D&D 4E Help me plan a pseudo-4e one-shot (cross-posted)

[RangerWickett]

I originally posted this in the 4e forum, but I think it might see more responses here.

This coming Monday I'm going to run a game for some new players at the college I work at. I figure I may as well give them a more fun play experience by using my limited knowledge of 4e to create pre-made characters for them that have niftier abilities and more options. Now,

I'll tell them that this version is not how D&D actually works right now, but that it's taking insight from a future edition so that the play experience is more fun. The point is not to teach them the rules, but to show them what roleplaying is like.

First of all, I'm starting with what I know from Star Wars SAGA. Defenses instead of saves, triple hit points at 1st level, and condensed skills. Also, I'm going to use the swift, move, standard set of actions per round, since that's nice and intuitive. And I'll allow the option for second winds (swift action 1/day to heal HP equal to Con score or 1/4 max hp).

Second, I'm going to have four characters - a striker, a leader, a controller, and a defender. I'm thinking:

Human cleric - leader
Dwarf fighter - defender
Elf ranger - striker
Tiefling warlock - controller

I'm going to use existing classes as a starting point, but I want to add a few abilities that fit the 'per encounter' and 'per day' paradigm. I want stuff that involves mobility, and at least two abilities that targets each of the different defenses. Who knows whether this stuff will actually be in 4e, or if it's overpowered, but here's what I have in mind:

Cleric
I'll make him a cleric or Heironeous, for some nice smiting action.

Constant - inspiration (all allies who can see him get a +1 bonus to all their defenses), tactics (if he hits an enemy, allies who attack the same enemy get a +2 bonus to their attack)
Per encounter - divine presence (enemies nearby make Will saves, failure means they run or cower), smite evil (deals extra damage, and dispels any magic effects created by the creature he attacks), retribution (touch an ally and an enemy, and if enemy fails Fort save, damage is transfered from one to the other)
Per day - divine favor (whole party gets a bonus to attack and damage for a round)


Ranger
Mobility and opportunism are the key words here. He fights with a bow and scimitar.

Constant - skirmish (does extra damage whenever he strikes an opponent who is unbalanced or unaware), has quickdraw, can do various trick shots with the bow
Per encounter - daring rescue (immediate action to move up to 10 ft. and knock an ally out of the way of an attack, but both of them end up prone), crippling strike (foe makes Fort save or is crippled somehow -- has the tendons on his hand severed, moves more slowly, or takes a penalty to everything), overbalance foe (if enemy misses on an attack, can either make that enemy strike someone else, or get free attack against him)
Per day - wild empathy (can briefly gain control of an animal), zephyr strike (move base speed and attack all enemies you pass)


Fighter
The dwarf is hard to kill, and can protect others. He fights with an axe and a large shield.

Constant - bodyguard (can choose to take an attack that would hit an adjacent ally), leave your mark (leave a weapon imbedded in an enemy to deal extra damage), can disarm and grapple easily
Per encounter - strongarm (if he hits an enemy, he gets to move that person with him for the round, or shove him back 5 ft.), shatter (does double damage to items), provoke (goad someone into attacking), first strike (immediate action attack against an enemy who comes up to him), indomitability (ignore status effects for one round)
Per day - Moradin's fury (essentially barbarian rage)


Warlock
The tiefling gets all the fun magic.

Constant - Devil sight (darkvision, plus detect magic at will). Dark speech (d6 damage if you beat someone's Will defense). Clash of sorcery (attempt to counterspell, but take damage on a failure)
Per encounter - Grasp of Malcanthet (delusions of intense pleasure paralyze a creature for as long as you maintain concentration, but the creature gets a save each round). Wand of Orcus (fortitude-based touch attack for 4d6 damage). Fires of Asmodeus (flaming area attack).
Per day - Aspect of Demogorgon (can take two actions each round, but you might go mad and turn into a savage beast). Seal of Tharizdun (takes a minute, but you trace a seal, and disintegrate an object). Forked Tongue of Graz'zt (charm person). Winds of Pazunia (target creature is knocked around by intense wind, or an ally can fly for one round).

How does that sound?

 

[Slife]

Sounds pretty cool. Then again, pretty much everything you do sounds pretty cool.

I do notice that the cleric can't do any healing. That might be a nice thing to include.

 

[theredrobedwizard]

I've been doing some extrapolations based on current classes and whatnot, and came up with a bunch of stuff that is dubiously balanced, but a good preview. Mostly modeled after Star Wars Saga Edition, with some Book of 9 Swords and Player's Handbook 2 thrown in.

----------

8 Classes: Fighter, Wizard, Cleric, Rogue, Warlord, Paladin, Warlock, Ranger
8 Races: Human, Halfling, Elf, Eladrin, Dwarf, Half-Elf, Half-Orc, Tiefling

-------- Races --------

Human: Bonus feat, bonus trained skill.

Halfling: Improved Defenses, +2 Dex, -2 Str, reroll Acrobatics.

Elf: +2 Dex, -2 Con, reroll Stealth, low-light vision, 40' move.

Eladrin: +2 Int, -2 Con, reroll Spellcraft, low-light vision, conditional bonus feat: Skill Focus (any one trained Knowledge)

Dwarf: +2 Con, -2 Dex, reroll Craft, darkvision, Stability (+2 ref def against effects that would involuntarily move you), Weapon Proficiency (Martial)

Half-Elf: +2 Cha, -2 Con, reroll Persuade, low-light vision, bonus skill.

Half-Orc: +2 Str, -2 Cha, -2 Int, reroll Athletics, darkvision, Powerful Charge

Tiefling: -2 Wis, +2 Cha, reroll Deception, darkvision, Toughness

-------- Classes (So far) --------

Fighter: 2+Int skills. d10 HD. Fort +2 Ref +1 Will +0. Bonus feat every level, Talent every odd. Savage, Weapon Specialist, Brawler, and Armor trees.

Wizard: 4+Int skills. d4 HD. Fort +0 Ref +1 Will +2. Talent every odd, bonus feat every even. Orb, Wand, Staff, and Sorcerer trees.

Cleric: 4+Int skills. d8 HD. Fort +2 Ref +0 Will +1. Talent every odd, bonus feat every even. Summoner, Healer, Leadership, and Druid trees.

Rogue: 8+Int skills. d6 HD. Fort +0 Ref +2 Will +1. Talent every odd, bonus feat every even. Tinker, Fortune, Awareness, and Commando trees.


----------


Sample Characters (16, 14, 14, 12, 10, 8)

Bob Zjerunkal - Human Fighter 1
Str 16 Dex 14 Con 14 Int 8 Wis 10 Cha 12
Reflex Defense 18, Fortitude Defense 16, Will Defense 12, Damage Threshold 16 HP: 33
Initiative: +2 Attack: Greatsword (+4 to hit, 2d6+6 damage) OR Greatsword Rapid Strike (+2 to hit, 3d6+6 damage) OR Longbow (+3 to hit, 1d8+3 damage)
Action Points: 5 (d6s)
Skills: Athletics, Endurance
Talent: Armored Defense
Feats: Weapon Proficiency (Simple, Martial), Armor Proficiency (Light, Medium, Heavy), Shield Proficiency (Normal, Tower), Toughness, Improved Defenses, Rapid Strike
Per Day: Surge (Swift action; make a single Melee attack)
Per Encounter: Iron Wind (Standard: Attack two adjacent opponents with a single Melee attack)
At Will: Power Attack (-1 to hit, +2 damage on Melee attacks only)
Equipment: Scale Mail, Greatsword, Longbow, Standard Adventuring Pack


Amanda Hugenkis - Halfling Cleric 1
Str 10 Dex 16 Con 10 Int 8 Wis 16 Cha 14
Reflex Defense 18, Fortitude Defense 16, Will Defense 16, Damage Threshold 16 HP: 24
Initiative +3 Attack: Mace (+0 to hit, 1d8 damage)
Action Points: 5 (d8s)
Skills: Knowledge (Religion), Spellcraft, Craft
Talent: Healer
Feats: Weapon Proficiency (Simple), Armor Proficiency (Light, Medium), Shield Proficiency (Normal), Improved Defenses, Action Surge
Per Day: Undead Destruction (Standard: [Cleric Level]d8+[Charisma Modifier] damage to all undead within 30')
Per Encounter Abilities: Inspirational Critical (Reaction: After a successful critical hit, heal one ally within 30' 2x[Cleric Level] HP), Spell Suite*
At Will: Burst of Healing (Standard: All allies within 30' heal [Cleric Level] HP, as long as they're at less than 1/2 their full HP)
Spell Suite: Cure Wounds (Standard: Touch an ally, heal them 3d8+[Cleric Level] HP), Bless (Standard: All allies get +1 to hit, damage, and defenses until end of encounter)
Equipment: Light Shield, Mace, Studded Leather Armor, Standard Adventuring Pack


Ishmael Percival Freely - Dwarf Rogue 1
Str 14 Dex 12 Con 18 Int 10 Wis 12 Cha 8
Reflex Defense 14, Fortitude Defense 15, Will Defense 13, Damage Threshold 15 HP: 22
Initiative: +1 Attack: Dwarven Waraxe (+2 to hit, 1d10+4 damage) OR Waraxe Sneak Attack (+2 to hit, 2d10+4 damage) OR Thrown Handaxe (+1 to hit, 1d6+1 damage)
Action Points: 5 (d6s)
Skills: Disable Device, Perception, Athletics, Acrobatics, Persuasion, Deception, Stealth, Craft*
Feats: Weapon Proficiency (Simple, Martial), Armor Proficiency (Light), Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot
Talent: Battle Analysis
Per Day: Feint (Standard: Make a melee attack against a target's Will defense instead of Reflex defense.)
Per Encounter: Combat Reflexes (Reaction: When an opponent provokes an AoO, you may make an extra AoO against them.)
At Will: Sneak Attack (Standard: Only when attacking a flanked or flat footed opponent.)
Equipment: Leather Armor, 5 Handaxes, Dwarven Waraxe, Standard Adventuring Pack


Reginald Turnbottom IV - Tiefling Wizard 1
Str 8 Dex 14 Con 10 Int 16 Wis 16 Cha 10
Reflex Defense 14, Fortitude 11, Will Defense 16, Damage Threshold 11 HP: 12
Initiative: +2 Attack: Dagger (-1 to hit, 1d4-1 damage)
Action Points: 8 (d6s)
Skills: Knowledge (Arcana, The Planes, History, Local), Spellcraft, Craft, Deception*.
Feats: Weapon Proficiency (Simple), Skill Focus (Spellcraft), Heroic Spirit
Talent: Sorcerous Spellcasting
Per Day: Arcane Fire (Standard: Ray attack, Reflex Defense negates; 3d8+[Wizard Level] fire damage.)
Per Encounter: Power Word [Daze] (Standard, Will Defense negates; Daze target of less than 5th level.), Spell Suite*
At Will: Arcane Strike (Standard: Ray attack, Reflex Defense negates; 1d8+[1/2 Wizard level] force damage.)
Spell Suite: Burning Hands (Standard: Cone AoE, Reflex Defense negates; 1d4+[Wizard level] fire damage.), Charm Person (+10 on next Persuasion check.)
Equipment: Wand, Dagger, Spell Tome, Standard Adventuring Pack

-----------------------------
The asterisks are the skills that they may reroll.

Do with that what you will. Hopefully some of it helps. I like the stuff you've done so far as well, but again there's the dubious balancing act to worry about.

-TRRW

 

[RangerWickett]

Well, here's what I've done so far. I figure I can wing the NPC stats, but suggestions are appreciated. I'm going to run a compressed version of the first adventure in War of the Burning Sky, which admittedly is light on monsters. Any ideas of what the best monster is to use for a D&D introduction?

 

[RangerWickett]

I don't know how many players I'm going to have, but I hope not more than 4. In case I get a 5th or 6th, though, do you have any ideas what class/race combos I should go for? I think I used up most of my really good ideas, so if I want another class, I'd have to do something like a psion or a druid or maybe a mounted knight.

 

[Shazman]

I've gotta say this stuff looks good. Mind if I yoink some of it?

 

[NCSUCodeMonkey]

I don't know how many players I'm going to have, but I hope not more than 4. In case I get a 5th or 6th, though, do you have any ideas what class/race combos I should go for? I think I used up most of my really good ideas, so if I want another class, I'd have to do something like a psion or a druid or maybe a mounted knight.

You could split the ranger in two and get a melee striker and a ranged striker out of it. That gives you a 5th character.

To encourage mobility in combat, and since it's a group of new players, I'd just ignore AoOs completely.

 

[RangerWickett]

I've gotta say this stuff looks good. Mind if I yoink some of it?

Go for it. I had fun making this stuff up.

I eventually just gave up trying to justify why a non-magical ability can only be used once per day. It's just fun for gameplay sake.

 

[RangerWickett]

You could split the ranger in two and get a melee striker and a ranged striker out of it. That gives you a 5th character.

To encourage mobility in combat, and since it's a group of new players, I'd just ignore AoOs completely.

Yeah, I'm ignoring AoOs. Spellcasting in melee is still dangerous because, well, the warlock is fragile. The cleric can do it more safely. I gave Tordek an ability that functions sort of like an AoO, and made it so that disarming only provokes an AoO if he fails.

I'm not really sure what to do with the skills. I'll need to include times where skill checks are appropriate.

 

[theredrobedwizard]

I'm mildly confused about the low number of Action Points, but other than that everything is looking promising. One thing you're missing is an explanation of Social Combat, but I guess that's a bit advanced at the point you're introducing people.

Also, when Tordek is unbalanced, his RefDef drops by 1. When Jozan is unbalanced, his RefDef drops by 5. I'm assuming this is either a Dwarven Stability issue or a Fighter Talent issue, not a math issue.

-TRRW