Issue 11 Released
As our readers well know, 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 cool details and intriguing features.
We’ve just finished issue 11 of Claw / Claw / Bite, and are releasing it for sale on RPGnow.com. Follow the link below to receive half off the cover price. That’s right, for our blog readers, this issue is only $1.50.
Get Issue 11 of Claw Claw Bite here at %50 off, a special offer for our blog readers!
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, all of our everything is carefully reviewed and balanced to fit into your game without disrupting your play balance.
This issue of Claw/Claw/Bite includes
* New variant rules for casting with mana instead of preparing spells
* Four new creatures, including a new True Dragon: the jungle hunting Onyx Dragon
* Two new campaign locations — the town of Alabaster and the wilderness of Goduanil
* A new feature: Seeds, Legens and Hooks
* Two new magic items
* Two new spells
* Twelve NPCs, including the cadre of heroes at 5th level
* A mini-adventure in which the party is split up, captured, and must escape from a prison in hell.
Get Issue 11 of Claw Claw Bite here at %50 off, a special offer for our blog readers!
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged CCB issue by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Divine Liberation
I’d like to dedicate today’s post to E. Gary Gygax, who has just passed away. Gary’s adventures surrounding Tharizdun were a major inspiration for this idea, and so it seems appropriate to dedicate it to him. Of course, this small thing is nothing compared to the joy and inspiration I have received because of him and his work. I write this in the spirit of sending thanks and help to those who are no longer in this world.
This campaign plot line turns a common thread around.
Generally, an imprisoned deity is the bad guy that the PC heroes are trying to keep locked up. In this reversal of the story, a benevolent deity that the PCs worship or care about has been imprisoned.
This could be a long story arcing over a campaign, or a shorter story for higher level characters.
If used for a long campaign, the imprisoned deity may have been trapped long ago, and now some prophecy or omen has involved the PCs with it’s release.
If a short story, the deity may have just been recently tricked or put upon by another, malevolent or jealous deity, and the PCs must help the god overcome it’s tribulations. The part they play may be a minor, but pivotal part in a larger effort.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged campaign plotline by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Die Harder
Prerequisite Endurance, Diehard, Iron Will, Toughness
Benefit
When reduced to -9 hit points, you remain stable. At this point, you begin to use your strength score as though they were additional hit points. Each point of damage you take reduces your strength score by 1 (this counts as ability damage). Once your strength score reaches 0 you immediately die.
When reduced to negative hit points, you may choose to act as if you were disabled, rather than dying. You must make this decision as soon as you are reduced to negative hit points (even if it isn’t your turn). If you do not choose to act as if you were disabled, you immediately fall unconscious.
When using this feat, you can take either a single move or standard action each turn, but not both, and you cannot take a full round action. You can take a move action without further injuring yourself, but if you perform any standard action (or any other action deemed as strenuous, including some free actions, swift actions, or immediate actions, such as casting a quickened spell) you take 1 point of damage after completing the act. If you reach 0 strength, you immediately die.
Normal
A character with diehard usually dies once reaching -10 hp.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged feat by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.
Anton Fink
Anton Fink is a skilled thief from the Phyloctæte who has learned to wield arcane power to assist him in his trade. He has used this power to seduce many a woman who is easily impressed with parlor tricks.
Unfortunately for him, this sex-driven rogue has had his soul trapped by an imp that he once befriended under the illusion that he was one of these parlor women. Now he must find a way to break the spell imposed by the imp. He is desperate to break free of this spiritual bond, and is willing to help or betray anyone else in the process.
Anton Fink (CR 8)
Chaotic Neutral Medium-size Male Human
Rogue 6 Rogue Caster 2
Initiative: +3
Vision: Normal
AC: 19 (flatfooted 19, touch 15)
Hit Dice: (8d6)+16
Hit Points: 54
Saves: Fortitude: +6, Reflex: +10, Will: +4
Speed: Walk 30 ft.
Attacks: +1 Shortbow +8 (1d6+2) or +1 Short Sword +6 (1d6+
Face / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Base Attack: +5 Grapple: +6
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light), Dodge, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Simple Weapon Proficiency
Special Qualities: Evasion (Ex), Sneak Attack +3d6, Trap Sense (Ex) +2, Trapfinding, Uncanny Dodge (Dex bonus to AC)
Abilities: STR 13 (+1), DEX 17 (+3), CON 14 (+2), INT 16 (+3), WIS 11 (+0), CHA 11 (+0)
Skills: Appraise 5; Balance 5; Bluff 7; Climb 3; Concentration 7; Craft (Untrained) 3; Decipher Script 6; Diplomacy 3; Disable Device 5; Disguise 1; Escape Artist 10; Forgery 3; Gather Information 2; Heal 0; Hide 11; Intimidate 4; Jump 7; Listen 3; Move Silently 17; Open Lock 11; Ride 3; Search 8; Sense Motive 4; Sleight of Hand 14; Spellcraft 8; Spot 8; Survival 0; Swim 1; Tumble 9; Use Magic Device 8;
Possessions: Arrow; Cloak of Resistance +1; Arrow +1; Bag of Holding (Type 1); Boots of Elvenkind; Quiver; Ring of Protection +2; Shortbow +1; Studded Leather +1; Sword +1 (Short); Wand of Magic Missile (3rd level caster);
Spells:
Spells per Day: (5/4/4/0/0/0 DC:13+spell level)
Rogue Caster – Known:
Level 1: Improved Forgery, Improved Appraisal, Improved Balance, Pass Without Trace
Level 2: Invisibility, Sleight of Hand, Spider Climb
Posted in 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons / d20 fantasy / Pathfinder, Character by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Rogue Caster
This prestige class brings together rogue and caster in two ways. First, the caster abilities are not the same as a sorcerer’s, since the spellcasting relies upon dexterity rather than intelligence. Second, the caster is actually a rogue class. The spells are all geared toward enhancing rogue abilities in one form or another, for instance improved forgery, perfect appraisal, sleight of hand, walk on rope, etc. There are no direct damage spells in the rogue caster’s arsenal.
Rogue casters have learned to hone their natural abilities for magic into spells that help them in their day — ahem, night — jobs. Only rogues may become rogue casters. NPC rogue casters usually lead lead solitary lives roaming the streets and backalleys. Some organize others into small-time criminal outfits, and the most successful run thieves’ guilds. Some of these outfits and guilds even have legitimate fronts.
Hit Die: d6.
Requirements
To qualify to become a rogue caster, a character must fulfill the following criteria.
Alignment: Any non-lawful
Skills: Use magical device +5, Spellcraft +4
Special: A character must have pulled off a moderate-sized heist using a magical device in order to discover the powers of the rogue caster.
Class Skills
Rogue Casters are intended to hone their Spellcraft and Knowledge: Arcana skills. These can then be exchanged on a case-by-case basis at a 2-for-1 cost using the Arcane Skill Bonus skill.
Class Features
Rogue Casters gain the ability to cast Rogue Caster Spells at the rate of one spell level per level of rogue caster, and can elect to use their dexterity bonuses the way sorcerers use intelligence. They gain access to all the spells up to their rogue caster level. In addition, the following skills are are available: Concentration, Knowledge: Arcana, Knowledge: Planes, Spellcraft, and Use Magic Device. They do not gain the ability to use magical devices as sorcerers; instead they still must make use magic device rolls as a rogue would.
Arcane Skill Bonus: At level three, the rogue caster can use half of their spellcraft and knowledge: arcana skills (rounded down) to boost a rogue skill in exchange for a 0th-level spell. These are equivalent to having the ability to cast 0th-level spells to boost these abilities, and they take a standard action and a verbal component to activate.
Rogue Caster Spells
Level 1: Improved Forgery, Improved Appraisal, Improved Balance, Pass Without Trace
Level 2: Invisibility, Sleight of Hand, Spider Climb
Level 3: Perfect Forgery, Perfect Appraisal, Perfect Balance
level 4: Dimension Door, Greater Invisibility
Level 5: Undetectability
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged prestige class by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Gil Devine
Gil has traveled around certain locations within the Republic of Esrun, often finding the need to leave the city under questionable circumstances. Luckily for her, her adventuresome spirit is always looking for a new place in which to venture, so this suits her.
Gil is a liar and a cheat, and that’s why so many men like her. She is as aggressive a person as you’ll ever meet, but not always (in fact, rarely) to your benefit. Unless you’re on her good side, she’ll leave you with a lighter purse at every encounter. And she rarely lets anyone onto her good side. It’s a matter of survival, you know?
Her favorite activity is employing forgery and disguise to her benefit, but she’ll settle for a good old fashioned pickpocketing anyday!
Gil Devine
Medium-size Female Human
Rogue 4
Hit Dice: (4d6)
Hit Points: 19
Initiative: +5
Speed: Walk 30 ft.
AC: 17 (flatfooted 17, touch 15)
Attacks: *Sword +1 (Short) +6; ;
Damage: *Sword +1 (Short) 1d6+3; ;
Vision:
Face / Reach: 5 ft. / 5 ft.
Special Qualities: Evasion (Ex), Sneak Attack +2d6, Trap Sense (Ex) +1, Trapfinding, Uncanny Dodge (Dex bonus to AC)
Saves: Fortitude: +1, Reflex: +9, Will: +3
Abilities: STR 14 (+2), DEX 20 (+5), CON 11 (+0), INT 11 (+0), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 12 (+1)
Skills: Appraise 3; Balance 14; Bluff 8; Climb 4; Concentration 0; Craft (Untrained) 0; Decipher Script 1; Diplomacy 4; Disguise 8; Escape Artist 5; Forgery 9; Gather Information 1; Heal 2; Hide 11; Intimidate 3; Jump 4; Listen 2; Move Silently 9; Ride 5; Search 1; Sense Motive 4; Sleight of Hand 16; Spot 2; Survival 2; Swim 2; Tumble 10; Use Magic Device 5;
Feats: Armor Proficiency (Light), Deceitful, Deft Hands, Nimble Fingers, Simple Weapon Proficiency
Challenge Rating: 4
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Possessions: Gloves of Dexterity +2; Leather; Sword +1 (Short);
Posted in 3rd edition Dungeons & Dragons / d20 fantasy / Pathfinder, Character by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Fringilla Monk
The Fringilla monks are acclaimed vintners who live in the isolated hilltop monastery Kloster Finch in Ettal Valley among the birds and their alchemical concoctions. In addition, they are mixologists that excel at making potions that bring joy and a mellow state in the populace. Through these concoctions, the people of the nearby towns of Garlston and Harlsbridge have come to appreciate and even revere the monks over the past twenty or more years.
However, more recently, the hills have grown more wild, ettins and ogres finding their way into the countryside, and the monks have modified their mixes with an aim toward incapacitating these foes. These once-peaceful monks have also been forced to take up martial arts in recent years in response to these external pressures. They combine tai chi with judo to embody a form of martial discipline that uses their attackers’ momentum against them, a technique which they have now begun to train the people of Garlston in.
Their brotherhood has grown so fast that they have begun construction of a new wing of the monastery. This has not been without a certain amount of political upheaval, as many of these new brothers are still naive to the more spiritual practices of the brotherhood. As such, a distinct caste-like structure has developed as a hierarchy within the brotherhood, with the elder monks enjoying some hypocritical leisure time while the young recruits learn their discipline.
A typical Fringilla monk has a high strength and a high dexterity and is spiritually aware. Many of the monks are privy to the highly specialized alchemy employed in the monastery, so they will have the brew potion feat, for which they only pay half the cost of normal brewing costs, since they pay the difference with their penance. In addition, all the monks know their fringilla style martial art, which provides a +1 to their base attacks, and another +1 if more than one monk engages a single foe.
Posted in Uncategorized and tagged nation or organization, Northbay by Stephen Hilderbrand with no comments yet.
Zuggtmoy’s Gift
This little guy just got done being slain by my players at the top of the Black Spike in the Temple of All-Consumption. Since the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil didn’t include the stats for this 20HD mushroom, I thought I’d write them up and share them with you. Enjoy!
Advanced Violet Fungus CR: 11
Neutral Evil Huge Plant
Initiative: -3
Armor Class: 20 (-3 Dex, +15 natural, -2 size), touch 5, flat-footed 25
HP 238 (HD: 20d8+140)
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +3, Will +6
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares)
Attack: Tentacle +25 melee (1d6+10 plus poison)
Full Attack: 4 tentacles +25 melee (1d6+10 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./20 ft.
Base Attack/Grapple:+15 / +33
Special Attacks: Poison
Special Qualities:Low-light vision, plant traits
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 4, Con 24, Int Ø, Wis 11, Cha 9
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary
Treasure: None
Combat
A violet fungus flails about with its tentacles at living creatures that come within its reach.
Poison (Ex) Injury, Fortitude DC 27, initial and secondary damage 1d8 Str and 1d8 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Posted in Creature and tagged plant by Adam A. Thompson with no comments yet.