Help me with my homebrew/Myth Adventures adaption!

[snarfoogle]

I know there are quite a few Thieves World fans here on ENWorld, but has anyone heard of Myth Adventures, by the editor of Thieves World? I enjoyed the series so I thought I'd try my hand at a conversion for my latest campaign. Can anyone help balance these races? I thought some of them looked a little thin on abilities. I know they need better favored classes, but I'm lost on ideas.

RACES

Klahds (Humans)

● Medium: As Medium creatures, humans have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
● Human base land speed is 30 feet.
● 1 extra feat at 1st level.
● 4 extra skill points at 1st level and 1 extra skill point at each additional level.
● Automatic Language: Common, Klahdish. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Speak Language skill.
● Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass human takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class does not count.
● Klahds come from the dimension of Klah.

Imps

● +2 Dexterity, -2 Wisdom
● Medium: As Medium creatures, Imps have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
● Imp base land speed is 30 feet.
● Low-Light Vision: An imp can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
● Imps get a +2 bonus on saving throws against poisons due to their extensive cultural usage of them.
● Automatic Languages: Common, Imp. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Speak Language skill.
● Weapon Proficiency: Imps receive the Exotic Weapon Proficiency feats for the Hand Crossbow and Repeating Crossbow as bonus feats..
● Favored Class: Rogue. When determining whether a multiclass imp takes an experience point penalty, his or her rogue class levels do not count.
● Imps come from the dimension of Imper.

Deveels

● -2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, +2 Intelligence
Deveels are suave and quick-witted, but relatively frail.
● Medium: As Medium creatures, Deveels have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
● Deveel base land speed is 30 feet.
● Darkvision: Deveels can see in the dark up to 60 feet. Darkvision is black and white only, but it is otherwise like normal sight, and deevels can function just fine with no light at all.
●Deveels receive a +4 racial bonus on diplomacy checks relating to haggling and a +2 racial bonus on appraise checks.
● Automatic Languages: Common, Deveel. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Speak Language skill
● Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass deveel takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class levels do not count.
● Deveels come from the dimension of Deva.

Archian (Archer)
● +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Constitution
● Medium: As Medium creatures, Archians have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
● Archian base land speed is 30 feet
● +2 racial bonus on Spot checks.
● Low-Light Vision: An Archian can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. She retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
● Weapon Proficiency: Archians do not suffer improficiency penalties for using any type of bow or crossbow.
● +1 racial bonus on attack rolls with bows and crossbows.
● Automatic Languages: Common, Archian. Bonus Languages: Any (other than secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Speak Language skill
● Favored Class: Any. When determining whether a multiclass Archian takes an experience point penalty, his or her highest-level class levels do not count.
● Archians come from the dimension of Archiah.

Gnomes
● -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +2 Charisma
● Small: As a Small creature, a gnome gains a +1 size bonus to Armor Class, a +1 size bonus on attack rolls, and a +4 size bonus on Hide checks, but he uses smaller weapons than humans use, and his lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of a Medium character.
● Gnome base land speed is 20 feet.
● Low-Light Vision: A gnome can see twice as far as a human in starlight, moonlight, torchlight, and similar conditions of poor illumination. He retains the ability to distinguish color and detail under these conditions.
● Weapon Familiarity: Gnomes may treat gnome hooked hammers as martial weapons rather than exotic weapons.
● +2 racial bonus on saving throws against illusions.
● Add +1 to the Difficulty Class for all saving throws against illusion spells cast by gnomes. This adjustment stacks with those from similar effects.
● +1 racial bonus on attack rolls against kobolds and goblinoids.
● +4 dodge bonus to Armor Class against monsters of the giant type. Any time a creature loses its Dexterity bonus (if any) to Armor Class, such as when it’s caught flat-footed, it loses its dodge bonus, too.
● +2 racial bonus on Listen checks.
● +2 racial bonus on Craft (alchemy) checks.
● Automatic Languages: Common and Gnome. Bonus Languages: Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Giant, Goblin, and Orc. In addition, a gnome can speak with a burrowing mammal (a badger, fox, rabbit, or the like, see below). This ability is innate to gnomes. See the speak with animals spell description.
● Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day-speak with animals (burrowing mammal only, duration 1 minute). A gnome with a Charisma score of at least 10 also has the following spell-like abilities: 1/day-dancing lights, ghost sound, prestidigitation. Caster level 1st; save DC 10 + gnome’s Cha modifier + spell level.
● Favored Class: Wizard. A multiclass gnome’s wizard class does not count when determining whether he takes an experience point penalty.
● Gnomes come from the dimension of Zoorik.

I think 5 is a little low, but I'm stuck on how to make any other races fit the flavor of the world. Maybe anyone who has read the books could give a little help?

 

[Crothian]

There's a lot of information on many different world in those books. I've read most of them but its been ages since I have.

 

[Mystery Man]

Yep I have the books.

I know there are quite a few Thieves World fans here on ENWorld, but has anyone heard of Myth Adventures, by the editor of Thieves World?

I even have the comic books in a box somewhere.

 

[AFGNCAAP]

Hmm... I've read the series up to Sweet Myth-tery of Life, so I'll see what I can remember.

Klahds = Humans. Pretty much dead on. I think there are a few other dimensions where the inhabitants would be considered human as well: IIRC, the Jahks (from Jahk, dimension of the Big Game) are human as well.

Pervects are a big must-have for the Myth Adventures setting. I'd think that they'd have have a Str &/or Con bonus, and a penalty to Charisma (at the least). Aahz would probably have a somewhat higher-than-average Cha score (since he's not as offensive at times), not to mention having a fair # of skill points in skills like Diplomacy, Bluff, and Intimidate.

Trolls & Trollops would be statted differently, though they are both from the same race (& the same dimension, Trollia). Trollops would definitely have a Cha bonus.

The Gnomes of Zoorik were simply mentioned in a story, & they were referred to as bankers (IIRC). Most likely, they'd be different statistically from D&D gnomes (maybe a bit closer to dwarves along the earth-dwelling concept), but they seem to be quite fiscally-oriented.

There was the horror-themed dimension with a lot of the standard horror critters (I recall a married couple of werewolves, for one).

I know Skeeve & Aahz were statted up in a Role Aids book--Wizards, IIRC. You may want to see if anyone can share that info in order to get a good idea on statting Aahz.

(And just for fun...) As to how the Myth adventures cast may be statted out:

Skeeve, N (maybe NG or CG) male human rogue/sorcerer

Aahz, N male Pervect fighter/sorcerer

Quigley, LN male human fighter; Buttercup, his unicorn mount, would more or less more horse-like rather than the uber-mystical-fey-like nature beast that it is in D&D (though the whole virgin thing still applies)

Tananda, N female trollop rogue/fighter/sorcerer

Chumley, NG male troll fighter

Gleep would be a rather young fire-breathing dragon, though not fitting the typical look/temperment/stat setup of a Red dragon. At least N, if not Good-aligned

Gen. Hugh Badd Axe, LN male human fighter

Maasha, NG female human expert; has LOTS of magical items

Frumple, CN male Deveel expert (most Deveels would be Lawful, though Frumple is an exception; he was kicked out of the Bazaar for his behavior)

Arcane spellcasters pretty much fit into the sorcerer mold, D&D-wise (unless Complete Arcane provides something similar to a sorcerer, but not Cha-based). UA's generic classes would work better w/ these characters, though, IMHO. Heck, even the Psionics rules may work well for Myth Adventures-style magik.

In any event, if you're going to go the Myth Adventures route, remember to have pun with it (yes, I said pun--I mean fun as well, but pun is just as important). Look at the setting: Pervects/Perverts, the Fairy Godfather, Gnomes of Zoorik, the sports-crazy dimension of Jahk, Trolls & Trollops, Deveels as ruthless merchants, the normal human Klahds, etc.

With that in mind, keep up the puns. Have the elves be magical cookie & toy manufacturers. Have dwarves with adjectives/adverbs for names. Have goblins came from the dimension of Gobble.

Heck, if you wanted (& are familiar with it), cross this over with the Zork world--it's just as humor-based as Myth Adventures, though it's magic-users are more in tune with 3.X wizards and mages/magic-users from previous editions (spellbooks, fire & forget magic, specific spells for specific tasks, & all).

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Skeeve, N (maybe NG or CG) male human rogue/sorcerer

I'd say NG. Only a level or two of rogue, mostly wizard.

Which brings up an interesting point about magic in the Myth-verse. I'd say it's more like "traditional" magic, since it relies on tapping into (essentially) ley lines, and is thus external- and it also requires training; not just any dope can learn how to do it, seemingly. I could see an argument the other way, though.

In any case, I don't think it's very likely that both types of magic would exist. (Although, even as I say that, it seems to me that in the dimension of the nightmare denizens, there were some creatures that seemed to have more "innate" powers.)

Quigley, LN male human fighter

I'd say LG Paladin, with a couple levels of Wizard. He was a demon hunter when he first met Skeeve and Aahz, but then became the court magician on Jahk, using some tricks he'd picked up along the way.

Tananda, N female trollop rogue/fighter/sorcerer

I'd go Rogue/Fighter/Assassin, myself. But it's a close call either way.

Gleep would be a rather young fire-breathing dragon, though not fitting the typical look/temperment/stat setup of a Red dragon. At least N, if not Good-aligned

I'd say N, with slightly Evil tendencies (based on the later books). He's very protective of his "pet", to the extent that he'll even take out Skeeve's friends if he thinks they might be harmful.

Maasha, NG female human expert; has LOTS of magical items

I'd give her a couple of "real" Wizard levels- she has been training with Skeeve, after all. Not sure that Expert fits, but then again, I can't think of another class that does. (I'd suggest Commoner, but she'd kill me for thinking it.

 

[snarfoogle]

Thanks for the advice - I had forgotten about Trollia. I hadn't added Pervects because I thought they would be LA+ races. I'll do some revisions and post the updated list later.

 

[Mighty Halfling]

For this campaign, I'd wipe out Clerics and Sorcerers (Maybe Druids too). In these books, as someone mentioned above, there are no natural magic-users ala sorcerers. I don't seem to remember any "miracle" like spell casting where people do healing and such.
In their place, you might consider a class that builds magic items and potions. There are tons of magic items in the Myth books, after all.
You also might want to explore Unearthed Arcana's alternate rules for magic use, particularly the point system, which would be more appropriate for Robert Aspirin's feel.
Was Ajax an Archian? I just loved that guy.

 

[jasper]

Klahds favored class any non magic using. Since it was pointed out that Klahds did not see that much magic and Skeeve was almost unique.

Deevels
Automatic Lanquages All since deevels will not let a sale go.
Favored Class Profession Merchant or Commoner.

Archian
Favored Class Any fighter type. (player must take bow weapon and at least 1 archery base feat)
Drop low light vision never mention or hinted at in the books.
Or up racial bonus on bows to +4

 

[Henry]

Any thoughts about Perverts... er, Pervects? I was thinking of making them

Pervects

● +2 Strength, -2 Wisdom. -2 Charisma
● Medium Size
● +2 Natural Armor Bonus
● Base land speed of 20 feet, since they are built somewhat like Dwarves, despite early pictures making him larger than Skeeve, the books portray him as smaller but much thicker build.
● -2 Reaction bonus to charisma-based skills with all races besides Pervects. The whole RACE is foul-tempered, not just Aahz, to the point that a Charisma penalty just won't cut it.
● Automatic Languages: Common, Pervish. Bonus Languages: Deveel, Troll, Imp.
● Natural Weapons. Pervects have Natural claw attacks for 1d4 damage.
● Favored Class: Barbarian.
● Pervects come from the dimension of Perv.

Level Adjustment: +1?

 

[Shard O'Glase]

I love these books and am reading the latest ones now. Thebig problem would be magic IMO. wiz/sor don't fit at all, there is no chanting and jesturing, when you learn an ability you just know it you don't prepare it, you can use it all frickin day until you run out of juice, you can recharge juice from external sources.(though you could say that's assumed and just give them a power pool) the closest I can think of is psions though I wouldn't make specific psion classes and I'd translate more magical feeling spells over like various ward spells. I'm getting the complete arcane today so maybe that will have some ideas in it but I don't know.