[Black Company] I have the book...any questions?

[Slade7170]

Action points can do everything you are used to and more...

Same system as Eberron in basics, 1 point per round, any D20 roll (including initative it seems) not useable on Take 10 or 20, getting 5 + 1/2 AP per level. Most NPC's don't get them as usual.

Activate Class Ability - 1 Point
Act Out of Turn - 1 Point, flat footed till next normal action, cannot be used during surprise round.
Boost Defense - 1 point - Free action when fighting defensively, doubles bonus.
Emulate Feat (Except Dabbler) - 1 Point - Gain the benefit of a feat you do not have but meet the pre-requisites for. Retain until the beginning of your next turn.
Extra Attack -1 Point- Full attack only, extra attack at highest bonus, may be used with ranged or melee.
Surge - 1 Point- Gain a single extra move action.

What are the new uses from Action Points?

 

[Slade7170]

Scouts are a less martial ranger.

They get bonuses to damage from attacks from ambush and from sniping (they stack if applicable). Think short ranged assasins in some ways. D6 hit die, 6 + Int skills. Ranger meets thief meets perhaps assassin. Sleepy and wheezer where Scouts.

Rangers - Hagop, Tracker, Old Man Fish, all rangers.

Multiple choices of combat styles (with 3 levels of mastery), trapfinding and a few odds and ends make this a great non spellcasting Ranger. They have Nature sense as well. they also get bonuses to damage if they attack from ambush and some cool stuff like woodland stride, venom immunity and hide in plain sight as they advance.


Good stuff, I would play one of these Rangers in a heartbeat. Reminds me much of Martin Longbow in the Fiest early Midkemia novels.

Slade7170.

Can you tell us more about the Scout and Ranger classes? (I'm assuming the BC ranger is different from a PH rangers.)

 

[rjs]

One-Eye's Spear

One-Eye's spear is described on pg. 121.

When you make an attack with it, you gain a +3 bonus with a crit threat range of 18-20

If you deal damage, you deal 1d8+3, plus Strength modifier, plus 5d6 fire

Strike a spell, you can use the Dispel spell effect, rolling 1d20+25

 

[Desdichado]

Any chance you can list out the creatures in the Bestiary chapter real quick?

 

[Desdichado]

Any chance you can list out the creatures in the Bestiary chapter real quick?

 

[Slade7170]

Thanks! I have not done a deep dive into the equipment section yet, missed it on my skim, it doesn't cross reference on the one-eye stat sheet!

Slade7170

One-Eye's spear is described on pg. 121.

When you make an attack with it, you gain a +3 bonus with a crit threat range of 18-20

If you deal damage, you deal 1d8+3, plus Strength modifier, plus 5d6 fire

Strike a spell, you can use the Dispel spell effect, rolling 1d20+25

 

[Slade7170]

Black Watchers
Catacomb Guardians
Cenaurs of the Plain of Fear
Coral of the Plain of Fear
Demons
Dark Passage
Dragon, True
Forvalaka
Horses of Charm
Human Foes
Imp
Manta
Menhir
Needleteeth
Od Father Tree
Shadows of the Plain of Glittering Stone
Shindai Kus Horror
Smoke Serpent
Spirits
Toadkiller Dog
War Elephant
Windwhales

Any chance you can list out the creatures in the Bestiary chapter real quick?

 

[Desdichado]

Cool, thanks. And congrats, rjs. You really got my attention with Book of Fiends -- you're a game designer to watch, as far as I'm concerned.

And I mean that in a good way...

 

[Acid_crash]

I am way late on this... but what is Black Company about? Who wrote the novels?

 

[hellbender]

I am way late on this... but what is Black Company about? Who wrote the novels?

Glen Cook wrote the novels, the first was released in 1984.

The first book follows the chronicles of an annalist for a canny mercenary company that often avoids a fight through clever tactics and don't fight unless there is little other choice. And when the do fight they are merciless.

I really enjoy Tolkien, but this is on the opposite side of the spectrum. Don't expect clear lines between good and evil, this world works in shades of grey. More action takes place in the first book than in many fantasy novels with twice the pagecount, Cook doesn't mince words. The world is humanocentric with very few other intelligent creatures, and meeting them is usually scary and often fatal. The wizards are not the standard DnD fair, they are scary, and very deadly. This is a grim and gritty world with deep characters and daunting themes. If you following the link in my signature to the Links page, you can find out more. Or grab the first novel and sit back and enjoy the ride.