AnimeTheCat
2017-08-07, 10:48 AM
Ok, so i've recently started running a game for a group of 4 people. Party consists of a Human Scout, Human Ranger, Human Cleric, and a Gnome Druid. Players are planning on the builds below:
Scout/Soul Knife/Soul Bow/Illumen Soul
Focus on dealing skirmish damage to non-mindless enemies w/ anatomy and (with illumen soul) dealing mind blast damage to undead
Ranger/???
This is the player's first time playing so he's taking things one step at a time learning as he goes.
Cloistered Cleric 1/Monk X/Sacred Fist X
Player wants to focus on the monk bits more than the cleric bits and it's all fine for the party.
Druid 5/Master of Many Forms X/War Shaper X
Clearly, focusing on the wild shape aspects of the druid. Balance is a non-issue due to how I'm playing with wild shape.
What they (the party) have just accomplished is clearing a ruin that was being used as a temporary staging area for a wizard. The wizard is in the service of a cult that is trying to bring Afflux to the world. He has a letter in his pocket that is from someone known only as "The Scarlet Drop" directing him to the city of Deep Hollow. The city of Deep Hollow is in the Old Kingdom which, following the "World Shattering Great War", was the only remaining part of humanoid life. The kingom is built in to the mountains and in the valleys surrounding it. The primary southern gate into the kingdom (The mountains are practically impassible and strong winds make it difficult, yet not impossible, to fly over them.) is known as High Gate. The party will likely be heading to this location in the next session.
For my first bit, I wanted to make guards that are remeniscent of modern day military. This is what I've made:
Elf - Feat Rogue 2/Fighter 2
Str
13
Int
13
Fort
4
AC
17 (19 w/ Shield)
HP
23
Dex
16
Wis
13
Ref
6
Touch AC
13
Initiative
+3
Con
12
Cha
10
Will
1 (3 W/ Combat Focus)
FF AC
14 (16 w/ shield)
BAB/Grapple
+3/+4
Longsword, +4 (1d8+1) 19-20/x2
Heavy Repeating Crossbow, +6 (+4/+4 w/ rapid shot) (1d10) 19-20/x2
Chain Shirt, 4/4/-2
Heavy Steel Shield, 2/-/-2
Exotic Weapon Pro (Heavy Repeating Crossbow) (PHB)
Point Blank Shot (PHB)
Precise Shot (PHB)
Rapid Shot (PHB)
Combat Focus (PHB 2)
Combat Stability (PHB 2)
Bluff +5
Diplomacy +9
Forgery +6
Gatehr Information +5
Listen +8
Search +8
Sense Motive +6
Spot +8
Tumble +4 (+6 w/o Shield)
Disguise +2
Intimidate +4
Balance +1 (+3 w/o shield)
Jump -1 (+1 w/o Shield)
Handle Animal +2
Ride +5
Human - Knight 4
Str
16
Int
10
Fort
3
AC
20
HP
38
Dex
12
Wis
14
Ref
2
Touch AC
15
Initiative
+1
Con
14
Cha
10
Will
6
FF AC
19
BAB/Grapple
+4/+7
I houserule that the Knight's Class Ability Shield Block applies at all times, not just against a single designated opponent.
Warhammer, +7 (1d8+3)/x3
Longsword, +7 (1d8+3) 19-20/x2
Longbow, +5 (1d8)/x3
Breastplate, 5/3/-4/30 ft*
Heavy Steel Shield, 4/-/-2
* Knight class ability negates movement speed penalty in med armor
Shield Specialization (Heavy)
Mounted Combat
Shield Ward
Handle Animal +7
Intimidate +7
Ride +8
Fighting Challenge +1
Knight's Challenge
Knight's Code
Shield Block +1
Bulwark of Defense
Armor Mastery (Medium)
Test of Mettle
Gnome - Warmage
Str
8
Int
14
Fort
2
AC
19
HP
19
Dex
14
Wis
10
Ref
3
Touch AC
15
Initiative
+2
Con
12
Cha
16
Will
4
FF AC
17
BAB/Grapple
+2/-3
Heavy Mace, +2 (1d8-1)
Ranged Touch, +5 (As Spell)
Chain Shirt, 4/4/-2
Light Steel Shield, 2/-/-1
Shield Focus (Light)
Shield Ward
Concentration +8
Knowledge (Arcana) +9
Spellcraft +9
Spot +3
Listen +2
Hide +3
Armored Mage (Light)
Warmage Edge
Advanced Learning (Ray of Flame)
Now theses are the guards that I've made. Do these cover the basis for general guard duties when combined with each other? Am I missing something?
Next, the city of Deep Hollow. This city is located in a valley and rarely receives any sunlight. The town survives due to the mines and smiths. Some of the best masterwork equipment is made in this city. There is a problem though, the mines have been turning up less ore and while the townsfolk are busy searching for new veins, the majority of the work force has either gotten addicted to drugs (6 different ones to be exact) or they've fallen ill. My goal is to tie in the wizard from the ruins in to this by making the drugs alchemical concoctions that have severe adverse side effects (be they planned or not) when combined. Enter, the drug-runners:
Ninja
Str
10
Int
14
Fort
1
AC
14
HP
13
Dex
14
Wis
14
Ref
5
Touch AC
14
Initiative
+2
Con
10
Cha
14
Will
3 (5 w/ at least 1 point of Ki)
FF AC
10
BAB/Grapple
+2/+2
Dagger, +2 (1d4) 19-20/x2
None
Deceitful
Run
Persuasive
Bluff +10
Tumble +8
Disguise +12
Escape Artist +8
Gather Information +8
Listen +8
Move Silently +8
Hide +8
Sleight of Hand +8
Diplomacy +4
Balance +4
Intimidate +6
Jump +4
Forgery +4
Ki Power (Ki pool 3)
Sudden Strike +2d6
Poison Use
Trapfinding
Ghost Step (Invisible)
The idea behind the drug runners is that they are the ones that do dead drops, collect money, meet with clients, and do all of the hands-on dirty work. The brains behind the operation is a team of wizards that regularly rotate through the city. Each wizard specializes in making a different drug. When they are in the city, they make as much product as they can, sell it to the drug-runners, and make off with their profit, only staying in town for about a week while they produce. Here are the drugs:
Flux (+2 Int/-2 Str, Dex)
Scratch (+2 Dex/-2 Cha, Wis)
Break (+2 Str/ -2 Int, Cha)
Bliss (+2 Cha/ -2 Con, Dex)
Seer (+2 Wis/ -2 Con, Str)
Roar (+2 Con/ -2 Int, wis)
When under the influence of a drug that provides a bonus to a physical stat, the character acts as though they are on a stimulant. When they are on a drug that increases a mental stat, they act as though they are on a depressant. When any 3 are combined (2 physical/1 mental or 1 physical/2 mental)
the character has to make checks to not fall unconscious for 1d6 days. The check is based on how many times the drug has been consumed. Everything starts at a DC 10 fortitude save to not get addicted. If you continue to succeed on your saves, they DC increases by 1 for each use. Each drug is tracked seperately. When the save is failed for the first time, you are officially addicted. You have to succed a DC 15 will save or you are compelled to consume a dose of the drug that you are addicted to. If you fail to consume a dose within the next hour, you take withdrawal symptoms that mimick the fatigued stat,
however it is possible to be fatigued AND having withdrawal symptoms.
The side effects of being addicted to 3 or more of the drugs is that, when taken together over a prolonged period of time the drugs begin to cause necrotic tumors to form on the inside of the subject. These tumors eventually cause death if not removed (DC 30 removes them but causes a negative level which could potentially kill the subject, DC 35 removes them without the negative level). If the subject dies from a negative level or because the tumors were not removed, they come back to life 2d6 days later as zombies with +2 natural armor and +2 to their strength. The process of the subject dying from the tumors takes approximately 30 days after addiction to 3 or more of the drugs.
All of that to say that the wizards that are coming and going in their little operation are all servants of Afflux and they are trying to turn Deep Hollow into a zombie town to get a foothold in the old kingdom. The drug runners are unaware of these side affects and frankly they don't care as they are very wealthy from their practice.
How then, do I get the players interested? I've put the most time/effort in to this particular story and it does tie in to what they've found in the past. Any assistance, aid, or ideas would be great.
Scout/Soul Knife/Soul Bow/Illumen Soul
Focus on dealing skirmish damage to non-mindless enemies w/ anatomy and (with illumen soul) dealing mind blast damage to undead
Ranger/???
This is the player's first time playing so he's taking things one step at a time learning as he goes.
Cloistered Cleric 1/Monk X/Sacred Fist X
Player wants to focus on the monk bits more than the cleric bits and it's all fine for the party.
Druid 5/Master of Many Forms X/War Shaper X
Clearly, focusing on the wild shape aspects of the druid. Balance is a non-issue due to how I'm playing with wild shape.
What they (the party) have just accomplished is clearing a ruin that was being used as a temporary staging area for a wizard. The wizard is in the service of a cult that is trying to bring Afflux to the world. He has a letter in his pocket that is from someone known only as "The Scarlet Drop" directing him to the city of Deep Hollow. The city of Deep Hollow is in the Old Kingdom which, following the "World Shattering Great War", was the only remaining part of humanoid life. The kingom is built in to the mountains and in the valleys surrounding it. The primary southern gate into the kingdom (The mountains are practically impassible and strong winds make it difficult, yet not impossible, to fly over them.) is known as High Gate. The party will likely be heading to this location in the next session.
For my first bit, I wanted to make guards that are remeniscent of modern day military. This is what I've made:
Elf - Feat Rogue 2/Fighter 2
Str
13
Int
13
Fort
4
AC
17 (19 w/ Shield)
HP
23
Dex
16
Wis
13
Ref
6
Touch AC
13
Initiative
+3
Con
12
Cha
10
Will
1 (3 W/ Combat Focus)
FF AC
14 (16 w/ shield)
BAB/Grapple
+3/+4
Longsword, +4 (1d8+1) 19-20/x2
Heavy Repeating Crossbow, +6 (+4/+4 w/ rapid shot) (1d10) 19-20/x2
Chain Shirt, 4/4/-2
Heavy Steel Shield, 2/-/-2
Exotic Weapon Pro (Heavy Repeating Crossbow) (PHB)
Point Blank Shot (PHB)
Precise Shot (PHB)
Rapid Shot (PHB)
Combat Focus (PHB 2)
Combat Stability (PHB 2)
Bluff +5
Diplomacy +9
Forgery +6
Gatehr Information +5
Listen +8
Search +8
Sense Motive +6
Spot +8
Tumble +4 (+6 w/o Shield)
Disguise +2
Intimidate +4
Balance +1 (+3 w/o shield)
Jump -1 (+1 w/o Shield)
Handle Animal +2
Ride +5
Human - Knight 4
Str
16
Int
10
Fort
3
AC
20
HP
38
Dex
12
Wis
14
Ref
2
Touch AC
15
Initiative
+1
Con
14
Cha
10
Will
6
FF AC
19
BAB/Grapple
+4/+7
I houserule that the Knight's Class Ability Shield Block applies at all times, not just against a single designated opponent.
Warhammer, +7 (1d8+3)/x3
Longsword, +7 (1d8+3) 19-20/x2
Longbow, +5 (1d8)/x3
Breastplate, 5/3/-4/30 ft*
Heavy Steel Shield, 4/-/-2
* Knight class ability negates movement speed penalty in med armor
Shield Specialization (Heavy)
Mounted Combat
Shield Ward
Handle Animal +7
Intimidate +7
Ride +8
Fighting Challenge +1
Knight's Challenge
Knight's Code
Shield Block +1
Bulwark of Defense
Armor Mastery (Medium)
Test of Mettle
Gnome - Warmage
Str
8
Int
14
Fort
2
AC
19
HP
19
Dex
14
Wis
10
Ref
3
Touch AC
15
Initiative
+2
Con
12
Cha
16
Will
4
FF AC
17
BAB/Grapple
+2/-3
Heavy Mace, +2 (1d8-1)
Ranged Touch, +5 (As Spell)
Chain Shirt, 4/4/-2
Light Steel Shield, 2/-/-1
Shield Focus (Light)
Shield Ward
Concentration +8
Knowledge (Arcana) +9
Spellcraft +9
Spot +3
Listen +2
Hide +3
Armored Mage (Light)
Warmage Edge
Advanced Learning (Ray of Flame)
Now theses are the guards that I've made. Do these cover the basis for general guard duties when combined with each other? Am I missing something?
Next, the city of Deep Hollow. This city is located in a valley and rarely receives any sunlight. The town survives due to the mines and smiths. Some of the best masterwork equipment is made in this city. There is a problem though, the mines have been turning up less ore and while the townsfolk are busy searching for new veins, the majority of the work force has either gotten addicted to drugs (6 different ones to be exact) or they've fallen ill. My goal is to tie in the wizard from the ruins in to this by making the drugs alchemical concoctions that have severe adverse side effects (be they planned or not) when combined. Enter, the drug-runners:
Ninja
Str
10
Int
14
Fort
1
AC
14
HP
13
Dex
14
Wis
14
Ref
5
Touch AC
14
Initiative
+2
Con
10
Cha
14
Will
3 (5 w/ at least 1 point of Ki)
FF AC
10
BAB/Grapple
+2/+2
Dagger, +2 (1d4) 19-20/x2
None
Deceitful
Run
Persuasive
Bluff +10
Tumble +8
Disguise +12
Escape Artist +8
Gather Information +8
Listen +8
Move Silently +8
Hide +8
Sleight of Hand +8
Diplomacy +4
Balance +4
Intimidate +6
Jump +4
Forgery +4
Ki Power (Ki pool 3)
Sudden Strike +2d6
Poison Use
Trapfinding
Ghost Step (Invisible)
The idea behind the drug runners is that they are the ones that do dead drops, collect money, meet with clients, and do all of the hands-on dirty work. The brains behind the operation is a team of wizards that regularly rotate through the city. Each wizard specializes in making a different drug. When they are in the city, they make as much product as they can, sell it to the drug-runners, and make off with their profit, only staying in town for about a week while they produce. Here are the drugs:
Flux (+2 Int/-2 Str, Dex)
Scratch (+2 Dex/-2 Cha, Wis)
Break (+2 Str/ -2 Int, Cha)
Bliss (+2 Cha/ -2 Con, Dex)
Seer (+2 Wis/ -2 Con, Str)
Roar (+2 Con/ -2 Int, wis)
When under the influence of a drug that provides a bonus to a physical stat, the character acts as though they are on a stimulant. When they are on a drug that increases a mental stat, they act as though they are on a depressant. When any 3 are combined (2 physical/1 mental or 1 physical/2 mental)
the character has to make checks to not fall unconscious for 1d6 days. The check is based on how many times the drug has been consumed. Everything starts at a DC 10 fortitude save to not get addicted. If you continue to succeed on your saves, they DC increases by 1 for each use. Each drug is tracked seperately. When the save is failed for the first time, you are officially addicted. You have to succed a DC 15 will save or you are compelled to consume a dose of the drug that you are addicted to. If you fail to consume a dose within the next hour, you take withdrawal symptoms that mimick the fatigued stat,
however it is possible to be fatigued AND having withdrawal symptoms.
The side effects of being addicted to 3 or more of the drugs is that, when taken together over a prolonged period of time the drugs begin to cause necrotic tumors to form on the inside of the subject. These tumors eventually cause death if not removed (DC 30 removes them but causes a negative level which could potentially kill the subject, DC 35 removes them without the negative level). If the subject dies from a negative level or because the tumors were not removed, they come back to life 2d6 days later as zombies with +2 natural armor and +2 to their strength. The process of the subject dying from the tumors takes approximately 30 days after addiction to 3 or more of the drugs.
All of that to say that the wizards that are coming and going in their little operation are all servants of Afflux and they are trying to turn Deep Hollow into a zombie town to get a foothold in the old kingdom. The drug runners are unaware of these side affects and frankly they don't care as they are very wealthy from their practice.
How then, do I get the players interested? I've put the most time/effort in to this particular story and it does tie in to what they've found in the past. Any assistance, aid, or ideas would be great.