Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Building Bhakashal - Character Creation - PCs - Necromancers


Necromancers are a staple of fantasy literature, but this version is a bit different than the default, mustache twirling baby-eating villain. Bhakashal is set billions of years in the future, where ideas about life and death have changed. The bodies of living beings are shells for their housing, animating dead bodies is not taboo, bodies, when the spirits are gone, are dead matter. 

Still, whether sacred or not, bringing a dead body back to some semblance of life is an uncanny thing, and only those aligned with the gods of the dead dare attempt it in any form. Only the Noble Houses associated with gods of death will have necromancers. Necromancers form pacts with powerful extraplanar beings in order to animate the dead.


Today we will create a 5th level necromancer, one who has just made their pact.


Process

A. Choose a character class

B. Choose a Playable Group and Faction 

C. Generate Stats

D. Calculate Saving Throw Bonuses and HP

E. Add Skills and Playable Group Abilities

F. Choose Deity and Languages

G. Choose Equipment and Clothing 

H. Pick Armor and Weapons and Assign Attack Bonuses

I. Calculate Wealth

J. Calculate Encumbrance

K. Assign Spells/Class Abilities

M. Assign Personality Traits (optional)

N. Customize Playable Group Lore (optional)

O. Name Character

P. Assign magic items (for creating NPCs and PCs above level 1)



A. Choose Class (d20)

Necromancer - Faction - House Ghan [LG]


B. Choose Playable Group  (3d12)

Emberi (human)


C. Generate Stats

  1. For each stat roll 3d6 

3 2 1/ 5 3 4 /6 3 1 /5 1 1/ 2 2 2/ 6 2 2

S 6 / I 12 / W 10 / D 7 / C 6 / C10


  1. Apply stat minimums

INT 15 DEX 10 CHR 16

S 6 / I 15 / W 10 / D 10 / C 6 / C16


  1. Switch any two stats (you cannot produce a result less than a minimum)

No switch


  1. Apply playable group bonuses

+1 CON / +1 WIS

S 6 / I 15 / W 11 / D 10 / C 7 / C16


  1. Apply Ability Modifiers

S - 6 [-1] 

I - 15 [+2]
W - 11 [+1]
D - 10 [+1]
C - 7 [-1] 
C - 16 [+3]/+15%


D. Calculate Saving Throw Bonuses and HP

All classes get a +1 bonus per 2 levels of experience, so +3 base


Paralyzation STR and CON [+1]

Poison CON and DEX [+3]

Death Magic WIS and CON [+3]

Petrification CON and CHR [+5]

Polymorph WIS and CHR [+7]

Breath Weapon DEX and INT [+6]

Spell WIS and INT [+6]


Hit Points 

Class based, d6, roll or take the average (1/2 HD), I’ll roll for 2, 6, 4, 1, 5= 18 HP


Bhakashal - Hit Points

Table 1 - Hit Point Progression by Class

Class-Type

HD

0-level NPCs/monsters - do not gain further HP beyond start

d6

A. Beastial/Cavaral/Chimerist/Conjuror/Gyre/Jinx/Myrmidon/

Necromancer/Phantasmist/Seer/Spellbinder/Spider/Thaumaturge/

Theurgist/Vox/Warlock

d6

B. Justiciar/Mercenary/Spartan/Slayer

d8

C. Monster

d8

Notes

All PCs/NPCs have the option of “taking the average” rather than rolling for each level of HP. The average normally rounds up, but in Bhakashal you round down, so a d8 is 4.5, which rounds to 4hp. There is NO CON bonus to HP.

All PCs and NPCs should record their roll for HP at each level. At 6th level and every level thereafter the player can reroll any one of those rolls

All animals/monsters have rolled HP based on their listed HD.


E.  Add Skills and Playable Group Abilities

  1. PCs get a skill(s) related to their playable group

Rolled: Scribe

Since scribe was rolled, I decided to make them a Scribus warlock for their class progression role.


  1. All PCs then get a roll on the Bhakashal Skill table once for every point of INT bonus

Rolled: Heraldry, Stoneworker


  1. Playable groups also have abilities

- move at 12” on land and 9” through trees. 

- selective vision control: 

  1. infravision 120’

  2. +4 on saving throws against brightness related blindness. 

- selective hearing control

  1. Stop take an action and concentrate: enhance hearing, reducing surprise to 1 in 6 as longa as maintained

  2. +4 on saves against sonic damage


Bhakashal Skills

01-02: Alchemist

24-26: Chef

49-51: Herdsman

74-75: Scribe

03-05: Animal handler

27-28: Cobbler

52-54: Hunter

76-77: Shipwright

06-07: Artist

29-31: Farmer

55-56: Jeweler

78-79: Stoneworker

08-09: Armorer

32-34: Fisherman

57-58: Juggler/Entertainer

80-82: Tailor

10-11: Astrologer

35-37: Forester

59-61: Leatherworker

83-84: Teamster

12-13: Astronomer

38-39: Gambler

62-63: Miner

85-86: Tinkerer

14-16: Blacksmith

40-41: Gemologist

64-65: Musician

87-88: Trader

17-18: Bowyer/Fletcher

42-43: Glassworker

66-68: Navigator

89-91: Trapper 

19-20: Brewer

44-45: Heraldry

69-70: Painter

92-95: Roll an additional skill

21-23: Carpenter

46-48: Herbalist

71-73: Sailor

96 -100: Skill of your choice


F. Choose Deity and Languages

Necromancers will generally worship a god of Death, so in this case, Omagh


Characters get the language of their playable group and one other language of their choice, and then one roll on the table for every point of their INT bonus. If a duplicate is rolled, roll on Special Table 1 instead


Taken: Emberi, Saan

Rolled: Malu, Yalan


Bhakashal Languages - (3d12)* Special Table 1 - (d12)

3-4. Chitin (insect people) 2

5-7. Garudin (bird people) 3

8-9. Humans (primate people) 2

10-12. Jugyi (turtle people) 3

13. Kutya (dog people) 1

14-17. Malu (fish people) 4 

18. Rakasta (cat people) 1

19-26. Saan (lizard people) 8

27-30. Togmu (frog people) 4

31. Urdyll (plant people) 1

32-33. Vodnik (castor people) 2

34-36. Yalan (snake people) 3

  1. Dragon, Black

  2. Dragon, Marsh

  3. Giant, Marsh

  4. Giant, Stone 

  5. Jackalwere

  6. Kobold

  7. Merpeople 

  8. Naga

  9. Ogre

  10. Sahuagin

  11. Wemic

  12. Roll on Special Table 2


G. Choose Equipment and Clothing 

Backpack, 50’ rope, (3) iron spikes, flint and steel, (3) torches, waterskin, iron rations, blanket, (3) candles, (3) flasks of oil, lantern, small sack - 250 gp encumbrance, 20gp cost


Clothing: Black robes, hard leather boots, black, sleeveless shirt and black pants


H. Pick Armor and Weapons and Assign Attack Bonuses

Armor type determines Armor Class - No armor - AC: 9


Attack bonus:

+1 to hit for every HD for monsters

+1 to hit for every 2 levels of experience for martial characters, e.g. +1 at 1st, 3rd, 5th

+1 every 3 levels for martial/arcane characters, e.g. +1 at 1st 4th, 7th

+1 every 4 levels for arcane characters, e.g. +1 at 1st, 5th, 9th

So attack bonus is +2


Initial number of weapons determined by class, 1 weapon by 5th for a necromancer


We will take a Chigiriki


Chigiriki* [+1/-1] 1-6/1-8, WS: 4, WvrsAC: -3M/-2L, Critical: Entangle (ChainAC4/HP6)

*All polearms give a 1-point AC bonus when used two handed. 


2. Weapon Proficiency Slots: Each class has an initial number of slots, a Non-Proficiency Penalty and gets new slots as they gain levels. 

Character Class

Initial Weapon Proficiency Slots

Non Proficiency Penalty

Added Proficiency Slots Per Level

Necromancer

1

-5

1/5 levels


Forfeiting a weapon proficiency slot allows a +1/+1 bonus with an existing weapon


I. Assign Wealth

  1. All PCs start with 50 gp, a 50 gp gem and 50 gp piece of jewelry, plus 10gp per ability score bonus point in whatever form they want

  2. For PCs and NPCs above 1st level, add [100 gp + 100 gp gem + 100 gp jewelry]/level plus 50gp per ability score “+” to wealth.  

  3. 870 gp, 400gp gem, 50 gp gem, 400gp jewelry, 50 gp jewelry 

  4. Deduct cost of equipment, armor and weapons, 20 gp, 10gp. In addition, they will buy a mount

a giant lizard (in Bhakashal, a giant lizard is called a Gess) for 100gp, as well as an elaborate leather saddle and canopy for another 100 gp so that’s 230gp deducted. Finally, they will hire three Saan henchmen, with Hoplite armor (AC:5, 75 gp cost), spears (1 gp cost), battle axes (75 gp weight, 2 gp cost) and crossbows (3 gp cost) - 237 gp equipment, 150gp yearly fees, so 387 gp + 230 gp = 617gp deducted from 870 gives 253 gp in coin and a final wealth total of: 253 gp,  400gp ruby, 50 gp pearl, 400gp bracer, 50 gp silver ring



J. Calculate Encumbrance

  1. Weapon Weights are found in the weapon listings - 60

  2. Armor Weights are found on the Armor Table - none

  3. Equipment weight is precalculated for equipment packs, otherwise consult the Equipment Weights table - 250 gp

  4. Deduct 50gp per point of CON and STR bonus, in this case with negative modifiers you ADD this to the encumbrance, so it adds 100 gp

  5. Total all weight and consult the Weight/Movement table - 410 gp, so they can carry an additional 90gp before being slowed 


Weight/Movement Table

Weight Carried

Movement Rate Penalty


Less than 500 gp

None - movement normal for playable group


500 gp to 999 gp 

3” 


1000 gp to 1499 gp

6”


1500 gp +

9”



K. Assign Spells/Class Abilities

  1. Like Warlocks, specialist casters like Necromancers permanently memorize spells, they do not have spell books and do not have to memorize their spells for the day every day.

  2. However, unlike Warlocks, specialist casters like Necromancers DO NOT use the percentage chance to successfully cast and potentially fail casting odds. 

  3. They have a restricted spell list (necromancy spells and assorted miscellaneous spells only)

  4. +10% on the "to know" percentage for spells from the list

  5. They may cast warlock spells of any kind from a scroll with the same success/harm odds as listed in the DMG for scroll casting, with a [10-INT bonus]% penalty, but they may not memorize these spells

  6. Each of the warlock subclasses is thus associated with a dragon type, in the case of necromantic magic it is a green dragon. Necromancers read and speak green dragon, and get a +20% on encounter reaction rolls with green dragons

  7. Necromancers follow the spell casting progression of a green dragon, starting at the adult age category, see below:

Caster level

1st level spells

2nd level spells

3rd level spells

1

4

1


2

4

2


3

4

3


4

4

4


5

4

4

1


So 4 1st, 4 2nd and 1 3rd level spell at 5th level

  1. Initial spells at 1st level are Necromancer’s Touch, Bolerastun’s Mantle of the Dead and Protective Circle, then one other first and one other second level spell randomly determined and given by their patron

  2. Because Necromancers get a lot of spells per day, it is recommended that they only have enough spells to fill their slots when creating pregens, PCs as played will have a different spread. I randomly roll for the spells in this case and get:

1st Level - Bolerastun’s Mantle of the Dead, Necromancer’s Touch, Protective Circle, Spider Climb

2nd Level - Feign Death, Levitate, Speak with the Dead, Strength

3rd Level - Animate Dead

 

Bhakashal Spells

Bolerastun’s Mantle of the Dead

Level: 1, Casting Time: 1 segment, Range: touch, Duration: 1 round/level, Area of Effect: special, Components: V,S,M, Saving Throw: none


Bolerastun’s Mantle causes the warlock to radiate negative plane energy, this energy is diffuse enough that it will not harm anyone, but it has the important benefit of making the warlock appear to be undead herself, and thus preventing undead monsters from attacking her. The deception only works against skeletons, zombies and ghouls for 1st - 3rd level warlocks, shadows, wights and ghasts for 4th - 6th level warlocks, and wraiths, mummy’s and spectres for 7th - 10th level warlocks. Any more powerful undead are immune to the spell’s deception.The warlock may include one extra target for every level, e.g. two targets may be hidden at 2nd level, 3 at 3rd, etc, to a maximum of 10. The material component for this spell is a bone from a skeleton and a black silk blindfold.

 

Necromancer’s Touch 

Level: 1, Range: touch, Duration: Special, Area of Effect: creature touched, Components: V, S, Casting Time: I segment, Saving Throw: none


This spell requires that the necromancer touch the victim with their totem. If they are successful the victim will lose 1-4  hp + 1 hp per necromancer’s level. The spell remains active for 1 round / level, each round a successful hit drains 1-4 hp + 1 hp per level. If the necromancer has the spell active and is hit by an undead, or hits an undead in combat, the undead suffers twice the damage listed in the spell description. When combat has ceased, half the hp in the totem go to the necromancer’s Daanav, the other half stay in the token for a maximum of one month. The necromancer can store 8 hp per level maximum in the totem using this spell (after division). The necromancer can use that energy in one of two ways: 

1) to heal themself, every hp drained gives a hp of healing

2) to animate dead, for every 8 hp drained, one HD of undead can be raised using the animate dead spell

 

  1. Their Daanav is a Death Slaadi named Jumaggoth, their token is a carnivorous ape skull, the current “store” of HP in their token (max 8 hp per level) is 30.


L. Assign Personality Traits (Optional)

  • Up to four, rolled on DMG tables. Note that players should always get to:

  1. Refuse or re-roll a personality trait

  2. Interpret a personality trait


Rolled: Moody, aloof, proud


M. Customize Playable Group Lore (Optional)

  • None


N. Name 

  • Calligaster Naukan


O. Magic Items

For PCs and NPCs being made above 1st level, assign magic items as follows:

Level / 3 in permanent magic items

Level / 2 in temporary magic items

So 2 permanent and 3 temporary items

Rolled:

Ring of Water Walking

Wand of Metal and Mineral Detection (30)

Potion of Clairaudience

Potion of Black Dragon Control

Scroll of 2 spells: Forget and Magic Jar 


Calligaster Naukan - 5th level Emberi Scribus Maker Necromancer - House Ghan [LG]

MV:12”/9” - AC: 9 - HP: 18

 

Ability Scores

S - 6 [-1] 

I - 15 [+2]
W - 11 [+1]
D - 10 [+1]
C - 7 [-1] 
C - 16 [+3]/+15%

Deity - Omagh - god of death

Languages - Emberi, Saan, Malu, Yalan

Appearance - Black hair, tattoo of Omagh on left arm

Skills/Abilities - Scribe, Heraldry, Stoneworker

- move at 12” on land and 9” through trees

- selective vision control: 

a. infravision 120’

b. +4 on saving throws against brightness related blindness. 

- selective hearing control

a. Stop take an action and concentrate: enhance hearing, reducing surprise to 1 in 6 as longa as maintained

b. +4 on saves against sonic damage

Saving Throws

Paralyzation STR [+1]

Poison [+3]

Death Magic [+3]

Petrification [+5]

Polymorph [+7]

Breath Weapon [+6]

Spell [+6]


Weapons - Class Attack Bonus: +2

  1. Chigiriki* [+1/-1] 1-6/1-8, WS: 4, WvrsAC: -3M/-2L, Critical: Entangle (ChainAC4/HP6)

*All polearms give a 1-point AC bonus when used two handed


Equipment: Backpack, 50’ rope, (3) iron spikes, flint and steel, (3) torches, waterskin, iron rations, blanket, (3) candles, (3) flasks of oil, lantern, small sack

Encumbrance: +90 gp

Henchmen: Goa, Kurr, Ramk (Saan)(AC:5, HP:6,5,4, spear, battle axe, crossbow)


Wealth: 253 gp,  400gp ruby, 50 gp pearl, 400gp bracer, 50 gp silver ring

Clothing: Black robes, hard leather boots, black, sleeveless shirt and black pants  

Personality: Moody, aloof, proud

Mount: Gess (MV:15”,AC:6,NA3 (CCB),DA:1-3/1-3/2-5, S:L-15’)


Spells Castable Per Day - [4 1st, 4 2nd, 1 3rd] 

1st Level - Bolerastun’s Mantle of the Dead, Necromancer’s Touch, Protective Circle, Spider Climb

2nd Level - Feign Death, Levitate, Speak with the Dead, Strength

3rd Level - Animate Dead


Magic Items - Ring of Water Walking, Wand of Metal and Mineral Detection (30), Potion of Clairaudience, Potion of Black Dragon Control, Scroll of 2 spells: Forget and Magic Jar 



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