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LordofBones
Master of Realmslore
1536 Posts |
 Posted - 07 Apr 2020 : 09:24:58
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I imagine he'd be something like Marvin the Martian.
"I am very angry. VERY angry, indeed." |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 07 Apr 2020 : 14:25:55
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quote:
Originally posted by Delnyn
[quote]Originally posted by Diffan
Quick check, does your campaign enforce alignment restrictions? "No" is totally legit answer. I ask because 3.5ed barbarians cannot be lawful and keep their rage feature.
Interesting fact about 3.5 Barbarians, they don't lose any of their class features if they change their alignment. This guy was a raging monster of the arena in the Shadowfell (aka Plane of Shadow) but when the Netherese ported back to Toril and took him with them, it was shape up and fall in or die. His loyalty to Shade and their apparent conquest of Faerûn made him appreciate their tactics and so, he did fall in line. Most Krinths are slaves but he saw that as just another opportunity to show how much better they could be, forcing him to work harder within their brutal heirarchy.
So while his first few levels were Barbarian, Shades enslavement and forced militaristic regimen forced an alignment change on him
Edit: just double checked and you're right they do lose the ability to rage. Sorry about that, in 4e and 5e they can still rage and be Lawful. So I'm going to Change him to NE. Nice catch and thank you. Honestly with jumping between 3 systems plus 13th Age and now Star Wars stuff, things get muddled sometimes  |
Edited by - Diffan on 07 Apr 2020 14:42:04 |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2020 : 03:26:40
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So another bladesinger character. This one, I feel very strong about, mainly because I used 100% WotC and Rules-as-Written options for. For one, the Bladesinger PrC (Complete Warrior) is nothing to write home about and neither is the one from Races of Faerûn. Especially when you think about the Bladesinger coming from the Complete Book of Elves from 2nd Edition. Now THAT was a kit! So when I started making this guy (a long while ago) I realized that there were a LOT of homebrew options, Prestige Classes, alternative classes, etc. Many of them are really good - I always point to Erik Scott deBie and Thomas Costa versions of the alternative class features for the Duskblade and Swashbuckler that make the concept of Bladesinging really shine.
But I didn't want to go the obviously better mechanic route so I decided going legit with it. All WotC (and some Dragon magazine) content, 25 point buy, and sticking as CLOSE to RAW as possible. In that I don't think Dragon and Unearthed Arcana are ruled out because they were put out by Paizo/WotC so I think they get a pass.
NY’THANDAEL STEELEAF; CR 17
hp 94 (17 HD); DR 3/cold iron
Male moon elf swashbuckler 3/ wizard (abjurer) 4/ bladesinger 10
CG Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +6; Senses Low-light vision; Listen +2, Spot +2
Languages Chondathan, Common, Elvish, Orcish, Sylvan
AC 39, touch 26, flat-footed 23; Dodge
(+8 armor, +2 shield*, +6 Dex, +3 natural, +3 deflection, +7 dodge) *See Below
Immune sleep
Fort +11, Ref +18, Will +15 (+17 against enchantments)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee +3 wounding rapier +25/+20/+15 (1d6+13, plus 1 Con damage/18-20) or
Melee +3 wounding rapier +23/+23/+18/+13 (1d6+13 plus 1 Con damage/18-20) with song of fury or
Melee +3 wounding rapier +23/+23/+18/+13 (1d6+13 plus 1 Con damage/18-20) and +18 melee touch (dazed) with song of fury and Bladesong
Base Atk +15; Grp +18
Atk Options Arcane Strike, Storm Bolt (Ref save, 1/2; DC 17 + spell level; 1d6/ +1d6 per spell level), insightful strike (+7)
Special Actions song of celerity (4th level spells) 1/day, song of fury, urgent shield* (CL 4th) 7/day (added into the stat block above)
Combat gear boots of teleportation 3/day, corsair’s eyepatch 3/day, eternal wand (cure critical wounds, CL 5th) 2/day, eternal wand (fireball, CL 5th) 2/day, wand of magic missile (7th; 50 charges), wand of searing light (CL 6th; 50 charges), metamagic rod of empower (lesser) 3/day
Wizard Spells Prepared (CL 13th, chooses spells as 9th; prohibited schools: enchantment and necromancy)
5th—break enchantment, moonbow, telekinesis
4th—Evard’s black tentacles, greater invisibility, lesser globe of invulnerability, orb of electricity (+21 ranged touch)
3rd—blink, dispel magic, displacement, haste, lightning bolt (DC 20), mass snake’s swiftness
2nd—bladesong, Gedlee’s electric loop (DC 19), glitterdust (DC 19), Melf’s acid arrow (+21 ranged touch), mirror image, resist energy, wraithstrike
1st—ebon eyes, expeditious retreat, Laeral’s cutting hand, magic missile, Shelgarn’s persistent blade, shield, true strike
0—detect magic, electric jolt (+21 ranged touch), mage hand, read magic
Spell-Like Abilities:
8/day—blur (CL 3rd) (swift action, 1 round duration)
Abilities Str 16, Dex 22, Con 12, Int 24, Wis 10, Cha 8
SQ able to notice secret or concealed doors, bladesong style, lesser spellsong, greater spellsong
Feats Arcane Strike, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Dodge, Practiced Spellcaster, Storm Bolt, Weapon Finesse*, Weapon Focus (rapier)*
*Bonus Feats
Skills Balance +23, Bluff +4, Climb +5, Concentration +11 (+15 to cast defensively, can take 10), Escape Artist +8, Jump +14, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Knowledge (the planes) +9, Perform (dance) +7, Perform (sing) +6, Sense Motive +5, Spellcraft +22, Swim +4, Tumble +13
Possessions combat gear plus +4 mithral chain shirt, +3 wounding rapier, amulet of natural armor +3, belt of giant strength +4, circlet of Intellect +6, cloak of resistance +3, gloves of Dexterity +6, ring of adamantine touch, ring of protection +3, shirt of the Fey, wand braclet, 150 pp, 780 gp
Spellbook spells prepared plus 0—all; except enchantment and necromancy spells; 1st—enlarge person, grease, identify, mage armor, protection from evil; 2nd—knock, locate object, see invisibility; 3rd—clairaudience /clairvoyance, fly; 4th—dimension door, polymorph, scrying; 5th—cloudkill, spell matrix
Arcane Stunt (Sp): Ny’thandael exchanged the grace class feature of the swashbuckler to obtain the use of a spell-like ability. Ny’thandael can cast blur, as a spell-like ability, using a swift action. The duration of the spell is reduced to 1 round. The caster level for this spell is equal to his Swashbuckler level. He can use this ability a number of times per day equal to 1 + his Intelligence modifier (+7).
Bladesong Style (Ex): Ny’thandael gains a dodge bonus to his armor class equal to his class level, up to a maximum of his Intelligence bonus (+7). If he dons medium or heavy armor, he loses this benefit.
Greater Spellsong (Ex): Ny’thandael ignores arcane spell failure when wearing light armor.
Immediate Magic (Su): Foregoing a familiar, Ny’thandael has decided to delve more deeply into his preferred school of magic – abjuration – and has utilized a way to draw upon that knowledge
into a supernatural ability. A number of times per day, equal to his Intelligence modifier (+7), he can create a shield, giving him a +2 shield bonus to his AC, as an immediate action.
Lesser Spellsong (Ex): Ny’thandael can take 10 when making a Concentration check to cast defensively.
Song of Celerity (Ex): Once per day, Ny’thandael can quicken a single spell of up to 4th level, as if he had used the Quicken Spell feat, but without any adjustments to the spell’s effective level or casting time. He may only do this if he is wielding a longsword or rapier in one hand, and nothing in the other.
Song of Fury (Ex): When Ny’thandael makes a full-attack action with a longsword or rapier in one hand and nothing in the other, he can make one extra attack in a round at his highest base
attack bonus, but this attack and each other attack in that round take a -2 penalty which lasts for 1 round.
Tactics
Ny’thandael is an accomplished Bladesinger and as such, has seen over a century of battle that ranged far along the North and Sword Coast. He is constantly honing his abilities to further his skill with both magic and steel and help the elven kingdoms in the process. As a bladesinger, he doesn’t just represent one elven nation but rather the whole Tel-Quessir itself. He is the harmonious blend of blade and magic – mimicking that of Corellon Larethian. Ny’thandael (Ny’than for short to his non-elven allies) always approaches a volatile situation with diplomacy first, attempting to prevent unnecessary bloodshed. This is sort of a newer perspective he has adopted since his earlier years of training. He sees all life as valuable and is apprehensive in needlessly killing anyone or anything.
None the less, if combat should occur Ny’than quickly adopts a defensive fighting style (see Fighting Defensively rules in the PHB) with Combat Expertise, taking a -5 to attack and adding that to his AC, which makes his AC an impressive 45 (with Dodge). He holds this to gain a better perspective of his opponent and if the danger is high enough to pose a credible threat to himself. After a round of this style, and if the opponent is deemed worthy to engage, he’ll lash out with Song of Fury style. If the foe is formattable and has magic, he’ll attempt to dispel any magical auras or wards they have with his Song of Celerity ability as a quick action.
Should combat proceed more than 3 rounds (2 rounds of Song of Fury) then he’ll fall back to a more defensive position and pepper the enemy with his use of Storm Bolt. He enjoys using electricity in his battles but will reserve these spells to fuel Storm Bolt as long as possible, forcing enemies to make a DC 22 Reflex save or take 5d6 electricity damage every round. Should this method prove ineffective he’ll continue fighting with Song of Fury and using up his lower level spells (1st through 3rd) in conjunction with Arcane Strike.
Should Ny’thandael take more than a total of 60 points of damage, he will use his boots of teleportation for a quick escape. He’ll also use the next several days or ten-days with Scrying in an attempt to follow his foe or enemies to gain a better idea of when to catch them unawares.
Character Notes: So like I stated, I used the elite array (25 points) and original stats are Str 12, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 15, Wis 10, Cha 8. Feats were taken mostly from the Player's Handbook except Arcane Strike (Complete Warrior) and Practiced Spellcaster (Complete Arcane). So about the alternative options:
Swashbuckler gets 3 levels, and they're all the same as in the Complete Warrior book, except at 1st level you can exchange their Grace feature for something called Arcane Stunt Complete Mage which lets them take one spell (I chose Blur) and they can cast it a number of times equal to 1 + Int for a 1-round duration. Pretty amazing IMO.
Next is the Wizard. I really really hate familiars. They're annoying to track, to do the stats for, the overall squishy-ness if they die - yadda yadda. I almost always look for a way to get rid of them. So in the Player's Handbook II there's something called Immediate Magic. These correspond with your specialty school and has a cool little immediate action magic spell. Because he's a Bladesinger and all about defense and protection, I decided on Abjuration, getting Urgent Shield. A +2 automatic shield bonus to help buff a guy is pretty cool when I can use it 7/day! Lastly, I didn't have the appropriate amount of Feats to qualify for a Bladesinger by 7th level (I was one shy) so looking at the Wizard options, I found the "Combat" Wizard in the Unearth Arcana. This wizard foregoes his Wizard feats (including Scribe SCroll) for Bonus Fighter feats he can nap in place. Thus allowed me to grab the important Weapon Focus (rapier) at 4th level and secure my spot into Bladesinger awesomeness.
As always, use as you like and constructive feedback is always appreciated.
EDIT I added a few things to this character, namely the description of his class features that people might not be familiar with and to swap out Bladeweave with a spell I found called Bladesong |
Edited by - Diffan on 18 Aug 2020 23:45:09 |
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
958 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2020 : 16:30:59
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quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
NY’THANDAEL STEELEAF; CR 17
Tactics
Ny’thandael is an accomplished Bladesinger and as such, has seen over a century of battle that ranged far along the North and Sword Coast. He is constantly honing his abilities to further his skill with both magic and steel and help the elven kingdoms in the process. As a bladesinger, he doesn’t just represent one elven nation but rather the whole Tel-Quessir itself. He is the harmonious blend of blade and magic – mimicking that of Corellon Larethian. Ny’thandael (Ny’than for short to his non-elven allies) always approaches a volatile situation with diplomacy first, attempting to prevent unnecessary bloodshed. This is sort of a newer perspective he has adopted since his earlier years of training. He sees all life as valuable and is apprehensive in needlessly killing anyone or anything.
None the less, if combat should occur Ny’than quickly adopts a defensive fighting style (see Fighting Defensively rules in the PHB) with Combat Expertise, taking a -5 to attack and adding that to his AC, which makes his AC an impressive 45 (with Dodge). He holds this to gain a better perspective of his opponent and if the danger is high enough to pose a credible threat to himself. After a round of this style, and if the opponent is deemed worthy to engage, he’ll lash out with Song of Fury style. If the foe is formattable and has magic, he’ll attempt to dispel any magical auras or wards they have with his Song of Celerity ability as a quick action.
Should combat proceed more than 3 rounds (2 rounds of Song of Fury) then he’ll fall back to a more defensive position and pepper the enemy with his use of Storm Bolt. He enjoys using electricity in his battles but will reserve these spells to fuel Storm Bolt as long as possible, forcing enemies to make a DC 22 Reflex save or take 5d6 electricity damage every round. Should this method prove ineffective he’ll continue fighting with Song of Fury and using up his lower level spells (1st through 3rd) in conjunction with Arcane Strike.
Should Ny’thandael take more than a total of 60 points of damage, he will use his boots of teleportation for a quick escape. He’ll also use the next several days or ten-days with Scrying in an attempt to follow his foe or enemies to gain a better idea of when to catch them unawares.
As always, use as you like and constructive feedback is always appreciated.
In his travels, does Ny’thandael typically work alone or in groups? I'm particularly thinking about scaenarios where Ny’thandael needs to teleport from a sticky situation as described above. Presumably Ny’thandael memorized target spots to avoid mishaps. Aside from having extra muscle around for extremely tough opponents, I hope he has contacts that help keep track of said opponents. You never know when an opponent has anti-scrying protection.
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 19 Apr 2020 : 18:30:03
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quote:
Originally posted by Delnyn
In his travels, does Ny’thandael typically work alone or in groups? I'm particularly thinking about scaenarios where Ny’thandael needs to teleport from a sticky situation as described above. Presumably Ny’thandael memorized target spots to avoid mishaps. Aside from having extra muscle around for extremely tough opponents, I hope he has contacts that help keep track of said opponents. You never know when an opponent has anti-scrying protection.
Good points. Ny'thandael is a bit capricious when it comes to his operations. As a chaotic person, he hates being held down by strict obligation to any one place or group. He does work well with others so long as their objectives remain the same.
He's a roamer but does his very best to stay in good standing with the various cities and important people that run them, having allies in places like Silverymoon, Everlund, the elven communities of the High Forest and Lurkwood. He ranges from as east as the Greycloak Mountains and Evereska (his original home) to the Sword Coast and as south as Beregost to the north of Port Llast (he has no need or want to travel to Luskan and beyond).
His goal is furthering elven interests via special requests from various authority figures. He's a bit if an artifact seeker of elven items but will take jobs protecting people or helping defend their communities.
He does have multiple locations memorized throughout the North as his boots have a range of about 900 miles (CL 9th). If he's far East, he'll usually teleport to Evereska, north his go-to is Silverymoon. West he seems refuge in either Waterdeep or Daggerford (it's a good place to lay low and he has some personal friends there). South, he holds up in a small cottage he's purchased in Beregost near the Thunderhammer Smithy, who he's become good friends with.
As far as organizations go, he does help the Harpers on occasion but finds their meddling far more trouble than what they accomplish. He takes great pleasure in hampering the Zhentarim and their goals and has also become a thorn in the side of the cult of Shar - of which he's caused significant commotion on their Sword Coast operations.
Lastly he absolutely lothes the Eldreth Veluuthra. He will take on any quest or commission in fighting them and their goals - seeing them even as worse than Drow (he feels Drow simply don't know better). When confronted with members of the Eldreth Veluuthra, he openly mocks them and calls them Dlardrageth-wannabes and lables them incestuous racists no better than Orcs (in elven of course) |
Edited by - Diffan on 19 Apr 2020 18:32:54 |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2020 : 16:52:12
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So I'm hoping to finish up the Realms super Adventure (Cormyr/Shadowdale/Anauroch) soon and the adventure is going to finalize itself in the Unapproachable East, defending Rasheman from the machinations of a Durthan witch and her infamous troop leader - The Warduke (from old school D&D days). Delnyn suggested I have the character Strongheart there for advice on fighting Warduke (as he's followed him from Oberon to Toril). Of course, I need stats for Strongheart in the event he's needed in the Adventure so here he is (3.5 style)
STRONGHEART; CR 19
hp 121 (18 HD)
Male human paladin 18
LG Medium humanoid
Init +1; Senses Listen +4, Spot +4
Aura courage (10-ft, allies gain +4 against fear
Languages Common, Dwarven
AC 35, touch 14, flat-footed 34
(Armor +13, +8 shield, +1 Dex, +3 deflection)
Immune disease, fear
Fort +22, Ref +17, Will +20
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares) in +5 full-plate base speed 30 feet
Melee +2 cold iron holy valorous longsword +25/+20/+15/+10 (1d8+7/19-20, plus 2d6 against evil) or
Melee +3 bashing heavy shield +24 (2d6+2/x2) with Improved Shield Bash or
Melee +23/+18/+13/+8 +2 cold iron holy valorous longsword (1d8+7/19-20, plus 2d6 against evil) and +22 +3 bashing heavy shield (2d6+2/x2) with Agile Shield Fighter
Base Atk +18; Grp +23
Atk options Awesome Smite, Divine Might, Power Attack, Shock Trooper, smite evil 4/day (+7 attack, 18 damage or 54 when charging)
Special actions lay on hands 124 points/day, turn undead 11/day (+9, 2d6+22; 15th)
Paladin Spells Prepared (CL 9th):
4th—break enchantment, meteoric strike (DC 18)
3rd—earth hammer, find the gap, righteous fury
2nd—angelskin, knight's move, energized shield
1st—bless weapon, divine favor, rhino's rush, silverbeard
Spell-like Abilities (CL 18th):
At will—detect evil
3/tenday— remove disease
Abilities Str 20, Dex 12, Con 12, Wis 18, Cha 24
SQ aura of good ( overwhelming ), code of conduct
Feats Agile Shield Fighter, Awesome Smite, Battle Blessing, Divine Might, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Shield Bash, Power Attack, Shield Specialization (heavy), Shock Trooper
Skills Diplomacy +27, Heal +23, Knowledge (nobility & royalty) +9, Knowledge (religion) +12, Knowledge (the planes)* +11, Ride +6, Sense Motive +25
Skill Trick healing hands
Flaw Qualm (code of arms) Trained to only kill other armed warriors, Strongheart hestitates when attacking unarmed opponents. He suffers a -4 attack penalty on attack rolls made against an enemy not armed with a melee weapon. If the enemy uses a natural attack against him, Strongheart may then attack it without penalty.
Possessions Vanguard: +2 valorous holy cold iron longsword; AL LG, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 17), +5 full-plate, +3 bashing heavy steel shield, cloak of charisma +6, belt of giant Strength +6, periapt of Wisdom +4, ring of protection +3, vest of resistance +3
Vanguard: This +2 valorous holy cold iron longsword was created to destroy evil outsiders and specifically members of the Horned Society. It was gifted to the Paladin Strongheart for his unwavering loyalty to order and justice. It's statistics are as follows:
AL LG; Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 17; speech and telepathy, 120-ft. darkvsion and hearing, Ego score 19.
Lesser powers: bless 3/day, cure moderate wounds 3/day (2d8+3), Knowledge (the planes) +10 bonus
Greater Power: detect outsider [Evil] at-will
Dedicated Power: Wielder gets a +2 luck bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against evil outsiders and members of the Horned Society.
Personality: Vanguard has a melodic feminine voice when wielders of the weapon are of good alignment. When a fiend or other evil outsider is present however, her voice becomes as hardened steel, driving the wielder to attack the creature with all their might. If a wielder is not of good alignment, her tone is usually indifferent and even cold, as if you're not really worthy to wield her. If the wielder is of an evil alignment, she berates them with their terrible life choices, scolds them on their behavior and does everything in her power to alert authorities to the wielder's prior actions. If wielded in combat, she screams and taunts enemies to attack the wielder in hopes they fall in battle.
Strong transmutation; CL 18th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor,
bless, cure moderate wounds, detect evil; Price 169,330 gp.
Cost to create, XP, etc. are things beyond my comprehension in 3.5. I really - actually absolutely - hate the odd and extraneous measures they made to simply craft a +1 weapon - it makes no sense. |
Edited by - Diffan on 23 Apr 2020 18:21:19 |
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
958 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2020 : 22:09:58
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quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
So I'm hoping to finish up the Realms super Adventure (Cormyr/Shadowdale/Anauroch) soon and the adventure is going to finalize itself in the Unapproachable East, defending Rasheman from the machinations of a Durthan witch and her infamous troop leader - The Warduke (from old school D&D days). Delnyn suggested I have the character Strongheart there for advice on fighting Warduke (as he's followed him from Oberon to Toril). Of course, I need stats for Strongheart in the event he's needed in the Adventure so here he is (3.5 style)
STRONGHEART; CR 19
hp 121 (18 HD)
Male human paladin 18
LG Medium humanoid
Init +1; Senses Listen +4, Spot +4
Aura courage (10-ft, allies gain +4 against fear
Languages Common, Dwarven
AC 35, touch 14, flat-footed 34
(Armor +13, +8 shield, +1 Dex, +3 deflection)
Immune disease, fear
Fort +22, Ref +17, Will +20
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares) in +5 full-plate base speed 30 feet
Melee +2 cold iron holy valorous longsword +25/+20/+15/+10 (1d8+7/19-20, plus 2d6 against evil) or
Melee +3 bashing heavy shield +24 (2d6+2/x2) with Improved Shield Bash or
Melee +23/+18/+13/+8 +2 cold iron holy valorous longsword (1d8+7/19-20, plus 2d6 against evil) and +22 +3 bashing heavy shield (2d6+2/x2) with Agile Shield Fighter
Base Atk +18; Grp +23
Atk options Awesome Smite, Divine Might, Power Attack, Shock Trooper, smite evil 4/day (+7 attack, 18 damage or 54 when charging)
Special actions lay on hands 124 points/day, turn undead 11/day (+9, 2d6+22; 15th)
Paladin Spells Prepared (CL 9th):
4th—break enchantment, meteoric strike (DC 18)
3rd—earth hammer, find the gap, righteous fury
2nd—angelskin, knight's move, energized shield
1st—bless weapon, divine favor, rhino's rush, silverbeard
Spell-like Abilities (CL 18th):
At will—detect evil
3/tenday— remove disease
Abilities Str 20, Dex 12, Con 12, Wis 18, Cha 24
SQ aura of good ( overwhelming ), code of conduct
Feats Agile Shield Fighter, Awesome Smite, Battle Blessing, Divine Might, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Shield Bash, Power Attack, Shield Specialization (heavy), Shock Trooper
Skills Diplomacy +27, Heal +23, Knowledge (nobility & royalty) +9, Knowledge (religion) +12, Knowledge (the planes)* +11, Ride +6, Sense Motive +25
Skill Trick healing hands
Flaw Qualm (code of arms) Trained to only kill other armed warriors, Strongheart hestitates when attacking unarmed opponents. He suffers a -4 attack penalty on attack rolls made against an enemy not armed with a melee weapon. If the enemy uses a natural attack against him, Strongheart may then attack it without penalty.
Possessions Vanguard: +2 valorous holy cold iron longsword; AL LG, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 17), +5 full-plate, +3 bashing heavy steel shield, cloak of charisma +6, belt of giant Strength +6, periapt of Wisdom +4, ring of protection +3, vest of resistance +3
Vanguard: This +2 valorous holy cold iron longsword was created to destroy evil outsiders and specifically members of the Horned Society. It was gifted to the Paladin Strongheart for his unwavering loyalty to order and justice. It's statistics are as follows:
AL LG; Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 17; speech and telepathy, 120-ft. darkvsion and hearing, Ego score 19.
Lesser powers: bless 3/day, cure moderate wounds 3/day (2d8+3), Knowledge (the planes) +10 bonus
Greater Power: detect outsider [Evil] at-will
Dedicated Power: Wielder gets a +2 luck bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves against evil outsiders and members of the Horned Society.
Personality: Vanguard has a melodic feminine voice when wielders of the weapon are of good alignment. When a fiend or other evil outsider is present however, her voice becomes as hardened steel, driving the wielder to attack the creature with all their might. If a wielder is not of good alignment, her tone is usually indifferent and even cold, as if you're not really worthy to wield her. If the wielder is of an evil alignment, she berates them with their terrible life choices, scolds them on their behavior and does everything in her power to alert authorities to the wielder's prior actions. If wielded in combat, she screams and taunts enemies to attack the wielder in hopes they fall in battle.
Strong transmutation; CL 18th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor,
bless, cure moderate wounds, detect evil; Price 169,330 gp.
Cost to create, XP, etc. are things beyond my comprehension in 3.5. I really - actually absolutely - hate the odd and extraneous measures they made to simply craft a +1 weapon - it makes no sense.
I am very happy with the Strongheart description. Hopefully the party understands he is not there to fight their battles for them. Do you have an Intelligence score in case the characters ask a relevant question about Warduke that does not follow under a standard Knowledge category?
Thanks for the description of Vanguard. Don't worry about the creation details for Vanguard. For all we know, she is a minor artifact. |
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
958 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2020 : 22:15:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
…..
As far as organizations go, he does help the Harpers on occasion but finds their meddling far more trouble than what they accomplish. He takes great pleasure in hampering the Zhentarim and their goals and has also become a thorn in the side of the cult of Shar - of which he's caused significant commotion on their Sword Coast operations.
Lastly he absolutely lothes the Eldreth Veluuthra. He will take on any quest or commission in fighting them and their goals - seeing them even as worse than Drow (he feels Drow simply don't know better). When confronted with members of the Eldreth Veluuthra, he openly mocks them and calls them Dlardrageth-wannabes and lables them incestuous racists no better than Orcs (in elven of course)
Makes me wonder if the Harpers' activities monkeywrenched one of his operations. Those meddlin' Harpers. Does he regard the Moonstars in a similar light?
"Dlardrageth-wannabes"?, "No better than orcs"? Wow, those are some serious fighting words. |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2020 : 14:04:02
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quote:
Originally posted by Delnyn
I am very happy with the Strongheart description. Hopefully the party understands he is not there to fight their battles for them. Do you have an Intelligence score in case the characters ask a relevant question about Warduke that does not follow under a standard Knowledge category?
Not at the present moment. I'm thinking maybe Knowledge (the Planes) might shed some light here, but they'll have to go on what Strongheart says and the accounts of the few people who've survived Wardukes raids. For one, this means that their sources is a tad more limited as they can't go to Strongheart for everything and also, it keeps an air of mystery about the guy.
quote:
Originally posted by Delnyn
Thanks for the description of Vanguard. Don't worry about the creation details for Vanguard. For all we know, she is a minor artifact.
She could be, lol. Honestly I looked at the crafting rules ---again--- and when they're like "The base price is the enchancement bonus squared x2000 + X, Y, and Z component.....my eyes glazed over. |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2020 : 14:16:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Delnyn
Makes me wonder if the Harpers' activities monkeywrenched one of his operations. Those meddlin' Harpers. Does he regard the Moonstars in a similar light?
Elven artifacts (and in Ny'than eyes - ALL elven magical items, down to the lowly elven-shaped +1 dagger is an elven artifact) is important and belongs to at the bare minimum the closest elven nation or settlement. The Harpers are a bit more careless as to where these items end up, so long as they're not "evil" or pose a threat to the world, they're just as likely to let a human or dwarf or even half-orc keep the items found.
As for the Moonstars, he has less frequency with them as he's not in Waterdeep for long periods and I do think that's their base of operations? He knows about the schism between the two and he has a bit better record with them and has - a few times when he's in the area - helped out a certain Kyriani Agriver, Moonstar agent.
quote:
Originally posted by Delnyn
"Dlardrageth-wannabes"?, "No better than orcs"? Wow, those are some serious fighting words.
Enticing, enraging, and otherwise making the racists extremely upset is something Ny'thandael sort of strives for. Like I said, he takes on ANY mission involving thwarting them, from simple raids on low-level grunts to high-profile missions. He really hates them that much. |
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
958 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2020 : 19:45:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
As for the Moonstars, he has less frequency with them as he's not in Waterdeep for long periods and I do think that's their base of operations? He knows about the schism between the two and he has a bit better record with them and has - a few times when he's in the area - helped out a certain Kyriani Agriver, Moonstar agent.
Enticing, enraging, and otherwise making the racists extremely upset is something Ny'thandael sort of strives for. Like I said, he takes on ANY mission involving thwarting them, from simple raids on low-level grunts to high-profile missions. He really hates them that much.
Yes, the Moonstars are headquartered in Blackstaff Tower (surprise surprise). They have (or had) a secondary base in Twilight Tower courtesy Malchor Harpell.
Shall I accurately presume Ny'thandael has not encountered the Lalya Maurshanta in Cormyr, but would have a similar reaction if that changes? This sounds almost as sore, embarrassing topic among elves as the Crown Wars and the Descent of the Drow. |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 25 Apr 2020 : 02:47:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Delnyn
Yes, the Moonstars are headquartered in Blackstaff Tower (surprise surprise). They have (or had) a secondary base in Twilight Tower courtesy Malchor Harpell.
Shall I accurately presume Ny'thandael has not encountered the Lalya Maurshanta in Cormyr, but would have a similar reaction if that changes? This sounds almost as sore, embarrassing topic among elves as the Crown Wars and the Descent of the Drow.
He hasn't been to the Forest Kingdom much so no, their actions have been exceptionally low on Cormyr's radar so almost non existent to Ny'thandael. |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 22 Jun 2020 : 17:28:06
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| So, are there any requests for NPCs? I'm still on the fence in terms of making 5E ones that aren't just Player Characters with named tags. For example, Jarlaxle is a Challenge 15 with 19HD, Laeral Silverhand is a Challenge 17 with 24 HD. So I'm just not sure what the best way of going about that (I'm willing to try). |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11829 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jun 2020 : 16:17:15
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Honestly, more so than NPCs for 5e, I'd love to see some rulesets for how to deal with characters who achieve beyond level 20. I'm interested in this less for making characters and more for an idea of how to make NPC's who are supposed to be beyond the player's power levels. Just wondering, since the question is kinda out there, has anyone seen any good rulesets for dealing with this on say DM's guild or from WotC? I know I saw some stuff early on at DM's Guild, but it kind looked like someone trying to adapt the 3e epic stuff to 5e, so it was a little cludgy. At one point, I was trying to develop some ideas here in some old threads, but my focus was specific to spellcasters and multi-class spellcasters who go beyond level 20, so I wasn't coming from a holistic view.
I guess in the end, I'd be more interested in the argument "give a man an NPC, occupy him for a day. Teach a man to develop his own balanced high level NPCs, occupy his spare time for a while". |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jun 2020 : 21:49:09
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Well as we look at NPCs listed in multiple supplements (Monster Manual, Waterdeep: Dragon Heist) we see them having more than 20 Hit Die, but this is most likely for additional Hit Points or a combination of multiple classes.
What 5e doesn't address is what happens when a PC hits 20th level in one class and then adds another. There's no higher progression of Proficiency Bonus, no extra feats or Ability score bonuses, etc. But maybe that was their intent, that once you hit that level of world-shaking abilities than you retire and start over with someone new? |
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sleyvas
Skilled Spell Strategist
USA
11829 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jun 2020 : 22:02:29
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quote:
Originally posted by Diffan
Well as we look at NPCs listed in multiple supplements (Monster Manual, Waterdeep: Dragon Heist) we see them having more than 20 Hit Die, but this is most likely for additional Hit Points or a combination of multiple classes.
What 5e doesn't address is what happens when a PC hits 20th level in one class and then adds another. There's no higher progression of Proficiency Bonus, no extra feats or Ability score bonuses, etc. But maybe that was their intent, that once you hit that level of world-shaking abilities than you retire and start over with someone new?
Yeah, and I guess I come from the world of "an NPC should be able to be designed like a PC". While I can buy the storyline of players may have limits, I've always liked the idea that in the realms there's always someone else that's more powerful. Even if the power rises were minimal, some kind of definition of them would be nice. Then again, maybe they've produced some article on such NPC design, because I can honestly say I haven't looked at their online dragon articles anytime recently. If anyone knows of anything like that, I'd find it an interesting read. |
Alavairthae, may your skill prevail
Phillip aka Sleyvas |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jun 2020 : 01:22:54
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NPCs, for me, should be made in a manner that's contextual to the story they're in and what's trying to be conveyed. Unfortunately, for systems like 3.5 - in which NPCs are build like PCs - they're beholden to a lot of limitations that hinder quite a few elements to their story.
For example, a low-level group (we'll say 3rd lvl) is tasked with taking down an orc Warlord. If I want to make this creature a difficult task in 3.5 I have to give him an exceptionally high amount of hit die along with the corresponding Feats and skills to be able to withstand the disparity of the action economy. Not to mention figure out ways to lessen the possibility of the casters simply one shot/hit or disable him. This is significantly less of an issue when making NPCs or monsters in 4E and 5E where the intended challenge of the creature determines the hit points, Defenses, abilities, etc.
The same scenario in 4e, I make the orc warlord is an Elite Soldier or Brute with some allies to help him. In 5E, maybe he has some defensive features or maxed out HP and extra attack.
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2020 : 09:35:49
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ASTRA TRUESTEEL; CR 13
hp 101 (12 HD)
Female aasimar favored soul 4/ crusader 8 of Tyr
LG Medium outsider (native)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60-ft.; Listen -2, Spot -2
Languages Celestial, Common
AC 24, touch 16, flat-footed 20
(+8 armor, +4 Dex, +2 deflection)
Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5
Fort +14, Ref +12, Will +16; zealous surge
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 30-ft. (average) maneuverability
Melee +2 blessed longsword +20/+15 (1d8+11/19-20) or
Melee +2 valorous longsword +20/+15 (1d8+11/19-20) or
Melee +2 blessed longsword +18/+13 (1d8+11/19-20) and +2 valorous longsword +18/+13 (1d8+11/19-20) with improved two-weapon fighting
Base Atk +11; Grp +17
Atk Options Dreadful Wrath (Will DC 22), furious counterstrike, rend 1d6+9, smite 1/day (+6 attack, 8 damage)
Combat gear Dexterous anklet of translocation 2/day, wand of cure light wounds (50 charges; CL 1st)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th):
1/day—daylight, bless
3/day—protection from evil
Favored Soul Spells Known (CL 4th):
2nd (5/day)—close wounds, ghost touch armor, spiritual weapon
1st (8/day)—conviction, ebon eyes, lessor vigor, shield of faith
0 (6/day)—cure minor wounds, detect magic, light, purify food and drink, read magic, resistance
Maneuvers and Stances Known (IL 10th):
stances—iron guard’s glare (1st), leading the charge (1st), press the advantage (5th)
strikes—battle leader’s charge (2nd), divine surge† (4th), flanking maneuver† (5th), radiant
charge† (5th), revitalizing strike† (3rd)
boosts—white raven tactics† (3rd)
counters—shield block (2nd)
Disciplines: devoted spirit, stone dragon, white raven
† Readied maneuvers
Abilities Str 23, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 22
SQ steely resolve 15
Feats Celestial Bloodline, Dreadful Wrath, Flyby Attack, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Outsider Wings, Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Rend, Weapon Focus (longsword)*
*Bonus Feats
Skills Balance +13, Concentration +11, Diplomacy +14, Heal +7, Jump +6, Sense Motive +6
Flaws Inattentive (-4 penalty to Listen and Spot checks),
Possessions combat gear plus +3 mithral breastplate, Seraphim (+2 blessed longsword), Intrepid (+2 valorous longsword), belt of giant Strength +4, cloak of Charisma +4, vest of resistance +2, gauntlets of war, ring of protection +2, ring of adamantine touch
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2020 : 09:58:13
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A 4E character I converted from the Pool of Radiance: Attack on Myth Drannor adventure for 3.0. I started doing the full conversion of that supplement, but well life usually gets in the way. Maybe I should start doing ones for 5e too?
High Priest Ryngoth; Level 9 Elite Controller (leader)
Medium natural humanoid, human [XP 800]
Initiative +8; Senses Perception +9
HP 197; Bloodied 97
AC 25; Fort 23; Ref 21; Will 24
Saving Throws +2
Speed 5 (25 feet)
Action Point 1
Traits
(C)Aura of Dark Resolve - Aura 2
Allies in the aura gain +2 bonus to atack rolls. At the start of Ryngoth's t urn, each of his allies in the aura gains 10 temporary hit points.
Standard Actions
(M) Darksteel Mace (Cold, Weapon - At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC
Hit: 2d10 + 5 cold damage, and the target is slowed and grants combat advantage until the end of Ryngoth's next turn.
(R) Clutching Shadows (necrotic) - At-Will
Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +13 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 2d6 + 6 necrotic damage, and ongoing 10 damage. The target is slowed and Ryngoth gains partial concealment from the target (save ends all).
Dark Prayer - Recharge 4—6
Effect: Ryngoth shifts up to 2 squares, uses Darksteel Mace and Clutching Shadows, in any order.
Minor Actions
Dark Demand - Recharge when first bloodied
Effect: Close burst 4 (one ally in the burst). As a free action, the target shifts 1 square and makes a melee basic attack against an enemy designated by Ryngoth.
Healing Word - Encounter
Effect: Ryngoth or one ally within 5 squares of Ryngoth regains ¼ their total HP +2d6 additional hit points.
Triggered Actions
Shadow Shield (teleportation) - Recharge 5—6
Trigger: An enemy adjacent to Ryngoth hits him with an attack.
Effect (Immediate Interrupt): Ryngoth becomes insubstantial until the start of his next turn. After the attack is resolved, Ryngoth teleports up to 5 squares.
Skills Arcana +11, History +11, Intimidate +13, Religion +14
Skills Arcana +11, History +11, Intimidate +13, Religion +14
Str: 17 (+7); Dex: 18 (+8); Wis: 20 (+9)
Con: 12 (+5); Int: 14 (+6); Cha: 19 (+8)
Alignment Evil Languages Chondathan, Common
Equipment: Magic Chainmail +2, Deadstone Mace +2, light shield, holy symbol (Velsharoon), boots of spider climb |
Edited by - Diffan on 25 Jul 2020 10:01:22 |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2020 : 10:14:41
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So I've always wanted to do a TTRPG version of the original Baldur's Gate game. Unfortunately no one in my group wants to re-visit (or really, learn) 2E AD&D rules. Thus, I feel 5E is probably the easiest way to re-create that feel and ease of play without having to learn a whole new system. So thus, I'm going back and converting a lot of the bad-guys seen in that fantastic game. Here, I present Mulahey - a half-orc Cleric to the evil god Cyric and master of the Nashkel Mines. Beware!
MULAHEY
Medium humanoid (half-orc), neutral evil
Armor Class 18 (breastplate, shield)
Hit Points 41 (5d8 + 15)
Speed 30 ft.
Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha
16 (+3) 17 (+3) 16 (+3) 11 (+0) 13 (+1) 10 (+0)
Saving Throws Wis +4, Cha +3
Skills Intimidate +3, Persuasion +3, Religion +3
Damage Resistance lightning
Senses darkvision 60 ft.; passive Perception 14
Languages Common, Orc
Challenge 3 (700 XP)
Relentless Endurance. If Mulahey is reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, he can drop to 1 hit point instead. This ability cannot be used again until he takes a long rest.
Savage Attacks. When Mulahey scores a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, he can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice on additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
Spellcasting. Mulahey is a 5th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). Mulahey has the following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): guidance, mending, resistance
1st level (4 slots): bane, charm person, disguise self, healing word
2nd level (3 slots): cure wounds, hold person, mirror image, pass without trace, spiritual weapon
3rd level (2 slots): bestow curse, blink, dispel magic
ACTIONS
Morningstar. Melee Weapon Attack: +6 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (1d8 + 3) bludgeoning damage.
Invoke Duplicity. As an action Mulahey can use Channel Divinity to create an illusory duplicate of himself that lasts for 1 minute, or until he loses concentration (as if he were concentrating on a spell). The illusion appears in an unoccupied space that he can see within 30 feet of him and must remain within 120 feet of him. Spell can originate from the illusion and he has advantage on attack rolls when he and his illusion are within 5 feet of a creature.
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Edited by - Diffan on 25 Jul 2020 10:19:34 |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2020 : 11:50:20
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Another original Baldur's Gate baddie - Tarnesh, the wizard who frustrated me to no end early on at at the steps of the Friendly Arms Inn.
TARNESH
Medium humanoid (human), neutral evil
Armor Class 15 (mage armor)
Hit Points 25 (5d6 + 5)
Speed 30 ft.
Str Dex Con Int Wis Cha
13 (+1) 15 (+2) 12 (+1) 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 10 (+0)
Saving Throws Int +5, Wis +4
Skills Arcana +5, Deception +2, History +5, Stealth +4
Senses passive Perception 12
Languages Chondathan, Common, Draconic, Goblin, Netherese
Challenge 1 (200 XP)
Arcane Recovery. Tarnesh can recover a small amount of arcane power. After a short rest he can regain 1 spell slot, allowing him to cast another 1st level spell.
Spellcasting. Tarnesh is a 3th-level spellcaster. His spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). Tarnesh has the following wizard spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): chill touch, mage hand, minor illusion
1st level (3 slots): mage armor, magic missile, sleep, Tasha’s hideous laughter
2nd level (2 slots): Melf’s acid arrow, mirror image
ACTIONS
Quarterstaff. Melee Weapon Attack: +3 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 4 (1d6 + 1) bludgeoning damage.
EQUIPEMENT
Bounty notice, scroll of mage armor, scroll of burning hands, scroll of magic missile, 140 gp, quarterstaff, spellbook (contains the following: burning hands, chromatic orb, detect magic, fog cloud, mage armor, magic missile, Melf’s acid arrow, mirror image, sleep, Tasha’s hideous laughter.
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Edited by - Diffan on 26 Jul 2020 11:51:51 |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 29 Jul 2020 : 10:49:29
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MELCHOR TRATH, WYVERNSBANE; CR 17
hp 124 (17 HD); Fast Healing 4 (when in Combat Focus)
Male Chondathan human ex-Zhentarim fighter 17
LN Medium humanoid
Init +2; Senses blindsight 5-ft. (when in Combat Focus); Listen +1, Spot +1
Languages Chondathan, Common
AC 30, touch 14, flat-footed 28
(+11 armor, +2 Dex, +4 shield, +2 deflection)
Immune fear
Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +8 (+10 when in Combat Focus); resolute
Speed 20 ft. (4 squares) in +3 mithral full plate; base 30 feet
Melee +3 valorous greatsword +30/+25/+20/+15 (2d6+16/19-20) or
Melee +3 valorous greatsword +25/+20 (2d6+16/19-20) as standard action with Slashing Flurry or
Melee +3 valorous greatsword +25/+25/+20/+15/+10 (2d6+16/19-20) as full-attack action with Slashing Flurry
Base Atk +17; Grp +23
Atk Options Power Attack, Shock Trooper
Combat gear dimension stride boots 3/day, blast disc (2)
Abilities Str 23, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 8
SQ apply force +8, extended intimidation, swift demoralization
Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Awareness*, Combat Form*, Combat Vigor*, Diehard, Endurance, Fearless, Greater Weapon Focus (greatsword)*, Improved Bull Rush*, Leap Attack, Melee Weapon Mastery (slashing)*, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Intimidation)*, Shock Trooper, Slashing Flurry*, Weapon Focus (greatsword), Weapon Specialization (greatsword)*
*Bonus Feat
Skills Climb +11, Jump +14, Gather Information +4, Intimidate +21, Tumble +11
Skill Tricks Back on Your Feet, Never Outnumbered
Possessions combat gear plus +3 mithral full plate, +2 animated heavy steel shield, +3 valorous greatsword, belt of giant strength +4, ring of protection +2, cloak of resistance +2, tattered surcoat of the Zhentarim, 30 gp.
Apply Force (Ex): Melchor gains a +8 bonus to any Strength checks to break items.
Extended Intimidate (Ex): The effects of a successful intimidation check continue for 24-hours.
Resolute (Su): As an immediate action, Melchor can reduce his back attack bonus by one-half (-8) and gain a bonus on his Will saves equal to the amount of the reduction. This effect lasts until the end of his next action.
Swift Demoralization (Ex): Melchor can attempt to demoralize an opponent as a swift action.
History
Melchor, known simply as ‘Mel’ by his closest companions, was a highly accomplished warrior within the Zhentarim army and had earned the rank of Warcaptain. Given the command of a Zhentilar company out of a small keep near the Stormhorns, he was to keep the boarder clear of any Cormyrean troops and spies and keep supply lines open between the Eastern and Western regions that couldn’t make the Black Road through the Anauroch. He was also to clear out or recruit any evil humanoids found in the region to serve as troops, spies, or scouts along the region.
For the most part, Melchor did his best to avoid confrontations with the Southern Cormyr enemies. He had no real hatred towards them, seeing them as just another nation doing what they can to protect their own and in many ways, had a respectful appreciation to their efficiency. Still, he’d do what he could to protect his own and if that led to Cormyr lives, so be it. In fact on the few occasions he dealt with conflicts with Cormyr, he would challenge their leader or company commander to a duel, to determine the victor instead of spilling his troops’ lives. This showing of courage and determination to his men gave him a very strong rapport among the ranks.
On a misty cold morning in Ches, the year of Haunting 1377 DR, Melchor issued such a challenge to one Pegasus knight of Cormyr, Commander Ivan Brightflame. This was a renowned hero of Cormyr, said to have bested Scyllua Darkhope herself in battle that took her life a few years ago over Shadowdale. Sir Ivan agreed, not seeing the need for countless bloodshed himself and the two engaged in single-combat. The battle raged for over 3 minutes as both combatants probed the other for weakness. It was an almost even match. Steel on steel rang out in the clearing as the warriors locked in a vicious battle to the death. No quarter would be given, to either man, and that was agreeable to both.
The sound of battle reached the ears of a nearby hibernating Wyvern and her flight, rousing her from her sleep and setting them upon the unsuspecting humans. As they attacked, chaos erupted. The duel of the two men abruptly ended, as they battled the raging monsters together. Each held their own as nearly a half-dozen of Wyverns attacked them, the cause of the awful sounds that had disturbed them so. Lord Ivan fought back one, calling for his magical Pegasus mount ‘Sky Fire’ and took to the sky, Two trailed after him in his wake. Melchor fought back three others, hacking and striking at them with such ferocity that he appeared to be a blur of sharp steel and shadow – an effect his tabard has being a Warcaptain of the Zhentarim. In the end, he had slain four of the beasts, not a soldier of his was killed or even severely wounded from the encounter. This earned him the title of Wyvernsbane.
Despite his heroism, his superior did not well like that he let the Cormyreans go and detested this whole notion of challenging the opponent. Overrun their ‘lessers’ with overwhelming odds and slay them to a man was the way, something Melchor disagreed with. The argument would be the end of him, as he was ordered to be hanged for insubordination at dawn. His men, horrified as the drastic measure, would set him free on the eve before his hanging. Giving him only his personal effects and some means of food for a week, he was led out from a cistern in the middle of the keep towards the wilderness of the Stormhorns. For three weeks he was dogged by his own men and faction to which he had given so much, fleeing into the country that hated him the most. Eventually he made his way into the borders of Cormyr and into the King’s Forest, setting up a small camp along its northern edge. There he had remained as a recluse hermit, living out his days in exile and solitude.
Tactics
Melchor is currently "retired", and by that he means that he only fights unless he's forced to. He's content with his choices and has found solace in the woods of his once-enemies backyard. Still, he's an extremely capable warrior and won't ever back down should a confrontation present itself.
Often times he is found tending to his small little grove in the northern woods and will give passers-by some advice on battle or tales of his time as a warrior. He rarely mentions his involvement with the Zhentarim, mostly due to his desire to remain alone and out of the Zhents grasp. If pressed about his past, be comes angry and hostile and will ask people to leave. Persistence will result in him drawing steel and attacking.
In battle, Melchor prefers a swift and destructive first attack, after attempting to demoralize them as a Swift Action. He will then use his Dimension Stride Boots to set up a Charge attack. He uses his full might in this round, charging as a full-round action and using Shock Trooper and Leap Attack at what appears to be the biggest threat - usually the one that appears not well armored or has shown that they do magic. Second, he'll attack anyone using magic after the first round or someone who appears that they can heal their allies.
Persistent rounds he switches between Slashing Flurry as a Standard Action or as a full-round action and charging with Power Attack when the option presents itself. If hurt badly (less than 25 hit points) he retreats to a corner of the woods he's prepared with proximity blast discs in hope to lure his attackers here. This is usually a tight area, allowing only 2-3 people in the area at a time. If dropped to 0 or less, he will surrender what he has and asks to just be left alone. However he does have Fast Healing when combat focus is activated, so getting him to that number will take longer than expected and bringing him to negative hp will not knock him unconscious due to Diehard.
In his hovel, he has only 30 gold coins, some cloth (an old Zhentarim uniform), and food stuffs for 5 days. He does have a secret compartment under the mattress with 4 potions of cure serious wounds (Search DC 30). |
Edited by - Diffan on 29 Jul 2020 11:08:10 |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 04 Aug 2020 : 16:11:33
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Another Elf character of middling level for 3.5
KIIRAN SELDURYAN; CR 12
hp 113 (12 HD)
Male gold elf warblade 10/ eternal blade 2
NE Medium humanoid (elf)
Init +8; Senses low-light vision; Listen -1, Spot -1
Languages Chondathan, Common, Draconic, Elven, Giant, Sylvan, Undercommon
AC 26, touch 15, flat-footed 21
(+8 armor, +4 Dex, +3 shield, +1 deflection)
Immune sleep
Fort +13, Ref +13 (+18 with Battle Ardor), Will +7 (+9 against enchantments)
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares)
Melee +2 keen elven thinblade +20/+15/+10 (1d8+8/15-20) or
Melee +1 bashing heavy spiked shield +18/+14/+8 (2d6+2/x2) with Improved Shield Bash or
Melee +2 keen elven thinblade +18/+13/+8 (1d8+8/15-20) and +1 bashing heavy spiked shield +16 (2d6+2/x2) with Agile Shield Fighter
Base Atk +12; Grp +17
Atk Options battle ardor (+5 to confirm critical hits), battle cunning (+5 to attack and damage rolls against flanked or flat-footed opponents), eternal training 1/day, guided strike
Combat gear potion of fly, potion of cure serious wounds, cape of the mountebank 1/day
Maneuvers and Stances Known (IL 12th):
stances—punishing stance (1st), stance of clarity (1st), tactics of the wolf (3rd)
strikes—dazing strike† (5th) (DC 20), disrupting blow† (5th) (DC 21), mithral tornado†(4th), ruby nightmare blade†(4th), tactical strike (2nd), white raven tactics (3rd)
counters—action before thought (2nd), iron heart surge† (3rd)
boosts—iron heart endurance† (6th)
Disciplines: diamond mind, iron heart, white raven
† Readied maneuver
Abilities Str 20, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 20, Wis 12, Cha 9
SQ able to notice secret or concealed doors, battle clarity, blade guide, weapon aptitude
Feats Agile Shield Fighter, Blade Meditation (diamond mind)*, Discipline#, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (elven thinblade), Extra Readied Maneuver, Improved Initiative*, Improved Shield Bash, Shield Specialization (heavy shields), Weapon Focus (elven thinblade), Weapon Specialization (elven thinblade)
* Bonus Feat
# Regional Feat
Skills Balance +16, Climb +19, Concentration +21, Jump +19, Knowledge (Cormanthyr local) +17, Knowledge (history) +17, Martial Lore +20, Move Silently +6, Swim +13, Tumble +18
Flaws Inattentive (-4 to Listen and Spot checks)
Possessions combat gear plus +2 keen elven thinblade, +3 elven chain, +1 bashing spiked heavy shield, gloves of Dexterity +4, cape of the Mountebank, ring of protection +1, vest of resistance +1, boots of elvenkind
Battle Ardor (Ex): Kiiran adds his Intelligence modifier (+5) to confirm critical hits.
Battle Clarity (Ex): So long as Kiiran is not flat-footed, his mystical awareness of the battlefield lets him add his Intelligence modifier to his Reflex saves.
Battle Cunning (Ex): Kiirans instincts for seizing the moment gives him a significant advantage over his foes. He adds his Intelligence modifier (+5) to melee damage rolls against flat-footed or flanked opponents.
Blade Guide (Su): The spirit of an ancient member of the Eternal Blades follows Kiiran. He gives him guidance, advice, tactical assistance, and training. This incorporeal being has a fly speed of 30 with perfect maneuverability and is size Fine. It has an AC 18. If destroyed, it returns to Kiirans side in 1d6 rounds. It lacks skills and feats and uses Kiirans saving throws. It can communicate with Kiiran telepathically and to others normally.
Eternal Training (Ex): Kiiran and his blade guide train while he enters his elven trance. Once per day, he can draw upon this training to give himself one of two benefits:
• Kiiran gains an insight bonus equal to his Intelligence modifier on attack rolls and damage rolls against creatures of a single type. If outsider or humanoid is chosen, Kiiran must choose a sub-type.
• Kiiran can choose a maneuver from the Diamond Mind or Devoted Spirit discipline. He must meet the prerequisite for the maneuver to choose it.
Guided Strike (Ex): Kiirans blade guide assess his enemies, seeking out weak points intheir armor or offing advince on where and how to strike. As a swift action, for the rest of that turn, Kiiran can overcome a single foe's damage reduction, if any.
Uncanny Dodge (Ex): Kiiran retains his Dexterity bonus to his AC even if he is caught flat-footed or surprised. He loses this bonus if he is immobilized.
Weapon Aptitude (Ex): Kiirans' training with a wide variety of weapons allows him unparalleled knowledge in their use and focus. As such, this flexibility allows him to change feats associated with a particular weapon with another of his choice. Each morning, he can spend 1 hour in weapon practice to change any feat designated to one weapon for another. He must have the newly designated weapon available during his practice session to make this change. He can adjust any number of feats this way.
Additional Notes: 4d6 for Stat generation, free Regional feat at 1st level, used Flaw from Unearthed Arcana.
History
Coming soon
Tactics
coming soon |
Edited by - Diffan on 02 Jan 2021 07:18:01 |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 23 Oct 2020 : 22:11:14
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Great Reader Diffan,
Yes, please!
I would love statted NPC's for all of the Tharchion's/Tharchioness' as of 1384DR. That would be frickin' awesome! :)
Also, screw it, I'll just hit the list:
The city council members for cities in Thesk.
Major players (leaders, rulers, etc.) in Lyrabar, Telflamm, and the Great Dale. :)
I know, it's a big list, but you asked. haha
Best regards,
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2020 : 21:53:48
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quote:
Originally posted by cpthero2
Great Reader Diffan,
Yes, please!
I would love statted NPC's for all of the Tharchion's/Tharchioness' as of 1384DR. That would be frickin' awesome! :)
Also, screw it, I'll just hit the list:
The city council members for cities in Thesk.
Major players (leaders, rulers, etc.) in Lyrabar, Telflamm, and the Great Dale. :)
I know, it's a big list, but you asked. haha
Best regards,
Do these have starting points? Such as, number of members - races - classes - levels? If so, even if it's minimal (ie Male Mulan human wiz 6/ Red 7) I can work with that. |
Edited by - Diffan on 25 Oct 2020 22:13:30 |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 25 Oct 2020 : 22:16:18
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Great Reader Diffan,
You know, you of course ask a fantastic question. How about I'll get a list of those together, and post it on here? I really appreciate you even entertaining such a thing. I'll share with you in PM what I am doing (since I am certain my players come here to spy on my efforts to try to glean anything for my sandbox campaigns).
Best regards,
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 27 Oct 2020 : 00:26:46
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quote:
Originally posted by cpthero2
Great Reader Diffan,
You know, you of course ask a fantastic question. How about I'll get a list of those together, and post it on here? I really appreciate you even entertaining such a thing. I'll share with you in PM what I am doing (since I am certain my players come here to spy on my efforts to try to glean anything for my sandbox campaigns).
Best regards,
Sure, lay them on me or if you want to point to some supplements where they could be located? With the Thay and Telflamm area, I'm assuming some of those NPCs could be located in the Unapproachable East supplement? |
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cpthero2
Great Reader
USA
2286 Posts |
Posted - 29 Oct 2020 : 05:00:08
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Great Reader Diffan,
quote:
Sure, lay them on me or if you want to point to some supplements where they could be located? With the Thay and Telflamm area, I'm assuming some of those NPCs could be located in the Unapproachable East supplement?
First off: you are a gentlemen, a scholar, and a really awesome guy! haha Thank you so much for offering to do this. That is incredibly generous and kind of you. That being said...
Supplements
- Dragon Magazine #346: "Impiltur: The Forgotten Kingdom"
- Unapproachable East: The Great Dale, Thesk, Impiltur
- Spellbound: Rashemen
Essentially the break down is that I am filling the towns, villages, hamlets, thorps, with all the regular folk. The tanner who is a 3rd level expert, the retired 5th level Rashemi barbarian who is now a pub owner in Thesk, etc. All of the folk that make up the regular world as opposed to the crunchy fighters of the Lord's death squad, kind of stuff.
Let me know if there is anything else I can answer. I know it is a ton, so anything you're up for helping with is greatly appreciated and there is of course no expectation from me on anything.
Best regards,
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Higher Atlar
Spirit Soaring |
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Diffan
Great Reader
USA
4441 Posts |
Posted - 03 Nov 2020 : 15:20:37
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quote:
Originally posted by cpthero2
[list]Dragon Magazine #346: "Impiltur: The Forgotten Kingdom"
This supplement lists.....well a LOT of NPCs. Are there any in particular you're looking to have stats for: such as Lord Imphras II, the Queen-Regeant, or any of the Council of Lords? There's 12 of them I think, one of which (Haelimbrar) is given stats in the Champions of Valor supplement.
As for the more generic ones, I could have a grouping of "commoners" that have various levels of NPC classes and levels (say ranging from 3rd to 7th level) that could fit into any town or city. That way you can re-use stats to your liking and just change up the name of the character in question. |
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Delnyn
Senior Scribe
USA
958 Posts |
Posted - 01 Jan 2021 : 17:48:49
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Diffan,
Is Melchor "Wyvernsbane" Trath amenable to starting a new career in a new place with a new name and possibly a new appearance? Definitely not around Cormyr, Dalelands or the Moonsea.
Aside #1: For what it is worth, the players want to hire him as added skill in their mission: Kill the two ogre magi leaders of the Sythillisian Empire and free southern Amn. The Council of Six have some seriously deep pockets. Would that be enough to entice Melchor?
Aside #2: Imagine what a melee machine he would be if he also had the bravery, weapon training and armor training class features of a Pathfinder 1e fighter. |
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Forgotten Realms NPC Generator
