Funny, I originally posted the opening of the 2014 D&D 5E books when I got them and now there are new 5E books exactly 10 years later in 2024 that are updates of these books.
Original link to the post --> New Books 2016
Sunday, 23 March 2025
Spell Revision (House Rules)
Some spells have been revised as they are too powerful to play as is in the current campaign. This is a small write up on how I've altered the use of these major factor's in our campaign.
ORIGINALLY POSTED AUGUST 2015 --> https://underthepalemoonrpg2.blogspot.com/2015/08/updated-spells-for-house-rules.html
Teleport
Here is how I address teleport.
Imagine you find a map, to an ancient lost city in the mountain, miles to your east. It's lost to time and hasn't been touched by man in over 500 years. The city hosts a special temple where a dangerous demon now infests and he guards what you've come to find out is an powerful artifact.
This is a campaign for level 1-20 for the PC's to enjoy as they make their way into the wilds outside the city. Here they find new friends, allies, fight monsters, find secret locations, treasure and more. With many side quests and new discoveries the PC's spend months on adventure and hardship to reach the mountains and enter the lost city. Here they they have to solve puzzles and riddles to enter the temple and face the demon with all that they've gained to best him and retrieve the artifact . . . or do they?
What if simply at level 1 the mage used the map as a known place and cast teleport? Here the part is in one nights gaming session at the temple and use a trick to get around the demon, snatch the artifact and teleport back to town. Done, over, simple right?
That is why 'teleport' as written is too powerful. I think back to the days of one of the first mmo's and reference 'Ultima online', the game's not important but the idea it presented is. In this game the wizard had a book in which he/she would 'save' locations, that (once reached) would then be used as places to teleport to.
This lead me to the idea that the PC's have to 'attune' through a long rest to a location to be able to teleport to it. Let's look at this in practice . . .
Eg). Jackson knows the city well and has spent many days here, so he can easily add this to his book of places to teleport to. As he set's out on adventure, he comes to a small town where he can rest up and also takes the time to 'attune' to this place so he can come back here via teleport. Later he goes underground into some drow tunnels and hides in a secret room off the main hall with his allies. Here he rest's and 'attunes' to this location, also noting that it's a great place to come back to so he can branch off into another area much later. Finally he makes it to the secret city and to the temple where he makes a final 'attunement' to this place, before proceeding into battle. Here an ally falls and they must regroup, Jackson decides to 'teleport' back to town to find a new ally and bring him in. They arrive back to the group to where they last camped and he 'attuned', gear up and battle the demon, ultimately winning. Once they claim the treasure they then 'teleport' back to the city, having already explored the wilds and have a drink at the local inn.
I still have the 'mishap' chances and such, but this addresses the big problem with teleport IMO.
Endure Elements
This is how I address Endure Elements and similar spells.
You've come to the plane of cold and have to endure, blowing show, freezing temps and chilling water hazards . . . or do you?
What if all you had to do was cast a simple level 1 spell that any kid off the street in the local city can cast?
One moment your struggling for you life in a hostile place and the next, your laughing in a blizzard and prancing across a lake of ice while having nothing to penalize you for doing so. As a player you laugh at the table as the many published adventure and source books all focusing on hardships in extreme cold of the north and the heat of the desert are tossed aside and never referenced for your gaming experience, because you can cast a level 1 spell . . .
IMO these spells are removed from the game, due to them being so overpowered that you simply have defeated nature herself with one easy spell. There is no challenge, no adventure to be had, no effect of the world around you as it simple doesn't matter anymore.
Saturday, 8 March 2025
The Cosmos, man . . . what a trip
Starting outward and going in . . .
The Far Realm, a place stretched beyond comprehension beyond the boundaries of reality.
The Edge of the Astral Sea, where the Outer Planes dwell, each home to realms of gods/demon lords or a god/demon lord.
The Astral Sea, which stretches it's self to the edges of it's massive sphere and in which all else resides.
Crystal Spheres, in which Wild Space begins for each setting. Home to planets, sun's and the core material realm of a specific setting.
Material realm, of the setting. In our case it is home to the planet Illmakaria.
Planet Illmakaria, home to the continent of Karnantha.
Karnantha, Home to countries like Ashura.
Ashura Kingdom, home to the great walled city of the same name Ashura City.
The Fey Realm, a copy of Karnantha remade in the fey's image.
The Shadow Realm, a copy of Karnantha reamade in the shadow fey's image.
The Ethereal Plane, a reflection of Karnantha as seen through shadow and mists.
The Elemental Planes (Inner Planes), a massive ring of planes made of the four elements that connect at the borders giving way to four distinct transitional planes that all converge at a central plane of absolute Elemental Chaos.
Elemental Chaos, the most central inner plane of unbalance.
As for places like Sigal, the city of doors. I would have to interpret this as being in it's own Crystal Sphere without other planets, but with a sun. The only landmass more so than a planet would be Sigal and it would have the corresponding gates to the Outer Planes from the Outlands that surround the tower.
Sunday, 3 March 2024
Dnd Game 5e, March 3rd 2024 Findings
Okay I wanted to go over TWO things in the Warlock build for Hexblade
1. First for PACT WEAPON - This is a Warlock's PACT BOON ability. If you choose PACT OF THE BLADE you get the ability to summon the FORM of a weapon to your hand. PG107
"Each PACT BOON option produces a special creature of an object that reflects your PATRONS nature." PG 108 // "If your PATRON is an Archfey, your weapon might be a slender blade wrapped in leafy vines."
[SUB] --> "You can transform one MAGIC weapon into your pact weapon by performing a special ritual while you hold the weapon." PG 108 PHB
2. ** OTHERWORLDY PATRONS: (Xanthars Guide To Everything PG 54 ** --> "At 1st level, a warlock gains the Otherworldy Patron feature. The following options are available to a warlock, in addition to those offered in the Player's Handbook. THE CELESTIAL and THE HEXBLADE."
After choosing to make pact with a mysterious entity from the Shadowfell PG 55. You've chosen the HEXBLADE AS your PATRON! ---> Hence you get the ability HEX WARRIOR PG 55. "The influence of your patron also allows you to mystically channel your will through A PARTICULAR WEAPON (Real weapon, not a pact weapon manifested to resemble a weapon). When you finish a long rest, you can touch one weapon that you are proficient with and that LACKS THE TWO-HANDED property. WHEN you attack with that weapon, you can use your CHARISMA modifier, instead of your Strength or Dexterity for the attack and damage rolls.
[DM] --> You MUST have the HEXBLADE (Aka, made a pact with a creature from the Shadowfell) as your PATRON to use this ability (HEX WARRIOR) for CHARISMA on your attacks and only on a real weapon NOT a pact weapon.
** OTHERWORLDY PATRONS: (Tasha's Cauldron of Everything PG 72 ** --> "At 1st level, a warlock gains the Otherworldy Patron feature, which offers you the choice of your subclass. The following options are available to you when making that choice: THE FATHOMLESS and THE GENIE."
[DM] --> BOTH, HEXBLADE and GENIE are otherworldy patrons and cannot be BOTH chosen. You are stacking abilities from BOTH.
Friday, 1 February 2019
The island of dawn
At a time when mass adventure in our campaign world is overshadowed by pre-published adventures and mass story lines, we shift off to basic old school adventure on an isle somewhere in the far south of the western ocean. An island of simple times and simple people, who still live in small towns far removed from the demonic hordes that overrun the main lands.
The sun shines high above in blue skies full of thick white clouds down onto grassy fields of wildflowers and tall multicolored white barked birch trees. This is the island of dawn, an island with quiet towns, a mass forest at it's centre, mountains on it's eastern shores and meadows on it's western cliffs. The people deal more with the wild than with monsters as wolves seem to be a major problem here, though some gnolls have been spotted in the hills near town. Ancient ruins of places built here seem to pre-date the populace that inhabits the island now and still hold their secrets, as well as being a known location for accessing portals to the elemental plains.
Other than that, the island see's almost no outside visitors as it has no major merchants, no exports and no imports. The lumber, fishing, farming and mining done here are on a small scale and enough to make an honest living within it's communities. Ships rarely visit the port unless it's to purchase supplies and outsiders are rarely seen within town or stay for long. The quiet little island basically see's little change and that is where the adventure begins. . .
You are going to venture here to uncover the secrets hidden on this island and to places beyond that can only be reached from here. Along the way you will meet interesting people who can be allies or enemies. You will be a solver or problems, a hero where no one else rises to accept challenge. You will change the lives of everyone who lives here for better or worse and start your path into a larger world by taking on the title of adventurer.
Places of interest:
• The town of Slumberhaven
• The mages tower (ruins)
• The whitewood (forest)
• Copper Hills (hills)
• Eastwind Peaks (mountains)
• Breezefield (meadows)
• Echo Dens (caves)
• The Thicket (fields)
People of interest:
• Genevieve Gwendallen (Fighter/rogue) - Human mercenary
• Luc Girard (Barbarian) - Human lumberjack
• Anthond Waygrove (Ranger) Halfling scout
The sun shines high above in blue skies full of thick white clouds down onto grassy fields of wildflowers and tall multicolored white barked birch trees. This is the island of dawn, an island with quiet towns, a mass forest at it's centre, mountains on it's eastern shores and meadows on it's western cliffs. The people deal more with the wild than with monsters as wolves seem to be a major problem here, though some gnolls have been spotted in the hills near town. Ancient ruins of places built here seem to pre-date the populace that inhabits the island now and still hold their secrets, as well as being a known location for accessing portals to the elemental plains.
Other than that, the island see's almost no outside visitors as it has no major merchants, no exports and no imports. The lumber, fishing, farming and mining done here are on a small scale and enough to make an honest living within it's communities. Ships rarely visit the port unless it's to purchase supplies and outsiders are rarely seen within town or stay for long. The quiet little island basically see's little change and that is where the adventure begins. . .
You are going to venture here to uncover the secrets hidden on this island and to places beyond that can only be reached from here. Along the way you will meet interesting people who can be allies or enemies. You will be a solver or problems, a hero where no one else rises to accept challenge. You will change the lives of everyone who lives here for better or worse and start your path into a larger world by taking on the title of adventurer.
Places of interest:
• The town of Slumberhaven
• The mages tower (ruins)
• The whitewood (forest)
• Copper Hills (hills)
• Eastwind Peaks (mountains)
• Breezefield (meadows)
• Echo Dens (caves)
• The Thicket (fields)
People of interest:
• Genevieve Gwendallen (Fighter/rogue) - Human mercenary
• Luc Girard (Barbarian) - Human lumberjack
• Anthond Waygrove (Ranger) Halfling scout
Friday, 31 August 2018
DM Guidance
As a DM of 16 years this fall (2018) I have uncovered many things about running a game that may help others in learning to DM. There are too many tips and tricks blogs, web sites and famous people now on the band wagon giving advice and I did not want to do the same thing, so mine will have more of a twist on it. This will be more realistic guidance on how to run a successful game without the same generic quote answers.
Designing your game/encounter for the night
Your game is coming up and know full well that you won't be able to spend hours writing some extravagant story line for three to four hours of a game on Sunday night. So what's the best approach and what is the downside of spending hours writing for one game session?
Too much effort: In the beginning I used to write every detail, every outcome and how that one game will feed into the next and into the over all plot and plan way down the road. Here is why this is a bad idea. When you overwrite or over-plan you are basically writing a finished story. You have most likely read it over a few times and have been satisfied with the way you've now first experienced it and experienced it a second or third time. It is the same as reading a book or watching a movie, you've experienced the events and seen the outcome and it's time to move on.
Too vague: You also do not want to under plan by using just a concept of how the game will go. (Example) The PC's will go to town to do their town stuff then meet someone who wants something back at a cave and we'll throw cave monsters at them. Being too vague will show as your struggling to come up with places, people and plausible reasons for the adventure during the game. The cave will be a series of monsters and traps with no outstanding or memorable point. You will need to flip around the book to randomly generate things on the fly and have no answers to any questions.
Mid ground: The best approach IMO is to start with a set of points of where you think the PC's will go, who they will talk to, where the action will take place, and so forth and then spend what time you have putting effort into the parts that make up the highest feelings of immersion. (Example) Write out a tavern concept (this can be vague such as dive bar and high end merchant trade bar), the details need to be based around who they will interact with to create a memorable RPG encounter. How the staff look (details on uniforms and attitude), a three item menu with a unique item that only this place has and what makes the place unique (again a small quick detail, this requires no big backstory, in fact keep this vague to allow the PC's to speculate as to the significance of an item, a saying, or such in a bar). Also list one NPC by full name, race, and a basic background detail as somehow, someway (don't over plan) the PC's will come into contact with this person.
For the encounter part have general concepts of the site or what most rooms are like but work on one major even taking place there that they can experience, but don't write any outcomes. Let them determine the outcome by interacting with the environment you've created. (Example) If the encounter concept for the night is that in this cave there is a large wall holding back a mass amount of water for some unknown reason, you've made an intriguing point and someone will want to know why it's there. Come up with some ideas behind why it's there but nothing permanent, let the PC's discussion and their ideas on why its there be the actual answer. If someone breaks it, have a basic idea of how the flooding will add fun to the encounter such as by sweeping the PC's into a new area or pose a threat of being pushed off a cliff. Either way don't go overboard writing all details on the encounter, who built it and why, what happens 100% and don't go to vague as in just writing a wall holding water, but go in the middle and have some specific thing that happen if the wall is broken and if the PC's want to figure out more information on the glass wall such as putting a wizard in who can dispel it to flood the cave in care of emergency or maybe an old journal by a skeleton of the wizard who's plan this was years ago.
The idea is to have details your familiar with that are seamless when questioned about the people, places and things in the world but not have a completely written out story on how your encounter or event is going to go.
For more on UPM Gaming check out our Facebook Page, Twitter (https://twitter.com/upm_gaming) and YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/dean8880).
Designing your game/encounter for the night
Your game is coming up and know full well that you won't be able to spend hours writing some extravagant story line for three to four hours of a game on Sunday night. So what's the best approach and what is the downside of spending hours writing for one game session?
Too much effort: In the beginning I used to write every detail, every outcome and how that one game will feed into the next and into the over all plot and plan way down the road. Here is why this is a bad idea. When you overwrite or over-plan you are basically writing a finished story. You have most likely read it over a few times and have been satisfied with the way you've now first experienced it and experienced it a second or third time. It is the same as reading a book or watching a movie, you've experienced the events and seen the outcome and it's time to move on.
Too vague: You also do not want to under plan by using just a concept of how the game will go. (Example) The PC's will go to town to do their town stuff then meet someone who wants something back at a cave and we'll throw cave monsters at them. Being too vague will show as your struggling to come up with places, people and plausible reasons for the adventure during the game. The cave will be a series of monsters and traps with no outstanding or memorable point. You will need to flip around the book to randomly generate things on the fly and have no answers to any questions.
Mid ground: The best approach IMO is to start with a set of points of where you think the PC's will go, who they will talk to, where the action will take place, and so forth and then spend what time you have putting effort into the parts that make up the highest feelings of immersion. (Example) Write out a tavern concept (this can be vague such as dive bar and high end merchant trade bar), the details need to be based around who they will interact with to create a memorable RPG encounter. How the staff look (details on uniforms and attitude), a three item menu with a unique item that only this place has and what makes the place unique (again a small quick detail, this requires no big backstory, in fact keep this vague to allow the PC's to speculate as to the significance of an item, a saying, or such in a bar). Also list one NPC by full name, race, and a basic background detail as somehow, someway (don't over plan) the PC's will come into contact with this person.
For the encounter part have general concepts of the site or what most rooms are like but work on one major even taking place there that they can experience, but don't write any outcomes. Let them determine the outcome by interacting with the environment you've created. (Example) If the encounter concept for the night is that in this cave there is a large wall holding back a mass amount of water for some unknown reason, you've made an intriguing point and someone will want to know why it's there. Come up with some ideas behind why it's there but nothing permanent, let the PC's discussion and their ideas on why its there be the actual answer. If someone breaks it, have a basic idea of how the flooding will add fun to the encounter such as by sweeping the PC's into a new area or pose a threat of being pushed off a cliff. Either way don't go overboard writing all details on the encounter, who built it and why, what happens 100% and don't go to vague as in just writing a wall holding water, but go in the middle and have some specific thing that happen if the wall is broken and if the PC's want to figure out more information on the glass wall such as putting a wizard in who can dispel it to flood the cave in care of emergency or maybe an old journal by a skeleton of the wizard who's plan this was years ago.
The idea is to have details your familiar with that are seamless when questioned about the people, places and things in the world but not have a completely written out story on how your encounter or event is going to go.
For more on UPM Gaming check out our Facebook Page, Twitter (https://twitter.com/upm_gaming) and YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/dean8880).
Monday, 6 August 2018
Pathfinder Playtest - Character Creation
Building Penelope
*For the origins of Penelope and her party see The Cast
So I decided to build a character to see how the process goes for Pathfinder Playtest and what an exercise it is! It is no easy feat to build your character, the most cumbersome part of the process is what they call (or their version) of a proficiency bonus. In 5E it is a fixed number that goes up every few levels but stays the same throughout the game. However in Pathfinder Playtest it is not a fixed number, but based on how proficient you are, your level and changes for its interaction with each skill, ability, armor, weapon, etc, etc.
I have always loved the customization of Pathfinder and the Playtest has no shortage of that. I will try to give feedback about the parts I found to be very annoying such as the outrageous calculation for perception. Officially listed as this:
TAC makes no sense, as the paragraph is written word for word the same as AC. This must be typo. Why would the same score needed to hit you in armor vs needed to just touch you be the exact same formula with the same bonuses, etc?
Also skills are going to be horrible to change as your proficiency bonus goes up and down based on your level and other factors. You really need to pay attention to how much that bonus effects everything. When you level many things are going to change in numbers, which would be an amazing things on an excel sheet as it auto calculates, but by hand . . . oh my.
Okay the build
1 - Name (Penelope)
2 - Ancestry: For this I chose "Human" but further I chose the "Ulfen" Ethnicity. Although this is a core Pathfinder Ethnicity, I am familiar with the Ulfen who are basically a race of nord, northmen, classic vikings or light skinned, fur wearing warriors. Upon choosing this I wrote down the following. HP8, Size Medium, Speed 25ft. Ability Boosts Free/Free, Languages common + one. Traits human / humanoid and it grants an extra feat so I chose Unconventional Weaponry, which fits Penelope's unusual weapons she carries.
3 - Background: I chose warrior as it fits her best. Being the member of a tribe of warriors from the north at one point and now independent. Choosing warriors grants her the following. Ability boosts strength or con and free. Quick repair feat, and the warfare lore skill.
4 - Class: Here I choose barbarian as that is what she is. This comes with "Rage" which is very detailed as there are two pages of rage types and things to do with rage. For her "Totem" I chose "Fury" as I did not like the animal, dragon, giant, etc. The fury grants her an additional 1st level barbarian feat as well. Her physical damage resistance while raging through fury applies to "All" physical types of damage. For her barbarian feats at 1st (since I get two now) I chose "Sudden Charge" and "Raging Intimidation". Her barbarian key abilities are strength, and hp 12 + con. Proficiencies are in perception (expert). Saving throws - Fortitude (expert), Reflex (trained), and Will (expert). Weapons (trained) in all simple and martial weapons. Armor (trained) in all light and medium armor. Signature skills are Acrobatics, Athletics and Intimidation.
5 - Add ability scores: Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wiz 12, Cha 10. *How I got these are: All scores start at 10, then add in your proficiency bonus to your Ancestry Ability Boosts and Flaws (+2 str & +2 con), then add in your background ability boosts (+2 str, & +2 con), then add in your four free ability boosts (+2 str, +2 dex, +2 con, +2 wis), finally add in your One Class ability boost (+2 str).
6 - Apply your class: Basically at this point you total your hp from your Ancestry 8hp and your class 12 + con bonus (3) = 23 HP
7- Determine skill modifiers: This is where I had the hardest time and its very complex. Basically I added in Warfare lore (trained) skill from my background. My three skills + int mod (0) = 3 from my class (I choose as the book suggests my signature skills of Acrobatics, Athletics and Intimidation (trained). Also you would go through every skill and decide if its untrained (your level -2), trained (your level) or beyond. This I did not do, also keep in mind for example that these skills are categories of skills example. "Athletics" is the category name for the actual individual skills of: Break Grapple, Break Open, Climb, Grapple, High Jump, Long Jump, Shove, Swim, and Trip. These are all skills with actions associated to them.
8 - Buy Equipment: They start you with 150sp and the sp is the common currency. I like this much better than gold as its more realistic in what we've been told about the commoner and common goods all trading in silver. I picked up Penelope's Hide armor (20sp) as she wears hides (but I did not like it's -3 skill check penalty!), her trademark weapons Katana sword (20sp) and Battle Axe (12sp). Remember I took the feat Unconventional Weaponry which lets me take the Katana which is a Uncommon Martial weapon of which I am (trained) in.
9 - Details: Age 19, Alignment CN, AC 15 (10 + dex (1) + 1 (trained) +3 armor bonus, TAC 15 *There is no difference in AC and TAC as the paragraph is identical in the book, this must be a typo. Bulk (didn't bother to fill in her carried gear weight yet), Deity (nor choose her god), Gender is female, Hero Points 1 (which everyone gets at start of game to a max 3), Melee strikes +5 (Proficiency +1 trained, +4 str). Damage - Katana - 1d8+4 and Battle Axe - 1d8+4 (weapon damage + str). Perception +3 (Proficiency +2 expert, +1 wis bonus). Resonace Points 1 (which is how many magic items you can have?). Saving throws Fort +5, Will +2, Ref +3 (+2 expert in fort +3 con, +1 trained in will +1 wis, and +2 expert in reflex +1 dex).
I will show this all on a filled in character sheet where is looks a lot nicer and is not as confusing. The sheets (3 pages) do make it more clear. This is just a quick build (did take me approx hour to hour and a half to do my first time).
*For the origins of Penelope and her party see The Cast
So I decided to build a character to see how the process goes for Pathfinder Playtest and what an exercise it is! It is no easy feat to build your character, the most cumbersome part of the process is what they call (or their version) of a proficiency bonus. In 5E it is a fixed number that goes up every few levels but stays the same throughout the game. However in Pathfinder Playtest it is not a fixed number, but based on how proficient you are, your level and changes for its interaction with each skill, ability, armor, weapon, etc, etc.
I have always loved the customization of Pathfinder and the Playtest has no shortage of that. I will try to give feedback about the parts I found to be very annoying such as the outrageous calculation for perception. Officially listed as this:
Perception modifier = wisdom modifier + perception proficiency modifier + circumstance bonus + conditional bonus + item bonus + circumstance penalty + conditional penalty + item penalty + untyped penalties.
You have to be out of your mind if that has to be calculated on the fly each time the PC needs to perceive something.TAC makes no sense, as the paragraph is written word for word the same as AC. This must be typo. Why would the same score needed to hit you in armor vs needed to just touch you be the exact same formula with the same bonuses, etc?
Also skills are going to be horrible to change as your proficiency bonus goes up and down based on your level and other factors. You really need to pay attention to how much that bonus effects everything. When you level many things are going to change in numbers, which would be an amazing things on an excel sheet as it auto calculates, but by hand . . . oh my.
Okay the build
1 - Name (Penelope)
2 - Ancestry: For this I chose "Human" but further I chose the "Ulfen" Ethnicity. Although this is a core Pathfinder Ethnicity, I am familiar with the Ulfen who are basically a race of nord, northmen, classic vikings or light skinned, fur wearing warriors. Upon choosing this I wrote down the following. HP8, Size Medium, Speed 25ft. Ability Boosts Free/Free, Languages common + one. Traits human / humanoid and it grants an extra feat so I chose Unconventional Weaponry, which fits Penelope's unusual weapons she carries.
3 - Background: I chose warrior as it fits her best. Being the member of a tribe of warriors from the north at one point and now independent. Choosing warriors grants her the following. Ability boosts strength or con and free. Quick repair feat, and the warfare lore skill.
4 - Class: Here I choose barbarian as that is what she is. This comes with "Rage" which is very detailed as there are two pages of rage types and things to do with rage. For her "Totem" I chose "Fury" as I did not like the animal, dragon, giant, etc. The fury grants her an additional 1st level barbarian feat as well. Her physical damage resistance while raging through fury applies to "All" physical types of damage. For her barbarian feats at 1st (since I get two now) I chose "Sudden Charge" and "Raging Intimidation". Her barbarian key abilities are strength, and hp 12 + con. Proficiencies are in perception (expert). Saving throws - Fortitude (expert), Reflex (trained), and Will (expert). Weapons (trained) in all simple and martial weapons. Armor (trained) in all light and medium armor. Signature skills are Acrobatics, Athletics and Intimidation.
5 - Add ability scores: Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wiz 12, Cha 10. *How I got these are: All scores start at 10, then add in your proficiency bonus to your Ancestry Ability Boosts and Flaws (+2 str & +2 con), then add in your background ability boosts (+2 str, & +2 con), then add in your four free ability boosts (+2 str, +2 dex, +2 con, +2 wis), finally add in your One Class ability boost (+2 str).
6 - Apply your class: Basically at this point you total your hp from your Ancestry 8hp and your class 12 + con bonus (3) = 23 HP
7- Determine skill modifiers: This is where I had the hardest time and its very complex. Basically I added in Warfare lore (trained) skill from my background. My three skills + int mod (0) = 3 from my class (I choose as the book suggests my signature skills of Acrobatics, Athletics and Intimidation (trained). Also you would go through every skill and decide if its untrained (your level -2), trained (your level) or beyond. This I did not do, also keep in mind for example that these skills are categories of skills example. "Athletics" is the category name for the actual individual skills of: Break Grapple, Break Open, Climb, Grapple, High Jump, Long Jump, Shove, Swim, and Trip. These are all skills with actions associated to them.
8 - Buy Equipment: They start you with 150sp and the sp is the common currency. I like this much better than gold as its more realistic in what we've been told about the commoner and common goods all trading in silver. I picked up Penelope's Hide armor (20sp) as she wears hides (but I did not like it's -3 skill check penalty!), her trademark weapons Katana sword (20sp) and Battle Axe (12sp). Remember I took the feat Unconventional Weaponry which lets me take the Katana which is a Uncommon Martial weapon of which I am (trained) in.
9 - Details: Age 19, Alignment CN, AC 15 (10 + dex (1) + 1 (trained) +3 armor bonus, TAC 15 *There is no difference in AC and TAC as the paragraph is identical in the book, this must be a typo. Bulk (didn't bother to fill in her carried gear weight yet), Deity (nor choose her god), Gender is female, Hero Points 1 (which everyone gets at start of game to a max 3), Melee strikes +5 (Proficiency +1 trained, +4 str). Damage - Katana - 1d8+4 and Battle Axe - 1d8+4 (weapon damage + str). Perception +3 (Proficiency +2 expert, +1 wis bonus). Resonace Points 1 (which is how many magic items you can have?). Saving throws Fort +5, Will +2, Ref +3 (+2 expert in fort +3 con, +1 trained in will +1 wis, and +2 expert in reflex +1 dex).
I will show this all on a filled in character sheet where is looks a lot nicer and is not as confusing. The sheets (3 pages) do make it more clear. This is just a quick build (did take me approx hour to hour and a half to do my first time).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)