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AncientSpirits
First Post
Goyle
You are an urban arcanist, gothic trickster, and friend to monsters.
Background & Adventures
Goyles tap magic’s darker side as they bridge the worlds of people and monsters, particularly in urban environments. They can speak with, summon, and take the likeness of a sinister gargoyle.
Many goyles present a beautiful yet sad facade, all the better to fool the unwary. At their core, they revel in and feed on love, hate, joy, sadness, pain, and other emotions, which all creatures share. Thus their charismatic mein and use of supernatural poetry.
A goyle is comfortable in civilization, or its desolate ruins. They are particularly adept at avoiding combat and hiding the mayhem caused by adventurers and their foes. Some become monsters: Innocence is their quarry. Others just seek to keep the peace.
Goyles can be party face, sneak, and dangerous combatant. They don’t “get along” with others, but they do “go along” and can make dramatic contributions.
Class Details
Goyles have the following statistics.
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Prime Attribute: Charisma.
Attack Roll: d20 + ½ class level + Charisma modifier.
Defenses: +2 Reflex, +2 Will
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Armor: Light armors such as leather.
Weapons: Light blades including their signature mini-scythe (sickle), crossbows, and small projectiles.
Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10 (100 gp).
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Alignment: Any (usually chaotic).
Special: Apply a -2 penalty on skill checks involving persons.
Training: 1d4 years.
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Core Abilities
Goyles start with the following abilities at 1st level.
Gargoyle FormM: For 5 minutes you acquire gargoyle traits. Your skin toughens and gains a stony hue, wings sprout, claws and fangs descend, and so forth. These never damage your gear. In this form, you enjoy +2 DR, or +5 DR if you wear no armor. Also, your small wings allow you to hover up to 1 ft above ground, water or other flat space for 1 round by expending a move action, and you gain sharp claws and a bite that together deliver 1d4 damage per 2 levels (max 5d4) against an adjacent foe. Apply your Charisma modifier to the damage dealt. Reflex resists. Costs 2 vitality.
Gothic PoetryM: You recite an ornately dour or discretely frightening line of short poetry that is loaded with arcane power. All foes with 15 ft and hearing range suffer 1d4 pain damage per level (max 5d4). Will resists. Costs 1 vitality.
Goyle Skills: Boost Craft, Literacy, and Streetwise checks by +3. You are at home with the trappings of civilization.
Basic Tier
Goyles select from the following basic abilities.
Aggressive: Boost Athletics and Intimidate checks by +5.
Alleywise: Boost Stealth and Streetwise checks by +5.
Angst: One target within 15 ft suffers a -2 penalty on die rolls for 1 hour as emotions churn its heart. Will resists. Costs 1 vitality.
Back Lapse: This improves Memory Lapse (see below) to delete what occurred for the past 5 minutes. Costs 2 vitality
Blood CureM: You alter 1 vial of fresh blood. Anyone who drinks it within 1 minute heals 1d4 wounds. Costs 1 vitality.
Bribe: Boost Diplomacy checks by +5 or by +10 to seal a bribe.
Cause of Death: Boost Heal checks by +5, or by +10 when attempting to determine a creature’s cause of death.
Crowd Blend: Boost Stealth checks by +2, or by +10 to vanish into a crowd.
Dark Lore: Boost Arcana and Dungeoneering checks by +5.
DarkvisionM: As a swift action, your eyes turn black and you see in darkness as easily as in daylight. Ending the effect is a swift action.
DazeM: One person within 30 ft is dazed for 1 round. Will resists.
Detect MonstersM: You learn whether magic using non-persons are within a 15-ft cone.
Dramatic Flourish: Up to 5x daily as a move action in combat, you speak or act dramatically—cursing, incanting, lamenting, swearing, taunting or such—to regain 1 vitality.
FlitM: As a standard action, you gain the ability to fly with a 30 ft speed for the remainder of your turn. You must end flight on a solid surface that supports you. Costs 1 vitality.
Hidden PocketM: One worn garment pocket stores up to 10 pounds of nonliving gear that normally occupies up to 1 cubic ft, though in the pocket it occupies no space and weighs only 1 pound. A DC 22 Perception check reveals the pocket. You add or remove an item as a move action. You can maintain 1 pocket at a time. The effect lasts 4 hours + 1 hour per level. When the magic ends, any contents fall to the floor in front of you. Costs 1 vitality.
Hide PortalC: You alter an adjacent door, window or such portal up to 10 ft square to go unnoticed and unusable, as if not there. Lasts 5 minutes, or 1 month if you spend 25 gp in materials and 1 vitality.
Infiltrator: Boost Perception and Stealth checks by +5.
Instant CostumeM: You become dressed in a costume of your choice costing up to 100 gp (a fine noble’s outfit). Costume pieces vanish when removed. If the costume includes a mask, you enjoy a +5 bonus on Disguise checks to not be recognized as yourself.
Memory LapseM: A target with 15 ft forgets what occurred since the start of its last turn. Will resists. This affords retries on Diplomacy checks and such. Costs 1 vitality.
Monster Network: You can trade illegal items found in your local area in 1d4 days without effort or danger when you pay a 10% transaction fee.
Monster Mien: Once daily, boost a single Dungeoneering or Streetwise check by +10.
No EvidenceM: One adjacent corpse up to size Large, or a Small or Tiny mundane unattended object, turns to dust. Costs 1 vitality.
Pain is Life: You aren’t dazed by wound damage.
PreserveM: An adjacent hide, organ, limb or vial of blood is preserved as fresh for up to 1 day per level. Costs 1 vitality.
Quoth the Raven: You enjoy a +2 bonus on Literacy checks, or a +10 bonus on checks involving poetry.
Ripper: Apply +1 on attacks and +2 damage to your Gargoyle Form attacks, which now also count as magical.
Romantic: Apply a +5 bonus on Diplomacy checks, or +10 in romantic situations.
Sharp: Boost Intimidate checks by +5, or by +10 once daily.
Show PortalM: This suspends for 5 minutes a Hide Portal effect on the largest portal within 15 ft. Costs 1 vitality.
Still Observer: When you don’t move or speak, boost Disguise, Insight, Perception, and Stealth checks that round by +3.
Urban Fleetness: As a swift action, for 5 minutes you enjoy a +10 ft bonus to your land speed and ignore effects of difficult terrain in urban environments. Costs 1 vitality.
Intermediate Tier
Goyles select from the following intermediate abilities.
All You Need is PainM: An adjacent foe suffers 2d6 pain damage from your supernaturally cruel words, or is slain outright if it is level 2 or lower. Target must be able to hear you.
Analyze Monster: You learn 1d4+1 facts (statistics or background data) about a creature with magic abilities within 30 ft. You can analyze a particular creature only 2x ever, each in a different situation. Costs 2 vitality.
Beauty: Your comeliness permanently improves by +4.
Command MonsterM: A sentient magic using nonperson within 30 ft and hearing range obeys your simple verbal edict. Will resists. Edicts include: approach you, drop held items, fall prone, halt (do not move), kneel and pray, leave you, praise a deity, sit down, stand up, or strike an adjacent creature. The effect lasts 1 round in combat or 1 minute out of combat. A target that resists is immune to it for the rest of the day. Costs 2 vitality.
ConsumptionM: You target 1 creature within 15 ft. Each day its maximum vitality and wound points fall by 1. Also, it does not stabilize when bleeding. No save. This is a curse. Costs 2 vitality.
Disguise MonsterM: One adjacent sentient monster ally enjoys a +20 bonus on Disguise checks to look alive and register as a person for 1 hour. It gains no other benefits. Costs 2 vitality.
Energy Rip: Apply +5 damage to your Gargoyle Form attacks. The damage is an energy type of your choice. Costs +2 vitality.
Extend Gargoyle Form: Your Gargoyle Form lasts 1 hour.
Eye SpyM: As a standard action, you magically see (but not hear) through a 2-ft square adjacent floor or wall area (max. thickness 1 ft wood, 6 inches stone, or 1 inch metal) for 1 round. Costs 2 vitality.
Far Lapse: This improves Back Lapse to delete the last 1 day’s memories. Costs 5 vitality.
Fearless: You are immune to fear effects.
FeedM: Up to 5x daily, an adjacent ally or foe suffers 2d6 vitality damage as you regain 1d6 vitality. Will resists if not voluntary.
Freeze FormM: As Statue but lasts 5 minutes. Costs 2 vitality.
Grotesque PoetryM: This improves Gothic Poetry to inflict 1d6 pain damage per level (max 10d6). Costs 2 vitality.
Ignore Spell: As an immediate action while using Gargoyle Form, you ignore 1 magic attack that targets you. Costs 2 vitality.
KnockM: You open 1 mundane lock or negate 1 Arcane Lock effect. Costs 2 vitality.
Lend Minor MagicM: You grant an adjacent ally use of 1 of your basic magic abilities for 1 hour. You still know it. Costs 2 vitality.
Macabre FoilM: You summon a level 1 minigoyle (page XX) within 30 ft to complete tasks for up to 1 hour, or a level 2 urgoyle for 10 minutes, or a level 5 gargoyle for 2 minutes. Costs 5 vitality.
Mass Angst: This improves Angst to target all foes within 30 ft. Costs 2 vitality.
Piteous TurmoilM: A sentient creature within 30 ft falls prone and begins weeping uncontrollably for 1d4 rounds. While weeping, the target takes no actions though it can defend itself normally. Will resists if level 5+. Costs 2 vitality.
Poetic License: Once daily you focus as a move action, say a poem, and select any 1 ability of your race or 1 goyle magic ability of a tier you can access except paragon tier. You can and must immediately use the ability or you lose it. You must be a goyle to use this ability.
Read StonesM: Once daily after 1 minute of concentration, you try a History, Insight, Perception or Streetwise check with a +10 bonus if a relevant event occurred within 30 ft during the past 10 years per level, or you gain a +2 bonus otherwise. Costs 2 vitality.
Resist Magic: Boost saves by +2 to resist magic abilities.
See MonstersM: As a standard action, you clearly notice for 1 round any magic-using non-persons within 30 ft, faintly outlining them to your eyes only. This pierces disguises but not invisibility.
Summon SwarmM: A dark swirl vomits a mass of vermin that occupies a pair of adjacent 5-ft spaces within 30 ft. The vermin are bats, spiders, rats, beetles or such as you imagine. Living creatures in the affected spaces immediately suffer 1d4 damage per round (no save) and must resist using Fortitude or be dazed for 1 round. The swarm lasts while you concentrate + 2 rounds. Costs 2 vitality.
Tearful VisageM: An adjacent unconscious person falls into a coma and appears dead for 3 days, with a +20 bonus on Disguise (versus Heal) checks to appear dead. Remove curse or 1 vial of tears sprinkled on the subject ends the effect. Will resists. Costs 2 vitality.
TonguesM: You can understand and fluently use 1 language for 10 minutes. Costs 2 vitality.
Trap DoorM: You magically pass through an adjacent floor or wall (max. 1 ft wood, 6 inches stone, or 1 inch metal). Costs 2 vitality.
Vicious Ripper: Your Gargoyle Form attack inflicts 1d3 wound damage on top of other damage dealt. Costs +5 vitality.
WhisperM: For 5 minutes, you and adjacent creatures are not heard talking by others and ignore Detect Thoughts. Costs 2 vitality.
Advanced Tier
Goyles select from the following advanced abilities.
Create GargoyleC: You create a gargoyle from a masterwork statue or corpse of a person slain within the past 5 minutes. The gargoyle’s level must not exceed your own. The process takes 1 hour at night. You must place a gem in the body worth 50 gp per level before using this ability. This ability grants no control. Costs 5 vitality.
Dramaturge: Once daily, you speak or act dramatically for 1 minute so you and allies within 30 ft each regain 1d6+1 vitality.
Horrid Ripper: Your Gargoyle Form attack inflicts +4d6 damage on top of other damage dealt. Costs +5 vitality.
Lend Major Magic: This improves Lend Minor Magic to let you share 2 basic or 1 intermediate magic ability. Costs 5 vitality.
Magic Resistance: You enjoy a +5 bonus on saves to resist magic abilities. Also, when you are targeted by a magic ability that does not allow a save, your foe must beat your Fortitude anyway, and if you save then the magic has no effect. Requires Gothic Poetry, Ignore Spell, and Resist Magic.
Mass Memory Lapse: This improves Memory Lapse such that all targets within 60 ft forget what occurred for the past 2 minutes, or until the start of their last turn if Will resists. Costs 5 vitality.
Master Poet: Boost History and Literacy checks by +10.
Night's Master: Boost Dungeoneering and Intimidate checks by +10. There is no doubting your monstrous power.
StatueM: You gain the appearance and properties of a stone statue (DR 8) for up to 4 hours + 1 hour per level. You can hear and think as normal but you cannot move or attack except to end the effect as a swift action. Costs 5 vitality.
Traumatic PoetryM: This improves Grotesque Poetry to inflict up to 20d6 damage to foes within 30 ft. Costs 5 vitality.
Summon MonstersM: You perform a 1-minute ritual to summon 1 or more changelings, gargoyles, medusas, vampires or werebeasts within 30 ft. Their total levels cannot exceed your level. These beasts faithfully obey commands you verbally or mentally communicate to them. Mental speech works an unlimited distance. They serve you for 1 hour and then vanish. Costs 10 vitality.
Unending Grief: This improves Piteous Turmoil such that the target is stricken with delibitating tears and melancholia for 4 hours + 1 hour per level. This is a curse. Costs 5 vitality.
Unnatural BodyM: You do not require air, food, sleep or water though you may partake if you wish. Requires Goyle Skills.
Winged Gargoyle Form: This improves Gargoyle Form to grant a 30 ft fly speed for the duration. Costs +5 vitality.
Paragon Tier
Goyles select from the following paragon abilities.
Extract HeartM: An adjacent living foe with 0 vitality must resist using Fortitude or immediately die as you draw forth its heart. Costs 10 vitality.
Mass Swarm: This improves Summon Swarm to conjure 5 swarms at once out to a distance of 500 ft. The swarms cannot co-occupy spaces. Also, any creature in an affected area suffers 2d6 vitality damage + 1d4 wound damage per round (no save) and is stunned for 1 round unless Fortitude resists. Costs 10 vitality.
Monstrous ApotheosisM: You become terrible. For 5 minutes, you gain +5 DR, darkvision and nethersight, fast healing 5, immunity to disease and poison, and your melee attacks deliver +15 damage. These benefits stack with Gargoyle Form. Costs 25 vitality.
Poetic JusticeM: You name a specific foe and scribe a unique poem for 1 hour. For 24 hours after, you enjoy a +5 bonus on saves and dice rolls involving that foe, while it unknowingly suffers a -2 penalty on all saves and dice rolls. This is a curse. Costs 10 vitality.
You are an urban arcanist, gothic trickster, and friend to monsters.
Background & Adventures
Goyles tap magic’s darker side as they bridge the worlds of people and monsters, particularly in urban environments. They can speak with, summon, and take the likeness of a sinister gargoyle.
Many goyles present a beautiful yet sad facade, all the better to fool the unwary. At their core, they revel in and feed on love, hate, joy, sadness, pain, and other emotions, which all creatures share. Thus their charismatic mein and use of supernatural poetry.
A goyle is comfortable in civilization, or its desolate ruins. They are particularly adept at avoiding combat and hiding the mayhem caused by adventurers and their foes. Some become monsters: Innocence is their quarry. Others just seek to keep the peace.
Goyles can be party face, sneak, and dangerous combatant. They don’t “get along” with others, but they do “go along” and can make dramatic contributions.
Class Details
Goyles have the following statistics.
————————————————
Prime Attribute: Charisma.
Attack Roll: d20 + ½ class level + Charisma modifier.
Defenses: +2 Reflex, +2 Will
————————————————
Armor: Light armors such as leather.
Weapons: Light blades including their signature mini-scythe (sickle), crossbows, and small projectiles.
Starting Gold: 4d4 x 10 (100 gp).
————————————————
Alignment: Any (usually chaotic).
Special: Apply a -2 penalty on skill checks involving persons.
Training: 1d4 years.
————————————————
Core Abilities
Goyles start with the following abilities at 1st level.
Gargoyle FormM: For 5 minutes you acquire gargoyle traits. Your skin toughens and gains a stony hue, wings sprout, claws and fangs descend, and so forth. These never damage your gear. In this form, you enjoy +2 DR, or +5 DR if you wear no armor. Also, your small wings allow you to hover up to 1 ft above ground, water or other flat space for 1 round by expending a move action, and you gain sharp claws and a bite that together deliver 1d4 damage per 2 levels (max 5d4) against an adjacent foe. Apply your Charisma modifier to the damage dealt. Reflex resists. Costs 2 vitality.
Gothic PoetryM: You recite an ornately dour or discretely frightening line of short poetry that is loaded with arcane power. All foes with 15 ft and hearing range suffer 1d4 pain damage per level (max 5d4). Will resists. Costs 1 vitality.
Goyle Skills: Boost Craft, Literacy, and Streetwise checks by +3. You are at home with the trappings of civilization.
Basic Tier
Goyles select from the following basic abilities.
Aggressive: Boost Athletics and Intimidate checks by +5.
Alleywise: Boost Stealth and Streetwise checks by +5.
Angst: One target within 15 ft suffers a -2 penalty on die rolls for 1 hour as emotions churn its heart. Will resists. Costs 1 vitality.
Back Lapse: This improves Memory Lapse (see below) to delete what occurred for the past 5 minutes. Costs 2 vitality
Blood CureM: You alter 1 vial of fresh blood. Anyone who drinks it within 1 minute heals 1d4 wounds. Costs 1 vitality.
Bribe: Boost Diplomacy checks by +5 or by +10 to seal a bribe.
Cause of Death: Boost Heal checks by +5, or by +10 when attempting to determine a creature’s cause of death.
Crowd Blend: Boost Stealth checks by +2, or by +10 to vanish into a crowd.
Dark Lore: Boost Arcana and Dungeoneering checks by +5.
DarkvisionM: As a swift action, your eyes turn black and you see in darkness as easily as in daylight. Ending the effect is a swift action.
DazeM: One person within 30 ft is dazed for 1 round. Will resists.
Detect MonstersM: You learn whether magic using non-persons are within a 15-ft cone.
Dramatic Flourish: Up to 5x daily as a move action in combat, you speak or act dramatically—cursing, incanting, lamenting, swearing, taunting or such—to regain 1 vitality.
FlitM: As a standard action, you gain the ability to fly with a 30 ft speed for the remainder of your turn. You must end flight on a solid surface that supports you. Costs 1 vitality.
Hidden PocketM: One worn garment pocket stores up to 10 pounds of nonliving gear that normally occupies up to 1 cubic ft, though in the pocket it occupies no space and weighs only 1 pound. A DC 22 Perception check reveals the pocket. You add or remove an item as a move action. You can maintain 1 pocket at a time. The effect lasts 4 hours + 1 hour per level. When the magic ends, any contents fall to the floor in front of you. Costs 1 vitality.
Hide PortalC: You alter an adjacent door, window or such portal up to 10 ft square to go unnoticed and unusable, as if not there. Lasts 5 minutes, or 1 month if you spend 25 gp in materials and 1 vitality.
Infiltrator: Boost Perception and Stealth checks by +5.
Instant CostumeM: You become dressed in a costume of your choice costing up to 100 gp (a fine noble’s outfit). Costume pieces vanish when removed. If the costume includes a mask, you enjoy a +5 bonus on Disguise checks to not be recognized as yourself.
Memory LapseM: A target with 15 ft forgets what occurred since the start of its last turn. Will resists. This affords retries on Diplomacy checks and such. Costs 1 vitality.
Monster Network: You can trade illegal items found in your local area in 1d4 days without effort or danger when you pay a 10% transaction fee.
Monster Mien: Once daily, boost a single Dungeoneering or Streetwise check by +10.
No EvidenceM: One adjacent corpse up to size Large, or a Small or Tiny mundane unattended object, turns to dust. Costs 1 vitality.
Pain is Life: You aren’t dazed by wound damage.
PreserveM: An adjacent hide, organ, limb or vial of blood is preserved as fresh for up to 1 day per level. Costs 1 vitality.
Quoth the Raven: You enjoy a +2 bonus on Literacy checks, or a +10 bonus on checks involving poetry.
Ripper: Apply +1 on attacks and +2 damage to your Gargoyle Form attacks, which now also count as magical.
Romantic: Apply a +5 bonus on Diplomacy checks, or +10 in romantic situations.
Sharp: Boost Intimidate checks by +5, or by +10 once daily.
Show PortalM: This suspends for 5 minutes a Hide Portal effect on the largest portal within 15 ft. Costs 1 vitality.
Still Observer: When you don’t move or speak, boost Disguise, Insight, Perception, and Stealth checks that round by +3.
Urban Fleetness: As a swift action, for 5 minutes you enjoy a +10 ft bonus to your land speed and ignore effects of difficult terrain in urban environments. Costs 1 vitality.
Intermediate Tier
Goyles select from the following intermediate abilities.
All You Need is PainM: An adjacent foe suffers 2d6 pain damage from your supernaturally cruel words, or is slain outright if it is level 2 or lower. Target must be able to hear you.
Analyze Monster: You learn 1d4+1 facts (statistics or background data) about a creature with magic abilities within 30 ft. You can analyze a particular creature only 2x ever, each in a different situation. Costs 2 vitality.
Beauty: Your comeliness permanently improves by +4.
Command MonsterM: A sentient magic using nonperson within 30 ft and hearing range obeys your simple verbal edict. Will resists. Edicts include: approach you, drop held items, fall prone, halt (do not move), kneel and pray, leave you, praise a deity, sit down, stand up, or strike an adjacent creature. The effect lasts 1 round in combat or 1 minute out of combat. A target that resists is immune to it for the rest of the day. Costs 2 vitality.
ConsumptionM: You target 1 creature within 15 ft. Each day its maximum vitality and wound points fall by 1. Also, it does not stabilize when bleeding. No save. This is a curse. Costs 2 vitality.
Disguise MonsterM: One adjacent sentient monster ally enjoys a +20 bonus on Disguise checks to look alive and register as a person for 1 hour. It gains no other benefits. Costs 2 vitality.
Energy Rip: Apply +5 damage to your Gargoyle Form attacks. The damage is an energy type of your choice. Costs +2 vitality.
Extend Gargoyle Form: Your Gargoyle Form lasts 1 hour.
Eye SpyM: As a standard action, you magically see (but not hear) through a 2-ft square adjacent floor or wall area (max. thickness 1 ft wood, 6 inches stone, or 1 inch metal) for 1 round. Costs 2 vitality.
Far Lapse: This improves Back Lapse to delete the last 1 day’s memories. Costs 5 vitality.
Fearless: You are immune to fear effects.
FeedM: Up to 5x daily, an adjacent ally or foe suffers 2d6 vitality damage as you regain 1d6 vitality. Will resists if not voluntary.
Freeze FormM: As Statue but lasts 5 minutes. Costs 2 vitality.
Grotesque PoetryM: This improves Gothic Poetry to inflict 1d6 pain damage per level (max 10d6). Costs 2 vitality.
Ignore Spell: As an immediate action while using Gargoyle Form, you ignore 1 magic attack that targets you. Costs 2 vitality.
KnockM: You open 1 mundane lock or negate 1 Arcane Lock effect. Costs 2 vitality.
Lend Minor MagicM: You grant an adjacent ally use of 1 of your basic magic abilities for 1 hour. You still know it. Costs 2 vitality.
Macabre FoilM: You summon a level 1 minigoyle (page XX) within 30 ft to complete tasks for up to 1 hour, or a level 2 urgoyle for 10 minutes, or a level 5 gargoyle for 2 minutes. Costs 5 vitality.
Mass Angst: This improves Angst to target all foes within 30 ft. Costs 2 vitality.
Piteous TurmoilM: A sentient creature within 30 ft falls prone and begins weeping uncontrollably for 1d4 rounds. While weeping, the target takes no actions though it can defend itself normally. Will resists if level 5+. Costs 2 vitality.
Poetic License: Once daily you focus as a move action, say a poem, and select any 1 ability of your race or 1 goyle magic ability of a tier you can access except paragon tier. You can and must immediately use the ability or you lose it. You must be a goyle to use this ability.
Read StonesM: Once daily after 1 minute of concentration, you try a History, Insight, Perception or Streetwise check with a +10 bonus if a relevant event occurred within 30 ft during the past 10 years per level, or you gain a +2 bonus otherwise. Costs 2 vitality.
Resist Magic: Boost saves by +2 to resist magic abilities.
See MonstersM: As a standard action, you clearly notice for 1 round any magic-using non-persons within 30 ft, faintly outlining them to your eyes only. This pierces disguises but not invisibility.
Summon SwarmM: A dark swirl vomits a mass of vermin that occupies a pair of adjacent 5-ft spaces within 30 ft. The vermin are bats, spiders, rats, beetles or such as you imagine. Living creatures in the affected spaces immediately suffer 1d4 damage per round (no save) and must resist using Fortitude or be dazed for 1 round. The swarm lasts while you concentrate + 2 rounds. Costs 2 vitality.
Tearful VisageM: An adjacent unconscious person falls into a coma and appears dead for 3 days, with a +20 bonus on Disguise (versus Heal) checks to appear dead. Remove curse or 1 vial of tears sprinkled on the subject ends the effect. Will resists. Costs 2 vitality.
TonguesM: You can understand and fluently use 1 language for 10 minutes. Costs 2 vitality.
Trap DoorM: You magically pass through an adjacent floor or wall (max. 1 ft wood, 6 inches stone, or 1 inch metal). Costs 2 vitality.
Vicious Ripper: Your Gargoyle Form attack inflicts 1d3 wound damage on top of other damage dealt. Costs +5 vitality.
WhisperM: For 5 minutes, you and adjacent creatures are not heard talking by others and ignore Detect Thoughts. Costs 2 vitality.
Advanced Tier
Goyles select from the following advanced abilities.
Create GargoyleC: You create a gargoyle from a masterwork statue or corpse of a person slain within the past 5 minutes. The gargoyle’s level must not exceed your own. The process takes 1 hour at night. You must place a gem in the body worth 50 gp per level before using this ability. This ability grants no control. Costs 5 vitality.
Dramaturge: Once daily, you speak or act dramatically for 1 minute so you and allies within 30 ft each regain 1d6+1 vitality.
Horrid Ripper: Your Gargoyle Form attack inflicts +4d6 damage on top of other damage dealt. Costs +5 vitality.
Lend Major Magic: This improves Lend Minor Magic to let you share 2 basic or 1 intermediate magic ability. Costs 5 vitality.
Magic Resistance: You enjoy a +5 bonus on saves to resist magic abilities. Also, when you are targeted by a magic ability that does not allow a save, your foe must beat your Fortitude anyway, and if you save then the magic has no effect. Requires Gothic Poetry, Ignore Spell, and Resist Magic.
Mass Memory Lapse: This improves Memory Lapse such that all targets within 60 ft forget what occurred for the past 2 minutes, or until the start of their last turn if Will resists. Costs 5 vitality.
Master Poet: Boost History and Literacy checks by +10.
Night's Master: Boost Dungeoneering and Intimidate checks by +10. There is no doubting your monstrous power.
StatueM: You gain the appearance and properties of a stone statue (DR 8) for up to 4 hours + 1 hour per level. You can hear and think as normal but you cannot move or attack except to end the effect as a swift action. Costs 5 vitality.
Traumatic PoetryM: This improves Grotesque Poetry to inflict up to 20d6 damage to foes within 30 ft. Costs 5 vitality.
Summon MonstersM: You perform a 1-minute ritual to summon 1 or more changelings, gargoyles, medusas, vampires or werebeasts within 30 ft. Their total levels cannot exceed your level. These beasts faithfully obey commands you verbally or mentally communicate to them. Mental speech works an unlimited distance. They serve you for 1 hour and then vanish. Costs 10 vitality.
Unending Grief: This improves Piteous Turmoil such that the target is stricken with delibitating tears and melancholia for 4 hours + 1 hour per level. This is a curse. Costs 5 vitality.
Unnatural BodyM: You do not require air, food, sleep or water though you may partake if you wish. Requires Goyle Skills.
Winged Gargoyle Form: This improves Gargoyle Form to grant a 30 ft fly speed for the duration. Costs +5 vitality.
Paragon Tier
Goyles select from the following paragon abilities.
Extract HeartM: An adjacent living foe with 0 vitality must resist using Fortitude or immediately die as you draw forth its heart. Costs 10 vitality.
Mass Swarm: This improves Summon Swarm to conjure 5 swarms at once out to a distance of 500 ft. The swarms cannot co-occupy spaces. Also, any creature in an affected area suffers 2d6 vitality damage + 1d4 wound damage per round (no save) and is stunned for 1 round unless Fortitude resists. Costs 10 vitality.
Monstrous ApotheosisM: You become terrible. For 5 minutes, you gain +5 DR, darkvision and nethersight, fast healing 5, immunity to disease and poison, and your melee attacks deliver +15 damage. These benefits stack with Gargoyle Form. Costs 25 vitality.
Poetic JusticeM: You name a specific foe and scribe a unique poem for 1 hour. For 24 hours after, you enjoy a +5 bonus on saves and dice rolls involving that foe, while it unknowingly suffers a -2 penalty on all saves and dice rolls. This is a curse. Costs 10 vitality.
On Puget Sound
First Post
I'm beginning a Radiance campaign in Mathews, NC, USA in a couple of weeks. email me if you're int he area and want to play. klangley2@mindspring.com
AncientSpirits
First Post
On Puget Sound
First Post
Have you started your game yet? How is it coming along?
We had one session. I can't talk about the plot (because it's yours...) but we have an interesting group - 3 dracks (elementalist, dhampir/paladin and pathfinder) and a tengu invoker of Iris. 2nd session is this weekend, then we have a 6 week break due to my travel schedule, which might either kill the group or give them time to recruit friends.
AncientSpirits
First Post
What an interesting bunch! I'm reminded, in some recent Dr Who episodes, of a certain reptilian character in Victorian England.
FYI, for everyone else, this is a play test of Braggarton Butcher, an upcoming adventure module.
How did session 2 go?
Hopefully no one (more) has suffered a horrible death!
On Puget Sound
First Post
Because we need to take 6 weeks off due to my work/ travel schedule, we decided to not advance the plot any more last week, and use the time to recruit more players for when we resume. So we played Lords of Waterdeep instead.
In the first session, I did run into one spot where players were asked to "make a Reflex save (DC10)" which doesn't make sense with passive defenses/ saves. My on-the-fly adjustment was too harsh. A DC10 save should probably translate to a +0 attack vs Reflex, not a +10
In the first session, I did run into one spot where players were asked to "make a Reflex save (DC10)" which doesn't make sense with passive defenses/ saves. My on-the-fly adjustment was too harsh. A DC10 save should probably translate to a +0 attack vs Reflex, not a +10
AncientSpirits
First Post
Because we need to take 6 weeks off due to my work/ travel schedule, we decided to not advance the plot any more last week, and use the time to recruit more players for when we resume. So we played Lords of Waterdeep instead.
In the first session, I did run into one spot where players were asked to "make a Reflex save (DC10)" which doesn't make sense with passive defenses/ saves. My on-the-fly adjustment was too harsh. A DC10 save should probably translate to a +0 attack vs Reflex, not a +10
Thanks for spotting that "Reflex save". The module's author normally writes for Pathfinder. And yes, a DC 10 Reflex save would translate to attack versus d20+0.
AncientSpirits
First Post
IMMORTALS
aka "monster classes" or "monster templates" for PCs
A while back I posted the "lamp genie" as an example of how a PC can play as a "monster". (Well, I posted it at RPG.net; I think I posted it here too!) I've made and our group has tested a bunch more.
A 4-level "immortal template" is basically 30 design points worth of abilities plus -10 design points worth of challenges, for 20 dp total. The PC gains more vitality, saves, and wealth with the new levels, but no abilities from his class, race or theme (if any).
After more play testing -- which has been REALLY fun -- the following "immortals" are pretty much in shape:
aspirant angel
broken gargoyle
evergreen dryad
false dragon
franken golem
immortal hunter
lamp genie
mystic werewolf
restive vampire
tyro devil
unbound ghost
There will likely be a few more. Each one links to a different constellation (portal, skull, lute, star, wolf, etc)y. Not sure if I'll stick with that, but just holding myself to the constellations has been a great inspiration for design. Also, each one is more than a monster. It is immortal, either automatically, or can become so just by doing what it does naturally. Another criterion is that the template must look like a person and be able to function in society *most* of the time. So no sentient psionic squid monster PCs, unless said squid can polymorph for long periods into a person (to further the cause of Cthulhu?).
Each template is broken down into discrete levels, to be taken as a prestige class if one wishes. So basically, "monster class".
One of the challenges during play-test, with a group of 6 PCs, all monsters, was ensuring they all suffer through their challenges over the course of an adventure. For example, the angel and devil have "Oath of Unharm", similar to their counterparts in the Masters Guide, and these are actually quite easy to remember to play and encourage quite a bit of social r-p with persons (the PCs were still free to kill monsters as they like). Others, such as the dryad and gargoyle, have less obvious challenges, such as needing to spend vitality points to stray from their home base (the dryad's garden, etc). Probably another play-test is in order to firm up how to best implement the challenges. And BTW, happy to say, the ghost was not overpowered, even with incorporeality, because it has to spend vitality to materialize and dematerialize. Alas, the player with the unbound ghost is off to far away Oxford soon.
Anyway, I'll post the mystic werewolf in a moment. The "mystic" part sets the PC apart from other generic werewolves and helps explain why the PC is immortal (as traditionally, werewolves die of old age).
aka "monster classes" or "monster templates" for PCs
A while back I posted the "lamp genie" as an example of how a PC can play as a "monster". (Well, I posted it at RPG.net; I think I posted it here too!) I've made and our group has tested a bunch more.
A 4-level "immortal template" is basically 30 design points worth of abilities plus -10 design points worth of challenges, for 20 dp total. The PC gains more vitality, saves, and wealth with the new levels, but no abilities from his class, race or theme (if any).
After more play testing -- which has been REALLY fun -- the following "immortals" are pretty much in shape:
aspirant angel
broken gargoyle
evergreen dryad
false dragon
franken golem
immortal hunter
lamp genie
mystic werewolf
restive vampire
tyro devil
unbound ghost
There will likely be a few more. Each one links to a different constellation (portal, skull, lute, star, wolf, etc)y. Not sure if I'll stick with that, but just holding myself to the constellations has been a great inspiration for design. Also, each one is more than a monster. It is immortal, either automatically, or can become so just by doing what it does naturally. Another criterion is that the template must look like a person and be able to function in society *most* of the time. So no sentient psionic squid monster PCs, unless said squid can polymorph for long periods into a person (to further the cause of Cthulhu?).
Each template is broken down into discrete levels, to be taken as a prestige class if one wishes. So basically, "monster class".
One of the challenges during play-test, with a group of 6 PCs, all monsters, was ensuring they all suffer through their challenges over the course of an adventure. For example, the angel and devil have "Oath of Unharm", similar to their counterparts in the Masters Guide, and these are actually quite easy to remember to play and encourage quite a bit of social r-p with persons (the PCs were still free to kill monsters as they like). Others, such as the dryad and gargoyle, have less obvious challenges, such as needing to spend vitality points to stray from their home base (the dryad's garden, etc). Probably another play-test is in order to firm up how to best implement the challenges. And BTW, happy to say, the ghost was not overpowered, even with incorporeality, because it has to spend vitality to materialize and dematerialize. Alas, the player with the unbound ghost is off to far away Oxford soon.
Anyway, I'll post the mystic werewolf in a moment. The "mystic" part sets the PC apart from other generic werewolves and helps explain why the PC is immortal (as traditionally, werewolves die of old age).
AncientSpirits
First Post
Mystic Werewolf
This immortal lycanthrope seeks to retain his humanity even as he falls to the moon’s power.
Overview
Here is key information about this immortal.
Type: Mutant. You ignore abilities that only target persons and affected by abilities that specifically target mutant creatures.
Appearance: As the mortal person you once were, but with vaguely canine features, body language, and scent.
Prime Attributes: Use Strength for mundane abilities and Wisdom for magical abilities.
Powers: You can transform into a wolf or a humanoid-wolf hybrid that is a true monster in combat. Even when not changed, you retain lupine skills such as detecting scents, leaping far distances, and moving with exceptional speed and agility.
Challenges: Once monthly, under a full moon, you may do terrible deeds during even as you strive to maintain a semblance of mortality. Also, you are harmed by silver.
Typical Alignment: Any except lawful good. Most werewolves are chaotic or evil.
Multiclassing: Barbarian, druid, ranger, shaman or shifter. You may select 1 of these classes to pursue under the multiclass option.
Powers
This immortal enjoys the following abilities.
Animal Magnetism: A targeted animal or person within 15 ft is friendly to you for 2 minutes. Will resists, with a +5 bonus to resist if the target is level 5+. While charmed, the target will not act in a way that brings harm to you, himself or it allies. Nor will it follow you or fight on your behalf. You cannot dismiss the charm. If you treat the target well, it may remain friendly after the charm ends. This ability does not grant a shared language. Nor can it alter the target’s alignment. Costs 1 vitality.
Expert Trip: As a move action, an adjacent foe is knocked to the ground, suffering 1d6 damage and made prone. Reflex resists. You enjoy a +5 bonus when initiating or resisting a trip.
Feral Senses: You gain low-light vision. Also, boost Perception checks by +5.
Grapple: You grapple an adjacent foe up to 1 size larger than yourself when you beat its Fortitude and have a free hand. A grappled foe cannot move and can only use a Light melee weapon already in hand. Each round, you must expend a move action to maintain the grapple, and the foe can try to beat the your Fortitude as a standard action to break the grapple. You may block a grappled foe’s mouth with 1 hand to prevent speech.
Hybrid FormM: For 5 minutes, you become a wolf-human hybrid to gain several benefits. Boost your land speed by +10 ft. You grow a hairy magical hide that grants +4 DR. You grow a sharp toothy snout that delivers 3d6+Str damage and sharp claws that deliver 3d4+Str damage. You may use the 1 bite or 2 claws, but not both, without penalty; or you may attack with all 3 but with a -2 penalty on all attack rolls that round. Moreover, when your 2 claws attacks hit, you inflict 1d3 wound damage. When the effect ends, you heal all wound damage except 1 point’s worth of scratches and such. Costs 5 vitality.
ImmortalM: You do not age, do not need to breathe, eat or sleep, and cannot be raised from death if slain. You lose your immortality if you lose your
Jump: You can leap downward, outward or upward up to 30 ft as a standard action without a running start or making an Athletics check. Costs 1 vitality.
Mystic RitualM: Once daily you may conduct a 1-minute ritual to summon a wolf spirit and tap its powers. You enjoy a +2 bonus on Survival checks and know for 24 hours 1 intermediate magic ability or 2 basic magic abilities listed under the druid or shaman classes. Requires Animal Magnetism.
Resist Cold: You ignore effects of cold. You enjoy +2 DR against cold damage and you can exist comfortably in conditions as low as -40o F without having to resist using Fortitude. Your equipment is also protected. This ability is continuously in effect even when you are unconscious.
Scent: You can detect creatures’ presence within 30 ft by sense of smell. If a creature is upwind, the range increases to 60 ft. If it is downwind, the range drops to 15 ft.
Werewolf Prowess: Boost Fortitude and Reflex by +2.
Wolf Empathy: Apply a +5 bonus on Handle Animal checks or a +10 bonus involving natural and magical wolves.
Wolf FormM: You can take the form of any kind of wolf (RMG, page 170) for up to 1 hour provided it’s living and its level is equal to or less than your own. You retain your alignment, intelligence, saves, and vitality points but otherwise acquire the animal’s statistics. Changing to or from wolf form is a move action that destroys all mundane clothing and leaves behind all other gear. The wolf form radiates faint magic. Costs 2 vitality.
Wolf Skills: You enjoy a +5 bonus on Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidate, Stealth, and Survival checks.
Challenges
This immortal suffers the following challenges.
Bound by Silver: When placed in silver manacles or similar restraints made of silver, you cannot break them by mundane means and cannot use your magic abilities.
Werewolf CurseM: At dusk under a full moon you involuntarily activate Hybrid Form with no vitality cost. Also, you gain abilities listed under werebeast lord (RMG, page 167). Transforming takes 1 minute, destroys all nonmagical gear, and causes you to howl in agony (heard to up 120 ft away). Magical gear falls off, undamaged. The new form lasts until daybreak (typically, 9 to 12 hours) and you awaken 2d12 miles away (unless caged), naked and with no knowledge of the night’s events. The transformation to and from this form heals all but 1 point of wound damage. The transformation does not regenerate limbs but it does cure disease and poison effects. In this form, you are chaotic evil and seek to slay the nearest good-aligned person. Each time you slay someone, you must resist using Will or move 1 step closer to chaotic evil even while in your normal form. Only a Miracle or Wish can negate this curse, and doing negates being Immortal (see above).
Lycan LimitationsM: You cannot cross through water more than 5 ft wide or approach within 5 ft of silver objects. If you enter water against your will, such as being thrown in or forcibly submerged, then you swim to the nearest shore.
Strange Attraction: Each month you develop an irrational attraction to a random townie as a lover or rival (50% chance of either). The person starts off neutral to you. You must spend 1 conscious hour with the person daily within 30 ft or suffer a -2 penalty on d20 rolls for 24 hours. This attraction lasts 1 month or until you receive offspring (if lover) or kill the person (if rival).
Weak with Silver: You have DR 0 against silver weapons, and such weapons always deliver maximum damage. Even touching a silver object inflicts 1 wound damage per round to you.
Design Guide
You may apply all of this immortal’s features at once, boosting the character’s level by +4. Or you may apply features as a character progresses, as follows.
Level & Features
1 Animal Magnetism, Feral Senses, Grapple, Jump, Resist Cold
2 Wolf Skills, Wolf Form, Mystic Ritual, Scent, Strange Attraction
3 Hybrid Form, Lycan Limitations
4 Bound by Silver, Expert Trip, Immortal, Weak with Silver, Werewolf Curse, Werewolf Prowess
This immortal lycanthrope seeks to retain his humanity even as he falls to the moon’s power.
Overview
Here is key information about this immortal.
Type: Mutant. You ignore abilities that only target persons and affected by abilities that specifically target mutant creatures.
Appearance: As the mortal person you once were, but with vaguely canine features, body language, and scent.
Prime Attributes: Use Strength for mundane abilities and Wisdom for magical abilities.
Powers: You can transform into a wolf or a humanoid-wolf hybrid that is a true monster in combat. Even when not changed, you retain lupine skills such as detecting scents, leaping far distances, and moving with exceptional speed and agility.
Challenges: Once monthly, under a full moon, you may do terrible deeds during even as you strive to maintain a semblance of mortality. Also, you are harmed by silver.
Typical Alignment: Any except lawful good. Most werewolves are chaotic or evil.
Multiclassing: Barbarian, druid, ranger, shaman or shifter. You may select 1 of these classes to pursue under the multiclass option.
Powers
This immortal enjoys the following abilities.
Animal Magnetism: A targeted animal or person within 15 ft is friendly to you for 2 minutes. Will resists, with a +5 bonus to resist if the target is level 5+. While charmed, the target will not act in a way that brings harm to you, himself or it allies. Nor will it follow you or fight on your behalf. You cannot dismiss the charm. If you treat the target well, it may remain friendly after the charm ends. This ability does not grant a shared language. Nor can it alter the target’s alignment. Costs 1 vitality.
Expert Trip: As a move action, an adjacent foe is knocked to the ground, suffering 1d6 damage and made prone. Reflex resists. You enjoy a +5 bonus when initiating or resisting a trip.
Feral Senses: You gain low-light vision. Also, boost Perception checks by +5.
Grapple: You grapple an adjacent foe up to 1 size larger than yourself when you beat its Fortitude and have a free hand. A grappled foe cannot move and can only use a Light melee weapon already in hand. Each round, you must expend a move action to maintain the grapple, and the foe can try to beat the your Fortitude as a standard action to break the grapple. You may block a grappled foe’s mouth with 1 hand to prevent speech.
Hybrid FormM: For 5 minutes, you become a wolf-human hybrid to gain several benefits. Boost your land speed by +10 ft. You grow a hairy magical hide that grants +4 DR. You grow a sharp toothy snout that delivers 3d6+Str damage and sharp claws that deliver 3d4+Str damage. You may use the 1 bite or 2 claws, but not both, without penalty; or you may attack with all 3 but with a -2 penalty on all attack rolls that round. Moreover, when your 2 claws attacks hit, you inflict 1d3 wound damage. When the effect ends, you heal all wound damage except 1 point’s worth of scratches and such. Costs 5 vitality.
ImmortalM: You do not age, do not need to breathe, eat or sleep, and cannot be raised from death if slain. You lose your immortality if you lose your
Jump: You can leap downward, outward or upward up to 30 ft as a standard action without a running start or making an Athletics check. Costs 1 vitality.
Mystic RitualM: Once daily you may conduct a 1-minute ritual to summon a wolf spirit and tap its powers. You enjoy a +2 bonus on Survival checks and know for 24 hours 1 intermediate magic ability or 2 basic magic abilities listed under the druid or shaman classes. Requires Animal Magnetism.
Resist Cold: You ignore effects of cold. You enjoy +2 DR against cold damage and you can exist comfortably in conditions as low as -40o F without having to resist using Fortitude. Your equipment is also protected. This ability is continuously in effect even when you are unconscious.
Scent: You can detect creatures’ presence within 30 ft by sense of smell. If a creature is upwind, the range increases to 60 ft. If it is downwind, the range drops to 15 ft.
Werewolf Prowess: Boost Fortitude and Reflex by +2.
Wolf Empathy: Apply a +5 bonus on Handle Animal checks or a +10 bonus involving natural and magical wolves.
Wolf FormM: You can take the form of any kind of wolf (RMG, page 170) for up to 1 hour provided it’s living and its level is equal to or less than your own. You retain your alignment, intelligence, saves, and vitality points but otherwise acquire the animal’s statistics. Changing to or from wolf form is a move action that destroys all mundane clothing and leaves behind all other gear. The wolf form radiates faint magic. Costs 2 vitality.
Wolf Skills: You enjoy a +5 bonus on Acrobatics, Athletics, Insight, Intimidate, Stealth, and Survival checks.
Challenges
This immortal suffers the following challenges.
Bound by Silver: When placed in silver manacles or similar restraints made of silver, you cannot break them by mundane means and cannot use your magic abilities.
Werewolf CurseM: At dusk under a full moon you involuntarily activate Hybrid Form with no vitality cost. Also, you gain abilities listed under werebeast lord (RMG, page 167). Transforming takes 1 minute, destroys all nonmagical gear, and causes you to howl in agony (heard to up 120 ft away). Magical gear falls off, undamaged. The new form lasts until daybreak (typically, 9 to 12 hours) and you awaken 2d12 miles away (unless caged), naked and with no knowledge of the night’s events. The transformation to and from this form heals all but 1 point of wound damage. The transformation does not regenerate limbs but it does cure disease and poison effects. In this form, you are chaotic evil and seek to slay the nearest good-aligned person. Each time you slay someone, you must resist using Will or move 1 step closer to chaotic evil even while in your normal form. Only a Miracle or Wish can negate this curse, and doing negates being Immortal (see above).
Lycan LimitationsM: You cannot cross through water more than 5 ft wide or approach within 5 ft of silver objects. If you enter water against your will, such as being thrown in or forcibly submerged, then you swim to the nearest shore.
Strange Attraction: Each month you develop an irrational attraction to a random townie as a lover or rival (50% chance of either). The person starts off neutral to you. You must spend 1 conscious hour with the person daily within 30 ft or suffer a -2 penalty on d20 rolls for 24 hours. This attraction lasts 1 month or until you receive offspring (if lover) or kill the person (if rival).
Weak with Silver: You have DR 0 against silver weapons, and such weapons always deliver maximum damage. Even touching a silver object inflicts 1 wound damage per round to you.
Design Guide
You may apply all of this immortal’s features at once, boosting the character’s level by +4. Or you may apply features as a character progresses, as follows.
Level & Features
1 Animal Magnetism, Feral Senses, Grapple, Jump, Resist Cold
2 Wolf Skills, Wolf Form, Mystic Ritual, Scent, Strange Attraction
3 Hybrid Form, Lycan Limitations
4 Bound by Silver, Expert Trip, Immortal, Weak with Silver, Werewolf Curse, Werewolf Prowess
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