Death Knight Paragon Path
We came up with the following Paragon Path for one of the PC’s that will be available at the game we’re running at GenCon this year: For Love of Evil. In that game, the players will be playing evil 30th level characters trying to free the evil god chained in the depths of the abyss.
One of those characters is Kard Bad-Dorum, an orcish paladin who has become a death knight.
Path Features
- 11th Level: Become Undead
Giving yourself over wholly to evil, your life ends in a vile ritual and your rise – immortal!
Your type changes to Undead. Gain Resist 15 necrotic, Immune to disease & poison, Vulnerable 10 radiant. - 11th level: Terrifying Onslaught
When you spend an action point to attack, adjacent enemies take -2 to AC until the end of your next turn. - 16th level: Undeath Mastery
Your attacks ignore the resistances of undead creatures (but not immunities).
Powers
- Control Undead – Death Knight Attack 11
Encounter – Divine, Soul Weapon
Standard Action – Close Burst 5
Target: One undead creature within the burst.
Attack: Cha vs. Will
Hit: 2(w) + Charisma modifier psychic damage, and as a free action, the target charges your enemy nearest to it that it can charge and makes a melee basic attack. - Unholy Healing – Death Knight Utility 12
Daily – Divine, Implement
Minor Action – Personal
Gain Regeneration 5 until the end of the encounter. You do not regain hit points each round if you took radiant damage since your last turn. - Unholy Flames – Death Knight Attack 20
Diving, Fire, Necrotic
Daily – Close Burst 2
Attack: Constitution vs. Reflex
Hit: 6d8 + Constitution modifier necrotic and fire damage to non-undead targets and you deal an additional 2d6 fire damage with melee attacks until the end of your next turn.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged creature type: undead, Paragon Path by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Unicorn Rampant Heading to GenCon
Just a quick note to let everyone know we’ll be there in Indy from the 12th-16th of August. Looking forward to 4 days of non-stop gaming.
We’ll post which games we expect to attend once we register for them.
See you there!
PS – One of the games we’ll be DM’ing at GenCon is “For Love of Evil”, an adventure for evil 30th level characters. Find out more here.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged news: convention by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Shan’n’nur Buckler
Also known as witchwarden shields, these small shields are made of the finest metals and engraved with the arcane symbols of Shan’n’nur warding. These bucklers grants the Inquisitors protection from the powers of the mages they hunt. They also leave the hand free to perform the arcane gestures needed to cast spells.
When the Shan’n’nur assemble to confront a rogue spellcaster, they do so en mass. They are a unnerving sight, dressed lightly beneath their long cloaks, wearing ceremonial masks, bucklers on their arms, and wand or sword in their hands. Seeing them, none can doubt that their prey are doomed.
Witchwarden Shield – Level 9
This small, rune-covered shield amazingly turns aside the torrents of wizard’s fire.
Level 9 – 4,200 gold.
Type: light shield
Item Slot: Arms
Power (Daily, Immediate Interrupt) – when you would be hit by an arcane effect, you can raise your defense against the attacking power by 4.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged equipment: magic shield by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Runes – Wizard Implement
Inscribed upon precious stones, dragon scales, specially made tiles or bones, these characters of power are collected and prized by wizardly folk, who use them to improve their spells.
Runes are a new type of secondary arcane implement. Characters can use runes to alter the effects of arcane spells they cast. There are specific runes arcane casters can acquire that add small bonuses to their spells.
They operate somewhat like stances, in that the character has a selection of available runes they have collected, and as a minor action they can draw and invoke a new rune each turn, which stays active while held until they draw and invoke another rune, or until the end of the encounter.
Runes are an “off-hand” implement, in that they can be used in one hand and their bonuses add to whatever other implement the arcane caster is wielding.
A player might start out with one rune and then gain more in their adventures.
Presented here are Heroic tier runes. Paragon tier runes bonuses are one higher than Heroic tier runes, and Epic tier runes are another one higher than Paragon tier runes.
Runes
Secondary Arcane Implement – can be used in the off-hand and the effect is in addition to the primary arcane implement.
Invoke (Minor Action) – draw and invoke a rune as a minor action to activate its effects. Only one rune can be active at a time. The rune’s effect remains while held. The effect ends when another rune is invoked, the encounter ends, or the caster ends the effect.
Effect – bonus as listed below to any arcane power used while the rune is active.
Heroic Tier Runes
Eye – add +1 to perception and insight skill checks – level 2, 520 gold.
Mouth – add +1 to charisma-based skill checks – level 2, 520 gold.
Fire – add +1 to fire damage – level 3, 680 gold.
Frost – add +1 to frost damage – level 3, 680 gold.
Lightning – add +1 to electricity damage – level 3, 680 gold.
Thunder – add +1 to thunder damage – level 3, 680 gold.
Sun – add +1 to radiant damage – level 3, 680 gold.
Water – add +1 to acid damage – level 3, 680 gold.
Dream – add +1 to psychic damage – level 3, 680 gold.
Night – add +1 to necrotic damage – level 3, 680 gold.
Hand – add +1 to any one defense (chosen when invoking the rune) – level 5, 1,000 gold.
Foot – +1 to movement speed while wearing light or no armor – level 9, 4,200 gold
Paragon Tier Runes
Water – add +1 to distance of a power’s push, pull or slide – level 15, 25,000 gold.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged arcane implement - secondary: runes by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Unicorn Rampant Heading to GenCon
Just a quick note to let everyone know we’ll be there in Indy from the 12th-16th of August. Looking forward to 4 days of non-stop gaming.
We’ll post which games we expect to attend once we register for them.
See you there!
PS – One of the games we’ll be DM’ing at GenCon is “For Love of Evil”, an adventure for evil 30th level characters. Find out more here.
Posted in convention, news and tagged upcoming by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Summon Elemental
Summon Elemental – Wizard Attack level 9
You call upon an ancient pact between your order of wizards and a tribe of primordials. An elemental appears, summoned from the Elemental Chaos, and it attacks your foes.
Daily – Arcane, Conjuration
Minor Action Ranged 5
Effect: You conjure either a fire, water, air or earth elemental. This elemental has your defenses and has hit points equal to your bloodied value.
Earth elementals have a move of 4, earth glide 4, and +3 to AC and Fort.
Air elementals have a move of fly 8.
Water elementals have a move of 4, swim 8.
Fire elementals have a move of 7.
As a standard action you can cause the elemental can make the following attack:
Attack (At-Will, Standard Action, Melee 1): Int vs. AC (earth), Reflex (fire, air) or Fort (water)
Hit: 2d6 + Intelligence Modifier fire (fire elemental), cold (water elemental), lightning (air elemental) or untyped damage (earth elemental).
Effect: Until the end of the encounter when the elemental disappears, as a standard action you can direct the elemental to attack. As a minor action you can direct the elemental to move using its move speed. As a minor action you can dismiss the elemental.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged power: heroic wizard by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Issue 16 Released!
In time for tax day, we’re happy to announce the release of Claw/Claw/Bite Issue 16 – Winter 2009.
Claw/Claw/Bite is a resource for storytellers and gamemasters to help create thrilling worlds of adventure for your players to test their mettle in. In each issue, you’ll find new characters, creatures, magic items, encounters, and locations for use in your campaigns. We also include little nuggets that will enrich your world with interesting details and intriguing features.
Our goal is to be a “one-stop shop” for you, the gamemaster. With little or no tweaking on your part, you will be able to drop any game element from Claw/Claw/Bite into your adventure setting and run it how you see fit. All of our creations are designed for d20 fantasy rules. And of course, everything is carefully reviewed and balanced to fit into your game without disrupting your play balance or awaking the dogs of war.
This issue of Claw/Claw/Bite includes:
* Campaign Flavor in the form of Traveler’s Tables
* Two new dieties, Saha Ra and Ohases
* One new spell, Cone of Silence
* Four new characters, including a Vanaran Shaman-Scientist
* Four new creatures, including the Dogs of War and Rug Rats
* Ten new magic items, including three new transport-reated Tomes
* Five new locations, including Dindle Keep and two towns in the Jaeruel
* Three new Ale Break editorials on improving the gaming experience
* And Session 2 of the new comic Trolls and Tribulations.
Download it here.
Posted in news and tagged CCB issue by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Ale Break: Debunking the Role-playing vs. Roll-playing dichotomy
I would like to take a moment to debunk the often-touted Role-playing vs. Roll-playing argument.
Let me start by saying that there are many things about RPGs that are enjoyable. There’s getting together with your friends and having social time, joking around, catching up. In most RPGs there’s also a significant tactical or combat game aspect to them – RPGs without a heavy focus on combat in the rules are the rare exception. Then there’s what many consider the holy grail of RPGs – the actual role-playing.
In my decades running and playing role-playing games, I have seen players that are good and bad at both. Sure, I’ve seen the powergamer who can’t come up with a name for his character. I’ve seen the roleplayer who lives for a well-developed, consistently played character – rarely. I’ve even been in a few games where I made characters purely for their flavor, ignoring what would make them effective within the rules, and not been able to get into character properly – I’ve been bad at both role and roll at the same time.
I’ve seen players that complain about the lack of role-playing in games completely fail to do any role-playing when presented with attempts to engage them directly.
And I’ve seen the player that is not much of a role-player and who’s characters are very effective within the rules turn into quite a role-player over time.
Some players are easy to engage, others not so easy.
It’s a given that in any game there will be people who are better, or more interested than others, in making characters that are powerful. Even in game systems like Amber, where there are almost no game mechanics, someone who is good at it can dominate the other players in overcoming the challenges presented. But that’s going to be the nature in any game: humans are very clever monkeys and will always be looking for better ways to succeed at what they do.
I think that setting expectations in games, both as a player and a DM, is much more important in determining how much role-playing is seen at the table than how good someone is at making characters that are very effective within the rules.
I had an interesting experience the other day. I wasn’t feeling up to DMing on Sunday, so Dan graciously ran a pre-written adventure on the fly. I made a 4e version of one of my reoccurring characters, Kylissa Flamebraid – a female dwarven sorcerer, who’s kind of a teenage runaway, rebelling against her father, with a magic powers she inherited from her maternal grandmother (usually skips a generation in dwarves). I have a small stock of characters I’ve worked out the backgrounds of because it takes me a while to come up with new ideas, and Kylissa is one of them.
Because it was a pre-written adventure that Dan was running on short notice, we were mostly sticking to the canned text and not doing a lot of role-playing. But a number of times during the adventure I found that if I stuck to talking in character, espically when talking to the other players about events in the adventure, they tended to respond in kind.
I’m going to try to find a way to gently encourage everyone in future games to stay in character. Roleplaying cam be a very contagious type of fun, and the more I have in my games the better I like it.
So, to those who are endlessly complaining about those who come only to “roll-play” my question is what are you doing, as a player or as a gamemaster, to draw those players into their roles, or to help them develop them?
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged ale break by Adam A. Thompson with 2 comments.
Trolls and Tribulations 3: A Player’s Worst Nightmare…
Posted in Comic and tagged humor, Trolls and Tribulations by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Armies of Count Aguies
After months of preperation and diplomacy the players recieve word that Aguies is on the march. Allies are gathered and battle is joined at the bridge over the Mistwash just south of the village Clommel.
Battle on the field with Aguies’ army
- Aguies outnumbers the heroes by a large margin, but many of his troops are conscripted peasants.
- When the Count’s army arrives, he will take some time to take stock of the situation.
You stand on the wooden bridge spanning the Mistwash River. The waters push up against the soggy banks, heavy with spring rain and melted snow from the Kitel woods far upstream. The troops of your liege, Ludwig Staledwo, are camped behind you to the north, weapons near at hand.Ahead, to the south, you see movement through the woods. Nearly a mile away a group of knights on horse ride out of the woods, at the head of a column of footmen. The shields and standards of the knight in the lead bears the red boar on a black field above three blue chevrons – Aguies’ coat of arms. Beside him is another black shield, this one bearing a gold crown over a red fist holding 3 swords.
The knights pull their horses to a halt and survey your forces.
Envoys may be sent, but their army makes camp and begins deploying or making some siege gear of their own while standing more or less at the ready. Their archers make a dozen tower shields / standing walls from which they can shoot. - The Count’s attack on the bridge will consist of several waves of attackers.
- First some footmen will be sent across supported by the archers.
level 7 – 1200 xp
10 x human lackey – xp 75 ea.
4 x guards – xp 150 ea. - Another wave of footmen, with some skirmishers in the group.
level 9 – 1575 xp
1 x human lackey – xp 75 ea.
3 x pikemen – xp 250 ea.
3 x light infantry – xp 250 ea. - A wave of knights will attack – trying to bull rush / trample their way through the defenders. Trent will be a part of this wave, and will show Hextor-like power once bloodied – he gains resist 10 to all damage. The priest of Hironeous will beseech his god to help, and one of the players will get Herionous-like power too – allowing that character to ignore Trent’s resist 10, and be able to turn the tide. Trent turns and runs once reduced to 1/3 HP.
level 9 – 1625 xp
Trent – xp 400
4 x pikemen – xp 250 ea.
3 x human lackey – xp 75 - A final wave of Knights and foot attack with Aguies leading the charge and some controllers to help take the bridge. Aguies turns once it is obvious they are loosing. At this point the Count’s forces are re-grouping away from the bridge and the players have the opportunity to counter-attack.
level 10 – 2375 xp
Aguies – xp 700
Trent – xp 400
War-Sorcerer – xp 400
2 knight – xp 250 ea
5 x lackey – xp 75 ea - If they counter-attack there is a final battle with mixed forces and a weakened Aguies and Trent, who flee, with the army in a rout, when bloodied.
level 9 – xp 2000
Aguies – xp 700
Trent – xp 400
War-Sorcerer – xp 400
Pikemen – xp 250 ea
light infantry – xp 250 ea - If they do not counter-attack, and take a 5 minute rest or longer, the opposing army gets an opportunity to regroup & heal, and the next battle is much harder. The players can either counter-attack, or wait until the next day when Aguies will attack again – this time supported by a small catapult they built overnight. This encounter should be fairly overwhelming, perhaps a level 13 encounter.
Pikemen ✦ Level 6 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 250
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +3
HP 71; Bloodied 36
AC 22; Fortitude 18, Reflex 16, Will 15
Speed 5
Powers
Pike ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Reach 2
melee weapon
Attack: +13 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 4 damage, and the target is marked until the beginning of the pikeman’s next turn.
Pike Push ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Reach 2, Recharge (5,6)
melee weapon
Attack: +13 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 6 damage, and target is pushed 2 squares.
Crossbow ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Range 15/30
ranged weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 3 damage.
Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills athletics +11, endurance +10
Str 16 (+6) Dex 15 (+5) Wis 11 (+3)
Con 15 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 13 (+4)
Equipment: chain mail, pike, crossbow, 10 bolts
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 250
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +3
HP 71; Bloodied 36
AC 20; Fortitude 16, Reflex 18, Will 15
Speed 6
Powers
Short Sword ✦ At-Will, Standard Action
melee weapon
Attack: +11 vs. AC
Hit: 1d6 + 6 damage.
Backstab ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Recharge (5,6)
melee weapon
Attack: +11 vs. AC
Hit: 3d6 + 4 damage, and target is dazed until the end of the Light Infantry’s next turn.
Shortbow ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Range 15/30
ranged weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d6 + 3 damage.
Fleet of Foot✦ At-Will, Move Action, Personal
Shift 1.
Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills athletics +11, endurance +10
Str 14 (+5) Dex 16 (+6) Wis 11 (+3)
Con 15 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 13 (+4)
Equipment: leather armor, shortsword, shortbow Knight of the Realm ✦ Level 6 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 250
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +3
HP 71; Bloodied 36
AC 24; Fortitude 18, Reflex 16, Will 15
Speed 5 (10 on warhorse)
Powers
Lance ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Reach 2
melee weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d12 + 5 damage, and the target is marked until the beginning of the pikeman’s next turn.
Longsword ✦ At-Will, Standard Action
melee weapon
Attack: +13 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 4 damage, and the target is marked until the beginning of the pikeman’s next turn.
Heavy Lance Charge ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Reach 2, Recharge (5,6)
melee weapon
the Knight charges and attacks with the lance
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 7 damage, and target is pushed 2 squares.
Crossbow ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Range 15/30
ranged weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 3 damage.
Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills athletics +11, endurance +10
Str 16 (+6) Dex 15 (+5) Wis 11 (+3)
Con 15 (+5) Int 10 (+3) Cha 13 (+4)
Equipment: chain mail, heavy shield, lance, longsword, crossbow, 10 bolts War-Sorcerer of Soguer ✦ Level 9 Artillery
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 400
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +9
HP 72; Bloodied 36
AC 20; Fortitude 19, Reflex 21, Will 25
Speed 6
Powers
Burning Spray ✦ At-Will, Standard Action Close blast 3
Arcane, Fire, Implement
You fling your arm in a wide arc, casting liquid fire at your foes.
Target: Each creature in blast
Attack: +12 vs. Reflex
Hit: 1d8 + 8 fire damage.
Chaos Bolt ✦ At-Will, Standard Action Ranged 10
Arcane, Implement, Psychic
A bolt of many-colored light leaps from your hand and screams toward an enemy’s head.
Primary Target: One creature
Primary Attack: +12 vs. Will
Hit: 1d10 + 8 psychic damage.
Effect: If you rolled an even number for the primary attack roll, make a secondary attack.
Secondary Target: One creature within 5 squares of the target last hit by this power
Secondary Attack: +12 vs. Will
Hit: 1d6 psychic damage. If you rolled an even number for the secondary attack roll, repeat the secondary attack.
You can attack a creature only once with a single use of this power.
Chaos Storm ✦ Encounter, Standard Action Area burst 1 within 10 squares
Arcane, Implement, Lightning, Teleportation
A storm of lightning pounds your enemies. When the storm clears, everyone has teleported to new positions by your magic.
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: +12 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + 8 lightning damage.
Effect: You teleport each target hit by the attack to any other space within the burst.
Contagious Curse ✦ Daily, Standard Action Ranged 10
Arcane, Implement, Poison
A cloud of poison gas coils around your foe, warding off help.
Target: One creature
Attack: +12 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d10 + 8 poison damage.
Effect: You slide the target a number of squares equal to your Charisma modifier. The target is poisonous to your enemies (save ends). While the target is poisonous, any enemy that starts its turn adjacent to the target takes 1d10 poison damage.
Wild Magic: If you rolled an even number on the attack roll, any enemy that starts its turn within 2 squares of the poisonous target takes 1d10 poison damage.
Unfettered Power: When you roll a natural 20 on an attack roll for an arcane power, you slide the target 1 square and knock it prone after applying the attack’s other effects.
Alignment neutral Languages Common, Draconic
Skills Arcana +9, Insight +9, Perception +9
Str 13 (+5) Dex 17 (+7) Wis 11 (+4)
Con 12 (+5) Int 10 (+4) Cha 21 (+9)
Equipment: staff, dagger, robes Trent ✦ Level 9 Paladin (Soldier)
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 400
Initiative +5 Senses Perception +4
HP 83; Bloodied 41; Healing Surge: 20; Healing Surges: 1
AC 28; Fortitude 22, Reflex 23, Will 23
Speed 6 (10 on warhorse)
Powers
triple-headed flail ✦ At-Will, Standard Action,
melee weapon
Attack: +13 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 6 damage
Enfeebling Strike ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Melee
melee weapon
Attack: +12 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 8 damage. If marked, the target takes -2 to attack rolls until the end of Trent’s next turn.
Divine Challenge ✦ At-Will, Minor Action, Close burst 5,
Divine, Necrotic
Effect: the target is marked, taking a -2 penalty to attacks that do not include Trent as a target, and the first time the target makes such an attack it takes 8 points of necrotic damage.
Lay on Hands ✦ 4 times / Encounter, Minor Action, Melee Touch
Divine, healing,
Divine Reverence ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Close burst 1
Divine, Necrotic, implement
Attack: +12 vs Will
Hit: 1d8 + 8 necrotic damage, and the target is dazed until the end of your next turn.
Necrotic Pulse ✦ Daily, Standard Action, Ranged 10
Divine, Necrotic
Attack: +12 vs Fortitude
Hit: 1d10 + 8 necrotic damage, and make a secondary attack
Secondary Attack: +12 vs Fortitude on each enemy adjacent to the primary target.
Hit: 1d10 + 8 necrotic damage and the target is pushed 3 squares.
Sustain Minor: repeat the secondary attack.
Wrath of the Gods ✦ Daily, Minor Action, Close burst 1
Divine
Trent and each ally in burst gain +5 to damage rolls until the end of the encounter.
Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills religion +9, bluff +13
Str 16 (+7) Dex 12 (+5) Wis 10 (+4)
Con 11 (+4) Int 14 (+6) Cha 21 (+9)
Equipment: layered plate mail (A.V.), heavy shield, triple-headed flail, holy symbol of Hextor, heavy warhorse Count Aguies✦ Level 12 Fighter (Soldier)
Medium natural humanoid ✦ XP 700
Initiative +7 Senses Perception +9
HP 109; Bloodied 54; Healing Surge: 26; Healing Surges: 2
AC 32; Fortitude 31, Reflex 27, Will 25
Speed 5 (10 on warhorse)
Powers
Bastard Sword ✦ At-Will, Standard Action, Melee
melee weapon
Attack: +21 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 12
Combat Challenge
Any target Aguies has attacked may be marked, and takes -2 to attack rolls that don’t include Aguies as a target. Aguies can make a bastard sword attack against any marked target that shifts or makes an attack that does not target him.
Sweeping Blow ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Close burst 1
Attack: +24 vs. AC
Hit: 1d10 + 12 damage.
Reckless Strike ✦ Encounter, Standard Action, Melee
Attack: +19 vs. AC
Hit: 3d10 + 12 Damage.
Victorious Surge ✦ Daily (Reliable), Standard Action, Melee
Attack: +21 vs. AC
Hit: 3d10 + 12, and regain 26 HP.
Defensive Training ✦ Daily, Stance, Minor Action, Personal
Effect: Gain a +2 power bonus to Fortitiude, Reflex or Will defense.
Inexorable Shift ✦ Daily, Move Action, Personal
Effect: Shift into any adjacent square and push any target occupying that square 1.
Alignment neutral Languages Common
Skills athletics +18, endurance +12
Str 24 (+13) Dex 12 (+7) Wis 16 (+9)
Con 13 (+7) Int 17 (+9) Cha 11 (+6)
Equipment: wyvernscale armor, heavy shield, bastard sword
Posted in 4th edition Dungeons & Dragons, Creature, Encounter and tagged Campaign: Heir of Soguer, creature type: humanoid, creature: heroic skirmisher, creature: heroic soldier, creature: paragon soldier, subplot:The Tyrant by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.