[5e] Spell & Crossbones

[Quickleaf]

Ok, CanadienneBacon first!

OK, chips on the table. [MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION], can I play a CN or a NE paladin?

I forbid evil. In general. But I don't have that much power, so I just forbid it in game.

Gideon the Golden Boy is a degenerate. He wouldn't steal from a party member, nor would he kill a party member, but he might stab someone in a fight. I honestly think he'd fit right in with this crew as a CN or NE paladin. I have no intention of having him worship a diety. Right now he's a supporter of the British Crown, but sometime soon I expect they'll cut him off entirely when his gambling once again becomes an issue. When that happens, the Crown may start actively plotting against Gideon, which will ignite righteous piratey fury in him. And then he'll be all about burning and pillaging as many British ships as he possibly can. Laissez faire piracy, at its finest.

NE is banned but CN is just fine, and Gideon's bond of Secret Agent has lots of possibilities! Having him turn renegade against the Crown at some point does put that Secret Agent bond into question...what might work best is if once he acquired the intelligence from La Gloriosa that is the nail in the coffin that causes him to turn renegade. Which has lots of juicy potential if his Secret Agent identity is revealed to his fellow pirates...when he actually is no longer a Secret Agent!

Also, consider his magic. Where do you see it coming from if not the gods? For example, it's possible to select subtle only spells that don't seem magical at all and rather reflect his inner drive driven to unusual heights.

I will foreshadow that there is a significant gambling portion of the campaign arc as I've loosely mapped it out, so that's a good skill for someone to have!

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION], how viable is a Paladin in this game? Do you have any game mechanics hidden up your sleeve that might tend to make a Paladin workable? Any thoughts on alignment? No evil, I read in the first post of this thread (insert sad face here).

I think it can work...though it depends on how you do it. I'm really laid back about tweaking rules and house ruling stuff too. For example, if you had a voodoo angle to your character and really wanted to play an Oathbreaker paladin (DMG), I might wave the evil restriction and have your PC be a devotee of Baron Samedhi...since the Oathbreaker powers line up really well with someone aligned with undead and death in general.

For Paladins in general, my heavy armor house rule is relevant. It's on the first page, but I'll repeat it here: Characters proficient in heavy armor who do not wear heavy armor gain +1 AC.

For Oath of Vengeance, I don't see why that couldn't work as-is in this campaign. The thing to pay attention to are the Tenets and that breaking those flagrantly can result in loss of your paladin class, switching to the Oathbreaker class (at my discretion,since usually that requires you to be evil), or even retirement as an NPCS if it is severe. The Tenets of Vengeance are: Fight the greater evil, No mercy for the wicked, By any means necessary, Restitution. Giving some though how those relate to your character & the setting might help.

I was leaning toward Kid. That one seems cleaner to me. My vision for Kid is clearer. It would also be easy to draft and easy to play.

I do have a soft spot for your Kid concept and I liked Viviene a lot too! but you should pick the character you really want to play. With 7 players, you guys are sure to cover all the party roles you'll need.

 

[Quickleaf]

[MENTION=6787234]peterka99[/MENTION]

My character was a NPC bard 4, fighter 1 from my own game, reworked for this game.

Bond: Thrill (good stories)-seeking
Fortunes: Beaver-fur hat, Military rank, Weird tales book to publish to be famous

First off, I love that you came up with your own Fortunes! What is the advantage of Beaver-fur Hat? And what does "Weird tales book to publish to be famous" do exactly? Are they mixed fortunes? Good fortunes? I'll fortunes? Remember the rules about selecting Fortunes that I clearly laid out in the OP!

Life in the navy was too dull a path to follow. Etienne jumped on the first offer to see forturne, glory and write down good stuff of legend. See him like a Viking Skald; he can trace back his ancestors from Normandy. He's a good liar, but who can believe his grand-grand(...) father was William the conqueror, Count of Normandy and Norsemen scion ?

I like the feel you're aiming for. Your character needs a little work to fit thematically in a "pirates of the Caribbean" style game, but you've got a solid start.

Narratively, I think he needs more work. After all, this campaign is about pursuing La Gloriosa and every PC has a personal stake in doing so. If you want him to be in it just for the adventure, you'll need to give him some really strong ties to the other PCs...making him "more about the people he knows than any ideals or oaths of loyalty" kind of man. That way you'll ensure he has reason to work with the party and STAY with them. If he's just a freewheeling adventurer, then there's nothing to keep him looking for La Gloriosa...You would be totally within rights to play him going off and doing his own thing. I'd prefer to avoid that up front.

So, either give him connections to other specific PCs (and possibly NPCs tied to La Gloriosa like du Tourbillon), or give him a more compelling bond. Make sense?

Etienne was born in a small village near Quebec in Nouvelle-France in 1670. He learned among indians the way of the wilds, and spend years of his youth as a voyageur paddling canoes down the canadian rivers in search of beaver furs. He fought the Iroquois 5 nations as a militian up to the Great peace of 1701, specialising in wrestling duels. He knows the basic of all North American languages.

Then, he considers travelling oversea to improve his culture and gather news songs, poems and tales to tell his children back home. He raised as a lieutenant in the navy, his perfect balance from years battling from canoes giving him a great hedge on a ship deck.

I like that you've given him a connection to North America, something no other PC has and could come in useful. It would make a lot of sense if he was active during Queen Anne's War in the east coast colonies, something that might provide a more compelling reason for him to venture into the Caribbean besides "just for kicks." Since the war technically isn't ended yet, he might be trying to complete a mission, hunt down somebody to rescue or kill/bring to justice, discover a nefarious plot, etc.

I mentionned months ago I could be interested. Maybe I can play a swashbuckler class like the ones we discussed in December. Or my scout or muskeeter attemps.. Any class requirement ? What level ? 4 ?

I created a level 4 bard, grappler specialist. Is it fine ?

[SBLOCK]
Etienne Rougeau Human (m), Bard 4 (swashbuckler)
Age 43 years
Alignement Lawful Neutral Divinity Catholic

Etienne was born in a small village near Quebec in Nouvelle-France in 1670. He learned among indians the way of the wilds, and spend years of his youth as a voyageur paddling canoes down the canadian rivers in search of beaver furs. He fought the Iroquois 5 nations as a militian up to the Great peace of 1701, specialising in wrestling duels. He knows the basic of all North American languages.

Then, he considers travelling oversea to improve his culture and gather news songs, poems and tales to tell his children back home. He raised as a lieutenant in the navy, his perfect balance from years battling from canoes giving him a great hedge on a ship deck.


CARACTERISTICS
ST 18 (+4) Dex 10 (+0) Con 18 (+4)
Int 8 (-1) Ws 11 (+0) Cha 14 (+2)
Good saves Dex, Cha Proficiency +2
Skills
Background Soldier (Lieutenant, French navy marine)
Skills Athletism +10*, Intimidation +5, Performance +5, Persuasion +5, Survival +3, perception +6*, stealth +3, deception +5- all other +1 à +4
Langages french, english
Tools 3 musical instruments , chess, vehicules : canoe

COMBAT
HP 39 Init +0
AC 12 (un. defense +2, , Dex +0)
Melee long sword +7 (1d8+4 slashing ; versatile (1d10))
Melee shortsword+7 (1d6+4 slashing ;finesse))
Melee Dagger +7/+3* (1d4+4 trusting ; finesse, light, throw (range 6 m/18 m))
Unarmed 1d4+ 4 improvised weapons: d4 to d12 +4

BARD SPELLS
Known spells : (3) / 5 / 2
- niv 0 : Temporary Protection vs, remote manipulation, vicious mockery
- niv 1 : expedious retreat, comprehend animals, heal charm person, slowfall
- niv 2 : silence, Enhance Ability

Slots : 4 / 3
magical stat : Charisma DC spells : 13
Feats : Tavern brawler, wrestler

CAPACITIES
Weapons and armor Light armor, simple weapons, swords, hand crossbow, guns
Class Bard Inspiration (+1d6)
Jack-of-All-Trades (+2)
Song of Rest (+1d6 Hp)
Expertise (+6 to 2* comp) : athletism and Perception
seafarers tricks: Patois, Sea Legs
[/SBLOCK]

Bard actually makes a lot of sense both story-wise and mechanically! I think you could totally have him trained by Iroquois in unarmed fighting techniques...at least that makes sense to explain his great grappling skill. Didn't you mention somewhere that that's how conflicts were resolved between tribes, by brutal wrestling matches, and that Etienne was fighting in those matches for French political maneuvering? Or did I make that up?

The only thing I caught mechanically were you have some very oddly named spells that aren't in the PHB on your list... Are you translating from French maybe?

Known spells : (3) / 5 / 2
- niv 0 : Temporary Protection vs, remote manipulation, vicious mockery
- niv 1 : expedious retreat, comprehend animals, heal charm person, slowfall
- niv 2 : silence, Enhance Ability

There is no "Temporary protection vs." bard cantrip. Do you mean "Blade Ward"?
There is no "remote manipulation" bard cantrip. Do you mean "Mage Hand"?
Bards do not get "Expeditious Retreat" as a spell on their 1st level list.
"comprehend animals" is called "speak with animals" (nitpick, I know).
There is no "heal" bard level 1 spell...that's actually a 6th level cleric spell. Do you mean "healing word"?
"slow fall" is called "feather fall" (another nitpick, but it's common gamer parlance so good to know).

I didn't go over everything with a fine toothed comb, but besides that it looks good to me.

 

[peterka99]

True, the spells were translated on the spot, I wrote the character sheet in french 1st...

I refined the character, page 67.

 

[Quickleaf]

True, the spells were translated on the spot, I wrote the character sheet in french 1st...

I refined the character, page 67.

Yes, that you're translating shows in the at times challenging to interpret grammar.

I reviewed your revised character sheet. Mechanically, it all looks fine. Narratively...while I like the angle you added with the fur smuggling in the Antilles / Martinique, that is more of a setting tie-in. Which is good. But what your PC needs are 3 things:

(1) What is his tie-in to La Gloriosa del Mar, that sunken treasure ship that all the PCs are after? For example, him being a journalist type might have him looking for a scoop on what truly befall La Gloriosa when it was last seen fleeing buccaneers.

(2) How did he end up in pirate-controlled Nassau (New Providence Island), where our story is taking place?

(3) Why should the other PCs trust him? Or how is he indispensable to them? This could involve brainstorming with some of the other players about past connections Etienne might have with them, for example thru smuggling or fighting in Queen Anne's War. Alternately, you could identify a ship role no one else fulfills and bill your character as a specialist with skills they need. Alternately, you could ask me to engineer a situation in which he comes to the party's aid, thus gaining some degree of trust.

 

[peterka99]

(1) La Gloriosa del Mar is a scoop for my story book

(2) Etienne heared about a Nassau pirate with information about the shipwreck

(3) Why should the other PCs trust him? They can be the fur buyers who drove me to Antillas, and/or I can had fight with or against soem of them in the War (and spared their life or so).

 

[CanadienneBacon]

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION], I plan to roll with Kid. The things I want to do with Gideon entail his being evil, so he'll go on the shelf until the right campaign crops up. I'll have Kid worked up by Sunday evening, and will post him here in the OOC. You'll want to go over his stats carefully; I just got the 5e PHB last weekend and am still feeling my way through mechanics.

In the interim, thanks for having me join the game. I'm very much looking forward to playing with this crew.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Are we using the variant Human traits? Nevermind, I want the regular Human traits.

 

[CanadienneBacon]

Kid

[section] Human (Creole) Rogue 4
Ship Duty: Rigger
Bond: Curse of Aztec Gold
Fortunes: Kid, Strange luck, Treasure map, Obsessed with treasure.




Kid does not have a name. Kid does not need a name. Just "Kid" is fine, really. Kid has twitchy fingers, kid's luck, and likes to climb. Because climbing lets you see. You see all kinds of wondrous things when adults are not looking. More the better when adults think you are stupid and not listening...then you really learn Important Things. There is a problem with twitchy fingers, though. Sometimes you grab something you wish you had not. The coin, for example. Kid wishes he had not grabbed the shiny gold Cartagenian coin. Because now Kid has to go where Kid does not like--under the sea. The coin must be returned, Kid knows. La Gloriosa beckons with her watery siren's call, and Kid feels the pull.





[sblock=Nuts and Bolts]Age 13
Chaotic Neutral
Medium (4’ 11” and 98 pounds)
hp 4d8 - 4
AC 17 (10 + 5 Dex + 2 Unarmored Defense)
Initiative +5
Speed 30’
Passive Perception 16

Languages: Common, Creole (human), Thieves’ Cant (class), Jamaican patois (campaign setting)
Proficiency Bonus +2

Weapon Proficiencies: Simple weapons, hand crossbow, longsword, rapier, shortsword

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION], Longsword doesn’t make much sense for a kid. Could I ditch proficiency with longsword and replace it with proficiency with scimitar?​

Saving Throws: Dexterity, Intelligence
Tool Proficiencies: Thieves’ tools (expertise), Navigator's tools (background), Distiller's Kit (background)
Skills: Athletics, Acrobatics, Sleight of Hand, Perception (expertise), Deception, Stealth

Strength 12 (13 - 3 age + 1 human + 1 at 4th level)
Dexterity 20 (18 + 1 human + 1 at 4th level)
Constitution 9 (8 + 1 human)
Intelligence 16 (15 + 1 human)
Wisdom 14 (13 + 1 human)
Charisma 14 (13 + 1 human)
4d6, drop lowest: 8, 13, 15, 18, 13, 13

4d6 → [2,1,4,2] = (9)
4d6 → [5,2,3,5] = (15)
4d6 → [4,4,6,5] = (19)
4d6 → [6,6,1,6] = (19)
4d6 → [4,5,4,2] = (15)
4d6 → [6,4,2,3] = (15)​

Bond: Curse of Aztec Gold

Curse of Aztec Gold: You have a cursed Aztec gold piece taken from one of the French buccaneers who raided Cartagena; a mambo told you the only way to rid yourself of the curse is to return the coin to the chest it was taken from - sunken with La Gloriosa.​

Mixed Fortunes: Kid, Strange Luck

Kid: You are 13 years old (or the equivalent for your race). You suffer a -3 Strength penalty, which diminishes by 1 for each year until your 16th birthday. Until then you cannot die from a failed save or ability check; the worst that will happen is you are grievously injured, taken captive, or knocked out. Cannot take Old Salt.

Strange Luck: You are surrounded by extraordinary circumstances. Whenever you roll a natural 1 or 20 something bizarre happens. On a natural 1 you critically fail at whatever you were attempting, thru no fault of your own; a lock pick breaks, you slip on a patch of oil, a guard recognizes you, etc. On a natural 20 you gain an extraordinary success thru some happy circumstance; you happen to have picked up the exact key to this lock earlier, your fall is broken by your jacket catching on the flagpole, the guard happens to be your cousin, etc.​

Good Fortune: Treasure Map

Treasure Map: You possess a map to a secret treasure, whether a buried treasure chest, a shipwreck which could be restored, or a buried stockpile of munitions.​

Ill Fortune: Obsessed with Treasure

Obsessed with Treasure: You have an unhealthy fascination with treasure; all things bright and glittery draw you in like a moth to a flame. When confronted with a treasure you can't help but handle several pieces of it right away or, if unable to handle it, stare transfixed for a round. You always try to take more than your fair share of a prize when doing so won't raise the hackles of your companions...usually because they won't find out.​

Background: Ship Rat (custom)
Skill Proficiencies: Deception, Stealth
Tool Proficiencies: Navigator’s Tools, Distiller’s Kit (rum) -- Kid knows how to make rum. For adults.
Equipment: TBD
Feature: Wanderer (Kid has an excellent memory for maps and geography, and can find food and fresh water for himself and up to five other people each day, provided the land offers berries, small game, water, and so forth).

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION]: I was also considering taking Discovery for Kid's "feature." Maybe Kid saw something he shouldn’t have, or was marooned last year and stumbled on a secret location, or perhaps he knows the treasure map in his possession leads to a special sort of treasure? The possibilities are endless.​

Personality Trait: I don’t like to bathe.
Ideal: I help the people who help me—that’s what keeps us alive.
Flaw: Shiny things are attractive to me, and I’ll do just about anything to get a shiny object.

Expertise: Perception and Thieves’ Tools

Sneak Attack: + 1d6 damage to one creature Kid hits with an attack if Kid has advantage on the attack roll. The attack must use a finesse or a ranged weapon. Kid doesn’t need advantage on the attack roll if another enemy of the target is within 5 feet of it, that enemy isn’t incapacitated, and Kid doesn’t have disadvantage on the attack roll.

Cunning Action: Kid can take a bonus action on each move in combat. This action can be used only to take the Dash, Disengage, or Hide action.

Roguish Archetype: Swashbuckler (grants Seafarer Tricks and Unarmored Defense)

Seafarer Tricks: Rigging Monkey, and either Sea Legs or Treasure Scent. [MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION], I could use some input deciding between Sea Legs and Treasure Scent. Treasure Scent fits nicely with Kid’s obsession with treasure. But Sea Legs is kind of essential for a character built to climb rigging. Input needed, please!

Unarmored Defense: While you are wielding a finesse weapon, wearing no armor, and not wielding a shield, your Armor Class equals 10 + your Dexterity modifier + your proficiency bonus, provided you are proficient with the finesse weapon. In my Spell & Crossbones campaign, benefiting from Unarmored Defense overrides the Heavy Armor House Rule.​

Ability Score Improvement: + 1 to Strength and Dexterity

Skills: (P Proficiency, E Expertise)
+7 Acrobatics P
+2 Animal Handling
+3 Arcana
+3 Athletics P
+4 Deception P
-3 History (Kid is uneducated and hates history. As a general principle. History is for suckers. )
+2 Insight
+2 Intimidation
+3 Investigation
+2 Medicine
+3 Nature
+6 Perception PE
+2 Performance
+2 Persuasion
-3 Religion (See entry for History! Except for relics. 'Cause they’re shiny. And gold. Right?)
+7 Sleight of Hand P
+7 Stealth P
+2 Survival [/sblock][/section]

 

[CanadienneBacon]

I am dissatisfied with the portrait for Kid and plan to continue looking. I am seeking a good-quality oil, a watercolor, or a digital fantasy photo of a sullen-looking mixed-race child. One thing I have learned is that there is a dearth of good quality artwork when you're trying to find a portrait for a person of color. This says something about our culture, I think.

 

[Quickleaf]

(1) La Gloriosa del Mar is a scoop for my story book

(2) Etienne heared about a Nassau pirate with information about the shipwreck

(3) Why should the other PCs trust him? They can be the fur buyers who drove me to Antillas, and/or I can had fight with or against soem of them in the War (and spared their life or so).

All great answers Any other players feel like their PC could tie in with Etienne's story? For example, as far traders/smugglers or having fought in Queen Anne's War?

Since the current scene is a fight,we'll have to find the opportune moment to introduce Etienne...