In thinking about humanoids, I wanted to create a core humanoid race that did something unusual… something that would mix up and add interest to encounters with these foes. In thinking about the humanoid as fundamental fighter, it seemed that the god of the underworld (Beal, their creator) would want a fighting force that was pretty resilient. He’d want them to keep on fighting. Serial immortality seemed like a good way to go, with progressively higher levels of toughness along the chain of progression. It felt like a random element to this would make play more interesting… here’s how it works:
- N’Orks are degenerate, 3’ tall goblinoid creatures of low intellect. They exist only to fight; if foes are not present, they will turn on each other eventually. When you kill a N’Ork, there is a 1 in 6 chance it arises at the end of the round, reborn as an Ubern’orker.
- Ubern’orkers are the next up the food chain. They are thinkers and planners, able to lead N’Ork armies, and able to keep lesser N’Orks under their thumb. Multiple Ubern’orkers will work together rather than resorting to in-fighting. When you kill an Ubern’orker, there is a 1 in 6 chance it arises at the end of the round as a N’Ork Ubermonger.
- N’Ork Ubermongers are the highest form of N’Ork, but also the least intelligent. These are the Incredible Hulks of the N’Ork world… these are the ‘true forms’ of N’Orks… the other two forms are avatars they send out into the world in their stead.
Basically, statistically it comes down to this… if you fight 6 N’Orks, odds are that one of them will be reborn as an Ubern’ork. If you fight 36 N’Orks, odds are that 6 of those will reincarnate immediately as Ubern’orks, and 1 of those will reincarnate immediately as a N’Ork Ubermonger. However, there is a chance (albeit a slim one) that a fight with a solitary N’Ork escalates to a battle with a N’Ork Ubermonger. In terms of play, the drama of the fight continues after death; “congratulations on killing the two N’Orks this round… now let’s see if they stay dead…”
It seems appropriate to give Ubern’orkers leadership, and to give N’Ork Ubermongers rage… so here we are:
N’Ork (15 CPs)
Fighting +4; Might +2; Stamina +2 (Armor); Focus +1; Intuition +2
Wields spiked club +3 (dealing +5 damage); wears hide armor +3.
Ubern’orker (30 CPs)
Fighting +6; Might +4; Stamina +3 (Armor); Focus +2; Intuition +2; Leadership +2
Wields spiked morning star +5 (dealing +9 damage); wears reinforced hide armor +4
N’Ork Ubermonger (60 CPs)
Fighting +7 (Bonus Attack); Might +6 (Strike); Stamina +6; Focus +3; Invulnerability; Intuition +3; Rage +4
Wades into combat swinging two fists; fists distribute fighting +8 between them, dealing +12 damage unarmed each; soaks +6 from physical and +3 from energy attacks
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
#10: Young Necromancer
I’m going to cheat a little, because I’ve got a hankering to make some caster types to play with magic rules some, so I’ll make a necromancer as a ‘villain’ and throw him in here. It’s my blog, and I can cheat if I want to…
Young Necromancer (40 CPs)
Stamina +2; Focus +6 (Warding); Bolt of Shadow +6 (Summon Undead; Fear; Boost Armor; Stun); Intuition +3
Bears a staff of shadows +7 (bolt deals +13 damage); wears cloak of warding +7 (soak +7 magical damage from all attacks); wears traveling robes +1 (soak +1 physical damage/soak +4 damage when armor is boosted.)
- Fear forces the target to turn and flee for a number of turns equal to successes on a casting vs. focus roll.
- Stun forces the target to lose a number of turns equal to successes on a casting vs. focus roll.
- Summon calls creature built on rating x3 CPs. This creature remains for a number of rounds equal to your rating. At +6, his undead creature is built on 18 CPs, and it remains for 6 rounds. (As an ability, the summoned creature would remain for the remainder of the scene, and be built on rating x5 CPs). Our young necromancer could choose to summon two undead built on 9 CPs each, 3 creatures built on 6 CPs each, etc.
Young Necromancer (40 CPs)
Stamina +2; Focus +6 (Warding); Bolt of Shadow +6 (Summon Undead; Fear; Boost Armor; Stun); Intuition +3
Bears a staff of shadows +7 (bolt deals +13 damage); wears cloak of warding +7 (soak +7 magical damage from all attacks); wears traveling robes +1 (soak +1 physical damage/soak +4 damage when armor is boosted.)
- Fear forces the target to turn and flee for a number of turns equal to successes on a casting vs. focus roll.
- Stun forces the target to lose a number of turns equal to successes on a casting vs. focus roll.
- Summon calls creature built on rating x3 CPs. This creature remains for a number of rounds equal to your rating. At +6, his undead creature is built on 18 CPs, and it remains for 6 rounds. (As an ability, the summoned creature would remain for the remainder of the scene, and be built on rating x5 CPs). Our young necromancer could choose to summon two undead built on 9 CPs each, 3 creatures built on 6 CPs each, etc.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
#9: Infernal Gargoyles
My gargoyles have always been sort of boring; they end up being stony versions of flying monkeys. Gargoyles should probably be somewhat more B.A. than that… my current vision of them is part Hellboy, part the Demon, but burning with blue infernal flame, and relishing in inflicting pain. They should have unique powers that make them more dangerous… I’m also tinkering with revising the rules (again) for armor/invulnerability/warding… so I’ll play with them here…
Gargoyle of Infernal Flames (60 CPs)
Fighting +5; Might +5 (Strike; Two Weapons); Stamina +6 (Shadow Bolt; Pain; Energize Weapon)
Flight +4; Focus +4; Intuition +3 (Stealth); Invulnerability
The Gargoyle of Infernal Flames leaps into battle with two claw strikes; it has fighting +6 to distribute between these two strikes, dealing +10 damage with each. The gargoyle has its infernal magic linked to its stamina, allowing it to energize its claws to deal additional shadow damage (increasing the damage rating rating from +10 to +11, due to the [3 CP] bonus from energize weapon each claw receives. The gargoyle rolls +6 to soak physical damage, and +4 to soak magical damage, from its invulnerability.
Pain (Application Only)
Roll your action vs. the target’s focus. The target suffers wracking pains, taking a -1 penalty per success you roll to all action rolls for the remainder of the scene. If you attack with pain, rolling 17, and the target rolls 8 to resist, you roll 2 successes (scoring 1 success at 8, another at 13). For the rest of the scene (or until you fall unconscious), the target suffers a -2 penalty to all action rolls from tremendous pain.
About Armor/Invulnerability/Warding
I’m back to thinking that these should be applications. One big reason is the functionality of stamina. Right now, it’s not a particularly important ability. It gets used for a handful of resists, but is not an ability that many players can afford to dump a lot of points in. Stamina should have a close connection to how durable you are in a fight; linking it to armor/invulnerability does this. Here’s the shorthand:
- Armor allows you to wear armor rated at your stamina +1.
- Warding allows you to wear cloaks of warding rated at your focus +1
- Invulnerability gives you your stamina rating vs. physical attacks and your focus rating vs. energy/elemental attacks.
Gargoyle of Infernal Flames (60 CPs)
Fighting +5; Might +5 (Strike; Two Weapons); Stamina +6 (Shadow Bolt; Pain; Energize Weapon)
Flight +4; Focus +4; Intuition +3 (Stealth); Invulnerability
The Gargoyle of Infernal Flames leaps into battle with two claw strikes; it has fighting +6 to distribute between these two strikes, dealing +10 damage with each. The gargoyle has its infernal magic linked to its stamina, allowing it to energize its claws to deal additional shadow damage (increasing the damage rating rating from +10 to +11, due to the [3 CP] bonus from energize weapon each claw receives. The gargoyle rolls +6 to soak physical damage, and +4 to soak magical damage, from its invulnerability.
Pain (Application Only)
Roll your action vs. the target’s focus. The target suffers wracking pains, taking a -1 penalty per success you roll to all action rolls for the remainder of the scene. If you attack with pain, rolling 17, and the target rolls 8 to resist, you roll 2 successes (scoring 1 success at 8, another at 13). For the rest of the scene (or until you fall unconscious), the target suffers a -2 penalty to all action rolls from tremendous pain.
About Armor/Invulnerability/Warding
I’m back to thinking that these should be applications. One big reason is the functionality of stamina. Right now, it’s not a particularly important ability. It gets used for a handful of resists, but is not an ability that many players can afford to dump a lot of points in. Stamina should have a close connection to how durable you are in a fight; linking it to armor/invulnerability does this. Here’s the shorthand:
- Armor allows you to wear armor rated at your stamina +1.
- Warding allows you to wear cloaks of warding rated at your focus +1
- Invulnerability gives you your stamina rating vs. physical attacks and your focus rating vs. energy/elemental attacks.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
#8: Psimian Mandrill
I remember seeing Su-Monsters in the original Monster Manual and thinking that they were incredibly goofy monsters; I also remember thinking that the psionics rules were way too complicated for me, and I’d never use them. I was eleven, so take both opinions for what they’re worth…
However, the more mature me (heh) has a find spot for Gorilla Grodd and the whole idea of psionic apes; and these are like cuter, little, meaner versions of Gorilla Grodd. He’s a master manipulator who uses his psionic abilities to enslave mankind and further the cause of apes; these are angry little creatures that use their psionic abilities to steal food and throw poop. They’re just mean, nasty little buggers.
Psimian Mandrill (26 CPs)
Fighting +4; Bonus Attack; Might +1; Speed +2; Stamina +1; Stealth +3
Focus +2; Intuition +4 (Confusion)
3’ tall monkeys of silvery coats and burning, amber eyes, psimian mandrills seemingly exist only to sow discord among mortals. They may attack with two claws, distributing a total +5 attack rating between the two attacks; each claw attack deals +1 damage.
Confusion (Ability or Application)
Roll your action vs. the target’s focus. Success means that the target randomly acts for D6 rounds. As a victim of confusion, roll D6 below to see what you do. (Note: Players and referees are encouraged to develop their own lists for confusion; this list represents some of the options that could appear. One option on the list should be to continue attacking the caster or acting normally; randomness should include some option for things to not work out so well for the caster of confusion). As an ability, you may use confusion at will; as an application, you may use it once per scene. A target that resists your confusion, or that has already been affected by it that scene, is immune to further uses that scene.
1. Turn and attack your nearest ally.
2. Attack the caster of the confusion spell.
3. Babble incoherently.
4. Turn and flee.
5. Decide that your feet really, really itch.
6. Start looking for something in your backpack that isn’t there.
Note: In thinking about two weapons/bonus attack, this ability should give you a +1 shift to fighting in a turn you use it; if you have two weapons and fighting +6, you get to have fighting +7 whenever you wield two weapons, but you distribute this +7 between the weapons; you can elect to go +6 with your primary and +1 with your secondary, or as far as +4 with your primary +3 with your secondary. This doesn’t unbalance things at all, but gives you a small additional benefit for having spent 2 CPs.
However, the more mature me (heh) has a find spot for Gorilla Grodd and the whole idea of psionic apes; and these are like cuter, little, meaner versions of Gorilla Grodd. He’s a master manipulator who uses his psionic abilities to enslave mankind and further the cause of apes; these are angry little creatures that use their psionic abilities to steal food and throw poop. They’re just mean, nasty little buggers.
Psimian Mandrill (26 CPs)
Fighting +4; Bonus Attack; Might +1; Speed +2; Stamina +1; Stealth +3
Focus +2; Intuition +4 (Confusion)
3’ tall monkeys of silvery coats and burning, amber eyes, psimian mandrills seemingly exist only to sow discord among mortals. They may attack with two claws, distributing a total +5 attack rating between the two attacks; each claw attack deals +1 damage.
Confusion (Ability or Application)
Roll your action vs. the target’s focus. Success means that the target randomly acts for D6 rounds. As a victim of confusion, roll D6 below to see what you do. (Note: Players and referees are encouraged to develop their own lists for confusion; this list represents some of the options that could appear. One option on the list should be to continue attacking the caster or acting normally; randomness should include some option for things to not work out so well for the caster of confusion). As an ability, you may use confusion at will; as an application, you may use it once per scene. A target that resists your confusion, or that has already been affected by it that scene, is immune to further uses that scene.
1. Turn and attack your nearest ally.
2. Attack the caster of the confusion spell.
3. Babble incoherently.
4. Turn and flee.
5. Decide that your feet really, really itch.
6. Start looking for something in your backpack that isn’t there.
Note: In thinking about two weapons/bonus attack, this ability should give you a +1 shift to fighting in a turn you use it; if you have two weapons and fighting +6, you get to have fighting +7 whenever you wield two weapons, but you distribute this +7 between the weapons; you can elect to go +6 with your primary and +1 with your secondary, or as far as +4 with your primary +3 with your secondary. This doesn’t unbalance things at all, but gives you a small additional benefit for having spent 2 CPs.
Friday, January 7, 2011
#7: Medusa Handmaiden
Concept: I have this idea for the lair of a medusa; all of the creatures within (now statues) are in various states of activity; a pitched battle is taking place between two adventuring parties, a huge lizard is preparing to chomp down on a humanoid. By killing the medusa, you bring all of these things back to life from their slumber. The only thing is, you have no idea who would be friendly, and who is going to decide to turn on you. The heroes could conceivably go around and destroy all of the statues before killing the medusa, but then they will surely miss out on some valuable allies or unique experiences…
Since this is the encounter I want, I have to build the rules for petrification around that. I’ll start with those, then stat up the medusa.
Petrification (Ability or Application)
Roll your rating vs. the target’s focus. Success means that the target turns to stone. As an application, petrification ends either at the end of the scene or when you lose consciousness (whichever comes first). As an ability, petrification only ends when you die.
Medusa Handmaiden (50 CPs)
Fighting +4; Might +2; Petrification +5; Poison +5; Precision +3 (Finesse); Stamina +4
Focus +3; Intuition +4 (Stealth)
The medusa handmaiden will use a short bow +4 in combat (dealing +7 damage with it). She uses her serpentine hair to poison the arrows. If forced into melee combat, she will switch to a scimitar +4, dealing +6 damage with this, also coating it with her poison.
Since this is the encounter I want, I have to build the rules for petrification around that. I’ll start with those, then stat up the medusa.
Petrification (Ability or Application)
Roll your rating vs. the target’s focus. Success means that the target turns to stone. As an application, petrification ends either at the end of the scene or when you lose consciousness (whichever comes first). As an ability, petrification only ends when you die.
Medusa Handmaiden (50 CPs)
Fighting +4; Might +2; Petrification +5; Poison +5; Precision +3 (Finesse); Stamina +4
Focus +3; Intuition +4 (Stealth)
The medusa handmaiden will use a short bow +4 in combat (dealing +7 damage with it). She uses her serpentine hair to poison the arrows. If forced into melee combat, she will switch to a scimitar +4, dealing +6 damage with this, also coating it with her poison.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
#6: Spitting Tomb Creeper Spider
Concept: I spent six whole days before I broke down and created a spider- pretty good by my standards. These are pretty much basic big spiders that inhabit ruins and dungeons, but I thought I’d mix them up a bit. Instead of weaving webs, they spit mounds of webbing that they shape into their dens and burrows. They can use this ability once per scene in combat to bind targets, so I get to stat up rules for binding attacks.
Spitting Tomb Creeper Spider (20 CPs)
Fighting +5 (Binding Attack); Might +2 (Strike); Speed +2; Stamina +1; Wall Crawling
Binding Attack (Ability or Application)
You bind the target in place, confining the target to remain in one unit for the remainder of the scene, or until a successful might roll frees him. Roll your action against the target’s might to bind. All creatures taking an action against a bound target take a bonus to action rolls equal to the number of successes rolled on the action. The target may continue to attempt to free itself from these binds, but must spend 1 turn per attempt, rolling might against the DR (the original action roll you made to bind the target). With fighting +5 (binding attack as an application), you may, once per scene, attempt to bind a target up to 5 units away. You roll 2D+5 vs. the target’s might resist roll. You roll 14 and the target rolls 9. You succeed, getting 2 successes; all actions made against that target are at +2 as long as the target remains bound. On each of its turns, the target may attempt to break free of these binds, rolling might DR 14. Success means that the target breaks free and suffers no further penalty; failure means that the target continues to be bound, continuing to give foes +2 to action rolls.
Spitting Tomb Creeper Spider (20 CPs)
Fighting +5 (Binding Attack); Might +2 (Strike); Speed +2; Stamina +1; Wall Crawling
Binding Attack (Ability or Application)
You bind the target in place, confining the target to remain in one unit for the remainder of the scene, or until a successful might roll frees him. Roll your action against the target’s might to bind. All creatures taking an action against a bound target take a bonus to action rolls equal to the number of successes rolled on the action. The target may continue to attempt to free itself from these binds, but must spend 1 turn per attempt, rolling might against the DR (the original action roll you made to bind the target). With fighting +5 (binding attack as an application), you may, once per scene, attempt to bind a target up to 5 units away. You roll 2D+5 vs. the target’s might resist roll. You roll 14 and the target rolls 9. You succeed, getting 2 successes; all actions made against that target are at +2 as long as the target remains bound. On each of its turns, the target may attempt to break free of these binds, rolling might DR 14. Success means that the target breaks free and suffers no further penalty; failure means that the target continues to be bound, continuing to give foes +2 to action rolls.
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
#5: Ogre Berzerker
Concept: He's a big, mean ogre who also goes all Hulk mode when he gets into combat. His basic abilities will be very simple, but he gets a new ability: Rage.
Ogre Berzerker (30 CPs)
Fighting +4; Might +6; Rage +4; Stamina +4
Wields a spiked club +7 (dealing +13 damage)
Rage (Ranked Ability)
Rage stacks with your fighting, giving you a diminishing bonus on fighting action rolls each round after it’s activated. You must spend 1 turn to activate rage. With fighting +5 and rage +4, you activate rage in round 1. In round 2, you attack with fighting +9 (but still defend with fighting +5… defensive rolls are unaffected by rage). In round 3, you attack with fighting +8; in round 4, you attack with fighting +7; in round 5, you attack with fighting +6. Starting in round 6, and for the rest of the scene, you are back to your fighting +5. This wouldn’t affect your defensive rolls; sure, you are attacking at +9 at your peak, but rage isn’t going to make you better at getting out of the way… you still roll +5 to evade enemy strikes.
Effectively, rage is the polar opposite of battle acumen. With rage, you start good and then peter out as the fight continues because you’ve burned your berzerker mode.
Ogre Berzerker (30 CPs)
Fighting +4; Might +6; Rage +4; Stamina +4
Wields a spiked club +7 (dealing +13 damage)
Rage (Ranked Ability)
Rage stacks with your fighting, giving you a diminishing bonus on fighting action rolls each round after it’s activated. You must spend 1 turn to activate rage. With fighting +5 and rage +4, you activate rage in round 1. In round 2, you attack with fighting +9 (but still defend with fighting +5… defensive rolls are unaffected by rage). In round 3, you attack with fighting +8; in round 4, you attack with fighting +7; in round 5, you attack with fighting +6. Starting in round 6, and for the rest of the scene, you are back to your fighting +5. This wouldn’t affect your defensive rolls; sure, you are attacking at +9 at your peak, but rage isn’t going to make you better at getting out of the way… you still roll +5 to evade enemy strikes.
Effectively, rage is the polar opposite of battle acumen. With rage, you start good and then peter out as the fight continues because you’ve burned your berzerker mode.
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