Sunday, July 31, 2016

The Old World: Spirit Hosts of the Vampire Counts







Spirit Host are those tormented spirits of Humans who were not given rest from their graves and was forcibly summoned by Necromancers or Vampires to do their bidding. On the field of battle, these vengeful apparitions cluster together into hosts that drift slowly towards their warm-blooded victims with a terrible inevitability. Even a cannonball strike will not damage a Spirit Host, for they exist only partially in this world. However, their twilight state does not render these spirits harmless. They can claw at a mortal’s flesh with long, taloned hands, stopping the victim’s beating heart with nothing more than a touch.


SPIRIT HOST
2nd level wrecker [UNDEAD]
Initiative: +0
Vulnerability: Holy

C: Long, Taloned Hands +7 vs PD (1d3 Close Targets) - 14 damage
     Natural roll of 16+: The target(s) are stunned.

Nastier Specials
Spectral: When the Spirit Host is hit with an attack, if it is a natural odd roll, they take no damage.

AC 12

AC 16          HP 72

MD 18

Fear Threshold: 15

Unity: Driftwalker Class




The Kickstarter for the Unity Table Top RPG just released an update featuring the Driftwalker Class (think DnD's Warlock).

The class looks pretty cool.

I love this game.

Friday, July 29, 2016

Savage Rifts: Critters



IT CAME FROM A RIFT...


"I've had to battle demons, vampires, cyborgs, even dragons. But these things tore through us. Through. Us. Half a dozen of them had eaten Gibson before I could open fire. I'm just glad the Rift closed so quickly. Yeah Doc, I know it's been two years, but I still hear them in my nightmares...I wet my bed at night. I don't think anything can protects us from those...things.

-- Arak Ironhorse of the Tomorrow Legion





CRITTERS (Horde)
Attributes:
 Agility d12, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d8, Strength d6
Vigor d8

Skills: 
Fighting d12, Notice d6, Shooting d12

Pace: 12; Parry: 8; Toughness: 9 (4) M.D.C.

Special Abilities:
• Bite Str+2
• Spit Range 20/40/80, Damage 3d8, RoF 1, AP 2, Mega Damage
• Armor 4 Mega Damage
• Burrowing 12
• Fearless• Frenzy
• Low Light Vision
• Size -1 
• Sweep
• Wall Walker

Thursday, July 28, 2016

The Alternity RPG Returns in 2017

Sasquatch Games, creators of the Primeval Thule setting for DnD 4th and 5th Edition, Pathfinder, and 13th Age, as well as the team behind the excellent Princes of the Apocalypse Campaign for DnD 5th Edition, is bringing Alternity back in 2017.



For those that don't know, Alternity was a Science Fiction RPG created by TSR and published by Wizards of the Coast. It had settings like Star*Drive, Gamma World, and Dark Matter. One of the founders of Sasquatch Games, Richard Baker, was also one of the Designers of the previous Alternity game.

From the information released, thus far, the system will use a d20 and will feature all new settings.

Check out the announcement here.

Masters of the Universe + Unity = Brainstorming!

I have a habit of brainstorming about games before they come out. It's almost as strong a habit is combing threw posts about a game's system to figure it out before it's released. Yeah, it's weird. But, I did it with Primeval Thule and Shadow of the Demon Lord, as examples.

I don't know much about Unity's default setting, but I know that what I've seen of the characters and system make me think of Eternia from Masters of the Universe. As anyone who reads this blog much knows, I'm a BIG fan of He-Man. I'm also a big fan of introducing my player's to a setting they have some familiarity with.

So, I've been thinking about setting a Unity game in Eternia's ancient past, at least as far back as the time of King Greyskull or even older.




In this setting the Furians would be the ancestors of Beast-Man.

The Valla are the Sy-Klone's ancestors who will one day settle Anwat-Gar.

Maybe the Afflicted are the Pelezean ancestors of Stinkor? Maybe they're Orko's Trolla race?

In fact, going back to the days that Skeletor was a demon, his race could be Unity's Fell.

Obviously, I'm in a cart before the horse situation, but well, some people knit or work on engines, I plan games.

I think I'd import 13th Age's One Unique Thing, but tie it to a once per scene ability. Y'know just to keep the flavor of the Masters.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Back This: Unity, an Update featuring the Children of Steel Faction

You'll be seeing at least several more posts from me about the Unity Kickstarter in the near future.

I've really become taken with this project and found it's creator, Anson Tran to be really pleasant to talk to.

He just updated the Kickstarter with information about the Children of Steel, a faction of Articially Intelligent Automata.


Savage Rifts: The Proctors of the Rhinelands


Gemini Point


Gemini Point is the central hub of the Proctor presence in the region known as Taurus on the northern shore of the Rhine. 
The Proctors have maintained Gemini Point, according to their archives since before the Cataclysm. They were able to maintain a limited society with plenty of food stores and useful goods for potential trade for over a decade after the Cataclysm due to the security of it's sub-basements. With the magical power of the ley lines, the Proctors perfect a strange form of magic, known as Astromancy, to protect themselves.

While the Proctor's flourished in their bunkers, the area around Gemini Point was settled and became known as Taurus. 
Taurus and its citizens were grateful when the Proctor's emerged and gladly excepted their magic, food, and technology in exchange for letting the newcomers lead them. 

While there is a tentative peace between the Proctors and Covingtown, the town's leader, Hunter Rose has known for several months that the group is spying on him on behalf of Uk and the Stable of Lexington, farther south.

However, what no one  is aware of, is that the Proctors have been infiltrated by the True Federation of Magic and one of the order's two leaders, Belinda Iando, was an apprentice to Alistair Dunscon.

Over a decade ago, Belinda and nearly two dozen of her most loyal followers sought to learn Astromancy from the Proctors of Gemini Point. Belinda, a master manipulator, easily moved through the groups ranks and now sits as one of the group's two leaders. Belinda is the Castor of the Proctors and shares power with Marlboro McMahon, the group's Pollux. McMahon, a savant at  astromancy, has a weakness for booze and women and Belinda keeps him deep in exotic flavors of both to keep him loyal to her. While McMahon is weary of Belinda's relationship with Uk and the Stable, his addictions make him a malleable ally.

Belinda's reign as Castor has been good for the economic prospects of the citizens of Taurus and she is generally popular amongst it's citizens. While some were dubious of her desire to form an alliance with Lexingtown, the influx of exotic goods and horses has proven very popular.

While Belinda is loyal to the True Federation, she is keenly aware that she'd rather lead a Federation outpost, than be forced to return to the lethal machinations of the City of Brass. This has led Belinda to master Astromancy. If such a time comes, she wants her newfound knowledge to be a surprise to any potential rivals.


Hackable: DC Heroes

This one's a blast from the past.

My first group and I played a lot of Super Hero RPGS. While Champions is still my first love, Mayfair's DC Heroes is probably my favorite, overall.  Part of it was that I replaced it's charts with a weird version of the TORG dice chart.



Here are some hacks to tune the system up, a bit.

First, general task resolution would be to roll an 2d10+Attribute vs a TN or an opponent's Attribute+10.

Second, since a Supers game you use the relevant Attribute for any actions, and Skilled is a binary effect, you either have it you don't. If you have it, then your minimum dice roll is 10.

Third, I've worked up an experimental way to do damage.  Say my Blast has a Rank of 17.

When I roll my Dex to attack and I hit, damage is determined by the natural roll of the 2d10.
In DC Heroes, doubles explode and continue to do so, until you don't have any more doubles.

If the attack roll is doubles I do Max Damage or 8, in the example above.

If the attack roll has both dice rolled even, I do 1/2 of Max damage or 4 (always round down).

If the attack roll has both dice rolled odd, I do 1/2 of the damage from both dice being even or 2 (always round down).

If the attack roll has on die even and the other odd, I do 1/2 of the damage from both dice being odd or 1 (always round down).

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Back This: Unity

While perusing RPG.Net, I found a thread about a new RPG with a free sampler on RPGNow.com and a live Kickstarter.




The game is called Unity and its from Zensara Studios, a first time publisher. However, their sampler and website are very polished and professional. After reading the sample, I've jumped in on the Kickstarter.

The game looks really good, it gives me a similar vibe to 13th Age, but cleaner.

Check it out.

On Being a Game Master: Bittersweet Ending

At the age of 43, I finally started a DnD (5th Edition) game at level 1 and finished it at level 20, I didn't abandon it, it didn't die on the vine, we completed it. No, they completed it, I was just there to give them a hard time.

I've known the ending was coming for weeks and honestly, I've been looking forward to it. My Monday group is great, but I've been running two DnD 5E games since November and part of me just wanted a break from a rule set that I've been playing for over three years. It's a fine rule set, at least tied with my favorite edition and just very well done for my tastes, but three years is a long time.

Well last night, as their group gathered in Waterdeep, all as high ranking members of the Lord's Alliance (and one vying for it's control) who had destroyed a Tarrasque and defeated three demon lords, the last act began. This session was about making up for one of their past sins: They had banished Fraz-Urb'luu to another world (they were only level 8 or 9) and he finally made his way back to Faerun, bloated with the souls of that world, which he'd destroyed to empower open his rift.

They defeated him with a Paladin's Vorpal sword and then they were given a chance to redeem themselves by Mystra: Go through the rift to that other world, back in time, and stop the demon lord.

Which is interesting because the game we begin next week is Shadow of the Demon Lord. I told the player's their characters would go through as new souls and have no memory of their other life (probably) or they could ignore the whole thing. It was their choice, but I kind of dug handling it this way.



But the hardest thing was saying goodbye (for now) to this game. It is much harder than I anticipated. You see, I am very lucky to have a great group and even more lucky they let me GM for them.

Thanks guys!

Here's a list of everyone who has been at my table in this game:
Ronnie (The Whole game as a Paldin)
Corrie (The Whole game as a Monk)

Ben
Kyle
David
Amber
Rick
Jake
Jason
Matt
Trent


Monday, July 25, 2016

Savage Rifts: Necrotitti

First I'd just like to give a big round of applause to Pinnacle Entertainment Group and Evil Beagle Games for completing the Savage Rifts core books, all three of them, before the end of July. They came in early on this one even after expanding the Tomorrow Legion's Player's Guide.

Thank you to everyone involved, you've not only completed the main part of the project but you've brought me a new level of enjoyment to Rifts!

To celebrate the release of Savage Rifts: Savage Foes of North America, I'm going to use the awesome Creatures from the Rifts random tables to make a new antagonist:


IT CAME FROM A RIFT...


Necrotitti is an ancient titan from the planet Geb, whose thirst for destruction and conquest has drenched the multiverse in blood. Necrotitti managed to destroy all her fellow titans on Geb, eons ago and the "lesser" subjects she had subjugated for millennia to use super-science and techno-wizardry to transform into a Lich. She used the death of Geb to open a Rift and begin invading world after world.





NECROTITTI
Attributes:
 Agility d8, Smarts d8, Spirit d6, Strength d12+9,
Vigor d12+7

Skills: 
Climbing d6, Fighting d8, Healing d6, Notice d8, Shooting d8, Stealth d6, Survival d8, Tracking d8, Throwing d6, Woodsman. 


Pace: 12; Parry: 6; Toughness: 24 M.D.C.; Charisma: +2

Equipment:

• Nebula Staff Damage Str+2d8; Notes AP 4; Mega Damage


Special Abilities:
• Alluring 
• Etheral At Will
• Fearless
• Frenzy
• Invulnerability (Weakness is Silver)
• Marksman
• Paralysis
• Undead
• Size +9 (Gargantuan)


The Old World: Vargheists of the Vampire Counts #MonsterMonday

#MonsterMonday





Vargheists are the darkness within a Vampire's soul made manifest. Spoken in dark legends as towering winged humanoid monstrosities, these horrific creatures are said to be once powerful Vampires that have succumbed themselves unwillingly to the darker and more bestial side of their nature due to an overexposure to Dark Magic. Though the Vargheists once walked and talked as noble lords, these curse-born Vampires have devolved into ravening predators desperate for the taste of blood. They prowl the battlefield in packs, ready to pounce upon the least sign of weakness and tear a hole in the enemy ranks with crimson claw and bloody fang.




VARGHEIST
12th level spoiler [UNDEAD] 
Initiative: +17
Vulnerability: Holy

C: Living Darkness +16 vs. PD - 140 damage
        Natural Roll of 16+: The target is weakened.

Towering: Vargheists use the escalation die.

Nastier Specials:


Beastial +16 vs. AC (1d3 nearby targets) - 100 damage


AC 27

PD  25            HP 576

MD 25

Fear Threshold 96





Cross Planes X-Mas in July Sale

I want to apologize for not drawing attention to this sale sooner.




All of my supplements for The Black Hack are on sale for a mere 75 cents through 7/29.

That includes The Class Hack, The Class Hack 2: Eclectic Boogaloo, and The Race Hack.

I know I'm biased, but these are a good deal.

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Hackable: Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 2nd Edition

I've been spending the weekend going through my BRP/D100 RPGs: RuneQuest 3E & 6E, OpenQuest 2E, Basic Role Playing Gold Book, Stormbringer, Elric!, Magic World...the usual suspects. But I also pulled out my Warhammer Fantasy Role-play 2E book.

Of all of the d100 games I own, I like it the best, hands down. 

But I'm going to be honest with you, as much as I adore it, for my tastes the base percentages combined with 1/2 your Attribute as default for not having a skill is pretty darn heavy in my opinion.


Hack 1: 
• Your base chance to succeed without a Basic Skill is equal to the relevant Attribute. 
• Your bace change to succeed without an Advanced Skill is 0 or 1/2 your relevant Attribute if the GM allows it.
• Learning a Skill earns +20% to the relevant Attribute. You can gain a Mastery of that Skill earning +10% each time, up to 3 times.

Hack 2:
• Beginning characters start with every Advance in their initial Career.

Hack 3:
• Instead of using the beautiful Career system, you can simply purchase a new Skill, gain a level of Mastery in an existing Skill, or raise an Attribute by 5% for 100 XP. 

Plane Shift: Moor Chaplains, Specialty Priests of Avacyn, the Archangel of Hope







AVACYN
MOOR CHAPLAIN
Prerequisite: Cleric with the Knowledge, Life, or War Divine Domains.

You serve the Archangel of Hope in her battle to save your home from the horrors that stalk the night.

Thanks to your devotion, you gain the following benefits:

• You can use your Channel Divinity for divine restoration. As an action you may free a creature from any curse, disease, poison, blindness, or deafness merely by touching them.

• When casting the searing flame cantrip, your may target each creature of your choice within a 10 feet radius of your target. Once you use this ability you must finish a short or long rest.

• You are resistant to radiant damage.

Saturday, July 23, 2016

Plane Shift: Darksteel Plate for D&D 5th Edition

In my Friday DnD game, we've finished Princes of the Apocalypse  and the group finds itself on Innistrad from Magic: the Gathering.
The group's fighter has come across Darksteel Plate.





Darksteel is a magical indestructible material found on Mirrodin. It is black in color and has characteristic golden streaks of energy surrounding it.

Using Darksteel to create tools or constructs is an extremely difficult art as the same properties which make the material indestructible requires the artisan to shape the metal at the exact instant it is forged.



DARKSTEEL PLATE
Armor (plate), Very Rare (requires attunement)

You have a +2 bonus to AC while wearing this armor. Additionally,  the armor has 2 charges. As a reaction expend 1 charge: gain immunity to one type of damage until the beginning of your next turn. Regain 1 charge at dusk each evening or when you roll a 20 on a Constitution saving throw.  

If you like this magic item, consider checking out my products on the DMsGuld.com
  

Friday, July 22, 2016

Shadow of the Demon Lord: Red Jack's Deck, an Enchanted Object





Thomas Tompkins was a crafty and cruel cardsharp who bled dry more than one noble in his day. Tomkins, who was nearly as gifted a duelist as a cardsharp manage to escap death far more than his fair share. In fact, when he wasn't taking someone's money at cards he was bragging about his invincibility and cunning, asserting that death held no fear for him. Finally, one night a mysterious stranger found Thomas at the Cock and Bull, but the ever crafty Thomas immediately saw through Death's disguise. The cardsharp got a wild idea and bet Death that he would never take him if the cardsharp won a hand of Red Jack. Death quietly agreed to Thomas' terms. As a small crowd gathered around the table, they watched Old Thomas do as he said he would, winning the game. This led the cardsharp to cackling widely and he began mocking Death about his newfound immortality. However, it was that moment that a recent target of the cardsharp's talents came up behind Thomas and cut his throat. And as the blood poured from Thomas' ruined throat, Death merely walked away, not even looking back as the cardsharp's crimson blood spilled over the his deck of cards.


Red Jack's Deck

Once you find Red Jack's infamous deck of playing cards, you can never lose it and you may draw a card from your sleeve or pocket as a minor activity. A card from the Deck may be used as a weapon and gains 1 boon on attack rolls. As a triggered action, when you succeed on an attack roll with a card from the Deck, the target becomes frightened for 1 round unless it gets a success on a Will challenge roll.

A Card from Red Jack's Deck Damage 1d3; Hands One; Properties Thrown, range (short); Price --; Availability Rare.


Stranger Things: Demogorgon for Savage World



For those who haven't yet watched or finished this awesome Netflix series, I've included a picture at the end of the stat block to help avoid spoilers.


DEMOGORGON
Wild Card

Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d6, Spirit d8, Strength d10, 
Vigor d12

Skills: Fighting d10, Notice d6, Tracking d6 (+4 when Blood is present, -2 to when feeding)


Pace: 10; Parry: 7; Toughness:  11 (2)


Special Abilities:
• Melee or Bite 1d10+1d6
• Armor 2 (Heavy Armor against guns)
• Burrowing
• Fear -2
• Fleet-Footed
• Hardy
• Size +1

















Thursday, July 21, 2016

Savage Worlds of Warcraft: Tuskarr Race









TUSKARR


• Ancient Enemy: You have a -4 to Charisma when dealing with Trolls.

• Family First: You begin with the Loyal Hindrance.

• Blubber: Tuskarr begin withe Brawny Edge.

• King Fisher: Tuskarr begin with a d6 in Swimming.

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Manimals: Mutant Giraffes for Savage Worlds





Mutant Giraffe

• Observant: Mutant Giraffes begin with a d6 in Notice.
• Runner: Mutant Giraffes begin with the Fleet-Footed Edge.
• Tall: Mutant Giraffes begin with +1 Size.
• Tight-Knit: Mutant Giraffes begin with the Loyal Hindrance.
• Wander: Mutant Giraffes begin with the Curious Hindrance.














Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Shadow of the Demon Lord: Fell, an Enchanted Object



Bartok of Westhall spent his life as a lumberjack, just as his forefathers did before him. As a child, his Grandfather used to tell him stories of the trolls and giants that once haunted the Ettengeist Woods, all while Bartok sat on the old man's knee, hiding his face in his Grandfather's chest when the stories got too frightening. One can imagine the lumberjack's shock at finally witnessing a pair of trolls sneaking about, not one-hundred yards from him one day in those same woods. As the monsters caught his scent and scrambled forward, Bartok realized that his Grandfather, dead three summers, was whispering in his ear, retelling him the tales from the humberjack's childhood. He also told the lumberjack when to move so neither monster would disembowel him, or worse. Long minutes later, as both trolls lay dead and dismembered at Bartok's feet, he said a quiet prayer of thanks to the old man, weeping both at his victory and the deep loss of the Grandfather whom he loved.
   To this day, anyone who finds Bartok's axe, the prized gift from a long, dead lumberjack's Grandfather, can count on the old man whispering in their ear when they face a troll or giant.


Fell

This exchanted axe vibrates slightly when within 100 yards of a troll or giant. Additionally, trolls or giants have 2 Banes on attack rolls against Fell's wielder.

Cypher System: Killer Clown


"We all float down here."

KILLER CLOWN  6 (18) 

Motive: To terrify you and then kill you
Environment: Anywhere
Health: 18
Damage Inflicted: 6
Armor: 1
Movement: Short
Modifications: Intellect defense 7, Stalk 7, Terrify 7
Combat: Killer clowns hunt you, letting you catch the barest glimpse, letting you drown if your own terror, before cut you into jagged pieces.

CLOWN!: When a creature rolls a 1-3 on their defense, they lose 2 Intellect points and they roll a d6: On a 1, they lose 1 point of Might Edge; on a 2, they lose 1 point of Speed Edge; on a 3, they lose 1 point of Intellect Edge; on a 4-6 nothing happens.
Interaction: It's a clown and it wants to kill you.
Loot: --

Monday, July 18, 2016

Savage Worlds of Warcraft: Tuskarr #MonsterMonday

#Monster Monday




TUSKARR

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d10, 
Vigor d10

Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6, Tracking d6, Throwing d8


Pace: 5; Parry: 6/7; Toughness:  10 (2)

Equipment:
• Spear Str+d6, Parry +1, Reach 1, 2 hands

Special Abilities:
• Armor 2
• Hardy
• Size +1

Sunday, July 17, 2016

Shadow of the Demon Lord: The Brotherhood of Bones and Teeth





The Brotherhood of Bones and Teeth has plagued countless worlds, waiting for the Demon Lord's shadow to fall, before enacting the plans of their beloved demoness matriarch, Anathema.

The Brotherhood are the blasphemous spawn of a terrible pact the Queen of Dreams and Shadows made with Anathema for her aid in turning back the hordes of the Witch-King.

Rumors claim that the Queen traded her most beloved son of Diabolus to Anathema in the pact and the demoness has cloned him a million times over, acting as her spies, saboteurs, and assassins and reminding the Queen of her folly and her desperation.


BROTHER OF BONES AND TEETH          DIFFICULTY 5
Size 1/2 Faerie
Perception 13 (+3); truesight
Defense 12; Health 14
Strength 12 (+2)   Agility 10 (+0)   Intellect 13 (+3)   Will 9 (-1)
Speed 12; Power 1
Immune damage from disease; gaining Insanity; charmed, diseased.

Iron Vulnerability A brother of bones and teeth is impaired while it is in contact with iron.

Attack Options

Long Knife (melee) +2 (1d6)

Traditions & Spells   

Sense Magic
Curse
   Pain
Forbidden
   Harm
   Hateful Defecation
Teleportation
   Dismiss

The Old World: Cairn Wraiths of the Vampire Counts







Cairn Wraiths, or simply just Wraiths, are hooded, spectral spirits of former Necromancers or Sorcerors that have used the corrupting influence of Dark Magic to extend their lives beyond the mortal limit, but at the price of losing one's own mortal body. Though their appearance may perceive it, these spirits are not servants of Morr, the Death God in any way, for they have defied the Death God's authority by preventing the inevitability of their deaths and continuing to do so even in the afterlife. Afraid of the punishment that lies for them in the afterlife, these spirits would try all they can to cling to this fading world.




CAIRN WRAITH
5th level wrecker [UNDEAD] 
Initiative: +2
Vulnerability: Holy

C: Scythe +10 vs. AC - 36 damage
        Natural Roll of 16+: The target is hampered.

Flight: Cairn wraiths hover and zoom across the battlefield.

Ghostly: Cairn wraiths can move through solid objects, but cannot end it's movement inside them.

Impervious: This creature has resist damage 16+ from non-magical weapons.

Nastier Specials:
Squeeze Organs +10 vs. PD - 36 cold damage

        Natural Even Roll: The target is stuck.


AC 21

PD  19             HP 144

MD 15

Fear Threshold 24





Saturday, July 16, 2016

Savage Rifts: Mystic Knights




By Lyconeus


Mystic Knights are among the most hated and feared warriors in North America. They are like the ronin of old, masterless murders who rape and pillage through the Magic Zone for the highest bidder.

MYSTIC KNIGHTS
Attributes: Agility d10, Smarts d10, Spirit d10, Strength d10,
Vigor d12

Skills: Faith d10, Fighting d10, Gambling d8, Knowledge: Magic d8, Notice d8, Psionics d8, Riding d10, 
Shooting d10, Stealth d6, Tracking d8

Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 16 (8) M.D.C.

Equipment:

• Battle Fury Blade Damage Str+2d8; Notes AP 4, Enchanted Silver, 4 P.P.E. to activate +2 Fighting, Gain Improved Frenzy and Berserk Edges, and +4 Armor for 3 Rounds
• Fireburst Rifle Range 25/40/100; Damage 3d6; RoF 3; Shots 20; Notes Small Blast Template, Targets may catch fire
• Shard Pistol Range 15/30/60; Damage 2d8+1; RoF 3; AP 1; Shots 36; Notes 3 Round Burst, Lower Trait (Vigor) activated by Shooting (ice Trappings), requires 3 P.P.E. to load

Special Abilities:
• Armor 8 M.D.C.

• Danger Sense
• Fear -1
• Fearless
• Leyline Magic Mastery
• Leyline Phasing
• Leyline Rejuvenation
• Leyline Sense
• Arcane Background Miracles
• P.P.E. 25
• Miracle Powers: Armor (Greater Armor), Barrier (Stalwart Walls), Bolt (Onslaught), Damage Field (Exalted Damage Field) Drain Power Points (P.P.E. Thief) Pummel (Greater Pummel), Warriors Gift (Greater Warrior's Gift)
• Arcane Background Psionics

• I.S.P. 15
• Psionic Powers: Deflection  (Deflection), Detect Arcana (Exalted Detect Arcana), Healing (Mass Healing), Telekinesis (Greater Telekinesis)

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

On Being A Game Master: I Am Recovering From Gaming ADD





I just realized I've been Role Playing for 25 Years and I've been a Game Master for at least 23 of those. A Game Master, by thew way, with terrible Gaming ADD. It was always, "lets see how these rules work and then oh, let's see how these rules work." It began to affect my enjoyment of the hobby completely. I reached a point where I couldn't even decide WHAT game to run.

So I took a much needed sabbatical. But even when I came back, while I mostly focused on DnD 5th Edition, the games didn't necessarily last more than a few months, overall.

But I'm happy to report that I have one game that went from Levels 1 through 20 with DnD 5E one session away from being over and I'm running another DnD 5E game that just finished Princes of the Apocalypse and is now been hurled to Magic: the Gathering's Innistrad. My plan is to take this game to Level 20, as well.

If there is a secret, its great players, a better attitude toward gaming (I discovered no gaming was better than bad gaming, and in my case, shorter sessions. That's right, my average session is 2-3 hours.

If you feel overwhelmed with Gaming ADD, your not alone, take a break, take some time for yourself, figure out if you need a new group and just take it one session at a time.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

My Player's Just Destroyed a Tarrasque and All They Got Was Level 20!




Last night in my Monday game, after about 18 months, we played the penultimate chapter in what began as a playtest of WotC's Out of the Abyss campaign. 

Tiring of the Underdark, my players fought for and saved Nesme, before seeing it destroyed. Led the survivors to safety and went to Nugget on the Para-Elemental Plane of Mud where they destroyed their first Dragon and became embroiled in the schemes of the Cadre. 

They eventually discovered the Cadre are a group of Chromatics who had tired of Tiamat's failings and sought to raise her brother, Vorel, to take her place as their god. 

This plan required the Wand of Orcus which they retrieved by chasing Raistlin, yes THAT Raistlin into another dimension. After defeating him they ran afoul of the five leaders of the Cadre, four enemies and and an ally, the red Wyrm, Valero. 

He sent the group to the Abyss to get them away from the other four leaders of the Cadre. There they witness the results of the Cadre's ritual with the Wand on Faerun...the death of Tiamat in Avernus. When they returned, they found Valero's dying body and saw a storm devastating the other four ancient Wyrms. Vorel was resurrected, but they couldn't control him. Vorel, by the way, means Tarrasque in Primordial. 

Oh, the other reason they had to go to Avernus was to rescue Elminster, as a former member of their merry band had accidentally sent him there.

Now they needed a Wish spell to destroy him and that required a test by Mystra and a visit to the Shrinshee.

Then they made their stand. 

They fought hard, some were swallowed, 9th level spells were cast, and they valiantly destroyed Vorel and used the Wish to make sure he could never return*.

They're level 20 now, with one last repercussion to face.  That will happen in two weeks.

What a long, strange trip it's been.


*Never say never.

Monday, July 11, 2016

The Old World: Grave Guard of the Vampire Counts for 13th Age

I'm very, very pleased to see how well-received my 13th Conversions of the Old World's Vampire Counts have been.  Thank you!

I've been doing this series on and off for several months now and if I get 3 New Patrons for my Patreon, I'll create a Fan PDF for the Series and treat it as a Living Document, updating it as I add to the series.






The Grave Guard, or Wights as they are sometimes called, are the Undead corpses of long-past heroes and warlords that have been arisen from their graves with a partial flicker of the original soul trapped within, allowing the Undead to fight the enemies of the Necromancer that raised them with the skills and tools of his former life. On other occasions, Wights are often arisen by their own means when the place of their rest, such as a tomb or mound was desecrated by outside intruders, forcing the deceased spirit to be sucked into his former body by the Dark Magic that permeates from such an evil place.

GRAVE GUARD
6th level spoiler [UNDEAD] 
Initiative: +3
Vulnerability: Holy

Long Forgotten Steel +11 vs. AC - 21 damage
        Natural Even Roll: 1d10 additional damage.

Disciplined: The Grave Guard uses the escalation die.

Nastier Specials
Stout Shield: The Grave Guard gains a +2 to AC when it rolls a  Natural 16+.

AC 22

PD  20             HP 100

MD 16







Sunday, July 10, 2016

The Old World: An Index of my Posts for 13th Age



I'm am very grateful that my posts for the Vampire Counts are doing so well. I thought I would post a link to the Old World Tag for those who might want to see what I did for the Lizard Men and the Skaven.

Here is the link.

As always thanks for stopping by!

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Two Great Tastes...

DC Comics is giving us a He-Man/Thundercats crossover this October.

I really haven't done much with the Thundercats, maybe it's time that I do.


Friday, July 8, 2016

The Old World: Crypt Horrors of the Vampire Counts







Crypt Horrors are a variation of the common Ghouls who have consumed the blood of a Vampire, giving the creature an increased in supernatural size and strength, and used by many Undead factions as a form of heavy shock infantry. The malformed monstrosities known as Crypt Horrors are, thankfully, a rare sight. Spoken of in hushed whispers by night watchmen, old priests of Morr, grave-keepers and other nocturnal citizens of the Empire, the few persistent reports of these looming and moon-mad fiends are dismissed as the ravings of superstitious fools. At best, they are thought to be exaggerated sightings of unnaturally large Crypt Ghouls. Unfortunately for the lands of the Old World, however, the stories are often accurate, for Crypt Horrors are very real.



CRYPT GHOULS
5th level wrecker [UNDEAD] 
Initiative: +6
Vulnerability: Holy


Meat Encrusted Fangs and Talons +10 vs. AC - 18 damage
        Natural Roll of 16+: The target is weakened.

C: Broken Gravestone vs. PD - 20 damage
        Natural Roll of 16+: The target is dazed.

Nastier Specials
Moon-Mad: Crypt Horrors cause fear.

AC 21

PD  19             HP 80

MD 15







Monster Monday: Ork City's Chupacabra for Shadowdark

Welcome to Ork City! In the middle of Ork City's Hatt Island is the Park, a wild and dangerous forest filled with all manner of nightmar...