"Modern-day saints carry their arms, spreading the word of their gods with cutting steel and piercing arrows. The only thing that matters is your reason for using them."
Arms are more of a commodity than anyone ever realizes. A sharp blade is never more than an arm's length away and a whistling bolt can be picked up at any corner. Normal weaponry can be bought from nearly any salesman without trouble. And even above that, and perhaps even more terrifying, are the persons supplying those salesmen… and organizations… even entire countries. People with no scruples, willing and able to sell just the right amount of weaponry to both sides of conflict, just to ensure the conflict never stops. So they can line their coffers. These arms dealers often create a haven for themselves, safe amongst their many hired men and their connections. They see little reason to leave these havens, preferring to leave the dirty work to their hands. Little matters beyond their ability to obtain more money.
You are not one of these arms dealers. You set out in this trade because you have a goal beyond cold, hard cash. A goal that can only be accomplished by selling your wares to the right persons, for the right reasons. Even if this causes death and mayhem and makes the entire world hates you, you are willing to take that upon you, for your goal is paramount. And because of this, instead of sitting around in your haven, you travel. You set out into the world to reach your goal. You meet people beyond imagining and sell your wares in places where common arms dealers would never dream of, just because they have no way of knowing. Gathering trusted allies who will stick with you no matter what and protect you to the utmost of their abilities, you make sure to use them to their full extent. They keep you safe and for this you appreciate them, taking good care of them. But ultimately, even they are but your own weapons, which you wield. And all this for your goal…
Mechanics
Starting features
You know your way amongst both the underbelly of society and the high echelons of nobility. They're both always in need of arms and you make sure to use those connections.
You gain a +2 bonus to Insight, Diplomacy and Streetwise skill checks.
Level 5
As you gain the trust of your companions, you trust them more as well. Without them you'd be naked and vulnerable to your enemies. You know they will protect you from harm and lay waste to your enemies. People know this and therefore are more likely to agree to your harsh bargaining.
You gain the 'Safe amongst allies' utility power. Furthermore, if you are able to use your connections, you can buy (magical) weaponry at a 90% of its normal market price and sell it for 110% of its normal market price.
Safe amongst allies - Utility power "You fear no enemy, because you know your allies will protect you from them." Encounter Immediate interrupt - Close burst 5 Target: One ally within the burst Trigger: An enemy within sight targets you with an attack. Effect: The target can shift its speed and make a basic attack against the triggering enemy as an opportunity action. If the attack hits, the enemy takes a -2 penalty to his attack roll against you.
Level 10
Your reputation and experience is preceding you. Even amongst the darkest of the underworld and the highest nobility, you have friends that can shelter you. Still you do not trust them as you would your own companions and are always wary for treachery.
Your bonus to Insight, Diplomacy and Streetwise increases to +4 and the penalty inflicted by the 'Safe amongst allies' power increases to -4. Furthermore, you can gain shelter for you and your companions in any city where you can use your connections, making it more difficult for foes to find and pursue you. However, be ready to run, for who can tell if those connections are not enemies as well?
Optional powers
The Travelling Arms Dealer allows you to choose from a select amount of Warlord utility powers. You can read about the mechanics of these powers in the indicated rules source or in the DDI Compendium.
Level 2 utility powers Instead choosing amongst your usual utility powers, you can choose from these level 2 utility powers instead:
Hasty Alert – Warlord Daily Utility Power (Martial Power 2) Even as you notice the attack, you signal quickly to your companions, preventing their surprise.
Level 6 utility powers Instead choosing amongst your usual utility powers, you can choose from these level 6 utility powers instead:
Guileful Switch – Warlord Daily Utility Power (Martial Power) As you distract your enemy, he never imagined you were actually setting him up for ambush. His eyes go wide as he notices too late that your companion suddenly making his move.
Level 10 utility powers Instead choosing amongst your usual utility powers, you can choose from these level 6 utility powers instead:
Marked Revelation – Warlord Daily Utility Power (Martial Power) Fools, how could they even think that you were unprotected. You quickly set them straight by pointing to a companion who they didn't spot or disregard. Wasn't he unarmed?
Flavor
The Travelling Arms Dealer theme is a theme in which your character has a higher goal, one that requires her to have connections and resources in all layers of society. Your character should work hard toward this goal, taking reckless risks because the return is worth it and you have trust in your companions. The theme can work for any class, inserting a bit of Warlord the character's life, though social figures stand to gain more from the class. It is less suited for actual Warlords, who already have access to the optional utility powers.
Your character makes sure that her companions trust her, taking good care of them and leading them towards victory. Every companion is a precious friend, but even though you do not take their lives lightly, those that die for you are in the past. You will mourn them, but move on quickly.
Your DM should have ample opportunity to present you with the possibility of garnering connections, hopefully in the unlikeliest of places. These are the reasons why your character travels, isn't it?
And finally, your character knows how to make use of magic and the divine, but she firmly believes that even the mightiest priest and wizards can be done in by lucky strokes with weaponry. This makes you look somewhat down upon magic users and followers of the divine, but you still respect them enough to overlook their dependence on outside sources.
Optional elements
1. Capricious: The connections of the Travelling Arms Dealer depend mostly on the hooks the DM provides for the character. 5. Moonlighting: While it does cause a lot of combat, being a Travelling Arms Dealer isn't about combat itself. 9. Skillful: The features enhance the Streetwise, Diplomacy and Insight skills.
That's my entry! Bonus points to the judge that catches the reference.
That's my entry! Bonus points to the judge that catches the reference.
I'm guessing Yuri Orlov from Lord of War, but that's just a shot in the dark.
Sorceror: "I'll attack the [solo monster] with Chaos Bolt." Warden: "Don't you ever use encounter powers?!?!?" Sorceror: (casually) "I don't need to." ----------- "Always code as if the guy who ends up maintaining your code will be a violent psychopath who knows where you live." - Martin Golding
The following is a conversion of the Spiked Chain Training feat made into a theme. I know the content is not completely original, but the the idea of using using a weapon theme to describe a character is not borrowed. I've decided to post this as an entry to the competition could have the minimum required for rewards, and also in case other DMs want to run with the theme themselves.
A character’s weapon is more than a tool she uses to unleash devastating blows against her adversaries; the crude greatclub of the savage nomadic barbarian, the lithe raper of a dashing aerial cutthroat, or a steady longsword in the hands of the gallant sword-and-shield paladin is an extension of the warrior herself. The weapon becomes the hero; the hero becomes the weapon, and a theme by which the character lives and breathes comes to life.
Chain Fighter
The spiked chain is a wicked weapon and devastating in the hands of proficient warriors. Nimble martial warriors such as rogues, rangers and tempest fighters usually wield such weapons to champion their graceful style.
Through years of dedicated practice, martial warriors become proficient with the exotic spiked chain, so much so that the lethal spiked appendages become one-and-the-same with the warrior’s hands. The spiked chain becomes an extension of the warrior herself.
Chain Fighter Starting Feature (1st Level): You gain proficiency with the spiked chain. You can treat the spiked chain as a double weapon. As a double weapon, each end of the spiked chain is a light blade and flail and deals 2d4 damage. The primary end gains the stout property, and the secondary end gains the off-hand property.
Chain Fighter Level 5 Feature (5th Level): You can use the Grab combat action while wielding a spiked chain. As such, the Grab power is modified as follows:
Grab
Attack
You reach out and grasp your foe, preventing it from moving.
At-WillWeapon
Standard Action - Melee weapon
Requirement: You must be wielding a spiked chain.
Target:One creature that is no more than one size category larger than you
Attack:Strength vs. Reflex
Hit: You grab the target until the end of your next turn. you can end the grab as a free action.
Sustain Minor: The grab persists until the end of your next turn.
Chain Fighter Level 10 Feature (10th Level): Creatures that you grab while wielding a spiked chain take a -2 penalty to escape attempts to break the grab.
Chain Shield
Chain Fighter Utility 2
You whirl into a vortex of spikes, fending off melee attackers.
DailyMartial, Stance, Weapon
Minor Action - Personal
Requirement:You must be wielding a spiked chain.
Effect: Until the stance ends, you gain a +2 shield bonus to AC and Reflex. Whenever an enemy misses you with a melee attack, you can slide that enemy 1 square.
Chain Trip
Chain Fighter Attack 3
You lash out with your chain and jerk your foe to the ground.
EncounterMartial, Weapon
Standard Action - Melee weapon
Requirement: You must be wielding a spiked chain.
Target:One creature
Attack:Primary Attribute vs. Reflex
Hit: 1[W] + Primary Attribute modifier damage, and slide the target up to 2 squares and knock it prone.
At 11th level, increase to 2[W] damage.
At 21st level, increase to 3[W] damage.
Chain Ward
Chain Fighter Utility 6
You take a sidelong stance, whirling your chain above your head and watching your foes with sharp, opportunistic menace.
DailyMartial, Stance, Weapon
Minor Action - Personal
Requirement:You must be wielding a spiked chain.
Effect: You threaten all squares within your reach.
Spiked Shackles
Chain Fighter Attack 9
With remarkable deftness, you wrap your foe in your chain, allowing you to squeeze the spike home and control your enemy’s movement.
DailyMartial, Weapon
Standard Action - Melee weapon
Target:One creature
Attack:Primary Attribute vs. Reflex
Hit: 1[W] + Primary attribute damage, and the target is grabbed until it escapes. You can sustain the grab as long as the target is within your reach, and the target takes a -2 penalty to escape attempts.
At 15th level, increase to 2[W] damage.
At 25th level, increase to 3[W] damage.
Miss: Half damage, and the target is grabbed until it escapes; you can sustain the grab as long as the target is within your reach.
Effect: Until the target is no longer grabbed, you can slide the target 1 square as a minor action. When you sustain the grab, the target takes 1[W] damage.
_________________________________________________ "Jacking up the level rewards has always carried the taint of bribery, in my mind. If people need to be bribed to play D&D, then something's wrong with the game." -Steve Winter (http://www.howlingtower.com/2012/01/illusory-math.html)
Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, take this child of mine far away from me. – Sarah (Labyrinth)
The common folk are a superstitious lot, always nervous about anything or anyone who appears different from the norm. If an animal behaves oddly, then it’s probably because of a witch’s hex. If the crops fail to sprout at the expected time, it’s probably because someone was dealing with demons. If a child looks strange, particularly if it doesn’t bear a close enough resemblance to its supposed father, then it is probably a changeling, left by the fairies when they kidnapped the true child and took it away to the feywild.
While many cases of children with unexpected features can be explained by secret extra-marital trysts, there are some unseelie fey who take children that they believe have promise and leave faerie children as replacements. Such children always seem to have an aura about them, bringing trouble and bad luck wherever they go. The bad luck never seems to affect them directly, though. The changeling always seems to be just stepping out of the way as misfortune strikes a nearby companion.
Optional Elements:
Capricious – the DM has complete control over the Lucky Strike power, and influence over how several other changeling child elements take effect. There is also plenty of opportunity for the DM to use this in a non-mechanical way, allowing the changeling child to have some serendipitous luck while nothing seems to go smoothly for their companions. The changeling child always gets the girl, while his friend spills beer down the front of his tunic . . .
Original – a changeling child is fey in origin, though they may not realize it. Many changeling children go to great lengths to pretend to be normal members of their race so as not to attract unwanted harassment.
Unfriendly – several of the changeling child’s abilities give penalties to allies.
Mechanics:
Lucky Break (Level 1 Feature):
Encounter Power, No Action – This power triggers off the changeling child failing a skill check. Re-roll the check and add a +2 un-typed bonus to the roll (+3 at 11th level, +4 at 21st level), but the next PC to make a skill check (up to the end of the encounter) takes an equal an opposite penalty to their roll.
Lucky Revival (Level 1 Feature):
A changeling child is used to taking the abuses of suspicious neighbors, and often receives a minimum amount of care when injured. The changeling child regains consciousness when rolling a 19+ on a death saving throw. The changeling child can still only spend one second wind per encounter.
Lucky Critical (Level 5 Feature):
Daily Power, No Action – This power triggers off the changeling child scoring a critical hit. The weapon or implement’s critical hit damage dice are also maximized instead of rolling randomly.
Lucky Strike (Level 10 Feature):
At-Will Power (DM controlled) – When the changeling child misses with an attack – by 1 with an at-will power, by 2 with an encounter power, or by 3 with a daily power – the DM may choose to count the attack as a hit, and assign an equal and opposite penalty to the next attack of one ally within 5. The DM should use this power enough so that the changeling child sees the benefit, but not so frequently that it becomes a guarantee that all close misses will turn into hits.
Right Place, Right Time (Level 2 Utility Power):
Encounter Power, Standard Action – Make an attack against an adjacent enemy, player’s choice of stat (chosen when the power is selected) vs. will. If the attack is successful, shift the enemy 1 space into a position where it is being flanked. The changeling child can now make an at-will melee attack against the same target. Following the attack, the enemy gets to shift 1 space into a position where it is not being flanked. If no such space exists within range, then the enemy gets no shift (though presumably in most cases it could simply go back to where it started).
Unexpected Mis-Fire (Level 6 Utility Power):
Encounter Power, No Action – This power triggers off the changeling child being hit with an enemy’s encounter or re-charge power. The changeling child immediately gains resist 5 all until the end of his/her next turn but the re-charge power automatically recharges or the encounter power is not used up. This resistance increases to 10 at level 11, and 15 at level 21.
Move Through Chaos (Level 10 Utility Power):
Encounter Power, Move – The changeling child removes any mark currently on him/her and shifts up to his/her full movement. After this move is completed, one enemy within 5 squares may immediately shift 2 spaces.
Flavor:
There are two ways that you could go about playing a changeling child – either you know what you are, or you are blissfully ignorant.
If you are aware of what you are, and know the effects of good luck and bad luck that swirl around you, then you will probably want to play up your successes, and the various ways your good fortune has helped the party. Try to deflect attention from the unfortunate failures that seem to happen to your companions when they are near you. It would be a sign of great trust for you to admit your nature to anyone, and you are probably prickly about anyone who starts asking questions about your background.
If, in character, you don’t know that you are any different from a normal individual of your race, then you are probably a happy-go-lucky adventurer. Things just always seem to work out for you, at least since you moved away from those nasty superstitious bumpkins that made your childhood miserable. That’s all behind you now and if bad things seem to happen to those around you, well adventuring is dangerous business, so lets not jump to conclusions.
Thinking Out Loud:
I wanted to capture the idea of a jinx – someone who doesn’t experience bad luck themselves, but seems to bring bad luck to the people around them. On the other hand, I didn’t want to make the theme so annoyingly terrible that everyone else at the table would hate you, as a person, for using it on your character. I feel like there are probably other themes that are better if you just want to make the most kick-ass character with awesome powers, but it might be interesting to role-play.
I was also trying to think of a better word that “changeling” to name the theme, since changeling already means something different in D&D. Maybe it should be called “faerie child” or “switched at birth” or something like that. I’ll probably think of a really good name some time tomorrow after the deadline has passed . . .
I heard that they are making a new video game, where you control the Netherese flying citadel of Sakkors, raining death on your helpless enemies below. Working title: Mythal Command.
I don't know if it's still within deadline, but I altered a small part of my entry. I added the following text to the first paragraph of 'Flavor';
…and you have trust in your companions. The theme can work for any class, inserting a bit of Warlord the character's life, though social figures stand to gain more from the class. It is less suited for actual Warlords, who already have access to the optional utility powers.
Please disregard this if it wasn't within the deadline, but I wanted the actual class advice out there for people that get it into their heads to use my theme as inspiration.
The list is updated and the contest closed. SpacyRicochet, you are allowed to make edits after the deadline. The only risk is that judges will already have scored your entry before the edit.
