Erekose13

[Classes & Races]

Okay I've been putting this off way too long. One of my original ideas I had when I saw the PHB4e was that races could play a bigger part in your choice of class by tying more than just feats to your race. By using the power requirements to include race, class powers could build on the flavor of the race similar to how the later Race books from 3.5 included racial substitution levels. My goal to start with is to come up with Heroic Tier encounter powers to add to the choices presented by the class in this article.

[Tiefling Fighter]

Tieflings that embrace their infernal heritage are able to draw on the fires burning in their souls to engage their enemies with unique combat exploits. Preferring to fight with two blades and lean towards a striker secondary roll, Tiefling Fighters often choose Tempest Techniques and add their own embelishments.

Blood Fury Fighter Attack 1
Your natural bloodlust takes over as you launch a devastating attack against a bleeding and battered opponent.
Encounter * Martial, Weapon
Standard Action - Melee Weapon
Requirement: You must be a Tiefling.
Target: One bloodied creature
Attack: Strength + 2 vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Strength modifier damage.

Blazing Gale Fighter Attack 3
The fires of your past come to life as flames leap from your weapon, burning all those around you.
Encounter * Fire, Martial, Weapon
Standard Action - Close Burst 1
Requirement: You must be a Tiefling.
Target: All creatures in the burst
Attack: Strength vs. Reflex
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier fire damage.

Accursed Flurry Fighter Attack 7
Your weapons blaze with infernal balefire as you strike with both of them.
Encounter * Fire, Martial, Rattling, Weapon
Standard Action - Melee Weapon
Requirements: You must be a Tiefling and you must be wielding two weapons.
Target: Two creatures
Attack: Strength vs. AC (main weapon and off-hand weapon), one attack per target.
Hit: 1[W] + Strength modifier fire damage and the target grants combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

In the interests of keeping a personal log of my home campaign, I'm going to start blogging my notes in sort of a story hour format. Our campaign then is an Iron Kingdoms game set in Ord during the burgeoning war between Cygnar and Khador begin. It was started towards the end of the 3.5e days and characters were generated in that system but as they are still 1st level and I'm keen on converting we are all over to 4E now. The group are members of the Explorer's Society in a small backwater town miles up river from Five Fingers. One way or another this band of misfits have found employment in their stinky little office beneath the Puffing Bridge.

Character Portrait: Years to Come

From left to right our group consists of:

• Victor - arcane mechanic and all round book worm [Human (Ordic) Wizard 1]
• Nicolo - land-locked Llaelese pirate [Human (Llaelese) Gun Mage 1]
• Finn - elven cleric of Scryah, Goddess of healing [Elf Cleric 1]
• Yrgh the Well Endowed - trollkin fell caller whose goal is to spread his seed around the world [Trollkin Warlord 1]
• Fennigoth the Red - our resident explorer, surveyor, and blaster [Human (Ordic) Hellock 1]
• Piran - an exiled Llaelese noble who fled his country before it was attacked [Human (Llaelese) Fighter 1]

Here is the second in a series 4e critters inspired by Art found around the internet, in this case a Magic card. The stat block was generated using Monster Maker by Asmor.


[Link][Image]

[Boggart Arsonist Tactics]
A boggart arsonist loves fire!

Boggart Face Vaulter

Here is the first in a series 4e critters inspired by Art found around the internet, in this case a Magic card. The stat block was generated using Monster Maker by Asmor.

[Boggart]
Boggarts are short, hairy, smelly fey that like to play nasty tricks on people. Many people attribute minor malevolence to these little blighters such as soured milk, lame animals, or missing household items. A boggart's tricks can often turn violent when the targets of their mischief do not find them funny.

In groups, boggarts are down right nasty. They can easily pull down a large horse or farmer, tying them to tall barns and the like. Many favor carrying off simple farm implements to harass their marks with.

[Link][Image]

[Boggart Face Vaulter Tactics]
A boggart face vaulter delights in flinging itself at its target, flying through the air with a maniacle grin on its face. Often found in groups of other boggarts, the face vaulter accomplishes its flying acrobatics by launching itself off of its companions, generally leaving them lurching and stunned.

[Encounter Groups]
Boggarts gather in groups of their own kind though there are a wide variety of different boggarts in the forests and fields of the Feywild. Sometimes they can even be found 'playing nice' with other fey, especially when the Summer Lands are threatened.

Level 2 Encounter (XP 625)

• 2 boggart face vaulters (level 2 skirmisher)
• 1 boggart arsonist (level 3 artillery)
• 4 boggart gaggle (level 2 minion)
• 1 skuzzback scrapper (level 1 brute)

[Notes]

Add links to future blogs with other boggarts.

For all that I've dreamed of being a game designer (and what DM hasnt at one point?) I've only put together a few things to submit in the past. I've been published online on a couple of fan sites but thats about as far as it goes. So here is one idea I had for 4e that I'd love one day to see polished enough to submit to a publisher.

One of the marketing blurbs put forth during the lead in to 4e was that we would see races being more important over the course of a character's career. I've read the PHB and I don't see it. Sure the powers gained at 1st level are still valid later on, sure there are good heroic feat options available for races early on and even a few (read Dragonborn) paragon feats available. But there is little to suggest that a 30th level human paladin is that much different from a 30th level dwarven paladin.

This series of articles will explore a single race-class combination and enhance the options available to players of that combination. For example I will feature Dwarven Fighter powers (of all tiers), paragon paths, feats, magic items, and at times epic destinies if it fits. I hope that what follows is an interesting look at making races matter more through out a campaign.