Deadlands d20 In-Character

[Karl Green]

Ok so I am going to "try" and new In-Character game - Deadlands d20! This here be a casting call ya all! I am a looking for 4 to 6 players. I will post over in Rogues gallery for character submission. I am thinking on starting next week some time, depending on the responses.

The basic back-story is that you all know one Pastor Duncan O'Donnell, of Billings Montana. None of you are from Billings but it a fast growing town, with just over 1000 people. It sits on the Bozeman trail and is the end of the line for the Iron Dragon Rail-line (with a fairly good sized China town). Gambling and cattle are Billings chief claim to fame. Miners and settlers also pass though on their way east or west. Within the last few weeks each of you has received a telegram from Pastor O'Donnell, asking for your immediate help. Each of you is either a family friend or someone the Pastor helped out in the past. He has traveled all over the west for the last 20 years and has semi-retired to the Billing "House of God" church. The game starts on July 12th, 1875 as you each arrive (by coincidence or design) in Billings by train, coach or horse (I hope to find a good online historical map of Billings, but if all else fails I will scan in one of my copies to give a good reference). I have "Way of the Huckster" and "Way of the Gun" right now so if you want to take spells or guns out of there that is fine. I HOPE to pick up "Way of the New Scientist" today, so this should be an option for anyone thinking along those lines.

Your characters start out as 1st level cowpokes and gamblers (generally no more the 19 or 20 year old). You get 30 points to assign to your Attributes per Point Buying System. I am thinking about using Vitality Points and Wound Points, so you gain maximum Vitality for 1st level and Wound Points equal to your Constitution. Because of this there are a couple of fairly big rule changes (later post, depending on what the players want. If everyone hates the idea of VP/WP I will not use them). As you are all Humans, you start with one additional Heroic Feat and 4 extra Skill points at first level.

When you go up in levels you gain extra Hit/Vitality Points as the "Living" Games:
d6 = 4 vitality
d8 = 6 vitality
d10 = 8 vitality.

Characters begin with so much Starting Funds (note that I did jip a couple classes just because I thought they started with way to much money):
Blessed = $100
Brave = $75
Gunslinger = $150
Huckster = $125
Mad Scientist = $150 (plus a beginning gadget; must be approved)
Maverick = $125
Rowdy = $125
Scout = $125
Shaman = $50


Thoughts? Comments? Rants?

 

[The Crimster]

I would like to officially volunteer to play a Shaman. Do you want me to email you stats...? Post them here?

The Crimster

PS: The rules seem fine with me...!

 

[Doppleganger]

Sounds great! I'll go for a Gunslinger.

The Crimster- I think the characters are supposed to be posted at this link <click here>

 

[Karl Green]

Yep that's the place

Both characters could fit, but you need a story way a Shaman would be friends with a preacher (and you probably got the telagraph delieved and then read to you due to the "Old Ways" although I might not be overly harsh with this limitation. Otherwise Braves and Shaman are really hard to get into most games).

Now I might also allow some additional feats etc. Some that I thought about where...

Modified Heroic Feats
Brave [from the Deadlands]: adds +2 to Will saves verses Fear or Moral Checks, and halves (round down) the Fear Levels effects against the character (i.e. a Fear Level 3, would only have a -1 penalty against the character).
Endurance: as book, but the bonus also adds against the effects of taking Wound damage (+4 to the Fortitude save against "winded" etc.)
Improved Unarmed Strike: base unarmed damage is 1d3, critical treat of 20, and can do lethal damage or subdual damage (attacks chose when doing “wound damage”).
Point Blank Shot: must be taken separately for Pistols, Rifles, Shotguns or Bows.
Rapid Fire: must be taken separately for Firearms or Bows.
Mounted Archer: is for bows. For firearms it is called Mounted Shootist.
Skill Focus: either gives a bonus of +3 to one skill OR +2 to two related skills (like “Sneaky” that gives a bonus of +2 to move silent and hide checks).
Toughness: +1 Vitality Point a level (starting at the level you take toughness) OR +3 Wound Points. This feat can only be taken once for Vitality Point Increase, but can be taken any number of times for extra Wound Points.
Two Weapon Fighting: is for hand-to-hand. For pistols, it is called Two Fisted Shootist but has the same effect.

New Heroic Feats (some taken from here on EN boards and other places and some I made up)
Animal Friendly
You sure do have a why with critters…
Benefit: You can learn the Animal Empathy skill as a class skill.
Note: I may do this with some other exclusive skills that are not allowed normally in Deadlands just because I think that they fit the gene…ask first!

Expert Heal’en
You have a great knowledge of patching up yer friends after a gun fite.
Prerequisite: 4 or more ranks of Heal
Benefit: When attempting to heal a comrade after battle, a skill check DC 15 either heals 1d4 Vitality Points OR heals 1 Wound Point. +1 VP is healed for each 5 over the 15 the check was made by (so a roll of 25 would heal 1d4+2 VP, etc). +1 Wound Point is healed for every 10 over the DC 15 the healer makes his roll by (so 25 would heal 2 WP, etc). The healer must decide which type of damage he is healing before he rolls, but can make two healing DC checks after combat (one for VP and one for WP).
Special: This feat can only be used twice (once for VP and once for WP) after each encounter where damage was suffered. The maximum amount of healing is always limited to damage sustained from any fresh wounds only (not damage from a previous encounter).
Normal: When attempting to heal a comrade after battle, you can attempt a heal check of DC 15 to heal 1 Vitality Point of damage, +1 VP for every 10 over the DC 15 the check is made by (so 25 would heal 2 VP). Wound points can’t be healed this way but you can Stabilize a person in negative Wound Points (DC 15)

Extra Learnin’
You can learn a cross-class skill as if yer were born to it pard.
Benefit: You may choose a cross-class skill (non-exclusive) in which you have a certain knack. You may treat this skill as if it was a class skill, and you gain a +1 skill bonus with it.
Special: This feat may be taken multiple times, choosing a new skill each time. You are still limited by level + 3 for the maximum number of skill points you may spend on this skill.

Extra Mojo
You can perform an additional actions pard’ner.
Benefits: You can take an extra partial action, either before or after your regular actions. You can use Extra Mojo once per day for every four levels the character has attained plus one (so 1st-3rd once a day, etc.), but never more than once a round.

Fast Hom’bra
You can move faster on yer own two feet.
Prerequisite: Dex 15+, Run
Benefit: Add +10’ to your base movement rate when wearing light armor or less.
Special: This feat can stack with other movement bonuses (such as the barbarian and monks abilities).

Light Sleepen
You sure are a light sleeper der pard, and don’t be a minden my snoring
Benefit: When subject to surprise or a coup de grace attack while asleep, you may make an immediate Reflex save (DC 15) to awaken and defend yourself normally. On a successful save you are not considered helpless or surprised; roll for initiative and resolve the attack in normal fashion.
Normal: A sleeping opponent is helpless (automatically hit with a full round coup de grace attack, otherwise +4 situation bonus to hit and the subject Dexterity is treated as 0).

Mule headed
You sure are a stubborn’ cuss.
Benefits: You receive a +1 bonus to Will Saves and +2 bonus to Intimidate checks.

Pipsqueak (as seen on the EN Boards months ago)
You may be short in height, but you sure is long on mean, pard'ner.
Prerequisite: 1st level character, Must be shorter than 5'6", Str 14 or less
Benefits: Gain a +1 competence bonus to all attack and damage rolls when in melee combat against a creature of medium size or larger.
Special: You can't refuse being called out.

Purty (as seen on the EN Board months ago)
A pretty face and a come-hither smile jes makes the opposite sex easy pickins fer a cad like you.
Prerequisite: 1st level Character, Cha 13+
Benefit: Gain a +2 Competence bonus when making any Bluff, Diplomacy or Gather Information skill roll against a member of the opposite sex.
Special: If you happen to roll a natural one on your roll, not only does your attempt fail, but the target becomes openly hostile to you (or at least VERY suspicious).

Quick Thinkin’
You rarely get caught with yer britches down in a sticky situation.
Prerequisite: Alertness, Uncanny Dodge
Benefit: If threatened or surprised, you may take up the total defense position immediately. This action takes place before any attacks are made. This feat can only be used at the beginning of an encounter.
Special: If you choose to take a “Quick Defense” action, you may not act again within that round.
Comments: I am thinking about adding uncanny dodge feat so that this feat could be used by more folks.

Tin Horn
You sure are darn learned fellow aint ya?
Prerequisite: Intelligence 13+
Benefits: You gain +1 to all Knowledge OR Profession skills and they are always considered class skills for you.
Special: You can take this Feat twice, once for Knowledge and once for Professional skills.

 

[loxmyth]

I would be interested in joining in on a DeadLands game, but unfortunately, I don't have the books. Would it be possible for me to join in anyway?

 

[Karl Green]

hmmm...

I am pretty sure that the info is not open contact but we could do something. You would have to play a non-spell caster or mad scientist for sure.

The basic character classes are...

Blessed - holy men and preachers
Brave - native warriors
Gunslinger - gunfighters, outlaws and lawmen
Huckster - gamblers and dealers in secret lore
Mad Scientist - gadgeteer and steampunk inventor
Maverick - gamblers and trouble makers
Rowdy - mountain man, miners, trail hands, bar room brawlers
Scout - trail blazers and indian scouts
Shaman - native holy men

The attributes are all the same and while most of the Feats and Skills are available there are a few new ones from Deadlands.

 

[Belgarath]

the scout

I would like to sign up for a scout. let me know where you need the stats and such

 

[loxmyth]

I am pretty sure that the info is not open contact but we could do something. You would have to play a non-spell caster or mad scientist for sure.

That's fine, I figured that much anyhow. As for the available choices, Gunslinger and Rowdy sound like interesting characters... I'd be willing to play one of them. Do you think I could get some basic information on what type of abilities each of these guys gets?

~lox

 

[GreyOne]

If its not too late, I'll play a Huckster. Let me know (though I don't have Way of the Huckster). I'm fine just using the basics.

 

[Karl Green]

kewl

The Crimster the Shaman is yours.
Doppleganger the Gunslinger is yours.
Belgarath the Scout it yours.
loxmyth the Rowdy is yours for sure, but I might allow a second gunslinger if you really want it. Do you mind if I email you some basic character stuff??
GreyOne the Huckster is yours.

So that would mean that I could take one more person, either playing a Blessed, a Brave, a Mad Scientist or a Maverick (not that any of these are really required for the game)

Post your characters over in the Rogue Gallery under the Deadlands In-Character Characters.

SO one note, is everyone ok with using Vitality/Wounds Points? If not I don't mind using Hit Points. Just wondering.