required to be adopted by PCs, and even if they are adopted, they can be adhered to or broken as decided by the player. Okay. Have to be done for the night now! For real this time. Looking forward to reading about those!
Thanks again for review. Feel bad for giving you the late night assignment, working overtime on special projects with no pay! As always though, I'm just in habit of sharing the info at this point, but don't want to make you feel under any obligation. Even if the game has some flaws, and I'm sure it does, hopefully it will still be playable and we can wing it on some adjustments if they are necessary on the road. The main thing is for all of this to remain a fun escape.
- J
