[3.P] Giving Players an unique "balanced" bonus

[Krazzman]

Hello again,

you probably remember the one time your character had some really cool gimick under one of your DM's. Or like in the Silver Claw Shift campaign log where the rogue could turn ethereal for some time. SOmething you can talk about because it not only made oyur Character "stronger" but gave him a really neat trick he could pull.

In my pathfinder campaign (that we will probably play this sunday) I try to mix a bit of Tainted-creepyness with Fridgelogic and weird adventure logic.

An example for that would be the "Rage Prophet". He drank a bottle of "wine" in a spooky ghost house that trapped them inside and tried to scare them to death. Now he was chased by a pink teddy bear for some time and he accepted him and "let" him guard his backpack. But if he ever is reduced to a certain % of HP (somewhere around 0) he gets a shield made out of Innocent souls and sees "dead kids everywhere". If he get's the lead he can use the teddy as a sort of compas to locate the kids and set their souls to rest.

Now I am thinking for quite some time to give the other chars something similar and would like your opinion on this matter.

The Party consists of (mainly good aligned):
Frost Elven Swift Huntress (PF Ranger/3.5 mofidifed scout with a modified feat)
Human Witch (took Slumber and the Hairthing hex, is more or less blasting stuff)
Half Elven Druid (took 2 domains, runs around in a Stone Armor and doesn't use Wildshape so far but casts blasting spells)
Half Orc Samurai (new to the system and just met with the party).

The party has a base of operations where they can get their magic items crafted at the construction price but only if they fulfill quests. Certain items are unlocked and the more gold or other magic items they don't need invest in this base the better fortified it get's. They will get signs of an incoming invasion and can quest for better fortifications next.

I also want to generate or constrict certain possibilities (even thought about letting them get vampiric or lycanthrophic templates) of them getting a unique bonus that makes them "better" and gives them something cool to brag about.

I know the Ranger wants something that would make her summon a weapon so she can still be efective for the case they get robbed blind or captured.

The Soul Shield is currently this:
Upon having only 1 or less hit points left the Teddy Manifests iteself in Jorik's space triggering a Shield of whirling blood and screaming souls. Jorik has to make a DC 35 Will save (with a bonus equal to the souls the party saved) or can only make a single move or standard action this round for he is suddenly seeing 20(initial value) children and hears sobbing, crying and pleas for help. His Hit Points are set to 0 and he get's Xd6+2/rescued child temporary hit points where X is his Character Level.

[Kol Korran]

Cool gimmicks to characters rely first on the player personalities, and the character personalities, and only then on race-class-powers combinations. Can you please detail more on who the players are, what do they find interesting/ cool, what are their characters like?

That could help a lot. I've made a few items and other things that might be used after a fashion.

Also- the levels and power range of your characters?

[Krazzman]

Personality wise I can't really pinpoint it for all.

The Barbarian is in the theme of Barbaric Protector of the Witch. Being both "spiritual" and strong to protect her and everything attacking the tribe.

The Witch is more or less there to kill stuff with magic, being really spooked out by some stuff they encountered so far. It's not that she is frightened easy but from what I saw so far she has a short temper and likes to burn stuff.

The Huntress is or better said was a bit distanced from the others. She grew to really like those two humans and the halfblood. She has problems with feeling useless (having a will save of +3 and so far being stopped twice from hold person) and is actively searching for a way to be ALWAYS armed. But not with melee weapons but a ranged weapon. Her Animal Companion is loyal to her and is a Timber lion whose family was killed by a Weakened Wendigo which she fed to healthy again.

The Druid is a not that well versed rather new player. He plays in most of our other rounds and is best described as trying to be laid back, contribute with his magic and possibly shape himself into some animal form if the need is there but so far he wants to support the tribe and this group especially.

The Samurai is a quite Honorable Ronin that stumbled into the tribe by accident and helped clearing the "mineshafts" of drow. He wants to be rid of his past and wants to ride on his Wolf into battle.

Level is around 5 to 6 unsure if they just leveled or are close to it since I'm away from my stuff. I'm probably going to ask the Samurai, Druid and Witch about their personalities the next time we see them since I am rather unsure if I got the vibe correctly. I know a lot more about the Huntress than about any other one of them since her being my wife and knowing her plans or she asking me stuff.

[Kol Korran]

That is a good start to work from. About personalities can you elaborate on those of the PLAYERS? Characters are important, it it's the players you want to hook...

[Krazzman]

I needed some time to reflect on that an I'll begin writing that up:

First OFF I will introduce Spellpoints to the campaign now that I have the Unearthed Arcana again so this should make some things easier for casters already.
And this is really hard for me to do actually.

The Samurai:
Is new to our Group and I can't really "read" him. He has some feminine streaks sometimes and seems rather shy atm.

The Druid:
To make this short: He is my best man. He is trustworthy and reliable. He likes Animes/Manga and general gaming. So far he played a fighter, rogue and Unarmed Swordsage in DnD as well as the druid in my game but still has some problems with the rules or the flow of game or leveling up or building characters and so on.

The Witch:
Is married to the Barbarian. She doesn't like it when her characters get too strong and likes blasting with caster classes (so far seen her Druid into Stormcaster, Warmage, and Witch).

The Barbarian:
Is a quite relaxed guy. Is most of the times our DM but else seems to be able to make good fitting characters (not overly optimized but well rounded).

The Huntress:
Is going to be my wife and has a short temper as well as being "bullheaded". She doesn't like to be useless or having only one trick if that trick isn't that good (hence she dislikes warlocks). Her favoured gods are Kossuth and Malar for a reason as she tends to play arrogant chars and has a really dark mind when it comes to these things. But is at the same time a scared little girl... not while watching horror movies but after. (Example: we watched the woman in black and afterwards in the night I had to get up to check our apartment). Shares an interest in Anime/Mangas with me and the Druid but also into romantic comedy stuff which I don't like. Is a huge Stallone fan and really likes the older action movies. And she is the person I relayed my first ideas.

The party has encountered Werewolves so far but the couldn't hit with their bite...

The BBEG is an Illusion Focused really really insame "scientist". Most bosses they encounter will be made with Gestalting in mind. As such they have one current "nemesis" an Ice Focused Elemental Fist Monk/Daconic Bloodline Sorcerer that has quite some "frost ninja" under his command and works for an "White Dragon".

I hope this helps again and isn't going too deep.

[Kol Korran]

OK. Here are some initial thoughts, may have more later. All of the ideas can have varying power levels, and evolve as the characters do to remain relevant:
Witch
How about the party is alerted on one mission that soem important elder/ mystic hadn't arrived, haven't reported to the tribe in awhile or some such. The party goes to investigate, have their adventure, but all they found of the great mystic is his,,, head.

However, the head isn't dead yet. It wakes up, and start shouting and berating the party (Think of the Chinese Sensei character from Kill Bill 2) If you can make it so that this is a highly respected and valued figure in the tribe of the party or so on. It decides that since the party are the least incompetent of the lot, that they will serve him by carryign him, until they fulfill some goal (like finding him a new body).

The head is insulting, demaning and bullying, but in a humerous way. it berates the character on every move. "You call that blasting? My grandma would cause more damage by sneezing!" "That's an attack?! come here and i'll bite you!" and so on. However, if the party (especially the witch) acts appropriately, he can offer her from his vast powers, such as acting like a meta magic reservoir (say.... 6 levels of metamagic per day?) or a reservoir of knowledge (good bonus on knowledge skills).

If the head is persuaded, tricked, or otherwise cajoled, it can also produce the most juicy and effective curses (like bestow curse). If you displease him enough, he can curse the characters as well...

The head cannot be harmed really (mystic powers!) and when you try to lose it it appears on your way (more mystic powers!)

It can fit many characters, but I write it for the witch since curses fit witches more, and I think mystical powers fit her them as well. He can even replace her familiar if she lost it. ("you want to cast that spell? you're such a moron! I say the other spell is soooooo much better!")

Huntress
I feel she mostly need something that she can rely on 100% or nearly so. Do you happen to read the comic Goblins? One of the characters there find a sword, that gets tuned to him, and when he lets go of it it get stored in an extra dimensional space access only by him. All he need is to reach and "grab" it from the dimension. He even uses it in combat by dropping the sword and attacking by surprise with his other hand who grabs it back.

But the huntress seeks a bow? Hmmmm... How about the following idea? The party makes some service/ side quest to some fey who only partially live on this plane, but mostly live on the adjacent fey plane (or some alternate of the shadow plane if you wish? shadowy fey? One of them might even be a sort of a fey/ shadow reflection of the huntress). upon completing the quest the fey offer the huntress a rare gift- one of the few original bows of the original arcane archers. the fey arcane archers, those who taught the art to the elves later on.

The bow is sacred to the fey realm, but the huntress may draw it to her for a limited time per day (I suggest to measure it in hours, should be enough). The bow can be acquired by concentrating near any natural place, and reaching into it. You may want to enable also special arrows maybe? I'd live that to you.

The bow bestows some of the advantages of the arcane archers, or perhaps other fey/ shadow like abilities (I'm talking about arrows shooting through obstacles, maybe showing a way, and other such mystical abilities) I also suggest the ability to either become more fey like for a short time per day (measured in rounds or minutes), or to summons the specific unique kind of fey that the huntress helped. (perhaps later on it could be calling instead of summoning). The fey and the bow may impart requests upon the character.

Barbarian
To tell the truth I don't have much to go on here, except that he is laid back, spiritual, and seem to like simple martial characters. So I'm thinking- Stone giant. Let me explain:

The characters do some service for a stone giant. (An interesting adventure would be to help transfer a dying stone giant to his resting place- a burial place, or where he can become a Guardian, explained further. The quest is interesting- stoen giants are heavy, and not easy to transport. Plus- what would dare attack a stone giant, and how would you defend against it?) Upon reaching the resting place (providing they make it), the stone giant dies, but not before transferring a part of his essence to the barbarian. The barbarian 's skin grows greyer, perhaps a bit tougher. He gains various stone based powers, such as great strength, stone like skin (stone skin?)powers related to earth and stone (pass through earth, meld into stone, summon earth elemental perhaps)

I'll let you decide the details. In my sig there is a link to a small project of mine about misunderstood monsters, including an entry about stone giants, it may be useful if you like this idea.

You could have other creatures, perhaps more fitting your campagin give their "essence" to one of the characters. This might fit the Samurai as well- perhaps some divine entity?

Samurai
I'm not quite sure about him and the druid, but here is an idea: The Samurai wants to regain his honor and so on. So I'd go with retreiving something that belonged to his line, that might prove their glory. Some ideas:
- an armor that was broken to several parts, perhaps an "armor of the dragon", where each part can give a slight benefit of draconic power (Aura, breath, resistance, flight and such), when combined they can prove more formidable, perhaps even enable the samurai turn to a half dragon for a limited time per day.
- A great Banner of his house, long before forgotten, that he can strap to himself above him with a suitable construction, and inspire troops in battle. The Banner acts as a large are buff, centered on the samurai, and grows in power as the Samurai does more deeds befitting his house and it's glory.
- Followers: The Samurai hears and frees/ helps some sort of very unusuall followers, who then swear loyalty to the Samurai. though not that pwoerful, they are not pushovers either, but they do not replenish- if some die, they DIE. I suggest unusual followers such as a weak breed of outsiders, or perhaps constructs made to serve this house (simpletons warforged?) or an interesting choice of humanoids/ monstrous humanoids. Be sure to not let them bog down the game!

Druid
The toughest of all. Laid back and likes to buff... hmmmm... you might give him some puzzle-ish divining tools. A set of scrying bones or such, or similar things used for auguries. Only you give the player actual symbols that represent soemthing. some he know, somehe can guess at. Then you make yourself some drawing for common answers ("this will go well". "Deceit/ true". "the near/ late future" and so on). when he asks, show the approapriate drawing, and let him try and figure it out. HAve some sort of sense to it. It can be either very fun, or very frustrating, depending on your player.

I'll have to think more for him...
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I hope these suggestions helped, if not outright then at least inspire. If all fall short- you can always use the summoning dice from SCS journals! (A swarm of.... bunnies!" :smalltongue:) If I come up with more ideas, I'll be back.

[Krazzman]

Witch

To say it directly I don't like the idea of one of the chiefs being annoying like the Sensei in Kill Bill but since they know that their chiefs are still in a druidic cabal... I can work with some of this.


Huntress

Oh Yes. Why didn't I think of something like that... But the Bow would need a better name than Oblivious.
I am thinking about Starchaser for extra cheesy name stuff but I doubt she will like that name. I thought about something like The arrows being able to Ignore up to 50% cover and the bow still being able to be loaded with normal arrows that get this. The bow grows in power as they advance but is unable to hold Weapon Crystals but for such things she has the normal bows then. As well as giving her some shadowy stuff.


Barbarian

I actually thought about his shield being his unique thing but if they manage to get this "sidequest" done then I assume to give him a bit of credit.


Samurai
- an armor that was broken to several parts, perhaps an "armor of the dragon", where each part can give a slight benefit of draconic power (Aura, breath, resistance, flight and such), when combined they can prove more formidable, perhaps even enable the samurai turn to a half dragon for a limited time per day.

Hmm seems fitting as he will be riding a big ass wolf at around level 7 and they actually fought (without him so far) against Draconic Frost Ninjas...


- A great Banner of his house, long before forgotten, that he can strap to himself above him with a suitable construction, and inspire troops in battle. The Banner acts as a large are buff, centered on the samurai, and grows in power as the Samurai does more deeds befitting his house and it's glory.

I'm unsure about that actually.


- Followers: The Samurai hears and frees/ helps some sort of very unusuall followers, who then swear loyalty to the Samurai. though not that pwoerful, they are not pushovers either, but they do not replenish- if some die, they DIE. I suggest unusual followers such as a weak breed of outsiders, or perhaps constructs made to serve this house (simpletons warforged?) or an interesting choice of humanoids/ monstrous humanoids. Be sure to not let them bog down the game!

Would be against the minionmancy rule we have anyway. Familiar or animal companion is ok anything over that shouldn't be specialised in. We actually only have a Summoning Focused Druid in one campaign.


Druid

Puzzles are our groups personal nemesis. I remember one time where we actively thought about buying an adamantine warpick to dig through any puzzle stuff.
I think so far no one really cast a buff spell. Mostly healing or blasting (call lightning, flaming sphere, burning gaze, vampiric touch etc.).


I'll have to think more for him...
-----------------------------
I hope these suggestions helped, if not outright then at least inspire. If all fall short- you can always use the summoning dice from SCS journals! (A swarm of.... bunnies!" :smalltongue:) If I come up with more ideas, I'll be back.
I am actually thinking about implementing stuff from the drifter... but it might get too ugly then.
I'm also thinking about implementing your "wandering circus"... but again unsure.

[Kol Korran]

To say it directly I don't like the idea of one of the chiefs being annoying like the Sensei in Kill Bill but since they know that their chiefs are still in a druidic cabal... I can work with some of this.
The personality is just an example. The idea at it's core is the head of someone the witch can have an interesting interaction with, and that can grant various spell related or knowledge related powers. It can be a former wise oracle, an enigmatic but warm teacher and care giver, the head of a former witch with similar destructive powers who met a terrible end, or something of that sort.


Oh Yes. Why didn't I think of something like that... But the Bow would need a better name than Oblivious.
I am thinking about Starchaser for extra cheesy name stuff but I doubt she will like that name. I suggest to let the Huntress name the bow herself. Make the bow sentient, but in a sort of far off way, as if the echo or remains of a former sentience. Explain to her that giving the bow it's name will help shape some of it's character, and let it be revived slowly to full strength. The name might affect what powers it will later gain.


I actually thought about his shield being his unique thing but if they manage to get this "sidequest" done then I assume to give him a bit of credit. At the end of your post you mentioend my "wandering circus", in which I assume you mean the organ dealer's encounter. The Stone giant idea stems from there, only I think I didn't do it that well, and that it could be cool to get the power from some sort of relevant quest. I heartily think that special items/ powers/ gimmics should have more influential connection to the game then did my circus.

What sort of shield were you thinking of?

Another idea for the Druid that might work:
The Magic Item Compendium has a magic item set called "the rainment of four" which are pieces of an attire with powers of the four elements. Their description there is a bit simplistic, but it can be better worked out. And they can make an interesting set to collect.
In a pirate campaign that died out the characters found "gloves of the starry night", which I made work similar to the ones in the book, with slight changes:
- the gloves were silky dark, felt like smoke on the hands, made the hands to look like they were windows to a night, with stars dotted in them. As if the hands were night.
- Saying "Stars" in the appropriate language would cause multiple dots of dim light surround the area around the character, like an museum "know the stars" light show. It would fill 15x 15x15 ft square, following the caster. it would slowly rotate in space. the light was that of a lantern. This could be used or suppressed at will.
- Saying "night" in the appropriate language would cause a personal shadow to envelop the character, giving it a +4 bonus to stealth and intimidate. this too could be used at will, but was negated at bright day light.
- Saying "Shooting stars" in the appropriate language would "detach" one of the stars inside the gloves to become a CL appropriate magic missile spell. the character could draw on 11 such stars. (total for both gloves) Each night the gloves would replenish 1d3 stars.

I know this specifically probably doesn't fit the druid (and may be weak for their level) but it's an example. I made the raiment of the four to "raiment of the spheres" with the other items being the sun, the earth and the ether (no moons). Which would grow in power. You can make it more about the elements, But make the powers do things they don't usually do, but which are cool versatile stuff, that can come in handy. (Utility or buff powers for example, not easily duplicated by his spells)

Good luck with your endeavors. It's always great to see a DM going to such lengths to make the game more fun! :smallsmile:

[Krazzman]

Busy weekend so far.

I have talked to the Huntress about the bow and she seems cool with it so far.

Talked with the druid and he assured me to go into Wildshaping as soon as he has a Wild Armor which will likely be the next time he visits their base.

Wednesday is the next game day. Sadly the Barbarian will not be there since he has to be in russia for two weeks. Severly hinders the party as he and the huntress are the main Damage Dealer so far. Since the Samurai is new to this and is rather underequiped compared to the others. (He has a Valorous Naginata but that's it basically).


EDIT:

The Shield is the one I already mentioned. Stunning him and so on.