Assassin (Custom Class)

I am putting together a custom players handbook for basically a 3rd edition D&D game and this is the first class that I created for it. 

Unlike similar classes, this assassin is not pigeon holed into using poison or a specific weapon or even being forced to hide in shadows or watch their victim. Instead, almost every ability is set up to allow him to simply strike. In or out of combat noticed or not noticed, sneaking or not sneaking the Assassin will score a critical hit after critical hit killing you for good. 

Assassin

Alignment: Any

Hit Die: d8

Skill Points: 4 + Int modifier

Proficiency:

Average Base Attack

One Good Saving Throw (Two if Attribute based.)

Two Weapon Groups

Light Armor and Shields

Level	Ability
1	Weapon Finesse, Vital Strike +1
2	Alertness
3	Vital Strike +2
4	Skill Focus Bluff +3
5	Vital Strike +3
6	Evasion
7	Vital Strike +4
8	Stealth Kill
9	Vital Strike +5
10	Quite Kill
11	Vital Strike +6, Extra Critical Damage Die
12	Improved Alertness
13	Vital Strike +7
14	Improved Evasion
15	Vital Strike +8
16	Amblyopia
17	Vital Strike +9
18	Coup de Grace
19	Vital Strike +10
20	Angle of Death

Vital Strike: Increase critical hit range by 1 per bonus and deal one extra damage per damage die during a critical hit. This is during any finesse weapon based attack. (If using multipliers for critical hits then multiply this as well.)

Do not add the bonus from Vital Strike onto dice added from sneak attacks or death attacks.

A flaming burst dagger deals 1d4 weapon dmg + 1d6 fire dmg
+ 1d10 burst dmg on a crit. It criticals on 19-20 for x2

With Vital Strike 4 it would crit on 16-20 dealing (1d4+4)x2 +1d6 +1d10+4

This one would work as it is a finesse weapon.

(IDK maybe I should cut the 1d10+4 but it sounds fun)

Enable to judge if this is two weak or not we need to keep in mind
a similar level rouge would be adding +4d6 to any hit critical or not if he is flanking.
Using the Multiple dice crit method it would deal
2d4+8(two dice +4 each) + 1d6 + 1d10+4

Alertness: Gain+2 on perception checks such as listen and spot even while sleeping.

Evasion: Anytime you succeed a Dex based saving throw and take half damage or miss damage, instead take zero damage. Only if not helpless and wearing armor you are proficient in. If you already have Evasion you automatically gain Improved Evasion instead.

Improved Alertness: Retain your Dex bonus to AC even if caught flat-footed. You still lose your bonus to AC if immobilized or helpless.

Improved Evasion: You only take half damage on a failed Dex based Saving Throw.

Stealth Kill: While not being directly observed you can make a Sleight of Hand or Stealth check (whichever is more appropriate) opposed by Perception checks from those in line-of-sight to prevent them from identifying him as the attacker.

Quite Kill: Upon killing a target in melee with a finesse weapon or with a quiet ranged weapon that uses dexterity to hit at one-half range, the kill is silent and may go unnoticed if not being directly observed. This includes making discrete wounds so those nearby might not even notice that the target is dead for a few moments.

Amblyopia: (EX) Rolling Bluff vs Perception allows you to simply appear like you belong where ever you are at even in an enemy stronghold or hidden in a crowd without the need for a disguise. Essentially allowing you to hide in plain sight.

Coup de Grace: If in one hit you bring an unsuspecting target to wounded or bloodied status (one-half hp) he is instead killed.

Angel of Death: (SU) Cha vs Will; Targets you kill at your choice cannot be resurrected.

As you can tell his style is to strike unexpectedly but will you train him to be a spy who disguises himself and gathers information to get in or a rogue who uses sneaking and hiding to come out of the shadows and attack? Or perhaps a bandit with a bow or crossbow who sits in a tree aiming for your vital organs?

A Twist on Orcs

In my new Kurahast Campaign I am hoping to only introduce new or different monsters or takes on monsters. I am still in the planning phase of the campaign but I want to avoid goblins for now so I decided to mess with Orcs.

My idea I came up with randomly was to have an Orc race that was originally made like Homonuculus' and also add in some elements from animated objects, IE their hardness and ability to have different limbs.

I used the Legends and Labyrinths monster creation tool to start out with for the Stats. It has not been play tested but I tend to fix rules and costs and they come up in game.

So here it is.

Orc

Small Construct
CR 1/2
HD: 2d4 (4)
Hardness: 1
AC: 13 (10 +2 dex +1 Size)
Attack: Claw +2, Dmg 1d4
Fort: NA  Ref: +3 Will: +3
Size:  Small
Speed: 30 walking, crawling, or hopping,
Str 10, Dex 14, Con NA, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 8,
Climb +4

Flying Orc

Small Construct
CR 2
HD: 3d4 (6)
Hardness: 4
AC: 13 (10 +2 dex +1 Size)
Attack: Claw +4, Dmg 1d6+1
Fort: NA  Ref: +5 Will: +3
Size:  Small
Speed: 10 Fly 50
Str 10, Dex 14, Con NA, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 8,

Spot +5

An Orc is a pig or gargoyle faced construct shaped from a mixture of black clay, ashes, mandrake root, water, and one pint of the creator’s own blood. The materials cost 50 gp.  Creating the body requires a DC 12 Craft (sculpting) check or a DC 12 Craft (pottery) check.

After the body is sculpted, it is animated through an extended magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory or workroom, similar to an alchemist’s laboratory and costing 500 gp to establish. If the creator is personally constructing the creature’s body, the building and ritual can be performed together.

An Orc with more than 2 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Die adds +2,000 gp to the cost to create.

Additional Limbs may be added for a cost of Y² x 1000 gp, Y equaling the number of Additional limbs. These limbs can add benefits like an extra attack or a bonus of +10 to speed.

The Creator of an Orc does not normally become its master as the ritual is intended to create a chaotic evil creature of destruction.  They can and will pick up weapons to use if they find them and work better than their claws.

So what is D&D anyway?

Over at Classic RPG Realms the author (chris, I think) has been posting some interesting articles about how his perception of what D&D was originally suppose to be has been changed quite alot by reading Rob Kuntz's interview and blog.

Now I Personaly always thought of D&D being about the social aspect and getting together to have a shared adventure, but also about the prospect of earning something through the challenge of that adventure. But what Rob Kuntz is talking about makes alot of sense. Apparently is was about creation even to Gary Gygax it was about creating your own world and your own adventures.

Makes me kind of glad now that I was always the type to jump around making my own rules and even my own world/game called sibra1. But somehow I think that by understanding this more players and DM's can stop arguing about editions and rules and what is d&d a wargame or about story or about roleplay, and just remember its about creating and having fun in your own world be it about war or drama or pink elephants.

No matter what edition or game you play you don't need to put another dollar towards any company you don't like and you don't need to prove that you know what old school was about. Even if you think you do know you should read the following interview and articles and also Rob's blog.

Rob's Interview
http://hillcantons.blogspot.com/2011/08/no-borders-or-limits-conversation-with.html

Rob's Blog
http://lordofthegreendragons.blogspot.com/

Reading Rob Kuntz (classic rpg realms)
http://classicrpgrealms.blogspot.com/2011/09/reading-rob-kuntz.html

Product Idea

Using some of the research I did on Stirges, I am thinking about adding in some of my own ideas and maybe making a small pdf product centered around Stirges. Maybe some new species, behavior, ecology, life cycle.
I might even try too make a small adventure.

One of the idea's I had for the product was too include stat blocks for multiple editions of dnd. Possible making them designed too be balanced for Adventures Dark and Deep, Legends and Labyrinths and 4th edition, That would also make it compatible with 1st edition (I hope) and 3rd edition.

What would you like too see in a product like this? What would make it most fun and useful for you?

Gameplay

One of the reasons I like old-school dnd sometimes even going as far back as basic was the tiers of play. Going from practically a commoner with a sword to a successful adventure with hirelings and maybe a caravan too one day clearing the country side and becoming a lord.

But over time dnd has become more and more about having a high fantasy hero who fights enemies and less about man who grows and changes and develops both himself and the world. You also go from one day having many characters exploring one world too having one characters who just kind of follows the story line.

Justin posted a great article (The Subtle Shifts in Play) that covers some of what I mean over at the Alexandrian.

One thing that article brings too my mind is that the placement of spells in a game needs too have alot of thought. For example does anyone in 3.5 use torches at all. With light being a 0 lvl spell and the amount of spells a 1st level character gets and only 2gp for a sunrod which doesn't need a flint and steel and last for 6 hours and weighs very little.

I really think each edition of dnd simulates an entirely different game and experience. I can't help but wish I had a crew of open minded grognards too help me design a game of our own.

More on Theodric's Making NPCs with cards.

In a previous post I talked about a method of NPC creation I found over at Mythopoeic Rambling using cards. One thing I meant too mention or clarify on was that Theodrics method is simple enough that you could memorize it and use it at the gamin table with no need for the pdf. Which I'm starting to think sounds better and better since I wouldn't need my computer or even a rule book too quickly find out who a random npc is.

Here is how I imagine me using it and might try tomorrow or Tuesday. We are sitting around gaming and the pc's walk into an Inn in a mixed population town so I have no idea who this inn keeper should be. I have a deck of cards sitting by me and I draw the top one and get a Diamond, that tells me its a dwarf and since I decided to write one or more dwarven names on all the diamonds in this deck I quickly have an option for the inn keepers name.

Now given that he is an inn keeper he is probably just a commoner but if in game it turns out he is secretly something else then I draw another card and lets say I get another Diamond, this tells me he is a thief and the number on the card lets me know that that plus three is his primary attribute (dex) so his dex will land somewhere between 5 and 16 and if I got anything less then nine I would probably just say its a nine so the dwarven thief will either have around average or above average dex.

I would for now assume the rest of his stats where 10's because I find that a quick way to handle things but if I need the rest of the stats I would follow the rest of Theodrics method and be done in seconds. And if I had no ideas at all for the personality then I probably would draw a card for another stat or so until I knew basically who this npc is. A low int and high dex might mean he is street smart and yet illiterate for example.

I'm not sure If I like the 5-16 thing but that's mostly because in the edition I'm playing in you can qualify for a class with less then 9 but in 3.5 I'd just go with the 5 if I drew it.Maybe I would just go with +5 for the main attribute then it would 7-18 but I don't think I would do that all the time either.



Edit: It just occurred to me that using the ace as a 14 you could have a stat as high as 17 in the prime score. I double checked the pdf and found that for rolling the other stats you get from 3-16

Update: I finally got around too looking at Theodrics Gallery of Random Rouges. Which is a pdf of npc's made using his card system. I saw some superior one's and some sub-par ones so I'd have to say it seams balanced in that regard and also It reminded me that you could adjust the attributes for race making it possible to get an 18

Weapon Familiarity

Dravean from over on the Adventures Dark and Deep Forum has an idea of slowly removing a penalty for not being proficient with a weapon so long as that weapon is actually used in combat for a length of time.

Which inspired this idea from me:

1. Each weapon the character has access to or is proficient with he has a base of -1 to use when he first switches to that weapon type.

2. Any character can use a weapon he is not familiar with at a penalty of around -3

3. After some time of using the weapon in combat the penalty is reduced by one and possibly allowed to go up to +1

4. Once a character reaches +0 with a weapon he is not familiar with he is now considered familiar with it.

5. If switching from one weapon to a new weapon he is familiar with but has not used in sometime then the penalty may fall back down as low as -1

I don't think I would actually wait until an adventure is done too adjust the penalty or bonus but maybe base it off of getting like 5 successful hits or maybe surviving 2-3 fights using the weapon. Maybe even base it off xp.

I believe this system would give players a feeling of personally earning specialty in weapon while still allowing and even encouraging some players to switch up their weapons. Since they can gain new familiarity or maybe even switch weapons daily to try and keep a higher level of familiarity. And at the same time making it too where finding a slightly better magic weapon isn't reason enough to just drop your old one.

Testing my new character generation.

I finally tested my new Idea for making characters for Adventures Dark and Deep (by Joseph from the grayhawk grognard.)  using something I came up with talked about here. After two testes we decided my idea was broken as both characters did not qualify for the races that were rolled without being adjusted somehow and both were close to un-playable.

The player making the characters did have fun with the system however so maybe someday I will try to find a way to make it work. Maybe I can use it for a 3rd edition d&D game someday.

Funding Legends and Labyrinths

I just wanted to encourage even more people to help fund Legends and Labyrinths over at 8-bit funding.

"Basically, we’re looking to raise enough capital to pay top-of-the-line artists to provide top-of-the-line illustrations." ~ Justin Alexander

So anyone reading this check out their project page here on 8-bit funding.

Rolling Stats

I am a huge fan of the standard 3d6 leave them where they land method. In the past I tried a few other methodes but too me it really comes down to earning your rewards. Some people say players should start with higher stats because they are heroes. For me however, RPG's are not about being given everything you want but about earning it.

Rolling the stats randomly leaves everyone and even npc's on equal footing and allows the DM to simulate a world. I have also found that when players play simple characters with average stats that can die, then they learn to play strategically and too really value the rewards they earn and the characters that live.

Here is a great article over at Classic RPG Realms that goes further into explain the many reason's why 3d6 and leave them where they fall is a great method of rolling stats.

Justin Alexander over at TheAlexandrian has recently announced that his creation Legends And Labyrinths has been set up as an 8-bit funding project.

Although I haven't Personaly seen anything in this book I am excited about its release for two reasons.

1. it claims to "take 3rd Edition and strip it down to its most basic components. It removes everything non-essential, leaving behind a simple, fast-and-loose, easy-to-use system."

2.The Author has written numerous articles on his blog that has helped me as a DM and keep my interest in 3rd edition. In fact if it weren't for his D&D: Calibrating Your Expectations article, I might have quit playing 3rd edition all together.

I am hoping to be paying for 2 of the 50 dollar perks.

Update: I ended up only funding one $50 perk.