Building Bhakashal - Character Creation - PCs - The Slayer
The next class up in the character creation challenge for Bhakashal is the Slayer. The Slayer was the first “custom” class I made for the setting. I wanted a hunter/tracker class of some kind, but I wanted to divorce it from any LOTR connections. My love for LOTR is boundless, but the Ranger is one of those classes that is specific to the setting, it wasn’t a good fit for Bhakashal.
What I did like was the idea of a class that was dedicated to fighting a particular kind of monster, “monster slayers” are a fixture of pulp fantasy, and a perfect fit for the vibe I am trying to create. The “aha” moment came when I decided to marry the Ranger and Assassin classes into something different. Assassins were a great concept, game mechanically at least, but the need to be evil and take on contracts for assassination was something that didn’t fit well with group based adventure play.
The slayer in Bhakashal is affiliated with a temple and a god, not with a Noble House, but they are still a martial class, with all the appropriate benefits. Unlike most martial classes however, they have specific abilities related to particular kinds of opponent. Slayers are specialists that focus on the destruction of one group of dangerous creatures. Today we will create a 3rd level slayer, perfect for a one shot adventure.
Away we go!
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)
Slayer - Faction - Temple of Torphal (Death, Animals, Storms, Disease – antelope head, spear)
B. Choose Playable Group (3d12)
Emberi (human)
C. Generate Stats
For each stat roll 3d6
1 5 5 /3 3 5 /3 5 6/ 2 3 4/ 6 2 5 /3 3 3
S 11 / I 11 / W 14 / D 9 / C 13 / C 9
Apply stat minimums
STR 13 INT 13 WIS 14 CON 14
S 13 / I 13 / W 14 / D 9 / C 14 / C 9
Switch any two stats (you cannot produce a result less than a minimum)
No switch
Apply playable group bonuses
+1 CON +1 WIS
S 13 / I 13 / W 15 / D 9 / C 15 / C 9
Apply Ability Modifiers
S - 13 [+2]
I - 13 [+2]
W - 15 [+2]
D - 9 [0]
C - 15 [+2]
C - 9 [0]
D. Calculate Saving Throw Bonuses and HP
All classes get a +1 bonus per 2 levels of experience, so +2 for a 3rd level slayer.
Paralyzation STR and CON [+6]
Poison CON and DEX [+4]
Death Magic WIS and CON [+6]
Petrification CON and CHR [+4]
Polymorph WIS and CHR [+4]
Breath Weapon DEX and INT [+4]
Spell WIS and INT [+4]
Hit Points
Class based, roll or take the average (1/2 HD), in this case I will roll: 1,6,4 = 11 HP
Bhakashal - Hit Points
Table 1 - Hit Point Progression by Class
Notes:
E. Add Skills and Playable Group Abilities
PCs get a skill(s) related to their playable group
Rolled: Weaponsmith
All PCs then get a roll on the Bhakashal Skill table once for every point of INT bonus
Two rolls: Trapper, Astronomer
Playable groups also have abilities
- move at 12” on land and 9” through trees.
- selective vision control:
infravision 120’
+4 on saving throws against brightness related blindness.
- selective hearing control
Stop take an action and concentrate: enhance hearing, reducing surprise to 1 in 6 as longa as maintained
+4 on saves against sonic damage
F. Choose Deity and Languages
Gods of Bhakashal (4d12)
Chosen: Torphal
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
Emberi, Saan - rolled: Togmu, Saan, re-roll on Special Table 1 for duplicate: Marsh Dragon
Bhakashal Languages - (3d12)* Special Table 1 - (d12)
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, grapnel, horn, lantern, large sack, small chest - 350 gp - 30gp cost
Clothing: as illustration
H. Pick Armor and Weapons and Assign Attack Bonuses
Armor type - none AC: 10
Attack bonus for a 3rd level martial PC is +2 to hit
Initial number of weapons determined by class. Slayers start with 3 weapons and get an additional slot at 4th, so 3 to start.
Machete - [+4/+2], 1-6/1-8, WS: 2, WvrsAC: -1M/+2L/+3N, criticals: Dual Wield/Remain/Stab
Crossbow - [+2/+2] 2-5/2-5, WS: 4, WvrsAC: -1M/+2L/+3N, Range: 12/18/20, Criticals: Remain
Battle Axe 0 [+4/+2] 1-8/1-8, WS: 4, WvrsAC: -2M/+1L/+2N, Criticals: Cleave
I. Assign Wealth
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 = 130gp, 50gp emerald, 50gp silver ring
For PCs and NPCs above 1st level, add [100 gp + 100 gp gem + 100 gp jewelry]/level plus 50gp per ability score “+” to wealth. = 200gp, 200gp ruby, 200gp gold ring + 400gp sapphire
Deduct cost of equipment, armor and weapons
30gp/26gp
Total: 274 gp, 50gp emerald, 50gp silver ring, 200gp ruby, 200gp gold ring + 400gp sapphire
J. Calculate Encumbrance
Weapon Weights are found in the weapon listings - 180gp
Armor Weights are found on the Armor Table - /
Equipment weight is precalculated for equipment packs, otherwise consult the Equipment Weights table - 350gp
Deduct 50gp per point of CON and STR bonus - 200gp
Total all weight and consult the Weight/Movement table - 330 gp, so 170gp can be added before slowing
K. Assign Spells/Class Abilities
There are two categories of foes, specific and general. A specific foe might be vampires, generic foes might be any undead. For this slayer I will choose the most common form of foe for slayers: animals. Animals were the first foe to be fought by any group of sentient beings, and regular hunters in the setting are all 1st level slayers that don’t advance.
So the general foe is animals, the specific foe in this case is giant animals/dinosaurs. Giant animals are fairly common in the game, as are animals in general, so this is the most common variety of slayer in the game.
A slayer gains +1 to hit and +1 to damage for every level of experience against their specific foe, and +1 to hit and + 1 to damage every 3 levels against their general foes, so for this slayer:
+1 to hit / +1 to damage against all animals
+3 to hit/ +3 to damage against all giant animals/dinosaurs
Slaying: When attacking creatures of the target type, the slayer makes regular to-hit and damage rolls. However, on successful attacks, if the slayer exceeds their natural “to hit” by 5 they have the option to try for a slay, an instant kill, using the assassination table. If this fails, they do half regular damage. Opponents of more HD than the slayer’s level get a saving throw versus death.
Surprise: the Slayer has a 3 in 6 chance to surprise others and only a 1 in 6 chance of being surprised.
Tracking: Slayers track like PHB rangers, in wilderness, underground or urban environments, same odds.
Disguise: Slayers get the disguise and spying abilities of the assassin
Languages: If the Slayer gets any extra languages because of high intelligence, one of those languages is that of the target creature; if the creature does not possess a language, the Slayer gains the ability to mimic its sounds or behaviors and communicate basic concepts (e.g. danger, food, etc.) We will retroactively remove one of the slayer’s languages here (say Togmu) and replace it. Since the general and specific foes here are not an individual creature (e.g. vampires), we will choose the latter option, e.g. the slayer is good at mimicking sounds of various animals.
A Slayer has a 10% chance per level of identifying a non-magically disguised primary foe and a 5% chance per level of identifying a magically disguised primary foe
Sage - a slayer is considered a sage with a special category in their primary foe (giant animals/dinosaurs) and a major field in their general foes (animals)
L. Assign Personality Traits (Optional)
Up to four, rolled on DMG tables. Note that players should always get to:
Refuse or re-roll a personality trait
Interpret a personality trait
Unkempt, trusting, proud, friendly
M. Customize Playable Group Lore (Optional)
None
N. Name
Bosk Tughlarn - Level Title - Slayer Hunter
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
I permanent and two temporary items
Rolled:
+1 crossbow of speed
Potion of Healing
Potion of Treasure Finding
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