1573 lines
88 KiB
Plaintext
1573 lines
88 KiB
Plaintext
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- Enhanced Dungeons & Dragons -
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- Version 1.2 -
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- Silverfist Productions 1993 -
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- ezra%users%lw@cc3.kuleuven.ac.be -
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------------------------------------
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[Net note: Consider this to be my exhaustive list of house rules. They
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touch in some way or another on most aspects of the AD&D 2nd Ed. game,
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but its modular build-up makes it possible to incorporate any part you
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like. I have been reading parts of the archives at greyhawk.stanford.edu,
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so I am aware of most of the alternatives presented there.
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I have talked all changes over with my playesr and revised where they
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thought it appropriate - that caused version 1.1 . I got some feedback
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after mailing this to interested members of ADND-L - so the EDND rules
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are now in version 1.2 . If you want to see a version 1.3, or (who knows)
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version 2.0 then you will have to give me some more feedback.
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The text was written for my players, so I have added 'net notes'
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giving more information where I thought it was useful. A general note is
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that my revisions on the whole create somewhat stronger characters than
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the official rules (more hit points, specialization, better ability
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scores); as a DM I have never had problems with this: I simply made the
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adventures somewhat harder.
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The two major advantages of the revisions are that some 'unrealistic'
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rules are dropped, and that players get a chance to really develop their
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characters in a custom-made way.
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Send all comments, queries, flames & hints to this address:
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ezra%users%lw@cc3.kuleuven.ac.be
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Silverfist. ]
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INTRODUCTION
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------------
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The following changes to the AD&D 2nd Edition game have their origin
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in feelings of dissatifaction with the original rules. Some have been
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designed to give the players greater freedom in developing their
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characters; others have been introduced in order to make my campaign
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world more 'realistic'. The changes are, of course, only applicable in
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my Forgotten Realms(TM) campaigns. They are not intended to be the final
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word on these matters - players who feel dissatisfied with my rules are
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encouraged to create their own versions. Playtesting will then show which
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one adds the most to the fun of the entire gaming group.
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Rolling Ability Scores
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----------------------
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[Net note: if you like the idea behind this system, but you consider it
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too generous, then just decrease the number of dice players can roll to
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26 (or whatever, though 18 is the minimum) d6's.]
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I allow only one method of rolling PC's in my game worlds. It is
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based on an article that appeared in a Dragon several years ago. The
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underlying idea is quite simple: the player is allowed to roll 31d6 for
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the six ability scores of his or her character. A player can freely allot
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these dice, but 3d6 is the minimum for any ability score: e.g. a player
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intent on getting a real strong, but clumsy Fighter may allot 9d6 to
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Strength and Constitution each, 4d6 to Dexterity, and 3d6 to the other
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three abilties. For each ability score the three highest rolls are taken
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(note that this is not obligatory: a player who wants a weak character,
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but rolls 18 on 3d6 may lower this to 8, 6 or whatever, but he or she
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cannot use these points to increase another ability score). These values
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then have to be modified according to the race of the character (see
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Character Races).
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The following table shows the distribution of 28d6 for prototypical
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members of each Character Class (the player should allot the other 3d6
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as he or she considers most appropriate for the character he or she wants
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to play):
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Character Class Str Int Wis Dex Con Cha Minimum Scores
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--------------- --- --- --- --- --- --- --------------
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Fighter 7 3 4 5 6 3 Str: 9
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Paladin 6 3 6 3 4 6
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Str: 12; Wis: 13; Con: 9; Cha: 12
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Ranger 6 4 6 4 6 3
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Str: 13; Wis: 12; Dex: 12; Con: 14
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Commander 6 3 4 3 6 6
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Str: 13; Wis: 10; Con: 14; Cha: 13
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Thief 4 6 3 7 4 4 Dex: 9
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Bard 4 4 4 5 5 6
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Int: 11; Wis: 11: Dex: 12; Cha: 14
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Mage 3 7 5 6 4 3 Int: 9
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Illusionist 3 6 5 6 3 5 Int: 9; Dex: 14
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Abjurer 3 6 6 6 4 3 Int: 9: Wis: 13
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Conjurer 3 6 5 5 6 3 Int: 9; Con: 13
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Diviner 3 6 6 5 4 4 Int: 9; Wis: 14
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Enchanter 3 6 5 5 3 6 Int: 9; Cha: 14
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Invoker 3 6 4 5 6 4 Int: 9; Con: 14
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Necromancer 4 6 6 5 4 3 Int: 9; Wis: 14
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Transmuter 3 6 5 6 5 3 Int: 9; Dex: 13
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Cleric 5 3 7 3 5 5 Wis: 9
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Druid 5 3 6 4 4 6 Wis: 12; Cha: 13
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Other Sp. Priest Var. Var. 6 Var. Var. Var. Variable
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Assassin 6 4 4 6 5 3 Fighter/Thief
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Crusader 6 3 6 4 5 4 Fighter/Cleric
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Warlock 6 6 3 5 5 3 Fighter/Mage (Illus.)
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Magician 4 6 4 6 4 4 Thief/Mage (Illus.)
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Sorcerer 4 6 6 4 4 4 Cleric/Mage (Illus.)
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Avenger 4 4 6 6 4 4 Thief/Cleric
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The table also shows the minimum abilities for characters of each
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class. Note that almost of them are different from those in the PHB. In
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all cases, the minima have been lowered so as to make it easier for a
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player to get the character of his or her choice. The six 'new' Character
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Classes are simply new names for the multi-class characters (see
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Character Classes).
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When a player has decided on the race and class of his or her
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character, he or she is allowed to roll up three sets of ability scores
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that meet the minimum scores (after racial modifications). The player can
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then choose which of the three sets he or she retains for the character.
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Character Races
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---------------
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[Net note: more races, more fun. My players do NOT volunteer for playing
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drow, because I take most races' xenophobism very seriously. But if a
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player wants to take up the challenge, then there is no problem for me.
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I allow more variation in ability scores, because it gives characters
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more personal identity, without unbalancing the game - simply make the
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adventure somewhat harder.]
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The following races can be chosen for PC's:
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Race Str Int Wis Dex Con Cha
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---- --- --- --- --- --- ---
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Human 18 18 18 18 18 18
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Dwarf (Mountain,Hill) 18 18 -1 18 +1 18 -1 18 +1 18 /1
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Dwarf (Duergar) 18 18 -1 18 18 18 +1 18 /6
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Gnome (Hill) 18 -1 18 +1 18 -1 18 +1 18 -1 18 *1
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Gnome (Svirfneblin) 18 -1 18 +1 18 18 +2 18 -1 18 /4
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Halfling (All) 18 -1 18 18 18 +2 18 -1 18
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Orc 18 +1 18 -4 18 -2 18 18 +1 18 /6
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Half-Orc 18 +1 18 -2 18 -1 18 18 +1 18 /4
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Elf (High) 18 -1 18 +1 18 18 +1 18 -1 18
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Elf (Grey) 18 -1 18 +1 18 +1 18 +1 18 -2 18
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Elf (Wood) 18 18 18 18 +1 18 -1 18 /2
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Elf (Wild) 18 18 -1 18 -1 18 +2 18 18 /3
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Elf (Snow) 18 -1 18 18 18 +1 18 18 /2
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Elf (Dark) 18 -1 18 +1 18 -1 18 +2 18 -1 18 /8
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Half-Elf 18 18 18 18 +1 18 -1 18
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Other races are possible too: Gnolls, Minotaurs, Brownies, ... But those
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races can not be chosen without the agreement of the DM. The Table also
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indicates the new modifiers for the various character races: e.g. an Orc
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with maximal ability scores will have Strength 19, Intelligence 14,
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Wisdom 16, Dexterity 18, Constitution 19 and Charisma 12 (18). The two
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special signs in the column for Charisma have the following meaning: '/'
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indicates that the character has a lower Charisma score when dealing with
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humans (the dominant race in the Realms), '*' indicates that Hill Gnomes
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are treated by Humans as if their Charisma was one higher than it really
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is. The real Charisma is used for interactions between the non-human
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character and members of his or her own race. The modifiers for Charisma
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may disappear when the local population gets to know the true nature of
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the character: e.g. the way Drizzt Do'Urden, a drow, is slowly accepted
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in Icewind Dale. In an adventuring group, the modifiers normally
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disappear after a few months of traveling together.
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Note further that in the Realms any child of an Elf and a Human is
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a Half-Elf (the general 2nd Edition rule does not hold), and that "The
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Elves of the Forgotten Realms are of human height, but much more
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slender." (Cyclopedia of the Realms p.41)
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Character Classes
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-----------------
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[Net note: Most of you will probably consider the new hit die system
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outrageous. Know therefore that in our Realms, Greyhawk, Dark Sun &
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Ravenloft campaigns, we allow players at each level to roll the
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appropriate die (e.g. d10 for Fighters) twice and take the highest roll.
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My new system makes only Fighters significantly better (on average 8
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hit points per level) when compared to our old system (on average 7 hit
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points per level); but my players agreed with the upgrading of the
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Fighter class. If you like the idea, but not the increased hit points,
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then you can subtract 1 from the fixed number of hit points a character
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receives at each level and/or you can change the d4 roll by a d3 roll -
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the combination of both decreases the average amount of hit points at
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each level with 1 1/2, so that the values get close to those the original
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system gives, but without its unrealistic total random aspect.
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The new hit die system also removes the useless anxiety associated with
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reaching a new level. What should be a great occasion often boils down
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to a nervous player hardly daring to throw the die that will determine
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his or her new hit points total. And when a 1 or 2 comes up, the player
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often goes into a deep depression for some time. It spoils part of the
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fun.]
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* First some general remarks:
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- All combinations of races and classes are allowed: there is no a
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priori reason why an Elf should be banned from the Paladin class, or why
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a Dwarf would find it impossible to become a Mage. Still, there are good
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reasons for the relative scarcity of these combinations. Most of these
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have to do with the different cultures of the races: e.g. Elves and Orcs
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do not have Lawful Good deities in their pantheons, so characters of
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these races will have to find a deity of another race who is willing to
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accept them as true followers; Halflings and Dwarves do have Lawful Good
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deities, but Paladinship is not something highly valued in their
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cultures; Dwarves do not often live in woods, so Druids are therefore
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extremely rare among them - and Dwarven deities do not consider nature
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very important; ... . But for Dwarves, Halflings and Gnomes there is
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another reason why they do not often meddle in wizardly magic: these
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races are themselves inherently magical (cfr. Table 9 on page 21 in the
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PHB), so that spells have a tendency to go awry when a member of one of
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these races casts them: this chance of malfunctioning is 20%. There is
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one exception to this: Gnomes have no difficulties with Illusion/Phantasm
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spells. That explains why Gnomes often opt for specialization in this
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school of magic. Nevertheless, the problem for spells of other schools
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remains. Therefore Gnomish Illusionists have a habit of being devout
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followers of one of their gods (although occasionally Leira will also
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'adopt' a Gnome): these gods then make sure that spells of other schools
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of magic hardly ever (never say never to a Gnome) misfire: this chance
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now becomes 5% per casting. Gnomish Illusionists who fall out of favor
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with their gods had better take care when attempting to cast a non-
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illusion spell. (Note: the multi-class options for Illusionists are only
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open to Gnomes).
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- All level restrictions are removed. Elves, Orcs and Halflings, for
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instance, can also become 20th level Fighters. The reason why there are
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no 42nd level Elven Mages is that all amounts of experience points needed
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to obtain a level after the 20th are now double those of the previous
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level: e.g. a 20th level Fighter needs 3,000,000 XP, a 21st level one
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needs 6,000,000 XP, a 22nd level one 12,000,000 XP, etc. Once one reaches
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20th level there is really not much one can learn anymore, so improvement
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becomes increasingly difficult - most adventurers either retire at these
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levels or leave the Forgotten Realms(TM) for other planes of existence.
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- All characters now gain a new hit die up to, and including, tenth
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level (versus ninth level for Warriors and Priests in the PHB). This
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change has to do with the modified Proficiency System (cfr. infra).
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- The hit die system is also changed. This modification was designed
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in order to make the random element smaller, so as to make impossible
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unlikely cases of 3rd level Fighters with 9 hit points (bad luck when
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rolling; and notice that this Fighter probably trained and fought as hard
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as the other Fighter in the group who was lucky and has 25 hit points at
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3rd level). The new system also allows finer distinctions to be made
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between the various classes, and makes it possible to reflect the way
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characters spend their time (this will become clear later on, see
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Proficiency System). This is the new table:
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Character Class Hit Die
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--------------- -------
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(Children) d4
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Mages d4 +1
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Magicians d4 +1 1/2
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Thieves & Sorcerers d4 +2
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Druids & Avengers d4 +2 1/2
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Bards & Warlocks d4 +3
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Clerics & Assassins d4 +3 1/2
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Crusaders d4 +4
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Paladins d4 +4 1/2
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Rangers & Commanders d4 +5
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Fighters d4 +5 1/2
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Specialty Priests d4 +Var
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This means that a Thief receives for his or her new level 2 hit
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points (a fixed amount) plus the result of a d4; a Paladin receives the
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result of the d4 plus 4 hit points on uneven levels and 5 hitpoints on
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even levels. This table of course increases the average number of hit
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points of characters: e.g. any 7th level Fighter will now have on average
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55 hit points - without Constitution bonus! But I don't think this will
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cause any difficulties, as the monsters have grown stronger too - they
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have d4+4 hit points per hit die. For the curious: 0th level NPC's have
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d4+2 hit points, militia members have d4+4, and Barbarians, when they are
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re-introduced, would get d4+6 hit points per level. (One last note: for
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each level, one is allowed to roll only once. This system is character
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friendly enough).
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- The 10% XP bonus for characters with high ability scores is
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dropped. There are several reasons: given my character creation method,
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nearly everybody would get this bonus, so that it wouldn't be of any use
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any more in differentiating the characters. Secondly, it causes
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difficulties in calculations. And finally, characters with high ability
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scores should get a 10% or 20% penalty, because they find things going
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for them so easy, that they actually learn less from what they do.
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- New character classes are allowed, as are kits from the various
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Complete ... Handbooks, although the DM has the final word on the exact
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capabilities (and the XP table) of each character class - kits are
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considered to be classes in their own right, not variations on a class.
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* Fighter: Besides the new hit die system, there is only one change:
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when a Fighter decides to become proficient (see Proficiency System) with
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a weapon, he or she automatically also becomes proficient with the other
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weapons of the same weapon group (the weapon groups are listed on p.52
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of the PHB): e.g. when a Fighter learns how to wield a hand axe, he also
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gains enough experience for wielding a battle axe without penalty. This
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change has its origin in the fact that Fighters spend more time
|
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practicing, and trying out weapons, than any other character class.
|
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* Ranger & Paladin: There is more than the new hit die system for these
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classes (they are now, like all other classes, also allowed to specialize
|
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in weapons, but that aspect will be treated under Proficiency System).
|
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The spheres a Ranger or Paladin (in both cases granted by a deity) has
|
|||
|
|
access to for casting spells are those spheres that Specialty Priests of
|
|||
|
|
their deity have major access to. Rangers and Paladins use the revised
|
|||
|
|
rules for spellcasting (see Magic & Spells).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Commander: This class is added to the AD&D game (see Appendix A).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Thief: Except for the new hit die system, there are no new rules.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Bard: Besides the revised hit die system, the Bard class is also
|
|||
|
|
changed in a number of ways. The idea behind the changes was to bring the
|
|||
|
|
class closer to the 1st Edition Bard.
|
|||
|
|
- A Bard may cast Priest spells of up to (and including) third level
|
|||
|
|
if he or she has this spell written down in a spellbook - the chance of
|
|||
|
|
learning new Priest spells is determined in the same way as that of
|
|||
|
|
learning Wizard spells: consult Table 4 of the PHB on p.16, but use the
|
|||
|
|
Bard's Wisdom score. The Bard only has access to spheres that are major
|
|||
|
|
spheres for the Specialty Priests of his or her Deity (these spheres are
|
|||
|
|
listed in the Forgotten Realms Adventures sourcebook, and, for non-
|
|||
|
|
humans, in the Monster Mythology). Bards that do not fulfil their
|
|||
|
|
religious duties will find that they can no longer cast Priest spells.
|
|||
|
|
- As for Wizard spells, there is no longer any limit to the number
|
|||
|
|
of spells per spell level that the Bard can have in his or her spellbook.
|
|||
|
|
- Bards use the revised rules for spellcasting (see Magic & Spells).
|
|||
|
|
They are also allowed to cast Wizard spells when wearing leather or
|
|||
|
|
padded armor, but the casting time (except for spells with only a verbal
|
|||
|
|
component) is doubled in these cases. When wearing armor heavier than
|
|||
|
|
leather or padded, only spells with only a verbal component (of the
|
|||
|
|
Wizard class, there are no problems with Priest spells) can be cast
|
|||
|
|
succesfully, still at their normal casting time.
|
|||
|
|
- Bards now use the following THAC0 table: 20, 20, 19, 18, 17, 17,
|
|||
|
|
16, 15, 14, 14, 13, 12, 11, 11, 10, 9, 8, 8, 7, 6. That is: a first level
|
|||
|
|
Bard has a basis THAC0 of 20, and a seventh level Bard has a basis THAC0
|
|||
|
|
of 16.
|
|||
|
|
- As these changes make the Bard more powerful, he or she will have
|
|||
|
|
to follow the XP level advancement table of the Fighter class. - The
|
|||
|
|
Bard no longer automatically attracts followers at tenth level after
|
|||
|
|
building a stronghold.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Clerics: Besides the new hit die system, there are also other
|
|||
|
|
changes. These were devised with the intention of prompting players to
|
|||
|
|
opt for Specialty Priests, because they have more interesting role
|
|||
|
|
playing profiles than the generic Cleric. A Cleric is from now on
|
|||
|
|
considered to be someone who has devoted his or her life to promoting a
|
|||
|
|
certain way of life (an alignment one might say), not so much as the
|
|||
|
|
tenets of a single Deity. A Neutral Good Cleric will therefore pray for
|
|||
|
|
his spells to all Neutral Good deities in his or her pantheon (he or she
|
|||
|
|
may still have a 'favorite' deity, of course).
|
|||
|
|
- Clerics retain their ability to turn (or command) undead, but
|
|||
|
|
because the links with their deities have become weaker, they are limited
|
|||
|
|
to casting spells of up to (and including) sixth level. Only in
|
|||
|
|
exceptional circumstances (when a catastrophe is near and there are no
|
|||
|
|
Specialty Priests in the neighborhood) will a deity grant them the use
|
|||
|
|
of seventh level spells. For Clerics of non-human races the level limit
|
|||
|
|
may be even more stringent, as their deities often are not as generous
|
|||
|
|
with spells as human deities. The following table summarizes the spell
|
|||
|
|
level limit for the various races:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Race Level Limit Race Level Limit
|
|||
|
|
---- ----------- ---- -----------
|
|||
|
|
Human 6 Elf (High) 6
|
|||
|
|
Dwarf (Mountain,Hill) 6 Elf (Grey) 6
|
|||
|
|
Dwarf (Duergar) 5 Elf (Wood) 6
|
|||
|
|
Gnome (Hill) 5 Elf (Wild) 6
|
|||
|
|
Gnome (Svirfneblin) 5 Elf (Snow) 6
|
|||
|
|
Halfling (All) 5 Elf (Dark) 6
|
|||
|
|
Orc 3 Half-Elf 6
|
|||
|
|
Half-Orc 4
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
- A Cleric is allowed to use all types of weapons, as there is no
|
|||
|
|
deity anymore to impose restrictions.
|
|||
|
|
- Clerics use the revised rules for spellcasting (see Magic &
|
|||
|
|
Spells).
|
|||
|
|
- A Cleric now uses this THAC0 table: 20, 19, 19, 18, 17, 17, 16,
|
|||
|
|
15, 14, 13, 13, 12, 11, 11, 10, 9, 9, 8, 7. That is: a first level Cleric
|
|||
|
|
has a basis THAC0 of 20, while a seventh level Cleric has 16. (This
|
|||
|
|
change is no real improvement for the Cleric on the original table, but
|
|||
|
|
the THAC0 no longer jumps with two numbers at a time - something quite
|
|||
|
|
unrealistic).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Specialty Priests (e.g. Druids): The revised hit die system is also
|
|||
|
|
used for Specialty Priests. The fixed (but see Proficiency System) amount
|
|||
|
|
of hit points a Specialty Priest receives each level depends on the kind
|
|||
|
|
of deity he or she serves: Specialty Priests of Azuth only receive d4 +2
|
|||
|
|
hit points each level, while those of Tempus get d4 +4 1/2; Druids
|
|||
|
|
receive d4 +3 hit points each level. The same variability holds true for
|
|||
|
|
the minimum abilty scores a Specialty Priest must have: those are
|
|||
|
|
mentioned in the Forgotten Realms Adventures sourcebook and in the
|
|||
|
|
Monster Mythology, and give an indication of the number of dice for each
|
|||
|
|
ability score a player normally roles with when creating his or her
|
|||
|
|
character.
|
|||
|
|
- Most Specialty Priests use the revised THAC0 table for Clerics, but
|
|||
|
|
Specialty Priests of a Deity of Love and Healing get another one, more
|
|||
|
|
akin to the Wizard THAC0 table.
|
|||
|
|
- The other detailed information (special abilities, spheres, weapons
|
|||
|
|
and armor allowed, and whether or not the turning (or commanding) ability
|
|||
|
|
is granted, ...) is not reproduced here, but can be found in the two
|
|||
|
|
books mentioned above.
|
|||
|
|
- Specialty Priests know few spell level restrictions. This table
|
|||
|
|
indicates the limit, if any (a number between brackets means that spells
|
|||
|
|
of that level can only be used by Specialty Priests with 19 or more
|
|||
|
|
Wisdom. When there remains a limit, e.g. for Orcs, then know that deities
|
|||
|
|
may grant higher level spells under exceptional circumstances):
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Race Level Limit Race Level Limit
|
|||
|
|
---- ----------- ---- -----------
|
|||
|
|
Human - Elf (High) -
|
|||
|
|
Dwarf (Mountain,Hill) - Elf (Grey) -
|
|||
|
|
Dwarf (Duergar) 6 (7) Elf (Wood) -
|
|||
|
|
Gnome (Hill) 6 (7) Elf (Wild) -
|
|||
|
|
Gnome (Svirfneblin) 6 (7) Elf (Snow) -
|
|||
|
|
Halfling (All) 6 (7) Elf (Dark) -
|
|||
|
|
Orc 4 (5) Half-Elf -
|
|||
|
|
Half-Orc 5 (6)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
- Specialty Priests also use the revised rules for spellcasting (see
|
|||
|
|
Magic & Spells).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Wizard (Mage & Specialists): There is more than the new hit die
|
|||
|
|
system for Wizards of all kinds:
|
|||
|
|
- Wizards gain bonus spells in a manner similar to Priests: consult
|
|||
|
|
Table 5 on p.17 of the PHB, but use Intelligence instead of Wisdom. But
|
|||
|
|
note that just as for Priests, these bonus spells do not allow a Wizard
|
|||
|
|
to cast spells of a higher level than he or she would normally be able
|
|||
|
|
to.
|
|||
|
|
- There is no longer any limit to the number of spells per spell
|
|||
|
|
level that the Wizard can have in his or her spellbook.
|
|||
|
|
- Wizards use the revised rules for spellcasting (see Magic &
|
|||
|
|
Spells). They are also allowed to cast spells when wearing leather or
|
|||
|
|
padded armor, but the casting time (except for spells with only a verbal
|
|||
|
|
component) is doubled in these cases. When wearing armor heavier than
|
|||
|
|
leather or padded, only spells with only a verbal component can be cast
|
|||
|
|
succesfully, still at their normal casting time.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Multi-Class (Assassin, Crusader, Warlock, Magician, Sorcerer,
|
|||
|
|
Avenger): These six classes are at the moment the only multi-class
|
|||
|
|
options (no Fighter/Mage/Thief anymore). As the new names indicate, it
|
|||
|
|
is my intention to have them replaced by new, 'simple', character classes
|
|||
|
|
which combine only specific abilities of each class and which have normal
|
|||
|
|
XP level advancement tables. Nonetheless, these options are still open
|
|||
|
|
at the moment. Multi-classed characters combine all the abilities of the
|
|||
|
|
two original classes, but also the restrictions. To represent the extra
|
|||
|
|
time and experience this demands of the character, the amount of XP
|
|||
|
|
needed to gain a level is also higher: add the XP needed for the level
|
|||
|
|
of the original classes and multiply that sum by three (NOT two, because
|
|||
|
|
doing two things at once is far more difficult than doing them apart):
|
|||
|
|
e.g. a 2nd level Assassin needs 9750 XP (2000 for the Fighter side and
|
|||
|
|
1250 for the Thief side make 3250; 3250 x 3 = 9750). This implies that
|
|||
|
|
multi-class characters always gain a level in their two original classes
|
|||
|
|
at the same time, thus no more 3rd level Fighter/5th level Thief (this
|
|||
|
|
is to make the transition smoother when the 'simple' Assassin is
|
|||
|
|
introduced). The hit points a multi-class character gains each level are
|
|||
|
|
determined in a similar way: an Assassin would get d4+3 1/2 hit points
|
|||
|
|
each level (that means 3 at uneven levels, and 4 at even levels: a
|
|||
|
|
Fighter normally gets d4+5 1/2, a Thief d4+2 - together d4+7 1/2, which
|
|||
|
|
divided by two gives d4+3 3/4, which is rounded down to d4+3 1/2).
|
|||
|
|
Players must choose for a multi-class character when creating it;
|
|||
|
|
characters are not able to become multi-classed when their adventuring
|
|||
|
|
career has begun. This is because they are then so accustomed to their
|
|||
|
|
'normal' way of acting that they have lost the plasticity for class
|
|||
|
|
combinations. Multi-class characters are able to 'lose' a class whenever
|
|||
|
|
they want to: they simply stop practicing their skills in that class, and
|
|||
|
|
are considered 'single-class' characters from then on (so they cannot
|
|||
|
|
become multi-classed again; their XP total is lowered so that they stay
|
|||
|
|
on their level in their single class). These characters do retain the
|
|||
|
|
abilities they have gained in their 'lost' class: e.g. a seventh level
|
|||
|
|
Assassin who decides to develop only his Thief, keeps the THAC0 and extra
|
|||
|
|
hit points of his Fighter side at seventh level; but when he or she
|
|||
|
|
reaches eighth level Thief, he or she only gains d4+2 hit points and
|
|||
|
|
improved thieving skills.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Dual-Class: any character can at any time in his or her career decide
|
|||
|
|
to try to learn a new class. As this is not an easy thing, the character
|
|||
|
|
will have to spend some time converting to his or her new class. There
|
|||
|
|
are two ways of doing this: either the character finds another character
|
|||
|
|
of the appropriate class who is willing to teach him or her the basics
|
|||
|
|
of the new profession. Such teaching lasts half a year (only three months
|
|||
|
|
when changing within a group: Warrior, Wizard, Priest, Rogue: e.g. from
|
|||
|
|
Fighter to Ranger or from Specialty Priest to Cleric), and costs whatever
|
|||
|
|
the teacher demands. During this period the character cannot go
|
|||
|
|
adventuring. Any week-long interruption of the training means that it
|
|||
|
|
will take two weeks more to train the character for his or her new class.
|
|||
|
|
At the end of the teaching period, the character functions at 1st level
|
|||
|
|
in his or her new class. However, the character still needs to acquire
|
|||
|
|
one quarter (or one eighth when in in the same group) of his or her
|
|||
|
|
original XP amount, before becoming a 'true' 1st level character in the
|
|||
|
|
new class.
|
|||
|
|
The other way is more something of do-it-yourself: the character
|
|||
|
|
tries to learn the skills of the new class by himself. The more
|
|||
|
|
experience the character has in his or her original class, the more
|
|||
|
|
difficult this is. To reflect this, the character must acquire half (or
|
|||
|
|
one quarter when in the same group) his or her original XP amount while
|
|||
|
|
converting before reaching 1st level in the new class. This will often
|
|||
|
|
be difficult: a 4th level Fighter switching to Mage must gain about 4000
|
|||
|
|
XP as a 0th level Mage: without spells that is (although he or she will
|
|||
|
|
probably learn the first spell at 2000 XP, but this is up to the DM).
|
|||
|
|
Until the character has reached a higher level in his or her new class,
|
|||
|
|
he or she should try not to use the abilities of the former class. Any
|
|||
|
|
encounter in which this happens will result in only half the normal XP
|
|||
|
|
being awarded. When the character has attained a higher level in his or
|
|||
|
|
her new class, he or she can freely switch abilities without XP
|
|||
|
|
penalties. But note that the character can no longer gain levels in his
|
|||
|
|
or her former class - unless, of course, the character switches again to
|
|||
|
|
his or her original class (a process which takes one month of formal
|
|||
|
|
training or one fifth of the XP gained in the new class).
|
|||
|
|
Characters can switch as many times as they want to, as long as they
|
|||
|
|
meet the minimum scores for the new class.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Proficiency System
|
|||
|
|
------------------
|
|||
|
|
[Net note: I suppose this is the revision I am most proud of, as it
|
|||
|
|
really allows for custom-built characters. Like the idea, but consider
|
|||
|
|
it too strong? Then decrease the fixed number of proficiencies characters
|
|||
|
|
receive at 1st level by two, three or four. That should keep
|
|||
|
|
specializations down. And also do not forget to make the characters swim
|
|||
|
|
for their lives during one of the first adventures, and let them find
|
|||
|
|
clues in languages they do not know, ... . And NPC's are specialized too,
|
|||
|
|
of course.
|
|||
|
|
The fact that there are no more weapon restrictions removes
|
|||
|
|
stereotypes: what is this guy carrying? A couple of daggers and a staff.
|
|||
|
|
Oh, well I have got this hunch that it is a mage.
|
|||
|
|
The Paladin becomes a weaker fighter than the other Warriors, because
|
|||
|
|
I have always felt this class (and its opposite) to be vastly overpowered.
|
|||
|
|
Paladins's days do not last 30h per day, so if they want to do their
|
|||
|
|
prayers, then will have less time to spend on body development and weapon
|
|||
|
|
mastery.]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The proficiency system was overhauled so as to allow players to
|
|||
|
|
create more specialized characters. The new system is based on the idea
|
|||
|
|
that characters have a certain amount of time to spend in developing
|
|||
|
|
their skills; so clearly, the character should be able to choose which
|
|||
|
|
skills. Nevertheless, there still have to be limits, as otherwise any
|
|||
|
|
character would spend more time studying the anatomy of all things
|
|||
|
|
living, so as to be able to backstab them more efficiently. (I am still
|
|||
|
|
thinking about a way in which such a system of unrestricted development
|
|||
|
|
could be made to work, but as it will surely be extremely complex (e.g.
|
|||
|
|
everything you learn should facilitate learning some other things, but
|
|||
|
|
hamper other, and leave untouched other again), I am not spending much
|
|||
|
|
time on it). Therefore, most skills still reside with their respective
|
|||
|
|
classes: no backstab-skill, no cast-first-level-Wizard-spells-skill, no
|
|||
|
|
turn-undead-skill, ... . But the new system does allow more than the
|
|||
|
|
original one, and as such it should be an improvement over it.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* There is no longer any fundamental difference between Non-Weapon
|
|||
|
|
Proficiencies and Weapon Proficiencies - both are now simply called
|
|||
|
|
Proficiencies. Characters at 1st level have these amounts of
|
|||
|
|
proficiencies (add their native tongue(s), the ones related to
|
|||
|
|
Intelligence (Table 4 on p.16 of the PHB) and any their class gives them
|
|||
|
|
for free):
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Character Class Group # Prof
|
|||
|
|
--------------------- ------
|
|||
|
|
Warriors 7
|
|||
|
|
Rogues 5
|
|||
|
|
Wizards 5
|
|||
|
|
Priests 6
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
These proficiencies can be spent in any way the character sees fit:
|
|||
|
|
all of them can be used for learning how to use weapons or all can be
|
|||
|
|
spent on non-weapon skills. Non-weapon skills can still require more than
|
|||
|
|
one proficiency, and skills of another group still take one more
|
|||
|
|
proficiency to learn). Weapons cost one proficiency to become proficient
|
|||
|
|
with when they belong to the list of weapons that the character was
|
|||
|
|
allowed to use according to the official rules (e.g. a Wizard could use
|
|||
|
|
daggers, staffs, knives, darts and slings), two otherwise (there is no
|
|||
|
|
a priori reason why a Wizard would not be able to wield a long sword,
|
|||
|
|
but, given the rest of his or her training, it does take more time).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* There is more to it however: all classes can become specialized in
|
|||
|
|
the use of a weapon or weapons. All this takes are proficiencies: for the
|
|||
|
|
first extra proficiency in a weapon (i.e. the first one after the one(s)
|
|||
|
|
needed to become proficient with the weapon), a character gains +1 to hit
|
|||
|
|
and +1 damage with the weapon. More proficiencies for the same weapon
|
|||
|
|
either increase the chance to hit by 1, or the damage by 1 (the highest
|
|||
|
|
bonuses a character can get through specialization are +3 to hit and +3
|
|||
|
|
damage) - the player must choose and write this clearly down somewhere.
|
|||
|
|
So a character with four proficiencies in a weapon he was allowed to use
|
|||
|
|
in the official rules has +3 to hit, +1 damage with the weapon, or +2 to
|
|||
|
|
hit and +2 damage, or +1 to hit and +3 damage. This variability allows
|
|||
|
|
for different fighting styles: for duelists, for instance, drawing first
|
|||
|
|
blood is far more important than inflicting more damage. Note also that
|
|||
|
|
characters can take only one specialization at each level. Next to this,
|
|||
|
|
Warriors (and multi-classed characters with a Fighter part) also get
|
|||
|
|
multiple attacks for specialized weapons (see Table 35 on p.52 of the
|
|||
|
|
PHB). For Paladins, these extra attacks stop at 6th level (i.e. they only
|
|||
|
|
get a 2/1 attack cycle when reaching 13th level - see Table 15 on p.26
|
|||
|
|
of the PHB), for Rangers and Commanders at 12th level (i.e. they can
|
|||
|
|
never have a 5/2 attack cycle). Fighters know no restricions and also
|
|||
|
|
have an edge over the other classes, because it is easier for them to
|
|||
|
|
become proficient with weapons (see Character Classes), so they can spend
|
|||
|
|
more proficiencies on weapon specializations.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Characters gain one proficiency on reaching the following levels (it
|
|||
|
|
becomes progressively harder, because one has to spend more time on
|
|||
|
|
practicing ever more skills):
|
|||
|
|
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 17, 20
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* What's more, when attaining a level higher than 1st and lower than
|
|||
|
|
11th, a character can decide to work more or less on his or her physique
|
|||
|
|
than is usual for that class. Working more on it costs time, working less
|
|||
|
|
on it gives time to learn something else. This translates into game
|
|||
|
|
mechanics in this way: a player can 'swap' hit points with proficiencies
|
|||
|
|
(and vice versa) at the rate of two hit points for one proficiency. The
|
|||
|
|
hit points swapped can only be those that a character automatically gains
|
|||
|
|
at each level lower than eleventh, not the result of the d4 roll that is
|
|||
|
|
added to that fixed number: e.g. a Ranger at attaining 4th level decides
|
|||
|
|
she wants to learn Heraldry and Singing; she only gets one proficiency
|
|||
|
|
at 4th level (cfr. supra), so this would normally be impossible - but
|
|||
|
|
wait: if she works one hour per day less on her body development, she
|
|||
|
|
could do it! Result: instead of gaining 5+d4 hit points for her 4th
|
|||
|
|
level, she only gains 3+d4, but she gets two proficiencies, and so she
|
|||
|
|
can learn the two skills she wanted to. In the same way, a Mage can
|
|||
|
|
decide to spend a proficiency not on learning a skill, or on learning how
|
|||
|
|
to use a weapon, but on improving his physique: instead of 1+d4 hit
|
|||
|
|
points, he gains 3+d4 hit points for that level.
|
|||
|
|
* New proficiencies are encouraged, and all those published in the
|
|||
|
|
various Complete ... Handbooks or in Dragons, or available on the
|
|||
|
|
Internet can also be used - but inform the DM when you take one of those,
|
|||
|
|
so that he or she has some idea what should happen when the player says:
|
|||
|
|
"I'm trying to ... ". From Dragon numbers 153 & 169: Wine Tasting,
|
|||
|
|
Alchemy, Chemistry, Wine Making, Haggling, Astronomy, Stealth, Street
|
|||
|
|
Fighting, Goldsmithing, Orienteering, Street Sense, Tailing, Riding
|
|||
|
|
Seaborne, Eavesdropping, Botany, Calligraphy, Cartography, Diplomacy,
|
|||
|
|
Geology; Other new proficiencies are Strategy (Int +1), and Two- Weapon
|
|||
|
|
Style (N/A) - both are in the General group. Two-Weapon Style lowers the
|
|||
|
|
penalties non-Rangers have when fighting with a weapon in each hand: for
|
|||
|
|
each slot taken, the penalties for each hand drop by 1, so that a
|
|||
|
|
character with one slot only has a penalty of -1 on his or her main
|
|||
|
|
weapon, and a penalty of -3 on the other weapon. A character with four
|
|||
|
|
slots has no penalties any more. This proficiency is cumulative with
|
|||
|
|
Dexterity, but cannot give a to hit bonus of +1 or more on either weapon
|
|||
|
|
- only the penalties are decreased.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Equipment
|
|||
|
|
---------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
For the time being, there are only a few changes: * A new weapon,
|
|||
|
|
the two-handed battle axe. It delivers mighty blows: d10 damage to small
|
|||
|
|
and medium creature, 4d4 damage to large creatures. It has a weapon speed
|
|||
|
|
of 9, weighs 12 pounds and normally costs about 40 GP.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* To reflect the true lethal power of crossbows, their damage is
|
|||
|
|
upgraded: light crossbow quarrels inflict d6 damage on small, medium and
|
|||
|
|
large creatures; heavy crossbow quarrels inflict d10 damage on small and
|
|||
|
|
medium creatures, and d8 damage on large creatures.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Medium and large ('body') shields now give an armor class improvement
|
|||
|
|
of two. Bucklers and small shields still give an improvement of 1.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* The simplified money exchange rate now is : 1 PP = 10 EP = 100
|
|||
|
|
GP = 1000 SP = 10,000 CP = 100,000 BP
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Magic & Spells
|
|||
|
|
--------------
|
|||
|
|
[Net note: At any rate, it makes spellcasters much more versatile, as
|
|||
|
|
they do not have to tell in advance which spells they take along. We have
|
|||
|
|
tried this out for years now and it does not pose any problems - it
|
|||
|
|
simply makes playing one of these characters more fun.]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* The spell system of the official AD&D 2nd Edition game is replaced
|
|||
|
|
by a Spell Point System (SPS).
|
|||
|
|
- A character's number of spell points (SP) can be easily determined:
|
|||
|
|
multiply the amount of spells of a given level that the character is
|
|||
|
|
allowed to cast by the level of those spells, and sum all
|
|||
|
|
multiplications. For example: a 3rd level Mage with an Intelligence of
|
|||
|
|
17 (which implies that she gets two extra first level spells and two
|
|||
|
|
extra second levels spells - cfr. supra) has 10 SP, because she is
|
|||
|
|
allowed to cast four first level spells (two because she is 1st level,
|
|||
|
|
and two because of her high Intelligence), and three second level spells
|
|||
|
|
(one because of her level, and two because of her Intelligence): (4x1)
|
|||
|
|
+ (3x2) = 10. Note that she does not have 13 SP: the extra third level
|
|||
|
|
spell her Intelligence allows her to cast, only comes into the account
|
|||
|
|
when she reaches 5th level and she may cast third level spells: she will
|
|||
|
|
then have 20 SP (= (6x1) + (4x2) + (2x3)). Also note that the SP amounts
|
|||
|
|
for Sorcerers (Cleric/Mages) are kept separate, but that Bards have only
|
|||
|
|
one SP total from which they deduct both Wizard and Priest spells.
|
|||
|
|
- Each spell costs an amount of SP equal to the level it has. Thus,
|
|||
|
|
a Magic Missile costs 1 SP, while a Fireball costs 3 SP.
|
|||
|
|
- A character can cast spells as long as he or she has enough spell
|
|||
|
|
points for the spell. BUT: no character can cast spells of a higher level
|
|||
|
|
than he or she is normally allowed to cast, even if the character has
|
|||
|
|
enough spell points for the spells and, for Wizards and Bards, even if
|
|||
|
|
the character has the spell in his or her spellbook. Hence, a 3rd level
|
|||
|
|
Mage with 10 SP is not allowed to cast Chain Lightning (6 SP) or Wish (9
|
|||
|
|
SP). This is not unrealistic, as the character simply does not have the
|
|||
|
|
experience and the ability to invoke magical energies of such power and
|
|||
|
|
intricacy (but magic-rich areas may boost the character's spell ability).
|
|||
|
|
Priests are limited in a similar way, as deities do not think the low-
|
|||
|
|
level character has shown himself worthy enough of receiving high-level
|
|||
|
|
spells - although a deity is of course free to grant the high-level spell
|
|||
|
|
if he or she finds it necessary to further the 'right' cause. Both for
|
|||
|
|
Wizard and Priest spells, there is no limit any more on the number of
|
|||
|
|
times a character can cast a specific spell, providing of course that the
|
|||
|
|
character has enough SP and that the spell level limit is not exceeded.
|
|||
|
|
- The time a character needs to study (Wizardly magic) or meditate
|
|||
|
|
(Priestly magic) to regain spent spell points is one hour (this is needed
|
|||
|
|
to clear one's mind completely of other thoughts) plus ten minutes per
|
|||
|
|
spell point: e.g. to regain 10 SP a character needs to study or meditate
|
|||
|
|
two hours and forty minutes. For those who can cast both Wizardly and
|
|||
|
|
Priestly magic: the one-hour period of preparation is only needed once.
|
|||
|
|
Note that a full night's sleep will not in itself restore any spell
|
|||
|
|
points; and that characters who haven't slept for a full day (24 hours)
|
|||
|
|
are too tired to regain spells - at least six hours of sleep are needed.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* When in dire straits, Wizards and Bards can use their spellbooks as
|
|||
|
|
scrolls: after the casting, the spell disappears from the spellbook.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Copying spells from a scroll or a spellbook to another spellbook
|
|||
|
|
takes 1 hour per spell level. Wizards and Bards still have to roll to
|
|||
|
|
check whether they succeed in learning a new spell.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* No psionics will be used in my Forgotten Realms(TM) campaigns for the
|
|||
|
|
time being.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Players of Wizards and Bards take note: the content of their
|
|||
|
|
characters' spellbooks must be described in detail, i.e. they must have
|
|||
|
|
an index which says which spells are on which pages. This will be used
|
|||
|
|
when the spellbook is damaged - by water, fire and the like - to see
|
|||
|
|
which pages were made illegible or destroyed. In this way, parts of the
|
|||
|
|
spellbook can still be used. If there is no index of the spellbook, then
|
|||
|
|
it will be automatically assumed that the entire book is wasted - you
|
|||
|
|
were warned.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Combat
|
|||
|
|
------
|
|||
|
|
[Net note: save or die make for poor amusement: there is not much fun in
|
|||
|
|
failing a save and being dead. I do not mind players dying, but not
|
|||
|
|
because of a *single* die roll.
|
|||
|
|
The critical hit system is used to keep things simple: the other ones
|
|||
|
|
I have found on the net require more die-rolling, and do not take care
|
|||
|
|
of all circumstances (what is a hit in the abdomen on a jelly?).
|
|||
|
|
Moreover, they violate the AD&D abstract hit points idea - something I
|
|||
|
|
like about this game (I play MERP and WFRPG for the bloody and messy
|
|||
|
|
details). Its abstractness also allows DM's to describe such effects of
|
|||
|
|
the blow as the situation makes acceptable.]
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
These are the revisions to the official AD&d 2nd Edition combat
|
|||
|
|
system:
|
|||
|
|
* Whenever a save vs spell, poison (or whatever) must be rolled for
|
|||
|
|
which failure means instant death (the save or die rolls), this is
|
|||
|
|
changed in: failure means 50 hit points damage and two obligatory System
|
|||
|
|
Shock Survival rolls (failure on one (or two) of these rolls means the
|
|||
|
|
character has died after all, provided of course that the hit point
|
|||
|
|
damage hadn't killed him or her already).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* When a character suffers massive damage (50+ hit points) from a
|
|||
|
|
single attack, he or she also has to roll a System Shock Survival roll
|
|||
|
|
to survive (not a save vs death magic).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Life Energy Levels are used in encounters with undead, and for spells
|
|||
|
|
that drain experience levels (see Appendix B).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Two-handed use of a weapon that is normally used single-handedly
|
|||
|
|
imposes a to-hit penalty of 1, but gives a damage bonus of 2. A
|
|||
|
|
proficiency specifically taken for the two-handed use of a weapon
|
|||
|
|
eliminates the to-hit penalty.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Critical hits (20 on a d20) are now resolved like this: A critical
|
|||
|
|
hit means that the attack has done more than normal maximum damage: the
|
|||
|
|
player may add the character's maximum damage for that weapon and the
|
|||
|
|
result of a d10. A 10 on this d10 implies that the player may roll
|
|||
|
|
another d10 (this is repeated each time a 10 is rolled on this d10) and
|
|||
|
|
sum all the values: e.g. a Thief with Strength 17 (damage +1) wielding
|
|||
|
|
a long sword +3, in which he is specialized twice (+2 damage) rolls a 20
|
|||
|
|
for his attack against an Ogre: maximum damage is 12+1+3+2 = 18. The
|
|||
|
|
player rolls a d10 and comes up with 10, so he rolls again and rolls 7:
|
|||
|
|
this superb attack did (18+10+7 =) 35 hit points damage.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Fumbles (1 on a d20) can be divided in three cases: fumbles on a
|
|||
|
|
saving throw vs magic of some kind, fumbles when attacking, and fumbles
|
|||
|
|
on ability checks:
|
|||
|
|
- Fumbles on a saving throw mean that the character is particularly
|
|||
|
|
unlucky: if the spell normally deals damage (e.g. a Fireball), the
|
|||
|
|
character takes extra damage equal to one half or one quarter (save
|
|||
|
|
again) of the original damage; if the spell itself deals no damage, the
|
|||
|
|
character still takes d6 damage from the side-effects (e.g. stumbling and
|
|||
|
|
dislocating an elbow when the spell took effect); if this extra damage
|
|||
|
|
is utterly unlikely (e.g. casting Sleep on somebody who is already
|
|||
|
|
sleeping naturally in a soft bed), then there is none.
|
|||
|
|
- Fumbles when attacking mean that the character has totally
|
|||
|
|
miscalculated his or her swing/throw. The character takes d6 hit points
|
|||
|
|
damage (e.g. from tripping and hitting a table, from cutting oneself, or
|
|||
|
|
from spraining a wrist or ankle): if a 6 comes up, another d6 must be
|
|||
|
|
rolled (this procedure will last until the character is dead or another
|
|||
|
|
number comes up), and the values must be summed.
|
|||
|
|
- Fumbles on ability checks are dealt with on a case by case basis;
|
|||
|
|
they will often involve an extra ability check versus Dexterity to see
|
|||
|
|
how just how bad the maneuver was, and damage will then be determined.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* The combat round (1 minute) is replaced by the combat segment (10
|
|||
|
|
seconds), so that fights will take less time - in game time that is. The
|
|||
|
|
speed factor of a weapon now indicates the amount of seconds it takes to
|
|||
|
|
deal a blow with the weapon; and, similarly, the casting time of spells
|
|||
|
|
indicates the number of seconds it takes to cast the spell (except for
|
|||
|
|
spells with a casting time of 1 round or 1 turn: they still take 1 minute
|
|||
|
|
and 10 minutes to cast - these spells are thus very impractical in the
|
|||
|
|
midst of combat). The problem of the duration of spells (a duration in
|
|||
|
|
segments would make some spells nearly worthless) is 'solved' in so far
|
|||
|
|
that combat-related spells (e.g. Hold Person) now have durations in
|
|||
|
|
segments, whereas the others retain their duration of rounds - the
|
|||
|
|
remaining problems will be treated on a case by case basis when they
|
|||
|
|
occur. (This change was inspired by the hectic swordplay one can see in
|
|||
|
|
fantasy movies, and by the fact that it was unrealistic that Wizards who
|
|||
|
|
had cast a short spell (e.g. a Power Word Stun) were not allowed to do
|
|||
|
|
anything else during the round - with the combat segment this problem is
|
|||
|
|
alleviated, because spellcasters now hardly have the time to do something
|
|||
|
|
else before the new combat segment begins).
|
|||
|
|
* When a character who has multiple attacks with a weapon fights a
|
|||
|
|
monster or character whose attacks all come at the same time (e.g.
|
|||
|
|
claw/claw/bite; or fighting with a weapon in each hand), the order of
|
|||
|
|
attacks is determined in this way: roll intiative for the two parties and
|
|||
|
|
add their respective weapon speeds; then divide that sum by two (or three
|
|||
|
|
when a Fighter has 5/2 attacks) for the character with multiple attacks
|
|||
|
|
to find when the first attack takes place - the second attack comes at
|
|||
|
|
the normal time. E.g. A 10th level Fighter specialized in the long sword
|
|||
|
|
(two attacks per segment) battles a Cleric wielding a mace. The
|
|||
|
|
initiative rolls are 6 for the Fighter and 3 for the Cleric. Combined
|
|||
|
|
with their weapon speeds this gives 11 for the Fighter (6+5) and 10 for
|
|||
|
|
the Cleric (3+7); still the Fighter gets the first attack, because 11/2
|
|||
|
|
is 5 1/2. The order in this segment is thus Fighter (5 1/2), Cleric (10),
|
|||
|
|
and Fighter (11). Note that if the Cleric had used a dagger, he would
|
|||
|
|
have attacked before the Fighter got in any attack at all: 3 (Initiative)
|
|||
|
|
+ 2 (weapon speed) = 5; and if he had used a two-handed sword, his single
|
|||
|
|
attack would have come last in the round: 3 + 10 = 13.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Also note that characters who are spellcasting lose all dexterity
|
|||
|
|
bonuses while they are doing so (this is not an addition to the official
|
|||
|
|
rules, but a reminder of them).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* A new concept, Body Points, will be used for cases when a sleeping,
|
|||
|
|
immobilised or magically Held character is attacked. A character's body
|
|||
|
|
points score is his or her maximum amount of hit points at first level:
|
|||
|
|
these hit points can be considered the character's ability to take
|
|||
|
|
physical damage - all hit points that are gained later are due to
|
|||
|
|
experience, i.e. knowing how to take less damage from an attack.
|
|||
|
|
To slay a character that cannot defend himself, one need only bring
|
|||
|
|
his or her body points to -1, after which he or she will slowly bleed to
|
|||
|
|
death at -10 (the attacker can quicken this process of course). Moreover,
|
|||
|
|
any attack on a helpless creature is considered to be an automatic
|
|||
|
|
critical hit (cfr. supra): so the weapon does maximum damage and a d10
|
|||
|
|
(possibly more) is rolled for extra damage. Given that combat segments
|
|||
|
|
are used, things should become more realistic. E.g. an immobilised
|
|||
|
|
character with 50 hit points, has only (say he was a Fighter with 16 Con
|
|||
|
|
and rolled a 3 for his hit points on 1st level: 5+3+2=) 10 body points,
|
|||
|
|
the attacker with her dagger does 4 body points damage and rolls a 4 on
|
|||
|
|
the d10 for the critical: that segment the character is brought to 2 body
|
|||
|
|
points (and hit points, for that matter). He will probably die the next
|
|||
|
|
round, because the attacker can again inflict maximum damage with her
|
|||
|
|
dagger and will roll again with a d10.
|
|||
|
|
Monsters also have body points: their score is equal to twice their
|
|||
|
|
hit die, plus bonus hit points (if any). For instance, a Troll with its
|
|||
|
|
6+6 hit die has 18 body points, while a Storm Giant (19 hit die + 2-7 hit
|
|||
|
|
points) has 40 to 45. The Storm Giant will thus still be very difficult
|
|||
|
|
to kill with a single blow, which is realistic, given the size and volume
|
|||
|
|
of the creature: even a sword stuck deep into his chest can only damage
|
|||
|
|
a part of the huge heart. (This improves on the official, but optional
|
|||
|
|
rule that allows one to kill any sleeping or held creature with one
|
|||
|
|
attack). If an entire party attacked the helpless Storm Giant in a single
|
|||
|
|
segment, however, this would probably prove lethal for the creature, as
|
|||
|
|
three swords stuck through one's heart is a bit much to take - and live.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
=============================================================
|
|||
|
|
Appendix A
|
|||
|
|
----------
|
|||
|
|
Commander
|
|||
|
|
---------
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Ability Requirements:
|
|||
|
|
Strength: 13
|
|||
|
|
Wisdom: 10
|
|||
|
|
Constitution: 14
|
|||
|
|
Charisma: 13
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Examples
|
|||
|
|
--------
|
|||
|
|
Most of the famous warriors we know were Commanders - not Fighters.
|
|||
|
|
The names of Hannibal, Julius Caesar, Achilles, Spartacus, Charlemagne,
|
|||
|
|
Boromir or Alexander have become immortal, not because these people were
|
|||
|
|
unsurpassed swashbucklers, but because they led huge armies of devoted
|
|||
|
|
soldiers, conquered kingdoms and founded empires. They and others like
|
|||
|
|
them, Jeanne d'Arc, Dzenjis Khan, Shaka Zulu, Sitting Bull, Toshiwara,
|
|||
|
|
shared the vision and the ambition to command their people in order to
|
|||
|
|
create 'a new world order'. They are in a 'class' of their own.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Ability scores, alignment, and races
|
|||
|
|
------------------------------------
|
|||
|
|
The Commander is a subclass of the Warrior, and he or she follows the
|
|||
|
|
same level advancement table as the Paladin and the Ranger. He or she
|
|||
|
|
should have minimum ability scores of 13 in Strength and Charisma, 14 in
|
|||
|
|
Constitution, and of 10 in Wisdom.
|
|||
|
|
These high ability scores are needed to put a natural limit on the
|
|||
|
|
ratio of Commanders versus Fighters: there is only one Commander per 50
|
|||
|
|
Fighters. He or she needs a powerful swing and a well-developed body in
|
|||
|
|
order to command genuine respect from his or her soldiers, charisma to
|
|||
|
|
inspire them, and feeling for the right move during a battle.
|
|||
|
|
All Commanders must have be somewhat neutral in their alignment, so
|
|||
|
|
Lawful Neutral, Neutral Good, Neutral Evil, True Neutral and Chaotic
|
|||
|
|
Neutral are the options for the characters. Succesful Chaotic Neutral
|
|||
|
|
Commanders are rather rare, as they seldom attract large numbers of
|
|||
|
|
soldiers. Neutral Good and Neutral Evil Commanders are hampered by the
|
|||
|
|
fact that they are themselves choicy about the kind of troops they want
|
|||
|
|
to command: a Neutral Evil Commander can't do much with a division that
|
|||
|
|
refuses to slaughter civilians, whereas a Neutral Good one will refuse
|
|||
|
|
to accept a division known for its atrocities into his or her army. That
|
|||
|
|
is why most Commanders are either True Neutral or Lawful Neutral (e.g.
|
|||
|
|
Eltan in the Forgotten Realms(TM) - note that his division leaders are
|
|||
|
|
Commanders in their own right).
|
|||
|
|
The neutral aspect in their alignment has to do with the fact that
|
|||
|
|
a Commander must be able to make sacrifices (e.g. sending a group of
|
|||
|
|
soldiers to their sure deaths in order to buy time for the others). He
|
|||
|
|
or she must impose order on the troops, but may not be too predictable.
|
|||
|
|
Finally, a Commander always has to keep some distance from what is
|
|||
|
|
happening at that moment: he or she is interested in winning the war, not
|
|||
|
|
the battle. If a Commander loses his or her neutrality (voluntarily or
|
|||
|
|
through magic), he or she loses all advantages of this class and becomes
|
|||
|
|
a Fighter of the same level (all excess XP are lost): only something akin
|
|||
|
|
to a quest will allow the character to regain the fame and respect needed
|
|||
|
|
for being a true Commander. If the alignment of a Commander is changed
|
|||
|
|
magically to the opposite alignment, then there are no penalties, as
|
|||
|
|
there will always remain a neutral aspect (e.g. from Neutral Good to
|
|||
|
|
Neutral Evil or from Chaotic Neutral to Lawful Neutral - True Neutral
|
|||
|
|
characters retain their alignment). Such a Commander will, however, often
|
|||
|
|
experience trouble with his or her soldiers: they are not accustomed to
|
|||
|
|
the new style of leadership, which may result in insurbordination or even
|
|||
|
|
mutiny.
|
|||
|
|
All character races can be Commanders, although most are Humans,
|
|||
|
|
Dwarves, Orcs or Half-Elves. Few Elves consider warfare interesting
|
|||
|
|
enough to spend their whole lives practicing it. Halflings are seldom
|
|||
|
|
imposing enough to attract non-halfling soldiers, which, of course,
|
|||
|
|
restricts their opportunities as empire builders. Gnomes, on the whole,
|
|||
|
|
don't feel like taking warfare seriously, so few among them aspire a
|
|||
|
|
career as a Commander. Half-Orcs seldom win the trust of Humans or Orcs
|
|||
|
|
alike.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Portrait
|
|||
|
|
--------
|
|||
|
|
It is every Commander's dream to lead huge armies into battle, to
|
|||
|
|
become immortalised in songs and poetry, to found a new dynasty. It will
|
|||
|
|
be obvious that few Commanders ever reach that goal. Most of them start
|
|||
|
|
out as adventurers in an attempt to gain treasure and fame as fast as
|
|||
|
|
possible (both are needed when attempting to raise an army). Once they
|
|||
|
|
think they have enough of both - some never think they have -, they will
|
|||
|
|
try to realize their goals: a lot of them find out that they have to be
|
|||
|
|
content with commanding their own castle or city; others are hired by
|
|||
|
|
wealthy rulers; others still become mercenary captains. Something all of
|
|||
|
|
them have in common, however, is ambition and a desire to have tales of
|
|||
|
|
their exploits spread by Bards. That is why these two classes seem to
|
|||
|
|
have a natural affinity for each other: many a bard guild was built at
|
|||
|
|
least partly with money of a Commander Lord who only asked the spread of
|
|||
|
|
his name and fame in return.
|
|||
|
|
Commanders are dominant and assertive characters, who know what they
|
|||
|
|
want to achieve in life. They trust in the power of their sword, but not
|
|||
|
|
blindly - they are also aware the power of the word. So they are cunning
|
|||
|
|
diplomats, calculating everybody's strengths and weaknesses so as to
|
|||
|
|
devise a sound strategy. They will often want to lead the adventuring
|
|||
|
|
group they belong to, as they - correctly - consider themselves to be
|
|||
|
|
born leaders. Only if another character is clearly more powerful than the
|
|||
|
|
Commander, will he or she be willing to obey orders. Commanders at all
|
|||
|
|
times try to appear as nobles, so they wear clothing that represents this
|
|||
|
|
aim. The weak spots of any Commander are his or her pride and
|
|||
|
|
over-confidence (e.g. Boromir).
|
|||
|
|
A negative comparison: Paladins try to eradicate all evil in order to
|
|||
|
|
serve their deities; Commanders only battle evil when it presents an
|
|||
|
|
opportunity to increase their reputation or when the evil forces threaten
|
|||
|
|
to disturb the plans of the Commander.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Combat
|
|||
|
|
------
|
|||
|
|
The Commander uses the THAC0-table and the saving throw table of the
|
|||
|
|
Warrior. Because he or she is searching for glory, he or she chooses a
|
|||
|
|
style of combat that is somewhat more concerned with making a big
|
|||
|
|
impression than with being efficient. Therefore, Commanders have to take
|
|||
|
|
their first weapon proficiency, and their first specialization in a
|
|||
|
|
two-handed weapon (the two-handed use of a one-handed weapon is also
|
|||
|
|
allowed): the two-handed sword, the bastard-sword, the two-handed
|
|||
|
|
battleaxe, a lance, ... . Commanders can also become proficient with all
|
|||
|
|
other weapons, but their first choice must be a 'large' weapon, capable
|
|||
|
|
of inflicting much damage. (Compare this with the antlers of stags: the
|
|||
|
|
larger the antlers, the stronger and healthier the stag is supposed to
|
|||
|
|
be).
|
|||
|
|
As for a Commander's armor: he or she will avoid using a shield
|
|||
|
|
whenever someone can see it (unless of course that someone won't be able
|
|||
|
|
to tell the tale). This is because Commanders do no want to give the
|
|||
|
|
impression that they are afraid of being hit: it is bad for morale.
|
|||
|
|
Another reason why Commanders do not often use shields is, of course,
|
|||
|
|
that they prefer two-handed weapons. Any type of armor can be worn by a
|
|||
|
|
Commander without penalties for his or her abilities, but it will be
|
|||
|
|
clear that Commanders prefer suits of expensive custom-made full plate
|
|||
|
|
that glisten in the sun - a sight meant to inspire awe in all who see it.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Special Abilities
|
|||
|
|
-----------------
|
|||
|
|
Besides the power of his or her voice (cfr. infra), a Commander also
|
|||
|
|
has a few other characteristics:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* A Commander gets the Heraldry proficiency for free, because it
|
|||
|
|
reflects his or her fundamental interests.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Commanders also get a limited version of the Etiquette proficiency
|
|||
|
|
for free: it only helps in interactions with knights and monarchs about
|
|||
|
|
issues related with warfare and politics. Hence, any Commander knows how
|
|||
|
|
to deal with a king or cavalier, but not how to address a patriarch or
|
|||
|
|
an archmage.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* All Commanders have a coat of arms, which they display on their
|
|||
|
|
banners. When the Commander has reached 5th level, the presence of such
|
|||
|
|
a banner on the battlefield will increase the soldiers' to hit chance
|
|||
|
|
with 5% (i.e. +1 on attack rolls), and their morale by 1. When the
|
|||
|
|
Commander has reached 11th level, damage is also increased by 1, and the
|
|||
|
|
morale bonus becomes +2. After 17th level, the morale bonus rises to +3.
|
|||
|
|
Loss of the banner during a battle has dire consequences: all bonuses are
|
|||
|
|
lost, and the soldiers now have a -1 penalty to hit and a -4 on morale.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Followers
|
|||
|
|
---------
|
|||
|
|
As a Commander dedicates his or her life to performing courageous
|
|||
|
|
feats and informing the world about them, it should come as no surprise
|
|||
|
|
that he or she attracts more and higher-level followers than a Fighter.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* When a Commander reaches 9th level (the name level of the 1st
|
|||
|
|
Edition: 'Lord'), he or she will attract soldiers for every stronghold
|
|||
|
|
he or she builds or conquers: these soldiers are similar to the ones 9th
|
|||
|
|
level Fighters attract (see pp.26-27 of the PHB).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* When a Commander reaches 11th level and becomes Supreme Commander,
|
|||
|
|
his or her name is known so far and wide that another type of followers
|
|||
|
|
offers its services: adventurers. These adventurers will often continue
|
|||
|
|
to lead their own lives (and may get killed on their adventures, but
|
|||
|
|
someone else will then replace the fallen one), but are always ready to
|
|||
|
|
come to the Commander when or she sends a message. They do not work for
|
|||
|
|
free, but are nonetheless content with about one third of what someone
|
|||
|
|
their level would normally ask for his or her services. The first of
|
|||
|
|
these adventurers present themselves when the Commander reaches 11th
|
|||
|
|
level, the last when he or she reaches 13th level. At that moment his or
|
|||
|
|
her campaign staff is complete.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
For the Commander's 11th level (roll d100 twice) :
|
|||
|
|
1 Warrior: 01 - 90%: Fighter
|
|||
|
|
91 - 95%: Ranger (only with Neutral Good
|
|||
|
|
Commanders, otherwise a Fighter)
|
|||
|
|
96 - 100: Commander
|
|||
|
|
1 spellcaster: 01 - 33%: Specialty Priest of the Commander's deity
|
|||
|
|
34 - 66%: Mage (25% chance of specialist)
|
|||
|
|
67 - 100: Bard
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Both are between 3rd and 6th level (2+d4).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
For the Commander's 12th level (idem):
|
|||
|
|
1 Warrior: idem, but no second Ranger or Commander
|
|||
|
|
1 spellcaster: 01 - 50%: One of the other two possibilities
|
|||
|
|
51 - 100: the other one
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Both are between 4th and 7th level (3+d4).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
For the Commander's 13rd level (roll 1d100):
|
|||
|
|
1 Warrior: idem, but no second Ranger or Commander
|
|||
|
|
1 spellcaster: the one the Commander does not have
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Both are between 5th and 8th level (4+d4).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The DM will determine race, alignment and personality of these elite
|
|||
|
|
followers. Naturally, a Neutral Evil Commander will never attract a
|
|||
|
|
Neutral Good Mage - unless, of course, the Mage is on a mission to kill
|
|||
|
|
this dangerous tyrant.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Raising the Army
|
|||
|
|
----------------
|
|||
|
|
As has been mentioned repeatedly, every Commander dreams of
|
|||
|
|
mobilizing an army one day. The size of this army is determined both by
|
|||
|
|
the amount of money the Commander has spent on spreading his name and
|
|||
|
|
fame during the last five years before the call to arms (per 1,000 GP
|
|||
|
|
spent, a Commander attracts 20-200 0th level soldiers), and by what he
|
|||
|
|
or she has performed during those years (a Commander who slew a couple
|
|||
|
|
of dragons and a beholder will motivate more people than one who only sat
|
|||
|
|
in his or her castle: for the first Commander the number of soldiers
|
|||
|
|
attracted per 1,000 GP would be something like 170; for the second one
|
|||
|
|
something like 75. A Commander who last three battles in a row will
|
|||
|
|
attract no more than 20 soldiers per 1,000 GP).
|
|||
|
|
These 0th level soldiers arrive within three months after the call
|
|||
|
|
to arms. They are untrained, and do not own a decent armor or sword.
|
|||
|
|
Therefore, a Commander who is interested in keeping them alive, will
|
|||
|
|
provide all of them with equipment (leather armor and short sword or
|
|||
|
|
short bow can be considered a minimum). Then he or she will train them
|
|||
|
|
intensively for at least one month, after which they become 1st level
|
|||
|
|
Fighters. These soldiers cost the Commander an average of 1 GP per month
|
|||
|
|
- equipment not included. A huge army will clearly cost a Commander
|
|||
|
|
enormous amounts of money. And that is why most of them start out on an
|
|||
|
|
adventuring life: it is still the fastest way to get rich.
|
|||
|
|
In addition to these soldiers, a Commander will normally hire a
|
|||
|
|
smaller amount of better trained, and more expensive, specialist troops:
|
|||
|
|
their types and wages can be found on p.108 of the DMG. The combination
|
|||
|
|
of the mass of 'spell-fodder' and the experienced shock-troops should
|
|||
|
|
enable the Commander to start his or her own war.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Power of the Word
|
|||
|
|
---------------------
|
|||
|
|
Through experience, Commanders learn to make good use of their
|
|||
|
|
voices, facial expressions and body postures: they are orators, not only
|
|||
|
|
capable of inciting courage and new strength in tired and desperate
|
|||
|
|
soldiers, but also of forcing people to stop dead in their tracks,
|
|||
|
|
overcome by fear. Translated into game terms:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* A Commander can inspire a single creature that can understand him or
|
|||
|
|
her with so much fervor that the creature's adrenalin level is raised
|
|||
|
|
dramatically: it starts to convert its fat and muscle tissue into energy.
|
|||
|
|
After one round of inspiration, the creature gains 2 hit points per level
|
|||
|
|
of the Commander (this may raise the hit point total of the creature
|
|||
|
|
above its normal maximum). This effect lasts one turn. During the last
|
|||
|
|
round of the turn, the Commander can inspire the creature again: this
|
|||
|
|
causes the effect to last one more turn, but also costs the creature one
|
|||
|
|
point of Constitution. This re-inspiring can take place as many times as
|
|||
|
|
the creature has Constitution points (no hit points are lost for low
|
|||
|
|
Constitution during the effect of the inspiring), but once the creature
|
|||
|
|
reaches 5 (or lower) Constitution, it has to make a system shock survival
|
|||
|
|
roll or collapse. Collapsing has the same result as when the Commander
|
|||
|
|
chooses not to/is prevented from re-inspire the creature: the creature
|
|||
|
|
suddenly loses all bonus hit points: this may cause a sudden death if the
|
|||
|
|
inspired creature had only a few hit points left. Each lost point of
|
|||
|
|
Constitution can be regained by a week of rest or by the casting of a
|
|||
|
|
Heal-spell. Inspiring is also very taxing for the voice of the Commander:
|
|||
|
|
he or she cannot use command words (cfr. infra) until at least one turn
|
|||
|
|
has passed after the last inspiring.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* A Commander can inspire his or her troops (or companions) before a
|
|||
|
|
battle. After three rounds of talking, all creatures within 10 feet per
|
|||
|
|
level of the Commander receive bonuses of +1 to hit, +1 damage and +2 on
|
|||
|
|
morale. This effect is only applicable to creatures that are friendly to
|
|||
|
|
the Commander and that can understand him or her. The inspiration of a
|
|||
|
|
Commander is cumulative with that of a Bard.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* At higher levels, Commanders have enough mastery over their voices
|
|||
|
|
to put so much power in a single word that it can control the actions of
|
|||
|
|
creatures for a short period. These effects are not magical, as they are
|
|||
|
|
not based on divine energy or on intricate formulas - as a consequence,
|
|||
|
|
the effects cannot be dispeled by Dispel Magic. But magic is stronger
|
|||
|
|
than the 'mundane' command words of a Commander, so their effects can be
|
|||
|
|
overruled by spells: e.g. the audience captured by a Commander through
|
|||
|
|
his or her Fascinating Speech can still be Enthralled by a Priest; and
|
|||
|
|
Free Action will negate the effects of the Halt command word. Because all
|
|||
|
|
command words are related to charms and enchantments, Commanders receive
|
|||
|
|
a +1 bonus per five levels on their saving throws versus spells from this
|
|||
|
|
school or sphere (this bonus is cumulative with Wisdom bonuses and
|
|||
|
|
magical protections). These are the command words:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
1st level: Cause Panic, Cry of Courage, Detect Charm, Order
|
|||
|
|
2nd level: Cancel Charm, Cause Rage, Fascinating Speech,
|
|||
|
|
Halt!, Soothing Words
|
|||
|
|
3rd level: Aura of Confusion, Aura of Valiance, Cancel
|
|||
|
|
Paralysis, Supreme Command
|
|||
|
|
4th level: Aura of Chaos, Aura of Terror, Cry of Emotions,
|
|||
|
|
Halt Monsters
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
And this is the command word advancement table for Commanders
|
|||
|
|
(note that the spell point system is also used for Commanders, although
|
|||
|
|
the effects are not magical):
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Level Level Level
|
|||
|
|
6 1 11 3 2 1 16 4 3 2 2
|
|||
|
|
7 2 12 3 2 2 17 4 3 3 2
|
|||
|
|
8 2 1 13 3 2 2 1 18 4 3 3 3
|
|||
|
|
9 2 2 14 3 3 2 1 19 4 4 3 3
|
|||
|
|
10 2 2 1 15 4 3 2 1 20 4 4 4 4
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Commanders can 'invent' new command words without any of the
|
|||
|
|
problems associated with researching new spells. Nevertheless, the DM
|
|||
|
|
will probably allow targeted creatures a +2 to on their saving throws
|
|||
|
|
when the Commander is still trying out his or her new command word.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
First Level
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Cause Panic
|
|||
|
|
Range: 30 yards Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: d4 rounds Casting Time: 1
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: 1 creature/4 levels Saving Throw: Negation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Cause Panic causes one creature to flee in panic at maximum movement
|
|||
|
|
speed away from the Commander for 1d4 rounds. A succesful saving throw
|
|||
|
|
against this effect negates it, and any Wisdom adjustment also applies.
|
|||
|
|
Of course, Cause Panic can be automatically countered by Cry of Courage
|
|||
|
|
and vice versa.
|
|||
|
|
The somatic component are threatening gestures.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Cry of Courage
|
|||
|
|
Range: 10 yards Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: Special Casting Time: 1
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: 1 creature/4 levels Saving Throw: Special
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Commander instills courage in the command word recipient, raising
|
|||
|
|
the creature's saving throw rolls against magical Fear attacks by +4 for
|
|||
|
|
one turn. If the recipient has recently (that day) failed a saving throw
|
|||
|
|
against such an attack, the command word immediately grants another
|
|||
|
|
saving throw, with a +4 bonus to the die roll. For every three levels of
|
|||
|
|
the Commander, one creature can be affected by the command word (one
|
|||
|
|
creature at levels 1 through 3, two creatures at levels 4 through 6,
|
|||
|
|
etc.).
|
|||
|
|
This command word has no effect on undead of any sort.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Detect Charm
|
|||
|
|
Range: 30 yards Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: 1 round/level Casting Time: 1 round
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: 1 creature/round Saving Throw: Negation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Commander can use this command word to detect if a person or
|
|||
|
|
monster is under the influence of a Charm spell, or similar control such
|
|||
|
|
as Hypnosis, Suggestion, beguiling, possession, etc. He or she talks to
|
|||
|
|
the creature for 1 round and analyses its reactions to see whether it
|
|||
|
|
behaves abnormally. The creature rolls a saving throw vs paralyzation
|
|||
|
|
and, if successful, the Commander learns nothing about that particular
|
|||
|
|
creature from the inquiry. A Commander who learns that a creature is
|
|||
|
|
being influenced has a 5% chance per level to determine the exact type
|
|||
|
|
of influence. Up to 10 different creatures can be checked before the
|
|||
|
|
command word wanes. If the creature is under more than one such effect,
|
|||
|
|
only the information that the charm exists is gained. The type (since
|
|||
|
|
there are conflicting indications) is impossible to determine.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Order
|
|||
|
|
Range: 30 yards Components: V
|
|||
|
|
Duration: 1 round Casting Time: 1
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: 1 creature Saving Throw: Special
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This command word enables the Commander to command another creature
|
|||
|
|
with a single word. The command must be uttered in a language understood
|
|||
|
|
by the creature. The subject will obey to the best of its ability only
|
|||
|
|
as long as the command is absolutely clear and unequivocal; hence, a
|
|||
|
|
command to "Die!" causes the creature to fall in a faint or cataleptic
|
|||
|
|
state for one round, but thereafter the creature revives and is alive
|
|||
|
|
and well. Typical commands are back, halt, flee, run, stop, fall, go,
|
|||
|
|
leave, surrender, sleep, rest, etc. No command affects a creature for
|
|||
|
|
more than one round; undead are not affected at all. Creatures with
|
|||
|
|
Intelligence of 10 (high) or more, or those with 3 or more Hit Dice (or
|
|||
|
|
experience levels) are entitled to a saving throw vs paralyzation,
|
|||
|
|
adjusted for Wisdom. (Creatures with 10 or higher Intelligence and 3 Hit
|
|||
|
|
Dice/levels get only one saving throw!)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Second Level
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Cancel Charm
|
|||
|
|
Range: 30 yards Components: V
|
|||
|
|
Duration: 1 round/3 levels Casting Time: 1 round
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: 1 creature/round Saving Throw: Special
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
With this command word a Commander can try to make charmed creatures
|
|||
|
|
behave normally again. First, he or she has to talk with the creature for
|
|||
|
|
one round. The creature is then allowed a saving throw vs paralyzation,
|
|||
|
|
adjusted for Wisdom. If this saving throw succeeds, the Commander learns
|
|||
|
|
nothing. If it fails, the Commander knows if the creature is charmed in
|
|||
|
|
some way. If the Commander decides to talk to the creature for one more
|
|||
|
|
round, it is allowed to make a second saving throw against the original
|
|||
|
|
save attack - the Commander rouses the creature's Self so that it can
|
|||
|
|
make another attack against the control of the Charm.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Cause Rage
|
|||
|
|
Range: 30 yards Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: 1 round/level Casting Time: 5
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: all creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
All creatures in range that can understand the Commander have to roll
|
|||
|
|
a saving throw vs paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom. Creatures that fail
|
|||
|
|
their saving throw go berserk and automatically attack the nearest enemy
|
|||
|
|
with their weapons or, if nothing else is available, with their bare
|
|||
|
|
hands - not with spells. As long as they are berserk, these creatures
|
|||
|
|
gain a +1 bonus to hit, a +3 bonus on damage rolls, and 5 extra hit
|
|||
|
|
points. If there are no enemies around, the creature has to roll a
|
|||
|
|
succesful Wisdom check in order to avoid attacking the nearest creature.
|
|||
|
|
Creatures that make the original saving throw are immune to the effects
|
|||
|
|
of the command word. The Commander that utters Cause Rage also has to
|
|||
|
|
make a saving throw or become berserk.
|
|||
|
|
A Commander can also use this command word to become berserk himself,
|
|||
|
|
automatically failing his save, but without affecting other creatures.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Fascinating Speech
|
|||
|
|
Range: 30 yards Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: Special Casting Time: 1 round
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: all creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
A Commander using this command word can enthrall an audience that can
|
|||
|
|
fully understand his or her language. Those in the area of effect must
|
|||
|
|
save vs paralyzation or give the Commander their undivided attention,
|
|||
|
|
totally ignoring their surroundings. Those of a race or religion
|
|||
|
|
unfriendly to the Commander's have a +4 bonus to the roll. Any Wisdom
|
|||
|
|
adjustment also applies. Creatures with 4 or more levels or Hit Dice, or
|
|||
|
|
with a Wisdom of 16 or better, are unaffected.
|
|||
|
|
To use the command word, the Commander must speak without
|
|||
|
|
interruption for a full round. Thereafter, the fascination lasts as long
|
|||
|
|
as the Commander speaks. Those enthralled take no action while the
|
|||
|
|
Commander speaks, and for d3 rounds thereafter while they discuss the
|
|||
|
|
matter. Those entering the area of effect must also save or become
|
|||
|
|
fascinated. Those not enthralled are 30% likely every turn to hoot and
|
|||
|
|
jeer in unison. If there is excessive jeering, the rest are allowed a new
|
|||
|
|
saving throw. The speech ends (but the d3 round delay still applies) if
|
|||
|
|
the Commander is successfully attacked or performs any action other than
|
|||
|
|
speaking.
|
|||
|
|
If the audience is attacked, the fascination effect ends and the
|
|||
|
|
audience reacts immediately, rolling a reaction check with respect to the
|
|||
|
|
source of the interruption, at a penalty of -10.
|
|||
|
|
Note: When handling a large number of saving throws for similar
|
|||
|
|
creatures, the DM can assume an average to save time: e.g., a crowd of
|
|||
|
|
20 men with a base saving throw of 16 (25% success chance) will have 15
|
|||
|
|
men fascinated and 5 not.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Halt!
|
|||
|
|
Range: 30 yards Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: d4+1 rounds Casting Time: 5
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: 1-4 creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The command word holds up to 4 humans, demi-humans, or humanoid
|
|||
|
|
creatures in place for two to five rounds, as they are overcome by sheer
|
|||
|
|
terror. The Halt! command word affects any bipedal human, demihuman, or
|
|||
|
|
humanoid of man-size or smaller, as long as the creature can understand
|
|||
|
|
what the Commander is yelling at it. Thus, a 10th-level fighter could be
|
|||
|
|
halted, while a deaf kobold could not.
|
|||
|
|
The effect is centered on the Commander, and it affects persons
|
|||
|
|
selected by the Commander within the area of effect. If the command word
|
|||
|
|
is used against three or four creatures, each gets a normal saving throw
|
|||
|
|
vs paralyzation; if only two creatures are being attacked, each rolls its
|
|||
|
|
saving throw with a -1 penalty; if the command word is used against but
|
|||
|
|
one creature, the saving throw die roll suffers a -2 penalty. Saving
|
|||
|
|
throws are adjusted for Wisdom. Those who succeed on their saving throws
|
|||
|
|
are totally unaffected by the command word. Undead creatures cannot be
|
|||
|
|
halted.
|
|||
|
|
Halted creatures cannot move (although trembling certainly occurs)
|
|||
|
|
or speak, but they remain aware of events around them and can use
|
|||
|
|
abilities not requiring motion or speech. Being halted does not prevent
|
|||
|
|
the worsening of the subject's condition due to wounds, disease, or
|
|||
|
|
poison. The Commander uttering the Halt! command word can end the effect
|
|||
|
|
with a single utterance at any time; otherwise the command word lasts for
|
|||
|
|
1d4 +1 rounds.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Soothing Words
|
|||
|
|
Range: 30 yards Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: 1 round/level Casting Time: 5
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: all creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This command word causes all creature in range to feel peaceful and
|
|||
|
|
forgiving unless a saving throw vs paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom, is
|
|||
|
|
made. It affects angry, berserk and fearful creatures alike. Note that
|
|||
|
|
a Commander who is himself berserk can not use this command word to cool
|
|||
|
|
down.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Third Level
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Aura of Confusion
|
|||
|
|
Range: 1/2 yard/level Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: 1 minute/level Casting Time: 1 round
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: all creatures in range Saving Throw: Special
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This powerful command word is many a Commander's favorite, although
|
|||
|
|
it carries quite some risk for the Commander as well. The Commander
|
|||
|
|
spends 1 round making himself or herself berserk (see Cause Rage), and
|
|||
|
|
then charges into battle. There must be a real challenge for the
|
|||
|
|
Commander (20 Orcs, 3 Trolls - DM's decision, but never a single
|
|||
|
|
creature, even if it is a great wyrm); otherwise, the command word has
|
|||
|
|
no more effect than Cause Rage. If sufficient challenge is present,
|
|||
|
|
however, the Commander becomes such a fearful sight that he or she
|
|||
|
|
creates mayhem within half a yard per level. Enemy troops in this area
|
|||
|
|
suffer effects similar to those of a Confusion-spell (p.232 of the PHB -
|
|||
|
|
but treat a roll of 1 as Cause Panic), if they fail a saving throw vs
|
|||
|
|
paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom. This the kind of power that enables
|
|||
|
|
Commanders to change the outcome of a battle that is going against them:
|
|||
|
|
with some luck, it may route the enemy troops.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Aura of Valiance
|
|||
|
|
Range: 1/2 yard/level Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: 1 Turn/level Casting Time: 6
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: all friendly creatures in range Saving Throw: None
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
With Aura of Valiance, a Commander fills the friends or troops close
|
|||
|
|
to him or her with courage. The effects of this command word last for 1
|
|||
|
|
turn per level of the Commander - but ends early if the Commander is
|
|||
|
|
killed or withdraws from the battle. During that time the Commander
|
|||
|
|
cannot be made to flee by magical means (Cause Fear, Fear, ...) or by the
|
|||
|
|
effects of another Commander. The Commander can, of course, at all times
|
|||
|
|
flee voluntarily, but this ends the effect. Other creatures friendly to
|
|||
|
|
the Commander that stay within range receive a +3 bonus on morale checks
|
|||
|
|
and on saving throws vs spells like Fear.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Cancel Paralysis
|
|||
|
|
Range: 10 yards Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: 1 round/3 levels Casting Time: 1 round
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: 1 creature/round Saving Throw: Special
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This command word resembles Cancel Charm: the Commander talks to a
|
|||
|
|
creature for 1 round, after which it is allowed to roll a second saving
|
|||
|
|
throw versus the attack that paralyzed it. This is due to the inspiring
|
|||
|
|
words of the Commander: through an ultimate effort of will the creature
|
|||
|
|
tries to regain control over its limbs. The command word only affects
|
|||
|
|
creatures that can understand the commander.
|
|||
|
|
Each paralyzed creature is only allowed one extra saving throw.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Supreme Command
|
|||
|
|
Range: 30 yards Components: V
|
|||
|
|
Duration: d4+1 rounds Casting Time: 3
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: 1-5 creatures Saving Throw: Negation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Commander can use this command word to influence the actions of
|
|||
|
|
up to five creatures for two to five rounds. The Commander need but utter
|
|||
|
|
a single word, and the creatures will, if they can understand him or her,
|
|||
|
|
obey his or her command to the best of their abilities. Typical commands
|
|||
|
|
are: Sleep!, Halt!, Flee! Undead are not affected at all. Creatures with
|
|||
|
|
Intelligence of 10 (high) or more, or those with 3 or more Hit Dice (or
|
|||
|
|
experience levels) are entitled to a saving throw vs paralyzation,
|
|||
|
|
adjusted for Wisdom. (Creatures with 10 or higher Intelligence and 3 Hit
|
|||
|
|
Dice/levels get only one saving throw!).
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Fourth Level
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Aura of Chaos
|
|||
|
|
Range: 1/2 yard/level Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: 1 minute/level Casting Time: 1 minute
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: all creatures in range Saving Throw: Special
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This powerful command word has allowed many a Commander to turn the
|
|||
|
|
tables during a battle. The Commander spends 1 round making himself or
|
|||
|
|
herself berserk (see Cause Rage), and then charges into battle. There
|
|||
|
|
must be a real challenge for the Commander on the battle-field (e.g. 5
|
|||
|
|
Ettins - DM's decision, but never a single creature, even if it is a
|
|||
|
|
great wyrm); otherwise, the command word has no more effect than Cause
|
|||
|
|
Rage. If sufficient challenge is present, however, the Commander becomes
|
|||
|
|
such a fearful sight that he or she creates mayhem within half a yard per
|
|||
|
|
level. Enemies in this area suffer effects similar to those of a Chaos-
|
|||
|
|
spell (p.166 of the PHB - but treat a roll of 1 as Cause Panic), if they
|
|||
|
|
fail a saving throw vs paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom. Note that only
|
|||
|
|
creatures with 5 or more hit die or levels are allowed to save.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Aura of Terror
|
|||
|
|
Range: 1/2 yard/level Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: 2 rounds/level Casting Time: 6
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: the Commander Saving Throw: Negation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
The Commander that utters Aura of Terror manages to make his or her
|
|||
|
|
swings look more dangerous than they really are, so that he or she
|
|||
|
|
appears as a divinely inspired warrior hacking and slashing at everybody
|
|||
|
|
and everything that approaches him or her. This is so frightening a sight
|
|||
|
|
that all creatures (also those friendly to the Commander) that approach
|
|||
|
|
within half a yard per level of the Commander have to save vs
|
|||
|
|
paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom. Those that fail their saving throw
|
|||
|
|
flee for 2d10 rounds, running at maximum speed away from the Commander
|
|||
|
|
(if someone makes it impossible for them to do so, they will try to hide
|
|||
|
|
in as remote a place as they can find). Creatures that make their saving
|
|||
|
|
throw can attack the Commander normally - note that these creatures have
|
|||
|
|
to save again if they leave the area of effect and want to enter it
|
|||
|
|
again.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Cry of Emotions
|
|||
|
|
Range: 30 yards Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: Special Casting Time: 1 round
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: 1-10 creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
This command word enables the Commander to use his or her voice and
|
|||
|
|
gestures to influence the emotional status of up to 10 creatures. These
|
|||
|
|
creatures are allowed a saving throw vs paralyzation, adjusted for
|
|||
|
|
Wisdom, to avoid the effects of Cry of Emotions. The Commander can choose
|
|||
|
|
one emotion from the list on p.157 of the PHB (cfr. Emotion), and the
|
|||
|
|
creatures that fail their their saving throw suffer from that effect. The
|
|||
|
|
effect lasts as long as the Commander keeps speaking - while speaking,
|
|||
|
|
he or she is allowed to parry, but no to attack. The Commander can also
|
|||
|
|
change the emotion, but the affected creatures are then allowed a new
|
|||
|
|
saving throw.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Halt Monsters
|
|||
|
|
Range: 30 yards Components: V,S
|
|||
|
|
Duration: d4+1 rounds Casting Time: 1 round
|
|||
|
|
Area of Effect: 1-4 creatures in range Saving Throw: Negation
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Halt Monsters enables the Commander to frighten up to four creatures
|
|||
|
|
in such a dramatic way that they are unable to do anything but tremble
|
|||
|
|
for one plus d4 rounds. The creatures must have minds (but need not be
|
|||
|
|
humanoid) and must be able to hear, although they need not understand the
|
|||
|
|
language of the Commander. If the Commander targets only one creature,
|
|||
|
|
it gets a saving throw vs paralyzation, adjusted for Wisdom, with a -3
|
|||
|
|
penalty. When two creatures are targeted, they save at -1. Three or four
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creatures save normally.
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===================================================
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Appendix B
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Life Energy Levels (LELs)
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-------------------------
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I also feel that -the energy-draining ability of undead is a grossly
|
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unbalancing feature of the AD&D 2nd Edition game.- (Dragon 167, pp.74-75
|
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- but my system is somewhat simpler) That is why characters have a LEL,
|
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|
next to their 'ordinary' experience level. These LELs are used for all
|
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|
forms of level-draining: spells, undead, artifacts, ... . This change was
|
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|
prompted by the practical problems that resulted from energy-draining
|
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|
|
attacks (what was a character's Climb Walls-percentage three levels ago?;
|
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|
|
what spells are lost from memory?), and by the fact that it is not
|
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|
|
realistic that a character 'loses experience': when a character is
|
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|
|
drained for the first time, he or she should actually gain experience.
|
|||
|
|
It is not my intention to make undead less powerful, but simply to make
|
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|
|
them dangerous in a slightly different way.
|
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|
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|
|
* New LELs are gained together with the normal experience levels: a 1st
|
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|
|
level character starts with 1 LEL, and when he or she reaches a new
|
|||
|
|
experience level, he or she also gains a new LEL.
|
|||
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|
|
|||
|
|
* When an energy-draining attack occurs, LELs are drained instead of
|
|||
|
|
experience levels. With each LEL drained, the character loses one point
|
|||
|
|
of Constitution (possibly losing bonus hit points due to a high
|
|||
|
|
Constitution; a Constitution score of 6 or less results in hit points
|
|||
|
|
lost). If the character's LEL or Constitution reaches 0, he or she dies
|
|||
|
|
and becomes an undead creature of the type that killed him or her.
|
|||
|
|
Energy-draining now does what the name says: it drains a character's
|
|||
|
|
vital forces, thus weakening him or her. Characters that are brought near
|
|||
|
|
death in this way actually become lighter and increasingly translucent.
|
|||
|
|
Nevertheless, the character always retains his normal experience level
|
|||
|
|
and the abilities associated with that level.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Constitution points that were lost due to an energy-draining attack
|
|||
|
|
can be regained in several ways: for each half day the creature spends
|
|||
|
|
outdoors on the surface he or she recovers one point of Constitution
|
|||
|
|
(indoors this is only one point per day; and creatures that stay
|
|||
|
|
underground only regain one Constitution point per week - this has to do
|
|||
|
|
with the scarcity under the ground of positive energy particles emitted
|
|||
|
|
by the sun); a Negative Plane Protection-spell (a third level Priest
|
|||
|
|
spell) cast specifically for this purpose also gives one point of
|
|||
|
|
Constitution back, even when the affected character is living
|
|||
|
|
underground; and a Restoration-spell cast for the purpose will restore
|
|||
|
|
all lost Constitution points at once. A Limited Wish-spell works as
|
|||
|
|
Negative Plane Protection, while a full Wish can replace Restoration.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* Life Energy Levels can only be regained on a on-by-one basis by the
|
|||
|
|
castings of Restoration or Wish: i.e. each casting of such a spell only
|
|||
|
|
gives a single LEL back.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
* The Wizard spell Chill Touch remains unchanged; Enervation and Energy
|
|||
|
|
Drain from now on also apply to LELs, not to normal experience levels.
|
|||
|
|
(Death Spell and Finger of Death use the new rule for save or die - see
|
|||
|
|
Combat). Artifacts and the Sword of Life-Stealing also drain LELs: a
|
|||
|
|
character whose LEL or Constitution is reduced to 0 in such a way dies,
|
|||
|
|
and becomes an undead (Wight, Wraith, Spectre, or Ghost depending on the
|
|||
|
|
level of the character, the circumstances, and the exact cause of death).
|
|||
|
|
|