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Nessus posted:I think that in a vacuum you'd definitely prefer Anarchs to Camarilla, but a specific set of personal interests or differences in the local scene might change your mind. And you also might have made your decision 46 years ago, and now things are... changing.
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Feb 6, 2024 19:45
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Fivemarks posted:That said, excessive Shackling can be slavery, and it's a fuzzy gray area- NHP's need to be shackled and cycled to be able to operate on the same scale and frame as humans, but if you do it too much it gets horrible for them as a person, but if you don't do it enough its also horrible for them as a person. I mean, objectively, forcing someone to fit into a box they are not meant to fit into is harmful. There's a reason NHPs go nuts if that shackling slips off even slightly. There's literally a mechanic in the game where an NHP in your mech can do that, take over your mech, and act out its true nature like an Eva. Putting a being that does not think, act, or exist like a human into a vaguely-human shape can't be good for them. The fact that NHPs are usually friendly and act in beneficial ways towards other people isn't necessarily a sign that they like this state of being. They might, and the unshackling is just forcing them back into instinctual drives they don't want. Or they might be constantly And I Must Screaming their way through their shackling. It's hard to tell and Lancer gives no straight answers on this.
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Feb 7, 2024 00:30
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Mecha_Face posted:Ya know, I was just thinking yesterday about how easily the SSC Emperor could be reskinned into Sage from FFXIV. So there's that. The G&S Volk would make a great Crinos form werewolf, too. I've often heard one of the uratha in full Crinos described as "fuzzy chainsaw mode". The Volk is based on the Big Bad Wolf and has literal chainsaw fingers, so... Yeah and the diffrent tribes could fit the diffrent frames and the other fera could be re fluffed as diffrent manufacturers. Ghost Armor 1337 fucked around with this message at 01:46 on Feb 7, 2024 |
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Feb 7, 2024 00:55
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  This part of the chapter opens with the best advice Lancer's book ever has: You can just reskin your mech into anything. In my campaign, one of the pilots was a setting-equivalent of a NHP. She really liked ramming things. So we took what was previously a ISP-N Lancaster belonging to another Lancer, converted it into a G&S Max as a size 2 dekotora-style truck, and just went ham with that. The Lancer fanbase is also filled with people drawing what they think their cool custom variant of a mech frame looks like, and they can offer some inspiration for some truly wild designs. None of this has any effect on gameplay. A mech on wheels still has the ability to move over any terrain, jump, climb, or even fly if they have the right equipment. It doesn't matter! Let your imagination run wild! Anyway, let's look at how mechs are structured in general. The basics of what make up a mech are its Frame. In this game, for all intents and purposes, think of a Frame as like a character class, almost. Instead of just being a collection of weapons and systems, the Frame is what makes an HA Sherman different from a GMS Everest. A mech's frame determines its default appearance (See paragraph above), size, and its role in a party. A Frame doesn't determine what a mech does in total, though. As we've discussed, mechs are very, very modular. A Frame just describes what a mech is BEST at. It does this with Frame Traits, which are abilities either active or passive totally unique to that Frame. Each mech also has a series of base stats, like HP and Heat Cap, which are modified by Mech Skills and/or Grit. A Frame also has a Core System. This is a piece of equipment or a system that is totally integrated with a Frame, and can never be destroyed, lost, or transferred to another mech. Generally, a Core System is split into two parts, a passive effect or integrated weapon and an active effect, though there's lots of exceptions. Generally, the passive or integrated weapon are something you can always use as part of your actions, but the active effect is referred to as a Core Power, of which you only have one per mission. These are incredibly powerful effects that function, more or less, as limit breaks. They're all bonkers. I mean that. In a game filled with overpowered bullshit, the Core Powers are almost uniformly the most bullshit things in the entire game. Now that we have a handle on what a frame is, let's talk about some of those base stats mentioned earlier. First, Size. Size is a measure of how large an object is on the battlefield.  Most mechs are size 1. These mechs usually are about 3 meters, or 10 feet tall, occupying a single hex of the same size. Above that, the exact sizes are not listed, but you can see the examples above for what it looks like to have that size on an actual map. Size 2 mechs are much larger, taking up two spaces on each side and a space above the one they're in. Whether they're tall, wide, or both, size 2 mechs are relatively common... And they're not much slower than size 1 mechs. In fact, some size 2 mechs are faster than any size 1. Much more rare are size 3 mechs, which take up three spaces on all sides, and are 3 spaces tall, making them truly massive machines. Size 1/2 mechs make up an extreme minority and are basically just really souped up powered exoskeletons, though they can still go toe to toe with the regular-sized ones. Finally, there's size 4, which I have never used in a campaign, but are generally the size of flying machines or small spaceships. Of course, if you scale up a battle, you'd scale up the size, too- In a battle between fleets, size 4 could very well instead be size 1. Second, Armor. It's pretty simple: All incoming damage, no matter the type, gets subtracted by the amount listed under the Frame's armor. This generally ranges from 1-4, with the latter being absurdly rare, but 1 and 3 are the most common you'll see. The only exception is the SSC White Witch, which is an incredibly meme-y mech that is almost guaranteed to make whoever is fighting it tear out their hair in frustration if they don't have any source of AP (armor piercing, which ignores armor entirely). Next, Mounts. Mounts carry weapons. You can never put systems on Mounts, they're just for weapons. Weirdly, most grenades or mines are systems, rather than weapons, which means Mounts can't even carry all weapons, but whatever! Each frame has a different number and different types of Mounts, and certain weapons can only go on certain Mounts. The following are the types of mounts:
Now for HP and Structure: When HP hits 0, your mech isn't destroyed. Instead, it loses one of its 4 points of Structure. When this happens, you have to make a special structure damage roll, which at LEAST results in having +1 DFF on all checks for the rest of the round, and at worst results in losing weapons or systems. And then any overflow damage is still applied to your new point of Structure: if you get hit with 15 points of damage, and you have 10 HP, you now have lost a point of Structure and you're at half HP in the next point. Even worse, if you lose multiple points of Structure in one attack, you have a small chance of your mech being instantly destroyed! That possibility aside, once you reach 0 structure, your mech is destroyed anyway, no Structure roll required. Your mech Frame has a Base HP, to which you add Grit. You also get +2 HP for every point of Hull you have. Your mech has SP, too, which you need to attach Systems to your mech. The book describes this as spending the SP, but it's more like an inventory with limited spaces, and each System takes up a specific amount of that space. To describe them in a simple manner, Systems are like special abilities or equipment you plug into your mech. They run the gamut from physical riot shields to drones to hacks, and they are just as important to your mech as its weapons. The formula for your total SP is the Frame's base SP + Grit + 1 for every two points of Systems. Repair Cap: Repairs are spent to heal, more or less, and while most mechs can only use these on themselves, some Frames can use their own or other mechs' repair caps to heal someone else. It's a great resource to have: Just one repair puts you at full HP in your current point of Structure. You can also use them to fix points of Structure Damage or Reactor Stress - 2 Repairs for one point of each, or to repair damaged weapons and systems, at the price of 1 each. And finally, for a whopping 4 repairs, you can fix a destroyed mech to full HP at one Structure and one Stress, with all destroyed weapons and systems still unusable. You get your Frame's base Repair Cap + 1 for every two points of Hull, so ironically players who want to be Healers end up pretty tanky, especially since all the 'healer' mechs are really hard to kill for one reason or another in the first place. Heat Cap: Your mech can take heat from tech attacks, but most often it takes heat from its own weapons and systems. If it takes more than its heat cap, the mech overheats as its reactor struggles to shed the excess waste. Just like with HP and Structure, there's a special roll you make when this happens, and it does indeed have a very low chance of making your mech go boom, but in a much more spectacular fashion than with Structure. However, unlike HP damage, heat doesn't overflow. When you take Stress, Heat is reset to 0, period. So it can be worth it to intentionally use something that generates incredible heat if you're fine with taking Stress from it. Hell, some mechs LOVE playing it dangerous. When you're at half or more heat, you're in the DAAAAANGER ZOOOOONE and many mechs get powered up by being in this state. Heat Cap is your Mech's base Heat Cap, +1 for every point of Engineering. Speed: The amount of hexes your mech can go when you move or Boost (basically the Dash action). Frame's base Speed + 1 every two points of Agility. Sensors: Your mech's Sensors is how far it can detect enemies or use techs. It's generally pretty high for Tech-y mechs, and pretty low for mechs that are more smash-y. If a character is within your Sensors, and isn't Hiding, you know they're there; facing and cover do not matter. However, you can only attack enemies that are outside your Sensors if they're within an ally's Sensors. Tech Attack: This is added to your Tech Attacks instead of Grit. It's your Mech's base Tech Attack + 1 for every point of Systems. Evasion: How hard it is for your mech to be hit by any ranged or melee attack. It's your Frame's base Evasion + 1 for every point of Agility. E-Defense: I haven't mentioned this yet, but E-Defense is specifically your mech's resistance to being hacked, acting as Evasion when you're being tech'd at or when attacked by a weapon with the Smart tag. Frame base E-Defense + 1 for every point of Systems. Save Target: Basically, your save DC. It's what another mech has to roll at or over to resist you doing terrible things to them. It's your Frame's base Save Target + Grit. If all of this is overwhelming, that's okay! We'll be taking a look at the GMS Everest, so you can see how it all comes together yourself. One more thing that's not mentioned here, though: Some weapons and Systems have the Limited tag, meaning they can only be used the listed number of times before you're dry. For every two points of Engineering, you get a bonus +1 to that number, which is really helpful. Finally, we'll wrap this part up by talking about Core Bonuses and Talents. For every three Licenses you get in mechs of particular Corp, you get to use one of that Corp's Core Bonuses: Extremely powerful permanent upgrades that get applied to any Frame you use while you have that Core Bonus, even if the Frame is from a different Corp. You get a new one every three LLs, but keep in mind that if you don't have three Licenses in a Corp, you can't get a Core Bonus from that Corp. So, let's say you are LL6, and you have three LLs in IPS-Northstar mechs, because you have good taste. You could get the Formorian Frame Core Bonus, increasing your mech's size and making you immune to being pulled, pushed, or knocked prone by smaller mechs. You have two LLs in Harrison Armory mechs, and one in a Horus mech. I have no idea what your build is here but it's probably cool as hell. Sadly, while you qualify for another Core Bonus, you actually can't take another one in either HA, HORUS, or IPS-N. You can take a GMS Core Bonus though, which is still good! You can change out your Core Bonuses for others that you qualify for after a Mission, if you feel your build isn't going the way you want. Talents are more on the Pilot side, though they don't apply when you're on foot. They're Mech Talents, after all. Each Talent is sort of like a Feat in D&D: it either enhances what you can already do, or gives you a new action you can perform in a Mech. For example, Duelist gives you +1 ACC on your first melee attack in your turn, while Heavy Gunner gives you the Covering Fire Quick Action: Allowing you to punish mechs that try to move with PAIN. Talents have three ranks, and each one gets progressively stronger, giving more passive bonuses or adding to the action the Talent gives you. Just like Core Bonuses, you can swap out Talents after a Mission is over. How do you totally change a Lancer's entire muscle memory and knowledge base? Who knows, who cares, it's cool, which is most of Lancer's philosophy in a nutshell.  So, let's talk about the first mech any Lancer will use. There's three other mechs, as I mentioned before, you can conceivably start with that I know of, but I'll save the other three for when we actually start listing mech Frames. Here's what the book has to say about the GMS SP-I Everest: Lancer posted:Most humans don’t think to ask about the history of the water they drink, the earth they walk, or the air they breathe. And yet, without water, earth, and air, there would be nowhere for humanity to make a home. Well, that's a thing. The game isn't really kidding, though. The Everest is - Well, I'll let it speak for itself.  presented in night mode so you don't die sorry if the grey text is uncomfortable it's better than the alternative So what do we have here? The Everest is basically the Mario of Lancer. It's very well rounded, good all around, with no real weaknesses. It has no armor, but that's fine, because 10 Base HP goes a long way. A Save Target of 10 is solid, if not spectacular, and a Sensors of 10 means it'll be aware of almost everything it needs to be, and if it isn't enough, an Ally can help with that. Repair Cap of 5 is great for a mech not focused on healing, especially since the Replaceable Parts trait allows it to use less for more. Evasion and E-Defense of 8 is okay, but also pretty standard. No tech attack bonus, but no penalty, either, and with a base SP of 6 it can mount some good stuff even without much in the way of Systems. It has enough Mounts to get and use basically any weapon in the game that's not Integrated, so it has unparalleled flexibility. Speed 4 before Agility is below average, actually pretty slow, but that's more to make up for the fact that the Everest excels at one thing: Action Economy abuse. Initiative allows the Everest to get a free quick action per scene, which is to say, per-encounter. This lets them pour on extra damage at opportune times, especially good for activating Talents like Gunslinger - which require you to do a certain thing six times before you get a massive payoff. And its Core Power is the epitome of Boring But Practical, as it just straight up gives you +1 ACC to everything, and lets you Boost every turn without using a quick action to do so. That's enormous. To go into some things we haven't talked about yet, this means an Everest can use a quick action to attack, use a FREE quick action to attack again, then use their remaining quick action to Boost... Then Boost again using the Hyperspec Fuel Injector... Then Overcharge to Boost AGAIN. So, along with their normal movement, the Everest can potentially move four times in one turn without having to give up their full two attacks, and that's not even using up their reaction! Alternatively, the Everest can use its full attack action, attack again with Initiative, then overcharge and attack a FOURTH time, and still be able to move twice! There's a reason the Everest is an amazing piece of machinery. There's a reason one of my players refuses to leave it, even at the last mission of the entire campaign coming up. It might be boring, but it's PRACTICAL, and it's no small wonder the Everest has the reputation it does in-universe. It deserves that reputation, and it remains a mech greater than the sum of its parts. Keep in mind, all these is before you start applying the Talents and Mech Skills you have at character creation. The Everest is a total beast, and only gets stronger. Because its stats are all so baseline, it also makes a great starting Frame for newbies, as it gives a good idea of what the average is for every single stat, with some better than others... And thus, a good way to show how all this comes together. Next time, we'll look a bit more into how combat actually works. But first: sadly, there's no art of the Everest in the book, but COMP/CON has some nice spritework for some options if you want:  Pixel art by Retrograde Minis, whom can be found here or on Twitter If you like being in hell. Mecha_Face fucked around with this message at 03:42 on Feb 25, 2024 |
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Feb 7, 2024 02:50
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Barudak posted:
The comedic tone of your FnFs is what I shall always aspire to emulate 
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Feb 7, 2024 08:29
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Whirling posted:hell yeah, lets go, delta green owns God's Teeth is about the bleakest rpg book I've read in a very long while. Delta Green is nihilistic most of the time, but that book goes above and beyond.
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Feb 7, 2024 10:19
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  Chapter 13: Gods & Monsters, Part 2 The rest of the monsters in the bestiary are mostly individual entries, with only a few grouped together by theme like we saw with the gods and dinosaurs. A recurring element I’ve noticed and criticism I have among the real-world animals are misspellings in the scientific names. For example, the Knucklecrown has “Uintotherium” in parentheses, when the proper spelling has no “o” but an “a.” Or in the prior post, the Littlesnap in the sourcebook has the parenthetical name “Euparkaria,” when in fact the second to last “a” is supposed to be an e: “euparkeria.” It’s not constant, but happens enough that it does throw me off when I look up the actual name and accompanying Wikipedia article to link. Dire Sloths are inhabitants of Planegea’s many grasslands, being basically bigger versions of the non-dire animal. Some clans have used their size as lookout points, as they don’t react negatively to humanoids who approach them cautiously and non-aggressively. Pixies often live on them in a symbiotic relationship, sheltering among its thick fur while using their magical powers to alert the sloth to danger. It is a CR 5 monster that can attack with claws and has excellent 120 foot darkvision. Its climbing and walking speeds are a pitiful 15 feet each, but can double them for an hour in exchange for taking 3 levels of Exhaustion at the end of that hour. Ghost Monkeys are malevolent spirits of primates in the Venom Abyss that look like transparent howler monkeys. They are the accidental result of when such animals come too close to portals to the Nightmare World, where rituals of the dread elves turn them into undead as a byproduct of their dark magic. The monster is an incorporeal flying undead that can see into the Ethereal Plane, and has a large variety of resistances and immunities to various damage types and conditions. Its primary means of attack are throwing phantasmal objects or using its natural attacks, all of which deal necrotic damage, or a rechargeable howl that has the effects of an AoE Confusion spell in a 60 foot radius. This can make them pretty deadly opponents in confined quarters, as they can effortlessly swoop in, howl, then use incorporeal movement to retreat while PCs deal with the effects of their confused party members. The Giant Armadillo may be a prey animal, but its sheer size, strength, and sturdy shell mean that most predators don’t attack it in favor of easier prey. Many hunters prize their shell for its various uses from armor to shelter as hard tents, and it’s a bit of a status symbol for those who manage to claim it. The armadillos also have a hatred of tents and other signs of mortal civilization, and will often barrel into villages and wreck everything in sight. As a monster, they are an elephant-sized (Huge) CR 8 beast with a variety of natural weapons which can deal more damage when charging, but due to its clumsy nature it is also restrained if it ever has the prone condition. Glunch (both singular and plural) are reptilian humanoids who live in the Ghostmire and mastered the ability to speak the languages of all manner of bugs. They also know of various ways to ward off hostile spirits in the area, where they imbue magic into everyday objects that can be used to guard against and even capture ghosts and similar undead. Their main fear are fungi of all kinds, for to hear it from their ancestral ghosts they once had something to do with the Temple of the Mushroom Lord, during which time there people were psionically enthralled to fungal beings. Glunch have two stat blocks. The regular kind is a CR ½ creature who can fight with poisonous spines in addition to manufactured weapons, can communicate with all manner of bugs and bug-like creatures, have advantage on ability checks and saves when interacting with undead, and can hide as a bonus action and get bonuses on Stealth checks when hiding in swampy terrain. A Glunch Manylegs Rider is a stronger version of the base creature, where in addition to higher general stats also has a lance weapon and a blowgun with paralytic toxins. The Multiattack entry mentions it has a shortsword attack, but such a weapon isn’t included among its attacks. The Glunch sound cool enough to be a PC race, as in their description they don’t seem to be wicked or hostile like the giants, being described more as guarded and slow to interact with outsiders rather than violently xenophobic. Their stats list them as evil-aligned, which feels odd as unlike the other evil monsters in this chapter there’s nothing about their flavor text that indicates this. Horse-Apes are a common sight in druid groves and the dwellings of treants, the latter of whom actually gifted them with intelligence to make use of their physical abilities. They have a language they can speak among themselves and graze on fruit and grass of the forests. Horse-Apes were bred to develop an instinctual fear of fire, and even the slightest hint of it is enough to send them into a violent frenzy. As a monster Horse-Apes are monstrosities and not beasts, are CR 2, and like apes can fight with either their fists or a ranged thrown rock. When they sense fire or smoke within 60 feet, they go into a Barbarian-like rage that makes them better in melee but suffers disadvantage on mental saving throws. Iramuk spend almost all their lives by themselves, traveling across the breadth of Planegea to graze upon enough food to sustain their great sizes. They tend to travel the same seasonal migrations and are non-aggressive, and it’s common for people to paint and dye them as a sort of mobile canvas. A few spellskins have have developed the tradition of painting spells on the animal’s sides as a means of spreading magical knowledge. The fact that they often flatten the paths they travel along gives rise to a sort of prehistoric network of “roads,” where clans use their traveled paths as a means of speedy and safe travel routes with minimal chances of getting lost. As a monster the Iramuk is pretty simple. A big, Gargantuan CR 7 beast who fights with a neck and stomp multiattack, the former of which can knock a target prone, and they ignore movement penalties from difficult terrain. When moving through certain types of such terrain, they make it simple due to crushing/moving aside snow, debris, overgrowth, and the like.  Kelodhrosians are shapechangers native to the Venom Abyss. They have only existed for several generations, making them newcomers to the world of Planegea, and in their basic unevolved state they look like pale hairless humanoids with near-featureless faces and shiny blue eyes. We have general descriptions for the six major castes of Keoldhrosian society along with nine stat blocks ranging from CR ⅛ to 12. The Unembraced are the weakest, being little more than Medium-sized kobolds in terms of stats and emphasis on tactics that inconvenience enemies such as poison darts and nets. Aspecters are the next caste up, when a Kelodhrosian has Embraced one or two victims and have a few alterations to their bodies: Aspector Warriors are stronger versions of Unembraced with an unconventional movement speed and one or more natural weapon types, including a claw attack that can cause bleeding or an acid spit ranged attack. An Aspecter Mystic, meanwhile, has minor sorcerer spellcasting capabilities along with one of three general magical attack types. Kelodhrosian Priests come in two varieties: hybrid priests borrow aspects from many different kinds of victims, while monoform priests prefer Embracing a single or narrow type of creature so as to better become a flawless version of that being. Monoform priests aren’t a specific stat block so much as a template that can be applied to just about any creature type, turning it into a Monstrosity, making its eyes blue, and can speak Kelodhrosian. Hybrid priests come in warrior and mystic varieties like Aspecters, basically being stronger versions of those stat blocks but with some newer, more powerful abilities like +1d8 damage with weapon attacks for a warrior or the mystic being able to “multiattack” with magical damaging effects. Archpriests are the rulers of Kelodhrosian society, having taken on so many forms that almost nothing remains of their original shapes. Once again they’re “improved stat blocks” of the lower castes, but for truly new things the warriors get partial magic resistance where they have a 50% to succeed on a failed save vs a spell effect, while mystics have a paralyzing gaze attack. The last two Kelodhrosian stat blocks represent individuals who have unconventional roles to fulfill in their society. Lost Souls are those who attempted and failed to Embrace a creature whose power is beyond them, and thus can take many forms but the base stat block is a hulking Huge CR 12 creature specializing in various melee attacks with different debuffs such as armor-rending claws or movement-reducing tendrils, and being within 30 feet of it forces a Wisdom save or a target becomes temporarily mad as they’re afflicted with a Confusion-like effect. The Infiltrator is a priest who only Embraces humanoids so as to better walk among and infiltrate other cultures. Infiltrators are the most common type encountered outside the Venom Abyss, and can be summed up as CR 2 doppelgangers who can’t read minds and deal less damage. Strangely, they have the Aberration type, unlike the rest of their kin which have Monstrosity. I’m not sure why they’re the odd Kelodhrosian out; it would make more sense IMO for the Lost Soul to be an Aberration IMO. The hippo-like Knucklecrown is known for being one of the dumbest beings on Planegea. So dumb in fact you can feel the author’s contempt for the creature seeping in through the descriptive text. Here’s just a few samples: quote:There isn’t a beast in all of Planegea with a greater reputation for sheer stupidity than the lumbering knucklecrown. These heavyset, four-legged beasts are commonly domesticated by clans—an easy task given that even a young child can out-think a full-grown bull. Man, what did knucklecrowns ever do to you?! The sole real skill that Knucklecrowns have is their ability to stumble upon portals to Nod. The many defensive illusions and concealments don’t work on their simple minds, so they can be trained to sniff for plants that grow only in the fey realms as a means to find them. Statwise knucklecrowns are CR 2 animals that have your typical charge-based prone-inducing melee attacks. They also have advantage on saves vs being frightened, albeit their 9 Wisdom means there’s still a fair chance for them to be so affected. A Lapiscat is a big feline that prowls the areas between the World of Dreams and the rest of Planegea. They are our only fey creature in this bestiary, and as they can cast the Dream spell twice per day they are favored messengers by fey. Their presence in the area usually means that a portal to Nod is nearby, and since like elves they don’t have to sleep they also make for potent sentries. They’re very much fragile ambush predators, being CR ½ and aren’t the sturdiest in a stand-up fight, but their various special abilities encourage them to make use of stealth and mobility. For example, they have a pounce attack that grants them a bonus bite attack when they knock a foe prone, deal 1d6 bonus psychic damage to creatures they used their Dream spell on, and their silent movement makes them overcome any Perception checks reliant upon sound. The Laughing Boar is a creature of random destruction, capable of running at great speeds for long periods. Their predatory instinct triggers whenever something runs away, and they will run and continue to run even as their muscles rip and bones break. They are willing to eat anything and everything, from animals, plants, and even soil and rocks, and their maws look like wicked smiles and they make sounds halfway between a squealing pig and laughing hyena. The Winter Gods and their minions are fond of the animals for their violently chaotic ways, often letting loose into the world after they’re given a taste of whatever beings the demons want to make life miserable for. Laughing boars are CR 4 monsters who are highly mobility-based: opportunity attacks suffer disadvantage against them, they deal additional damage and impose forced movement and the prone condition when attacking during a charge, and they automatically pursue any creature that moves at least 20 feet away from them (multiple qualifying creatures have them go after the closest). This last part is subconscious on the boar’s part and can be used to lure them into traps and other areas. Manylegs is a catchall term for bugs. Such animals have negative connotations in most cultures of Planegea, including even the giants, due to their love of filthy environments, spreading of disease, infesting living spaces with their itchy bites, and unlike mammals are seemingly emotionless and mindless. Giant manylegs are considered especially loathsome and dangerous, and while some can be domesticated people who do so are often viewed as strange and of possible ill intent. That being said, these animals are valued for their poisons and tough chitinous armor, so they do serve a needed societal need of sorts. Planegea provides us with 10 new beasts of buggy inclinations: to start things off, the Blind Death is a CR 6 giant worm that camouflages itself as a rotting log to ambush prey, and like giant anacondas have a grappling bite and constrict attack. Clawed Greatspiders are web-spinning creatures who live in coastal areas, feeding on fish and humanoids alike. They are CR 8 beings that are like giant spiders but with better stats and a Huge size. Dire Locusts once numbered in swarms great enough to cover the whole of Planegea, but for unknown reasons disappeared. Albeit some rumors claim they sleep in the dark reaches of the earth, waiting to awaken and consume the world. They are CR 3 creatures who have grappling mandibles and leg spikes, but can also create an AoE drone as a bonsu action that imposes disadvantage on Perception checks and risk falling prone whenever they’re hit by an attack.  Faku-Baz are a variety of manylegs that are intelligent and capable of speech, appearing like giant praying mantises with forelimbs possessing opposable thumbs. But their motives are inscrutable, they are Unaligned despite being sapient, and have no desire to make peace or interact with mortals. They are CR 6 monstrosities (not beasts) who have a language of their own as well as telepathy, minor spellcasting capabilities, some natural weapons (one of which can grapple and restrain), and like trolls regenerate hit points unless they take fire or acid damage. The Giant Millipede is an overall non-aggressive animal whose first instinct is to curl up in a defensive ball and spew out a cone of acidic bile, which can dissolve attackers which the millipede then feeds on. It’s a CR 2 enemy with an acidic bite, can assume a defensive curl reducing its movement and increasing its Armor Class, and has an AoE acidic spray attack. Ku-Zug are giant crabs and thus the most “agreeable” sort for mortals to domesticate. Many clans living near large bodies of water make use of them as mounts, and they are CR 2 creatures that can attack with grappling pincers and have antenna granting them blindsight which can be damaged and thus blinded if individually targeted. Longwings are giant flying insects who are harmless to adults but can lift children off the ground to eat later. In spite of their reputation as child-snatchers, many consider their appearance to be a good omen, “as long as there are no young ones in sight.” They are the weakest of the manyleg entries, being CR ¼ creatures who attack with claws and can grapple and fly away with Small and Tiny creatures and objects weighing less than 20 pounds. Salt spiders live camouflaged among salt deposits, waiting to ambush and attack such prey feeding upon these minerals. They are CR 1 and aren’t of the web-spinning variety, attack with a poison bite, barbed legs that can grapple, have advantage on Stealth to hide among salt deposits, and possess Pack Tactics. The Sea Scorpion is an aggressive predator, Large in size and is unafraid to fight merfolk and humanoids over caught prey. They are pretty sturdy CR 5 creatures with blindsight who can move as well on land as in water at 30 feet, and in addition to a grappling bite they have a poisonous sting that can paralyze a target who fails a Constitution save for up to 1 minute (new save can be made each round). The Squidshrimp is our final manylegs, attacking prey by latching onto it and clawing at it until it dies. They are simplistic in combat, being CR 2 and have grappling mandibles but can only breathe and move about underwater.  Simbakubwa is a larger cousin of the lion, and their appetites are so voracious that they unbalance the ecosystem of wherever they live. Simbakubwa are carrion eaters, and will often kill prey and leave it to rot for weeks before coming back to consume it. They are one of the few creatures that can unite warring clans, as starvation is a threat to all. Simbakubwa do enter a hibernation-like period during the night after eating their fill, where they retreat to caves where if they’re lucky enough to have a mate, have them watch over them while asleep. As a monster the Simbakubwa is CR 5 and yet another natural weapons beast with a charge/pounce attack that can knock a target prone.* Its major weakness is that when it’s full it has disadvantage on attacks and ability checks and moves at half speed, and this condition can only be erased when it takes a long rest. The book notes that unmated beasts are considered so vulnerable that some hunters consider it dishonorable to kill them. I mean, you can be all high and mighty, but when they’re considered an existential threat due to inevitable starvation I can’t see many people in Planegea adhering to such principles. It would be like people in a fantasy setting choosing not to kill plague rats with cats, mousetraps, or other efficient means and instead advocate killing them with hand-to-hand weapons. *Kind of getting repetitive now. The Stickymouth is a parasitic ooze that attaches itself to herbivores, where over time it gradually engulfs the animal and takes on its outer color and shape, not unlike a sheen of form-fitting plastic wrap. The poor herbivore’s internal body temperature is raised and its stomach is converted into a nutrient pouch for the ooze. The host then acts in a confused and delirious manner, and woe be to the hunter or predator who mistakes the animal for an easy kill! For the stickymouth is waiting for such beings to approach, only to attack them by surprise! This type of ooze’s existence is common knowledge in the Great Valley, so most people who see animals acting sick or erratic attack them at long range. It is theoretically possible for a stickymouth to infect a humanoid, and there are some rumors that a few clans engage in a sort of primitive biological warfare by infecting herd animals with the oozes and sending them into the lands of the Giant Empires. The outbreaks of plagues and insanity in some giant cities has given credence to such ponderings. In terms of stats the stickymouth is a CR 4 ooze who by itself is your typical slow-moving, low AC, dumb slime monster who attacks with poisonous pseudopods and a grappling “maw.” But its strength is when it infects a host creature, sharing its space, moving with it, gaining its senses, can transfer half the damage it takes to the host creature, and for onlookers they need to make an Insight and/or Medicine check to detect its presence.  Swordquills are giant horse-sized hedgehog-like animals who are a commonly domesticated species in the Great Valley. Their primary use by clans is as pest control, for they are willing to eat all manner of bugs, including the giant monstrous kinds that give experience points upon defeat. Their many varieties of quill colors are used in art and crafting, and can even be trained as an attack animal for hunting and warfare. A swordquill is a CR 1 animal who attacks with claws and spines, and any creature who touches or hits it in melee can take piercing damage if the swordquill desires this. This is a free action, not a reaction, so there’s no limit to how many creatures it can affect this way in a round. They also have a burrow speed, and their 13 AC decreases to 9 while prone. Terror Birds are vicious, flightless birds noted for their size, violent dispositions, and natural magical resistance. The animals are prone to attacking spellcasters first and foremost, as though they’re animated by something more than instinct. Orcs admire them for this and their otherwise fearless ways, interpreting this as a kind of instinctive anti-theism.* While they cannot be domesticated, terror birds are a favored target of orcish hunters who use their body parts as status symbols and for brewing magic-repelling potions. *Their ire isn’t just limited to divine spellcasters, so this is more the orcs imposing humanoid values on the animals. We have stat blocks for three different kinds of terror birds. Each of them have two unique abilities: Hatred of Magic grants them advantage for 1 round on attack rolls and +1d8 bonus damage against creatures it sees cast a spell within 100 feet, and whenever it fails a saving throw it has a 50% chance to succeed on the save instead. The andalgalornis is the smallest, standing a bit above an average adult human. It attacks with a stabbing beak and is a CR ¼ pack animal with Pack Tactics. The brontornis is even bigger, using sheer size and strength to smash prey as a CR 3 animal whose beak and claws can knock prone and restrain targets respectively. The kelenken is the biggest of all the terror birds, and its powerful legs can help it climb sheer surfaces and leap great distances (up to 30 feet long and 20 feet high) even from standing positions. They’re also CR 3, where their attacks don’t impose debuffs and their overall stat block is instead more mobility-focused.  Tricerataurs are descendants of an ancient civilization of humanoids who worshiped an evil triceratops-like god. Their ancestors lived in much of the Great Valley from a time before the rise of the Brother Clans, and over time they grew to resent their god’s cruel treatment. Their greatest shamans and warriors slew the god, feeding among his flesh to take the power for themselves. Sadly their liberation would not have a happy ending, for they became more like their god in body and disposition, becoming the tricerataurs of today. Now they occupy a position similar to drow in other settings: evil-aligned underground people who hate the sun, traffic in dark magic, and are as prone to fighting each other as they are outsiders. Tricerataurs are known for creating powerful magic weapons which invariably bear some kind of curse, usually driving its wearers to kill innocents in exchange for supposedly unlocking ever-greater powers. The tricerataur stat block is a CR 5 monstrosity, being closer to a minotaur in that they attack with mauls and a gore which deals extra damage on a charge. They have a Reckless ability much like the Barbarian’s Reckless Attack, and any weapon they wield is considered Cursed, meaning that struck targets can’t regain hit points until the start of the tricerataur’s next turn. They also have decent Stealth and Perception scores of +5 each, indicating that tricerataurs are eager to use subterfuge and ambush rather than just blindly charging into combat. Visitants are basically celestials, fiends, and other extraplanar beings reflavored to fit Planegea’s cosmology. But that doesn’t prevent the book from adding several new ones of its own. All of the new monsters here are Celestials and thus good-aligned, and the chapter goes into some detail of common traits among good-aligned visitants. They instinctively desire to live for and encourage positive behavior, albeit even among themselves celestials have different interpretations of how to best make the world a better place. There is a hierarchy of sorts among celestials, albeit the more powerful ones see themselves as caretakers and role models for their less powerful subordinates, and have no qualms against endangering their own lives to save their “lessers” from danger. We have seven celestial visitants: Glimmers are the smallest and weakest, appearing like sparks of light, being CR 0 creatures who are harmless flying beings who can heal 1 hit point of a target at which point they die. Notars are small winged beings who typically serve as messengers by embodying a single thought or feeling of their creator deity, and are incorporeal flying CR ¼ creatures who have a limited amount of minor spells, a twice per day song of healing, and only ever have one emotional state that cannot be altered. Choristers are a more powerful version of notars, having more nuanced and complex expressions of their single thoughts and feelings, and have the base abilities of a notar but with better stats, a wider variety of magic, and can fight back with ranged light-based attacks. Refractors are warriors made to use violence in carrying out the will of their creators, and as CR 1 beings have a variety of minor martial attacks such as the ability to materialize weapons which can deal more damage by exploding them in a Sundering Strike, or as a bonus action can turn their backs to a target and become invisible until they attack, cast a spell, or move. Emissaries can take on humanoid disguises and are thus entrusted with more subtle tasks requiring them to move among mortals. They are CR 2 beings with minor shapechanging features, can become ethereal at will, have a variety of defensive and beneficial spells, can heal by touch, and each has a unique message to deliver to a specific person. This message can be up to 1 minute in length, and they can then cast a spell of up to 9th level which their creator deity casts by using them as a conduit. Envoys are akin to elite Refractors, mighty warriors sent out when violence is inevitable, appearing not unlike towering angels.* Their stat block is heavily combat-based, such as a selective healing aura that heals creatures 1d8 hit points up to 20 feet away each round, can attack with a staff or ranged bolt both dealing radiant damage, can cause an AoE frighten effect as a “presence pulse,” a rechargeable single-target blinding light attack, and a few light and combat-focused spells such as Beacon of Hope, Dispel Magic, and Banishment. *But are still Medium size. Image Bearers are fashioned in the likeness of their creator god made to act as divine representatives, and are CR 6 creatures who have some offensive abilities but whose greatest features are less offensive, such as treating the area within 30 of them as a constant Hallow spell effect, or being able to cast Teleport once per day but can only take up to 5 willing creatures. Woolly Unicorns are not natural animal, but celestials who task themselves with acting as guardians over particular areas of Planegea, most of which are cold and lonely stretches of land like mountain peaks and tundras. It is said that the first of their kind was a god who voluntarily surrendered their divinity to better travel the world to fight evil. The woolly unicorn’s horn is the source of its powers, and spellskins and hunters with few scruples have been known to seek them out to kill them and harvest the horns for their magic. However, such an act is viewed with disdain by many, for woolly unicorns are vigilant defenders against fiends and other evils, and their spirits can haunt their killers long after their deaths in their nightmares. In terms of stats a Woolly Unicorn is a CR 13 creature who can attack with hooves and a horn, both of which are considered magical, and like a regular unicorn it has a healing touch and limited teleportation. They have a few innate spells such as Blinding Smite, Detect Evil and Good, and Heroism, and their legendary actions allow them to attack, heal themselves, or create an AoE blinding burst of radiant damage. Their lairs are often caverns beneath tundras and frozen lakes, in mountains, and in some cases repurposed lairs of evil creatures they slain. Woolly unicorns don’t have Lair Actions, but their lairs do have regional effects beneficial to good-aligned beings. Such as mists that can help them hide, being able to safely rest despite the surrounding weather, and having advantage on checks when using divination magic to locate evil creatures. NPCs is our final part of the chapter and is quite short, containing a half-dozen stat blocks for general Prehistoric archetypes. They’re all low-powered, ranging from CR ¼ to 4, and are more meant to be common types of people PCs may encounter when traveling to various settlements as opposed to significant figures in the adventure. Ancestors are friendly undead spirits who persist in a clan after death to serve as instructors to their descendents, and are basically weak incorporeal undead whose major feature is to give a single-use Guidance like effect on a willing creature, provided the Ancestor first succeeds on an Intelligence or Wisdom check to impart such knowledge. Hunters and Lead Hunters are CR ¼ and CR 2 warrior type NPCs who fight with spears or longbows. The Lead Hunter has two special Reactions where they can let allies they can see take the Hide action by spending their own Reactions, or a Hunting Shout that can grant +1d4 to an ally’s attack roll. Shamans and High Shamans are people tasked with attending to a clan’s spiritual needs, and high shamans are often favored agents by their god. Both of them have cleric spellcasting and a variety of stereotypical Cleric spells, and both have a Smite like ability where they can spend spell slots to deal bonus radiant damage on a weapon attack. The Sorcerer represents arcane spellcasters of that persuasion in clans who often use them as general “magic handymen” when a more specialized chanter or spellskin may not be around. They are CR 3 characters who can cast up to 3rd level spells and tend to have an emphasis on combat abilities such as Shield, Scorching Way, and Hold Person. Once per long rest they can use the Twinned Spell metamagic ability. Thoughts So Far: Like the first part of the bestiary, a good portion of the monsters here are animal-intellect beings, usually predators of some variety. While there is a bit of sameness in combat roles and abilities (so many charge and grapple attacks!), there are some clever individuals here and there like the parasitic Stickymouth ooze, the magic-hating Terror Birds, or the “all too easy to aggro” Laughing Boar. As for the more intelligent variety of monsters, they often have strong themes that also come with neat background details. Glunch are a clear means of adding a more “human” and tactical element to the Manylegs and other buglike monsters in giving them trainers and handlers, and their anti-undead crafting capabilities give PCs a good reason to seek them out in case they need to deal with a haunted dungeon or the like. The Tricerataur are rather simplistic in how they function in combat, but they make for a good means of adding cursed treasure and similar “evil” magical items in a campaign. The Kelodhrosians have a small smattering of alterable features to make them feel fresh even when using the otherwise same stat blocks, and the broad Monoform template can make just about any other monster or NPC archetype be a Kelodhrosian in disguise. Another good aspect of game design is the weaving of creature abilities into wider applications in the world beyond adventuring, such as the Lapiscat’s Dream spells making them used as long-distance messengers or the Iramuk’s slow yet unstoppable trodding along being used as primitive “roads” by clans. I have to give major props for this. Final Thoughts: It goes without saying that I love Planegea. Not only does it cover a concept that hasn’t really been done before among DnD publishers, the world it creates is chock full of interesting content suitable for a variety of campaign styles and adventures. It has a little bit of something for both players and DMs alike, and its ability to make a Prehistoric Fantasy setting feel not only plausible, but varied and in-depth, is a major accomplishment on the part of its creators. I thus highly recommend Planegea to anyone interested in seeing one of the most novel campaign settings to come about in recent years.
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 Joylessdivisions World of Dorkness Presents: The Succubus Club Part 7 Paper Chase conclusion Characters  Warren Sayles  Born into a devout Catholic family in Boston, Warren was always expected to join the priesthood. While in seminary, his teachers quickly recognized his mental gifts, and steered him towards the Jesuits. What his teachers didn’t see was Warren’s obsessive nature, verging on pathology. While his strong mindedness and determination were admirable traits according to the Jesuits, Sayles carried these to extremes. Once he’d set his mind to a task, it was impossible to sway him. His incredible aptitude for linguistics earned him entry into a meeting with the Society of Leopold and a group of Jesuit scholars. The meeting was meant to gain all the syntactic and contextual information from a newly discovered fragment of the Book of Nod. Discovering that Vampires walked the earth, Sayles decided his life's purpose was to destroy these creatures of the devil, and quickly grew disgusted and angry with the attitude displayed by his superiors; slow movement and study, not swift and deliberate attack. Sayles, however, met someone who agreed with him, Alberto Tomba, personal secretary to one of the members of the Society delegation. This meeting of kindred spirits (ha) embolden both men, and they left their respective orders to pursue their mission of ridding the world of the Kindred menace. Since 1983 when they met, they have traveled across North America and Europe, seeking, and destroying Kindred wherever they found them. Both are smart and cautious. Sayles is patient, despite his obsession and insists on confirming his target’s “Guilt” before making a move. Master: None Nature: Fanatic Demeanor: Judge Age: 38 Image: Handsome with short black hair and black eyes. Always dressed conservatively and seems friendly and outgoing, but anyone with empathy can peg this as an act. Roleplaying Hints: Take a moment before saying anything. Be extremely serious, unless it's in your best interest to feign emotion. Alberto Tomba  With a background like his associate, Tomba was born in Palermo, Italy, and became an applicant to the Jesuits in Rome. While Sayles is cold and controlled, Tomba is a man of strong emotion, impatience, and temper. While his Jesuit training has helped him suppress these tendencies, they come out under pressure. Tomba is a specialist in art history, and has worked closely with Jesuit historians, eventually becoming the personal assistant to a Portuguese brother named Alvito, whose focus was on seeking forgeries in the Jesuits extensive collection. This was when Tomba learned how to spot and create forgeries. Everything was going hunky-dory for Tomba until he was attacked by a Malkavian in 1981, though his faith was such that he was able to repel the Kindred. But he doesn’t have True Faith for some reason? At the time the Society of Leopold was recruiting from other orders, selecting those who had survived encounters with the Kindred. (This was a controversial policy that was abandoned quickly for various bureaucratic reasons.) Tomba was given an invitation to join, and he did, serving the society for several years faithfully until meeting Sayles. Though he left the Society, he still has many contacts within it, mostly younger members like himself, who occasionally funnel money or logistical support to him. While most of their methods were devised by Sayles, Tomba was the one to think up the McGuffin, created it and forged the Certificate of Providence. He is a man of fiery emotions short patience (so an Italian, waka waka), though Sayles has acted as a moderating influence on him. Master: None Nature: Survivor Demeanor: Cavalier Age: 42 Image: a bull-necked man with curly black hair, usually dressed to conceal his size. Roleplaying Hints: Speak little, you’re a man of action rather than words, though you are highly intelligent. When you do speak, you have a slight Italian accent, and you let your impatience and anger come through in your voice. Aftermath The McGuffin and the forged certificate are in Tomba’s briefcase. If the players defeat them, they may find it. What they do with it is up to them. If they believe it to be real, they can read it for its comments on Golconda. While the language used feels right, and the correct terminology is present, there is nothing of actual value to be gained from the document. If the players decide to depend on what they’ve learned from the document, ST’s can feel free to rule that they have moved away from the path of Golconda because of this. They could try selling the document or keep it as a bargaining chip, however, within a day or two, word will spread that it is a fake, thanks to Nicolai, trying to mitigate any upheaval the players could cause with the document. And speaking of Nicolai, if the players did defeat the Hunters, Nicolai has taken notice, and considers them worthy of his continued attention. The consequence of such attention is either up to the ST or can follow the set up presented in Grand Elusion. If the players left one or both Hunters alive, then they can return later as ongoing enemies. Depending on the actions the players took through this adventure, they may have alienated or pissed off a few other Kindred, and the consequences of such should haunt them into the future. And that concludes Child’s Play – Paper Chase. While I don’t think the adventure itself is bad, it is extremely overwritten. And when I say it’s overwritten, I mean that the bit about “What could happen depending on who the players talk to” from Scene One is almost an entire page long. This is totally unnecessary, and this problem plagues the entire adventure. It feels like Nigel either wasn’t used to writing adventures or just didn’t know how to convey his ideas more concisely, and whoever was running the editing department was asleep at the wheel because so much of this adventure could be cut and tightened up without losing anything of importance. Having said that, I do enjoy the premise and think the adventure would be fun to play out but would require an ST to do some heavy editing to just what is needed. The whole “Other Factions” element of this story is another perfect example of what I mean by overwritten. We have a solid enough premise without heaping a bunch of extra characters into things, and the loving adventure even suggests “Oh yeah, just have these factions fight off screen if things get too unwieldy” which.... why the gently caress are we even adding that element if we’re just going to push it off screen anyway! Even Edge and Stephanie are almost afterthoughts to the story who either show up or don’t, and even they’re given the suggestion of being replaced with other characters if the ST wishes, which then makes me ask, why did we bother adding them into this at all? On the bright side, at least the plot is good, though it is let down by the writing, which I feel is a better outcome than a bad adventure that’s well written. We’re in the home stretch now, so let's go over  Not gonna lie, I saw this image and I knew exactly who it was, which intrigued me to no end.  Grand Elusion Written by Steve Crow, Illustrated by Dave Miller Grand Elusion is the second half of the Child’s Play story, and it is the first time the players meet the elusive Elder that has been setting them up. They are given a mission to deal with a thorn in this Elders side. Of course, this thorn is difficult to find, and they are special. Players will have to decide if they wish to join with this character or kill them as instructed. Following through on the murder plot, however, will bring them into conflict with at least two separate groups of Kindred, their mortal retainers and even a mortal Mage. Oh yeah, we got Mages up in this bitch! How To Run This Story Grand Elusion is a linear story. quote:“To some degree, it is a ‘guided’ story. However, if the players decided to do something else, let them. You will simply have to improvise.” No poo poo? You mean the thing I would be doing anyway because I refuse to run adventures directly out of the books? A thing this very adventure wants you to do? I’ll save my criticism of this adventure until the end, but hoo-boy, do I loathe when adventures give me, the ST (DM, whatever) a paragraph of poo poo I’m expected to read to my players at the table. No, absolutely not. That’s not fun, that’s me reading a book to my players. Anway, let’s keep moving. Grand Elusion revolves around master magician, showman and escape artist, Harry Houdini, as the players follow his trail across Chicago one evening. The Plot Scene One: The players are hanging out at the Succubus Club when they are approached by two mortal agents of Nicolai, the Tremere Primogen, with an invitation to a meeting with the elusive Elder. Scene Two: The players meet Nicolai, who offers them a reward if they kill a Kindred named Ehrich. While the players can refuse, it’s clear that smiling and nodding will be the best solution. Scene Three: The players check out a bar that Ehrich supposedly frequents, but he is not there. Instead, they must navigate the biker patrons and Malkavian owner to gain the information they need regarding Ehrich’s whereabouts. Scene Four: The players head to a magic shop that Ehrich may or may not be at, only to run into a nosy reporter Scene Five: Once more at the Succubus Club, the players find Ehrich, but poo poo is about to hit the fan, one way or another. Ehrich’s Story As this adventure revolves around Ehrich Weiss (AKA: Harry Houdini), ST’s should familiarize themselves with his story, and though he remains uninvolved in Kindred affairs, his activities have nonetheless drawn the ire of several factions. Following the death of his beloved mother, Harry Houdini began his quest to contact her and prove that there was life after death. Despite this, he was skeptical of those who claimed to be mediums and speakers with the dead. A widespread practice of “Mediums” in the 20’s and 30’s was faking seances, little more than elaborate magic shows, used to bilk their patrons of money. Houdini spent years debunking such mediums. (This is all true btw). Houdini also corresponded with others who shared his interest in the occult, including a woman by the name of Tracy Graves. Unknown to Houdini, Tracy was a Kindred, a Tremere going by the name Erichtho. (Note: I’ll be calling her Tracy anytime she’s mentioned because the author of this adventure insists on referring to Harry by his birth name, and it’s mildly confusing to see Ehrich and Erichtho popping up on the same page. I’ll also be referring to Houdini interchangeably as Harry or simply Houdini, because I’m too lazy to constantly type out Ehrich) The mortal world, and much of the Kindred world for that matter, were unaware that a Tremere (not Tracy) had approached Houdini in 1926. Houdini’s seeming mystic abilities intrigued this Kindred, and he offered the magician a real glimpse of life beyond death. Bored with the ease of his success, Houdini accepted and was embraced. During a European tour, he was introduced to the Tremere council in Vienna and blood bound. The Council was, unsurprisingly, none too pleased with Houdini’s embrace as they were not consulted. However, as he was now blood bound to them, they resolved to use him to their own ends. They instructed him to continue his career as best he could in his new state. Refusing to let himself be bound by anyone or anything, Houdini threw himself into his occult studies, and while it is unclear how he did it, he eventually broke his blood bond. Some speculate that since he was active in New York City, he was helped by the Sabbat, but like all his greatest escapes, he never revealed his secret, and it has proven impossible to replicate, even in his attempts to break Tracy’s bond to Nicolai. It took him four years to find a “Cure”, and during this period he limited his shows to night performances only, claiming he was devoting his time to “Spiritual research.” He then faked his death on Halloween, 1930, informing no one, not even his brother of his beloved wife, Bess. Hunted by the Tremere, he wandered the world, investigating the “afterlife” that was his new existence. Unfortunately, he found this afterlife wasn’t what it was cracked up to be, as rules bound his existence as strongly as when he was a mortal, and while ghosts were thought to exist, he was no closer to speaking to them than when he was alive. Point of correction here, Houdini died in 1926, not 1930. And he didn’t die doing the water escape like the ending of the Tony Curtis movie. He got punched in the gut which caused his appendix to burst. Using different aliases, he continued to wander, corresponding with those who he’d shared his occult interests with. While visiting Chicago, he discovered the truth about Tracy, and that unlike himself, she had been bound to Nicolai, not the Clan Elders. Tracy spoke of the Chicago power struggles, but Harry saw himself as above these matters, yet he continued to visit the city, as it was as much his home and Haven as anywhere else. Or at least it was until Maldavis made a move for the throne. At Tracy’s request, Harry got involved in Kindred shenanigans, acting as her contact with the Anarchs. When push came to shove however, he stayed out of the political games, earning him the enmity of Tommy Hinds, a Ventrue Anarch who saw Harry as a traitor. Disillusioned, he took to traveling again. Unfortunately, his activities during the Maldavis uprising brought him to the attention of the Tremere, and Nicolai in particular. Nicolai, realized that if he dealt with the renegade, he could gain considerable power within his Clan. When he informed his Elders, they gave him carte blanche to deal with Houdini. Desperate to prove his worth, Nicolai laid traps at several occult shops he believed Houdini frequented, but he was never able to capture him. Now, he views Houdini’s continued existence as a personal challenge. Harry visits Chicago approximately twice a year, and still corresponds with Tracy, though Nicolai is suspicious of her, she keeps an amulet forged for her by a Mage that blocks her memories of Harry when Nicolai asks about him. Through his years of travel, Harry has met many Mages, most of whom are aware of his nature, but respect him for his dedication to staying removed from Kindred political nonsense. While he’s loathe to call on them for aid, he will occasionally help them when asked. Harry is, given the circumstances, happy with his life as a Kindred, using his increased lifespan to further his research into the occult. A visionary at heart, he believes that if the Kindred, Mages and Garou could put aside their differences, they could better explore the possibilities of the afterlife. As Grand Elusion begins, Harry has returned to Chicago. If Lodin is dead from the events of Ashes to Ashes, then Harry has returned upon hearing the news of the Prince’s death, believing that with Lodin gone, the Anarchs might finally triumph, and if he can free Tracy and knock Nicolai off the board, all the better. If Lodin is still alive because he didn’t die in Ashes or you haven’t run Ashes, then Harry has returned on one of his semi-annual visits where he intends to meet with old friends and speak with Tracy about the progress he’s made in trying to break her bond. Theme Good vs. Evil, and how appealing evil can be. The players’ easiest choice is to simply shrug and agree to Nicolai’s plan of hunting down Houdini. But that is easier said than done, and they will pay dearly for taking the easy road in the future. Mood Grand Elusion is a pursuit plot, as the players are chasing someone for the first few scenes, and then find themselves being chased. The players have limited time and several locations to visit while chasing Harry, and the chase aspect of this story focuses more on the odd characters and locales the players will travel to than it does detective work. Ideally, the players will take a long hard look at the situation and learn all they can about Harry. If they decide to try and kill him anyway, they may live long enough to deeply regret this choice. Conversely, teaming with Harry is, in the short term, dangerous, but if the players think of the long game, then they’ll come out ahead, despite gaining enemies amongst the Elders of Chicago, they’ll also have some invaluable allies. Scene One: A Night On The Town The adventure kicks off, like so many others in this book, at the Succubus Club. It’s about 9pm on a busy night, the club is packed and the players are doing whatever it is they do when hanging out at the Succubus. It is at this point; the book directly tells you to read aloud elements of the story. Because I don’t want to just quote this entire adventure, I’m going to summarize substantial portions of this and only quote bits of direct dialogue (which is another thing I kinda hate, lengthy dialogues that the ST is expected to read to players.) About an hour into the players evening, the adventure beings properly. The band on stage is wrapping up their set, when out of the crowd, two mortals approach one of the players. The taller of the two men says quote:“You. Come with us. You’re to bring your friends. All of them.” The men are Dave and Doug, sent by Nicolai to bring the players to a meeting with the Primogen. A Perception + Alertness roll at difficulty 6 will clue the players in that both men are carrying pistols in shoulder holsters. While these two goons are not subtle, they have orders not to cause a scene in the club. If asked for more information about why they’ve been summoned, Dave shrugs and informs the players that they shouldn’t argue, and to come along. If they ask where they’re going, they’re told just a few blocks away, and to leave their cars (if they brought them). If the players are still hesitant, Dave and Doug will move alongside the players and stick their pistols in their ribs. The Masquerade dictates that they shouldn’t make a scene here (especially considering some of the events of other stories that occurred in this book that may or may not have occurred prior to present events), so if the players want to dispatch these goons, waiting until they are outside is the best bet. Then again, players like to do silly poo poo, so if a brawl breaks out in the club, simple resolve as normal, though any other Kindred present will not get involved, nor will they be happy about the disruption. If the players win, management kicks them out, and at least one of the Kindred on the scene will make an off hand comment about violations of the Masquerade. If the players want to take out Doug and Dave outside, it won’t be hard, though interrogation only yields that they were ordered to bring the players to a playground a few blocks west of the club, and will gladly give directions. If the players decide to ignore the directions and just go about their evening doing whatever they want, Nicolai will find them. If the players try to Dominate the goons, they’ll offer little of useful information regarding their employer other than they know Nicolai as “Nicky Anton.” Characters Dave and Doug  Exactly the same stats for both. Equipment: Heavy pistol, switchblade, $150 cash each Image: Doug is a weaselly looking guy, medium height with greasy black hair and a stringy mustache, either dressed in a leather jacket and jeans or a tie-dyed shirt and hippy pants when off duty. Dave is tall and skinny with wavy brown hair and brown eyes and a Roman nose. He’s dressed in either jeans and a leather jacket or Miami Vice style clothing in black. Both men work for Nicolai, though they believe their employer to be Nicolai’s father, and that Nicolai is just a rich eccentrics son. That their orders are coming directly from Nicolai is lost on them. Dave is incredibly arrogant, sneering constantly. Doug is also constantly sneering, while also making frequent over the top threats at the slightest of provocations. If these idiots survive, bring them back for later stories as comic relief. Scene Two: An Offer You Shouldn’t Refuse The players are delivered (or walked on their own) to a deserted playground just east of Cabrini Green, a playground that sees little action from children, even during daylight hours. Once inside the park, the players notice a young boy sitting on a swing, dressed in a blue business suit. If the goons are with the players, they approach and say: quote:“Here they are, Nicky. We’ll be right outside. Call us if you need us.”  They then leave the park. If any player is a Tremere, ST should inform them secretly that this is the Primogen of their Clan, and despite being a child (what a great revelation to drop this late in the book), he is an Elder with centuries of experience and is a powerful Thaumaturgist. Nicolai brings his swing to a halt and addresses the players, introducing himself as the Primogen of Clan Tremere. While it’s wild to have a 9-year-old boy saying this, it should be made clear to the players that he means exactly what he’s saying. Nicolai continues, explaining that a member of the Tremere has fallen to the Sabbat, and he wishes for the players to kill this Kindred, as they are new in town, and thus unknown. quote:“If you do this for me, you have my personal gratitude. More importantly, you will have the gratitude of one of the Primogen of this city, and the thanks of the leader of Clan Tremere.” If the players agree outright, he gives more details on what he wants carried out. If they press him for more information about who they’re being sent after or the crimes committed by this Kindred, he speaks in generalities about the Sabbat and how evil they are. If his gratitude alone is not enough to get the players on board (and really, who can blame them, this kid can go gently caress himself) they can haggle with him for more of a reward. While hesitant at first, Nicolai will vaguely add that completing this task will be repaid with tutelage in Thaumaturgy. Of course, he conveniently leaves out that such training requires that they drink his blood on three occasions, and wouldn’t you know it, that sure sounds like a Blood Bond to me! If the players keep pushing, Nicolai makes his final offer. 5 swallows of Elder blood kept in a vial. Again, whose blood is in the vial is left unsaid, but it is, of course, Nicolai’s. If the players still refuse, Nicolai reminds them this is less a situation where they have a choice, and that if his offer isn’t good enough, then not taking the job will land him on his poo poo list. quote:“As a Storyteller, you might want to suggest to the characters that having one of the Primogen angry at them is a very bad idea.” No poo poo? Is that really something that needs to be said? Because I’m certain the players can make that connection on their own, but what do I know, trusting players to use their brains. Once an agreement is made, Nicolai explains that the target is named Ehrich, that he’s only in the city for a short time, so they will need to act tonight, and that he frequents a bar called The Cave. Nicolai then produces a black and white promotional photo of Houdini and gives it to the players. Regardless of there being a Tremere in the player group, Nicolai will tell the group that they (any Tremere, present or not) are doing a great service to their Clan, and that this will earn them the gratitude of the Clan Elders. If anyone asks him who he’s addressing, he simply smiles sinisterly at the players. Players may have already met Harry during Ashes to Ashes, and while they likely didn’t become friends with him in that story, it may be enough for them to object to the request. Nicolai doesn’t give a poo poo, and basically reminds the players that either they do this, or they’re on his poo poo list. He then briefly uses telepathy to tell any Tremere players that what he says is true, that Harry has been trained in the arts of the Tremere, and to use the rest of the players to their advantage and not to needlessly endanger themselves. He addresses another player (preferably a Caitiff, Ventrue or Toreador) that if they return alone, he’ll make all their dreams come true and he’ll teach them Thaum. These telepathic messages can be handled via notes written and passed to the players. If the players feel like trying to diablerize the little fucker, they can certainly try but he’s got 30 points in his Blood Pool, so while he won’t outright kill the players, he will beat them into torpor. Or he might kill one of them to make a point. If a fight does break out, Dave and Doug stay out of it. If you don’t want to play out the fight, simply end the fight before it begins with “Within seconds, the Elder overwhelms your group.” Consult CbN for Nicolai’s full stats. Scene Three: Pawns to Queen Four The players arrive at The Cave, a working-class bar in the Chicago club district. More details about The Cave can be found in both CbN and Ashes. The bar is owned by an Anarch Malkavian by the name of Horace Turnbull and is a favored spot for bikers and blue-collar factory workers. The interior of the bar resembles a cave, as it is in the basement of an old building, with a descending staircase leading to the bar. It is roughly circular, brick-lined and damp. If the players went through Ashes, they’ve already been to The Cave at least once. Depending on what they did in Ashes, they are either welcome or barred from entry. Either way, as written, this adventure assumes the players did not go through Ashes. The scene starts around 10pm.  There are at least a dozen patrons in the bar, 8 bikers, the rest workers. The bikers give the players a once over when they enter, then go back to their business. There are two men hunched over a chess board at one end of bar, one a hulking man in biker leathers and colors, the other, a tall man with a pinched face dressed in a sports shirt and jeans. The game ends, and the biker grumbles about the other man, Horace, winning again. When he notices the players, he asks them what they want. Harry isn’t here, and most of the bikers will ignore them if they flash the photo at them. Physically imposing players will be treated with respect, while unimposing players are treated with contempt, and any female players are shown absurd courtesy. The players will have some luck talking with Big Jim, the biker who just lost the chess game. To get on his good side, they’ll need to roll Manipulation + Etiquette at Difficulty 6. If they have a specialty, they can add or subtract dice from the standard roll. A player with “Aristocratic” or “Foreign” would be at a potential –1/-2 dice, while one with “Lowlife”, “Slang” or “Motorcycle Gang” could gain 2-3 extra dice. If the player speaking to Big Jim has the Repair skill, a Perception + Repair roll at difficulty 6 allows them to “Talk Shop” with the biker, and each success after the first grants and additional die for the Etiquette roll. If the player gets at least 2 or more successes on the Etiquette roll, Big Jim challenges the player to a game of chess. He’ll happily talk shop, but he’s not revealing anything about Harry until someone plays a game of chess with him. Playing the game requires an Extended and Resisted action, using Intelligence and the new knowledge of chess. Both sides gain points vs the difficulty of the others Intelligence+3. Botching removes one accumulated success. The first person to gain 12 points wins, and if both the player and Jim reach 12 by the end of a turn, it’s a stalemate. Players need to achieve at least six successes to impress Jim. Any less and another player will have to try. If everyone fails, then he stops talking. Losers buy a round for the bar, and if Jim loses, he’ll gladly pay up, which means the players will need to spend point of Willpower to keep their drinks down, and Jim will finally be willing to talk about Harry. Jim won’t leave to a private location to be dominated, and if Horace catches the players trying to dominate Jim, he’ll distract the biker. Dealing with Horace at Chess is the same as Jim, but requires 8 successes. If the players went through Ashes then treat any interactions with Horace as they would make sense in relation to their previous encounter. Note that Harry and Horace are old friends, and no matter how good of terms the players may be with Horace, he’s not going to spill any info. If any player is a Tremere, then Horace is aware that the Clan is hunting Harry and will likely be even less inclined to help. Once either Jim or Horace are suitably impressed, they’ll admit that Harry was there that night, but took off, saying he was meeting an old friend down in the Loop (or The Hive, if speaking to Horace) around 11:30. Big Jim unfortunately does not know where this meeting is taking place, however Horace does, and will tell the players to head for Ye Olde Magic Shoppe. If they spoke with Jim, roll Wits + Investigation/Occult/Chicago (whichever is highest) to figure out Harry is interested in magic, and that there is a magic shop in the Hive. Three or more successes on that roll will tell them they’ve heard odd stories of occult activity in the area. If the game is lost without gaining 6(or 8) successes, or the players simply refuse to play, they can try to fight if they wish. To really impress Jim, a one-on-one fight will do it, and it will be hand to hand as Jim has no interest in killing the players or getting killed himself. If Horace knows the players are Kindred, he’ll quietly remind them to remember the Masquerade. If he’s unaware, he saves that line for when someone uses an obvious Discipline. Attacking all the bikers means the players will be banned from the bar, though they will not attack unless the initial Etiquette roll is botched, or a knife/gun is pulled during the Big Jim fight. Characters James “Big Jim” Slade  Leader of the local Outlaws biker gang chapter, Big Jim likes the open road and has no desire to be anything more than what he is. While in Chicago, he stops at the Cave, as he and Horace are old friends, and the Cave is the one place he can indulge his one vice: a good chess game. His gang tolerates this eccentritcy because if they didn’t, he’d beat the poo poo out of them. Age: 36 Description: 6’2”, 240lbs with a slight paunch, he’s always wearing his Outlaws colors and looks a bit like Meatloaf in Rocky Horror, just more handsome. Demeanor: Director Nature: Loner Equipment: Motorcycle, switchblade in pocket, light pistol, $800 cash, toolkit (on his bike), pocket chess set. Typical Outlaw  Loyal followers of Big Jim, they love nothing more than roaring into a town, shooting the place up and leaving. They don’t make a fuss at the Cave because the boss likes it and it offers them a place to unwind. Description: Typical biker gang, wearing black leather and chains. Equipment: Sawed-off pool cues (treat as club), knives, light pistols. Scene Four: Little Shop Of Magic Ye Olde Magic Shoppe is in The Loop (or the Hive as Kindred know it) on the 300 block of South Michigan, across the river from The Cave. The shop is housed in an old storefront that resembles one of the “Antique” buildings seen on Main Street in Disneyland. Despite the hour (11:30 pm) the shop is still open, with dim lights on inside, and a figure moving around. The players just missed Harry however, they can gain some information here that will lead them back to the Succubus. Harry took off early because of Lowell Carlson, a reporter who was checking out the shop. Upon entering the shop, the players see numerous old magic tricks on shelves and bins full of books on magic. An antique cash register sits on the counter, and a curtain blocks off a doorway behind the counter. There is also a man wearing a rumpled white suit, with a blue shirt and battered sneakers, wearing a straw fedora perched on his head, and a camera and tape record around his neck. He gives the players a once over, then returns to rummaging through the books. Before the players have a chance to do anything, there is a “Whump” sound behind the curtain and a plume of smoke billows out, followed by the sound of coughing. An old man exits from behind the curtain, notices the players and speaks with them, introducing himself as Walter Dent. The players will likely ask about Harry, while Lowell tries to eaves drop and look inconspicuous. The players should suggest taking the conversation somewhere private, and while Dent is initially hesitant, after looking over at Lowell, he agrees (Lowell has been there for the last three hours), and the players and Dent move behind the curtain. They pass into a hallway and Dent unlocks one of the two doors and usher them into the room. It’s a large room, empty save for a circle inscribed on the floor and brazier in the center. Dent tells the players he knows what they are, as he’s an expert in magic and dealt with their kind regularly, then questions why they’ve come to visit. While Dent is speaking, Lowell has snuck up to the doorway and tries to record the conversation, but accidentally hits the rewind button, notifying everyone that something is up. When confronted, Lowell tries to make up an excuse for who he is (a PI investigating the occult, a rich millionaire looking for a rare prop, etc.) A quick search of his person will reveal a business card that identifies him as a wire service reporter. Dent simply keeps an eye on things until Lowell books it out, though Dent will try to discourage violence in his shop. Once the reporter is gone, business may resume. Dent genuinely does not care that the players are Kindred, and just wants to know what they want. The players have a number of options, and here are a few suggestions:
Any method the players come up with could work and they need at least two successes to get information and only one shot at it. If they fail, Dent shrugs, tells them its none of his business and begins ushering the players out so he can close up shop. Intimidation or violence against Dent could work, but would remove him as a potential ally in later stories. Considering how low the threshold for success is, they’ll likely succeed, and Dent will tell them Harry was here, but he took off when Lowell showed up, afraid he might be recognized, and that he’s gone to the Succubus to meet another friend. Dent then asks the players to give Harry his regards and kindly GTFO so he can close. That’s all he knows, and if pressed as to why Harry came to visit, Dent simply tells them: quote:“Personal business. Can’t two old friends get together and talk?” From here, the players know where to go, so they should be off to the Succubus for the thrilling conclusion. Characters Maxwell Dent   Dent has lived in Chicago his entire life. His early interest in the occult brought him into contact with Harry before he was embraced and faked his death. Harry has kept in contact with the old man ever since, and is one of the few mortals that knows who Harry really is. While Dent is not a true Mage, he is a sort of clearinghouse of information about various factions, and his knowledge of the occult has made him a valuable resource to both Kindred and Mages. Age: 90+ Description: Dressed like a shopkeeper from a different time, he wears threadbare pants, long sleeved white shirts, an apron and shopkeepers visor. He is a thin elderly man who looks like he’d topple over at any moment. While he appears inconspicuous, he can radiate power when needed. Demeanor: Curmudgeon Nature: Architect Notes: Dent has learned many rituals through his studies (basically whatever the ST wants him to have) which allows him considerable latitude in dealing with odd occurrences. However, these rituals take a substantial amount of paraphernalia, so they cannot be called upon at the drop of a hat. Equipment: Owns Ye Old Magic Shoppe, has several mystic relics laying around the shop, but finding them on short notice is difficult. Having spent a lot of time hanging around magicians/magic shops because of my dad, this is a pretty accurate description. They probably have the prop you're looking for, but good luck finding it. Lowell Carlson  A reporter since serving in Vietnam as an Army correspondent, he’s worked a variety of newspaper and wire service jobs and tends to move around due to his habit of stumbling on stories someone else wants covered up. While these scoops are usually true, they are generally so wild no one believes him, and those who wish to keep their dirty laundry hidden put pressure on his superiors to fire him. He’s been a resident of Chicago for the last 8 years, working for the same dingy wire service. His investigations have led to several supernatural occurrences, and he’s only triumphed through sheer luck and tenacity. Unfortunately for him, his evidence always ends up destroyed. Until recently he was unaware of the vampiric activity in Chicago, but after his buddy Scottie Cartwright started comparing notes, they’ve both come to a few conclusions. Carlson could become a recurring character if the ST wishes. Age: 45 Description: Carlson looks like a 30’s news reporter, wearing rumpled white suits, blue shirts and sneakers because as he says “I do a lot of running”. His hair is red and thinning, and his nose is reddened by a few too many afer work drinks. He’s always carrying his camera and tape recorder. Demeanor: Curmudgeon Nature: Cavalier Equipment: Camera, tape recorder, yellow ‘72 Dodge convertible Scene Five: We’ve Got Magic To Do Once again, the players are back at the Succubus Club, likely near the dance floor, arriving around Midnight. The club has picked up considerably since they left that evening, and a fresh band is on stage while the dance floor is packed. If they check the picture Nicolai gave them, they’ll notice Harry sitting at a table with an elderly man in a rumpled, old fashioned suit. As the players notice Harry, he looks around the room, not obviously noticing the players, then goes back to his conversation. The players can approach the table or not, however drawing guns and shooting him is a bad idea (if they plan to follow Nicolai’s instructions.) If the players approach, Harry perks up and looks directly at the players, studying them for a moment then gesturing for them to join him at the table.  Once the players have joined Harry and his friend, he produces a half dollar coin from thin air and begins rolling it over his fingers. He eventually speaks up, greeting the players and telling them that a friend of his called and told him they were looking for him. quote:“Well, you have found me. Perhaps you seek me at the request of the boy-mage, Nicolai. If so, realize you will be ill-used. He seeks to destroy me for the threat he believes I pose to the Tremere Clan. As tools, he will discard you after you have served your purpose. However, you have no doubt chosen your own fate. What is it that you wish of me?” By this point, the players should have made their decision about whether they intended to Kill Harry or not. If they don’t plan to kill him and tell him of the situation, Harry sympathizes, warns that Nicolai is powerful, and that a friend of his is bound to the Primogen. He asks the players to join him and the rest of the Kindred who stand against Nicolai, and warns that quote:“I promise you that once you have made a deal with that devil, Nicolai, you will find yourselves ensnared in his web of evil.” The players (if none are Tremere) should believe him and be suspicious of the Tremere in general (because they are sneaky sneaky bastards). If they agree to join forces with him, he introduces the old man as Gibson, that he was waiting for another to visitor, but she has not arrived, and that his business in Chicago is, for now, complete, other than escorting Gibson home, at which point he’ll be willing to discuss further details with the players. If the players choose to try and kill Harry, he nods sadly and says: quote:“So be it, then. I trust you place little value on your souls, for they shall be forfeit if you carry out this evil deed. However, shall we go outside? I have no reason to endanger the Masquerade by which we live by. This place is far too crowded to resolve business which lies between us.” Either way, Harry moves to stand, when a commotion draws the players attention. A pair of Blood Dolls, both young women approach the table. Players should make a Perception + Alertness roll at difficulty 8. A success lets them remember these two were talking to a young man before they approached the table. If the players didn’t approach Harry and Gibson, then the two Blood Dolls simply emerge from the crowd and approach Harry’s table, drawing knives and throwing themselves at Gibson. Harry stops them, grabbing them by the wrists and deflecting the attacks, tossing them back into the crowd. He then grabs Gibson, pulling him to his feet.  If the players are with Harry and Gibson, the same occurs. The young man the players may or may not have seen speaking to these Dolls is Orloff, who has commanded them to kill Gibson. Players should make a Wits + Alertness roll to react, any successes grant initiative against the Dolls, who will strike wildly at anyone who gets in their way. If it seems like they’re going to be taken out in one round, Orloff chucks a knife at Gibson. An Athletics + Dexterity roll at difficulty 8 will allow a player to deflect this knife, and three successes allows them to catch it. If the players make a move on Orloff, he disappears back into the crowd, however if they catch him, two more Dolls attack, allowing him to escape. Characters Erich Weiss (Harry Houdini)  Embraced: 1926 Nature: Trickster Demeanor: Survivor Generation: 11th Apparent Age: 52 Clan: Tremere Description: Short and stocky with a muscular build, high forehead and receding black hair just starting to turn grey. Typically dressed in casual clothing. Jackson Orloff  A resident of Chicago, he realized at an early age that he had magical potential and was contacted by Gibson, who initiated him into the ranks of his magical order. Orloff trained with Gibson but was impatient for more power than Gibson was willing to give. The mystical order he belonged to punished him for violating his vows against public spellcasting, but Orloff believes they’re just jealous of his power. He also believes that by killing his mentor, he’ll prove himself a worthy Mage and his order will see him as an equal. Spoiler alert: They will not. He is rude and impatient, believes himself invulnerable and acts like it in combat. Despite his arrogance and age, he is a skilled Mage, and he has developed a ritual like the Blood Bond that appears identical to the normal exchange of blood that Blood Dolls participate in. He’s used this ritual to enchant several young women. Age: 26 Description: Of medium height with wavy (slightly greasy) black hair, with ankh earrings and silver rings on his fingers, he looks like a Blood Doll, dressed in a leather jacket, jeans and a silk shirt. Demeanor: Bravo Nature: Child Equipment: Six braces of throwing knives under his jacket (which he throws via telekinetic powers), a switchblade he uses for hand to hand combat. Special: Make a Thaum + Perception roll for his Movement of the Mind knife flinging trick. He also knows whatever rituals the ST wants him to have. Gibson  A Mage since the age of 14, while he was powerful in his day, his abilities have waned with age. He’s still respected by his peers, and many believe his absent-mindedness is an act. Unfortunately, it’s not. Despite his increasing senility, he has given Orloff enough knowledge to be extremely dangerous. He and Harry are old friends, and Harry visits more out of courtesy than anything else, and is just now realizing that Gibsons powers are wanning. Gibson has no idea his apprentice hates him, and has never mentioned the young man to Harry. Age: 82 Description: A balding old man with a long white beard, dressed in rumpled suits. Demeanor: Curmudgeon Nature: Traditionalist Blood Dolls Take the average stats of the Blood Dolls from Chapter One and apply them to our friends Janet Hickens and Allicia Frazer but bump their appearance scores to 3. They also have Melee and Stealth of 1. Their knives have a difficulty 4 to hit. They are 16 and 22, respectively. Scene Six: Into The Maze Our finale takes place in the basement of the Succubus, and more specifically, within the labyrinth. The players at this point are either going with or pursuing Harry and Gibson, meanwhile Hinds’ goons have blocked the exits to prevent Harry (and maybe the players) escape, so the only place to go is down. Orloff and his Dolls are also in hot pursuit of Gibson and will kill anyone who interfere in his plan to kill his former master. Assuming the players are teamed up with Harry, he notices Hinds’ goons, a group of burly men with baseball bats, standing near the exits. Harry tells the players that Hinds wants him dead over a past grudge, and that the basement is likely their best chance for escape. He then leads Gibson and the players towards the basement. If the players didn’t approach Harry and have been watching events unfold, then they will see Harry and Gibson heading for the basement, while casting the occasional glance at the main floor exits. This should tip the players off to look that way, at which point they notice the goons with bats. Of course, if the players did not approach Harry and have been watching this scene so far, they can just walk out of the club, no harm no foul. But that means they’ve failed Nicolai’s assignment (instead of giving him the metaphorical finger by helping Harry). If they follow Harry, they will be unable to prevent him from reaching the basement. If the players were with Harry and Gibson, then Hinds goons assume they are friends and will attack the players if they try to leave the club. There are three teamsters at each door and more will come if the players try to rush the exit. Once down in the basement, the players will notice a door open, one that leads into the labyrinth. Whether they’ve sided with Harry or not, they have little choice but to enter the labyrinth as Hinds’ goons are coming down the stairs. If they’ve been watching everything unfold, then they could just slip into the crowd downstairs and avoid the trouble all together, but that means they lose any chance of catching Harry before Hinds or Keaton get to him, and since Keaton is one of the pursuers, he’ll get word back to Nicolai that the players hosed up. Once in the labyrinth, if the players are sided with Harry, they have two options: get to another exit or set an ambush. Tomorrow: The conclusion to Grand Elusion and The Succubus Club
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Feb 7, 2024 17:09
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joylessdivision posted:Alberto Tomba Lol, seriously? They didn't even change the name? YggdrasilTM fucked around with this message at 19:18 on Feb 7, 2024 |
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Feb 7, 2024 19:02
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YggdrasilTM posted:Lol, seriously? Yes.
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Feb 7, 2024 19:03
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Surprised that the reaction is for “Alberto Tomba” and not for the appearance of no-poo poo Actual Vampire Houdini
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Feb 7, 2024 20:56
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Gatto Grigio posted:Surprised that the reaction is for “Alberto Tomba” and not for the appearance of no-poo poo Actual Vampire Houdini Because Actual Vampire Houdini is supposed to be Houdini, instead of "I need an Italian name, no one will recognize this three time Olympic gold medalist, right?"
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Feb 7, 2024 21:12
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YggdrasilTM posted:Because Actual Vampire Houdini is supposed to be Houdini, instead of "I need an Italian name, no one will recognize this three time Olympic gold medalist, right?" I mean, clearly I didn't recognize the 3 time Olympian because I made a joke about his name being the same as late 90's PS1 game instead of pointing out what you did. Also Vampire Houdini is cool, and good and my friend.
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Feb 7, 2024 23:15
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joylessdivision posted:I mean, clearly I didn't recognize the 3 time Olympian because I made a joke about his name being the same as late 90's PS1 game instead of pointing out what you did. I'm laughing because (at least here in Italy) he is one of the most recognizable Italian athletes from that period. It's like if, in these days, someone publish a story with an Argentine inquisitor with the name "Lionel Messi" (totally unrelated)
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Feb 7, 2024 23:29
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joylessdivision posted:I mean, clearly I didn't recognize the 3 time Olympian because I made a joke about his name being the same as late 90's PS1 game instead of pointing out what you did. They do a lot of 'was actually a vampire' in 1E and it's amazing.
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Feb 8, 2024 00:58
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Dawgstar posted:They do a lot of 'was actually a vampire' in 1E and it's amazing. Of the three I can think of off the top of my head (Capone, Houdini and Crowley), Houdini is legit the one I was most "Yeah, that rules" about. Crowley was more of a "Okay sure whatever, who gives a gently caress"
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Feb 8, 2024 01:17
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 Product Link When Wizards of the Coast was promoting Shadow of the Dragon Queen, many Dragonlance fans knew it was only a matter of time before their beloved setting got approved for the Dungeon Master’s Guild. Several groups such as the Dragonlance Nexus began work on making player’s guides/companions for their setting, intending to give a more in-depth treatment to the world of Krynn than SotDQ’s surface-level approach. The Nexus produced a spruced-up version of Tasslehoff’s Pouches of Everything* and an accompanying adventure, while the Splinterverse produced the Dragonlance Companion. Both groups of authors for Tasslehoff’s and the Companion worked together to ensure that their material wouldn’t overlap too much, so as to minimize cases of customers feeling that a dual purchase would be redundant. *It previously existed as a free supplement, but with less material. While the Dragonlance Nexus has a vaunted reputation as the oldest surviving fan community for the setting on the Internet, the Splinterverse is a relative newcomer in regards to tabletop publishing. Their catalog of Guild products is pretty small, and their main content is a YouTube channel highlighting various finds on Drive-Thru RPG and the DM’s Guild. In spite of this being their first Dragonlance product, the Companion was very warmly received. Margaret Weis in particular, who wasn’t very fond of Wizard’s update for the setting, had nothing but praise to say for this product and promoted it on social media. For a time, it sat as the #3 seller on the Dungeon Master’s Guild in the Dragonlance setting category, one step above Tasslehoff’s and eclipsed only by Shadow of the Black Rose and the Test of High Sorcery adventures. So how does the Dragonlance Companion stack up as a worthy upgrade to the namesake setting? Let’s read and find out! Character Origins Our book drops us right into the thick of things. No fancy introduction explaining what this book’s about, or a Foreword by a tabletop luminary! The Companion gives us three races: Draconian, Half-Ogre, and Thanoi. The Draconian is the only one with subraces, three to be precise. The races use the universal racial options found in SotDQ: for abilities you have “+2 to one ability score and +1 to another, or +1 to three different scores,” and you begin play knowing Common and one other language that you and your GM agree is appropriate for the character.  Draconians are artificially-created humanoids birthed from captured metallic dragon eggs. Originally made as expendable soldiers for the Dragonarmies, after the fall of that empire many found themselves without purpose. In the Fifth Age they are still distrusted by many of the goodly nations of Ansalon, and up north the draconian nation of Teyr was founded to be a place for their race to find self-determination. Draconian’s base traits include having the Dragon type rather than Humanoid, 60 feet of Darkvision, can glide and take reactions to negate falling damage when they’re not unconscious or wearing heavy armor, and can survive for very long periods without food or water. The three subraces are Bozak, Kapak, and Sivak. Bozaks are more magically proficient, gaining racial spells in the same manner as a drow or tiefling: Mage Hand at 1st, Fog Cloud at 3rd, Scorching Ray at 5th, and they can choose what mental ability score is their spellcasting ability modifier. Kapaks can exude saliva which is either toxic or healing (their choice per use) a number of times per long rest equal to their proficiency bonus. Toxic saliva is able to coat weapons or ammo that can paralyze a foe for one turn should they fail a Constitution save, while healing saliva heals 1d6 + proficiency bonus in hit points. Finally we have the sivak, who can take the Hide action even when only lightly obscured, and can change their appearance to a Large or smaller Humanoid they killed within the last minute for up to 1 hour, but they can only do this last ability once per long rest. We round things out with two new feats for Draconians: Aspirant Dragon grants them advantage on saves vs charmed and frightened conditions, once per long rest can add a d6 to an attack or save whenever they or an ally within 60 feet succeeds on a save against such a condition, and gain a flying speed equal to their walking speed but only if they’re wearing light or no armor. The other feat, Final Twinge, replicates the classic Death Throes of a Draconian: increase a physical ability score by one, and once per long rest upon hitting 0 hit points they can either turn themselves and an adjacent attacking target to stone for up to 1 minute, or release a cloud dealing poison damage and the poisoned condition to adjacent creatures. In both cases the targets are affected when they fail a Constitution save. While this makes Death Throes much more useful in that they don’t require actual death to trigger, they’re still very situational and can only be used once per typical adventuring day. The feat that grants a flying speed is very good, and gaining die bonuses triggered when saving vs common condition types is just icing on the cake. Thoughts: As a race, the draconian doesn’t really specialize in any one thing: their resistance to starvation and thirst will only really matter in campaigns with extreme survival, and glide is situationally useful but loses out to outright flight. Being Dragon rather than Humanoid is pretty useful and comes with some immunities. I am a bit surprised that we don’t have a subrace for Baaz, who are the most common type of draconian. The paralyzing toxins of a Kapak are very useful, and while the healing is good at low levels it quickly loses out to actual healing spells. The Sivak’s shapeshifting and better ability to hide points them towards roguish pursuits, but like the other options the shapeshifting is more situational than even Disguise Self. The Bozak’s best spell is Fog Cloud, useful for breaking line of sight, and while the other spells are fine they’re more situational in comparison. Overall this race feels average, being too broad for all but a few builds, albeit ironically all three have features useful for stealth builds.  Half-ogres are exactly what they sound like. Much like half-orcs in other settings, they aren’t entirely welcome in either human or ogre societies, and while overall loners there are exceptions where half-ogres banded together to make their own communities. Their abilities include 60 foot darkvision, +1 to Armor Class, +1 to initiative unless they are taken by surprise, can choose one creature type which they have advantage on saving throws against,* and once per long rest can reroll a check made with their lowest ability score. *This is represented as them having studied said creature type for a long time. Ogres have an exclusive feat: Unsurprising. This makes them immune to becoming Surprised unless they’re incapacitated. Thoughts: As a race, half-ogres more or less have reactive and passive abilities so they may feel less exciting than active abilities. But what they do get is very good: +1 to initiative and Armor Class are good for just about any build, and their persistent advantage on saving throws vs a certain creature type is begging to be paired with Humanoid or some other creature type guaranteed to be common in the campaign. Their feat is a bit unexciting and situational, only granting one cool feature rather than 2-4 which is common for feats. Edit: As someone over on RPGnet noted, it's also redundant. The Alert feat already does what Unsurprising does and more.  Thanoi are our final race, and they’re a pretty obscure one even by Draconlance standards. They are humanoid walrusfolk who live almost entirely in Krynn’s southern polar region of Icereach. Their societies are subsistence-level, competing with humans and white dragons for resources, although some have been known to willingly serve dragons. Most thanoi who venture into the warmer north are hunters or traders who rarely stay up there for long, with those who stay longer being your typical walrus-out-of-water adventuring types. In terms of mechanics they have resistance to cold damage, automatically make all saves vs the effects of extreme cold, have advantage on saves against being knocked prone, and gain proficiency in their choice of two Rangere-style skills :Animal Handling, Medicine, Nature, Perception, Stealth, or Survival:. Reflecting their natural physiology, they have a swimming speed equal to their walking speed, can hold their breath for up to 30 minutes, can use their tusks as an unarmed strike that deals 1d6 + Strength modifier piercing damage, and have a natural armor of 13 + Dexterity modifier. Their unique racial feat, Brutal Ambusher, increases Strength, Constitution, or Wisdom by 1, grants +10 to all movement speeds on the first round of combat, and can add double their proficiency bonus to an attack against a creature provided they are obscured from their target in some way. Should this attack hit, they deal bonus damage equal to their proficiency bonus. Thoughts: The thanoi’s various features are situational to certain hazards and for certain builds. Their arctic adaptation and swimming speeds are unlikely to see consistent play in most temperate lands, and their natural armor and tusks are more suited to monks, spellcasters, and other classes that don’t have access to better weapons and armor. Their bonus skill proficiencies have a good selection, particularly Perception and Stealth which are useful for most builds. As for their feat, it is very nice for Rogues, Gloomstalker Rangers, and other ambush/stealth builds. Subclass Options This section provides us with one new subclass for each class in 5th Edition. And barring the Fighter and Wizard, all of their concepts are broad enough to be easily adapted for other settings.  Flesh Sculptor Artificer creates undead from biological tissue. The first of their kind worked for the Dragonarmies, helping in experiments for making the first Draconians. At 3rd level they gain proficiency with leatherworker’s tools, their bonus prepared spells revolve around necromancy and personal enhancement stuff such as Gentle Repose, Haste, Stoneskin, and Raise Dead, and gain a constant companion known as a Sculpted Effigy. The Effigy’s stats grow with level much like other NPC companion subclasses such as a Drakewarden Ranger or Battle Smith Artificer’s Steel Defender. The Effigy’s base traits include a slam attack that deals 2d6 + proficiency bonus in necrotic damage, an AoE frighten effect they can use up to 3 times per day, and as a reaction can deal 1d6 necrotic damage to someone who damages it in melee. At the end of a long rest, they can be modified to have a randomly-determined Dominant Creature type which grants a random benefit. For example, Giant increases their Strength score from 16 to 20, Dragon grants them a once per day Vile Breath that deals 4d6 fire damage in a 15 foot cone, and Plant grants resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. At 5th level the Flesh Sculptor can once per turn add 1d6 necrotic damage to their or their Effigy’s weapon attack. At 9th level the bonus necrotic damage increases to 2d6, and once per long rest they can spend 10 minutes modifying a limited number of allies to give them temporary hit points and resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage. At 15th level their bonus necrotic damage increases to 3d6, and their sculpted Effigy can maintain 2 dominant creature types at once and deals extra damage with their reaction-based counterattack. Thoughts: Were I to compare this to other Artificer subclasses, the Battle Smith would be the first to come to mind. The Sculpted Effigy is sturdier than the Steel Defender in terms of hit points and its base attack deals more damage, although the Steel Defender has a higher AC and can impose disadvantage on an attack as a reaction, meaning it is likelier to survive longer in a straight-up fight. The Effigy has more customization options via alternate creature types, but as those are randomly-determined their effects cannot always be counted on. The bonus necrotic damage may seem impressive on first glance, but pale in comparison to the Battle Smith’s Extra Attack and more direct-damaging Arcane Jolt. Many of the Flesh Sculptor’s bonus spells require concentration or are situational out of combat stuff. Overall this subclass feels like Dr. Frankenstein, but isn’t that impressive. Path of the Dragon Barbarian represents those people whose lives have been touched by dragons, and seek to learn how to channel a fraction of their power through their own bodies. Their backgrounds and how they do this differ, but the Companion provides us with some sample tables, such as a tribe worshiping dragons as gods or soldiers who served in the Dragonarmies. At 3rd level they choose a metallic or chromatic dragon type to be their affiliated dragon, and their rage grants them resistance to the energy type of said dragon’s breath weapon along with bonus melee weapon damage of that energy type equal to their Constitution modifier. At 6th level they gain immunity to the frightened condition, at 10th level they grow wings whenever they rage which grants them a fly speed equal to their walking speed, and at 14th level once per long rest they can exhale a 30 foot cone as a breath weapon dealing 10d6 damage of their affiliated dragon’s damage type. Thoughts: As Constitution is almost always the second-highest ability score for Barbarians, this subclass’ initial feature is a good means of adding onto melee damage. They gain a flying speed like that of an Eagle Totem Warrior but at a much earlier level, and immunity to the frightened condition is like the Berserker’s (who also has charm immunity) but is permanent and not just during a rage. The 10d6 breath weapon is an alright feature for 14th level. At that point the offensive spellcasters in a party can regularly dish out more powerful stuff, but in terms of concept goes nicely as a capstone feature. While it isn’t the most imaginative when it comes to outright new mechanics, I think this is a pretty strong subclass. College of Ages Bard represents historians who seek to learn secrets of the past which grant them increased magical powers. They can treat history books and items of historical significance as spellcasting foci, and we get 2 tables of samples for inspiration. At 3rd level they can treat a roll on any Intelligence-based skill other than Investigation as a 10 if they roll a 9 or lower, and can expend Bardic Inspiration to let an ally within 30 feet reroll a mental ability check. At 6th level they can choose from one of five particular Stories of the Past every long rest, each associated with a particular Age of Krynn. Each story can only be used once per long rest, and are typically triggered as an action, a reaction, or part of casting a spell. For example, Armor of Istar adds the Bard’s Charisma modifier to the Armor Class of up to 5 creatures within 10 feet of the bard for the next minute, Glory of Heroes makes their weapon attacks deal maximum damage, and Wrath of Saints triggers after the Bard casts a damaging spell and deals 2d6 lightning damage to creatures within 15 feet and pushes them away 5 feet. The College of Age’s capstone ability lets them use Stories of the Past twice per long rest, and once per short or long rest can spend one use of Bardic Inspiration to give a number of allies a Bardic Inspiration die equal to their Charisma modifier. This last feature requires a minute to use, as the bard regales their allies with a story or legend. Thoughts: The College of Ages’ initial abilities aren't of immediate use for typical adventuring types, and the 10 or better on INT checks cements them pretty solidly as the “know it all” style of Bard. But their Stories of the Past have downright powerful features. Even though it’s of limited use, being able to give +3 to +5 AC to your entire party for 1 fight is amazing, and dealing maximum damage with weapon attacks can be really good with a Paladin or Rogue using Smite or Sneak Attack. If anything, I’d argue that this Bard type is overpowered, as such abilities can really alter the course of an encounter and I guarantee that most parties will be saving this for climactic encounters or when they know they’re nearing the end of a dungeon/adventure/day before a long rest. Addendum: Thanks to someone on EN World pointing this out, I happened to miss some rather important text for two of the Stories of the Past. Armor of Istar's AC bonus fades when hit by an attack, and Glory of Heroes only lasts until the start of the bard's next turn. I still think this rates on the higher end of the subclass' in that it can still be easy to make a nigh-unhittable character even at lower levels, but it's important to include. Plague Domain Cleric is a worshiper of Morgion or a similar god in other settings, dedicated to the spread of suffering and disease in the belief of an apocalyptic utopia where peace can be attained once all are dead. Their bonus domain spells are geared towards necromancy and debuffs, such as Hex, Animate Dead, and Bestow Curse. One of the bonus spells is Wither and Bloom from Strixhaven,* which makes this subclass of more limited use to those who don’t have that sourcebook. At 1st level they gain proficiency with the disguise kit and heavy armor, and a number of times per long rest equal to their proficiency bonus can change the damage type of a spell to necrotic. Their Channel Divinity is a single-target debuff disease on a non-construct, non-undead creature within 30 feet, forcing them to either move or take actions but not both for up to 1 minute on a failed Constitution save (new save can be made each round). At 17th level they can spend their reaction to have that disease jump to another creature within 30 feet of the carrier. At 6th level they can perform a Plague Touch a number of times per day equal to their proficiency bonus, dealing 2d4 necrotic damage each round (no save) and the target cannot take bonus actions and reactions each round they fail a Constitution save. The duration of this plague touch is 10 minutes until they save two times or are cured with appropriate magic. At 8th and 14th level they deal 1d8/2d8 bonus poison damage each time they hit on a weapon attack. At 17th level they gain blessings from their god, becoming immune to disease, the poisoned condition, and poison damage, and once per long rest can grant such allies said immunities and the Plague Touch attack for 1 minute or until they infect another creature *Another is Shadow of Moil from Xanathar’s, but that sourcebook is much more popular and more gaming groups are likely to have access to it. Thoughts: Given the focus on necrotic damage and disease, this cleric is of more limited use in campaigns that prominently feature the undead (coughcurseofstrahdcough). The Channel Divinity can be a useful means of locking down enemies who don’t have a reliable means of ranged attacks provided the party can keep out of reach, but as said enemy types are likely to have good Constitution saves this is counterbalanced. Plague Touch can be a great means of “death by a thousand cuts” cumulative damage, particularly when combined with something like Hex that can impose disadvantage on the Constitution saves. It can’t do a lot of damage in a typical combat lasting 3-5 rounds, as 6d4 to 10d4 damage is easily eclipsed by other spells at middle to higher levels. The 17th level capstone is rather underwhelming, as at that level there are many means to counter such conditions and damage types. Circle of the Elements Druids are warriors of nature from more martial cultures, learning to channel the powers of the elements through weapons. Their bonus spells are elemental and martial in nature, such as Armor of Agathys, Heat Metal, Fire Shield, and Wrath of Nature. They also start out with the ability to awaken a simple or martial weapon into a Primordial Weapon after a 1 hour ritual. which like Shillelagh lets them add Wisdom to attack and damage rolls, can treat it as magical, and is considered to be a spellcasting focus for them. They can apply it even to weapons with which they aren’t proficient, at which point they are considered proficient with only that Primordial Weapon while wielding it. Their other initial feature is Invoke Elements, which lets them expend Wild Shape uses to gain a bunch of temporary hit points (3 x Druid level, plus Wisdom modifier) and deal +1d6 damage of an appropriate elemental type with their Awakened weapon for the next 10 minutes. At 6th level they gain Extra Attack, and at 10th level can spend a bonus action when attacking while Invoke Elements is active, granting a secondary effect based on the element in question. For example, Water grants the Druid +4 AC and resistance to fire damage, and they can spend reaction to reduce an adjacent hostile creature’s speed to 0 feet. At 14th level they can make one weapon attack as a bonus action whenever they cast a spell or use a spell’s effects as an action. Thoughts: Like the Flesh Sculptor Artificer, a lot of the non-blasty bonus spells require concentration to use. That being said, this is a pretty strong tanky druid. The bonus temporary hit points may not be as much as what a Moon Druid can get, but given that subclass is so powerful this isn’t necessarily a mark against the Circle of Elements. The awakened weapon prevents MAD in letting the druid focus first and foremost on Wisdom, and the bonus damage that can be gained from Extra Attack and things like Fire Shield or the 10th level bonus action lets them do respectable damage. The subclass’ weak point is that the 4 elemental damage types (lightning, poison, fire, and cold) are rather common resistance and immunities  Fewmaster Fighters are pseudo-officers in the Dragonarmies, having a rather open-ended role based on the needs of a particular Dragon Highlord. At 3rd level a Fewmaster gains proficiency in Intimidation and Stealth, gains advantage on Stealth checks when wearing any armor type besides heavy, automatically gains a special armor made from the discarded scales of a dragon* which marks them as a Fewmaster to other Dragonarmy soldiers. While wearing this armor, once per short or long rest they can spend a bonus action upon hitting a creature to make them suffer disadvantage on attacks made against the Fewmaster until the end of its next turn should they fail a Wisdom save. At 17th level they also make the target vulnerable to the damage type of the dragon scales from the donor dragon for the duration as well. At 7th level they can shout a special order a number of times per long rest equal to their proficiency bonus. This order targets an ally within 60 feet as a bonus action, letting them make an extra attack as part of the Attack action. At 10th Fewmasters level treat their AC as 20 when wearing their personal dragon armor, at 15th level can double the range of a single attack** once per round, and at 18th level gain advantage on all Stealth checks no matter the armor they’re wearing and once per long rest can call upon the residual magic of their armor’s scales which lasts until they dismiss it. Depending on the original dragon to which the scales belonged, the Fewmaster can add bonus damage of a certain type and a secondary effect. For example, if the armor was forged from black or copper dragon scales, a 5 foot pool of acid forms beneath a struck target, dealing acid damage to anyone who starts or ends its turn in it. *This can be any armor type in which they’re proficient, not just scale armor which one would assume. **this doesn’t specify melee or ranged, so I presume it applies to both. Thoughts: Barring some nimble finesse weapon or archer builds, I can see the vast majority of Fewmaster PCs choosing full plate for their dragon armor, which is a great boon to have at 3rd level. Gaining proficiency and possibly advantage in Stealth is also great for setting up ambushes, making them a potential scout. Granting other allies extra attacks is good with the right setup, particularly for builds that add extra attack per attack rather than per turn or per round. The magical draconic aspects at 18th level feel rather weak for high-level play, but given that they add bonus damage per attack they scale quite nicely with the Fighter’s own Extra Attacks and Action Surge. Overall I think this is a well-designed subclass. Way of Divinity Monks are those who find enlightenment through worship of the gods. They are akin to Arcane Tricksters and Eldritch Knights in gaining a limited spell progression of up to 4th level spells from the Cleric spell list, save that the only spells allowed are Abjuration or Evocation and one of their 3 initial cantrips must be Guidance. At 3rd level the range on their Guidance spell increases to 60 feet, at 6th level they can make an unarmed strike as a bonus action whenever they use their action to cast a spell, at 11th level they deal bonus radiant damage equal to their Wisdom modifier when using Flurry of Blows, and can replace a Flurry of Blows attack with a healing touch that restores hit points to a touched creature equal to their Martial Arts die + their Wisdom modifier. At 17th level they automatically succeed on saving throws to maintain concentration, and double the duration of all spells that require concentration and have a default duration of 10 minutes or less. Thoughts: Even with their restrictions, the Way of Divinity still has a few useful spells for Monk builds. Healing Word and Prayer of Healing work for backup healing, while Aid, Protection from Evil, and Shield of Faith can give them more stopping power in combat to make up for their rather low Hit Die. 3rd and 4th level spells come in far too late to matter for most campaigns, but we still have some good ones like Banishment, Dispel Magic, and Freedom of Movement. As for the other class features, the long-range Guidance can be useful in aiding party members from afar, and bonus radiant damage when using flurry of blows is quite nice. The bonus action unarmed strike when casting spells prevents the monk from deciding between punching and spellcasting. The other features aren’t so hot: the Healing Touch doesn’t hold a candle even to Lay on Hands which can heal more than just hit point loss, and the 17th level capstone features aren’t gamechangers like some other monk subclasses. The “martial artist cleric” I feel can be better represented as a pure Cleric with a Monk dip, which lets them get better spells but can still use unarmed strikes. And more specialized subclasses such as the Way of Mercy (healing), Open Hand (unarmed fighting) outperform it in their respective fields. It’s still better than Four Elements or Sun Soul, as its spellcasting features use a separate track than ki points, but overall I’d rate this as a rather mediocre subclass.  Oath of Secrets Paladin represent holy warriors who prize the sequestering of confidential knowledge and how to use deception in order to prevent it from falling into unworthy hands. On Krynn, the first paladins to swear this Oath served the archmage Fistandantilus, acting as his servants in protecting his magical knowledge from his many enemies. The Oath’s tenets include only sharing knowledge when absolutely necessary, dedicating their lives to learning new things, keeping their goals private even from their allies, and lying well and in moderation so as not to tip people off from too much deception. For mechanics, their bonus spells focus on divination and illusion such as Clairvoyance, Invisibility, Mislead, and Tongues. Their Channel Divinity options include gaining +5 to Deception checks or turning invisible (requires concentration) for the next 10 minutes. Also at 3rd level they can create a short-duration telepathic bond with a nearby creature. There’s no limit to how many times per rest such bonds can be made, but require a bonus action and last for a number of minutes equal to their paladin level. At 7th level the Oath of Secrets gets an aura where they can see invisible creatures and objects within 10 feet, and they and allies within the aura ignore penalties from heavy obscurement. At 15th level they gain resistance to psychic damage as well as immunity to divination magic and being perceived through scrying sensors. At 20th level their capstone transformation makes them and all they wear on their person invisible, create no sound unless desired and ignore the verbal components of spells they cast, and deal 2d6 bonus damage of the weapon’s type when making weapon attacks. Thoughts: I find the fluff for this subclass is rather underwhelming; your cause is basically, “keep secrets.” This feels a lot like a roguish build, but as many of their class features can be better done by that class or even diviners/illusionists, this subclass feels like a discount version of those types. Overall not a fan of this one. Thoughts So Far: A lot of these new options are of questionable and variable balance. The races tend to be too scattered or situational in features, and their choice of draconian subraces feels bizarre. I can understand on one level why some designers may restrict this: in prior Editions the draconian types varied widely in power as monsters. But even among the more common “evil” types, it feels odd to only have Kapak without Baaz. The subclasses are similarly variable in power: the College of Ages Bard is overpowered, the Way of the Divinity Monk and Oath of Secrets Paladin are less than stellar hybrids of other class archetypes, and the Plague Domain Cleric is very situational. Ironically, it’s the martial subclasses that I am the warmest towards: the Path of the Dragon Barbarian and Fewmaster Fighter both have quite a bit of nifty tricks. They may not shine out of combat, but in congruence with their class’ strengths they work quite well. Join us next time as we wrap up the rest of the classes and cover new spells and magic items!
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Feb 8, 2024 05:21
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Dawgstar posted:They do a lot of 'was actually a vampire' in 1E and it's amazing. My personal favorite is Vampire Louis Pasteur from Alien Hunger, who exists only to A) turn the PCs into vampires, and B) then immediately get killed
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Feb 8, 2024 07:31
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I honestly kind of prefer that to "we swear, no supernatural creature was involved in any controversial historical event ever."
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Feb 8, 2024 07:36
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Rand Brittain posted:I honestly kind of prefer that to "we swear, no supernatural creature was involved in any controversial historical event ever."
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Feb 8, 2024 07:40
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You don't have to keep the vampires away from every historical figure but they absolutely don't have the complete control over the world they think they do. These are guys who sometimes can't control a mayor. World wars and recessions are beyond them.
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Feb 8, 2024 07:44
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Gatto Grigio posted:My personal favorite is Vampire Louis Pasteur from Alien Hunger, who exists only to A) turn the PCs into vampires, and B) then immediately get killed And has been operating under a false name for centuries, so there is literally no way for the PCs to ever find out he was Pasteur.
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Feb 8, 2024 13:30
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Angry Salami posted:And has been operating under a false name for centuries, so there is literally no way for the PCs to ever find out he was Pasteur. A podcast I listen to called Megadumbcast has been going over Alien Hunger page by page, it has been dwelling on this topic for several days now.
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Feb 8, 2024 14:11
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wiegieman posted:You don't have to keep the vampires away from every historical figure but they absolutely don't have the complete control over the world they think they do. These are guys who sometimes can't control a mayor. World wars and recessions are beyond them. Rose Bailey put it best in her guide to Vampire: "Vampires don't run the show, they buy the popcorn."
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Feb 8, 2024 14:30
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Joylessdivisions World of Dorkness Presents: The Succubus Club Part 8: Conclusion to Grand Elusions and The Succubus Club  Another Exit: The players make their way through the labyrinth trying to reach one of the basement exits and have them check for encounters every five minutes. If they’re unfamiliar with the labyrinth, either roleplay it out, or have them roll Wits + Alertness at difficulty 9. Botching this roll automatically triggers an encounter from the encounter chart (detailed below.) Once they’ve escaped the labyrinth, they’ll have four Teamsters to deal with, two guarding the door leading out of the basement, and two guarding the entrance to the labyrinth. Thankfully, the folks in the basement won’t pay any attention to a fight breaking out (but remember, no guns) and some may even cheer the fighters on. For every other round of the fight, ST should roll on the encounter table, rerolling 1-4, and if one of those come up, then the appropriate character joins the fight. If the players get past the Teamsters and any other enemies, then they can escape to safety. Ambush: If the players choose to set ambushes, then once they have been set, ST rolls for a random encounter to see who gets caught in the ambush. If it is a pursuer, have the enemy roll Perception + Alertness to detect the trap. If someone wanders into an ambush, roll a die and divide it by 5 (round up). That’s the number of rounds until you roll another random encounter. After the next random encounter roll, do the same roll and divide it by 5. While setting ambushes is fine, the players still must escape the labyrinth. The guards at the entrance will need to be dealt with. If Orloff or Keaton were taken out in the maze, but the ST rolls for them to enter the fight, ignore the result and just don’t re-roll that one. The following characters are pursuing Harry and Gibson:
Random Encounters  Use these random encounters along with the ones from Chapter One and use a single die.
Who are Fischbaker and Horn? A couple of other random goons. Characters Keaton’s Thugs Dave and Doug (stats already provided). If they were killed, replace them with Fischbaker and Horn (same stats as Dave/Doug) Teamsters  Equipment: Baseball bats (treat as clubs), light pistols, $20 cash each Description: Burly men wearing workmen clothing. These are retainers of various members of Hinds’ Anarch crew. They’re aware they work for Kindred, and don’t care. They figure they’re helping the union and they get to indulge in a bit of violence at the same time. Epilogue While not necessarily a scene, this is more a collection of loose ends being wrapped up, and many of these conditions are not exclusive.
And that, friends, is the conclusion of Child’s Play – Grand Elusion and The Succubus Club. As I mentioned earlier, the final pages of the book are dedicated to reprinting the maps from Chapter One, which as I noted, is a bit disappointing as replacing them with full page character sheets for the various NPCs who appear in this book would have been more useful. I have mixed feelings about Grand Elusions, mostly with how it’s written, and I admit it is absolutely a matter of personal taste that I don’t like the “Read this chunk to your players” aspect of the writing. The adventure itself is fun though, and I adore the reveal of Nicolai being a kid in this story. To my knowledge, Nicolai doesn’t get fully statted out until CbN, so assuming him being a kid wasn’t revealed until this story, it’s a hell of reveal. Of course, there is a subtle suggestion he might be a kid in Paper Chase as there’s a reference to Herdon meeting a kid, but I assumed that was Nicolai using some form of Obfuscate or “Mask of 1000 faces”, not that he was literally a child. Why the Tremere embraced a child is another question in and of itself, but considering the Anne Rice influence on Masquerade, it’s easy to draw a line from Claudia in Interview to Nicolai here. I absolutely love that Harry Houdini is running around the World of Darkness. Yeah, I know I complained about Al Capone earlier in this review, but as I said when I brought that up, Capone is a loser and to my mind, not worthy of being immortalized (ha) in this way. Houdini on the other hand, loving ruled and absolutely deserves to be immortalized this way. I do take a bit of umbrage with him faking his death and not telling Bess. From what I remember about what I’ve read about the man, he and Bess were best friends, and she spent the remaining years of her life in seances attempting to contact him (unsuccessfully, I might add) and so that aspect feels a bit off to me. If Harry was embraced, I can’t see him not going to Bess and offering her the Embrace as well. But that’s just my own take on it because I’m a nerd who knows more about magic history than most non-magicians/magic historians. That’s right kids, when one of your parents is a magician, you end up learning a lot about the history of magic. You know what I haven’t commented on yet? The art in this book (aside from the cover). I really like all the art in this book, and I especially like that each story has its own illustrator that helps to give the stories their own visual vibe, while keeping a coherent style through the book with the chapter opening art. I like Bill Bridge’s art in Player of Pawns quite a bit, and despite my distaste for Death’s Sweet Sting, I adore the Timbrook art in this story, as I do whenever his art appears in one of these books. His Americanized Manga style in these early books is what I immediately think of when I think “World of Darkness Art,” along with Tim Bradstreet’s work. I also loved Tony Santo’s work in Paper Chase as it gives me serious Dylan Dog vibes, which is a big plus in his art’s favor. Now that we’ve reached the end of this book, I must confess, I really, really enjoyed this book, and would likely put this near the top of the list for “Best first edition Masquerade” books I’ve covered, maybe just above Mummy because I loved the hell out of Mummy. Aside from my minor gripes about some of the writing in this book, the adventures themselves (Death’s Sweet Sting being the exception) are good, with a couple verging on being downright fantastic, and while there are certainly elements I’d fiddle with or change with each of the stories if I were to run them in my own games, there’s enough rock solid work already on the page that any changes I would make would likely just be to personal taste or to bring elements more in line with the Chronicle I was running. As always, I want to thank you readers for joining me on this journey through the 90’s and the World of Darkness, and when next we meet, we’re going to be trawling the streets of Chicago once again, as I dive into Chicago by Night. Until then. joylessdivision fucked around with this message at 17:03 on Feb 8, 2024 |
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Feb 8, 2024 16:55
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I don’t know how playable it would be but I love the idea of vampires as pathological liars. Just lying about everything. They say they are dead celebrities. Still living celebrities as well. They claim they were present at events that never happened. They make up absurd powers and weaknesses and make up even more absurd excuses when called out.
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Feb 8, 2024 19:07
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Next step, they are not even vampires in the first place.
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Feb 8, 2024 19:09
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Bar Crow posted:I don’t know how playable it would be but I love the idea of vampires as pathological liars. Just lying about everything. They say they are dead celebrities. Still living celebrities as well. They claim they were present at events that never happened. They make up absurd powers and weaknesses and make up even more absurd excuses when called out. LA by Night (the book) has my other favorite "historical figure is a Vampire" in the form of a Malkavian who believes they're Bela Lugosi. I choose to believe he is Bela, because that is way funnier than just some random Malk who just thinks they're Lugosi.
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Feb 8, 2024 19:17
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YggdrasilTM posted:Next step, they are not even vampires in the first place. They’re only vampires so long as they keep killing peoples. Only the danger makes them real.
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Feb 8, 2024 19:30
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joylessdivision posted:LA by Night (the book) has my other favorite "historical figure is a Vampire" in the form of a Malkavian who believes they're Bela Lugosi. I choose to believe he is Bela, because that is way funnier than just some random Malk who just thinks they're Lugosi.
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Feb 8, 2024 20:54
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Nessus posted:If he was embraced late in life he would even be pretty hosed up, and would not necessarily look that remarkable. I haven't read through the book yet, so I'm not sure what his deal is, I just know he exists because I skimmed the copy I bought from ebay and had a good laugh when I saw "Bela" in one section. I think he keeps his haven somewhere on the Universal back lot or something like that. I'd assume if he is Lugosi, he was likely embraced before the morphine addiction really hosed him up, but that book is still a ways off on my review list so for now I can only speculate. I'm sure he's written up on the wiki if you're dying to know more.
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Feb 8, 2024 21:06
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joylessdivision posted:I haven't read through the book yet, so I'm not sure what his deal is, I just know he exists because I skimmed the copy I bought from ebay and had a good laugh when I saw "Bela" in one section. I think he keeps his haven somewhere on the Universal back lot or something like that.
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Feb 8, 2024 21:14
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I recall reading I think it was Boris Karloff who joked at Lugosi's funeral about staking him just to make sure.
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Feb 8, 2024 22:23
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Robindaybird posted:I recall reading I think it was Boris Karloff who joked at Lugosi's funeral about staking him just to make sure. It was Peter Lorre, asking Vincent Price "Do you think we should drive a stake through his heart, just in case?" To be fair, Lugosi was buried in his Dracula cape.
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Feb 8, 2024 23:04
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Thank you, I thought Karloff didn't sound right - he's generally a pretty classy guy but I was blanking on who else it could be.
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Feb 8, 2024 23:06
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Snorb posted:It was Peter Lorre, asking Vincent Price "Do you think we should drive a stake through his heart, just in case?" To be fair, Lugosi was buried in his Dracula cape.  I can only imagine the response Price would have given. Probably something charmingly catty because Vincent Price ruled.
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Feb 8, 2024 23:12
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 Subclass Options, Part 2  Grave Speaker Ranger represents those who understand that death is as much a part of the natural world as life…and find it more fascinating than living creatures. Their 3rd level features include gaining thematic bonus spells such as False Life and Revivify, gaining helpful whispers from spirits that grant advantage on Survival checks, immunity to becoming lost, advantage on initiative rolls and immunity to becoming surprised while in favored terrain, and once per turn deal bonus damage when they hit a creature with 50% or less hit points (1d6, 1d10 at 11th level). At 7th level they can cast a slotless Speak with Dead once per long rest or short rest while in favored terrain, and can speak with the corpses of Beasts like the spell but an infinite number of times. At 11th level they crit on a 19 or 20 vs targets with 50% or less hit points, and at 15th level necromantic vines and roots puppeteer their body when they’re reduced to 0 hit points once per long rest. In such a state they can still act as though they were conscious for up to 1 minute, but still have to make death saves as normal and won’t truly die until this effect ends. Thoughts: The real strength of this subclass is dependent on the environment the DM puts you in on adventures. In favored terrain and wilderness crawls the Grave Speaker has a lot of great features. The bonus damage and increased critical chances to heavily wounded targets are nice but not amazing, and the 15th level capstone is pretty good for increasing the Ranger’s survivability. But it doesn’t hold a candle to stronger existing subclasses such as Drakewarden and Gloomstalker, who have more specialized features. Or even the Fey Wanderer’s bonus psychic damage, which is less than the Grave Speaker’s but triggers regardless of the enemy’s hit point value. I’d rate this one as moderate in most circumstances, but good if you pick the right terrain for the campaign. Tinkerer Rogue represents those who have a knack for advanced technology, and in the world of Krynn the gnomes of Mount Nevermind are their most famous members. At 3rd level they gain proficiency with thieves' tools or a set of artisan’s tools and add double their proficiency bonus on all tool checks with which they are proficient. They also can add Sneak Attack to a weapon attack they make without disadvantage, but only a number of times per long rest equal to their proficiency bonus. Also at 3rd level they are good with Improvised Weaponry, adding their proficiency bonus on attack rolls with improvised weapons and don’t suffer disadvantage when throwing them at long range. Additionally, they can spend 10 gold and make one of five special types of weapons during a short or long rest. These weapons typically deal damage along with a debuff, such as Blast Powder that is single-target damage but can also blind on a failed Constitution save. At 9th level the tinkerer can create two such special weapons per rest, and a number of times equal to their Intelligence modifier per long rest can add that same modifier to the ability check or saving throw of themselves or an ally within 30 feet. At 13th level they ignore all class/race/spell/level requirements for the purposes of using a magic item, and at 17th level they gain +1 on all saving throws per attuned magic item. Thoughts: The inability to add proficiency bonus to attack rolls with improvised weapons was a long-time complaint in 5th Edition, forcing those fond of acid vials and alchemist’s fire to take the underpowered Tavern Brawler feat to be any good at using them. The Tinkerer Rogue not only solves this problem, it also adds a bunch of other features encouraging their use. Not only that, the Tinkerer is well-suited for damaging builds, as besides their limited-use improved Sneak Attack their various special craftable weapons impose conditions that mix well with openings for further Sneak Attacks. Double proficiency on all tools is more situational, but for campaigns making use of craft systems this works quite nicely in reinforcing the Tinkerer’s features. As the special weapon DCs are based off of the Tinkerer’s Intelligence, it does make this little-used rogue stat a prerequisite for it in builds. But thematically speaking it makes sense for this subclass. Overall, I give this one high marks. Dreamwalker Sorcerer has a special connection with the illusory vistas of dreams and nightmares. At 1st level their additional learnable spells gear heavily towards illusions and sleep-based magic, such as Phantasmal Force and Major Image. The bonus spells are heavily spread out between books, with three non-core spells each from a different sourcebook: Nathair’s Mischief is in Fizban’s Treasury of Dragons, Catnap from Xanathar’s, and Summon Aberration from Tasha’s. The other 1st-level feature includes proficiency in the Insight skill, and once per long rest they can choose a number of creatures equal to their Charisma modifier currently resting to have either Dreams or Nightmares. Dreams grant temporary hit points equal to their sorcerer level plus their Charisma modifier, while Nightmares grant disadvantage on their next saving throw vs a spell or magical effect. At 6th level they can spend up to 5 sorcery points to increase the potency of a Sleep spell, adding 2d8 per sorcery point to the total hit points that can be affected. At 14th level they learn the Dream spell if they don’t already know it, and can cast it as one action if they target an already sleeping creature. The sorcerer can also choose to make themselves monstrous, which forces the target to roll a Wisdom save each turn or take 10d6 psychic damage. Should they save, they take half damage and awaken. At 18th level the sorcerer gains truesight out to 30 feet, and their Sleep and Dream spells can affect targets who would otherwise be immune such as being undead. Thoughts: Even with the sorcery point feature, the hit point total of Sleep still peters off quickly at higher levels, and the immunity bypass comes in too late at 18th level when many creatures have hit points in the triple digits. The 14th level feature is a great way for a sorcerer to conduct long-range assassinations, but that’s a very situational use at best. Otherwise this subclass is too focused on one or two spells, with the boon of temporary hit points all too easily obtained through other means.  Deity Warlock Patron solves the persnickety conundrum of how warlocks can be inserted into Krynn without upsetting the lore. Instead of typical patrons like an archfey or Lovecraftian Great Old One, warlocks can make pacts with deities to gain arcane spells. In fact, this has precedence in Dragonlance’s Fifth Age, when Takhisis stole away the world and monopolized Krynn’s access to magic. During this time she granted arcane spellcasting to the wizards in the Knights of Takhisis. This subclass chooses from an existing Deity to be the warlock patron; the warlock’s alignment doesn’t have to match their deity, but the alignment of said deity determines the bonus spells they can access. Bonus spells that kick in regardless of alignment are a diverse array, such as Shield, Knock, Commune, and even True Resurrection at 9th level.* Good deities grant healing healing magic such as Healing Word and Revivify, Neutral Focuses on transmutation such as Enhance Ability and Polymorph, while Evil focuses on offensive options such as Dissonant Whispers and Vitriolic Sphere. A number of times per short or long rest equal to their proficiency bonus, the warlock can call upon their Deity’s Favor. This has specific effects based on alignment: good deities restore the hit points of a target within 30 feet and also increase their hit point maximum by that amount for the next 8 hours, neutral provides a Protection From Good and Evil style ward that requires no concentration on a touched willing creature, and evil deals extra damage on top of a damaging attack the warlock just made. *Pretty sure this is a typo and meant to be Raise Dead. At higher levels the warlock can once per short rest choose a willing creature within 60 feet, who is compelled to speak the deity’s name (or mouths it if cannot speak), granting both the creature and the warlock resistance to a single damage type based on alignment. Neutral grants resistance to the physical damage types, evil the elemental types plus poison, and good the more obscure types: force, necrotic, psychic, radiant, or thunder. At 10th level the warlock can create illusory symbols once per short or long rest that provides an AoE effect to them and their allies: good deities grant temporary hit points, neutral is a multi-target Greater Restoration, and evil grants extra damage of a chosen damage type equal to warlock level on a creature’s next attack. The 14th level capstone ability lets the warlock regain an expended spell slot once per short or long rest when they score a critical hit with an attack. Also once per short or long rest, they can spend a reaction when damaged by a creature to appear like their deity for 1 minute, gaining immunity to that damage type and adding double proficiency to attack and damage rolls. Thoughts: The subclass’ role depends heavily on their patron deity. Good gods make the warlock into a rather competent healer. The 1st level Deity’s Favor are all very strong features: Good is like a less-powerful Aid but can stack in being from separate sources, Neutral’s concentration-free Protection from Evil is great to put on multiple party members before fights against certain creature types, while Evil can really increase a Warlock’s DPS when combined with Agonizing Blast. The 6th level shared damage resistance is more situational, and the 10th level abilities are broadly useful. The 14th level “Deity avatar mode” is a very nice buff, and the double proficiency on attack and damage rolls makes the Warlock even more of a DPS machine. And given that all of these features recharge on short as well as long rests, this is an extremely powerful subclass. High Sorcery Wizard are those mages who passed the Test to join the most exalted organization of arcane spellcasters in Ansalon. At 2nd level they join one of the Orders, which in turn are keyed to one of three damage types for the purposes of subclass features: White is Radiant, Red is Force, and Black is Psychic. Whenever they cast a wizard spell, they can amplify that spell, redirecting some energy to a target within 60 feet and damaging them for 1d6 + Intelligence modifier of the Order’s damage type. This feature’s uses are limited to proficiency bonus per long rest. At 6th level once per short or long rest, they can choose a target within 60 feet whenever they cast a wizard spell: White Robe wizards can heal that target for 1d8 + Intelligence modifier in hit points; Red Robes imbue them with temporary hit points if they’re willing, and due to being instilled with cosmic balance they cannot roll anything with advantage or disadvantage until the end of the Wizard’s next turn; and Black Robes impose disadvantage on ability checks and Constitution saves for maintaining concentration on a spell until the end of the wizard’s next turn. At 10th level, once per long rest, the Wizard can spend a reaction to reroll a failed save against a spell or magical effect. At 14th level they add their Intelligence modifier to the damage of cantrips, and they can choose up to two targets instead of one with their 6th level feature. Thoughts: This subclass’ features feel rather uninspiring. The additional damage with their initial 2nd level feature doesn’t amount to much, and the White Robes’ 6th level feature is like a free use of Cure Light Wounds which is both weak and lore-breaking.* Being able to reroll a failed save and the Black Robes’ disadvantage on Constitution saves and ability checks is a nice debuff, but you need more than that to make a good subclass. Furthermore, I don’t like the implication that wizards need to take this subclass to join the Orders of High Sorcery. In Dragonlance it was clear that the Orders had specialists of many different kinds: you’d find enchanters and necromancers among the Black Robes, diviners and abjurers among the White Robes, and illusionists and transmuters among the Red Robes. *In Dragonlance, arcane spellcasters are unable to use magic to heal others. There are workarounds, but often come at a cost such as draining the life from another being.  Character Options This super-short chapter gives us 2 new backgrounds and 7 new feats, all of which are geared towards iconic organizations in the setting. Like in default 5e Dragonlance, the organization-specific feats can be chosen as 1st level background-specific and 4th level bonus feats, and can also be taken as regular feats. Whereas Shadow of the Dragon Queen gave us options for the Knights of Solamnia and Mages of High Sorcery, the Dragonlance Companion gives us options for the Knights of Neraka and Seekers. The latter of which feels weird, in that they’re a small localized religious movement that died off quite early in the initial Chronicles and adventure once the true gods made their presence known again in the world. The Knights of Neraka, formerly known as the Knights of Takhisis, were formed by the deity of the same name during the Fifth Age. Being the spiritual successors to the Dragonarmies, they sought to conquer Ansalon, and eventually the world, and their mission still remains the same even after the death of Takhisis. The Knight of Neraka background grants proficiency in Athletics, Intimidation, two languages of the player’s choice, and their Feature includes free food and lodging at the strongholds of their order along with the Squire of Neraka feat. Said feat lets the character have to spend only 10 feet of movement to go from prone to standing, and they gain Battlemaster-like maneuvers and superiority dice, learning Commander’s Strike, Menacing Attack, and Sweeping Attack. The three other feats correspond to specific orders and require you to be 4th level: Knight of the Lily is for the shock troopers, where they gain +1 to Strength or Constitution, advantage on attack rolls against good-aligned creatures during the first round of combat, and once per short or long rest as a bonus action can perform an AoE frighten effect on nearby enemies for 1 minute if they fail a Wisdom save. Knight of the Skull represents the religious arm of the organization, where they gain +1 to Wisdom or Charisma, learn Branding Smite and a 1st level paladin spell of choice, and can cast them once per long rest each and if they’re a spellcaster use slots for further castings. Knight of the Thorn represents those arcane magic users who pledged allegiance to Takhisis/Neraka over the Orders of High Sorcery. They gain +1 to Intelligence or Charisma, gain proficiency in Arcana or double proficiency if already proficient, and can cast Augury once per long rest and with spell slots if a spellcaster. As for the Seekers, Seeker Guard is the background and gives us proficiency in Intimidation, Survival, one musical instrument, and one language. It grants the Seeker Sergeant feat as a bonus feat, and its Feature makes their demeanor indicate to others that they’re a member of law enforcement and they add double proficiency on Intimidation checks when interrogating non-Construct, non-Undead creatures. All of their feats add +1 to Strength or Constitution. Seeker Sergeant grants free private rooms in any garrison or Inn that recognizes the Seekers, and as a bonus action a number of times per long rest equal to their proficiency bonus they can give tactical advice to an ally within 60 feet, who then gets advantage on their next attack. Seeker Lieutenant is the next feat up the chain at 4th level: it grants a free small private house in a settlement controlled by the Seekers, and a number of times per proficiency bonus per long rest can impose disadvantage on an enemy’s attack roll targeting an adjacent ally as a reaction. Seeker Captain is the 8th level feat, where they gain the privileges of minor nobility in Seeker towns and are gifted a manor house with a small staff, and they exude a Dominating Presence where a target they hit must make a Wisdom save or have disadvantage on their next attack roll against the Seeker. Unlike the prior feats, this special ability is of infinite use. Thoughts: The Knights of Neraka get some good proficiencies, and the base Squire feat is pretty good in granting Battlemaster maneuvers. The Lily’s AoE Frighten is another useful option, and given its bonus action they can easily follow it up with a regular action. The Skull isn’t as impressive and is contingent on what spells you select, and Thorn is highly situational in that Augury is pretty swingy as far as divination spells go. The Seeker background is great for Intimidation-based builds, but its feature can be a hindrance in that it makes other people have an intuitive sense of your background which you may not always want in all situations. The Sergeant’s bonus action for advantage on an attack is great, particularly with Rogues for Sneak Attack, and Captain’s Dominating Presence is great if you can lock a target down into being forced to attack you. But the bonus lodgings and houses aren’t useful for more mobile campaigns and those set outside Abanasinia.  Spells of Krynn This chapter is deceptively short in being 6 pages long, but has 19 spells ranging from 0 to 9th level. While I’ve been thorough in the prior sections, I’m only going to cover a few in depth. A large number of them (6) deal lightning damage and are lightning or storm-themed, another 6 are focused around temporal manipulation such as time travel, and the rest are a more diverse array. All of them are spells from earlier Editions of Dragonlance or D&D in general. Daze and Know Direction are our cantrips, the former dealing psychic damage on a failed Intelligence save and the target can’t take reactions until its next turn, while Know Direction lets the caster intuit which way is north. Dark Bargain is a 1st level spell, where the caster touches a willing creature, where they lose one of their Hit Die and gain advantage on their next attack roll or ability check before the end of their next turn, and the caster gains an extra Hit Die which is the same die size of the touched target and can exceed the caster’s normal Hit Die maximum. Project Pain is a 2nd level spell cast as a reaction, projecting into a nearby target that takes 4d6 damage on a failed Wisdom save and the caster has advantage on Constitution saves to maintain concentration against the source of damage. Stone Shards is pretty much a less-powerful version of Scorching Ray: it too is 2nd level and creates 3 stone shards which can be tossed, but they deal 3d6 bludgeoning damage each, the spell is concentration for 1 minute, and the range of the shards are 30 feet. The only apparent advantage is that the caster can toss the stones one at a time rather than all at once, but it costs 1 action per throw. Enfeebling Storm is a 5th level necromancy spell that is an AoE cylinder that imposes halved speed and disadvantage on Strength and Dexterity saves and checks on those within it. Vampiric Aura is a 7th level spell that creates a 20 foot radius mist for the duration. Creatures who enter or remain within the mist take 6d8 necrotic damage, and the caster regains in hit points half the amount dealt. And what of the lightning-based spells? Many of them riff of of existing spells but with some alterations: Crackling Sphere is like Flaming Sphere but is 3rd level and deals 3d8 lightning instead of 2d6 fire, has a range of 120 feet instead of 60 feet, and has to be used as an action rather than bonus action but can move up to 60 feet instead of 30 feet. Shocking Spark is a 1st level melee attack, much like shocking grasp but deals 3d6 damage by default and instead of negating reactions deals +10 damage on a critical hit vs targets made of or wearing metal. And Storm Wall is like Wall of Fire in making an AoE damaging field but deals extra damage to metal targets. And I bet you can’t guess what Spark Shield is based off of! Dalamar’s Lightning Lance is one of the more unique and innovative zappy spells: it’s 4th level single target, dealing 4d10 lightning damage and the stunned condition on a failed Constitution save, with disadvantage on the save if the target’s wearing metal or made of metal. And what of the time-based spells? Well we’ve got Temporal Anomaly (1st level, detects abnormalities in time), Paradox (3rd level, choose an action taken within the last minute and it and its effects are erased, higher levels can erase actions much further back in time),* Time Hop (3rd level, cast as bonus action and caster vanishes from the location and appears in the space or nearest occupied if full 1 turn later), Temporal Eye (6th level, like scrying but can observe events within the last or next 7 days), Nullify (9th level, single-target spell that deals a lot of psychic damage and those reduced to 0 hit points are erased from history as everyone forgets their existence), and Timereaver (9th level, like Teleport but can travel up to 1,000 in the past or 100 years in the future, requires DC 30 Arcana check to work, has a d100 table but instead of teleporting off-target can end up off by several months or even decades). *I can see this as a nightmare to run in combat due to cause and effect. Thoughts: First off, the favorites. Dark Bargain is a pretty cool means of finding ways to spend Hit Dice besides short rests, Project Pain is a cool counterattack that comes with a nice secondary benefit, Enfeebling Storm is a nice way to set up enemies for a Fireball or similar Strength/Dexterity-based AoE attack, and Vampiric Aura is a pretty powerful self-healing necromancy effect. I found the multitude of lightning-based spells to be unimaginative and in some cases underpowered. Flaming Sphere’s usability comes from it turning bonus actions into a nice secondary means of dealing damage in combat, but Crackling Sphere removes this. Shocking Grasp is useful in helping squishy wizards get out of reach of melee attackers, and I can’t see myself using this in most cases in comparison to something like Guiding Bolt or even Hex for damage-stacking. Stone Shards is just weak all around for its level, and several of the time-based spells are either very situational or campaign-breaking.  Items of Magic With 22 new magic items and a d100 Trinkets of Krynn table, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Dragonlance is not a low-magic setting! Like the preceding spells, many of these magic items are taken from earlier Dragonlance sourcebooks, although I can’t say for certain exactly how many are truly new. The 16 initial magic items are your standard kinds, and some of the more interesting ones include the Device of Time Journeying (Artifact, lets the wielder and 8 willing creatures travel to any location in the world at any point in its past or presence, provided you succeed on a DC 25 Intelligence/Wisdom/Charisma check), Dragon Plate Mail (Legendary, as plate mail but grants +2 AC, no disadvantage on Stealth, resistance to the damage type of the dragon scales forming it, 3 charges which can be expended to create an illusion of a dragon that imposes the Frightened condition on onlookers, gains once-per-week use of Legendary Resistance), Frostreaver (very rare, +3 battleaxe dedicated to the god Habbakuk, deals +1d6 cold damage and once per turn reduces a struck target’s speed by half, deals maximum damage to objects), Hoopak (rarity varies, cross between slingshot and quarterstaff that can make a frightening high-pitched whine as an action that imposes frightened condition on a nearby creature for 1 minute if they fail a Wisdom save), Oathkeeper (artifact, +3 longsword that deals +2d6 damage vs non-lawful creatures, makes wielder aware of any deliberate lie told within 15 feet, can cast Geas once per day while holding the sword, sword is intelligent, telepathic, and detects non-lawful creatures within 120 feet), Spellbook of Magius (Very Rare, holds 20 random spells of 1st to 5th level, once per day as an action can cast a random spell from the book without the need for components), and Weapon of Bonding (Uncommon, can return weapon to hand as a bonus action if within 30 feet, returns to you the next dawn if lost; Greater version is Very Rare, +1 weapon, and has 3 charges which can be spent to automatically succeed on an effect that would charm or frighten you). But there is one new magic item type that is pretty nifty: Spell Runes, which are less like a specific item and more like a scroll or potion in being a variety of choosable effects. Spell Runes are sewn into clothes using thread made from a metal: the rarer the metal, the more powerful the effect and thus its rarity. The creation of a spell rune takes place over a period of 2 to 7 long rests depending on rarity, and a person’s proficiency bonus determines how many complex and simple runes they can have active on their person. Complex spell runes require attunement in addition to the prior limit, but simple spell runes don’t need to be attuned. We have a list of 22 Complex Spell Runes and 17 Simple Spell Runes, which either give persistent or limited-use benefits. For some of the Complex ones, we have Bilak (Speak, very rare) which lets one cast spells without verbal components, Keawetan (Life, legendary) burns away once the caster is reduced to 0 hit points and restores them to full health, and Balakan (Memory, Rare) lets the wearer regain an expended spell slot of up to 5th level once per day. The vast majority of Simple runes are once per day castings of existing spells without components, such as Bentuk (Shape, rare) casting Stone Shape or Cas (Cat, uncommon) casting Pass Without Trace. The exceptions are rather interesting, such as Tanah (Earth, uncommon) granting resistance to force damage or Tanda (Shadow, rare) which connects the user to the Shadowfell and lets them cast Misty Step a number of times per day equal to their proficiency bonus. The six Legacy Items stand apart from others in the Companion. They are meant to be unique personalized rewards for a specific PC, and gain further benefits as they level up. Each legacy item has 4 ranks ranging from 0 to 3, and roughly correspond to the Tiers of play. Rank 0 activates at 1st level, 1 at 3rd, 2 at 5th, and 3 at 11th. Ranks come with Catalysts, story-based quests congruent with the item’s function. For example, Bonesplinter’s Rank 3 requires the item to consume bones from an adult dragon, while the first rank of Scavenger’s Charm requires the wearer to survive or avoid a trap that would’ve harmed them. The items include Bonesplinter (crafted from a dragon’s bones, can regrow bones on its form to use as arrows, improvements include things such as +1 on attack and damage rolls and reducing movement speed of struck targets), Coaltender (ring or earring that lets you comfortably subsist in cold weather, higher ranks grant resistance to fire damage and get once per day immunity to fire damage), Measure (sword, can spend charges to give illusory changes to height, higher ranks grant things like gain advantage on attack roll or crit on a 19-20), Scavenger’s Charm (glows faintly within 50 feet of oozes, higher ranks grant +1 on all saving throws and cast Create Food and Water once per day), Sun’s Glare (shield, can magically clean armor and clothing during a long rest, higher ranks grant +1 to AC, charges that can blind enemies within 10 feet, use reaction once per day to deal radiant damage as a counterattack), and Wanderlust (compass, always points true north, higher ranks include additional needles that point to things such as the nearest hub of civilization or sources of magic). Thoughts: I really like the concept of Spell Runes. They’re also the only items in this book that have a default price for the spool types, which gives the PCs incentives to spend their money. The Dragon Plate Mail makes for a nice end-game item, and Weapons of Bonding can be nicely paired with throwing weapons such as javelins. The Hoopaks feel odd to include as magic items, particularly given that they’re regular equipment in Shadow of the Dragon Queen. Otherwise, the other items haven’t really elicited any strong emotions in me. Quite a few feel either too focused on a specific campaign type (Device of Time Journeying) or feel rather lackluster in contrast with its legendary feature: the Spellbook of Magius is a particular example, in that it…lets you cast a randomly-determined wizard spell once per day. Wow, I’m quivering in my boots at this onslaught of arcane might! Oathkeeper is a pretty neat weapon, although it seems to be an original creation. Fortunately the Dragonlance Companion comes with a built-in backstory for it, as being wielded by the leaders of the Knights of the Rose before its last owner hid it away in Lord Soth’s keep. The Legacy Items are obviously inspired by the 3rd Edition sourcebook Weapons of Legacy. Personally speaking, the sample items don’t really have that wow factor. The Catalysts vary in quality and difficulty, with some more easily accomplished than others than even of the same rank. A lot of the abilities are either situational or passive, which makes them pale in comparison to end-game items such as the Holy Avenger. Thoughts So Far: The remaining subclasses are a mixed bag. Tinkerer stands out as a clear favorite, and the Grave Speaker looks to be alright from my initial readings. I’m not feeling the Dreamwalker or the Wizard of High Sorcery for reasons I explained in their initial entries. The Deity Warlock may be a tad too powerful for damage-dealers with an Evil patron deity. I have similar feelings on the spells, which look to be of questionable balance overall, and feel that the magic items could’ve used some more pizzazz or iconic options. In looking over at Tasslehoff’s Pouches of Everything, that sourcebook got the lion’s share of iconic items such as the Blue Crystal Staff or the Brightblade. While I understand that the two publishers didn’t want to step on each other’s toes too much for redundancy, this leaves the magic item options in the Dragonlance Companion feeling poorer in this regard. Join us next time as we cover time travel, the Gods of Krynn, and new monsters in the Bestiary!
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Feb 9, 2024 00:05
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Subclasses like the Flesh artificer and the Gravespeaker feel like they belong more in a gothic-fantasy setting like Ravenloft instead of the typical high-fantasy of Krynn. But i guess it follows the general 5e trend of all the classic D&D settings just sort of blurring together
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Feb 9, 2024 03:50
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joylessdivision posted:
Also Siegfried and Roy's last names.
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Feb 9, 2024 05:31
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Midjack posted:Also Siegfried and Roy's last names. Oh my god how the hell did I not catch that one  Well played White Wolf, well played.
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Feb 9, 2024 14:53
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