It's been an unexpectedly busy week!
My darling daughter just turned 4, you see... so it was a busy, busy time!
The A to Z should be back on track today...
Monday, 14 May 2012
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
K is for KOBOLDS!
Yeah, you really should have guessed...
Kobolds are one of my favourite little monsters from D&D.
In older editions, they represented the "lower rung" of the Savage Humanoid tree, much like Goblins. They were furry, dirty, dog-faced rat-tailed things, scavengers and general pests. They could be found in most dungeons (they had no true homes, and hid wherever they could), normally under the protection of bigger monsters, acting as skivvies and slaves in return.
They were an iconic beastie - as most parties started at level 1, and they were the standard adventure fodder.
By 3rd edition, they had changed to their current form - small, reptilian humanoids, possessed of great cunning and skill with traps, who normally served with Dragons (see that "find a bigger boy to hide behind" thing again?), worshipping them and doing everything in their power to serve them. Well, turns out, the thing they do best to serve them is die in their droves, but that's neither here nor there.
Their iconic status led to them receiving a lot of attention, from both third party sources (Green Ronin's Quintessential Kobold) and official ones (the Races of the Dragon book for 3.5), making them an oddly popular player race - despite their physical shortcomings, and total lack of respect. Partly, this may be because the additional rules within, like the Dragonwrought feat, which lets you take no penalties from ageing - so you can choose to start at Venerable, and gain +3 Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma, with no penalty, as well as extra goodies like qualifying for Dragon-only spells, feats and Prestige Classes, or the feat that gives you an extra level of sorcerer (So you're a 1st level Kobold who has two levels of Sorcerer... somehow) are fairly overpowered and oddly written.
3rd Edition also saw the rise of Pun-Pun - a character build that could have infinite stats and attain a Divine Rank (what makes Gods Gods) by 5th level. Of course, it can best be described as True Optimisation - to pull this off in a game you would need to cajole the DM, possibly offering money or sexual favours to pull of some of the stuff required (like meeting a member of a long-though-extinct race, the Sarrukh, and convincing them to use their ability to warp Scalykind to grant you infinite God-like power). On the Practical Optimisation side of things though, Kobold Sorcerers rock, especially with the extra goodies from the Kobold-focused books.
4th Edition changed their appearance somewhat, but otherwise left them unchanged. However, a recently announced book regarding underground/dungeon dwelling races looks to have them as a fully-supported PC Race - which should be interesting...
Perhaps their appeal lies in their true underdog nature - they are the most kicked-around, beaten on, disrespected race around - but when they get their shit together, they can be a terrifyingly competent force. Their decent Intelligence scores, combined with a love of trapsmithing and a certain sadistic streak, mean that one should never underestimate a group of Kobolds with nothing to lose.
Take a look at Tucker's Kobolds for proof.
Those of you who've been following by blog for a while will know of the Kobold Ascension Campaign I've been trying to get off the ground for a while. The basic concept - you are Kobolds, Nature's Losers. Day to day survival, and servitude to your Draconic Mistress, are all you know. You protect Her from adventurers, thieves, and the beasts and creatures that roam the lands of Delraith. One day, however, you find out a terrible secret - your Mistress, Anathraxiis, Great Death Incarnate, Black Terror of the Land, was once a Kobold - like you. All the Dragons were, at some point. Some meditated for years, unlocking their true spiritual potential, and became the Great Metallic Dragons. Some cheated their way to the top, and became the Evil Chromatics. You've found part of the ancient, arcane ritual your Mistress used to Ascend - and now, it's your turn.
Kobolds are one of my favourite little monsters from D&D.
In older editions, they represented the "lower rung" of the Savage Humanoid tree, much like Goblins. They were furry, dirty, dog-faced rat-tailed things, scavengers and general pests. They could be found in most dungeons (they had no true homes, and hid wherever they could), normally under the protection of bigger monsters, acting as skivvies and slaves in return.
They were an iconic beastie - as most parties started at level 1, and they were the standard adventure fodder.
By 3rd edition, they had changed to their current form - small, reptilian humanoids, possessed of great cunning and skill with traps, who normally served with Dragons (see that "find a bigger boy to hide behind" thing again?), worshipping them and doing everything in their power to serve them. Well, turns out, the thing they do best to serve them is die in their droves, but that's neither here nor there.
Their iconic status led to them receiving a lot of attention, from both third party sources (Green Ronin's Quintessential Kobold) and official ones (the Races of the Dragon book for 3.5), making them an oddly popular player race - despite their physical shortcomings, and total lack of respect. Partly, this may be because the additional rules within, like the Dragonwrought feat, which lets you take no penalties from ageing - so you can choose to start at Venerable, and gain +3 Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma, with no penalty, as well as extra goodies like qualifying for Dragon-only spells, feats and Prestige Classes, or the feat that gives you an extra level of sorcerer (So you're a 1st level Kobold who has two levels of Sorcerer... somehow) are fairly overpowered and oddly written.
3rd Edition also saw the rise of Pun-Pun - a character build that could have infinite stats and attain a Divine Rank (what makes Gods Gods) by 5th level. Of course, it can best be described as True Optimisation - to pull this off in a game you would need to cajole the DM, possibly offering money or sexual favours to pull of some of the stuff required (like meeting a member of a long-though-extinct race, the Sarrukh, and convincing them to use their ability to warp Scalykind to grant you infinite God-like power). On the Practical Optimisation side of things though, Kobold Sorcerers rock, especially with the extra goodies from the Kobold-focused books.
4th Edition changed their appearance somewhat, but otherwise left them unchanged. However, a recently announced book regarding underground/dungeon dwelling races looks to have them as a fully-supported PC Race - which should be interesting...
Take a look at Tucker's Kobolds for proof.
Those of you who've been following by blog for a while will know of the Kobold Ascension Campaign I've been trying to get off the ground for a while. The basic concept - you are Kobolds, Nature's Losers. Day to day survival, and servitude to your Draconic Mistress, are all you know. You protect Her from adventurers, thieves, and the beasts and creatures that roam the lands of Delraith. One day, however, you find out a terrible secret - your Mistress, Anathraxiis, Great Death Incarnate, Black Terror of the Land, was once a Kobold - like you. All the Dragons were, at some point. Some meditated for years, unlocking their true spiritual potential, and became the Great Metallic Dragons. Some cheated their way to the top, and became the Evil Chromatics. You've found part of the ancient, arcane ritual your Mistress used to Ascend - and now, it's your turn.
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Poisons and Alignment
So, I just put up the Assassin Class for Microlite20, but, as the basic game doesn't include Alignments, I skipped out on a section regarding Assassins and Alignment.
By standard rules, Assassins should be of Evil alignment - and I'm not going to argue. You're not a Rogue, who can conceiveably use his skills at trapfinding and breaking & entering for Good. You're a person who kills people, normally for money. You're Evil. Deal with it.
Assassins also use poisons - another standard "Evil" mechanic. D&D Alignment has a funny relationship with poisons. In the original rules, it was fine for characters of any Alignment to use poisons (though there may have been a note regarding Paladins and their "Code of Conduct" - they're not very sportsman-like, after all...). In later games, using posion was an Evil act - regardless of intent.
Which, frankly, is bullshit.
Say you're a Paladin, fighting an Evil creature who is much stronger than yourself. Poison to weaken the creature levels the playing field, and I'd class that as a slight ding to your Alignment (Paladins are meant to suffer for their cause, after all), but not an Evil act.
Or say Mr Pally wants to take someone alive, with minimal harm - a very noble and Paladin-like act. Using a temporary paralysis agent is not an Evil act, no matter what the book says.
Now, if you use something that causes intense pain, suffering, and could kill someone? Evil. Poisoning innocents? Evil. (Yes, that last one includes poisoning the water supply of a horde of Evil creatures - not all Orcs are combatants!). If you can't justify it by your Alignment or Code, it's Evil.
Note, some Gods may not allow their Paladins or followers to use even non-Evil poisons - Kord, God of Battle and Hugeness, will think you're a pussy if you use that paralysing stuff. You're his Divine Agent - paralyse that fucker with your fists! Beat him into submission, in a fair fight - no cheating!
Now, 3.5's Book of Exalted Deeds did provide rules for "Ravages" - Good poisons which only work on Evil people.
However, they are stupid, and should be disregarded. They're still poisons, and the rules still apply. They're not Evil unless the intent is Evil.
By standard rules, Assassins should be of Evil alignment - and I'm not going to argue. You're not a Rogue, who can conceiveably use his skills at trapfinding and breaking & entering for Good. You're a person who kills people, normally for money. You're Evil. Deal with it.
Assassins also use poisons - another standard "Evil" mechanic. D&D Alignment has a funny relationship with poisons. In the original rules, it was fine for characters of any Alignment to use poisons (though there may have been a note regarding Paladins and their "Code of Conduct" - they're not very sportsman-like, after all...). In later games, using posion was an Evil act - regardless of intent.
Which, frankly, is bullshit.
Say you're a Paladin, fighting an Evil creature who is much stronger than yourself. Poison to weaken the creature levels the playing field, and I'd class that as a slight ding to your Alignment (Paladins are meant to suffer for their cause, after all), but not an Evil act.
Or say Mr Pally wants to take someone alive, with minimal harm - a very noble and Paladin-like act. Using a temporary paralysis agent is not an Evil act, no matter what the book says.
Now, if you use something that causes intense pain, suffering, and could kill someone? Evil. Poisoning innocents? Evil. (Yes, that last one includes poisoning the water supply of a horde of Evil creatures - not all Orcs are combatants!). If you can't justify it by your Alignment or Code, it's Evil.
Note, some Gods may not allow their Paladins or followers to use even non-Evil poisons - Kord, God of Battle and Hugeness, will think you're a pussy if you use that paralysing stuff. You're his Divine Agent - paralyse that fucker with your fists! Beat him into submission, in a fair fight - no cheating!
Now, 3.5's Book of Exalted Deeds did provide rules for "Ravages" - Good poisons which only work on Evil people.
However, they are stupid, and should be disregarded. They're still poisons, and the rules still apply. They're not Evil unless the intent is Evil.
Monday, 7 May 2012
New Microlite20 Class: The Assassin
So, I got this idea on the bus home, so I haven't had an time to fine-tune it or playtest it... maybe soon.
Here goes - my attempt to reintroduce an old favourite class from back in the day:
Assassin
Assassins can wear light armour.
They gain a +3 bonus to Subterfuge.
If they spend three rounds studying a target (taking no other action, except moving at normal speed), they may use a Death Attack with a successful Melee Attack. The Assassin rolls the attack as normal - if they beat the target DC (usually 10+the victim's STR+Phys), the victim is instantly slain. At the GM's discretion, some creatures may be unaffected by such attacks.
At level 5, the Assassin gains the ability to use poisons with no chance of poisoning himself. He may also brew his own poisons.
Using and Brewing Poisons
Any character may poison a weapon - though they may need to make a MIND+Subterfuge roll to avoid inadvertently poisoning themselves (dipping an arrow into a dead creature's poison glands and firing it straight away is easy - pouring it onto a weapon, and storing it for future use? Not so much). Assassins of 5th level or higher are assumed to be capable enough with the use of poisons to not need to make such rolls.
To brew a poison, the Assassin needs to have the appropriate ingredients to hand (GM's discretion as to what is required), and the tools to process them (most likely a mortar and pestle, juicer, etc). The Assassin might be able to make more powerful, esoteric, or magical potions than the ones listed - but, due to the nature of these things, they will need to make their MIND+Subterfuge roll to prevent accidental poisoning. These are rare and powerful poisons for a reason - most who try and make them don't survive, even experts.
Here goes - my attempt to reintroduce an old favourite class from back in the day:
Assassin
Assassins can wear light armour.
They gain a +3 bonus to Subterfuge.
If they spend three rounds studying a target (taking no other action, except moving at normal speed), they may use a Death Attack with a successful Melee Attack. The Assassin rolls the attack as normal - if they beat the target DC (usually 10+the victim's STR+Phys), the victim is instantly slain. At the GM's discretion, some creatures may be unaffected by such attacks.
At level 5, the Assassin gains the ability to use poisons with no chance of poisoning himself. He may also brew his own poisons.
Using and Brewing Poisons
Any character may poison a weapon - though they may need to make a MIND+Subterfuge roll to avoid inadvertently poisoning themselves (dipping an arrow into a dead creature's poison glands and firing it straight away is easy - pouring it onto a weapon, and storing it for future use? Not so much). Assassins of 5th level or higher are assumed to be capable enough with the use of poisons to not need to make such rolls.
To brew a poison, the Assassin needs to have the appropriate ingredients to hand (GM's discretion as to what is required), and the tools to process them (most likely a mortar and pestle, juicer, etc). The Assassin might be able to make more powerful, esoteric, or magical potions than the ones listed - but, due to the nature of these things, they will need to make their MIND+Subterfuge roll to prevent accidental poisoning. These are rare and powerful poisons for a reason - most who try and make them don't survive, even experts.
Rogue Trader One-on-One: Part Eleven: Let Me Please Introduce Myself...
The lumbering metal skeleton (remember, according to the FFG metaplot, the Necrons haven't been recognised yet, though many have met them - it's just that few live to tell the tale) stared impassively at them. Claudia was ready to draw should the figure level its horrendously destructive weapon at them. It stiffened, and, with an odd look, turned around and began walking.
Against their best wishes, the crew followed the metal abomination, until the reached a large doorway, patterned with hieroglyphs and runes, which opened before them to reveal a figure. Another metal skeleton, though a lot more fluid in its movements, draped in bizarre fineries. It kept the harsh, green glow the others exuded, lending it a palpable sense of menace.
It introduced itself in deep, heavily accented Gothic. It claimed its name was Trizen, The Collector. It made enquiries about the Captain and her crew, then offered them seats that resolved themselves from great clouds of insect-like creatures that flowed from the walls - Scarabs, he called them. They were incredibly uncomfortable, but he was trying. He talked of his Collection, and asked the Lord-Captain (as the leader of the group) if she wished to view it. Alone, of course.
While reluctant, she figured her days were numbered anyway, and this Xeno (maybe?) seemed to be at least polite. So, she accompanied him to the back of the hall, his skeletal form carried by an upsurge of scarabs, like some great horrid tidal wave. The walls themselves morphed and reshaped to form a doorway.
The first thing she faced off against was a huge, slavering beast - a Tyranid Carnifex, if she remembered her days on the Jericho Reach right. Her instinctual reaction was to reach for her laspistol - though, on closer inspection, it did not move. As she drew closer, she could see motes of dust, hanging perfectly still around about it - tiny drops of saliva and less savoury fluids coating the great beast, all still, some clinging to its great chitinous hide, some unsupported in the air. It seemed to be much like the Stasis Fields her ship could project, though not as "static" - if this had been Stasis tech, she could not have entered so close to the beast, hell, she could crawl under it, if she dared, and not disrupt the arcane energies that held it in place.
She asked Trizen if it was alive, or dead and preserved - he replied neither. It had simply been "stopped". With little further elaboration, he continued to walk, slowly, through the great hall.
She saw many weird and wonderful sights - a warrior of a race she did not recognise (squat, blue-skinned, wearing regal yellow-tan armour, wielding a weapon she had seen in the hands of various Kroot mercenaries), many more from a variety of sources, one of which stopped her in her tracks - a frozen tableau, two Orks, weapons raised, descending upon an Imperial Guardsman, ready to hack him to pieces. The look of sheer brute rage on their faces was bad enough, but the sheer look of desperation and fear on the Guardsman's face made her heart sink. She moved on after a few silent moments.
Another sight sent a tingle down her spine, and a shot of static through her mind - the final piece!
The third section of the starmap, gripped tightly in the hand of an Eldar Warrior, clad in armour similar to the Eldar who attacked her when she claimed the last piece - the teleportation device on its back, the monowire spool-gun at its side. Its helmet seemed much more regal than the others, with a large crest of hair and feathers along the top. She knew she had to get it - but how?
Lost in her frantic thoughts, she almost bumped into another exhibit, set beside the Eldar - a set of golden powered armour, clearly made for a Xeno of considerable size. As she looked, however, she recognised some of the engravings - Imperial symbols, skulls, a small representation of the Terran system... this armour would have drowned a normal human. Even a Space Marine would have struggled to fill the huge suit.
Another moment of realisation struck her.
... a Primarch's Armour?
She practically fell to her knees. She was in the presence of an artifact of such religious significance... but she had to keep her cool. Otherwise, the Xeno might catch on to her desires.
More sights, more curios - weapons she had never seen the likes of, a child's toy, a packet of lho-sticks. The creature in front of her had obviously had contact with most of the galaxy's races at some point, and had taken... souvenirs from all of them. Finally, the creature spoke again, enquiring whether she liked games. The Lord-Captain replied that she did, when she was a child, but had little time for them now.
"Oh, we have time here."
The creature may have smiled at that, though it was hard to tell. He told her that, while he had encountered humans, he had never had any come straight to him as he rested - and wished to use the opportunity to try out "a game". He walked her to a small, checkered board - clearly a Regicide board (40k's Chess equivalent). But it was the pieces which left her speechless, again.
On one side, stood the Emperor, the King - with his Children, the Primarchs filling the roles of the other pieces, and the Astartes the pawns.
On the other, Horus, with his Traitor brethren, and Chaos Legionnaires.
This was either old, or incredibly heretical.
She never got the chance to ask which, before the creature commanded the scarabs to carry the board out to the main hall, so her crew could watch as they played.
Against their best wishes, the crew followed the metal abomination, until the reached a large doorway, patterned with hieroglyphs and runes, which opened before them to reveal a figure. Another metal skeleton, though a lot more fluid in its movements, draped in bizarre fineries. It kept the harsh, green glow the others exuded, lending it a palpable sense of menace.
It introduced itself in deep, heavily accented Gothic. It claimed its name was Trizen, The Collector. It made enquiries about the Captain and her crew, then offered them seats that resolved themselves from great clouds of insect-like creatures that flowed from the walls - Scarabs, he called them. They were incredibly uncomfortable, but he was trying. He talked of his Collection, and asked the Lord-Captain (as the leader of the group) if she wished to view it. Alone, of course.
While reluctant, she figured her days were numbered anyway, and this Xeno (maybe?) seemed to be at least polite. So, she accompanied him to the back of the hall, his skeletal form carried by an upsurge of scarabs, like some great horrid tidal wave. The walls themselves morphed and reshaped to form a doorway.
The first thing she faced off against was a huge, slavering beast - a Tyranid Carnifex, if she remembered her days on the Jericho Reach right. Her instinctual reaction was to reach for her laspistol - though, on closer inspection, it did not move. As she drew closer, she could see motes of dust, hanging perfectly still around about it - tiny drops of saliva and less savoury fluids coating the great beast, all still, some clinging to its great chitinous hide, some unsupported in the air. It seemed to be much like the Stasis Fields her ship could project, though not as "static" - if this had been Stasis tech, she could not have entered so close to the beast, hell, she could crawl under it, if she dared, and not disrupt the arcane energies that held it in place.
She asked Trizen if it was alive, or dead and preserved - he replied neither. It had simply been "stopped". With little further elaboration, he continued to walk, slowly, through the great hall.
She saw many weird and wonderful sights - a warrior of a race she did not recognise (squat, blue-skinned, wearing regal yellow-tan armour, wielding a weapon she had seen in the hands of various Kroot mercenaries), many more from a variety of sources, one of which stopped her in her tracks - a frozen tableau, two Orks, weapons raised, descending upon an Imperial Guardsman, ready to hack him to pieces. The look of sheer brute rage on their faces was bad enough, but the sheer look of desperation and fear on the Guardsman's face made her heart sink. She moved on after a few silent moments.
Another sight sent a tingle down her spine, and a shot of static through her mind - the final piece!
The third section of the starmap, gripped tightly in the hand of an Eldar Warrior, clad in armour similar to the Eldar who attacked her when she claimed the last piece - the teleportation device on its back, the monowire spool-gun at its side. Its helmet seemed much more regal than the others, with a large crest of hair and feathers along the top. She knew she had to get it - but how?
Lost in her frantic thoughts, she almost bumped into another exhibit, set beside the Eldar - a set of golden powered armour, clearly made for a Xeno of considerable size. As she looked, however, she recognised some of the engravings - Imperial symbols, skulls, a small representation of the Terran system... this armour would have drowned a normal human. Even a Space Marine would have struggled to fill the huge suit.
Another moment of realisation struck her.
... a Primarch's Armour?
She practically fell to her knees. She was in the presence of an artifact of such religious significance... but she had to keep her cool. Otherwise, the Xeno might catch on to her desires.
More sights, more curios - weapons she had never seen the likes of, a child's toy, a packet of lho-sticks. The creature in front of her had obviously had contact with most of the galaxy's races at some point, and had taken... souvenirs from all of them. Finally, the creature spoke again, enquiring whether she liked games. The Lord-Captain replied that she did, when she was a child, but had little time for them now.
"Oh, we have time here."
The creature may have smiled at that, though it was hard to tell. He told her that, while he had encountered humans, he had never had any come straight to him as he rested - and wished to use the opportunity to try out "a game". He walked her to a small, checkered board - clearly a Regicide board (40k's Chess equivalent). But it was the pieces which left her speechless, again.
On one side, stood the Emperor, the King - with his Children, the Primarchs filling the roles of the other pieces, and the Astartes the pawns.
On the other, Horus, with his Traitor brethren, and Chaos Legionnaires.
This was either old, or incredibly heretical.
She never got the chance to ask which, before the creature commanded the scarabs to carry the board out to the main hall, so her crew could watch as they played.
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