Building Bhakashal - Classes - The Mercenary
Image by Ciruelo Cabral (https://www.dac-editions.com/)
Bhakashal is significantly shaped by warlocks and their magic, but equally important to the setting are the Noble House Lords. Bhakashal was founded by these warriors and the city has a martial culture based on honor, repute and bravery. When putting together the supplement I wanted to make fighters formidable to respect this.
But what I didn’t want was excessive fiddly stuff. If you ramp up the build so to speak, things get kind of stupid complex and combat decision making becomes a chore. Fortunately, 1e has a great basic system for this. Fighters in 1e improve with respect to their to hit rolls better than all other classes, they get more weapon proficiency slots, they gain new weapon proficiencies faster than all classes but the monk. Essentially, they become incrementally better at fighting and weapon use, much faster than any other class,. Strength contributes to it, constitution contributes to it (through HP progression), and item bonuses do as well.
Because it is a synthesis of a number of things, it sort of disappears into the background. You don’t really see it. Yes, you hit more often, but you are focusing on your bonuses, the +’s you get from STR and magic items and such. You forget that your “to hit” has improved significantly faster than everyone else’s.
I added some things so you “see it” more often.
Bhakashal’s fighter class is called a Mercenary, this acknowledges that the vast majority of fighters in the setting are selling their sword, their fighting arm. In Bhakashal mercenaries serve as noble house soldiers and ward guards, bodyguards to wealthy people, “day worker” hunters for the regular hunt, caravan guards, bandits, personal troops, temple guards, thugs and pirates.
Many Bhakashal Lords are high level mercenaries with private troops which are very loyal to them.
Statistics
HD - As Fighter
Ability Score Minimums
STR 10 DEX 10 CON 10
Weapons and Armor - Any
Level Progression - As fighter
Weapon Proficiency Progression - As fighter
Abilities
1 - Per level advancement in combat ability, +1 "to hit" bonus to mercenaries who attain the second level of experience shown in each group of 2 levels, i.e. 1-2, 3-4, etc.
2 - Proficiency Bonus: for any class weapon proficiency slots can buy you either a new weapon, or a +1/+1 with an existing one. Only mercenaries can stack these bonuses, though not at 1st level.
3 - Multiple Attacks: Mercenaries get 3/2 attacks per round against all opponents as of 7th level, and 2/1 attacks per round at 13th
4 - Saves: Mercenaries save as PHB Fighters, and get saves versus all combat and weapon criticals (see below)
5- Weapons and Armor: Mercenaries can use all weapons and armor
6 - Followers: Mercenaries attract 2-4 0-level mercenary followers at 5th level, one of those who survive a season will become a 1st level mercenary in their service.
At 7th level mercenaries attract 4-8 new 0-level mercenaries. 1-2 of them who survive a season will become 1st level mercenaries.
At 9th level they pick up 4-16 new 0-levels, 2-4 of them will be 1st level after a season
At 10th level they attract 40-100 0-levels, 1-6 of them become 1st level after a season
All followers who transition to levelling while with the mercenary will be absolutely loyal, all others as per DMG Loyalty rules.
7 - Combat and Weapon Criticals: The critical system was designed with the mercenary in mind, mercenaries have the best “to hit” progression of any class, so they get criticals the most often in this system. To achieve that, Bhakashal mimics the 1e Monk’s “roll over” stun for open hand attacks and takes a nod from the Talislanta basic action mechanic.
Note that combat criticals can be achieved with or without weapons. Weapon criticals are only possible with weapons. You cannot stack criticals, e.g. claim a weapon and a combat critical for the same blow.
A. Combat Criticals
Procedure
PC rolls to hit, if that roll is at least 5 over the required roll to hit that AC, unmodified, they have achieved a critical.
If the desired critical effect is not listed on the Combat Effects Table, the player states the desired critical effect and the referee and players agree on an impact that is similar to those listed on the Combat Effects Table
For Monsters/NPCs/Animals the referee can choose or roll
Combat Effects Table
1. Opponent’s Weapon Jammed/Stuck - one action to remove/fix, +2 to hit them while doing so
2. Numbing Blow - to the opponent's weapon arm / limb - lose the next two actions with that limb
3. Opponent Disarmed - weapon knocked out of melee range, 1 action to retrieve
5. Opponent’s Weapon Snatched - mercenaries and spiders get a bonus attack/action with the weapon
6. Opponent Object Snatched - object from opponent removed (purse, potion bottle, etc.)
7. Knock Down Opponent - opponent -2 to hit, 2 point AC, 1 action to get back on feet
8. Opponent Dodged on Lunge - attack of opportunity at opponent’s back as they pass, +2 to hit
9. Knock Back Opponent - attacker may break off with no attack of opportunity against them
10. Knock Back Opponent Into Surface / Object - 2-4 hp additional damage
11. Blow Exposes Weak Spot - Next attack against them ignores armor
12. Opponent Temporarily Blinded - next two attacks are randomized btw all in melee range
13. Opponent Temporarily Winded - next two attacks do half damage if successful
14. Opponent Disoriented By Blow - opponent loses next attack
15. Opponent Stunned - Opponent is AC 10 against next attack
16. Opponent Knocked Into Another Combatant - both have 4 point initiative penalty on next attack
17. Extra Unarmed Attack - Opponent set up for free punch/kick/head butt attack
18. Set-Up Ally - next attack against opponent from an ally is +4 to hit
19. Extra Attack - attacker gets one extra attack that round
20. Extra Damage - attacker’s base damage doubled
Natural 1 - Weapon Damaged: - 1 to hit until repaired
Natural 20 - Armor Damaged/Target Damaged: 1 point of AC penalty until repaired/healed
Mercenaries have the best “to hit” progression of any class, so in this system based on natural rolls, they will get criticals the most often. They also get a save versus breath weapon against any combat effect critical on them.
B. Weapons Critials
All weapons are listed with a critical effect. If the weapon wielder rolls over their required to hit by 5, with no modifiers, they can opt for a weapon critical.
Here are some sample weapon criticals
Axe Battle - Cleave - Weapon does full dice damage
Cesti/Brass Knuckles - Bludgeon - Weapon knocks opponent prone or back 10’
Net - Entangle - 2 point AC penalty, thrusting weapons only, all attacks -2, entanglement for [(4)-dex bonus] rounds
Crossbow - Remain – Weapon stays imbedded in opponent, does minimum dice damage each round until removed, which requires an action.
Dagger - Dual Wield - Stab
Dual Wield – On a critical hit the second weapon also strikes, otherwise it is assumed to be blocking (gives one point AC bonus)
Stab - Deep wound, damages muscles, target is -2 to hit for remainder of combat
As Mercenaries get the most weapon proficiencies they benefit the most from the range of weapon criticals. They also have the best to hit progression so trigger weapon criticals the most often, statistically.
8 - Stacking Criticals: - As of 7th level mercenaries can stack weapon and combat criticals on the same roll.
9. - Weapon Proficiency: Mercenaries get the best initial number of weapon proficiency slots (4) and gain new weapon proficiency slots every 2 levels of experience.
10 - Proficiency Bonus: A character of any class may use a weapon proficiency slot to assign a +1 to hit and +1 to damage to any existing weapon of proficiency, this may not be stacked.
11 - Stacking Proficiency Bonuses: Mercenaries may stack up to +3, +3 in proficiency bonuses, maximum, but not at first level, instead they must assign stacked bonuses when new proficiencies are earned (e.g. after initial weapon proficiency allocation).
12 - Open Weapon Proficiency Slots: Leaving a proficiency slot open allows a mercenary to become proficient with a new weapon after 1 week of unsupervised or one day of supervised use at the standard NPP for the class.
13 - Martial Arts: Weapon proficiency slots may also be used for the martial arts proficiency
14 - Thief Skills: a weapon proficiency slot can be used to get one thief skill, the skill starts at the proficiency of a 1st level thief when taken, and progresses with character level.
Just like the improvement in “to hit”, as the mercenary gets the most initial weapon proficiency slots, and gains new slots quickly, they get the most advantage out of the proficiency bonus system.
Example
Now let’s take a sample 1st level fighter with small stat bonuses
Jaeketa the Bold takes a broadsword and a crossbow, opting for a +1/+1 on the crossbow as she has a low DEX. She leaves on slot open in case she finds a weapon while adventuring. She gets a +1/+1 from strength with broadsword. Each of her weapons has a critical effect that triggers on a roll 5 over the required “to hit”. So, for example against a city guard in chain mail (AC5) the mercenary needs to roll a natural 20 to get a critical, as the required roll to hit is a 15. Against a bandit in leather armor (AC8), they would need to roll a 17 as the required to hit is 12. Against an animal (AC 9) a 16 would be required.
Broadsword [+1 to hit / +1 to damage] Cleave
Crossbow [+1 to hit / +1 to damage] Remain
Cleave - on critical weapon does full dice damage
Remain – weapon stays imbedded in opponent, does minimum dice damage each round until removed (e.g. crossbow bolt does 2hp per round, 1 action to remove)
So even at first level the mercenary has a range of options available, not only the options on the Combat Effects Table, but the weapon critical results as well. The stat bonuses are spread out a bit more, so they will likely have a small bonus at least to start, and the weapon proficiency rules allow them to use slots for small bonuses if so desired.
So, for example, the mercenary above could forgo the open slot and take a thief skill like hide in shadows or move silently.
What about at higher levels?
By 7th level Jaeketa the Bold who has +1/+1 from STR has gained weapon proficiency slots at 3rd, 5th and 7th, that’s a total of 7 slots. For example:
1st level: broadsword (slot 1), crossbow (slot 2), +1/+1 on the crossbow (slot 3) and open slot (slot 4)
3rd level: dagger (slot 5)
While adventuring: uses open slot (slot 4) to take a hand axe proficiency for a magical +1 hand axe she finds.
5th level: adds a +1/+1 to her broadsword (Slot 6)
7th level: takes a +1/+1 on the broadsword (slot 7).
Now her stats look like this:
Critical against chain mail (AC 5) on a natural 14 or higher
3/2 rounds
Combat and weapon criticals can be stacked
Broadsword +3/+3 [Cleave]
Crossbow +1/+1 [Remain]
Dagger +1/+1 [Dual wield, Remain, Stab]
Hand Axe +2/+2 [Dual wield/Remain]
No comments:
Post a Comment