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Rel's Faded Glory II (Thanks Old One) Final Update 7/14
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<blockquote data-quote="Rel" data-source="post: 1007138" data-attributes="member: 99"><p>For the sake of completeness, here are the guidlines I had for character design. I stole most of them from other posters on the boards whose names are lost in antiquity.</p><p></p><p><strong>Character Design:</strong> </p><p></p><p>The rules for stat generation are below. Here are the guidelines on what you can have and do for character design: </p><p></p><p>Replacement characters (if any are needed) will always start with XP equal to the average total of all the other PCs (including the one being replaced). If above level 1 they get equipment equal to 70 percent of the DMG guidelines for a character of their level. Otherwise if level 1 they get normal starting equipment.</p><p></p><p>All PC classes and races published in the PHB are open. I haven't made up my mind about the prestige classes. If you are specifically shooting for one of the prestige classes, let me know and we'll talk about it.</p><p></p><p>Variant First Level Multiclass characters as per DMG pg.40 can be made. For those who don't have a DMG, these rules just let you start as a multiclass character, even though you are only first level.</p><p></p><p>If you don't pay for the skill, you don't have it. This is mostly a note for Craft, Profession, and Knowledge skills. But applies to anything else as well. If you describe training in your background I expect to see at least one rank in the skills mentioned. </p><p></p><p>No character can have an evil alignment. Good is recommended but certainly not required. </p><p></p><p>Stat generation: The idea behind these guidelines is to get all the PCs to be close but not identical in stat points. This gives me a tight range I can use to judge power levels but keeps out the carbon copy syndrome. </p><p></p><p>Point Buy is REQUIRED as listed in the DMG pages 19-20.</p><p></p><p>Characters will start with 26 points and gain additional points as outlined below. The maximum allowed will be 32 points. If you fulfil more than six of the items below, you will not go over 32 points to spend on your stats. Depending on the additional material you submit, I may grant some "in game" bonuses such as extra equipment, starting money, etc. Obviously this extra material could also have the benefit of giving you and the other players a better idea of what your character is really like.</p><p></p><p>*1 for a background story that works with the campaign world. Must reference world elements at least four times. Minimum one typed page. </p><p></p><p>*1 more if the story ties together with one or more other PC's story(s). Must be at least a couple paragraphs or more on how they tie in. Cannot have 'just met recently'. </p><p></p><p>*1 more if your story fleshes out an element of the town or world that I've mentioned in my intro. The info you provide must meet my approval (obviously) and should be at least half a typed page. If I decide not to use your material, I'll still give you the point for the effort.</p><p></p><p>*1 if you have 1 or more major and/or 3 or more minor plot hooks built in. Plot hooks must be worked into background story in detail. A major plot hook is something that drives the story and gives the DM options to work with nearly every game session. It must be easy to work in under most normal circumstances. A minor plot hook is anything that can give such story ideas but will not do so consistently on a regular basis. Having an active career that can be a part of the roleplay and gives you an assortment of interconnections in the game would be a major plot hook. Having a family secret that might be exposed someday is a minor plot hook. The difference lies in how often they would come up in game. </p><p></p><p>*1 for an illustration. I don't care who draws it, as long as it's a representation of what they 'really' look like. Don't draw a frog and call it your character but a cartoony sketch is ok. You are encouraged to label equipment carried as well. The drawing should be something that helps people to visualize the character. </p><p></p><p>*1 for a painted miniature. I don't care who paints it or how good they are at it. </p><p></p><p>*1 for being from the campaign starting town of Glynden.</p><p></p><p>*1 for making a list of 5 or more personality traits that show why your character has their chosen alignment and 1 thing about them that is outside their alignment but why this doesn't change their alignment. Minimum 15 words per trait. Must be relevant to the alignment and show why it is such. </p><p></p><p>*1 for detailing the character's religious beliefs. Must be at least half a page or more. This is required for Clerics, Druids, and Paladins, optional for all other classes.</p><p></p><p>If you have other ideas for things I could add to this list please let me know. It will only serve to give you more options. Also note that while I asked that you have two characters ready to go in the event that the first one meets an untimely demise, there is obviously a lot of work involved in the character creation process outlined above. I'll try not to kill off your primary character on the first night so you have a bit of extra time to work out the background for the second one. In other words, you don't have to have both of them ready to go on night one.</p><p></p><p>A few other house rules to keep in mind:</p><p></p><p>I have a few relatively minor changes as to how I plan to govern the use of scrolls and spellbooks for wizards in my campaign. If you plan to play a wizard, let me know and I'll tell you the rules.</p><p></p><p>Although I have no plans to try to make this campaign deadlier than average, I do plan to "let the chips fall where they may". Unless you stray WAY off the path, the challenges you face will likely be tough but winnable. However, bad luck or stupidity can and perhaps will get you killed. I don't intend to fudge any rolls for or against the party. Therefore I will make all the combat rolls for the opposition out in the open where all of you can see the result.</p><p></p><p>But I also don't want to put the fate of my campaign and the work I've put into crafting a storyline entirely at the mercy of chance. To give you just a bit of an edge, I plan on giving out "chips" when your character performs an action that is particularly heroic or adds immensely to the enjoyment of the game. These "chips" can be redeemed at any time to re-roll dice on a one for one basis. You will only be allowed to spend a chip to change a die roll once. So if the red dragon bites you in half when I roll a 20 and you spend a chip and then I roll another 20, get ready to whip out that second character.</p><p></p><p>One other thing I want to try is a more tactile/visual way of keeping up with hit points. I plan to give each of you a small bowl to put some marbles in. Each one will represent a hit point (I may use "higher denomination" marbles when the hit points get higher than around 20). When you take damage, you take points out of your bowl and when you heal you will put them back. This way, at a glance, the other players and myself will have an approximate idea of how many hit points you have without asking for an exact number.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Rel, post: 1007138, member: 99"] For the sake of completeness, here are the guidlines I had for character design. I stole most of them from other posters on the boards whose names are lost in antiquity. [b]Character Design:[/b] The rules for stat generation are below. Here are the guidelines on what you can have and do for character design: Replacement characters (if any are needed) will always start with XP equal to the average total of all the other PCs (including the one being replaced). If above level 1 they get equipment equal to 70 percent of the DMG guidelines for a character of their level. Otherwise if level 1 they get normal starting equipment. All PC classes and races published in the PHB are open. I haven't made up my mind about the prestige classes. If you are specifically shooting for one of the prestige classes, let me know and we'll talk about it. Variant First Level Multiclass characters as per DMG pg.40 can be made. For those who don't have a DMG, these rules just let you start as a multiclass character, even though you are only first level. If you don't pay for the skill, you don't have it. This is mostly a note for Craft, Profession, and Knowledge skills. But applies to anything else as well. If you describe training in your background I expect to see at least one rank in the skills mentioned. No character can have an evil alignment. Good is recommended but certainly not required. Stat generation: The idea behind these guidelines is to get all the PCs to be close but not identical in stat points. This gives me a tight range I can use to judge power levels but keeps out the carbon copy syndrome. Point Buy is REQUIRED as listed in the DMG pages 19-20. Characters will start with 26 points and gain additional points as outlined below. The maximum allowed will be 32 points. If you fulfil more than six of the items below, you will not go over 32 points to spend on your stats. Depending on the additional material you submit, I may grant some "in game" bonuses such as extra equipment, starting money, etc. Obviously this extra material could also have the benefit of giving you and the other players a better idea of what your character is really like. *1 for a background story that works with the campaign world. Must reference world elements at least four times. Minimum one typed page. *1 more if the story ties together with one or more other PC's story(s). Must be at least a couple paragraphs or more on how they tie in. Cannot have 'just met recently'. *1 more if your story fleshes out an element of the town or world that I've mentioned in my intro. The info you provide must meet my approval (obviously) and should be at least half a typed page. If I decide not to use your material, I'll still give you the point for the effort. *1 if you have 1 or more major and/or 3 or more minor plot hooks built in. Plot hooks must be worked into background story in detail. A major plot hook is something that drives the story and gives the DM options to work with nearly every game session. It must be easy to work in under most normal circumstances. A minor plot hook is anything that can give such story ideas but will not do so consistently on a regular basis. Having an active career that can be a part of the roleplay and gives you an assortment of interconnections in the game would be a major plot hook. Having a family secret that might be exposed someday is a minor plot hook. The difference lies in how often they would come up in game. *1 for an illustration. I don't care who draws it, as long as it's a representation of what they 'really' look like. Don't draw a frog and call it your character but a cartoony sketch is ok. You are encouraged to label equipment carried as well. The drawing should be something that helps people to visualize the character. *1 for a painted miniature. I don't care who paints it or how good they are at it. *1 for being from the campaign starting town of Glynden. *1 for making a list of 5 or more personality traits that show why your character has their chosen alignment and 1 thing about them that is outside their alignment but why this doesn't change their alignment. Minimum 15 words per trait. Must be relevant to the alignment and show why it is such. *1 for detailing the character's religious beliefs. Must be at least half a page or more. This is required for Clerics, Druids, and Paladins, optional for all other classes. If you have other ideas for things I could add to this list please let me know. It will only serve to give you more options. Also note that while I asked that you have two characters ready to go in the event that the first one meets an untimely demise, there is obviously a lot of work involved in the character creation process outlined above. I'll try not to kill off your primary character on the first night so you have a bit of extra time to work out the background for the second one. In other words, you don't have to have both of them ready to go on night one. A few other house rules to keep in mind: I have a few relatively minor changes as to how I plan to govern the use of scrolls and spellbooks for wizards in my campaign. If you plan to play a wizard, let me know and I'll tell you the rules. Although I have no plans to try to make this campaign deadlier than average, I do plan to "let the chips fall where they may". Unless you stray WAY off the path, the challenges you face will likely be tough but winnable. However, bad luck or stupidity can and perhaps will get you killed. I don't intend to fudge any rolls for or against the party. Therefore I will make all the combat rolls for the opposition out in the open where all of you can see the result. But I also don't want to put the fate of my campaign and the work I've put into crafting a storyline entirely at the mercy of chance. To give you just a bit of an edge, I plan on giving out "chips" when your character performs an action that is particularly heroic or adds immensely to the enjoyment of the game. These "chips" can be redeemed at any time to re-roll dice on a one for one basis. You will only be allowed to spend a chip to change a die roll once. So if the red dragon bites you in half when I roll a 20 and you spend a chip and then I roll another 20, get ready to whip out that second character. One other thing I want to try is a more tactile/visual way of keeping up with hit points. I plan to give each of you a small bowl to put some marbles in. Each one will represent a hit point (I may use "higher denomination" marbles when the hit points get higher than around 20). When you take damage, you take points out of your bowl and when you heal you will put them back. This way, at a glance, the other players and myself will have an approximate idea of how many hit points you have without asking for an exact number. [/QUOTE]
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