Polis: 3.5 Homebrew [Closed]

[Lurker 2.0]

As the title might suggest, this is a campaign world entirely of my own devising that I'd like to give a shot at.
Brief personal background: I ran one short-lived Planescape PbP game a couple years ago. I've been doing IRL games for the last ten years. I've been doing AIM games with friends for the last two years, and made some of my best work at it, so I figured I'd give another textual medium a shot.

Now, onto the gritty details:
-General Note: Normal races, rules, etc, use a number of things from splatbooks; if you don't have said book but are interested in using said rules/etc, contact me. Information will be provided or alternatives will be arranged.
Starting Level 3 (Arrangements can be made for races with higher ECLs)
Creation using Point-Buy, 32 points. Starting gear 2,700 gp, no more than 1000 gp on any one given item. Acceptable Sources: Anything published by WotC. Variant Rules: Weapon Use (file here , thank you DanMcS for an imaginitive system), Defense Bonus and Armor as DR (Unearthed Arcana pg. 109-112), Recharge Magic (UA p. 157-162).

The Setting: Megacivilized, in a word. Some measure of urbanization (or at least suburbanization) covers 95% of the world, and has for over a century. Political intrigue is huge, urban survival is difficult, and the key theme is the struggle between the powerful forces of collectivism and order and the outnumbered but powerful rebels of freedom and chaos (economic system metaphors may drag themselves in). Most authority figures are at least weakly evil (extremely selfish).

Races:
Standard races are changed.
Humans: Lose bonus Feat, gain +2 to any ability score. Place in World: the negotiators and go-betweens, a Human is the High King, but it's mainly a figurehead post.
Halflings: New ability mods: +2 Dex, +2 Str, -2 Int, -2 Cha. Lose thrown weapon bonus, racial skill bonuses, and saving throw bonus, gain +6 racial Intimidate and Power Attack as bonus feat, Powerful Build (Medium); Favored Class: Fighter. PiW: Enforcers for the more prolific races, typically low-ranking thugs.
Gnomes: lose goblin attack bonuses, giant ac bonuses, racial bonus to Craft (Alchemy); gain +2 Sense Motive, Bluff, Perform (All). Whisper Gnomes and Chaos Gnomes from Races of Stone are also found. PiW: standard Gnomes ("Blink Gnomes") are almost always bards, forming cabals dedicated to manipulation of one power or another. Whisper Gnomes tend to be Bard/Assassins, while Chaos Gnomes are typically freedom anarchists.
Dwarves: +2 Con, -2 Dex, +2 Int, -2 Cha. Lose Stonecunning, orc attack bonus, giant AC bonus; gain +4 Diplomacy, +2 Intimidate, any one 1st/0th level Sor/Wiz Conjuration spell-like ability 1/day. PiW: heads of industry, running goblin-worked sweatshops and with an iron (pun alert) grip over mining.
Elves: -2 Con, +2 Int. lose racial weapon proficiencies, gain Spell Focus (Transmutation) and Spell Focus (Abjuration). Variant: Star Elves. -2 Con, +2 Cha. gain Spell Focus (Evocation) and (Conjuration) instead of others. PiW: Masters of the arcane in all its forms, they long ago severed their ties to nature.
Half-Elves: no change. PiW: even more outcast than usual, it is a rare half-elf who isn't a poverty-striken loner.
Half-Orcs: +2 Str, -2 Dex. PiW: clumsy but not brutish, common enforcers for High Orcs (see below)
**Races from Planar Handbook*
Mephlings: stats unchanged. PiW: varies widely.
Neraphim: stats unchanged, appearance more humanoid, less slaadi; resemble redskinned humanoids for the most part. PiW: assassins and thieves, typically.
Shadowswyfts: stats unchanged, world name "Nytborn". PiW: ranges from self-serving thieves to insane serial killers.
**New Races**
Orcis Nobilis, a.k.a. High Orcs: +2 Str, +2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Dex. +2 Diplomacy and Intimidate. Darkvision 30 ft. Automatic Proficiency in Longsword and Longbow (Normal & Composite). PiW: the Orcish empire is fused in many degrees with the "human" empire, united under the same High King, but Orcs still tend to clan together and compete economically against other races. Their wizards are highly competitive with Elven wizards.
Troll: Monster Class, 6 levels (3 HD, +3 LA). by the end, they have +6 Str, +4 Dex, +4 Con, +2 Wis; Fast Healing 5; +6 racial Listen and Spot; Scent, +2 Natural Armor. PiW: powerful warriors, often heads of their own crime kingdoms, also commonly legitimate bodyguards.

 

[Lurker 2.0]

Classes:
Barbarians: either from one of the three remaining isolated non-civilized areas (Stratosphere Peaks, Magmatic Caverns, Really *Bleep*ing Dank Swamps) or urban barbarians. Urban: class skills lost: Handle Animal, Swim, Ride; class skills gained: Gather Information, Knowledge (Local), Use Rope.
Bards: stats unchanged. Gnomish bards renowned for deadliness.
Clerics: very rare, no known gods. Powers-That-Be work better with athiesm. Only tolerated clerics are Cloistered Clerics (UA variant; d6 HD, wiz BAB, 6+Int skills, gain Decipher Script, Speak Language, all Knowledges; only Simple Weap & Light Armor; get Lore as Bards, free Knowledge Domain, a couple extra spells added to spell list)
Druids: same situation as Barbarians; Urban Druids and Metal Masters (both from Dragon) are slightly more common, but still rare.
Fighters: normal or Thug (UA variant; only light armor, 4+Int skills, some Rogue class skills).
Monks: stats unchanged. Very rare.
Paladins: None. CG Avengers (Dragon 311 version) exist.
Rangers: Urban Ranger variant (UA/Dragon 311). About 1/3rd are bounty hunters, 1/3rd are urban scavengers, 1/3rd are batman-style vigilantes.
Sorcerers: stats unchanged. Heavily persecuted. Only Star Elven Sorcerers, sworn mind, body, and soul to the Elven Magelords, are tolerated.
Wizards: stands unchanged. Heavily regulated, but very common and influential.
*Classes from other books* (all stats unchanged)
[Complete Warrior]
Samurai: the LN/LE paladin replacement. Common.
[Edit]: Hexblades: Surprisingly common, heavily persecuted like sorcerers.
Swashbuckler: As common as fighters, same role.
[Complete Divine]
Favored Soul: see Clerics above; usually CG rebels.
Spirit Shaman: same deal as barbarians above.
Shugenja: typically freedom-based (Air, Fire) or enforcers/bosses (Earth, Water)
[Miniatures Handbook]
Healer: single-classed, usually kept in a state of near-slavery by powerful individuals. Multi-classed Healers are often rebels, distributing healing to those unable to afford it.
Warmage: hated & hunted even more than sorcerers.
Marshal: often charismatic gang leaders/guard captains.
[Edit: Complete Arcane]
Warlock: take the sorcerer's outcast status, square it. Loathed and hunted by everyone, even the resistance is iffy about them.
Wu Jen: rare, often naturalist-based like Spirit Shamans, Druids, or Barbarians. Metal-based Wu Jen may be integrated into society like wizards, but aren't common.
[Edit: Expanded Psionics Handbook]
Psion: Much like wizards, but distrusted - it's a lot harder to tell when a psion's doing something.
Psychic Warrior: Generally accepted, treated much like normal fighters/monks.
Soulknife: Conceal their powers, frequently become assassins. Distrusted.
Wilder: see Sorcerer
-Dragon (The Dark Sun issue): Erudite: since they're more like wizards, these psionic PCs are more easily accepted (and controlled).

 

[Lurker 2.0]

Anyone with questions on character creation or the setting itself, contact me at rwbrown@ucdavis.edu, or Justicar212 on AIM.

 

[jpwic]

Yay finally done

Thanks,

John

[B]Name:[/B] Nicolo Donaldo
[B]Class:[/B] Swashbuckler
[B]Race:[/B] Human
[B]Size:[/B] Medium
[B]Gender:[/B] Male
[B]Alignment:[/B] Chaotic good
[B]Deity:[/B] XXXX

[B]Str:[/B] 11 +0      [B]Level:[/B] 3        [B]XP:[/B] 3000
[B]Dex:[/B] 19 +0      [B]BAB:[/B] +3         [B]HP:[/B] XXX (1d10+0\lvl)
[B]Con:[/B] 10 +0      [B]Grapple:[/B] +3     [B]Current HP:[/B] XX/XXXX
[B]Int:[/B] 14 +2      [B]Speed:[/B] 30'      [B]Spell Res:[/B] --
[B]Wis:[/B] 10 +0      [B]Init:[/B] +4        [B]Spell Failure:[/B] --%
[B]Cha:[/B] 14 +2      [B]ACP:[/B] -0         

                   [B]Base  Armor Shld   Dex  Size   Nat  Misc  Total[/B]
[B]Armor:[/B]           10    +0    +0    +4    +0    +0    +1    15
[B]Touch:[/B] 19              [B]Flatfooted:[/B] 14

[B]Defence Bonus:[/B] 19     [B]Damage Reduction:[/B] --

                         [B]Base   Mod  Misc  Total[/B]
[B]Fort:[/B]                 1      +0   +1     +2
[B]Ref:[/B]                  3      +4   +2     +9
[B]Will:[/B]                 1      +0   +1     +2

[B]Weapon                  Attack   Damage     Critical[/B]
Masterwork Rapier            +9      1d8+2       20x3

[B]Languages:[/B] Common Dwarven Elven

[B]Abilities:[/B] 

Weapon Finesse - Weapon Finesse feat for free
Grace +1 - +1 compotence bonus on reflex saves
Insightful Strike - Intelligence bonus to damage with finessable weapons

[B]Feats:[/B] 

Ancestral Weapon
Weapon Finesse (Rapier)
Weapon Focus (Rapier)

[B]Skill Points:[/B] 7/Level   [B]Max Ranks:[/B] 6/3
[B]Skills                   Ranks  Mod  Misc  Total[/B]

Balance                       6    +4    +2*   12
Bluff                         5    +2     0     7     
Diplomacy                     5    +2    +2*    9
Escape Artist                 5    +4    +2*   11
Jump                          6    +4    +2*   12
Sense Motive                  5     0     0     5  
Tumble                        5    +4    +2*   11 
Use Rope                      5    +4    +2*   11

*Synergy bonuses
[B]Equipment:            Cost  Weight[/B]

Masterwork Raper         320GP    2lb
2 Pouch. Belt              1GP    1lb
Signet Ring                5GP    --
Everburning Torch(Rock)  100GP    1lb
4 Smokesticks             80GP    2lb
Cloak of Resistance +1  1000GP    1lb
Ring of Protection +1   1000gp    --

[B]Total Weight:[/B] 27lb      [B]Money:[/B] 294gp

                           [B]Lgt   Med   Hvy  Lift  Push[/B]
[B]Max Weight:[/B]             38   76   115   230   575



[B]Age:[/B] 20
[B]Height:[/B] 6'4"
[B]Weight:[/B] 190lb
[B]Eyes:[/B] Blue
[B]Hair:[/B] Dirty Blonde
[B]Skin:[/B] Tanned

Appearance:

Nicolo always seems to be walking as if he were a prowling cat. at 6'4" and 190 pounds he is fairly lithe and graceful. His dirty blonde hair frames a face which many women consider to be fairly good looking. His icy blue eyes seem to sparkly in the sunlight and he always seems to have a smile on his face.
He is often seen wearing a simple white shirt and black pants. He almost always has on an ornate black cloak that is triimmed with some white fur from an unknown animal.

Always looking for a good time. He always seems to be flirting with good looking women and never takes life too seriously. In battle Nicolo is cold and calculating, he makes very few wasted movements and always seems to be able to place his strikes where they are able to do the most damage. He an unfortunate habit of showing off in combat occasionaly, we will go for a disarming attack instead of the kill if other people are watching. Nicolo may seem to be an airhead but it is just a facade and he is actually quite intelligent and uses it to his advantage to fool his opponents, be it on the battlefield or at a masquerade.

Background

Nicolo is the youngest son of a very minor noble family,and as such no one really cared what he did so long as he didn't dishonour the family name. Nicolo always loved watching duels as a kid and wanted to be just like the people who fought in them. Nicolo's father was really good friends of one of the best fencing masters in the city, Ian Hearn. Hearn was considered a bit of an oddity in that he never took students, so it was a shock when people found out that he had taken on an apprentice.

Nicolo spent ten years studying under Hearn learning his particular brand of swordplay that combined sheer practicality with a variety of flourishes and disarming techniques that often fooled the viewer into thinking that it is all show and no grit. By the time Nicolo was finished his training with Ian he thought of him as an older brother Ian gave Nicolo three presents, a ring, a cloak and the rapier that was given to Ian by his master . With that and some words of encouragement Nicolo's training was complete and he left to make his own way in the world.

 

[DocHazard]

Sounds interesting. I'd like to play if you'll have me. The Ranger Class sounds like it'd be fun...but I don't have the Dragon Mag or UA. Any way that you could guide me along a bit on that one?

Thanks!
DocH

 

[Carbonated Soda]

Never mind, sorry.

 

[Orichin]

I'd love to play, like you I'm a long time gamer new to the pbp scene, posting now with character concept..

 

[Orichin]

Name: Drai'taii Niluen
Race: Star elf
Class: Battle Sorcerer 3
ECL: 3
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Gender: male
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 145 lbs.
Hair: platinum
Eyes: slate gray
Age: 87

STR: 10(+0)
DEX: 15(+2)
CON:12(+1)
INT: 10(+0)
WIS: 9 (-1)
CHA: 19(+4)

Fort (0+1)=1
Ref (2+2)=4
Will (3-1)=2 (+2 vs enchantment)

BAB: +2
HP: (3d8)+3: 18
AC(10+2+4): 16
Init: +2

Attacks: MW dagger, +3 to hit, 1d8+0 dmg, 19-20x2 crit (will generally have 19-20x2 unless otherwise noted)

Class/Racial abilities:
-low-light vision
-medium size (30 ft)
-immunity to magical sleep effects
-elven blood

Skills(rank+ability+misc):
Bluff(cc) (3+4+0) 7
Concentration (4+1+0) 5
Gather Info. (4+4+0) 8
Spellcraft (2+0+0) 2
Perform (2+4+0) 6
Spot (0+0+2) 2
Search (0+0+2) 2
Listen (0+0+2) 2

Feats: Spell Focus (Evocation)-racial, Spell Focus (Conjuration)-racial, Augment Summoning-1st, combat proficiency-3rd

Spells Known:0-Arcane Mark, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation, Ray of Frost. 1-Summon Monster I, Shield.
Spell Save DC 14+spell level (+2 for conjuration and evocation)
Spell recharge: (lvl 0-1) 1d4+1

Gear:
Wand of Charm Person(50 ch)
Potion of Invisability (2)
Scroll(scorching rayx2, identify
Masterwork Dagger
Masterwork Dagger
Quaal's Feather Token(anchor)
Quaal's Feather Token(anchor)
Quaal's Feather Token(anchor)
Ink(1 oz.)
Inkpen
Paper (10 sheets)
Backpack
Flint and Steel
Chalk
Spell Component Pouch
Oil (3 pints)
Caltrops(3)


cash remaining 147gp 5sp 9cp




Backstory:
Drai'taii began his life the son of Glendon and Baiela Niluen, a happily settled couple who made a living selling animated feather dusters, magical garbage-incinerating waste recepticles, and other trinkets that Drai's father Glendon crafted in his laboratory. The family was somewhat well-to-do, owning a 2-story building with storefront and laboratory downstairs, and living quarters above.
Drai lived a normal childhood life as Glendon and Baiela's only child (at that time, he has an older sister and brother who he has met on a handfull of occasions), until he was 15, when he found a satchel of documents hidden under the floorboards of the upstairs portion of his family's home, all marked as property of (-(insert GM's choice of government branch/office/organization here)-), a branch/office/organization the gnomes in the streets had claimed had recently been the victim of rebel vandalism and bombing. A few days of low-profile snooping informed Drai that his perception of his parents was horribly skewed. He found explosives under their bed, more stolen property in the closet, and a secret door into the basement he didn't know existed.
It was night when Drai found this trap door underneath the rug at the bottom of the stairs. It opened silently, and the stairs made no protest as he descended. Drai spent nearly an hour in that basement, amazed at what he found. Weapons for 30, boxes and crates of potions, wands, scrolls, explosives, combustable liquids, and other supplies and substances that Drai could not identify. Before returning to his bed, Drai peeked into his paren'ts room to assure himself they were still asleep. Something had happened while Drai was in the basement though, something bad, he could sense it.
Finding his parents' corpses lying in their bed with knifewounds in the nape of their necks disturbed Drai deeply for years. In the time that followed, 'friends of the family' took over the shop and raised Drai to adulthood.
A decade after is parent's death, Drai asked Banur, the human man who had taken over the storefront about the things he had found before his parents had met their end. Banur explained to Drai that his parents were members of a rebel faction, and that the storefront was just that; a front. Banur also informed Drai that his parents had been killed at the hands of government assassins. Shortly afterward, Drai took up arms as well as he could, aiding rebel factions where he could, and easing the suffering of those ground under the wheel of society at other times.

 

[Ferrix]

Ooo.. I was waiting for someone to use that combat proficiency rule-set... maybe I could get in on this...

so many games..

 

[DocHazard]

Ok, I am still working on my PC but after reading Dan's rule set, I am even more excited to play. At the very least I'll have a concept to you tonight (tomorrow at the lastest).

Thanks!
DocH