Iron Age Celtic setting ideas...

[Raven Crowking]

1. I like the idea of a carved staff to hold spells for the day, and while the spell lists should be looked at closely, I don't know if I should hamstring them by cutting down their spell lists to much but its worth a look.

I am working on a revision for the RCFG Player's Guide, 1st Edition. I added a "Runecasting" ability to druids that you might be interested in. It would need major modification, probably, but I'll ship you a copy when I get the chance (doc not on this computer).


RC

 

[gamerprinter]

Rebuttal continued...

@ RC - I'd really appreciate that, and no problem of modifying rules ideas, thank you!

@ Sylrae...

4. I haven't really focused on the setting's rogue yet, so I will definitely look at the wilderness rogue you point out.

5. Charioteer as a non PrC, needs looked at. Am not opposed to making this just a reflavored Clan Warrior. Regarding Chariots in forests, most people don't realize this, but archaeologists have discovered the existence of Celtic roads made of wood - many of the Roman roads beyond Italy are actually constructed on existing Celtic roads. Roads of two types were built, one large enough for two chariots to pass each other and others just wide enough for a single wagon. Caesar made mention his disbelief in how fast charioteers can move to new battle sites entering into the forests - Celtic roads often went into forests to provide a means of chariots to cross them (I have photos of Celtic roads found in bog areas of Britain, where the wood survived for archaeological study) Point is Celts can ride chariots through the woods. I intend to utilize Celtic roads in the setting.

6. I intend to create a composite Mediterranean civilized culture to serve as the Roman analog comprised of Mycenaean/Etruscan/Carthagenian/Persian cultures made into something similar and original.

7. Again, I've looked at reflavoring fighter as my first go, and this Clan Warrior fits in better with flavor and appropriate skills - its the only new class I intend to build for the setting, and I've play-tested him to know that he works well and is balanced with existing martial classes. Again, I'll allow the DM using the setting to optionally reflavor the fighter, but I prefer the Clan Warrior and intend to keep him.

8. Blue ink for tattoos are not made of Woad - Celts in fact did use blue ink tattoos in addition to Woad blue clay for makeup, but I intend to go with the tattoo instead of the makeup in my Celtic setting.

9. Same discussion as #7

10. In the end I don't disallow multi-classing, that's always an option, but I try to stick with single class when I can. I hear all the arguments and while worthy, I'm not sold in dropping the Clan Warrior. And when considering the lower AC of the era, the Clan Warrior looks better to me, than a fighter.

Again thanks for the responses, while I may not agree or intend to alter my designs for every comment, I am listening and appreciating the help.

Thanks!

GP

 

[gamerprinter]

Sylrae, OK, let me give this a shot... an alternate fighter build (I'm doing this on the spot), I am replacing half the bonus feats with Clan feats, but I am also replacing some of the other half into Extraordinary Abilities - I don't know if that is too weak or too powerful or not (borrowing from Duelist features)...

Clan Warrior (Fighter variant)
Full BAB, Fighter HD, Saves, Skills modifier, and Barbarian Skill List.

1st Shield Defense (Ex) add Intelligence bonus, if any, to Dexterity AC adjustment when wielding a shield.
2nd Clan Feat, Bravery 1
3rd Shield Training 1
4th Shield Parry (Ex) as per Duelist Parry, but using a shield instead.
5th Favored Enemy (must a single Celtic Clan)
6th Clan feat, Bravery 2
7th Shield Training 2
8th Bonus Feat (any non clan feat, including fighter feat list)
9th Weapon Training 1 (limited to Celtic Weapons list)
10th Reposte (as per Duelist ability), Bravery +3
11th Shield Training 3
12th Bonus Feat (any non clan...)
13th Favored Enemy 2
14th Clan feat, Bravery +4
15th Shield Training 4
16th Elaborate Defense (as per Duelist ability)
17th Weapon Training 2 (limited to Celtic Weaopns list)
18th Clan feat, Bravery +5
19th Armor Mastery (shield)
20th Favored Enemy 3, Weapon Mastery

I chose to replace three of the five Weapon Training slots, as I feel Favored Enemy fits the same category as Weapon Training, plus there are less weapons available being limited to the Celtic Weapon List.

Club, Shillelagh
Club, Burda (stats as mace)
War Sling - d6 damage, 19-20 x2.
Short bow (not composite, no sheaf arrows)
Gladio short sword
Gallic long sword
Pictish bastard sword (exotic)
Falcata great sword (stats as falchion)
Gaesume long spear
Gaesume light lance (modified spear)
Gesios Javelin
Pilum Javelin
Gae Bolg barbed spear

Celtic Armor: leather, studded, bronze scale, ring mail, chain mail shirt; any shield (medium targe round shield, medium Pictish H-shield, Scuta large shield). Most clan warriors only use a shield in combat, armor is reserved for nobles and champions.

I would prefer a better name for Reposte, but same mechanics - doesn't sound very clan warrior-ish. Perhaps another for Elaborate Defense, or perhaps remove that ability altogether and replace with a non-clan feat.

I'm not sure I'm happy with this way as a variant fighter class, but I'll playtest it even against my original clan warrior to test it out that way, against a fighter... we'll see. No promises, but I'll give it a shot.

It might be worth offering both the fighter variant or Clan Warrior class, or perhaps replace the Rage Powers with Duelist abilities as above. More thinking to do...

Thoughts?

GP

 

[Raven Crowking]

Runecasting: At 2nd level, a druid gains the ability to cast a spell in the shape of a rune. The rune must be carved onto some wooden, stone, or metal tracing will not do – so that the druid must have proper tools to create the rune: a sharp knife for wood, chisels and mallets for stone, etc.

It takes 10 minutes plus 1 hour per spell level to carve a rune if carved into wood, and twice as long to carve into stone or metal. This counts as casting the spell, so that the druid must have the spell available, and it is used in the carving.

When the rune is carved, the druid must supply all components, and must make any decisions the spell allows. The druid may choose as the target of the spell either an area centred on the rune, or the creature touching the rune when it is triggered, as appropriate to the spell. The druid may set any conditions, such as creature type, or a password or phrase, needed to trigger the rune. Intentionally triggering a rune is typically a Reaction.

A rune typically remains active for a number of days equal to the carver’s druid level times the level of the spell (0-level spells count as ½ level for this purpose). Thereafter, the magic fades, and the rune can no longer be triggered.

There must be a clear surface to carve the rune on, so that the same object cannot be reused indefinitely. Runes require a 1-inch, plus 1-inch per spell level, diameter area to be carved.

In addition, no druid can have more spell levels bound into active runes than 3 times their druid level. 0 spells cast as runes do not count against this limit. Runes cast beyond this limit automatically cause the magic of one or more older runes (determined randomly by the Game Master) to fade, until the maximum spell levels allowed are not exceeded.

Many druids carry runestaves, heavy oak quarterstaffs with up to 6 spell levels of runes carved onto them (0 level spells count as ½ level for this purpose). Runestaves typically carry spells to protect, heal, or aid the druid, with each spell protected by its own triggering phrase.


This post is OGC in its entirety.

Section 15 Text: RCFG Player's Guide copyright (c) 2010 Daniel J. Bishop.

 

[gamerprinter]

Thanks, RC, I'll see what I can do to make this option fit my setting.

GP

 

[gamerprinter]

Tweaks and changes...

Now with some basis for a runecaster for a base wizard, I'm looking at Myrrdon as a prestige class tattooist wizard that is a kind of artificer in ink, creating permanent tattoo enchantments onto recipients. This also allows woad blue clay makeup to have a place in the setting as not everyone will have Myrddon tattoos.

Also looking at distinctualizing the Celtic Witch from the APG with a heavy emphasis on trafficking with fey, as in a fey familiar (fey cat, possessed animal, or actual small fey being).

Looking at creating a kind of greater Celtic Witch PrC (needs a name) who transforms or evolves into a kind of fey being with five spell-like primal fey powers (Su) as a five level PrC.

Next twist on Clan Warrior (I still prefer it to a Fighter Variant), instead of pulling Rage Powers and replacing with Shield Defensive Training, rather I offer several ability options that Clan Warriors can select at first level:

1. Rage Powers as per original write up of Clan Warrior.
2. Shield Defensive Training: Dodge, Shield Defense, Parry, Riposte, Elaborate Defense
3. Five spell-like ablities (equivalent to 0 - 4th level spells) only one spell per tier level from a list of available divine or arcane spells.
4. Five roguish abilities or five levels of Sneak Attack progression.

This and the Clan Warrior type by region/feats and military technology make the Clan Warrior class extremely versatile and gives a sense of unique skills between the varying warriors and clans around them. I like this idea.

GP

 

[Sylrae]

The alretnate Fighter build was pretty good. The only reason I didn't like Clan Warior is it wasn't really unique enough to warrant a new class.

1. Rage Powers as per original write up of Clan Warrior.
2. Shield Defensive Training: Dodge, Shield Defense, Parry, Riposte, Elaborate Defense
3. Five spell-like ablities (equivalent to 0 - 4th level spells) only one spell per tier level from a list of available divine or arcane spells.
4. Five roguish abilities or five levels of Sneak Attack progression.

This and the Clan Warrior type by region/feats and military technology make the Clan Warrior class extremely versatile and gives a sense of unique skills between the varying warriors and clans around them. I like this idea.

This is pretty cool. It suffers from some of the same problems as the classes in the AGP (Which Is why I don't use them much...) It may be well balanced, but it needs some more unique class abilities so it's not a hybrid or slight twist on an existing concept. Originally I saw it as a twist on the fighter. Now it's more of a hybrid class. with some cool twists

I wouldn't give them the spells, though. If you're going to have multiple ways to make a character of a class, try to give it a snappy explanation or concept, like sorcerer bloodlines, or wizard school, etc.

All in all, looking good, it just needs some fine-tuning.

 

[gamerprinter]

The alretnate Fighter build was pretty good. The only reason I didn't like Clan Warior is it wasn't really unique enough to warrant a new class.

This is pretty cool. It suffers from some of the same problems as the classes in the AGP (Which Is why I don't use them much...) It may be well balanced, but it needs some more unique class abilities so it's not a hybrid or slight twist on an existing concept. Originally I saw it as a twist on the fighter. Now it's more of a hybrid class. with some cool twists

I wouldn't give them the spells, though. If you're going to have multiple ways to make a character of a class, try to give it a snappy explanation or concept, like sorcerer bloodlines, or wizard school, etc.

All in all, looking good, it just needs some fine-tuning.

I'm glad that I have further developed the Clan Warrior to something more palatable for you. You have a point regarding the spellcasting. Somehow I sort of wanted to bring the Ranger's spell casting ability into the Clan Warrior as an alternative, but I like where you're going with your thoughts.

Make it like a Sorcerer bloodline, perhaps granting five bloodline-like powers, no bonus spells or spell at all. Looks like a better fit. Then like the other selected powers/clan types offering several Clan Warrior "bloodlines" with varying types of bloodline-like powers.

Ancestral Calling? Five powers recaptured from clan ancestors of the characters lineage - offer five Ancestral Calling powers...

Ancestral Navigator powers: (for example)
Star Navigation (Ex)- on a clear night can identify direction and date at sea.
Deep Vision (Su) - works as Darkvision. but only in underwater conditions.
Seal Stride (Su) - double movement rate when swimming
Breath of Lyrr (Su) - Water Breathing (as spell) but only 10 minutes per level.
Arms of Lyrr (Su) - Free Action (as spell) but only 10 minutes per level

Ancestral Fey powers: (for example)
Find Portal - sense direction of nearest fey portal in 30 foot radius.
Sense Fey - detect a fey being when viewing within 10 feet distance
Detect Glamour - automatically roll to disbelieve fey glamour. (+5 DC check)
Eyes of Fey - see invisible objects (as spell)
Find the Path - prevents being trapped in the Fey Realm.

While I definitely see the need to include members of other available classes for the setting, I kind of see the Clan Warrior as s varied type of martial class that's flavored for each kind of clan, and easily see parties with more than one Clan Warrior (with differing skillsets.)

Good thoughts, Sylrae!

GP

 

[Sylrae]

I'm glad that I have further developed the Clan Warrior to something more palatable for you. You have a point regarding the spellcasting. Somehow I sort of wanted to bring the Ranger's spell casting ability into the Clan Warrior as an alternative, but I like where you're going with your thoughts.

Make it like a Sorcerer bloodline, perhaps granting five bloodline-like powers, no bonus spells or spell at all. Looks like a better fit. Then like the other selected powers/clan types offering several Clan Warrior "bloodlines" with varying types of bloodline-like powers.

Ancestral Calling? Five powers recaptured from clan ancestors of the characters lineage - offer five Ancestral Calling powers...

Or, have tables containing a list of Ancestral powers for each of the five levels of acquisition say 10 or 12 powers per table, roll die to discover the new power gained... (perhaps make available a feat called "Ancestral Communion" that allows for clan warrior to make contact with ancestor and pick his own power off the list.)

While I definitely see the need to include members of other available classes for the setting, I kind of see the Clan Warrior as s varied type of martial class that's flavored for each kind of clan, and easily see parties with more than one Clan Warrior (with differing skillsets.)

Good thoughts, Sylrae!

GP

I don't like the 'roll randomly' part, but other than that I'm starting to like where this is going. My comments on the AGP being too much like hybrid classes, sorry, I was thinking the third party book Tome of Secrets.
I have no objection to the creation of new classes, so long as they are something new, and not only hybrids of existing options.
Make sense?

 

[gamerprinter]

I don't like the 'roll randomly' part, but other than that I'm starting to like where this is going. My comments on the AGP being too much like hybrid classes, sorry, I was thinking the third party book Tome of Secrets.
I have no objection to the creation of new classes, so long as they are something new, and not only hybrids of existing options.
Make sense?

Yeah, I didn't like the "roll randomly" part much either, so I went back and edited it out - and didn't even notice you responded before then.

And no, I haven't seen/heard of The Tome of Secrets (me or my gaming group have almost 100 3.5 splats, but TOS isn't one of them.)

I'm just hoping that my new Clan Warrior ideas aren't getting too complex. I think I need to look at how to tighten things up.

Thanks for your response though - it got me to think more creatively.

GP