Buddha the DM
Explorer
Has anyone thought of a way to do Immortals in the d20 Modern setting?
Immortals in d20 Modern
- Thread starter Buddha the DM
- Start date
Depends. Are we talking "Highlander", or some other type of Immortal?
For Highlander, you can actually doa lot with just flavor text. If you look at the television show, very few immortals actually got killed with a surprising "mid-combat" decapitation. The vast majority get defeated in combat, and then they get Coup de Gras'd in the form of decapitation.
There was some stuff kicked around awhile back about how to handle the knowledge and power that one gains from the Quickening. I developed something complicated and probably unworkable involving a high will save to "capture some of their essence" each time a Quickening occured. Success resulted in a roll on a table that ranged from "gain more experience for the immortal in question" to "gain a skill point" to "gain an inherent bonus to a random attribute". You could account for people occasionally remembering something from their opponents' lives by having them make a level check modified by Wisdom.
In a way, roleplaying games are the ideal venue for Highlander, since the fights can go really well with Hit Points -- someone can still make a heroic last stand, since they're equally combat-effective at low hit points...
More tomorrow, most likely.
For Highlander, you can actually doa lot with just flavor text. If you look at the television show, very few immortals actually got killed with a surprising "mid-combat" decapitation. The vast majority get defeated in combat, and then they get Coup de Gras'd in the form of decapitation.
There was some stuff kicked around awhile back about how to handle the knowledge and power that one gains from the Quickening. I developed something complicated and probably unworkable involving a high will save to "capture some of their essence" each time a Quickening occured. Success resulted in a roll on a table that ranged from "gain more experience for the immortal in question" to "gain a skill point" to "gain an inherent bonus to a random attribute". You could account for people occasionally remembering something from their opponents' lives by having them make a level check modified by Wisdom.
In a way, roleplaying games are the ideal venue for Highlander, since the fights can go really well with Hit Points -- someone can still make a heroic last stand, since they're equally combat-effective at low hit points...
More tomorrow, most likely.
Buddha the DM
Explorer
I had Highlander-style Immortals in mind but I suppose that we could discuss any type of immortal in this thread.
Well, yeah, then. You can definitely do most of it with simple flavor text. I'd be VERY careful about adding new abilities that let someone decapitate an immortal who isn't helpless, down&dying, or otherwise toast. It can happen against PCs as well as NPCs, and having your dude killed in the first few games is just a bummer.
Maybe: If, on a critical confirmation roll, you roll a Natural 20, the victim takes damage for the critical and then has to make a Reflex save, DC=Damage Dealt, to avoid a crit. That lets random decaps happen every once in awhile in mid-combat, but it doesn't make it a game-breakingly common occurence.
Sensing the Other Dude:
1) Generally happens at a distance of 50-500 feet? (Can be close enough so that the immortal only has a few seconds to prepare, but can also be a fair ways away.)
2) Make feats like "Extended Sense", which allows you to roll twice and take the farther result, meaning that you are more likely to sense someone before they sense you; "Familiar Sense", which lets you pick a friend or enemy and learn the pattern of their essence, so that you can tell if it's your buddy approaching or an enemy; and maybe "Mask Presence", which lets you force the other side to roll twice and take the closer result, as your presense is harder to detect.
3) Decide whether you're playing by "Movie Rules", "Show Rules", or "Both":
Movie Rules: Immortals have borderline ESP, channel energy into superhuman strikes, and can generally do a lot of things that ordinary people can't. They might have superhuman immunities, too -- like being able to walk up and kill someone who's unloading a clipful of bullets into them.
Show Rules: Immortals can't die. Other than that, they're as human as you or me. They can breathe underwater, but they can't walk through a hail of bullets -- they just die (or heal) and then come back.
Both: Immortals start out using Show Rules, but can eventually attain Movie Rules status at extremely high levels (like, by getting a lot of Quickenings).
4) Decide how to handle hit points and immortal healing:
a) Immortals have Fast Healing. Not terribly flashy, and it loses the "little arc of electricity, and then the wound is gone" cuteness, but it's easy to implement.
b) Track "wear down" wounds and "big bloody" wounds differently. Because immortals can get worn down through combat, moving slower, getting tired, gradually opening themselves up for that big final strike, they shouldn't heal hit points all that quickly -- because "moving slower" and "getting tired" equates to hit point damage. A 90-hit-point character at half hit points is not bleeding -- he's winded and shaken by a good fight. That is, unless that 50 hit points of damage came in one hit, in which case he's got a long cut across his arm or something like that. Track damage from Critical Hits separately, and have that heal at an accelerated rate, while your ordinary hit points heal through ordinary means -- so if you get worn down steadily, you're still screwed, because you're exhausted and sweating and you've got the shivers. (Note: This is sort of like a weird Bizarro-world version of Wound/Vitality Points.)
c) Give Immortals Fast Healing (they've got supernatural vigor, sure, so they don't get worn down by little strikes), and allow them to spend an Action Point to heal themselves of all injuries.
Dunno. Lot of possibilities. Probably gotta figure out what works best for your game.
Maybe: If, on a critical confirmation roll, you roll a Natural 20, the victim takes damage for the critical and then has to make a Reflex save, DC=Damage Dealt, to avoid a crit. That lets random decaps happen every once in awhile in mid-combat, but it doesn't make it a game-breakingly common occurence.
Sensing the Other Dude:
1) Generally happens at a distance of 50-500 feet? (Can be close enough so that the immortal only has a few seconds to prepare, but can also be a fair ways away.)
2) Make feats like "Extended Sense", which allows you to roll twice and take the farther result, meaning that you are more likely to sense someone before they sense you; "Familiar Sense", which lets you pick a friend or enemy and learn the pattern of their essence, so that you can tell if it's your buddy approaching or an enemy; and maybe "Mask Presence", which lets you force the other side to roll twice and take the closer result, as your presense is harder to detect.
3) Decide whether you're playing by "Movie Rules", "Show Rules", or "Both":
Movie Rules: Immortals have borderline ESP, channel energy into superhuman strikes, and can generally do a lot of things that ordinary people can't. They might have superhuman immunities, too -- like being able to walk up and kill someone who's unloading a clipful of bullets into them.
Show Rules: Immortals can't die. Other than that, they're as human as you or me. They can breathe underwater, but they can't walk through a hail of bullets -- they just die (or heal) and then come back.
Both: Immortals start out using Show Rules, but can eventually attain Movie Rules status at extremely high levels (like, by getting a lot of Quickenings).
4) Decide how to handle hit points and immortal healing:
a) Immortals have Fast Healing. Not terribly flashy, and it loses the "little arc of electricity, and then the wound is gone" cuteness, but it's easy to implement.
b) Track "wear down" wounds and "big bloody" wounds differently. Because immortals can get worn down through combat, moving slower, getting tired, gradually opening themselves up for that big final strike, they shouldn't heal hit points all that quickly -- because "moving slower" and "getting tired" equates to hit point damage. A 90-hit-point character at half hit points is not bleeding -- he's winded and shaken by a good fight. That is, unless that 50 hit points of damage came in one hit, in which case he's got a long cut across his arm or something like that. Track damage from Critical Hits separately, and have that heal at an accelerated rate, while your ordinary hit points heal through ordinary means -- so if you get worn down steadily, you're still screwed, because you're exhausted and sweating and you've got the shivers. (Note: This is sort of like a weird Bizarro-world version of Wound/Vitality Points.)
c) Give Immortals Fast Healing (they've got supernatural vigor, sure, so they don't get worn down by little strikes), and allow them to spend an Action Point to heal themselves of all injuries.
Dunno. Lot of possibilities. Probably gotta figure out what works best for your game.
firstborne
First Post
Here's what I came up with for a friend of mine. It seemed to work out pretty well; let me know what you guys think
The Quickening
Fast Healing: An immortal heals two hit points per round.
Physical Enhancement: Spend one action point; add the result to strength or dexterity for one round.
Speed of the Stag: You may spend an action point and gain an additional move action.
Unaging: Immortals suffer no effects from aging.
Action Points: Immortals gain action points in two ways. They gain them as via level increases, as normal. The also gain them by taking heads; when they take another immortal’s head, they gain their opponent’s unspent action points.
The Tell: The Tell is a measure of an immortal’s power, and determines how easily other immortals detect him. An immortal gains a point of Tell each time he takes a head.
The Quickening: The Quickening is power; it is the fire that burns in the breast of everything and everyone. In some, this fire burns like wildfire, and is thus harder to snuff out. An immortal gains a point of Quickening each time he takes a head.
Taking a head: When an immortal takes the head of another, Quickening is released. This is accompanied by flashes of lightning, exploding windows, and other pyrotechnics. Mechanically, two things happen. First, the victor absorbs his opponents remaining action points, as his foe’s power flows through him. Secondly, he is fatigued (DC 20 fortitude save, or suffer a -2 to strength and dexterity, cannot run for the duration of the scene).
Detecting other Immortals: Immortal’s can sense one another with relative ease, depending on the power of the immortals involved.
Wisdom check, with bonus equal to Quickening score. DC 20 – Tell. Pre-immortals are DC 30.
Feats
Dark Quickening
Prerequisite: Frightful Presence, Quickening 3+
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks, and the DC for your Frightful Presence is increased by two.
Empower Weapon
Prerequisite: Quickening 1+, Weapon Focus
Benefit: You can spend experience points to enhance your favored weapon.
Exp Enhancement Bonus Min. Level
200 +1 2
800 +2 4
1600 +3 8
Pre-Immortal
You will live forever… But you have to die, first.
Prerequisite: Human
Benefit: If you die a violent death, you awake 1d6 hours later.
Special: This feat can only be taken at first level.
Veil
Prerequisite: Quickening 10+
Benefit: Your Tell is reduced by five.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.
The Duel
There are rules to follow in the battle for the prize. Its contenders obey a certain etiquette, which all obey for fear of what may happen if they are ignored.
1. One-on-one fights only. The Quickening, and thus ultimately the Prize, go to the most able in a contest between equals. Not to the most devious and underhanded.
2. Do not fight on holy ground. It is sacrosanct, and a place of refuge. Seek it if necessary, but do not abuse the privilege.
Combat plays as normal, with the following exceptions:
Active defense: To make a duel more exciting, defense is not static. Instead, the defending immortal makes defense roll:
Defense = 1d20 + Dexterity modifier + class defense bonus + miscellaneous
Like any d20 roll, action points may be spent to modify the result.
The Quickening
Fast Healing: An immortal heals two hit points per round.
Physical Enhancement: Spend one action point; add the result to strength or dexterity for one round.
Speed of the Stag: You may spend an action point and gain an additional move action.
Unaging: Immortals suffer no effects from aging.
Action Points: Immortals gain action points in two ways. They gain them as via level increases, as normal. The also gain them by taking heads; when they take another immortal’s head, they gain their opponent’s unspent action points.
The Tell: The Tell is a measure of an immortal’s power, and determines how easily other immortals detect him. An immortal gains a point of Tell each time he takes a head.
The Quickening: The Quickening is power; it is the fire that burns in the breast of everything and everyone. In some, this fire burns like wildfire, and is thus harder to snuff out. An immortal gains a point of Quickening each time he takes a head.
Taking a head: When an immortal takes the head of another, Quickening is released. This is accompanied by flashes of lightning, exploding windows, and other pyrotechnics. Mechanically, two things happen. First, the victor absorbs his opponents remaining action points, as his foe’s power flows through him. Secondly, he is fatigued (DC 20 fortitude save, or suffer a -2 to strength and dexterity, cannot run for the duration of the scene).
Detecting other Immortals: Immortal’s can sense one another with relative ease, depending on the power of the immortals involved.
Wisdom check, with bonus equal to Quickening score. DC 20 – Tell. Pre-immortals are DC 30.
Feats
Dark Quickening
Prerequisite: Frightful Presence, Quickening 3+
Benefit: You gain a +2 bonus to Intimidate checks, and the DC for your Frightful Presence is increased by two.
Empower Weapon
Prerequisite: Quickening 1+, Weapon Focus
Benefit: You can spend experience points to enhance your favored weapon.
Exp Enhancement Bonus Min. Level
200 +1 2
800 +2 4
1600 +3 8
Pre-Immortal
You will live forever… But you have to die, first.
Prerequisite: Human
Benefit: If you die a violent death, you awake 1d6 hours later.
Special: This feat can only be taken at first level.
Veil
Prerequisite: Quickening 10+
Benefit: Your Tell is reduced by five.
Special: You can take this feat multiple times. Its effects stack.
The Duel
There are rules to follow in the battle for the prize. Its contenders obey a certain etiquette, which all obey for fear of what may happen if they are ignored.
1. One-on-one fights only. The Quickening, and thus ultimately the Prize, go to the most able in a contest between equals. Not to the most devious and underhanded.
2. Do not fight on holy ground. It is sacrosanct, and a place of refuge. Seek it if necessary, but do not abuse the privilege.
Combat plays as normal, with the following exceptions:
Active defense: To make a duel more exciting, defense is not static. Instead, the defending immortal makes defense roll:
Defense = 1d20 + Dexterity modifier + class defense bonus + miscellaneous
Like any d20 roll, action points may be spent to modify the result.
Here is an immortal template I've been tweaking and workshoping for a D&D game I have coming up. Its fairly generic:
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54280
It isn't intended as a highlander-style immortality thing, but it wouldn't be a hard conversion.
-Ben
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54280
It isn't intended as a highlander-style immortality thing, but it wouldn't be a hard conversion.
-Ben
Xorial
First Post
An idea I had was to adapt a prestige class from the Savage Species book, The Illithid Savant. This class has you absorbing class features and such from the brains of victims. Change the race to immortal and change the eating brains thing to a Quickening thing. I haven't tried it myself, but have thought about it. The Immortal could do this as a PrC.
Xorial
First Post
An idea I had was to adapt a prestige class from the Savage Species book, The Illithid Savant. This class has you absorbing class features and such from the brains of victims. Change the race to immortal and change the eating brains thing to a Quickening thing. I haven't tried it myself, but have thought about it. The Immortal could do this as a PrC.
Another thing to do is make the Immortal into a template, that has to be aquired before advancing in the PrC.
Another thing to do is make the Immortal into a template, that has to be aquired before advancing in the PrC.
Some times simple solutions are best. My suggestions:
1. Allow only Immortal PCs, this way when you make any "Immortality" rules, it affects the players across the board and there are no balance issues. White Wolf took this concept to the bank, time and time again with their PC monster game world "World of Darkness."
2. Immortal PC just ... don't ... die. Until certain conditions are met, negative hit points are more an aid to desicribe how much a PCs body has been beaten to a pulp. They still heal back hit points, and depending how cinematic you want to be in the game, they may even have Fast Healing or Regeration kick in after a certain threshold is reached (-10, -15, etc.)
3. For Highlander "flashbacks & ancient skills" specifically, just be more strict on NPC level advancement -- tweak the game's guidelines to fit needs. If the GM says that a normal human spending his whole life to become a the Advanced Class, Martial Artist, can only reach level 4 or 5, then you opened up a lot more room for you PCs to be more competent in comparison -- especially if you only allow PCs to enter prestige classes (orignaly prestige classes were designed for campaign specific reasons, not as another way to create "X" style of class). If you start off your PC at a higher level (say 10 total levels) and then allow them to multi-class as well as get into Advanced and Prestige classes, then you pretty much covered in explaining why Highlanders are well rounded.
As a side note, from what I have seen the flashbacks were more story exposition than any real source of knowledge. That said, realisticly, unless a Highlander has been really studious in the last 50 years, most of their abilities would tend to be more History and outdated Knowledge (Area) skills. All the nifty specialized skills (computers, cars and electronic security) have only come about lately. Their real expertise would be in their centuries of practice with melee weapons .... see point 3.
1. Allow only Immortal PCs, this way when you make any "Immortality" rules, it affects the players across the board and there are no balance issues. White Wolf took this concept to the bank, time and time again with their PC monster game world "World of Darkness."
2. Immortal PC just ... don't ... die. Until certain conditions are met, negative hit points are more an aid to desicribe how much a PCs body has been beaten to a pulp. They still heal back hit points, and depending how cinematic you want to be in the game, they may even have Fast Healing or Regeration kick in after a certain threshold is reached (-10, -15, etc.)
3. For Highlander "flashbacks & ancient skills" specifically, just be more strict on NPC level advancement -- tweak the game's guidelines to fit needs. If the GM says that a normal human spending his whole life to become a the Advanced Class, Martial Artist, can only reach level 4 or 5, then you opened up a lot more room for you PCs to be more competent in comparison -- especially if you only allow PCs to enter prestige classes (orignaly prestige classes were designed for campaign specific reasons, not as another way to create "X" style of class). If you start off your PC at a higher level (say 10 total levels) and then allow them to multi-class as well as get into Advanced and Prestige classes, then you pretty much covered in explaining why Highlanders are well rounded.
As a side note, from what I have seen the flashbacks were more story exposition than any real source of knowledge. That said, realisticly, unless a Highlander has been really studious in the last 50 years, most of their abilities would tend to be more History and outdated Knowledge (Area) skills. All the nifty specialized skills (computers, cars and electronic security) have only come about lately. Their real expertise would be in their centuries of practice with melee weapons .... see point 3.
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