D&D 5E (2014) [5e] Witcher: Mother of Monsters

[Axel]

How can I say no to a witcher? Far too cool!

School of the cat, probably, with a heliotrope sign to start. Suits the first adventure on appearance.

Gonna do some crunching later today and tomorrow. Have it finished by end of the weekend I reckon.

 

[Axel]

Glad I rolled!

Stats: 15, 13, 13, 16, 16, 13 (not in order yet)

Ouch for the monsters! Lots of odd numbers too, might pickup a conventional human, just to give optimisers the finger.

Probably go Dex based, with a shield since Witchers don't get dual wielding fighting style.

A quadroon, from the fertile river valleys of Northern Redania. More to come...

 

[Quickleaf]

Holy crap! I look away for a couple days and now there's 6 players!

I'll respond to each of you individually below, but I wanted to field a question to everyone put forward by [MENTION=15132]Steve Gorak[/MENTION] - what level would you all like to begin at? I originally suggested 3rd level, but I'm flexible. I'm fine also if you decide to have varying levels in your party.

Here's a quick summary of characters you all are considering:

[MENTION=15132]Steve Gorak[/MENTION] Human Druid - swore an oath to hunt [monster/plot hook] that desecrated sacred grove
[MENTION=4936]Shayuri[/MENTION] Source/Sorcerer (storm?)
[MENTION=2820]Fenris[/MENTION] Witcher
[MENTION=8058]Queenie[/MENTION] ?
[MENTION=93196]Axel[/MENTION] Human (quadroon) Witcher (cat school)
[MENTION=6787159]Skarsgard[/MENTION] Scout

This looks very interesting! I'm tempted to play a human druid, practitioner of the old ways, whose grove was desecrated and Tree of Life killed by [insert appropriate monster/plot hook here]. He swore an oath to hunt down the [same as above] and avenge the sacrilege, and has been adventuring since.
I really like the MAGIC WITHOUT BORDERS feat! does it also apply to cantrips? My character could have spent some time with a mentor part of the conclave of mages in the north...
Regarding character level, since you want the party to have been adventuring a while, can we be a bit higher up level? With 5e's fast advancement, level 3 represents only a very short time (days or perhaps a few weeks) in an adventurer's life...
I hope the game lifts off!

Solid character background! Thanks for your interest We'll have to keep an eye out for a way to tie your character's background - with the [monster/plot hook] - to another PC or PCs. What region are you thinking of hailing from?

Yes, the "Magic Without Borders" feat applies to cantrips as well.

As for your level question, I am flexible so I posed it to the group. But as a matter of combat pacing and experience, I should let you know that "D&D dungeon crawl" style pacing will be fairly uncommon. Additionally, I will be using quest/goal related level advancement instead of XP rewards for monsters. This will not be a game of "19 year-old pig farmers who become 18th level warriors in a matter of weeks or months." 18th-level characters would be old, middle-aged at least and most likely much older. I am expecting the pacing to include seasons of downtime without level gain, so a more "literary epic" feel if that makes sense.

I'm interested in the Source variant, but I'm a little concerned by some of those Wild Surge entries. Several are potential campaign enders, especially given that wild surges look fairly frequent.

But...LIFE PATH!

Muahahaha. I must roll, like a troll. Because random is hilarious.

Homeland: [roll0] Kovier and Poviss
Birth: [roll1] Uneventful
Childhood: [roll2] Sold!
Defining Event: [roll3] Betrayal
How I Met Someone: [roll4] Undetermined? Sibling?
3rd War: [roll5] ?
Why Adventure?: [roll6] ?

The last two are WIPs, but I'll roll anyway because why not?

Glad you're interested and you've got room in your gaming schedule for this! Love that you rolled on the random lifepath tables; yes, they're still a work-in-progress.

As for the Source wild surge issue, yeah they are pretty intense. But I assure you the campaign skeleton I have in mind (obviously to be fleshed out with your characters and ideas) is robust enough to handle gates being torn to other worlds, madness, etc. If you want to propose a toned down version, however, I am totally open to the idea, just let me know what you're thinking. The most important things about the source's wild surges are:

• They are triggered based on a stressful / negative emotion.
• They should be thematically related to your sub-class.
• They should be intense scary events and not the cutesy-type entries in the PHB wild surge table.

Ok, you hooked me. I read the background stuff and it looks great. Count Queenie and I as interested. I got the Witcher novels to read for more information.

I am considering a Witcher. I need to re-read the class more as it is somewhat complex.

Not sure about a class for Queenie yet. But we are out of town until Sunday so we can get more done next week.

Awesome, look forward to seeing what kind of characters you come up with Enjoy your travels!

I am looking at the Scout. Here is the array *fingers crossed*
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

edit: well that didn't show the individual rolls. Does anyone know how to do it without having to roll each dice seperately?

Thanks for your interest!

You should know I am an (arguably) laid back DM as far as stat rolls and homebrew stuff goes. I go on the honor system with rolls, so if you want to roll with real dice that's cool. While I will want to review each of your characters when you finish, you don't need my approval for stat rolls or anything like that. I'm perfectly content letting you pick your stats too, if you prefer. I trust you guys not to abuse my DM beneficence

How can I say no to a witcher? Far too cool!

School of the cat, probably, with a heliotrope sign to start. Suits the first adventure on appearance.

Gonna do some crunching later today and tomorrow. Have it finished by end of the weekend I reckon.

Glad I rolled!

Stats: 15, 13, 13, 16, 16, 13 (not in order yet)

Ouch for the monsters! Lots of odd numbers too, might pickup a conventional human, just to give optimisers the finger.

Probably go Dex based, with a shield since Witchers don't get dual wielding fighting style.

A quadroon, from the fertile river valleys of Northern Redania. More to come...

Awesome Sounds like you've got a good grasp of the character you want to play already.

Nice rolls!

A few thoughts...

Cat School has a bad reputation they struggle to overcome for aligning with an evil sorcerer and betraying the School of the Wolf. Something to be aware of it you aren't familiar with that piece of lore.

I revised the Witcher class so you begin knowing 2 Signs @ 2nd level.

We're talking about allowing folks to start a little higher than 3rd, so if we go that way you could always take a level in Fighter for the fighting style. Or if you want to propose substituting certain Witcher class feature(s) with Fighting Style, I'd be willing to consider that too. A shield-wielding Cat Witcher would be unusual since they normally are dual-weapon or light weapon wielders, so I'd prefer that be a decision based on story/style as opposed to some sense of the "class rules requiring it to be effective in combat."

Lastly, your character has an interesting geographic paradox: Northern Redania (your homeland) and Stygga Citadel (home of the Cat school in the Ebbing region of Nilfgaard) are on opposite ends of the map! Might make for an interesting story!

 

[Skarsgard]

You should know I am an (arguably) laid back DM as far as stat rolls and homebrew stuff goes. I go on the honor system with rolls, so if you want to roll with real dice that's cool. While I will want to review each of your characters when you finish, you don't need my approval for stat rolls or anything like that. I'm perfectly content letting you pick your stats too, if you prefer. I trust you guys not to abuse my DM beneficence

Thanks for the vote of confidence it is appreciated. That being said, I am a big fan of transparency: here are my rolls on Orokos:

http://orokos.com/roll/302363

9 [[3, 3, 3], 2]
12 [[5, 5, 2], 1]
14 [[6, 5, 3], 1]
17 [[6, 6, 5], 4]
14 [[5, 5, 4], 3]
16 [[6, 6, 4], 1]

Now these are fantastic, happy for you to vetto any numbers there.

Still on track for a Scout, probably human maybe wood elf, but I need to read the material a bit more.

 

[Quickleaf]

By the way, if you're looking for information on the various countries or other lore tidbits, check out the great Witcher wiki: http://witcher.wikia.com/wiki/Witcher_Wiki

Also something I forgot to mention: Resurrection spells (raise dead, resurrection, true resurrection, reincarnation) don't exist in this setting. Which is one of the reasons I want you to maximize your HP for your first three levels.

 

[Axel]

Holy crap! I look away for a couple days and now there's 6 players!

I'll respond to each of you individually below, but I wanted to field a question to everyone put forward - what level would you all like to begin at? I originally suggested 3rd level, but I'm flexible. I'm fine also if you decide to have varying levels in your party.

Awesome Sounds like you've got a good grasp of the character you want to play already.

Nice rolls!

A few thoughts...

Cat School has a bad reputation they struggle to overcome for aligning with an evil sorcerer and betraying the School of the Wolf. Something to be aware of it you aren't familiar with that piece of lore.

I revised the Witcher class so you begin knowing 2 Signs @ 2nd level.

We're talking about allowing folks to start a little higher than 3rd, so if we go that way you could always take a level in Fighter for the fighting style. Or if you want to propose substituting certain Witcher class feature(s) with Fighting Style, I'd be willing to consider that too. A shield-wielding Cat Witcher would be unusual since they normally are dual-weapon fighters, so I'd prefer that be a decision based on story/style as opposed to some sense of the "class rules requiring it to be effective in combat."

Lastly, your character has an interesting geographic paradox: Northern Redania (your homeland) and Stygga Citadel (home of the Cat school in the Ebbing region of Nilfgaard) are on opposite ends of the map! Might make for an interesting story!

I admit to being unfamiliar with the setting. Reading up a little now... But yes, I'm three quarters of the way to imagining what I want my character to be and look like.

I'm fine with the bad reputation and in game effects - was tossing up the criminal background as a way to skin the Witcher effects. Now I don't feel guilty about throwing a curveball into the mix. It does seem to go too perfectly with the nastiest of the schools.

My character will be a female, alabaster skin and platinum blonde hair. Lithesome, whip fast and surprisingly (for appearances) tough. Her mutation has enhanced the residual elfin traits of her eyes and forehead, giving them a feline and predatory appearance (going for the oh shi... a jaguar effect not awww, cute widdle kitty).

I am still working on how and why she fits into the storyline. And how she became a Whitcher.

Dual wielding will be fine if that is the norm. I don't normally play dual wielding PCs, so instinctively steered away. Two short swords it is! "One for the living, one for the unnatural others."

I am open entirely to starting level. Whatever other people want or can work into their story. I'm going to play straight Witcher though. I can't reconcile time spent simply "fighting" with the metabolic, physical and psychological side of Witcher "training".

 

[Quickleaf]

Listening to the soundtrack to Witcher 3. Man, it is good!

Thanks for the vote of confidence it is appreciated. That being said, I am a big fan of transparency: here are my rolls on Orokos:

http://orokos.com/roll/302363

9 [[3, 3, 3], 2]
12 [[5, 5, 2], 1]
14 [[6, 5, 3], 1]
17 [[6, 6, 5], 4]
14 [[5, 5, 4], 3]
16 [[6, 6, 4], 1]

Now these are fantastic, happy for you to vetto any numbers there.

Still on track for a Scout, probably human maybe wood elf, but I need to read the material a bit more.

Nice rolls! I appreciate the transparency. FYI, as a DM I am very much a "play it where the dice fall" type, so I will always practice transparency with my rolls.

Btw, what level do you prefer starting at (if you have a preference)?

I admit to being unfamiliar with the setting. Reading up a little now... But yes, I'm three quarters of the way to imagining what I want my character to be and look like.

I'm fine with the bad reputation and in game effects - was tossing up the criminal background as a way to skin the Witcher effects. Now I don't feel guilty about throwing a curveball into the mix. It does seem to go too perfectly with the nastiest of the schools.

My character will be a female, alabaster skin and platinum blonde hair. Lithesome, whip fast and surprisingly (for appearances) tough. Her mutation has enhanced the residual elfin traits of her eyes and forehead, giving them a feline and predatory appearance (going for the oh shi... a jaguar effect not awww, cute widdle kitty).

I am still working on how and why she fits into the storyline. And how she became a Whitcher.

Dual wielding will be fine if that is the norm. I don't normally play dual wielding PCs, so instinctively steered away. Two short swords it is! "One for the living, one for the unnatural others."

I am open entirely to starting level. Whatever other people want or can work into their story. I'm going to play straight Witcher though. I can't reconcile time spent simply "fighting" with the metabolic, physical and psychological side of Witcher "training".

Sounds wicked!

I actually was mistaken about the dual-wielding for Cat school witchers. I was confusing them with Viper school. While it makes sense for Cat school witchers to dual-wield (since they tend to be Dexterity-based), the main points of their fighting style are trickery and deceit. So go with what you like!

 

[Axel]

If I have to choose, 3rd works for me. Every class gets a sub-class. Nobody gets a feat (except trolling alternate humans). You have the HP to survive a bit of bad luck in a combat (I have lost count how many 1st level PCs I ran who died to a critical hit in their first combat...).

Magic isn't batshit crazy powerful yet, and your attack bonuses haven't negated the value of AC yet.

 

[Axel]

I'll have more of a think on fighting style... I was all for a steel rapier (with shield) and a silver longsword (used two handed). Now I'm not so sure. :-/

 

[Skarsgard]

Third is fine by me, actually it is a treat as most PBP games start at 1.

One day I hope to be involved in a higher level game but 3 is a great start and I have no story-driven reason to be higher.