Friday, April 30, 2010

Out of Town

I'll be out of town and away from my computer until Sunday evening, but hopefully I will have a character ready for you by then. In any case, if you have requests for other games, leave 'em here, so I can see what people want!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Army of Darkness RPG

Tonight, we'll round out the Cinematic Unisystem trio of games with Army of Darkness (if you're a regular Unisystem fan, don't worry, I'll get to those later). If you've seen Army of Darkness (and really, who hasn't?), you're familiar with the premise - evil forces wake up, and magically teleport someone (Ash, in the movie) back to the Middle Ages, where he/she/they have to fight off hordes of undead creatures and evil beasties in order to say the words and get the heck home. Since the point of the game is to kick evil arse, and not sit around yapping, it uses Cinematic Unisystem, since it's a bit more streamlined. As with Buffy and Angel, it divides the characters into three skill levels: Primitive Screwheads, Heroes, and Experienced Heroes. Since I did mid-level for Angel, and low-level from Buffy, I'll do an Experienced Hero. They get 25 Attribute Points, 25 Quality Points, up to 10 Drawback Points, 40 Skill Points, and 20 Drama Points.

Gunslinger

Attributes
Strength 5 (2 levels from Promised One Quality)
Dexterity 7 (2 levels from Promised One Quality)
Constitution 6 (2 levels from Promised One Quality)
Intelligence 4
Perception 5
Willpower 6 (2 levels from Promised One Quality)

Qualities
Attractiveness +2
Fast Reaction Time (Part of Promised One Quality)
Hard to Kill 3 (2 levels from Promised One Quality)
Nerves of Steel (Part of Promised One Quality)
Promised One
Regeneration (3 life points per hour) (Part of Promised One Quality)
Resistance (Pain) 4
Situational Awareness

Drawbacks
Adversary (Deadites and Skeletons) Part of Promised One Quality)
Honorable (Minimal)
Humorless
Outcast

Skills (40 +4 from Drawbacks)
Acrobatics 4
Crime 4
Doctor 4
Driving/Riding 4
Getting Medieval 4
Gun Fu 8
Influence 2
Kung Fu 4 (1 level from Promised One Quality)
Mr. Fix-It 2
Notice 4
Occultism 2
Sports 2

The Gunsligner is pissed. He was minding his business, rustling cattle or robbing banks or whatever it is he does when he's feeling bored, and suddenly, some crazy monster attacked him. BEfore he knew it, he was in the middle of nowhere, stuck with people using giant knives and wearing all kinds of metal. Lucky for him, guns fix most problems. It's a little tough getting new bullets - the funny-hat-wearing advisors keep making noise about mystic powders and stuff - but all he needs are some bullets, a horse, and room to run. He has the Promised One Quality, meaning he has to fulfill some sort of prophecy to get home, but he also gets a bunch of benefits. He's a pretty, fast on the draw, tough sumbitch, and doesn't have much of a sense of humor, so if you cross him, say your prayers and make a will. Especially if you're a Deadite.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG

Continuing from last night, the Buffy RPG is basically the same as the Angel RPG - it uses the same system, and basically the same character types - though instead of Investigator, Champion, Veteran Champion, Buffy uses White Hat, Hero, Experienced Hero. Like Angel, each type gets different amounts of points for character creation; the biggest difference with the Buffy RPG is that Buffy uses some different Qualities and Drawbacks, and it also got more support - there were three books, besides the core book, made for Buffy. Those books are the Slayer's Handbook, Monster Smackdown, and the Magic Box. So, there are a few more options with a Buffy game, though the books work just fine for Angel, too. In any case, while Angel tends to look towards slightly more adult characters, Buffy kind of assumes most characters will be young, in their teens. With that in mind, since I did a Champion yesterday, let's do a White Hat for Buffy; they get 15 Attribute Points, 10 Quality Points, up to 10 Drawback Points, 15 Skill Points, and 20 Drama Points.

'Scooby Gang' Member

Attributes (15 Points)
Strength 2
Dexterity 2
Constitution 2
Intelligence 4
Perception 2
Willpower 3

Qualities (10 Points)
Acute Senses (Vision)
Good Luck 3
Hard to Kill 3

Drawbacks (7 Points)
Adversary (Vampires & Demons)
Misfit
Teenager

Skills (15 Points + 7 from Drawbacks)
Acrobatics 2
Art 1
Computers 1
Doctor 2
Driving 2
Getting Medieval 2
Influence 2
Knowledge 2
Kung Fu 3
Notice 2
Occultism 2
Science 1

So, what we have here is your average outsider teen. Everyone thinks she's a misfit, she can't get out because she's still in school, and suddenly, she's got friends who do things like hunt down vampires, zombies, and devilish robots at night. She tags along, and does her best to contribute in fights, but most of her help comes outside the ring - she knows stuff. Misfits read the craziest books, you know - and sometimes, they get something useful out of them. Also, she's got wheels. If you read the entry from yesterdayyou'll note that the White Hat/Investigator character gets more Drama Points than the Hero/Champion - that's because they tend to be more fragile, and so they need a little more help in that department, plus it's always one of the brainy, squishy types who solve the problem in the nick of time while their scary combat monster buddy holds off the evil hordes, right?

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Angel Roleplaying Game

Angel is a game based on the TV series of the same name, companion to Buffy. They were both made by Eden Studios, and both use the same system, the Cinematic Unisystem - a streamlined version of Eden's more detailed Unisystem. Sadly, Eden Studios lost the license to the games earlier than they had planned due to some business problems, and didn't get a chance to make some of the best-sounding books: Tea & Crossbows: The Watcher's Handbook, Military Monster Squad: The Initiative Sourcebook, Lawyer, Guns & Money: The Wolfram & Hart sourcebook, and probably several others. In any case, about Angel - there are three main categories of character, the Investigator, the Champion, and the Veteran Champion. Each has a different power level, and different access to things to buy with the point-buy pool each has. Much like the TV show, it can be used to run a game with one Champion and several Investigator, or several Champions, or even Veteran Champions - think Angel season 5, with Spike, Angel, and Illyria stomping around. So, how about for this Angel character, we make a Champion - right at the mid-range of power for beginners. Champions get 20 Attribute Points, 20 Quality Points, can take up to 10 Drawback Points, 30 Skill Points, and 10 Drama Points. So, let's start.

Attributes (20)
Strength 6 (2 levels from Revenant Quality)
Dexterity 5 (2 levels from Revenant Quality)
Constitution 6 (2 levels from Revenant Quality)
Intelligence 4
Perception 3
Willpower 5 (3 levels from Revenant Quality)

Qualities (20 +2 from Drawbacks)
Body Switching (Part of Revenant Quality)
Hard to Kill 3
Regeneration (Per Hour)(Part of Revenant Quality)
Revenant
Situational Awareness
Unique Kill (Fire)(Part of Revenant Quality)

Drawbacks
Adversary (Vampires and Demons)
Dependent (Family)
Emotional Problem (Fear of Commitment)
Obligation (Total - The Powers That Be)
Psychic Visions (Part of Revenant Quality)

Skills (30 +8 from Drawbacks)
Acrobatics 5
Crime 4
Drive 2
Getting Medieval 6
Influence 3
Kung Fu 6
Notice 5
Occultism 3

Our Champion is a Revenant - it;s a hefty Quality meaning that he is faster, stronger, and tougher than normal people, but also doesn't sweat, breathe, or have a pulse - because, technically, he's dead. Not like a vampire, though, since vampires are demons trapped in humans forms - a Revenant is a spirit sent back from the dead to right wrongs by the Powers That Be. While his body is tough, it can be killed, but he comes back in a new one, unless he is killed with fire. He comes back from the dead over and over, killing demons and helping those who need it - and if he doesn't do it voluntarily, the crippling psychic visions he gets will nudge him in the right direction. Being dead doesn't fix all your problems, though - he's still got family to take care of, though it's a bit awkward to explain why a different person seems to know all the same things a former brother, sister, child or parent should know. And being dead is hell on new relationships. Like all good monster-killers in the Buffyverse, our Champion is skilled in melee and hand-to-hand skills, because bullets don't stop demons as well as a good axe.

The Drama Points aren't spent in character creation - they are used in play, and can be used for any of 5 different reasons: Heroic Feat (doing something cool at a dramatically appropriate time, like disarming a bomb with seconds to go), I Think I'm Okay (you don't take as much damage as you thought - a bullet missed a vital organ), Plot Twist (getting a break in a story - conveniently finding a valuable clue, say), Righteous Fury (you get hyped with righteous rage, and hit harder/faster/more), and Back From The Dead (the chracter comes back from the dead - at a dramatically appropriate time, that is). Perfect for mirroring the kind of wacky things that go on in an average Angel episode.

Shadowrun

Shadowrun is a fun kind of game. Take your average kind of fantasy pastiche elements - elves, dwarves, orcs, trolls, dragons, magic - and throw them into a futuristic setting with cybernetics, high-grade firearms, wireless supercomputer networks with AIs...it's a cool idea, nd a cool game. I can't say that I've ever really played it, but I do own a number of the books, and as usual, I do tend towards a combat-centered character. So, if you are hoping for a top-of-the-line combat mage or a smooth-talking, computer-hacking decker, sorry. Like Mutants & Masterminds, Shadowrun works on a point buy system; you pay more points to play, say, a troll character than a human. You can allocate a certain amount of your points to statistics, a certain amount to skills (which are divided up into two groups, Practical and Knowledge), a certain amount to gear (including all sorts of cool cybergadgetry), and then add it all up before you go on your first run - with the inevitable betrayal by Mr. Johnson, of course. So, without further ado, here's my elven street samurai, a former member of the elven special forces group the Tir Tairngire Ghosts:

Jonas Arkiel, 'Phantom'

Body 3, Agility 5 (7), Reaction 4 (5), Strength 2 (4), Charisma 4, Intuition 4, Logic 4, Willpower 3

Edge 1, Initiative 9, Essence 2.725

Practical Skills: Climbing 3, Gymnastics 3, Running 3, Swimming 3, Automatics 4, Longarms 4, Pistols 4, Disguise 3, Infiltration 3, Palming 3, Shadowing 3, Blades 2, Clubs 2, Unarmed Combat 2, Perception 5, Etiquette 1, Demolitions 3, Dodge 4

Knowledge Skills: English (Native), Sperethiel 3, Military (Special Forces) 3, Security Procedures (Military) 2, Elven Society 3, Poison Antidotes 1, Firearm Design 3, Bars 2, Black Markets 2, Mercenary Hangouts 2

Qualities: Martial Arts 1, Guts, Addiction (Mild), SINner, Spirit bane, Wanted

Cybernetics: Cybereyes Basic System (Rating 2) with Flare Compensation, Lowlight Vision, Thermographic Vision, and Smartlink, Wired Reflexes (Rating 1)

Bioware: Muscle Augmentation 2, Muscle Toner 2, Orthoskin 1, Echolocation

Equipment: Ceramic Knife, Victorinox Memory Blade, 2 Extendable Batons, 2 Ares Predator IVs, Defiance EX Shocker, Morrissey Elan, HK Urban Combat, Colt M22A3, 2 Concealable Holsters, Hidden Gun Arm Slide, 2 Silencers, Sound Suppressor, 5 Flash-Bangs, 5 Smoke Grenades, 12 clips APDS rounds, 12 clips Explosive rounds, 12 clips Regular ammo, 6 clips Gel rounds, SWAT Armor, Lined Coat, Commlink: Sony Emperor, Skinlink, Subvocal Microphone, Tag Eraser, Fake License (Rating 4), RFID Sensor, 10 Plastic Restraints, Lockpick set, Gecko Tape gloves, Survival Kit, Grapple Gun, 200m Stealth Rope, Medkit (Rating 4), DocWagon Contract (Basic, 1 Year), 5 Stim Patches, 5 Tranq Patches, Fake SIN (Rating 4), Tool Kit, Flashlight, Catalyst Stick, 5 Trauma Patches, 2 months of low-rent housing.

Contacts: Morgue Tech, Fixer

Yeah, about half of that equipment list is weaponry of various types. What can I say? I like options. The cyberware and bioware increases his physical abilities - the statistics in parentheses above are the ratings after the cyberware; Orthoskin makes him slightly bulletproof, and his eyes are adjusted to see in low-light, to see heat signatures, to compensation for flares and flashes of light, and to link automatically with his guns. The references to a SIN (or System Identification Number) are essentially about having, or not having a national ID; the quality SINner means he has a real one, unlike many criminals, which could make him easier to track, but he has a high-quality fake SIN for use on illegal jobs. His mild addiction is to alcohol, and some spirits dislike him on sight, and he is wanted by his former boss for having information he shouldn't. He's laying low, waiting for his buddy in the morgue or his recent acquaintance the fixer to find him something to do - and waiting for other runners to group up with.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Mutants & Masterminds

Mutants & Masterminds is a super-hero RPG, and one that is based on the d20 system popularized with the 3rd Edition of D&D. I have long been a fan of the super-hero genre, though I can't say that I have ever played in a super-hero RPG, something I would like to change at some point. As a fan of the genre, one of my favorite heroes has always been Captain America; I think that his example is a good one, and his abilities, while at the high end of the human norm, aren't completely off the scale. So, I think that in the spirit of the super-soldier, I will attempt to replicate that archetype in my character today. Mutants & Masterminds works on a sort of point-buy system, where each characteristic and statistic is bought from a pool of points determined by the power level of the game (in this case, the standard power level is 10). So, for a super-soldier at power level 10, with 150 points, it looks something like this:

Silver Soldier

Str 22 (+6), Dex 22 (+6), Con 22 (+6), Int 18 (+4), Wis 18 (+4), Cha (+4)

Toughness +6, Fortitude +10, Reflex +10, Will +8

Skills: Acrobatics 4 (+10), Climb 4 (+10), Intimidate 4 (+8), Knowledge (tactics) 12 (+6), Notice 8 (+12), Search 4 (+8), Sense Motive 4 (+8), Stealth 4 (+10), Swim 4 (+10)

Feats: Assessment, Benefit (security clearance), Diehard, Elusive Target, Evasion 2, Improved Block, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Inspire, Leadership, Master Plan, Power Attack, Uncanny Dodge (visual)

Powers: Blast 4 (thrown shield; Power Feats: Mighty 6, Ricochet; Alternate Powers: Strike 4 [Power Feats: Mighty]), Shield 4

Combat: Attack +10, Grapple +16, Damage +6 (unarmed), +10 (shield), Defense +14 (+5 flat-footed), Knockback -3, Initiative +10

Point Count: Abilities 60 + Skills 12 + Feats 14 + Powers 12 +Combat 40 + Saves 12 = 150

With this character, we have a hero with high physical abilities, and reasonably high intellect, wisdom, and charisma, not unlike Captain America, at least as a starting character. His saves are reasonably high, as well, meaning he will be able to resist or avoid a lot of damage. His skills are chiefly physical, with a high knowledge of tactics, making him a good soldier and tactician, making him a prime candidate for a group leader, at least in combat. His feats provide him with a number of combat tactics, both physical and to aid in devising plans (Master Plan to devise a tactical scenario, Inspire to fire up teammates, support with Teamwork and Leadership) and some benefits, like security clearance, that are more ephemeral. In an homage to Captain America, this character has a shield, which he can use to strike foes, throw at them (the Blast power means the shield returns when it is thrown), and also deflect attacks. He is, essentially, a super-soldier fresh off the line, with few abilities outside a narrow range, but he is good within that range.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Burning Wheel

Burning Wheel is an interesting game written in 2002 by Luke Crane. I recommend it for a good read, if nothing else, but as with my D&D posts, this isn't abut the game itself, but about creating a character. First, though, some stuff about the character creation system. Burning Wheel uses a lifepath system; you choose each portion of your character's life, from birth until when your character begins play. The number of lifepaths your character gets is based on the power level of the game your GM wants to run; for absolute novices, you could go as low as 2 lifepaths, while veterans could go up to 5, and even more potent characters could start with more. Each lifepath gives you points for skills and traits,; some skills and traits are required, while some are just recommended. Also, each of the four races provided in the Character Burner book has at least one special trait; Dwarves have Greed, Elves have Grief, Humans have Faith and Sorcery, and Orcs have Hatred. These traits shape the way each race is played, and are defining factors. Unlike D&D, the characters aren't necessarily mechanically balanced; that is left up to the players.

So, here we go. I've decided to make an Elven character, and to go with 4 lifepaths; that gives me a decent amount, but not an overly powerful character. I want a character who can handle himself in a fight, so I'll aim for a martial career as his final lifepath. So, let's start with the first lifepath. I generally don't play characters from the nobility, so let's try that out; I'll take the Born Etharch lifepath. Etharchs are the nobility of the Elven world, so my character was born to privilege. This lifepath takes up 25 years, and give me 5 General skill points (which can be spent on any skill), as well as 2 regular points, with Elven Script, Etiquette, and Sing. For traits, this lifepath gives all standard Elf traits, as well as 2 points of traits, one of which must be spent on the Etharchal trait. It also gives 10 Resource points.

Moving on, the second lifepath is Attendant; this is essentially the squire of the Elven nobility. This also takes up 25 years, and gives him +1 to his Physical Stats pool. It gives 4 skill points, to be spent in Etiquette, Ride, Brawl, or Sword. He also gets 2 trait points, one of which must go to Calm Demeanor, and 15 Resource points.

As his third lifepath, my character will take Second; this is essentially training to become a Sword Singer, a specialized Elven warrior. The Second path takes up 35 years, and gives +1 to his Physical Stats pool. He gets 8 skill points, to be spent among Song of Bonding, Sword, Knives, Bow, Mending, Riding, and Mounted Combat. Again, he gets 2 trait point, one of which goes to Lesson of One, and 15 Resource points.

Finally, I'll take Sword Singer, but from the Protector path grouping; lets say my character, feeling a sense of duty, spent his time as a Sword Singer in the Elven military rather than training for a noble's guard. This takes up 31 years, and like the previous 2 paths, gives him +1 to his Physical Stats pool. He gets 10 skill points, to be spent between Sword, Armor, Shield, Knives, Brawling, and Song of the Sword, and 1 trait point, which goes to Sword of the White Towers. Finally, he gets 10 Resource points. Totalling the age up, it comes to 116, and the table for Elven ages means that his Mental Stats pool is 9 points, and his Physical Stats pool, with his lifepath bonuses, is 18 points. Mental points are divided up evenly betweel Will and Perception, while Physical points are divided between Power, Forte, Agility, and Speed.

Now, the Elven trait that really defines a lot of what an Elf is is called Grief. Grief is a result of having to watch the rest of the world age and die, while you remain young - the only things that can kill an Elf are violence and an excess of Grief, which causes an Elf to waste away. An Elf's Grief starts at a level determined by a series of questions in the Character Burner book, and if it hits a high enough level, your character just stops doing everything except feeling grief, and wastes away.

There are some derived attributes from other statistics. Health is one; it is the average of Will and Forte, rounded down. It can be affected by a series of questions in the Character Burner, but let's forgo those. Mortal Wound is the average of Power and Forte, rounded down, while Reflexes is the average of Perception, Agility, and Speed, and Steel is started at B3, and affected by another series of questions.

Finally, we have Beliefs and Instincts. Beliefs are what drive your character, and the more specific, the better - so, since I want my character to be a disillusioned Elven warrio who is living among huans to find a sense of himself, let's make one of his Beliefs 'With my own people I am lost - with man, I will be found'. You can have up to three Beliefs as a starting character. Instincts are in-game mechanical triggers that tell how a character reacts to a situation - they tell the GM 'this is how my character will always react in a situation'. Things like 'Always treat others courteously' or 'Never work quickly' are Instincts, and they beat anything a GM can do.

So, at the end of it all, the character comes out like this:

Aelazair, disillusioned warrior

Lifepaths: Born Etharch, Attendant, Second, Sword Singer

Age: 116

Stats: Pe B4, Wi B5, Ag B5, Sp B4, Po B4, Fo B5

Attributes: Ref B4, Ste B7, Hea B6, MW B10, Hesitation 5, Grief B5

Circles: B2 (+1D minor reputation among his former army, +1D affiliation with Etharchs)

Resources: B0

Skills: Elven Script B4, Etiquette B4, Sword B4, Song of the Sword B4, Bow B3, Brawling B3,
Knives B3, Mending B3, Riding B3, Sing B3, Song of Bonding B2

Gear: Elven Sword, Elven Plated Leather, Elven Clothes, Elven Shoes, Printed Volumes, house

Traits: Etharchal, Calm Demeanor, Lesson of One, Patient, Sword of the White Towers, Nimble

Beliefs: Among my people I am lost, among man will I be found; Killing should be the last option among civilized people; Help should be given to those who ask

Instincts: Always act courteously; Never work quickly; Always keep my blade handy

Friday, April 23, 2010

Why the D&D Interest?

Why did I choose to make a character for all current D&D classes? I did it because, for the first time since I started playing, which was many, many years ago during 2nd Edition Advanced D&D, I feel that I would be willing to play a character of every class. Every class interests me in some way; each class has a role to play, and each class has its own, special way of going about that role. Each class is approximately equal in power, something that has not occurred for a long time, and yet each class seems like it would be fun to play.

Also, D&D now has some amazing software for use with it, including the character generator that I used to create each character; this makes character creation extremely easy on the mechanical side; it probably took me no more than 5-10 minutes to create each character, and making characters of levels higher than 1st probably wouldn't have added a great deal of time. D&D also has a monster creator, to help DMs with easy creation of monsters that are different than the norm; the program can adjust the level of existing monsters, or create entirely new ones. The D&D Insider subscription option is one of the best deals inn gaming for getting new information each month, with not just Dragon and Dungeon articles every month, but also an update to the character creator every month with any new official updates from any books published.

So, tomorrow, I'll start on other characters - and since I got a request way back when I first proposed this idea, the first game on deck is Burning Wheel. Should be interesting.

D&D: The Ardent

The final Psionic class, and the final D&D class period for the time being, is the Ardent. Unlike the other Psionic classes, the ARdent did not gain her abilities through training, but likely just accidentally triggered them one day. You see, the Ardent is able to expand her emotional state to include others, and this can help them fight, or negotiate -or it can be deadly for an enemy. The Ardent is the Psionic Leader class; it is her job to use her emotional state to help her allies and punish her foes, as you will see with Adrie, Half-Elf Ardent!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Adrie, level 1
Half-Elf, Ardent
Ardent Mantle: Mantle of Elation

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 18, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16.


AC: 16 Fort: 15 Reflex: 11 Will: 15
HP: 30 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Endurance +8, Bluff +9, Diplomacy +11, Streetwise +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Arcana, Dungeoneering, Heal, History, Insight +2, Intimidate +4, Nature, Perception, Religion, Stealth, Thievery, Athletics -1

FEATS
Level 1: Heartening Surge

POWERS
Ardent at-will 1: Demoralizing Strike
Ardent at-will 1: Ire Strike
Dilettante: Enfeebling Strike
Ardent daily 1: Battleborn Acuity

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Chainmail, Halberd
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

As an Ardent, Adrie can choose either the emotional mantle of Clarity or of Elation; Adrie has Elation, which lets her use the encounter power Ardent Outrage, which causes all adjacent enemies to grant combat advantage if Adrie becomes bloodied, and she gains the Ardent power Ardent Surge, which lets her both heal allies and grant them a bonus to attack. As she has the Mantle of Elation, she also grants nearby allies a bonus to Diplomacy and Intimidate checks. As to her combat powers, the Dilettante power granted by her Half-Elf heritage is a Paladin power, Enfeebling strike; if she hits, it deals damage, and gives the foe a penalty to attack. Her Psionic powers are Demoralizing Strike, which deals damage and gives the target a small penalty to defense, and can be augmented to grant a higher penalty to Will defense or give all nearby foes a penalty to all defense, and Ire Strike, which lets an ally attack a nearby foe and if they hit, the foe gains a damage vulnerability; this can be augmented to increase the vulnerability, and also the range at which the ally can attack. Finally, Adrie has the power Battleborn Acuity, which damages one foe and gives all allies a bonus to attack and damage for a turn, and can be sustained.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

D&D: The Psion

Those of you who are familiar with previous editions of D&D should be familiar with the Psion; it is traditionally the class who has been the main user of Psionic powers. In 2nd Edition, there were a number of Psionic disciplines, like telepathy, telekinesis, Clairsentience, Psychoportation, and others, but in 4th Edition, each Psion gets to pick one disciplines to specialize in; currently they only offer telepathy and telekinesis, but I would think the Psionic Power book will expand that. As the main mover of mental mojo, the Psion is a Controller; he uses his powers to control the battlefield, through screwing with the minds of others or by using his mind to hit you with a brick. And so here is my example, Pelaios, Tiefling Psion!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Pelaios, level 1
Tiefling, Psion
Discipline Focus: Telepathy Focus

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 10, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 16.


AC: 14 Fort: 11 Reflex: 14 Will: 16
HP: 24 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Intimidate +9, Arcana +9, Bluff +11, Diplomacy +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Dungeoneering +1, Endurance +1, Heal +1, History +4, Insight +1, Nature +1, Perception +1, Religion +4, Stealth +2, Streetwise +4, Thievery, Athletics -1

FEATS
Psion: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Imperious Majesty

POWERS
Psion at-will 1: Memory Hole
Psion at-will 1: Mind Thrust
Psion daily 1: Mental Trauma

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Staff Implement, Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing), Sickle
RITUALS
Tenser's Floating Disk
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

As you can see, Pelaios is a Telepathy Psion, which means he can send short messages to companions telepathically, and distract enemies with barrages of mental power. His feat allows him to use his Charisma bonus, rather than Dexterity, for determining initiative, meaning he is more likely to act first in combat. As with the Battlemind, the Psion has no Encounter powers, but can augment his At-Will and Daily powers, so here they are. Memory Hole damages a target with psychic power and causes Pelaios to become temporarily invisible to the target, and can be augmented to extend invisibility or expand the power to hit all nearby foes. Mind Thrust, however, does psychic damage, and can be augmented to give the target a penalty to Will defense, or do extra damage and take a penalty to all defenses for a turn. Finally, Mental Trauma does quite a bit of psychic damage, and makes the target vulnerable to further psychic attacks until it makes a saving throw.

D&D: The Monk

The favored class of every wuxia fan, the Monk has an odd sort of history with D&D. In 3rd Edition, she was a sort of unarmed martial artist but with no real established power source, and before that she may have been a robed holy person. But in 4th Edition, the Monk is a Psionic character; she focuses her psychic abilities inward, to improve herself and allow her to do things other people cannot. The Monk is a Striker; it is her purpose to move in swiftly, deal damage, and get away before her enemies can pin her down. The Monk is a bit of a strange character, as you will see with Aelar, Bladeling Monk!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Aelar, level 1
Bladeling, Monk
Monastic Tradition: Centered Breath
Razor Storm: Razor Storm Dexterity

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 12, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10.


AC: 16 Fort: 13 Reflex: 15 Will: 15
HP: 24 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +9, Perception +9, Acrobatics +9, Insight +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +1, Heal +4, History, Intimidate +2, Nature +4, Religion, Streetwise, Thievery +4, Athletics

FEATS
Level 1: Improved Monk Unarmed Strike

POWERS
Monk at-will 1: Dancing Cobra
Monk at-will 1: Crane's Wings
Monk encounter 1: Drunken Monkey
Monk daily 1: Masterful Spiral

ITEMS
Monk Unarmed Strike, Adventurer's Kit, Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing), Quarterstaff
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Aelar, as a Monk, has a choice between the Centered Breath and Stone Fist schools; Stone Fist does slightly more damage, but Cenetered Breath allows her to drive nearby opponents away, so I chose the latter. As her feat, she gained the ability to do slightly more damage with her unarmed attacks, which is nice for a striker. Most Monk powers have both an attack and a movement component; the movement component gives Aelar a movement option for that round when she uses the power, and can be used or not. Dancing Cobra deals damage, and includes extra damage if the target has made an opportunity attack against Aelar, and the movement portion allows her to move slightly farther than normal, while Crane's Wings does damage while pushing the target, and the movement portion allows her to jump as if from a running start and go as far as she can make it. the Drunken Monkey power does damage and slides the foe, and then makes the foe make a basic attack against an opponent of Aelar's choice due to disorientation, while the movement portion allows her to move through difficult terrain as if it was normal and gain a bonus to defense against opportunity attacks. Finally, Masterful Spiral does a great deal of damage, and allows Aelar to reach slightly farther with her unarmed attacks, allowing her to strike enemies normally out of her reach.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

D&D: The Battlemind

The Battlemind is the first class of the Psionic power source. As psionics, they have powers of the mind, but they also have physical skills, and the Battlemind combines those two in a deadly way. Psionic classes are different from others; they have no encounter powers, but they can augment their At-Will powers to do more damage or affect enemies. The Battlemind is the Psionic Defender; it is to the Battlemind that the other Psionic classes look for protection, and they take their blows admirably. But showing is always better than telling, so I present Lhyra, Hobgoblin Battlemind!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Lhyra, level 1
Hobgoblin, Battlemind
Psionic Study: Speed of Thought

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 18, Dex 10, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 16.


AC: 19 Fort: 14 Reflex: 12 Will: 16
HP: 33 Surges: 13 Surge Value: 8

TRAINED SKILLS
Diplomacy +9, Endurance +7, Intimidate +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics -2, Arcana, Bluff +4, Dungeoneering +1, Heal +1, History +2, Insight +1, Nature +1, Perception +1, Religion, Stealth -2, Streetwise +4, Thievery -2, Athletics

FEATS
Level 1: Pursuing Step

POWERS
Battlemind at-will 1: Demon Dance
Battlemind at-will 1: Whirling Defense
Battlemind daily 1: Steel Unity Strike

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Scale Armor, Heavy Shield, Scimitar
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

The Battlemind can be either Quick or Resilient; Lhyra is Quick, and with it she gains Speed of Thought, which lets her move a number of squares before combat technically begins, letting her get out front. She can also shift when an enemy shifts with Blurred Step and use Mind Spike to give psychic backlash to a marked target who hits an ally. As to her combat powers, Demon Dance lets Lhyra hit a foe and give it a big penalty to opportunity attacks, or augment it to remove threatening reach from an opponent or do more damage. Whirling Defense, meanwhile, does damage to and marks a target, and can be augmented to do more Mind Spike damage or include more enemies. Finally, Steel Unity Strike does a great deal of damage and lets Lhyra assume Steel Unity stance, which lets her reflexively hit a target adjacent to her that moves without shifting - handy for keeping foes near you.

Monday, April 19, 2010

D&D: The Runepriest

The Runepriest is a curious class; at first, it appears to be designed for dwarves only, as runepriests have long been a part of dwarven background and culture. They use the power of runes, passed to them from the gods, to aid and strengthen their companions, which makes them Divine Leaders, alongside the Cleric. They scribe their runes in the air and on items, and bring the divine power of deities down to smite their foes. I chose to go with a slightly unusual race, so here is Tor, Shifter Runepriest!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Tor, level 1
Longtooth Shifter, Runepriest
Runic Artistry: Defiant Word

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 8.


AC: 18 Fort: 14 Reflex: 12 Will: 14
HP: 24 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +5, Insight +9, Athletics +11, Heal +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Arcana, Bluff -1, Diplomacy -1, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +3, History, Intimidate -1, Nature +4, Perception +4, Stealth +1, Streetwise -1, Thievery +1

FEATS
Level 1: Rune of Hope

POWERS
Runepriest at-will 1: Word of Binding
Runepriest at-will 1: Word of Exchange
Runepriest encounter 1: Flames of Purity
Runepriest daily 1: Rune of the Undeniable Dawn

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Scale Armor, Light Shield, Mace
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Runepriests have an odd ability; whenever they use a power that has the runic keyword, they can choose one of two effects, either destruction or protection. Tor is a Defiant Word runepriest, so he gets a bonus to damage any enemy that attacks him and misses. He also has a healing power, Rune of Mending, which lets him heal allies or himself twice per encounter. As to his attack powers, Word of Binding lets him strike an enemy and immobilize it for a turn, while Word of Exchange lets him strike a foe and either let an ally do more damage to the target, or lower the targets defenses for a turn. Flames of Purity is an area effect attack that hits all foes in the area with fire, and can either heal allies or give allies a damage bonus. Rune of the Undeniable Dawn is another area attack that hits all enemies in an area, and also creates an area that gives all allies a defense bonus.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

D&D: The Seeker

The arcane archer was an idea that came from 3rd Edition D&D; essentially, it was an archer that used a mix of magic and martial skill to do interesting and sometimes terrible things to foes while using a missile weapon. The Seeker is a class that takes that archetype and runs with it. While the Seeker is Primal rather than Arcane, the Seeker uses a missile weapon, whether a bow or a thrown weapon, to cause all manner of havoc with his enemies; for this reason, the Seeker is a Controller, placing his shots in ways that give him control of the battlefield. As I prefer to show rather than tell, I present to you Theren, Elven Seeker!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Theren, level 1
Elf, Seeker
Seeker's Bond: Bloodbond

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 12, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 10.


AC: 16 Fort: 11 Reflex: 15 Will: 15
HP: 24 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature +11, Stealth +10, Perception +11, Acrobatics +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +1, Heal +4, History, Insight +4, Intimidate, Religion, Streetwise, Thievery +4, Athletics

FEATS
Level 1: Light Step

POWERS
Seeker at-will 1: Elemental Spirits
Seeker at-will 1: Biting Swarm
Seeker encounter 1: Flickering Arrow
Seeker daily 1: Rime Strike

ITEMS
Leather Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Longbow
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

I chose Elf as Theren's race for their innate skill with bows, and once per encounter they can use Elven Accuracy, which lets them reroll an attack. Theren has as his Seeker bond the Bloodbond, which lets him push away and slow any targets near him - giving him room to fire. As combat powers, he has Elemental Spirits, which lets him shoot a target, inflict elemental damage of his choice, and also inflict damage on any foe that starts its turn adjacent to the original target, along with Biting Swarm, which lets him shoot a target and give it and all enemies adjacent to it a penalty to attack for a turn. Flickering Arrow lets him shoot a target, keeping it from taking cover or concealment, and also giving all enemies within 6 squares of the target a penalty to attack rolls; as his daily attack, he has Rime Strike, which shoots an enemy with cold, immobilizes it, and then creates a zone of cold, difficult terrain around the target, doing damage to anything that enters or starts its turn there.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

D&D: The Assassin

The Assassin is well-known in both fantasy and non-fantasy literature; he silently steals into the abode of a target and kills them swiftly, then leaves before anyone knows he was there. In D&D, the Assassin has abilities that certainly help with sneaking about, but the D&D Assassin is no ordinary killer - he has a connection the the Shadowfell which makes him all the more dangerous. The only released class of the Shadow power source, the Assassin is a Striker; he sneaks up on his foes, and attacks swiftly and without mercy, doing as much damage as possible before melting into the shadows again. This will be revealed here, with Elkantar, Drow Assassin.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Elkantar, level 1
Drow, Assassin
Guild Training: Night Stalker
Darkfire: Darkfire Charisma

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 12, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16.


AC: 16 Fort: 12 Reflex: 14 Will: 15
HP: 22 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 5

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +11, Thievery +9, Bluff +9, Acrobatics +9, Streetwise +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Diplomacy +4, Dungeoneering, Endurance +1, Heal, History, Insight, Intimidate +6, Nature, Perception, Religion, Athletics

FEATS
Level 1: Keeper of the Black Flame

POWERS
Assassin at-will 1: Leaping Shade
Assassin at-will 1: Shadow Storm
Assassin encounter 1: Nightmare Shades
Assassin daily 1: Grave Spike

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Leather Armor, Longsword
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Elkantar, as an Assassin, gets several special abilities; for one, he can, once per encounter, turn himself insubstantial and sneak up on an enemy, only becoming substantial again when he strikes; he can also jump through shadows in a sort of short-range teleport. He can also target enemies with Shrouds; Elkantar can target one enemy per round, and each target can take up to 4 Shrouds, and when Elkantar strikes that enemy, he can choose to expend the Shrouds on the target to deal additional damage. Also, as a Drow, he can both create an area of total darkness that only he can see through and surround a target with a purple light that makes it easier to hit them. As for his normal combat powers, Leaping Shade lets him strike a target and do a small bit of extra damage if he does not expend his Shrouds on that foe, and Shadow Storm lets him attack a foe and do more damage for each other creature adjacent to the target. Nightmare Shades lets Elkantar strike a foe hard and also gain a bonus to attack and damage against that foe until the end of his next turn, and Grave Spike is his cruelest attack - he attacks a foe, and the attack does ongoing damage, and every time the ongoing damage happens, it causes the target to fall prone - and in addition, Elkantar gets a bonus to attack the foe until the end fo the encounter as long as he has Shrouds on it.

Friday, April 16, 2010

D&D: The Artificer

It has long been a staple of mythology and fantasy literature to have a character whose job it is to slave away at a forge, making the awesome magic weaponry and armor that the heroes use. D&D, specifically the Eberron setting, took that idea a step further, saying "What if that guy got out on a battlefield - what kind of havoc could he wreak?" It turns out, quite a bit. Since the original purpose of an Artificer is to create objects and weave enchantments about them, the Artificer is a Leader; he works much of his magic through the weapons, armor, and equipment of his allies. But it is better to show than tell, so I present Dayereth, Eladrin Artificer!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Dayereth, level 1
Eladrin, Artificer

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 12.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 12.


AC: 16 Fort: 14 Reflex: 14 Will: 13
HP: 28 Surges: 9 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Endurance +8, Arcana +11, Perception +6, Heal +6, History +11, Diplomacy +6

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Bluff +1, Dungeoneering +1, Insight +1, Intimidate +1, Nature +1, Religion +4, Stealth +1, Streetwise +1, Thievery +1, Athletics -1

FEATS
Artificer: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Accurate Magic Weapon

POWERS
Artificer at-will 1: Magic Weapon
Artificer at-will 1: Aggravating Force
Healing Infusion: Healing Infusion: Resistive Formula
Artificer encounter 1: Burning Weapons
Artificer daily 1: War Proxy

ITEMS
Ritual Book, Crossbow, Leather Armor, Adventurer's Kit, Wand Implement
RITUALS
Brew Potion, Disenchant Magic Item, Enchant Magic Item, Make Whole
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Dayereth, as an artificer, gains the ability to craft healing infusions, which he can then carry around and use as needed; his basic one simply heals, but the other will be covered shortly. His feat gives him a small bonus to attack with any weapon or implement which has been used as a focus for his powers that encounter. Magic Weapon is a power that lets Dayereth fire at an enemy, and also give a bonus to the attack and damage rolls of any adjacent allies; Aggravating Force is similar, but it grants only one ally an attack bonus against the attack's original target. The Resistive Formula healing infusion, as the name implies, aids the resistance of the ally who gets it, increasing his AC. Burning Weapons attacks an enemy with fire, and causes Dayereth, and any ally within 2 squares, to add fire damage to their attacks until the end of Dayereth's next turn. Finally, War Proxy targets both an enemy and an ally; the enemy takes damage from an attack, while the ally, if the attack is successful, can be the originating point for all Dayereth's ranged attacks until the end of the encounter - allowing him to attack foes he normally could not.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

D&D: The Invoker

The Invoker is another Divine power source class, but it isn't anything like the others. Where the Cleric and Paladin were familiar, and the Avenger pretty much a church assassin, the Invoker is the wrath of his or her god, personified. He wields some seriously Old Testament powers, kind of like Moses - if Moses were played by Jet Li. Invokers have a tiny portion of their god's essence within them, and were originally created to help fight primordials - but now they just hit people with curses, maledictions, and general unpleasantness. The Invoker is a Controller; he shapes the battlefield to his liking with divine force. With this one, I've done something a bit different and made an evil character, so meet Vondal, Duergar Invoker of Bane!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Vondal, level 1
Duergar, Invoker
Divine Covenant: Covenant of Malediction

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 18, Dex 10, Int 12, Wis 18, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 10.


AC: 16 Fort: 15 Reflex: 12 Will: 15
HP: 28 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +6, Intimidate +5, Endurance +8, Insight +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics -1, Arcana +1, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +6, Heal +4, History +1, Nature +4, Perception +4, Stealth -1, Streetwise, Thievery -1, Athletics -1

FEATS
Invoker: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Baleful Malediction

POWERS
Invoker at-will 1: Visions of Blood
Invoker at-will 1: Divine Bolts
Invoker encounter 1: Whispers of Defeat
Invoker daily 1: Execration

ITEMS
Ritual Book, Staff Implement, Adventurer's Kit, Chainmail, Mace
RITUALS
Hand of Fate, Create Holy Water
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Vondal is a malediction Invoker, meaning he curses enemies with unpleasant things like boils and visions of agony. His feat, Baleful Malediction, gives any enemy hit by one of Vondal's Ecnounter or Daily powers a -2 to attack him. Visions of Blood afflicts the target with terrible visions, damaging him and giving him a minor penalty to attack until Vondal's next turn, while Divine Bolts hits a target (or two) with bolts of divine lightning. Whispers of Defeat is an area attack that afflicts affected enemies with searing doubt, giving them penalties to attack and inflicting psychic damage. Finally, Execration is an area attack that curses your targets, causing not only initial damage, but also ongoing damage until they make a saving throw; sadly, to use this, Vondal also takes some ongoing damage, but those are the risks you take to defeat your foes.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

D&D: The Sorcerer

The Sorcerer came about in 3rd Edition; he was an arcane caster, like the Wizard, but instead of learning his spells through long study and practice, his skills were innate. While he knew fewer spells, he could use what he knew more often. They were charismatic individuals, who wielded their magic through force of personality. Much of that is the same in 4th Edition; they are still charismatic, and their magical skills are innate, but now they have a variety of methods for gaining their magic - general chaos, the blood of a dragon in the family line, the fury of a storm, or simply a connection to the cosmos. Each gives them something different, but as a Striker, their job is still the same - kill things fast with as much magic as possible. So I present to you Sim, Changeling Sorcerer!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Sim, level 1
Changeling, Sorcerer
Spell Source: Wild Magic

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 16.


AC: 14 Fort: 11 Reflex: 14 Will: 17
HP: 24 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +5, Intimidate +9, Bluff +11, Diplomacy +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +4, Dungeoneering +1, Endurance +1, Heal +1, History, Insight +3, Nature +1, Perception +1, Religion, Stealth +4, Streetwise +4, Thievery +4, Athletics -1

FEATS
Level 1: Disciplined Wild Soul

POWERS
Sorcerer at-will 1: Chaos Bolt
Sorcerer at-will 1: Energy Strobe
Sorcerer encounter 1: Bedeviling Burst
Sorcerer daily 1: Chromatic Orb

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing), Dagger, Staff Implement
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Sim is a chaos sorcerer, so a certain number of effects he uses are randomized; the energy type of his attacks, whether he gets an attack or defense bonus each round, all turn on the roll of a die. Chaos Bolt hits an enemy with a bolt of chaotic energy, and a random roll determines whether a secondary attack occurs, whereas with Energy Strobe, a bolt of energy strikes an opponent, and the roll of a die determines both the energy type and what energy type Sim gets a minor resistance to until the end of his next turn. Bedeviling Burst is a ranged magic attack that does psychic damage, and either pushes or slides the target, depending on whether the attack comes up even or odd. Finally, Chromatic Orb does good damage, and after a die roll, you find out what type of energy - and corresponding fun effect - the target is hit with.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

D&D: The Shaman

The Primal power source introduced in Player's Handbook 2 brought a number of new ideas to the game. One of these is the concept behind the Shaman. The Shaman is, as you'd expect, a shamanistic character, communing with spirits for advice and talking to nature. But the Shaman also gets a spirit companion - and it is through this spirit companion that many of the Shaman's powers play out. The shaman chooses a type of spirit companion, like a protector, a predator, or a watcher, and can then have that spirit be any kind of animal she wants - perhaps a bear for a protector, or a great cat for a predator. Then the Shama can move the spirit companion around on the battlefield, using her powers through the spirit to aid her allies. The Shaman is the Leader for the Primal power source, and thus it is up to her to aid her allies and keep them going - as you will see in Gwenna, the Shaman.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Gwenn, level 1
Human, Shaman
Companion Spirit: Watcher Spirit

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 12.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 12.


AC: 15 Fort: 13 Reflex: 14 Will: 16
HP: 24 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Endurance +6, Nature +9, Insight +9, Heal +9, Perception +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +3, Arcana, Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Dungeoneering +4, History, Intimidate +1, Religion, Stealth +3, Streetwise +1, Thievery +3, Athletics -1

FEATS
Human: Watcher Spirit Adept
Level 1: Resilient Spirit

POWERS
Bonus At-Will Power: Voice of Battle
Shaman at-will 1: Watcher's Strike
Shaman encounter 1: Stormhawk's Fury
Shaman daily 1: Spirit of Consuming Terror

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Leather Armor, Totem, Spear
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Gwenna's companion spirit is a watcher spirit; the watcher spirit watches carefully for any sign of enemy weakness, and then strikes. For her feats, Gwenna has a feat to improve Insight and Perception checks for allies near her spirit, and also to increase her spirit's defenses - while it cannot die, it can be temporarily banished if hit hard enough. Voice of Battle is a psychic attack through the spirit companion, and it allows an ally near the spirit to shift 2 squares; Watcher's Strike, on the other hand, is also an attack through the spirit, but gives adjacent allies a bonus to attack and Perception checks. Stormhawk's Fury lets the spirit move swiftly, strike hard, and until the end of Gwenna's next turn, any ally who hits an enemy adjacent to her spirit causes that enemy to take additional damage. Spirit of Consuming Terror is Gwenna's daily, and it not only does decent damage, but until the end of its next turn the target gets a penalty to attack rolls, and Gwenna can choose to repeat the attack on the following turns.

Monday, April 12, 2010

D&D: The Warden

Wardens are new to D&D, as a part of the Primal power source. Think of them like this: if the Barbarian is like an avalanche, and a Druid like a coming storm, the Warden is like a mountain; he is the bulwark against which attacks break and enemies fall. Wardens do not use heavy armor to break the attacks; instead, they rely on their innate toughness and high hit points as they wade into the fray and mark all those around them. Wardens are, as you may have guessed, Defenders; unlike the Fighter, Paladin, and Swordmage, though, the Warden can mark all enemies adjacent to him, which makes it useful for the Warden to really jump into the middle of things. Without further useless words, I present Lo-Kag, Goliath Warden!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Lo-Kag, level 1
Goliath, Warden
Guardian Might: Stormheart

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 18, Dex 10, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 8.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 8.


AC: 18 Fort: 15 Reflex: 12 Will: 13
HP: 35 Surges: 13 Surge Value: 8

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature +8, Perception +6, Endurance +8, Athletics +10

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics -1, Arcana +1, Bluff -1, Diplomacy -1, Dungeoneering +1, Heal +1, History +1, Insight +1, Intimidate -1, Religion +1, Stealth -1, Streetwise -1, Thievery -1

FEATS
Level 1: Markings of the Predator

POWERS
Warden at-will 1: Tempest Assault
Warden at-will 1: Strength of Stone
Warden encounter 1: Gale Strike
Warden daily 1: Form of Mountain's Thunder

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Hide Armor, Light Shield, Battleaxe
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Lo-Kag is a Stormheart Warden, which means when he uses his second wind, he can slide every marked enemy within 2 squares of him 1 square, and they are all Slowed until the end of his next turn. His feat gives him a +1 to defense when he bloodies an enemy, useful for a Defender. As for his powers, Tempest Assault strikes one enemy with the power of lightning, and one enemy nearby the original target takes thunder damage, while Strength of Stone allows Lo-Kag to hit an enemy and gain temporary hit points from it. Gale Strike lets Lo-Kag hit one enemy hard, and hit all other enemies marked by him for damage, as well as letting him slide them all 1 square. Finally, Form of Mountain's Thunder transforms Lo-Kag, giving him a protective shell of rock and earth; for the rest of the encounter, he resists a small amount of any damage he gets, gets a bonus to his AC, and once per turn he can deal a small amount of damage automatically to all targets he has marked after he hits - and once for the rest of the encounter, he can strike the ground with the fury of thunder, and all enemies adjacent to him take damage and are knocked prone.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

D&D: The Druid

Druids are an old favorite of D&D, and in 3rd Edition, they could be one of the most overpowered classes, because they could shapeshift into virtually anything, and get the same abilities of whatever they turned into. In 4th Edition, druids can still shapeshift, but they don't get any improved abilities other than the use of some special powers that can only be used while shapeshifted, but druids are still powerful - they're just a little trickier to use. They are Primal Controllers, meaning it is their job to control the battlefield, whether pouncing on enemies in beast form, overcoming them as a swarm of insects, or striking them with the full force of nature. So here I present, Banmarden, wilden Druid!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Banmarden, level 1
Wilden, Druid
Primal Aspect: Primal Swarm
Hardy Form: Hardy Form Reflex

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 18, Dex 12, Int 12, Wis 18, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 12, Wis 16, Cha 10.


AC: 14 Fort: 14 Reflex: 13 Will: 15
HP: 30 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature +11, Insight +9, Heal +9, Perception +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Arcana +1, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +3, History +1, Intimidate, Religion +1, Stealth +2, Streetwise, Thievery, Athletics -2

FEATS
Druid: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Stinging Swarm

POWERS
Druid at-will 1: Swarming Locusts
Druid at-will 1: Grasping Tide (Druid)
Druid at-will 1: Pounce
Druid encounter 1: Scattered Form
Druid daily 1: Fog of Insects

ITEMS
Ritual Book, Adventurer's Kit, Hide Armor, Quarterstaff, Totem
RITUALS
Animal Messenger, Portend Weather
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Banmarden is a wilden, a race that is essentially sentient plant life. He has the Primal Swarm specialty, which means his beast form is a swarm of insects, and the feat he has, Stinging Swarm, means that he gets combat advantage every time he takes damage. Druids get three at-will powers; of those, Swarming Locusts is an area attack that causes Banmarden's beast form to explode outwards, and any enemy within grants combat advantage; Grasping Tide is a ranged area attack that causes a pillar of water to hit enemies, and if they attempt to leave the area, they can be knocked prone; and Pounce is a beast form attack that does damage and grants combat advantage to the next ally to attack the target. Scattered Form is a swarm attack that causes Banmarden's insect form to attack a small area around him, and he also takes half damage from all attacks until his next turn. Finally, Fog of Insects summons a great could of stinging insects to an area around Banmarden, doing decent damage and giving him a bonus to defense until the end of the encounter.

Saturday, April 10, 2010

D&D: The Avenger

The Avenger is a new concept in D&D. As a Divine class, it sits with the Cleric and Paladin, but where the Cleric is the voice of her god, and a Paladin is the shiled, the Avenger is the terrible swift sword. Avengers dispense their own brand of justice towards foes of their god; they do not wear armor, for they are armored by their faith, and any enemy they swear an oath against is not long for this world - the special mechanic of the Avenger lets them swear an Oath against one enemy per encounter, and against that enemy, they roll every attack twice, making it much harder for them to miss. Avengers are Strikers; they do not care for defense, only inflicting terrible damage on their foes. So without further ado, I give you Uweya, Avenger of Erathis!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Uweya, level 1
Githzerai, Avenger
Avenger's Censure: Censure of Unity

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 10.


AC: 17 Fort: 12 Reflex: 15 Will: 15
HP: 26 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +9, Stealth +6, Perception +9, Heal +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +3, Arcana +4, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance +1, History +4, Insight +4, Intimidate, Nature +4, Streetwise, Thievery +1, Athletics +1

FEATS
Level 1: Githzerai Blade Master

POWERS
Avenger at-will 1: Bond of Censure
Avenger at-will 1: Leading Strike
Avenger encounter 1: Rictus Grin
Avenger daily 1: Strength of Many

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Holy Symbol, Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing), Fullblade
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Uweya is a Githzerai, a race I think goes well with the Avengers because of their often somewhat monastic tendencies. Her feat gives her proficiency with more weapons and a damage bonus to using several weapons, which is nice. Her Avenger Censure is the Censure of Unity, so she does more damage if her allies are near her when she attacks her Oath target. Bond of Censure is a ranged attack that lets Uweya pull her target to her, and if they end up next to her, they take damage. Leading Strike not only hits a target, but gives a nearby enemy a bonus to hit the same target. Rictus Grin inflicts decent damage, and gives an attack penalty to any enemy adjacent to Uweya for a turn, and Strength of Many, her big finisher, does large amounts of damage and gives her a further damage bonus for each ally within two squares of her.

Friday, April 9, 2010

D&D: The Barbarian

The Barbarian is a common theme in fantasy literature; he is often a member of some tribal culture that does not use heavy armor or sophisticated combat techniques; Barbarians often just charge at an enemy, screaming, wielding the largest weapon they can carry. Barbarians in D&D are somewhat along those lines, but far cooler. They use the Primal power source, meaning the source of any supernatural powers they use is the world around them, often an earth spirit or some other nature-based entity. Barbarians have Rage powers, which not only let them attack, but then give them a bonus effect for the rest of combat. As you might imagine, Barbarians are Strikers - they throw themselves into combat, inflicting as much damage as they can and relying on their high Hit Points to carry them through. So, here I present to you today's character, Weoren!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Weoren, level 1
Minotaur, Barbarian
Feral Might: Rageblood Vigor

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 18, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 12.


AC: 15 Fort: 16 Reflex: 12 Will: 11
HP: 33 Surges: 13 Surge Value: 8

TRAINED SKILLS
Intimidate +6, Endurance +8, Athletics +8

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Arcana, Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Dungeoneering -1, Heal -1, History, Insight -1, Nature +1, Perception +1, Religion, Stealth, Streetwise +1, Thievery

FEATS
Level 1: Springing Charge

POWERS
Barbarian at-will 1: Recuperating Strike
Barbarian at-will 1: Howl of Fury
Barbarian encounter 1: Avalanche Strike
Barbarian daily 1: Macetail's Rage

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Hide Armor, Maul
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Weoren is a Minotaur, which means he gets a racial ability that lets him make a special charge attack using his horns. I gave him the Springing Charge feat, which lets him make a second charge attack if he makes a critical strike on his first charge - helpful with his racial ability and his class ability, which is called Swift Charge. Recuperating Strike lets him strike a foe, and gain temporary hit points for doing so, while Howl of Fury also lets him attack a foe, but then let loose a howl that damages all other enemies in an area around him. Avalanche Strike lets Weoren do massive damage, at the expense of leaving his defenses lowered, while Macetail's Rage sends him into a rage; he does decent damage initially, while also knocking his foe prone, and afterwards, for the rest of combat, Weoren gains temporary hit points every time he successfully strikes in combat.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

D&D: The Bard

The Bard is an old favorite of many people, mostly because it is just a fun class; who doesn't like to raise their allies' spirits by singing dirty ditties, or to cause their enemies to falter with insulting jokes and mockery? In 4th Edition, the Bard can do that and more; the Bard's role is as a Leader, so she supports her party with words and song, buoying their spirits while tripping their enemies up. She is not a front-line fighter, but she keeps the others going - and is pretty good as a diplomat, negotiator, and all-around wordsmith. So, here I present to you Sorashana the Bard!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Sorashana, level 1
Kalashtar, Bard
Bardic Virtue: Virtue of Prescience
Kalashtar: Diplomacy Bonus

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 16.


AC: 16 Fort: 11 Reflex: 12 Will: 15
HP: 24 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +5, Heal +9, Perception +9, Diplomacy +11, Bluff +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Dungeoneering +5, Endurance +1, History +1, Insight +7, Intimidate +5, Nature +5, Religion +1, Stealth +1, Streetwise +5, Thievery +1, Athletics -1

FEATS
Bard: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Prescient Fortification

POWERS
Bard at-will 1: Vicious Mockery
Bard at-will 1: Jinx Shot
Bard encounter 1: Prophetic Action
Bard daily 1: Saga of Rivalry

ITEMS
Ritual Book, Longbow, Dagger, Chainmail, Adventurer's Kit, Wand Implement
RITUALS
Glib Limerick, Create Campsite
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Sorashana's bardic class virtue, the Virtue of Prescience, means that once per encounter, when an enemy would hit a nearby ally, Sorashana can grant the ally a bonus to defense to attempt to avoid the attack. Vicious Mockery, a power seen in my Warlock writeup, does what it says - harms an enemy with the power of cutting insults. The Jinx Shot power is a ranged attack that, if it hits, causes the target to fall prone if it misses with an attack before Sorashana's next turn. Prophetic Action harms an enemy, and if the enemy targets Sorashana or an ally before Sorashana's next turn and misses, Sorashana can have another ally move several squares in response. Her big finishing number is the Saga of Rivalry; Sorashana shoots an enemy with her bow, and if she hits, she chooses an ally; if the target is not adjacent to that ally by the end of its turn, it takes 5 damage, which lasts until the foe makes a saving throw, and the chosen ally gets a bonus to attack that enemy until the end of the encounter.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

D&D: The Swordmage

Now that we're done with the classes from the first Player's Handbook, I'm moving on to the next published class, the Swordmage. The Swordmage comes from a popular idea in previous editions of the game - the character who could wield a sword and also use magic at the same time. While the Swordmage won't likely be throwing any fireballs, the powers it uses are distinctly magical, and if used correctly, very devastating. The Swordmage is, like the Fighter and the Paladin, a Defender; it is his job to protect his fellow party members and attract the attention of enemies. Though he is lightly armored, his skills more than make up for that, as you'll see here.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Serbahn, level 1
Shadar-kai, Swordmage
Swordmage Aegis: Aegis of Ensnarement

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 16, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 10.


AC: 19 Fort: 14 Reflex: 14 Will: 12
HP: 31 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +9, Athletics +6, Endurance +8, History +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +3, Bluff, Diplomacy, Dungeoneering, Heal, Insight, Intimidate, Nature, Perception, Religion +4, Stealth +3, Streetwise, Thievery +1

FEATS
Level 1: Grasping Ensnarement

POWERS
Swordmage at-will 1: Luring Strike
Swordmage at-will 1: Lightning Lure
Swordmage encounter 1: Falcon's Mark
Swordmage daily 1: Sweeping Frostblade

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Leather Armor, Broadsword
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

As a shadar-kai, Serbahn has a racial ability allowing him to teleport a short distance once per encounter, which is a handy ability to have; his Swordmage ability, Aegis of Ensnarement, allows him to mark an opponent at range, and then if the opponent does not attack Serbahn, not only will the enemy suffer a penalty to attack rolls, but Serbahn can also pull the enemy to his side, leaving the foe open to attack. Luring Strike allows Serbahn to attack, move a square, and pull the target into the square he was just in, and also to move another square either before or after the attack, whereas Lightning Lure can attack a foe up to 3 squares away and then pull the foe to a square adjacent to Serbahn. Falcon's Mark requires Serbahn to throw his sword, but it allows him to mark the target with his Swordmage Aegis power, giving him two such targets. Sweeping Frostbalde lets Serbahn attack an opponent with an icy sword-strike, and if he hits, he immobilizes the target until the target passes a saving throw - so it can put a foe out of the game for a while.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

D&D: The Warlock

Warlocks made an appearance in 3rd Edition D&D, but not like they are in 4th Edition. In this edition, warlocks each make a pact with some terrible power; whether it is an infernal power like a demon, a fey power like a great nature spirit, or a vestige of some long-lost being that still lingers on today, they promise their service in return for power. The power granted is dependent on what power they serve; infernal powers give fire-based powers, while fey powers choose nature-based ways of causing damage. Warlocks are Strikers, but they are unique in that their damage is almost secondary tot heir mobility. For this character, I have chosen a vestige pact, so meet This the warlock!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Thia, level 1
Half-Elf, Warlock
Eldritch Pact: Vestige Pact
Eldritch Blast: Eldritch Blast Charisma

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 18, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 16, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 16.


AC: 13 Fort: 14 Reflex: 12 Will: 15
HP: 30 Surges: 10 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Streetwise +9, Insight +8, Bluff +9, Intimidate +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics +1, Arcana, Diplomacy +6, Dungeoneering +1, Endurance +4, Heal +1, History, Nature +1, Perception +1, Religion, Stealth +1, Thievery +1, Athletics -1

FEATS
Level 1: Vestige Adept

POWERS
Dilettante: Vicious Mockery
Eldritch Blast: Eldritch Blast
Warlock encounter 1: Clarion Call
Warlock daily 1: Vestige of Mount Vaelis

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Wand Implement, Leather Armor, Dagger
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

As a vestige pact warlock, Thia always has one vestige power active; she gets two automatically from her basic class abilities (King Elidyr and Zutwa), each of which grants a minor ability, and can gain more from taking vestiges as daily powers. As a half-elf, Thia gains one daily power from any other class that she can use as an encounter power; I chose a Bard power, Vicious Mockery, which causes damage and gives an attack penalty to a target she insults. Eldritch Blast is the standard Warlock at-will power, hurling a ball of eldritch energy at a foe to deal damage. Clarion Call is an area effect power centered on Thia that damages and deafens all targets it hits, while also giving Thia temporary hit points. Vestige of Mount Vaelis gives Thia a third vestige to choose from, and also gives her a daily attack that damages a single opponent and causes her opponent to be unable to walk or run until the target makes a saving throw.

D&D: The Warlord

The Warlord is a class that is entirely new to D&D, and it fills a role that, oddly enough, is often seen as iconic in films and literature - the military leader who leads from the front. Whether through sheer charisma or tactical ability, the warlord urges his companions on to greater feats and yells at them in his drill sergeant voice when they feel ready to lay down and die that he isn't finished with them yet. The Warlord is a Leader; it is his job to keep his companions going, and he does this by augmenting their attacks, inspiring them, and keeping them organized. The Warlord I have today is a bit odd, but seems like he could work well in the right hands, so here you go!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Ashar, level 1
Genasi, Warlord
Warlord: Combat Leader
Commanding Presence: Tactical Presence
Elemental Manifestation: Earthsoul
Earthshock: Earthshock Strength

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 12, Dex 10, Int 18, Wis 8, Cha 12.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 12, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 8, Cha 12.


AC: 16 Fort: 16 Reflex: 14 Will: 12
HP: 24 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Endurance +7, Diplomacy +6, Athletics +8, History +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics -1, Arcana +4, Bluff +1, Dungeoneering -1, Heal -1, Insight -1, Intimidate +1, Nature +1, Perception -1, Religion +4, Stealth -1, Streetwise +1, Thievery -1

FEATS
Level 1: Explosive Leader

POWERS
Warlord at-will 1: Wolf Pack Tactics
Warlord at-will 1: Opening Shove
Warlord encounter 1: Warlord's Favor
Warlord daily 1: Lamb to the Slaughter

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Chainmail, Glaive
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Ashar is an Earthsoul genasi, which means he has a natural ability to cause a localized earthquake that knocks opponents down; Ashar's feat gives bonuses to attack for his allies against any enemy affected by this attack. Wolf Pack Tactics lets Ashar attack, and lets one ally adjacent to Ashar or his target move one square, whereas Opening Shove pushes an enemy one square, and then lets one ally shift up to 4 squares or make a basic attack on the pushed enemy. Warlord's Favor damages one target, and then gives a bonus to attack to one ally against the original target, and Lamb to the Slaughter is Ashar's big risk power - it lets him pull an enemy 5 squares, and then allow up to 3 allies who can both see and hear Ashar to make immediate charge attacks against the target.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

D&D: The Ranger

The ranger is an archetype that goes through a lot of literature; Aragorn is said to be a ranger, and one of the most popular figures of D&D literature, Drizz't Do'Urden, is a ranger. Ranger come in many types, wielding bows, dual weapons, or traveling with fearsome beast companions. Rangers in 4th Edition are Strikers, and they rely on mobility and light armor to get around the battlefield, do large amounts of damage, and be away before their foes can return the favor. I chose to use the Beastmaster variant of the ranger for this character - so behold Thorn the ranger!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Thorn, level 1
Longtooth Shifter, Ranger
Fighting Style: Beast Mastery
Beast Companion Type: Raptor

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 8, Wis 18, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 8, Wis 16, Cha 10.


AC: 14 Fort: 15 Reflex: 12 Will: 14
HP: 24 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Nature +9, Perception +9, Dungeoneering +9, Athletics +10, Heal +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Arcana -1, Bluff, Diplomacy, Endurance +2, History -1, Insight +4, Intimidate, Religion -1, Stealth, Streetwise, Thievery

FEATS
Level 1: Eldeen Companion

POWERS
Ranger at-will 1: Predator Strike
Ranger at-will 1: Hunter's Teamwork
Ranger encounter 1: Synchronized Strike
Ranger daily 1: Driving the Quarry

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Hide Armor, Longbow, Longsword
RITUALS
Raise Beast Companion
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Thorn's beast companion is a raptor, and his feat Eldeen Companion means that whenever he uses his racial Shifter ability, both he and his companion beast get the benefits. Predator Strike lets Thorn distract an enemy while his raptor attacks, while Hunter's Teamwork allows Thorn to use companions to gain a benefit against an enemy. Synchronized Strike allows both Thorn and his raptor companion to attack a single foe, and finally, Driving the Quarry allows Thorn to attack an enemy fiercely while his beast companion drives it forward.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

D&D: The Paladin

The Paladin has been a favorite of mine since 2nd Edition. The Paladin is a divine warrior, a knight for the god he follows; where a cleric may be a god's voice, the paladin is the god's bulwark, there to protect his followers and shine a light on dark places. In 4th Edition, the Paladin is a Defender, like the Fighter, so it is his job to protect the rest of the party. Like the Fighter, there are a number of ways to do this, and so with this paladin, I chose a different route than the fighter - instead of weapon and shield, this paladin wields a two-handed weapon, to deal out damage and attract the attention of opponents. I present to you Donaar the dragonborn paladin!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Donaar, level 1
Dragonborn, Paladin
Dragon Breath Key Ability: Dragon Breath Strength
Dragon Breath Damage Type: Dragon Breath Fire

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 18, Con 12, Dex 8, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 12, Dex 8, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 16.


AC: 18 Fort: 15 Reflex: 11 Will: 15
HP: 27 Surges: 11 Surge Value: 7

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +5, Insight +6, Heal +6, Diplomacy +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics -3, Arcana, Bluff +4, Dungeoneering +1, Endurance -1, History +2, Intimidate +6, Nature +1, Perception +1, Stealth -3, Streetwise +4, Thievery -3, Athletics +2

FEATS
Level 1: Draconic Challenge

POWERS
Lay on Hands: Lay on Hands
Paladin at-will 1: Challenging Strike
Paladin at-will 1: Ardent Strike
Paladin encounter 1: Radiant Smite
Paladin daily 1: Majestic Halo

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Plate Armor, Maul
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

As a paladin and defender, Donaar has an ability called the Divine Challenge; when he challenges an opponent, that opponent then must attack Donaar or take damage. Donaar's feat Draconic Challenge lets Donaar, when using his once-per-encounter breath weapon, to challenge every creature hit by it. Lay on Hands allows him to bestow a small amount of healing on an ally within reach, while Challenging Strike allows Donaar to challenge an additional opponent. Ardent Strike creates a temporary challenge, lasting only for a single turn, but often enough to get an enemy's attention. Radiant Smite does a decent amount of holy damage, and as his daily attack, Donaar has Majestic Halo, which not only hits quite hard but creates a halo of light around him, meaning that any creature that starts its turn adjacent to him for the remainder of the encounter is challenged until Donaar's next turn.

Friday, April 2, 2010

D&D: The Wizard

Rounding out the original four character classes, today we have the Wizard. As one might expect, the Wizard is a spellcaster, wearing light or no armor, but wielding powers that most normal folk only dream - or have nightmares - about. In 4E terms, the Wizard is a Controller; it is his job to make the battlefield easier to negotiate for his allies, harder to use for his enemies, and generally push, pull, or destroy anything in his way. While the Wizard doesn't have the array of spells he had in previous editions, he does have the ability to swap out certain powers on a daily basis because of his spellbook, giving him much-needed versatility on the battlefield.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Vered, level 1
Deva, Wizard
Arcane Implement Mastery: Orb of Imposition

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 10, Int 18, Wis 18, Cha 12.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 8, Con 12, Dex 10, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 12.


AC: 14 Fort: 11 Reflex: 14 Will: 16
HP: 22 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 5

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +9, History +11, Dungeoneering +9, Religion +11

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Bluff +1, Diplomacy +1, Endurance +1, Heal +4, Insight +4, Intimidate +1, Nature +4, Perception +4, Stealth, Streetwise +1, Thievery, Athletics -1

FEATS
Wizard: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Remembered Wizardry

POWERS
Wizard at-will 1: Magic Missile
Wizard at-will 1: Thunderwave
Wizard encounter 1: Conduit of Ice
Wizard daily 1: Sleep
Wizard daily 1 Spellbook: Freezing Cloud
Wizard daily 1 Spellbook: Flaming Sphere

ITEMS
Spellbook, Adventurer's Kit, Cloth Armor (Basic Clothing), Orb Implement, Quarterstaff, Fine Clothing
RITUALS
Arcane Mark, Comprehend Language, Make Whole
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Vered has the feat Remembered Wizardry, which expands the number of additional spells in his spellbook; this means he doesn't get more uses of his Daily spells, but can swap them out on a daily basis according to need. Magic Missile is an old favorite; it does a small amount of damage, but has good range and is hard to miss with. Thunderwave creates a wave of sonic force that pushes those caught in it away, in a direction of the caster's choosing - handy for battlefield control. Conduit of Ice targets a single creature, but makes that creature the center of an area effect that makes it unpleasant to be around, isolating it from its fellows. Sleep hits an area, and causes creatures caught within it to become first Slowed, and then if they fail a saving throw, to become unconscious. Freezing Cloud creates an area of freezing clouds on the battlefield, and any creature that enters it or is stuck within it is subject to cold damage, while Flaming Sphere creates a ball of fire that can be moved around the battlefield and burns any creature it runs into.

Thursday, April 1, 2010

D&D: The Rogue

As you may have guessed, I am going through all the classic D&D classes first before moving on to any other favorites. Today is the day of the Rogue, the perennial favorite of scoundrels and sneaks everywhere. The job of the Rogue used to be to scout ahead, check for traps, maybe lay a few traps of their own, and occasionally stab some things in the back before trying to make off with as much of the treasure as he or she could carry. In 4th Edition, that has changed a bit; the Rogue is now a Striker, and the purpose of a Striker is to be highly mobile and deal out plenty of damage, though Strikers need help from other classes because they can be pretty fragile in a stand-up fight. A Rogue is at her best when striking from the shadows, or before her opponent knows she is there, and sticking around to fight it out toe-to-toe is a sucker's game for her. So, wihtout further ado, Zarra the drow rogue!

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Zarra, level 1
Drow, Rogue
Rogue Tactics: Artful Dodger
Rogue: Rogue Weapon Talent
Darkfire: Darkfire Charisma

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 10, Dex 18, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 10, Dex 16, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16.


AC: 16 Fort: 11 Reflex: 16 Will: 14
HP: 22 Surges: 6 Surge Value: 5

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth +11, Thievery +9, Bluff +9, Intimidate +11, Acrobatics +9, Streetwise +9

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Arcana, Diplomacy +4, Dungeoneering, Endurance, Heal, History, Insight, Nature, Perception, Religion, Athletics +1

FEATS
Level 1: Backstabber

POWERS
Rogue at-will 1: Riposte Strike
Rogue at-will 1: Duelist's Flurry
Rogue encounter 1: Opening Move
Rogue daily 1: Twilight Menace

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Leather Armor, Short sword, Dagger, Thieves' Tools, Hand Crossbow
====== Copy to Clipboard and Press the Import Button on the Summary Tab ======

Drow are good t being sneaky, so I felt that drow would be a good race for a Rogue (well, that and I was told to use drow). The Backstabber feat, obviously, makes Zarra a bit better at backstabbing (or 'sneak-attacking', as the kids call it). Riposte Strike sets a target up for an immediate counterattack should they attack you, while Duelist's Flurry does little damage, but guarantees the use of sneak attack damage. Opening Move is actually nice to use as an opening move, because it hurts a target, and gives Zarra a nice 1-round addition to her defenses. Finally, Twilight Menace is the big finale; Zarra strikes, and if she hits, she is treated as being in concealment until her opponent can make a saving throw against it - and from concealment, she always gets sneak attack damage. I threw a hand crossbow in just for kicks, because drow used to like them.

D&D: The Cleric

The cleric is one of the original classes of D&D, along with the Fighter, Wizard, and Rogue. Originally, the Cleric's main job was to be the party healer, to keep everyone else alive when they were getting beaten and bloodied. The Cleric would call upon his or her god for divine power, and allies would regain their lost health. In later years, the Cleric would gain access to more spells, and become a power unto itself; in the last edition of D&D, a properly planned Cleric could outpower virtually every other class without even trying. Now, the Cleric's role is that of a Leader; the Leader inspires and helps out his or her comrades, sometimes with divine power, sometimes with song, and that help can come in the form of healing or also in the form of bonuses to attack, defense, or damage. I decided to go with a more classic form of Cleric, so this one is mostly a healer.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&D Character Builder ======
Malharath, level 1
Kalashtar, Cleric
Kalashtar: Religion Bonus

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 16.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 12, Con 12, Dex 12, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 14.


AC: 16 Fort: 11 Reflex: 11 Will: 16
HP: 24 Surges: 8 Surge Value: 6

TRAINED SKILLS
Religion +7, Diplomacy +8, Heal +9, Insight +11

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Acrobatics, Arcana, Bluff +3, Dungeoneering +4, Endurance, History, Intimidate +3, Nature +4, Perception +4, Stealth, Streetwise +3, Thievery, Athletics

FEATS
Cleric: Ritual Caster
Level 1: Clarity of Spirit

POWERS
Channel Divinity: Healer's Mercy
Cleric at-will 1: Priest's Shield
Cleric at-will 1: Lance of Faith
Cleric encounter 1: Shield Bearer
Cleric daily 1: Beacon of Hope

ITEMS
Ritual Book, Chainmail, Mace, Adventurer's Kit, Holy Symbol
RITUALS
Gentle Repose, Create Holy Water
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Malharath is a kalashtar, a race unique to the Eberron seting; they can use a minor form of telepathy to communicate with party members if necessary. Healer's Mercy allows all party members within a certain area to gain access to healing, whereas Priest's Shield gives a bonus to defense to the cleric and an ajacent ally if Malharath hits a target with his mace. Lance of Faith shoots an enemy with divine energy, and lets Malharath aid an ally in attacking that same foe. Shield Bearer attacks an enemy at range, and for a short period of time summons a ghostly shield bearer by that same enemy to help guard any of Malharath's allies that attack it. Beacon of Hope is an area effect; it Weakens all enemies caught in the area, while at the same time granting more hit points to any allies.