a minizine all nicely formatted up can be found on the zine page:
an unformatted text version of this page can be found here, because this page has too much spacing on the web -- geminispace looks fine -- and I don't have the style fixed yet
Kith & Kind: Non-human characters can be handed several ways. If the difference is just cosmetic, make the PC normally. If the PC gets special abilities, apply just like class modifiers (x0.15 xp / level per mod). You can even use ‘class’ mods, renamed.
Some possibilities:
- Beastfolk: Turn into a specific animal at will (no larger than a horse). Gain movement and general abilities but no magic; your hp, etc are still yours.
- Mech: +3 AC; can install up to 6 items into self, making them always available; they don't fill carrying capacity. -2 Save vs. magic, healing magic ½ as effective.
- Esper: One innate spell, using hp to cast; can swap spell when leveling. +2 Save vs. magic.
- Elf: See in the dark; 2-in-6 to sense secret doors and other hidden things; +1/level to tests involving nature or arcana (choose).
- Orc: +2 to melee damage, +2 to feats of strength, 2-in-3 identify metalwork, +1/lvl for tests involving tech
- Dwarf: See in the dark; +4 Save vs poison, disease; 2-in-6 to identify stone- or metalwork;
- Dhampir: +2 Save vs. undead abilities, +1 AC against undead attacks, life drain: ½ weapon damage, melee only, gain half damage as healing or acts as rations.
- Ratfolk: Squeeze through spaces no smaller than head; chew through organic materials, +4 Save vs poison, disease; eat anything organic as rations
- Damned: Fire and ice resist, +2 on reaction tests, evil eye: give -4 to a roll, 1 / 2 lvls daily
- Spellcasting Devout: If you're really hankering for more divine punch, give the devout the Arcana option for free.
-Wizard Starting Spells: There's no harm in allowing a wizard to start with two spells, say; starting with at least one is kind of assumed –
More Class Modifiers
- Psychic: Speak telepathically within 100’; lift objects 1 lb/lvl and move them up to 100’; +1 initiative
- Pugilist: Unarmed damage = weapon damage; +2 AC if unarmoured; inflict Stunned or Confused status by strike, 2 daily / lvl
- Weaponmaster: +1/lvl to attack rolls with chosen weapon; counterattack against an attacking melee opponent, once per initiative round
- Face: 2-in-6 chance to puzzle out written language; +1 / 2 lvls to reaction rolls and hireling ML checks
Pilgrim: Sturdy staff, satchel, lantern, oiled cloak, pilgrimage badges
Acolyte: Consecrated garment, censer, knife, holy icon, prayer focus
Squire: Light armour, 1 weapon, letter of recommendation, knight-lord's badge
Hedge Witch: Sickle, wicker basket, fox or crow, herb packets, poultices
(ex?-) Cultist: Dagger, dose of sleep, purloined idol, cultic texts, mask
Merchant: Goat- or dog-cart, abacus, ledger, lantern, 3x trade good
Vampire Hunter: Wooden stakes, holy icon, 1 weapon, light armour, ciphered notes
Tinker: Leather apron, toolbag, bundle of scrap, whitesmith's anvil, coil of wire
Lifestyles, per month:
Squalid 5 sp
Poor 1 gp
Average 10 gp
Fancy 50 gp
Luxurious 500 gp
Noble 1500 gp+
More Magic (optional): Anyone can cast from a spell scroll, but they need to spend 2 hp/lvl of effect to do it.
Status Effects: codifying these a bit –
- Paralyzed: cannot move or speak
- Stunned: cannot act
- Blind, Deafened, etc: self-explanatory
- Bleed: lose listed hp/action until treated
- Confused: addled, 2-6 to act randomly
- Charmed: friendly towards source
- Poisoned: variable
- Fear: -2(+) to all rolls; may cause fleeing
Conflict:
- Unarmed Damage: Normally, ½ weapon class weapon damage. Some things may modify this.
- 2-Handed Weapons: Double damage, but no shield (or anything else) can be carried.
- Dual-Wielding: Roll for each attack, no shield.
- Called Shots: Just give a difficulty to roll, just like a Save or other attempt at a feat.
Aeolian Hare: Dog-sized rabbit, flying with feathery ear-wings. Curious but nervous. 1 HD, AC 12, +1 windslash (1d6 ranged), ML 7
Eagle: Or other raptor, swift and fierce. 1 HD, AC 12, +1 claws (1d4/1d4), ML 7, flying
Weaponspirit: Manifested soul? Possessed blade? Strange steel enchantment? 1 HD, AC 16, +1 strike (1d6+bleed), ML 12, flying, telepathic, bleed: 1d4, chill: 1d3, ranged
Whisper: A translucent scarab larger than any scarab should be. 1 HD, AC 12, +1 bite (1d4), ML 8, swift silence: always wins initiative
Brigand: Leather, sharp blades and a disdain for the life and liberty – or is it lordship – of others. 2 HD, AC 14, +2 sword or crossbow (1d8+1), ML 9, call minions: 1d4+1 0-lvl, arrive in 1-4 actions
Horse: Is a horse, of course, of course. 2 HD, AC 10, +2 kick (1d8, 1d10+1 if warhorse), ML 8 (10 if warhorse), carrying capacity 15 + rider
Steelknight: Not always a knight, this automaton of metal and porcelain. 2 HD, AC 14, +2 strike or weapon (1d6), ML 11, resist physical damage, vuln. lightning
Cursed Lordling: Tattered finery and wild eyes. 3 HD, AC 12, +3 rod or sword (1d6), ML 9, mad command: Save or follow instruction, or Fear for 10 minutes; returns after death, -2 to own and killer's rolls until curse dealt with
Goldmaw: Yellow-gold orb that gapes to devour anything – but especially precious things. 3 HD, AC 10, +3 bite (1d6 + devour), ML 6, devour: 2-in-6 bitten target engulfed
Panther: Sleek great cat, purring wisdom. 3 HD, AC 12, +3 bite (1d4) or claw (1d6/1d6), ML 8, slash: if both claws hit, kick for 2d4; sleep breath, calming breath
Ogre: A mortal falling to damnation, or a demon leading the way. Rarely evil in service of good. Vengeful, cunning. Muscled, horned; burning eyes and fangs. 4 HD, AC 14, +4 claw (1d6+ bleed 2) or burning weapon (1d8, flame), ML 9, 2d3 spells, cause Fear, cause Berserk, immune to mundane weapons, vuln. holy.
Primal: Elemental manifestation, fey and alien. Appears in many forms, with many varied desires. 4 HD, AC 16, +4 various (1d6+1 or more, elemental damage), ML 10, 1d6 spells, resists mundane weapon damage
Nightmare: Sometimes a night-black steed, sometimes burning darkness. Always diabolic. 5 HD, AC 14, +5 kick (1d8) or bite (1d4+bleed 1d3) or hellfire (1d6 ranged), ML 10, flying, ride into hell, ride into dream
Warwalker: Hulking bipedal metal monstrosity. 6 HD, AC 16, +6 trample (1d8) or beam (2d6, elemental, ranged), ML 12, trample: lose action, lightning vuln.
Vampire: Fanged (sometimes), elegant (sometimes) undead warlords, scholars and stranger things. 8 HD, AC 14, +8 bite or weapon (1d8+drain), ML 10, drain: heals damage inflicted, or lowers victims’ STR and CON by 4 (24 hrs), 3d4 spells, undead, fire and holy vuln.
Dragon: Scales like armour. Wings blot out the sky. Ancient, wrathful, wise, avaricious. 10 HD, AC 18, +10 bite (1d12) or claws (1d8/1d8) or primal breath (5d8, ranged, 2d4 targets), ML 11, 2d6 spells, flies, elemental resist
Hopeful Hirelings: Are 0-level (1d6 hp, no bonuses except from stats) – but if they earn 50 xp, can gain a class!
01. Xixy. Strong, timid; shoulder yoke
02. Tam. Curious, alert; trained fox
03. Rana. Sleepy, sturdy; luck charm
04. Peny. Cheerful, quick; cauldron and kit
05. Zev. Quiet, breathy; map collection
06. Alys. Brooding, sharp; sealstone
07. Vine. Brash, forgetful; marbles
08. Kur. Methodical, watchful; sickle
09. Jek. Precise, mercurial; snares
10. Bri. Patient, riddling; ward-chalk
11. Ran. Bitter, haunted; lorebook
12. Seri. Insightful, spooky; poultices
Who are you, mysterious quest-giver?
01. A bored/eccentric/vengeful lordling
02. A calculating young dragon
03. Twin to a dungeon’s big villain
04. Older adventurer down on their luck
05. Actually a god in mortal guise
06. A patient, erudite tiger
07. The shade of a former adventurer
08. A merchant looking for assets
09. A sorcerer wanting new subjects
10. Would-be revolutionaries
Well, someone is behind all this …
01. Mad angel “forging heroes” in a “crucible”
02. Lost trapper turned skystone cultist
03. Would-be new god gathering relics
04. Garden variety naughty sorcerer
05. Fae noble competing with rival
06. Those would-be revolutionaries again
07. Animate statue inhabited by spirit
08. A vampire knight reclaiming dominion
09. A dead star possessing several hosts
10. Venal noble in a pact with hell
Themes and Schools: Spells of a “type” might be formally associated; or maybe a wizard just has a theme.
Mashin
The Curse
Natura
Lumina
The Grave
Warding
Magic Items
- Mystic Arms: This weapon is translucent; its wielder uses their INT bonus instead of STR in melee, WIS instead of DEX for ranged, aside from any other enchantment.
- Godsunder: A legendary weapon, a serrated two-handed sword that deals 2d8 damage to divine creatures, bypassing all protections.
- Night-apple: This concerningly violet-black fruit allows any who eat a quarter to enter the underworld alive.
- Salamander Parchment: Once written on, this ruddy parchment ignites into ashes after it is read once.
- Scarabeus: A scarab construct the size of an open hand, capable of flight (like a crow). Its abdomen hinges open to carry small items.
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