Sunday, January 2, 2022

Building Bhakashal - Character Creation - PCs


Image by Sean Andrew Murray - http://seanandrewmurray.com/

As part of the September character creation challenge, I will be creating a new PC/NPC every day of the month. Sometimes they will be a mid to high level NPC, but for a while I will stick to 1st level PCs to give a flavor of what it is like to create a character in Bhakashal.


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


A. Choose Class (d20)

  1. Beastial (druid)

  2. Cavaral (monk/magic-user - all/only evocation magic)

  3. Chimerist (all/only alteration magic)

  4. Conjuror (all/only conjuration magic)

  5. Gyre (Generic magic)

  6. Jinx (spider/druid - all/only plant magic)

  7. Justiciar (paladin) 

  8. Mercenary (fighter)

  9. Myrmidon (fighter/magic-user - potions only)  

  10. Necromancer (all only necromantic/abjuration magic)

  11. Phantasmist (Illusionist)

  12. Seer (cleric - all regular cleric spells and all divination magic) 

  13. Slayer (ranger/assassin) 

  14. Spartan (monk)

  15. Spellbinder (druid/magic-user - all/only elemental and animal spells)

  16. Spider (spider) 

  17. Thaumaturge (spider/magic-user - scroll spells only) 

  18. Theurgist (fighter/illusionist - all/only enchantment and illusion spells)

  19. Vox (bard - all sound spells and sound based versions of other spells)

  20. Warlock (magic-user)


Choice: Beastial- Faction - Bhakashal Coven [N]


B. Choose Playable Group  

Playable Groups - Bhakashal (d12)

  1. Chitin - Insect People

  2. Garudin - Bird People 

  3. Humans - Primate People 

  4. Jugyi - Turtle People 

  5. Kutya - Dog People 

  6. Malu - Fish People

  7. Rakasta - Cat People 

  8. Saan - Lizard People 

  9. Togmu - Frog People  

  10. Urdyll - Plant People 

  11. Vodnik - Castor People  

  12. Yalan - Snake People


Rolled - Human


C. Generate Stats

  1. For each stat roll 3d6 

Numbers: 

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


S11/I11/W10/D8/C12/C14


  1. Apply stat minimums

WIS 15 CHR 15

S13/I16/W15/D6/C9/CH15


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

I will switch DEX and CON

S13/I16/W15/D9/C6/CH15


  1. Apply playable group bonuses

+1 WIS, +1 CON

S13/I16/W16/D9/C7/CH15


  1. Apply Ability Modifiers

Bhakashal uses the following spread of modifiers:

3: -3

4-5:-2

6-8: -1

9: 0

10-11:+1

12-14: +2

15-17: +3

18: +4

For Charisma use +1=5%


So that gives us:

S - 13 [+2] 

I - 16 [+3]
W - 16 [+3]
D - 9 [0]
C - 7 [-1] 
C - 15 [+3]+15%


D. Calculate Saving Throw Bonuses and HP

All classes get a +1 bonus per 2 levels of experience and bonuses based on their stats. So that’s +1 across the board, then:


Paralyzation STR and CON [+2]

Poison CON and DEX [0]

Death Magic WIS and CON [+3]

Petrification CON and CHR [+3]

Polymorph WIS and CHR [+7]

Breath Weapon DEX and INT [+4]

Spell WIS and INT [+7]


Hit points are class based, a beastail has a d6 roll, roll or take the average of 3. I choose to take the average, so 3.


HP: 3


E.  Add Skills and Playable Group Abilities

In addition to skills related to their playable group, all PCs get a roll on the general table for every point of INT bonus. For a human you get to pick from 8 skills associated with the playable group, and you roll once on the table. I decide to roll between the playable group skill options and get Shipwright


I roll on the Bhakashal Skill Table three times (once for each point of INT) and get 11 for Astrologer, 48 for Herbalist and 47 for Herbalist again. A duplicate result means that their skill roll for Herbalist gets a +1 bonus.

Bhakashal Skills

01-02: Alchemist

49-51: Herdsman

03-05: Animal handler

52-54: Hunter

06-07: Artist

55-56: Jeweler

08-09: Armorer

57-58: Juggler/Entertainer

10-11: Astrologer

59-61: Leatherworker

12-13: Astronomer

62-63: Miner

14-16: Blacksmith

64-65: Musician

17-18: Bowyer/Fletcher

66-68: Navigator

19-20: Brewer

69-70: Painter

21-23: Carpenter

71-73: Sailor

24-26: Chef

74-75: Scribe

27-28: Cobbler

76-77: Shipwright

29-31: Farmer

78-79: Stoneworker

32-34: Fisherman

80-82: Tailor

35-37: Forester

83-84: Teamster

38-39: Gambler

85-86: Tinkerer

40-41: Gemologist

87-88: Trader

42-43: Glassworker

89-91: Trapper 

44-45: Heraldry

92-95: Roll an additional skill

46-48: Herbalist

96 -100: Skill of your choice


I then note the playable group abilities:

  1. Move: 12”(land) 9” (trees) 

  2. Infravision

  3. +4 on saving throws against brightness related blindness

  4. Take an action and concentrate - reduce surprise to 1 in 6 


F. Choose Deity and Languages, Factional Alignment

I roll for this and get Rjam – God of Courage, Skill in Combat.


The PC can speak human automatically, and gets one “free” language, I take Saan as Saan is the most common language spoken in Bhakashal.


Due to their INT bonus they get three further languages.


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


I roll for each and get Togmu, Togmu and Kutya. The second Togmu gets me a roll on Special Table 1 for languages, and that gets me Ogre. It is decided by the player and the referee that the PC knows how to speak Ogre as their mother was a wealthy city merchant for many years, and had an ogre as a bodyguard. So Human, Saan, Togmu, Kutya and Ogre.


Factional Alignment - In Bhakashal PCs do not have an alignment, however, alignments do apply to institutions and groups, for example, in Bhakashal every Noble House, Guild, etc., has an alignment


Lawful institutions prioritize and reward groups and cooperation, chaotic institutions prioritize and reward individuals and independence

Good institutions behave altruistically and avoid harming others wherever possible

Evil institutions will harm to achieve their goals and are fundamentally selfish

Neutral organizations do not have strong tendencies along any of these lines


This PC's faction is the Bhakashal coven, which is aligned as Neutral, which means they are focused on being servants to nature, whatever that brings, and take their cues from the natural world. They have no strong preferences between group or individual motivation, or altruistic or harmful behavior.  


G. Choose Equipment and Clothing 

I’ll choose a standard equipment loadout, Type B - 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


Beastials wear loose white robes, along with a woven sithak reed sleeve over their left arm. They wrap their left arm in thornwood vines, and they touch the thorns to draw a drop of blood as a material component for each spell they cast. 


H. Pick Armor and Weapons and Assign Attack Bonuses

Beastials do not generally wear armor.


Attack bonus for a 1st level Beastial is +1 to hit


The PC gets two weapons to start, in this case I’ll choose a naginata as the main weapon, but rather than taking another weapon I will take advantage of Bhakashal’s Proficiency bonus and add +1/+1 to the naginata. 


Naginata 1-8/1-10, WS: 4, WvrsAC: -1M/+1L/+2N, critical: Dismount


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. Their ability score bonuses total:

S - 13 [+2]  I - 16 [+3]  W - 16 [+3]  D - 9 [0]  C - 7 [-1]   C - 15 [+3] 

+ 10 total, so I will take

50 gp, 50gp emerald, 100 gp ruby, 50gp gold ring


Deduct cost of equipment, armor and weapons, 

Equipment: 10 gp

Weapon: 10 gp


So 30 gp, 50 gp emerald, 100 gp ruby, 50 gp gold ring


J. Calculate Encumbrance

250 gp from equipment

Weapons - naginata - 100 gp

No armor.

- 50gp for CON bonus

Encumbrance 300 gp, that means they can pick up 200 gp in weight before moving down one speed category


Encumbrance: +200 gp


K. Assign Spells/Class Abilities

  1. Beastials in Bhakashal are free casters, when they gain the ability to cast a new level of spells they gain access to the whole spell list for that level (e.g. all of the 1st level spells are available at 1st level), and may cast the spells without any advanced prayer or preparation. They still have a limit on how many spells may be cast per day by level, but any spell from the lists can be cast. At first level they can cast 1 spell per day from this list:

First Level 

1. Animal Friendship

2. Apothecary

3. Cache

4. Canoe

5. Create Woodland Traps

6. Crop Growth

7. Detect Magic

8. Detect Snares and Pits

9. Devour

10. Dry Breeches

11. Dust Screen

12. Entangle

13. Faerie Fire

14. Fermentation

15. Floral

16. Forest Runner

17. Fur

18. Harvest

19. Invisibility to Animals

20. Invisibility to Insects

21. Invisibility to Lycanthropes

22. Leaf Warrior

23. Locate Animals

24. Locate Land

25. Nourish

26. Onion

27. Paper

28. Pass Without a Trace

29. Plant Raiment

30. Predict Weather

31. Purify Air

32. Purify Water

33. Refresh Mount

34. Repair Plants

35. Root

36. Seal

37. Shed Skin

38. Shillelagh

39. Speak with Animals

40. Splinter

41. Summon Luminescent Insects

42. Swamp Drum

43. Swamp Shoes

44. Whiskered Thieves

45. Talons


Note that this is a significant selection of spells to cast from at 1st level, but they can only cast 1 spell per day at 1st. Because there are so many spells for Beastials, the casting times tend to be longer than for warlock spells, and ALL beastial spells require thornwood vine as part of their casting components. 

  1. All beastials have a particular animal clan, I roll for this and get clan Boar, so this PC will have a burragh wood boar mask (dark red in color) as part of their dress. Note that all masks from a particular animal clan are identical, and can only be told apart from a small mark on the mask. 

  2. Identify plant type, animal type and pure water.

  3. Beastials are generally accompanied by 1-3 animals of their clan type when they adventure, I roll and the Beastial has 2 boars as animal companions (MV:15”, AC:7, HD:1,NA:1,DA:2-5,S:M), under the scope of an animal friendship spell. They will know 1 trick for every point of WIS bonus for the beastial, in this case: attack, chase and retrieve.

  1. Beastials from each clan try to exemplify one or two characteristics of their animal avatar, in this case I choose: stubborn.


L. Assign Personality Traits

I roll for these: perceptive, friendly, proud


M. Customize Playable Group Lore

  1. 6 feet tall, brown hair, thin

  2. Level headed and fair


N. Name - Aaramos Griven


Aaramos Griven - 1st level Human Beastial - Boar Clan - Bhakashal Coven [N}

MV: 12”/9” - AC: 10 - HP: 3 

 

Ability Scores

S - 13 [+2] 

I - 16 [+3]
W - 16 [+3]
D - 9 [0]
C - 7 [-1] 
C - 15 [+3]+15%

Deity - Rjam – Courage, Skill in Combat

Languages - Human, Saan, Togmu, Kutya and Ogre

Appearance -  6 feet tall, brown hair, thin

Skills/Abilities - Shipwright, Astrologer, Herbalist [+1]

- Infravision, +4 on saving throws against brightness, concentrate (1 action) and reduce surprise to 1 in 6, identify plant type, animal type and pure water

Saving Throws

Paralyzation [+2]

Poison [0]

Death Magic [+3]

Petrification [+3]

Polymorph [+7]

Breath Weapon [+4]

Spell [+7]


Weapons - Class Attack Bonus: +1

  1. Naginata [+4/+3] 1-8/1-10, WS: 4, WvrsAC: -1M/+1L/+2N, critical: Dismount


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

Encumbrance: + 200 gp

Animal Companions: (2) boars, Ludi and Mok, (MV:15”, AC:7, HD:1,NA:1,DA:2-5,S:M)

Wealth: 30 gp, 50 gp emerald, 100 gp ruby, 50 gp gold ring

Clothing:   White robes, woven sithak reed sleeve & thornwood vine, red burragh wood boar mask

Personality: stubborn, perceptive, friendly, proud, level-headed and fair


Spells Castable Per Day - [1] 

1st Level Spells - Animal Friendship, Apothecary, Cache, Canoe, Create Woodland Traps, Crop Growth, Detect Magic, Detect Snares and Pits, Devour, Dry Breeches, Dust Screen, Entangle, Faerie Fire, Fermentation, Floral, Forest Runner, Fur, Harvest, Invisibility to Animals, Invisibility to Insects,  Invisibility to Lycanthropes, Leaf Warrior, Locate Animals, Locate Land, Nourish, Onion, Paper, Pass Without a Trace, Plant Raiment, Predict Weather, Purify Air, Purify Water, Refresh Mount, Repair Plants, Root, Seal, Shed Skin, Shillelagh, Speak with Animals, Splinter, Summon Luminescent Insects, Swamp Drum, Swamp Shoes, Whiskered Thieves, Talons






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