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My idea I came up with randomly was to have an Orc race that was originally made like Homonuculus' and also add in some elements from animated objects, IE their hardness and ability to have different limbs.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

Legends and Labyrinths: First Impressions (post 2)

This is continuing my first impressions post for Legends and Labyrinths. The first post can be found here.

I actually just messed up and lost the second half of the post but I am going to try and reconstruct it or hit the main points.

I noticed that 1st level characters start with one contact. I thought this might slow things down but I quickly wrote my father was a gem cutter and moved on.

When buying armor I liked that the donning time (such as for putting on plate mail) was listed on the same table as gold piece cost and AC. When buying weapons It was nice too see that the splash weapons was on the same page as regular weapons. However I could not buy a throwing axe and the club didn't have range listed so as a cleric I felt kinda forced into buying daggers for a one handed throwing weapon. Also none of the weapons were free, that might be a good thing.

The equipment section had advice on what too buy that might be invaluable for new players

Adventuring Gear is broken into smaller sections and each section is placed too where their descriptions are on the same page as their prices.

I finished the character at exactly 2:45, so it took me 45 mins and could have taken 35 since now I know where too look for the class skills and HD. I imagine I could shave off 10 or more mins making a human fighter.

When making a character in many other rpg's it takes me 2+ hours. I think that when I am ready to play 3rd edition again I will be using L&L as my system of choice. In many ways this book is a DMG and PHB in one. I also like the system for making monster, traps and npc's. I originally was worried about the stunt system but that is actually looking great now that I see how it works.

If you know what Legends and Labyrinths is trying to do then I think it does just that very well. It has not lost any of the flavor of 3.5 and yet it looks like it can be easier and quicker too use.

Now I just hope they get enough funding too release the free supplements too those of us that have funded it.

Legends and Labyrinths: First Impressions

I finally got the Legends and Labyrinths Black Book Beta, Justin sent too me since I helped fund the project. I decided I would try to make a character as I went through the pdf. (that's what I usually do with any new rpg game.)

So here is my first impressions as I made a character in Legends and Labyrinths.

A large factor for me right now is how much time I spend on charactor creation. So I started at exactly 2pm mountain time and timed myself. Too make it fair I would not choose a human or a fighter type.

I ended up making a dwarven cleric and thought this was a good test for making the character. Stats and race were quick and simple since it was exactly like 3.5 and using the 4d6 drop the lowest method. Then I was surprised to find encounter building and earning xp before the classes chapter. I'm not sure about some of the layout because of oddities like this.

Moving on and skipping most of this I liked that the classes chapter had a description of ability types such as spell-like or supernatural. Making the cleric, I didn't see it explain specificly that you get spell casting at level 1,  but that should be pretty obvious. I just wondered how long I would have been confused by that if I were totally new.  

Then somehow I missed the spot that said my HD and class skills. It was off to the side and small almost as if it were inside of the Sidebars that are used very often I like the sidebar referance system but it made me miss this so I wasted 10 mins jumping around the skills and charactor making sections and back too cleric before I found it.

Then the class skills listed didn't mention what stat they were based on. This wasn't a problem luckily since I knew from playing 3.5 and it was easy too check in the skill chapter. I still think I would have liked it mentioned in the class.

I liked that I did not need too choose skills and that there were less class skills, this sped things up and of course was still compatible with the normal skill system from the PHB.

There were many chapters in between classes and equipment or spells, So I spent awhile hitting page down before I got to pick my spells and buy equipment.

Their are less spell options but they are all familiar and I'm sure I could pull out my 3.5 supplements and choose other spells, but for new players or quick characters this was nice. In little time I had my spells and Domains. I'm not sure if the book explained bonus spells but I skipped that because I knew I got one based on my wisdom.

Too stop this post from running on to long I broke it into two posts. The second one is here.

Legends and Labyrinths is now Availble

Now that on 8-bit funding Legends and Labyrinths by Justin Alexander, has reached more then half their goal of $3,000 the beta pdf is finally available. Too get legends and labyrinths go over to 8-bit funding and choose how much you want too fund the project and once you have funded it, or if you have already, then click on project updates and follow the instructions too get the pdf.

Also if they hit their goal of by the end of the month anyone who funded $30 or more will get two free adventures.

If you don't know what Legends and Labyrinths is you can read all about it on their project page.

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.

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.