Sunday, January 12, 2014

Barbarians of Phaedos -- Classes

THE FIGHTER


Level 1:  0 - 1,999 XP
Level 2:  2,000 - 3,999 XP
Level 3:  4,000 - 7,999 XP
Level 4:  8,000 - 15,999 XP
Level 5:  16,000 - 31,999 XP
Level 6:  32,000 - 63,999 XP
Level 7:  64,000 - 127,999 XP
Level 8:  128,000 - 255,999 XP
Level 9:  256,000 - 511,999 XP
Level 10: 512,000+ XP

HIT DICE:  3
* 4th level => +1 HD
* 7th level => +1 HD
* 10th level => +1 HD

SAVING THROWS
* Good:  fear, death
* Normal:  poison, traps
* Poor:  magic

Engage MULTIPLE ENEMIES in close combat; max # = level

THE SKULK


Level 1:  0 - 1,499 XP
Level 2:  1,500 - 2,999 XP
Level 3:  3,000 - 5,999 XP
Level 4:  6,000 - 11,999 XP
Level 5:  12,000 - 23,999 XP
Level 6:  24,000 - 47,999 XP
Level 7:  48,000 - 95,999 XP
Level 8:  96,000 - 191,999 XP
Level 9:  192,000 - 383,999 XP
Level 10: 384,000+ XP

HIT DICE:  2

SAVING THROWS
* Good:  traps
* Normal:  death, poison
* Poor:  fear, magic

DETECT MONSTERS +1

MOVE SILENTLY
* X/12 to avoid detection
* X = level - Encumbrance penalty
* DEX 6+ => +1

BACKSTAB +1d6 damage
* 5th level => +2d6
* 10th level => +3d6


THE MAGICIAN


Level 1:  0 - 2,499 XP
Level 2:  2,500 - 4,999 XP
Level 3:  5,000 - 9,999 XP
Level 4:  10,000 - 19,999 XP
Level 5:  20,000 - 39,999 XP
Level 6:  40,000 - 79,999 XP
Level 7:  80,000 - 159,999 XP
Level 8:  160,000 - 319,999 XP
Level 9:  320,000 - 639,999 XP
Level 10: 640,000+ XP

HIT DICE:  1

SAVING THROWS
* Good:  magic
* Normal:  fear, poison
* Poor:  death, traps

Spells must be bound to your mind through RITUAL MEDITATION of mystic formulas recorded in your GRIMOIRE OF BLACK MAGIC.

SPELL LIMIT = level + INT

Each day => save vs. magic or 1d6 Madness per uncast spell

WHERE DID YOUR GRIMOIRE COME FROM?
1:  You killed another magician in his sleep and stole his grimoire.
2:  You were the apprentice of a madman who shared his forbidden
    knowledge with you.
3:  After a particularly devastating bender, you awoke to find
    yourself a fully vested member of a sorcerous cult.
4:  You were imprisoned by a wizard; after secretly observing your
    captor for years, you learned his art and made your escape.
5:  After a harrowing tutelage in an underground school of magic,
    you ran away with a stolen grimoire.
6:  In the throes of fever-madness, otherworldy beings spoke to you;
    you awoke to find the grimoire in your possession.

YOUR GRIMOIRE IS...
1:  a massive codex, bound in stitched (human?) skin
2:  a deck of obscenely illustrated tarot cards
3:  a gnarled, rune-carved staff, holding a bound demon within
4:  an ancient transistor radio, tuned to a secret frequency
5:  tattooed across your body in geometric patterns
6:  a bundle of dinosaur-hide scrolls in bronze tubes
7:  woven through your hair/beard in beads, braids, and knots
8:  blasphemous litanies etched onto heavy iron plates
9:  displayed holographically from a Weighted Companion Cube
10: a collection of skulls inscribed with kabbalistic symbols
11: revealed in the notes sounded on a magic harp
12: an animal familiar that whispers its spells into your ear
     1:  crow          4:  snake
     2:  rat           5:  toad
     3:  snail         6:  unidentifiable insect

SPELLS CONTAINED WITHIN YOUR GRIMOIRE
1:  The Black Binding
2:  The Brand of Colorless Flame
3:  Conjuration of the Eldritch Lightning
4:  Domination of the Ensorcelled Heart
5:  The Ecstatic Far-Seeing Delirium
6:  The Fifth Psalm of Dissolution
7:  The Hymn to Azathoth
8:  Invocation of the Stolen Visage
9:  Laquatus's Second Hypnotic Spell
10: The Manifold Effigies of Being
11: The Pallid Necromantic Command
12: The Twelve Quantum-Locking Syllables

THE ELF


Level 1:  0 - 2,999 XP
Level 2:  3,000 - 5,999 XP
Level 3:  6,000 - 11,999 XP
Level 4:  12,000 - 23,999 XP
Level 5:  24,000 - 47,999 XP
Level 6:  48,000 - 95,999 XP
Level 7:  96,000 - 191,999 XP
Level 8:  192,000 - 383,999 XP
Level 9:  384,000 - 767,999 XP
Level 10: 768,000+ XP

HIT DICE:  2

SAVING THROWS
* Good:  fear, magic
* Normal:  traps
* Poor:  death, poison

ALIGNMENT:  Neutral or Chaotic only

GLAMOUR = level + CHA
* spend 1 Glamour => +1d6 to 1 saving throw
* replenish 1 Glamour by "eating" enchanted monsters and items
* when Glamour = 0, you cannot cast spells, and all see you for
  the pitiful, inhuman creature you are

ELFIN MAGIC
There is a spell in your heart; cut it out and you'll see.
* caster level = Glamour
* mortal victim/witness may "disbelieve" (save vs. magic)
  => lose 1 Glamour
1:  The Blighting Eye of Ill Intent
2:  The Charm of Resplendent Beauty
3:  The Circle of Protection Against All Evil
4:  A Fairy Lullaby
5:  The Hilarious Blinding Curse
6:  Invocation of the Stolen Visage
7:  The Twelve Quantum-Locking Syllables
8:  The Whispering Lilt of Feathers

FEAR OF IRON
* cannot hold or touch iron objects
* cannot cross thresholds warded with iron
* touch of iron breaks your spells

When you gain a level, you vanish from reality until your next foray into the Underworld, undergoing an ELDRITCH TRANSFORMATION.

SOME ELVES...
1:  have never known another elf.
2:  become intoxicated after eating sugar.
3:  are neither male nor female.
4:  appear as a gnarled old crone with bright, youthful eyes.
5:  have the tail of a cow, which they hide under clothing.
6:  show signs of mental disability and psychopathic disregard for
    others.
7:  are forever-young children with dark, ancient eyes.
8:  have too many fingers.
9:  are painfully beautiful, yet disturbingly ugly at the same time.
10: appear perfectly human when viewed directly, but from the corner
    of the eye...
11: have no idea they're not like everyone else.
12: have the head of a beast.
     1:  buzzard       5:  swine
     2:  donkey        6:  whatever; it's just a mask,
     3:  goat              but you will FREAK OUT if
     4:  rooster           anyone tries to take it off

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Barbarians of Phaedos -- Character Creation

GENERATING YOUR CHARACTER

ALIGNMENT
* LAWFUL characters impose structure and harmony on the world.  They defend civilization, conquer and convert others, or enforce The Way Things Should Be.
* CHAOTIC beings undermine the order of the universe.  Things fall apart, and their actions further the cause of entropy.  They promote anarchy, sow destruction, or threaten the nature of reality.
* NEUTRAL creatures act in their own best interests, or in the interests of their group.  Their actions neither drive the universe toward a more perfect state, nor disrupt its stability.

CLASS, LEVEL, AND EXPERIENCE
* There are 4 classes to choose from:
   - FIGHTING-MAN
   - SKULK
   - MAGICIAN
   - ELF
* Each character begins at LEVEL 1, with 0 EXPERIENCE.
* Experience is awarded at the end of each expedition.
* XP = value of bloodstained gold and plunder looted from the Underworld, divided evenly among surviving party members.

ARMOR CLASS
* base armor class (unarmored):  AC 10
* breastplate:  AC +3
* greaves:  AC +1
* helmet:  AC +2
* shield:  AC +3
* vambrace:  AC +1

ATTRIBUTES (CHA, CON, DEX, INT, STR, and WIS)
* 6d6 => assign result of each die to 1 attribute
* every 3rd level => attribute of your choice +1, max 6

ENCUMBRANCE
* Each BODY SLOT may hold up to 1 SIGNIFICANT ITEM without slowing you down.  Each significant item beyond the 1st adds 1 to encumbrance.  Any number of insignificant items may be carried, as long as you can describe where it is on your person.  Most worn items (cloaks, gloves, helmets, jewelry) are treated as insignificant.
* BODY SLOT
   1:  head
   2:  left arm/shoulder
   3:  left hand
   4:  left hip/leg
   5:  right arm/shoulder
   6:  right hand
   7:  right hip/leg
   8:  torso
* ENCUMBRANCE PENALTY = encumbrance - STR
* BACKPACKS may hold up to 6 significant items (provided they reasonably fit) while only counting as 1 item for encumbrance purposes.  Each item beyond the 6th adds 1 to encumbrance.
   - X/8 chance backpack bursts open under stress (falling, fighting, running, etc.)
     X = number of significant items contained beyond 6